When We Were Young

It took him a day and a half before finally sitting down with Michelle and tell her what was going on. Brian knew that she felt like something was up, especially when Valary took him aside and told him clearly as water that he needed to be honest with her sister, that she didn’t deserve this. She was right, he knew it; it just didn’t mean it was hard to tell her something like this. Where would he even start?

That morning Michelle was making breakfast and on another occasion Brian would’ve enjoyed the smell of homemade pancakes and coffee, but that morning, he felt sick to his stomach and from the look his girlfriend gave him, he was pretty sure she noticed he wasn’t feeling well. She offered to make some tea and give him something for whatever he had, but he ignored her words.

“We need to talk.” He said, sitting on the counter. He patted the chair beside him, telling her to sit next to him.

“What is it?” She asked, slowly sitting down.

Brian looked straight into her eyes and took her hands into his, gently squeezing them.

“Jesus, Brian. Don’t tell me you fucked her.” She started speaking, “Fuck. She’s back and now–”

Brian frowned at her words and shook his head. Of course she would think he cheated on her with Nancy. She was jealous of any female human being around him, but he knew that even Michelle knew that Nancy wasn’t like any other woman, not to him.

Jimmy had just hung up after his phone call from Nancy. She had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. It took no more than a minute for him to receive a picture of the baby and a really tired Nancy. No, the baby wasn’t beautiful. She was absolutely flawless and adorable and he couldn’t believe she shared the Haner’s genes. It had to be some kind of sorcery. She was way to beautiful to be Brian’s daughter but as much as she tried to ignore it, he ended up agreeing with Nancy. She was everything like her father.

Walking back into the bar, he threw his arms up in the air.

“Drinks for everybody!” He yelled, “We gotta fucking celebrate!”

While most of the people in the bar cheered and thanked him for the drinks, his friends looked at him, confused. He sat on his chair and grabbed his beer, taking a long sip of it. He was ignoring his friends’ looks on purpose, not ready to face them after what happened.

“May we know why you decided to offer drinks to pretty much everyone tonight?” Michelle asked. She was sitting in Brian’s lap with an arm around his neck, while he was holding her by her waist.

Jimmy looked at her and almost gagged. That scene made him sick. He had tried to like her, God knows he really tried, but he couldn’t help it. The way she was when she was around Brian or how they were always shoving down their tongues in each other’s throats was disgusting. He wondered if others thought the same whenever he was drunk enough to make out with Leana in public. Maybe not. Either way, fuck them. He didn’t care.

“I’m so sorry, Michelle. I noticed you were moving your lips but couldn’t quite catch what you said. You know I have trouble understanding your bitchalogues.”

“Jimmy!” Valary exclaimed, hitting him in the arm.

“What? America is a free country, I can say whatever the fuck I want to whoever the fuck I want, whenever the fuck I want.”

“Jimbo, drop it.” Brian said, jumping into the conversation, to defend his beauty.

“Don’t you dare.” He said, glaring at his best friend. “I was on the phone with Nancy who gave me the best fucking news ever so excuse me if I’m fucking happy.”

“What happened?” Johnny asked.

“None of your business.” He answered, keeping his eyes on Brian, who was still holding Michelle as if she was his anchor. He wanted to tell him about Nancy and the beautiful daughter he had, but he gave his best friend his word.

Brian stared at Jimmy the whole time, but when they finally met each other’s gaze, he suddenly felt uncomfortable and he wasn’t sure it was because Jimmy was being such a dick to Michelle all of a sudden or because he heard from Nancy. He watched Jimmy shake his head and get up, sitting at the counter again.

“He really needs to stop being such an asshole.” Michelle said before sipping her drink.

“Yeah… I’ll talk to him. Sorry, Chelle.” Her sister said and sighed heavily, wondering what the hell was going on with the drummer.

Suddenly, Brian pulled away and made her sit on the couch, then got up.

“Where are you going, babe?” Michelle asked, but Brian ignored her. He headed outside of the bar and took a deep breath before taking his phone out of his pocket.

He quickly dialed Nancy’s number. He still remembered it but he was sure she wouldn’t pick up. He had sent her a few texts, just to know how she was, but after the third unanswered text, Jimmy told him that she changed her phone number. He listened to the voice who told him that, that number wasn’t active anymore and he sighed heavily as he hung up. He just wanted to hear her voice one last time and congratulate her for whatever happy news she shared with Jimmy. He wondered if maybe it had something to do with her studies or her new job…

“Who were you calling?”

Michelle’s voice distracted him from his thoughts and when he turned his head, he noticed her standing beside him.

“No one.”

“Bullshit.” She said, “You were calling her, weren’t you?”

Brian kept her eyes on her for a brief moment, then looked away. He didn’t reply, but his silence was more than an answer to Michelle.

“Why the fuck do you always have to think I cheat on you?” He asked, “Have I done something to prove you wrong?”

Michelle bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “No, but you’ve spent time with her. I know it and–”

“No ‘ends’, Mich. Just… Let me talk, alright?”

Brian took a deep breath and quickly looked around their kitchen before looking back at her. He wondered how or when they decided to move in together. All he could remember was that one day she was moving in with him and that was it. He pushed those thoughts aside and tried to focus on what he needed to tell her.

“I’ve spent time with Nancy, yeah.” Michelle gasped slightly at the mention of the woman’s name, but Brian ignored her and instead continued his speech. “Nothing happened, though. I mean, between us. We didn’t kiss or anything like that. I do love you. Try to remember this when you hear my next words.”

Michelle frowned and started shaking a bit; Brian couldn’t tell if she was nervous or mad.

“When she came back to Huntington Beach she wasn’t alone, she brought her daughter.” He said, “Our daughter.”

The blonde stared at her boyfriend without saying a words and Brian sat there, unsure of what to do.

“Michelle? Just say something, please.”

“You have a kid.”

“Yeah… I had no idea until the other day. This is so fucked up, you know, and shit, Jimmy knew about this and fuck.”

Brian let go of her hands to rub his face with his hands, when he removed them and looked at Michelle again, he noticed how hurt she was. It broke his heart.

“I love you, Mich.” He whispered, “I never meant this to happen. I’m so sorry.”

She said nothing and got up, finishing to make breakfast. She was ignoring him, like she usually did when she was upset with him. This wasn’t like the other times, though. He needed her to say something. He’d be okay with her slapping him.

“Michelle, just say something, anything. Please.”

“What do you want me to say, Brian?” She said, throwing the pancakes in the sink. Brian swallowed hard as he saw the scene; she was mad. She turned around and he met her gaze. “Huh? You just told me you have a kid with your ex!”

“I know, I’m not saying you have to be okay with this but I love you and you know, we’re in this thing people call relationship and I thought you should know before anyone else.” Well, that wasn’t exactly true since apparently everybody but Michelle knew about JJ, but that was another story.

“Good, because I’m not okay with this.” She said and Brian sighed.

“I’m not that okay with that either, to be honest. She and Jimmy lied to me for three years!” He said.

“Are you even sure it’s yours?”

Brian looked at her and chewed the inside of his cheek. The possibility that JJ wasn’t his didn’t even cross his mind, but there was no doubt she was his daughter. Even he could tell they looked alike!

“Yes, I am.”

“Did you take a DNA test or something? Because, you know, she can say whatever she wants, only the DNA test can prove if you’re the kid’s biological father. Not to mention that you haven’t seen her in what, over three years? Don’t you think that maybe she could have had sex with somebody else and maybe the kid is not yours but she just wants your money?”

Again, another thing that didn’t cross his mind. Nancy wasn’t like that, hence why Brian didn’t even doubt her words.

“I will if it makes you feel good but I know she’s my daughter.” He said, “She looks like me, like McKenna when she was a child.”

Michelle shook her head and put her hands on the counter, her eyes down. She was completely heartbroken.

“Look, I know this situation isn’t the best and if I could change it, I would, but I can’t.” He said, “I just–I don’t know, I just wish you’d understand this. This isn’t something I wanted.”

“I know.”

“Good, I’m glad you know it.” Brian got up and walked around the counter, then slowly wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. “I love you.” He whispered against her neck, “I’d like you to meet her. I’m sure you’ll love her.”

“Just… Give me time, Brian.” She said, and Brian felt her tens up under his arms.

“Yes, of course.” He said and made her turn around, then looked straight into her eyes.

“Thank you, babe.”

“Yeah.” She said and pulled away, throwing away the rest of the breakfast and then starting to clean the kitchen.

Brian watched her for a minute or so, then sighed heavily.

“I gotta go to LA today. It’s recording day.”

“Yeah, have fun.”

“Thanks.” He said, although he was pretty sure she didn’t mean it. “I love you.”

She nodded at his words but didn’t even turn around so Brian walked away, without saying anything else. He couldn’t blame her for reacting like this, finding out that he had a daughter had been shocking news for everybody he knew.

Brian spent almost all day at the studio, recording what was supposed to be the new Avenged Sevenfold album. Doing things without Jimmy wasn’t the same and doing this while all he had in mind was Nancy and their daughter wasn’t good at all.

The topic of his daughter hadn’t been brought up that day until the band took a break. Brian and Johnny were sitting on the couch, Matt was sitting on a chair while Zacky was sitting on the floor, changing a string to one of his guitars.

“So, how are things with Nancy and the kid?” Johnny asked, saying out loud a question that had been going on in his friends’ mind for a while. Zacky quickly glanced at him, then focused on his guitar, while Matt leaned back against the chair, looking at Brian.

“Things with the child are good, I guess.” Brian answered, “Things with Nancy are shit but I don’t fucking care.”

Johnny sighed and took a sip of his coffee while Matt shook his head slightly.

“I don’t blame you.” The singer said; as much as Nancy was his friend – kind of – he still thought she’d been a bitch for keeping such a secret from Brian for so long. “Hers was a dick move.”

“Right?” Brian said, lighting his cigarette and taking a long drag. People weren’t allowed to smoke in the room, but nobody said anything, knowing he needed that cigarette right now. “She was the best fucking thing in my life. I would’ve run back to her if she only asked. I loved her so fucking much and now I just can’t help but hate her.” He added and took another drag. It killed him to say something like this, but it was the truth. “I fucking hate her for doing this to me.”

“What are you gonna do?” Zacky asked, deciding to focus on his friend instead of his guitar.

“I don’t know.” Brian admitted, leaning his head back against the couch. He stared at the ceiling and licked his lips. He hated Nancy so much he just wished she would go back to fucking Portland in fucking Maine, but he couldn’t let her. Not when it meant he wouldn’t see his daughter anymore. He hadn’t spent much time with her, but he was completely hooked and in love with JJ. He loved how talkative she was, how she loved showing him all her things, how proud she was of her drawings, how she danced around to the main themes of old TV shows… It was easy to love her; it was much less easy to look at Nancy without feeling… What was it? Disgust? Anger? Disappointment? Maybe all of three.

“Dude, I know this is a shitty situation but you gotta think well about what you wanna do with the kid, Nancy and even Michelle.” Matt said.

Of course he would bring Michelle into this conversation, she was his sister-in-law, after all. Brian looked straight into his eyes and nodded.

“I told Michelle, she isn’t exactly happy.”

Zacky chuckled for a brief moment, then turned serious again. “Who would be happy about this, dude?”

“What I’m trying to say is that you can’t jump into this little girl’s life without being a hundred percent sure you’re gonna stay.” Matt said, “I don’t care about Nancy, just think about that girl. If you wanna be her father, then good. But if you don’t want to, then tell Nancy as soon as possible and let her continue with her life.” The singer took a deep breath before continuing his speech. “No matter what you decide to do, we’ll support you.”

Notes

Unlike what you probably thought, this chapter isn't about the party but I can assure you the next one is! :P I just thought Brian would let Michelle know about what's going on before... Well, the party! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

I'm so happy you guys enjoyed the previous chapter and thank you so much for the great feedback, and obviously, thank you to Hollie, Avengedlover6661, est6661gates and J.J. – your comments made my day <3