 
Over The Weekend

Rachel Lenna

Published by Rachel Lenna at Smashwords

Copyright Rachel Lenna 2014

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All characters, places and stories in this eBook are a work of fiction. Any similarities to any persons living or deceased or actual places inside or outside this book is pure coincidence and not intentional.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10 \- Sunday Morning

Book Three; In a Few Short Weeks Coming soon

Chapter 1

"This stop Moonlight Falls district, Moonlight Falls."

_I can't believe I am about to do this_. I mutter under my breath as the cranky old bus comes to a wobbling stop. _I'm actually going to do this._ Everyone starts piling out and I wait until there is more space before I gather my things and join the line up to collect luggage. The bus is very full as it is the last interstate bus of the day to Moonlight Falls. I think it's just after 7pm or something so there is a little daylight left and the cool air hasn't quite hit yet.

"Excuse me miss?" A voice behind me says and a cranky looking middle aged woman is pouting and looking past me. The line is moving faster than I am and she seems to be in a hurry.

"Sorry." I say trying to yank my carry-on bag in with me.

"Yep." She scoffs and literally toe taps impatiently, waiting for me to move. I frown, she can clearly see the condition I am in. I give her the biggest death stare possible and she at least has the decently to flinch, helping me hoist the bag up onto the seat.

"Do you want a hand?" She says gruffly and I know it's because she feels she has to, not because she wants to.

I sigh, "No I'm good thanks." I don't want her touching me anyway. I waddle to my left, shuffling sideways so she can get past me. If it's that important for her to rush who am I to argue?

"There's no turning back now Anna-Beth." I growl under my breath, ignoring her completely. "I'm stuck for the night regardless of the outcome." Tears randomly threaten to pour out. The woman shoves past me with a gentle huff, literally flinging her nose in the air. I roll my eyes back at her. _I just hope that my taking this chance will work out in my favour and not fail me miserably._ I watch her storm off.

"Ma'am would you like to get in front of me?" A young voice says behind me and I turn to see a young woman with two children of her own standing there. Her eyes are kind and knowledgeable and she smiles at me like she's been here before to. People behind her don't seem to mind that she has stopped the flow anymore then she minded stopping for me.

"Are you sure?" I ask, I need to get off my feet, and I have only been standing a few minutes. Sitting still for several hours really cramps the muscles.

"Absolutely."

"Thank you!" I all but sigh with relief and waddle forward as fast as I can. "Anna-Beth Pearson." I say to the driver, who is waiting patiently.

"I remember." He smiles warmly at me and moves my bag over to the side so I don't have to carry it. "You have a good night and be safe miss."

"Thanks." I smile gratefully. Yanking my bag along behind me.

I waddle out of the way as quickly as I can but my bag is heavy and I am tired almost instantly.

"Excuse me miss?" A voice behind me questions as I lug the huge suitcase trying to move.

I turn to see a stout older lady with salt and pepper hair watching me with a keen interest. "Yes?" I question, seeing her judging glare. I know that look well. I have been getting it the whole trip up here. _Judgement!_ "Can I help you with something?"

"Your suitcase is on my jacket. I can't pick it up so you need to move your things." She points and gives me a look that dares me to challenge her. Her hunched over frail state is clearly all just pure physical appearance. The woman clearly still has her mind – bitchiness included.

"Well ma'am" I say standing up straighter, ready to launch into a standoff if necessary. The woman must be able to tell there's something a little... different about me surely? "Clearly you can see I can't either." I turn to face her pointedly with my hands on my hips so my huge belly pokes out from under the light jacket I am wearing. She gasps and points, talking to an older gentlemen who appears next to her in that moment.

"Can you see that? That kid is having a kid!" She shakes her head in absolute disgust. "And I see no ring! The children of today just don't know how to keep their legs closed! It's so disgusting."

"Betsy dear I'm sure the young _woman_ doesn't need you pointing at and insulting her." He smiles at me warmly and I feel an instant liking and possibly a little – okay a lot – sympathetic towards him. He has the eyes that speak of an old soul and a kind hearted spirit. He moves towards me to untangle the offending jacket from the offending wheel of my suitcase and manages without much fuss. "I'm sorry about my sister dear, she's a little old fashioned." He whispers at me as he stands.

"I'm not old fashioned!" The woman squawks – like literally squawks. She sounds like a cockatoo with a whistle up its nose – and rattles off something about society these days and how there is no respect left in the world, especially for the older people. The man just rolls his eyes at me. I hide back a giggle.

"I'm sorry I didn't see her jacket." I say to him apologetically. "I can't even see my own feet." I add for good measure, gesturing towards my belly. "This thing has been getting me into trouble the whole trip here."

"How far along are you if I may ask?" He smiles warmly at me and seems genuinely interested. His sister on the other hand is still talking – to no one – about respect and back in her day this and that.

"About eight month's sir." I reply, unable to stop from smiling back. His smile is infectious – and calming.

"That seems like a bit of a rough time for a young lady to be catching an interstate bus all by herself." He says as we move out of the way for the final passenger to get his belongings.

"I'm actually here to see the babies' dad." I shrug sheepishly. No point in lying. It only gives you a lot more problems than you started with. I learnt that the hard way.

"Babies?" The man asks and his sister twaddles back over, interest overcoming her objections about me being pregnant and apparently a child. Her permed, fuzzy hair and bright blue eyes actually kind of remind me of Medusa. Hair sticking out everywhere and eyes that look like they could see right through your soul.

"You have two in there?" She asks with a frown tapping my belly – something I can't stand but instinct tells me this woman would do it more if she knew that. So I keep quiet and bite my tongue – "No wonder you look so huge!" – HARD!

"Yes ma'am." I reply, laying the _respect_ on thick. Regardless of what this woman may think, I do have respect for the world. I made one mistake almost nine months ago and here I am today owning up to that mistake. She may not think it's respectful but I'm eighteen. That means I am an adult by the law so I am one no matter how much she thinks otherwise. _So ner!_ Just thinking about it makes me what to poke my tongue out at her. She should try being eighteen and pregnant. And alone. And without family or friends. And without a baby dada. And without money. And without a place to sleep. _Holy crap! What have I gotten myself into?!_

"Twins!" Medusa transforms into a swan right before my eyes. Gone is the attitude and seemingly justified hatred towards me, instead she sticks her hand into the crook of my arm then herds me the bench I hadn't noticed until now. "Come, sit my dear, the trip must have been exhausting."

"I didn't do anything but sit." I laugh as she forces me to sit anyways. Medusa turned fairy godmother's brother just shakes his head as a small boy, about the age of ten, comes out of the crowd with a young woman holding a clipboard. He leaps up and wraps the older man in a bear hug.

"Pop!" He yells excitedly as he is twirled around.

"Mr Bateman?" The woman asks.

"Yes ma'am." He says through the choke hold.

"I just need to see your ID and for you to sign here please." She points on the clip board as Mr Bateman fishes his wallet out of his pocket.

"That's my little Byron." The older lady follows my gaze. "My brother, Bill and I have him every summer for the last two weeks." She smiles at him adoringly and I feel a pang of jealousy. "Bill's daughter and her husband go on a 'honeymoon' every year while he comes here." I wish my family would look at me like that. I wish my family would love me like that.

"He looks adorable." I smile, rubbing my back. Sitting still in a bus for ten hours has not been at all good for me and I'm hurting. I get up off the seat. "I really should go now ma'am..."

"Betsy dear, call me Betsy."

"Okay... Betsy." I smile. "I must be going now."

Bill and little Byron walk over to us just as I grab my suitcase. "Is someone picking you up dear?" Bill asks, taking my suitcase out of my hands without a word. He looks at me like he dares me to argue.

"No sir."

"Oh no Mumma Bear, please, call me Bill." He looks surprised. "Sir is way too formal for me."

"Pops likes to think he's still twenty don't you?" Byron goads his grandpa.

"Byron I may be old and grey looking on the outside but I will still whoop your hiney at canoeing any day."

"Not for long Pops." Byron has a twinkle in his eye that I recognise as one of pure love. This little boy loves his grandpa and great aunt very much. I subconsciously rub my belly. If only my babies grandma and grandpa were so supportive. "I'm gonna get big soon then you won't keep beating me!"

Bill laughs and ruffles the boy's hair. "I don't doubt that for a minute."

My mum and dad, when they found out I was pregnant, went ballistic. Like catastrophically crazy. Ranting and raving things _like I am meant to be in law school right now, getting my degree_. What they really meant was I was meant to become the next junior dad.

_My brother and sister both followed so why couldn't I_? That's all I heard for three months. Law was never my thing but I never argued with them until I became pregnant. I wanted to do music, become a music teacher and love life but they would never have understood that.

It wasn't something I wanted for me. To become what my dad is, – which according to my mum when she is angry with him – is a shell of what he used to be. That's not living. That's existing, something I am not going to do. I want to live my life. Every single day. Still when they found out they told me – after a week of not talking to me – that I was to get an abortion and everyone would forget this mess ever happened.

I couldn't and wouldn't.

So I didn't.

They were angry and tried everything they could to get me to have a termination, even so far as taking me to court. For three weeks they argued with me, right up until court day. They were adamant they were going to win, after all they were all lawyers and knew the law. When the judge ruled I am an eighteen year old competent woman they told me I was to leave and never come back.

So I did.

My best friend took me in for months – I lost count of how many – then but her parents announced that her mum had lung cancer and I knew they needed privacy so offered to leave so they could be a family. I haven't heard much from Candace since but I know she's struggling. She knows I'm struggling to but neither of us can be there for the other because of our various reasons and/or conditions.

I then spent two months moving from one friends couch to another, trying to figure out what to do. Nothing was working for me – and friends were getting over the pregnant whale constantly taking up their couch space – so I knew I had to do the thing I didn't want to do.

I had to go see the baby dada.

Hugo Baker.

I have one word for him. Yum.

He and I had spent an entire week together last autumn and we talked and talked and talked. He was so handsome and a lot older than me – twenty four then to my about to turn eighteen – so he made me feel like a queen. He was a true gentleman, didn't push me into anything I wasn't comfortable with just said he enjoyed my company.

On the last night I decided that I wanted to sleep with him. He had wooed me that well that I thought what better way to end our time together than with that one moment. He knew I was a virgin and hadn't wanted to. He said I should save it for someone special.

I told him I was an eighteen year old girl who was still a virgin. I had never felt a connection with anyone else like I had him and that I wanted him to be my first even if it was only a one time deal. I told him he was special to me because he was the first man to ever treat me so kindly just because he wanted to and not to get something out of it or because my parents were my parents so I wanted to with him.

I still remember shaking the whole time, scared he was going to reject me. He didn't of course, because here I am in Moonlight Falls. Jobless. Homeless. With about two hundred dollars to my name and twin babies due in about five weeks.

"Don't you agree little lady?" Bill was talking to me but I had completely zoned out of them.

"Sorry, I went space cadeted." I say apologetically.

"I see that honey." Bill puts a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Byron said that a lady in your condition should not be left out on her own and said that we should offer you a ride to wherever it is you are going."

"Oh!" I say, tears welling in my eyes. I quickly wipe them away. "Sorry, pregnancy hormones."

"It's quiet alright dear." Bill says and shares a look with me that makes me think he can sense more than I am letting on. "What's your name sweetheart?"

"Oh my how rude of me. I'm sorry! My name is Anna-Beth, but everyone just calls me Anna."

"Anna-Beth – Anna – please let us take you to where you need to go?" Byron steps forward and grabs my hand. He looks at me through eyes wise beyond his years.

"That's okay, really." I insist. "I will be fine."

"Nonsense." Betsy blurts out. "No lady with twins on board is going to wander around this city alone while I know about it. Bill grab her suitcase, Byron grab her carry-on bag." She orders the two men in her life and they instantly obey her. "Let's go."

"No please it's okay." I say, trying to grab at the bag Byron slips off my shoulder. "You really don't need to go to any trouble!"

"No trouble dear, so where are you staying."

_Nowhere._ " _Touchés_."

"The night club upon Main Street?" Betsy stops so suddenly I almost run into her.

"Yes ma'am"

"Why would you want to go there?"

"Betsy that's none of our business!" Bill cuts in before I have a chance to reply. Betsy bristles at her brother's tone but says nothing.

"It's okay." I smile at them. "I don't actually have anywhere to stay and that's where baby dada works." I figure they are being wonderful by offering me a ride the least I could do is be honest.

"Oh my." Betsy fans herself and I wonder what that's about.

"You have no place to stay?" Bill says, frowning.

"No, I didn't really think it through," I look sheepishly at them. "But I have run out of couches and have no other feasible options and was hoping that I could wing it or something."

"You will stay with us." Betsy announces as she holds her nose in the air and marches off to what I can only assume is the direction of their car.

"I can't do that!" I exclaim. "You don't even know me!"

"Anna one thing you will learn about Betsy really quickly is that what Betsy wants Betsy gets." Bill nods in her direction as she wanders off without a backward glance. Clearly knowing we will all follow her.

"Pops is right." Byron agrees. "We call her Cyclone Betsy when she gets in one of these... rampages."

I laugh – which hurts. "I can't impose on you like that?" I ask completely unsure and close to tears again.

"Yes you can my dear." Bill squeezes my shoulder. "Our house is big enough for one more person. Besides I'm sure it will only be a night or two until you sort something more permanent out."

_He's right. And they don't seem like the mass murdering type. Maybe just one night?_ "Well if that's the case and it's no trouble?"

"None at all my dear." Bill says gently. "Our house really is huge and we have plenty of spare bedrooms."

"Well I better do as she says then hey?" I gesture towards Betsy as I smile down at Byron and he beams at me.

"But Bill will you be able to drop me off at the club too?" I ask cautiously, knowing that these people have been so kind to me and I shouldn't push it. But I need to tell Hugo. I have waited eight months for this moment. I can't rely on these really kind people either for too long. That and I may lose my nerve

"Of course." He seems to sense my urgency. "I can always pick you up again after you have spoken to him."

Chapter 2

"Good luck dear." Bill waves at me as I get out of the car – it takes a while and Bill getting out of the car to come help me up but I get there. "Make sure you get what you need."

"Thanks." I smile wearily as I close the door. I check my phone to make sure Bills number is safely stored. It is. Part of me is thankful that I met such kind people in a place where I know no one but the one man who is likely going to toss me out the moment I walk back in.

I take a deep breath and look at the daunting building that is _Touchés_. Bright white contrasted with a deep red stands before me. Glass doors line the entire bottom floor of the building and a bright black design with neon red letters reads _Touchés_ like some angry monster.

"Well here goes nothing." I mutter to myself and walk in the front door. I step inside, the air conditioning hitting me in the face immediately. It is cool, but not cold and there are a few people scattered here and there in the cosy lounge chairs.

A guy that is tall and well-built that looks strangely familiar in a way walks past me with a smile and a tray of dirty glasses in his hand. I smile back but stand there stupidly.

The guy comes back a few moments later and I'm still in the same spot so this time he stops. "Are you alright miss?" He asks gently and he looks at me with a hint of curiosity.

"I'm looking for a friend." I blurt out.

"What's their name?" He asks. "I work here so I might know where they are."

"Him." I sigh. "It's a him. His name is Hugo Baker."

The guy sucks in a breath. "Hugo Baker?" He repeats looking from my eyes to my belly. I suddenly grow very self-conscious and wrap my arms around my stomach as best I can.

"Yes." I say lifting my head in defiance.

"As in Tall, looks a little like me, but with brown hair Hugo Baker?"

"Err... yes." I say worrying about who this guy is now. "Is he around?"

"He's out at the moment but I'm his brother Jaydan."

"Oh you're Jaydan!" I exclaim, relaxing. Hugo spoke a lot about his little brother and how he is a hard worker and in love with a girl who has no idea he is. "Hugo had told me so much about you."

"Well no disrespect or anything but he hasn't mentioned you at all." Jaydan looks down at my stomach with a raised eyebrow.

"My name is Anna-Beth Pearson." I follow his gaze to my stomach. "He doesn't know yet. It's why I'm here. To tell him."

"You left it a little late?" Jaydan has no judgement in his tone but I feel the slap anyway.

"We agreed we would go our separate ways, didn't exchange contact information."

"Oh." Jaydan nods, still no judgment. "Well that would explain why he hasn't mentioned it but your name sounds familiar?" He taps his chin, deep in thought.

"We spent a week at Grama Resort last year together."

"Oh yes!" Jaydan exclaims. "You're _that_ Anna!" He grins at me and I get nervous.

"Should I be worried?" I ask as he gives me a knowing look.

"Hugo is very private about you." Jaydan grins even bigger. "Which usually doesn't happen. So you must have made an impression that is all."

"Fair enough." I say not sure how to respond. "Do you know how long he will be?"

Jaydan looks at his watch. "He had a meeting with a supplier an hour ago. He should be back soon if you want to wait?"

"I do." I nod enthusiastically.

"I figured." Jaydan nods. "Come let me find you somewhere a bit more comfortable then in front of a door to sit and wait."

"I don't want to be a burden." I say quickly.

"Anna – can I call you that?"

"Of course!"

"Well Anna as much as we don't know each other from a bar of soap your family now." Jaydan points to my stomach. "And family looks after family."

I burst into tears and he just pats my shoulder as he escorts me through the onlookers to a lounge near the bar.

Chapter 3

_Oh my god this is so nerve racking. What the hell am I supposed to do until he gets here?_ I am sitting in the sofa surrounded by pillows – thanks to Jaydan – when the door opens for the fifty millionth time and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Hugo.

He must sense me looking at him because he scans the building and when his eyes rest on mine his mouth drops open and he frowns. I panic as I see a range of motions scatter through his face from curiosity to anger to happiness and back to curiosity again.

_Clearly Jaydan hasn't told him._ I think grateful to the younger brother for allowing me the chance to tell Hugo myself. I want to ease him into talking to me so I stay seated and watch him watch me.

He stands there forever until Jaydan, after witnessing this pushes him forward. "Go talk to her bro." I hear him say faintly above the music playing in the background.

"What's she doing here?" Hugo snaps back, his voice vibrating through my ears. _Oh how I remember that sound well._

"Bro go talk to her." Jaydan shoves him again. "Trust me you need to."

Hugo just stares at me some more before Jaydan, sick of being discreet, shoves his brother forward. Hugo stumbles a little and turns around to pin a glare on Jaydan. Jaydan points at me with a look that says "Move". Hugo shoots Jaydan a few death stares but it gets him moving as he walks towards me with purpose.

"What are you doing here?" He demands stopping just short of the table.

"Hugo can you please sit?" I say more politely then I feel. I think I need to throw up. "I need to talk to you."

"You're not supposed to be here. We agreed." He snaps instead. "That one week and that's it. No more contact, nothing."

"I know Hugo but things have changed."

"You lied to me about your age. You're a baby. No more."

"Hugo please sit."

"No."

"Well then you leave me no choice." I look at Jaydan who is watching us out of the corner of his eye as I struggle to get up. Hugo sucks in a breath as I move away from the table, standing upright. "You have to talk to me. This so called _baby_ is having your babies. Two of them."

He just stares at me blankly.

"Hugo?" I question.

"Um no you're not." He huffs.

"Yes I am."

"No you're not." Hugo shakes his head and looks down right angry. If I am honest he scares me a little.

"Yes I am." I repeat. He's in shock, I get that. _Be cool Anna! Be cool. You knew this would happen. Of course he's going to be in shock!_

"No you are not." He says again as he starts to sway. It's weird watching a fully grown man, well over six foot look like he is about to faint. I look to Jaydan desperately for help.

"Hugo." Jaydan stands behind his brother, guiding him to the chair opposite mine. "Sit."

"This chick." Hugo murmurs towards Jaydan. "What the hell? It was a one week thing and we only did it once." He looks puzzled. "How can someone get pregnant after only one time?"

"Okay my cue to leave again." Jaydan says and quickly hurries away before anyone can respond.

"It only needs to be one time." I say gently, feeling like a parent here already.

"But it was your first time?"

"Yes."

"That's not possible."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Hugo we are having twins."

"You are having twins. I am having nothing." Hugo shakes his head furiously then puts his head in his hands. "One week Anna. One week and we were meant to never see each other again. You lied to me."

"Well fate had other ideas." I say with more force then is necessary. "I'm eight months pregnant and I was eighteen when we slept together."

"Your eighteen years old. You can't be pregnant."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow gesturing at my belly.

"But it was one time."

"I know that." I agree. "So you really remember me?"

"Of course I remember you." He snaps. "How can I forget the fact that I spent the entire week with you? I have never done that with any other girl."

"I don't know." I say feeling highly vulnerable. "You're not exactly welcoming at the moment."

Hugo looks like he is about to retort some nasty comment but stops. He takes a deep breath and looks at me with haunted eyes. "Look Anna," _Oh ohh!_ "This is a lot for me to handle right now, can I take you home and have a night to think about it?"

"Umm..."

"I don't know what to think." He adds and I know I'm close to tears.

"I'm due in five weeks." I blurt out and yank out a copy of my pregnancy records. I came prepared for this reaction but it doesn't make it any less harder to cope with. I thrust it at his chest. "Here. This should help prove to you that these are your babies." I wobble up and when he tries to offer me his hand I yank mine away. "We spent a week together remember? And spent most of that talking to each other about _everything_. Think back to that week Hugo, if you still think I would lie to you about something this big then don't bother talking to me." With that I square my shoulders, and waddle out with as much dignity as I can muster. Hugo is just staring at me open mouthed.

"Anna wait!" Jaydan calls after me and grabs me by the arm. "Here," He thrusts a notepad and pen into my hands. "Write your number down. Hugo is never one to cope well with big shocks like that. Give him a while to adjust to it and then I'm sure he will want to talk to you."

"Pfft." I huff, shoving the notepad and pen back to him. "Pregnancy hormones are obviously making me a little more unforgiving then normal and even though I know it was possible for him to behave like this I hoped otherwise. He can go jump." With that I again put my nose in the air and start to waddle out.

"Anna I don't know you but I do know what it's like to want something you can't have." Jaydan calls after me. "I know what it's like to feel rejected, and humiliated. Difference between you and me but is there's no hope for me but you there is." He follows me back outside and gently hands me the notepad and pen again. "Please do both of you a favour and write it down."

I sigh. "Fine." I say scribbling it down. "But I won't beg. He has to come to me."

"Yes ma'am." Jaydan says and then looks around. The street is deserted of anyone apart from a few people in business suits on their way home. "Do you need a ride anywhere?"

"No thank you." I say and yank my phone out of my bag. "I met these lovely people whose grandson was on the bus I came on and they said I could stay with them. So random I know but that's all I got."

"Where do you live?" Jaydan asks and he does a poor job of hiding his horror.

"I did live in the city but uh... circumstances changed so I came here."

"You do have somewhere to go don't you?" Jaydan all but demands.

"Does it really matter to you?" I hiss back, I am humiliated enough without the other brother getting all antsy pantsy on me too.

"Sorry!" He says taking a deep breath and stepping back. "Long day. Anything I can..."

"Anna wait!" Hugo comes running out the door and all but knocks me over. Both brothers reach out to grab me.

"I'm okay!" I screech, yanking my arms away. "I'm pregnant not an invalid!"

"Anna-Beth I'm sorry." Hugo grovels. "It was just a shock to see you let alone hear that I'm going to be a dad!"

"I get it I do." I say, humbled by his openness of emotions. "But that doesn't give you a right to be a jerk about it."

"I know I'm sorry." Hugo looks at the time. "Are you hungry? You must be hungry. I can get the chefs to whip you up something if you like? Come back inside."

"Do you believe me?" I demand. I have a Mexican show down with him. I refuse to go in there and be a pity project for these brothers if they didn't at least think about the fact that it's true.

"Yes." He says after a long moment. "Now please come inside with us?" He extends his hand and I watch him, looking for any signs of insincerity.

"Anna why don't I get you a drink while Hugo goes and finishes what he has to do. I can get the chef to whip you up whatever you want."

"What do I have to do?" Hugo looks at his brother puzzled.

"The new supplier for the veggies is waiting in function room C for you."

"Oh sh..." He looks at me and literally bites his tongue. "Oh damn, I forgot about that."

"I can always come back another time." I say, trying to help out.

"No!" They both cry at once, loud enough for me to take a step back.

"Sorry!" Jaydan says.

"No Anna it should only take around twenty minutes." He grabs hold of my hand like he's expecting me to take off. _Fat chance of that mister, do you know how much walking hurts let alone running! I walk with a waddle... yes a waddle!_ "Can you please stay, let Jaydan feed you and I will be right back."

"You boys suck." I pout and they both look horrified. I chuckle. "The way to a pregnant whale's heart is through her stomach."

"Oh my god Anna you're not a whale!" Hugo gasps and Jaydan nods furiously.

"He's right." He adds. "You're...."

"Glowing." Hugo supplies when they both just stare at me in wonder.

"Okay gentlemen as much as I love to be the fish in the fishbowl, pregnant whale here is starting to hurt from standing for so long."

"Stop calling yourself that." Hugo demands. "You're beautiful."

"Talk to me in about three months."

"No need."

"Hugo..."

"Oi!" Jaydan interrupts. "Hugo get the pregnant lady inside and comfortable. You two can argue when the supplier isn't about to break down the door." He gestures at a man with balding head and furious look striding towards us. "I will offer Mr Grumpy Pants a free drink to calm him down." He shoves at Hugo. "Move it!"

"Anna lets go, I will sit you in the VIP section so you will be comfortable and no one will disturb you. We don't open it til later."

"Okay." I nod, and allow him to guide me through the building where the few early patrons all stare again. I feel very self-conscious and find myself huddling close next to him. He must feel it because he automatically puts an arm around me and I am transported back to that week eight months ago...

It's hot, hot as any resort would be. The pool is sparkling crystal clear and blue and the palm trees are swaying gently in the breeze. Mum and Dad are off with their friends doing their thing and my little brother (when I say little I mean only by a year and he's a six foot something giant) is off chasing girls. My old sister didn't come on this holiday. She wasn't allowed. She didn't do well on a case she is working on so Dad felt she didn't deserve to come.

So I'm left on my own. Even though this holiday is meant to celebrate my milestone birthday in four days Mum and Dad decided to make it a business trip to. Something about killing to birds with one stone and they were sure I wouldn't mind.

Too bad I did. I had this feeling I would be spending my eighteenth birthday on my own. I'm lounging on a sun chair near the pool, sunshades on and a large brimmed hat covering the top half of me. A tap on my shoulder has me jumping. "Ah!" I squawked as I accidently knock the table beside me over. I end up splashing my entire mock-tail all over me and the person standing there.

" _Well then" The deep voice laughs almost self mockingly. "I guess I deserve that for scaring you."_

His voice is hot _. I think as I look up. My mouth literally hangs open as the hottest guy I have ever seen in my life stares down at me goofily. Six foot something of solid, tanned muscle. He has green-blue eyes that stand out against his skin._

" _Can I buy you another?" He asks when I just stare. "It's the least I can do." He adds when I don't respond. "Are you alright?" He waves his hand in front of my face and I snap out of my trance._

" _Sorry!" I blush furiously. "You just startled me."_

" _I know, I'm sorry."_

" _That's okay." I say as the stickiness on my calves starts to register. "But I should go get cleaned up."_

" _Can I offer you a replacement drink first?"_

" _Thanks." I say smiling at him. "But the drink is already getting sticky. Maybe another time."_

" _Can I at least escort you back to your room then?"_

" _Why?" I frown, ready to kick him in the balls if I have to. Hot or not I am not a floosy!_

" _Not for the reason your thinking!" He adds raising his hands in surrender. I eye him suspiciously. "I promise!" He adds._

" _Mm hmm." I humour him. "How am I meant to believe someone whose name I don't even know?"_

" _Doh," the guy literally smacks his forehead and I can't help but laugh. "Man this so is not how I wanted this to go! How humiliating!"_

" _You're cute." I laugh as he blushes now._

" _I'm also Hugo Baker." He says sticking his hand out. "Nice to meet you..."_

" _Anna-Beth Pearson. But you can call me Anna."_

" _Anna-Beth." He whispers it. It does things to me that it shouldn't."I like that name. It's pretty."_

" _I bet you say that to all the girls."_

" _No!" He says a little too quickly and I raise my eyebrow._

" _Okay fine," He sighs. "Just the pretty ones. But I actually do like your name though."_

" _I'm not pretty." I gasp automatically._

" _Oh honey." He says getting down on one knee. I panic._

" _What are you doing?"_

" _Nothing sinister." He chuckles. "It's just easier for me to talk to you. I came out to this resort to get away from girls. It was not my intention to even look at them but you honey caught my attention with your gigantic hat and book about spirits that I had to come find out about you. This is all foreign to me – having to meet a girl whose face is covered by a hat I mean."_

" _Your point is what?" I demand, not sure if I should be flattered or offended._

" _That your special Miss Pearson and I would like to spend some time with you."_

" _Oh." I say dumbly._

" _So may I escort you to your room so you can wash the drink off your legs then I can take you out to lunch?"_

" _Um..."_

" _I promise no funny business and the moment you feel completely uncomfortable you can leave."_

_I eye him and frown._ What do I have to lose? _I think._ Your life. Your virginity? Your heart? _Returns back to me. I chose to ignore that and I look at him. "Fine." I say taking his outstretched hand. "But the moment you pull something funky on me I will kick your hot tanned ass to Timbuktu."_

He grins at me as he loops my arm in his and pulls me super close. Surprisingly I'm not uncomfortable and I don't think he realised he did it. "You think I'm hot?" He goads and I just roll my eyes.

" _Men!" I laugh, eyes shining bright._

Chapter 4

"Hello Anna?" Hugo waves his hand in my face. "Earth to Anna? Anyone home."

I startle awake and blink. "Yeah huh what?"

"You were off on another distant planet." He smiles at me then gestures to a table and chairs. "Everything okay."

"Yes." I say instantly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. There is no way on earth I'm telling him I was daydreaming about him.

"You sure?" He says as he gestures to a booth with the plushest looking chairs I have seen in... forever.

"Oh my god"! I cry out loud without realising. "Comfortable chairs!" I dive head first into the booth as much as a pregnant whale can. "Oh comfortable chairs how I love you!"

"Glad you like them." Hugo chuckles just as Jaydan comes up behind him with a pitcher of water and a glass. "I'm sure they will like you to. Jaydan will take care of you until I come back okay?"

"Sure." I smile at Jaydan as he places the glass and pitcher in front of me along with a menu. My stomach grumbles in response. Hugo and Jaydan laugh. "Don't dis the pregnant lady boys."

"I'll be back." Hugo smiles at me and with a squeeze on my shoulder he turns to go. Then stops and looks back, like he can't be sure he actually wants to leave.

"Go dude." Jaydan nudges his brother. "I had to give the guy a double scotch – the good stuff – to get him to stay. You owe me!"

"Yeah yeah," Hugo nudges him back as he takes off. "Who does all your produce sourcing? I don't owe you squat."

Jaydan chuckles quietly. "Sometimes I'm surprised he can dress himself properly." He mutters affectionately.

"Why?" I ask more curious then I probably should be.

"He has scatter brain so bad."

"He seems super sweet." I feel I need to defend Hugo. "He was a true gentleman when I hung out with him."

"Hugo? That Hugo?" Jaydan looks surprised, but not at the same time. "A gentleman yes but did you really hang out with him for a week?"

"Yes." I frown, "Why?"

"Oh nothing, he's just usually not into more than a night is all."

"Well he was a gentleman." I repeat ferociously. "He practically spent every single night and day with me for a week."

Jaydan holds his hands up in surrender. "I get it." He says quickly. "Not doubting you I'm just surprised. You must be special."

I frown at him and then turn my attention back to the menu. Jaydan takes a seat opposite me and I look at him pointedly.

"I'm waiting for your order." He grins at me, not at all flustered by my sudden mood swing. "I have a feeling it may take a while."

"Listen here mister." I grin at him back, knowing he is just teasing me. The big goofy grin on his face is a dead giveaway. "You just met me, no insulting the whale while she's hunting."

"Anna you're not a whale!" Jaydan exclaims. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"I will have the house burger with fries and can I like drown them in tomato sauce please?" I say instead of answering him.

"Sure." He says and waves a waitress that comes out of nowhere over. "VIP order of house burger and fries and bring me the tomato sauce bottle."

"Sir the tomato sauce bottle?" She says raising her eyebrow.

"Yes one of the tomato sauce bottles. Bring the whole thing." Jaydan repeats with a pointed look. "To this table."

"Yes sir." She says again and hurries away.

"You must like that hey?" I say, eyeing him carefully.

"Like what?" He asks, feigning innocence.

"You know what." I retort. "Having girls practically kissing your feet."

"Who Amanda?" He looks at the waitress who is staring at him from back behind the bar. "She doesn't like me I'm her boss. She has to do what I say."

"Dude I'm a girl. I know these things." I laugh at him. "You're a hot living breathing male. She's into you."

"Oh." He says dumbly.

"You act like you don't know that?"

"Don't get me wrong." He starts playing with a napkin. Something I know means a person is nervous. "Girls throw themselves at me all the time. But I see Amanda as an employee." He looks straight to a seat at the bar, that although empty, his face shows more then he realises. "Nothing more then that."

"Before," I say, feeling like poking my nose in seeing as they feel they can do it with me. "When you said you know what it feels like to be invisible..."

The walls in Jaydan's eyes slam up. "Yeah..."

"Tell me about her."

"I don't wan..."

"Jaydan stop." I smile at him gently, but my voice holds a note of determination. "Please don't lie to me and especially not to yourself. How long?"

"How long what?"

"Jaydan..." I warn with a low growl in my throat. I take a drink of water to prevent myself from saying anything more then I should. I know I barely know the guy but I feel like I have known him forever already. It must be something about the Baker boys because I had the same problem with Hugo too.

"Fine." He sighs, refusing to meet my eyes. "About six months."

"And she doesn't like you back?"

"I have no idea to be honest."

"Why not?" I demand, surprised that he seems to be all shy and timid now.

"I have given her hints but she seems to shrug them off or something." Jaydan sighs as he starts ripping the napkin apart. _Clearly uncomfortable now. Interesting._ "And then sometimes I catch her looking at me in that certain way that makes you wonder – you know like the more open girls do? – and I wonder..."

I nod my head, completely understanding. Her words tell him no but her actions say something completely different. I catch him looking at the seat again and have to ask, "Does she come here?"

"Yes. Every Friday night with her friend. They have a drink together and sometimes I'm lucky enough that the friend goes early and I get her all to myself."

"Oh honey you got it bad."

"I do." He nods. He seems relieved to be able to tell someone. Clearly the big brother has some explaining to do. "But I really don't think she likes me back the same way."

"Have you ever actually asked her straight out?"

"Oh my god no!" He exclaims, horrified. I have to have another drink to hide my laugh. For a confident hot guy it's nice to see he can be just as insecure as the rest of us mere mortals.

"Why not?"

"She's shy, and nervous. It takes me forever to get her to open up and usually when I do the club starts to get packed and she leaves. You wouldn't be able to tell most of the time but sometimes I see a fear in her eyes when big crowds start to appear here and guys approach her."

"Think about what you just said from an outsider's perspective." I say, able to read between the lines, obviously a lot better than Jaydan can.

"What?" He asks puzzled.

"Dude think about it. It's been six months, and you said so yourself she's shy and nervous around men. I bet you anything she's had a bad experience before and I also reckon she thinks your way out of her league."

"How is that even possible?" He gasps, clearly a foreign concept to him. "She so is my league!"

"She may not know that." I point out and he looks at me like I have two heads.

"That's just ridiculous! She's stunning and sweet and intelligent and...." He sighs and looks at me dreamily. "Just awesome." He adds.

"Then tell her so." I smile at him just as his eyes are suddenly trained on the door.

"Oh my god there she is." He gasps, suddenly all flustered.

"Convenient." I laugh as I turn to see a pretty black haired girl with shining blue eyes walking arm in arm with a girl with honey brown hair and an obvious wedding band on her hand. "Jaydan." I whisper and shake him to get his attention. "Go get her."

He looks at me like I have two heads before saying triumphantly. "Your right. I have nothing to lose."

"That's right."

"I want her and I'm done wondering. I have no idea what's going on in her head maybe she really does like me too."

"Also right."

"So I'm gonna go get her."

"Yes you are!" I smile up at him as he stands up tall and proud. "Can you bring me a lemonade first but please?" I grin at him and poke my tongue out.

He laughs. "I can see why my big brother might have spent a week with you little lady..."

"Big whale."

"I don't know why you got that in your head but you're most definitely not a whale, you're absolutely stunning."

My mouth goldfishes. What am I meant to say to that? Jaydan gently pats my arm and walks off towards the bar the pretty girl and her friend have taken a seat at. She's looking around to and I grin to myself. _She so likes him to!_

"I hope you get her." I raise my glass to him and smile at his back.

"Anna?" Hugo says sneaking up on me. I startle so my belly hits the table.

"Ow!" I cry, rubbing the sore spot.

"Oh my god I'm sorry are you alright?" He practically jumps on top of me to squeeze me all over. At first I am startled but then he gets me under the ribs... or at least where the ribs are meant to be...

"Hugo stop." I laugh as he grabs a rather ticklish spot. "I'm okay, it was more a scare then a hurt. Hugo stop! That tickles." I laugh so hard I'm in danger of peeing myself. That thought has me panicking. "Hugo!" I cry, all laughter gone. I push him off me as hard as I can.

"Okay okay!" He says grinning. "I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay." I say sucking a much needed breath in. He's watching me and I just stop moving to stare back. We both stare at each other lost in the past and then the present. It is several moments before I feel awkward so look away. "Did the meeting go well with the supplier?" I ask. _Anything to break the ice!_

"Yes." He says just as a favourite song of mine starts playing over the speakers.

"Ohhhh I love this song!" I squeal a little louder then I should.

"You like Willow Greene?" He asks looking slightly amazed.

"Who doesn't?" I gush, zoning him out to listen. " _I met you, Prince charming, you swept me off my feet. You flattered, you smiled, you said I'm what you need._ " I sing along forgetting everything but the words. This girl's voice is beautiful. Hugo stays quiet, watching me discreetly as I close my eyes to hear the music. " _You said the, the other girls meant nothing, nothing to you. You said you forgot them the moment you saw me. I trusted you, I liked you, I let you share my secrets and feel my intimacy..._ " I pause, realising what I am singing.

"You have a pretty voice little lady." Hugo smiles at me and I jump, eyes flying open.

"Oops." I laugh, my cheeks glowing red. "I just love that song."

"I can see that." He smiles at me. "She is pretty good."

"She so is better than good." I gush again. "Willow Greene is like taking the world by storm right now!" I say just as one of the babies kicks me really hard in the ribs. "Ow!" I cry, tears springing to my eyes.

Chapter 5

"You okay?" He asks instantly at attention.

"Yes. These babies just like to kick me a lot and sometimes it hurts." I wipe the tears away just as the waitress from before brings me my food, giant tomato sauce bottle and all. "You are my new best friend." I grin up at her as she puts the food down I dive straight in.

"You brought the bottle?" Hugo looks at her funny.

"Boss said." She shrugs pointing at me and looking over at Jaydan who is serving customers down the far end away from his girl. _That's not the plan boy_. I silently send him. The waitress eyes me funnily and I stare back.

I have gotten used to accuser stares from complete and random strangers thinking they somehow have a right to judge me. I meet her eye for eye and all with a look dare her to say something. "I asked Jaydan to drown my chips in sauce." I inform Hugo. "I guess _he_ decided I could have the entire bottle."

"Oh." Hugo chuckles.

"His idea not mine." I goad, stuffing more chips into my face continuing to stare back at miss nose-out-of-joint-cos-I-got-a-crush-on-my-boss-n-he's-with-the-pregnant-whale-and-not-me. I just smile sweetly at her, mouth full of chip and all. I think she is turning green.

"Tammy?" Hugo looks slightly annoyed, finally catching on to what is happening.. He waves his hand in her face.

"Yes sir?" She says not bothering to pull her eyes from me. I don't back down either.

"You can go now."

"What?" She says as she openly moves her gaze to my stomach.

"Tammy you have the rest of the night off." Hugo says in a tone that gets her attention instantly. "And you need think real hard about whether or not you want to be a waitress here or not because we don't discriminate our customers got it?"

"What? Huh?" She seems confused.

"You're staring at my friend like she has two heads."

"I don't... I'm not..." She stutters.

"I don't." I add because I can't help myself and she shoots me an evil look. "Just two babies growing in there." I point to my stomach and give it a little shake for effect. Hugo hides a smile.

Tammy gasps. "I..."

"Go home tammy." He instructs.

"Yes sir." She sighs and walks away without another word.

"I'm sorry." I laugh at the same time Hugo says "I'm sorry about her."

"Don't be silly!" I say as he says "You have nothing to be sorry about."

We both stop and stare at each other a moment before bursting into laughter.

"I couldn't help myself Hugo I'm sorry." I choke out through laughter.

"Don't be silly." He coughs. "I won't put up with that behaviour from any employee."

"Still." I say sobering up pretty quickly. _If only you knew sweetheart. If only you knew._ "I'm getting tired so I may finish this and go anyways."

"But we haven't had a chance to talk properly!" Hugo panics.

"I know but there's always tomorrow." I say through a mouth full of chip.

"But I have so many questions."

"I'm sure you do." I say. "But it's been a long day, the bus ride took forever and I hurt."

"See that's what I mean!" He says almost whining. "You randomly appear out of nowhere and drop that grenade on me without so much as a warning for eight months?"

I bristle at his tone and food is no longer my friend. "Hugo I get your in shock, and although pregnancy is a big thing it is most certainly not a grenade. So it will do you good to remember this." I take a gulp of water as the potato suddenly gets lodged in my throat.

"You kept it from me for eight months!" He says a little sharply.

"You told me that it was just a week for you and to never expect anything from you ever again." I say coldly, still remembering how much that stung. I wasn't expecting a marriage proposal but we could have become friends.

In the end I figured a guy like him must have had someone waiting for him when he came back home. There was no way a guy as great as him would be single. But then if he really was a great guy he wouldn't be like that. The thought was only there for a microsecond but I know he's not. A ladies man for sure, but a douche bag who cheats? I don't think so.

"You lied to me about your age!"

"So what?" I bark, tired of the same line. "I said nineteen when I was turning eighteen that week. It's not that big a difference."

"Uh yeah it is!" He says crossing his arms over his chest. "For starters seventeen year olds shouldn't be in clubs, drinking alcohol."

"Oh please!" I scoff. "I was eighteen in like a few days. The resort didn't care and neither should you."

"You were a minor and I was buying you alcohol! I have liquor licences here that could be cancelled because of that!"

"Oh." I say, crossing my arms over my chest now. "So that's what this is about. You're angry at me because you were worried that you would lose your stupid little club!" I shouldn't feel hurt but I do. "I don't have to deal with this. Your being a jerk over something that could have been a what if and turned out to be a what not." I grab my bag and waddle my way out of the seat. "Yes I lied, but it's not as big as your making it out to be."

"Where you going?" He demands, getting up trying to block my path.

"None of your damn business!" I hiss at him as I turn towards the ladies room. _Pregnancy sucks!_ "After all we don't want you losing your licence for knowing that legally able adults need to use the bathroom now do we?!"

I waddle-stomp into the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror, "Men!" I bark at my reflection. "Who bloody needs them?"

The bathroom has the radio playing instead of the band's music pumping through the speakers and Willow Greene's song is playing again on a different station this time.

" _I trusted you, I liked you, I let you share my secrets and feel my intimacy... You said those first few doubts I had were nothing but jealousy... What was I thinking? Thinking? You fooled me, and you went all out... You really showed me what playing is all about..._ "

"You tell 'em girl." I say to the speaker. "I can do this on my own. I don't need him."

"You okay there honey?" An older girl, probably mid-twenties taps my shoulder.

"Yeah." I sigh. Then look at my haggard reflection. I have big bags under my eyes and I'm leaning a little to my right because my feet hurt and taking the pressure of one foot is better than no feet. If only I could rest them both at the same time and still be mobile. "No." I concede.

"You know whatever he's done," She says as she applies new mascara. "If you love him it won't matter, you will always forgive him."

_I so don't love him._ "Even when he's being a total douche?" _I still don't love him!_

"Especially then." She smiles at me through the reflection of the mirror. "Because if he wasn't being a douche then he wouldn't care."

"Fair point." I concede after a moment. "Still doesn't mean I don't want to ring his neck but."

"That's the thing about our men," The girl grins, putting her mascara away and taking out her lipstick. "You can't live with them but can't live without 'em either. They drive us up the wall but they are still so adorable when they do really cute things."

"It sucks." I nod, agreeing. "But so true."

"Yep." She agrees, popping her lips against her lipstick.

"Thanks." I smile sweetly at her and she nods. "Have a good night."

"You too honey."

I waddle out ready for battle again only to run smack bang into Hugo right outside the door. "Hugo!" I gasp, wobbling a little.

"Anna I'm sorry!" He says pacing. "You alright?"

"Yes." I lie. He lifts an eyebrow. "Okay fine no. I'm sore. And you pissed me off."

"I'm sorry." He repeats looking sheepish and keeping a steadying hand on me. "I just don't know how to do this. I'm no good at it."

"No good at what?"

"Dealing." He answers honestly.

"You run a pub. You got to be good at dealing." I reply, deliberately misinterpreting his statement.

"I mean stuff like this," He gestures to in-between us with an eye roll. _Clearly he caught onto my feigned innocence. Smart cookie!_ "I am no good at relationship stuff."

"And you think I am?" I scoff. "As you so often like to point out I'm eighteen and have had sex a grand total of one time in my life. It's not like I have heaps of experience either you know."

"Still one time really?" He says stopping to stare at me in open disbelief.

"Out of everything I said you zone in on that?" I laugh. "Typical." I waddle away this time intending on going home to the Bateson's regardless of what puppy dogged eye look he gives me.

"Anna stop!"

I ignore him.

"Marry me!" He blurts out.

Chapter 6

I trip over my own feet as I come to abrupt stop. "I'm sorry what?" I ask spinning around to him.

"Marry me." He repeats.

"That's what I thought you said but I also thought I was hallucinating."

"No I said it." He walks towards me and I back up. "Marry me."

"No." I answer without thinking. It doesn't stop him, he only flinches slightly.

"Why not?"

"Because you only want to marry me because we are having babies."

"No that's not the only reason." He says, still walking forward. I smack into the back of a table and he traps me against it.

"What other reason could there be?" I whisper, my heart in my chest. He is making me very nervous!

He stares at me blankly as if the thought never occurred to him that I would call him on his bluff.

"My point exactly." I say after he says nothing. I shove him to the side. "Move out of my way."

"Anna stop!" He calls out to me again. "Please wait."

"No." I bark at him, finally having enough of the topsy turvyness. I pull my phone out of my pocket looking for Bill's number.

"What are you doing?" He asks, he sounds panicked.

"Calling the lovely people who took me in."

"Took you in?"

"Don't you worry about that." I sigh at him, still desperately trying to find Bill's number. "Not your concern."

"Is so my concern."

"Is not."

"Is so."

"Is not."

"Is so."

"Is not."

"I can do this all night Anna-Beth Pearson."

"So can I Hugo Baker."

"Oh my god you're insufferable!" He huffs, stomping his foot like a child.

"And you my dear are being a child." I turn my back to him and fist pump the air when I finally find Bill's number. "Now if you will excuse me I am going home." I don't wait for a reply just march far away from him while dialling Bill's number.

" _Hello?"_

"Bill?" I question with a huge sigh of relief.

" _Anna-Beth?"_

"Yes sir." I say practically in tears now. His kind voice will be my undoing. "I was wondering if it were at all possible if you could um..."

" _I will be there in ten minutes dear."_

"Thank you sir." I sob into the phone. "Thank you so much."

***

"Anna-Beth dear he had a shock, you need to let him get used to the idea." Betsy is patting my back while I sob uncontrollably to my new found friends.

"It's not that." I hiccup. "He asked me to marry him."

"That's not so bad." Bill says.

"It's the least he should do." Betsy adds.

"I don't want it to be because he feels he has too." I sob through another bunch of tears. These pregnancy hormones are getting ridiculous. Bill had come and got me and after taking one look at me marched me to the supermarket where he asked me what I felt like.

I of course told him nothing but he proceeded to wear me down until I finally caved in. Cookies and cream ice cream and the _Kinder Surprise_ chocolate. He bought me a whole heap – plus some oranges I eyed on the way out and carted me off to his wonderful home.

So here we are, me surrounded by food that I am shovelling in through tears and talking and them sitting and watching. "I want him to do it because he loves me." I let out a gigantic sigh. "He doesn't need to marry me to be in the babies lives."

"Maybe it won't be love at first." Betsy says after a moment, "but it may eventually get that way. You two obviously had some connection to... you know... to get pregnant in the first place."

We all blush bright red at what Betsy is implying. She has a point but that's not what I want to hear. "I'm so sorry I have intruded so badly on both of you." I say needing to change the subject.

"Dear you really don't need to keep worrying." Bill assures me – again. "We love having young blood around here and Byron is happy to have someone else to challenge him at checkers."

"I'm good." I grin through tears not so modestly.

"So is he." Bill grins back.

"No I mean I'm like really good." I know I'm being cocky, but I can't help it. I'm competitive by nature. I guess that's one part of my parents I don't mind having.

"So is he." Bill nods. "Byron son come here a minute will you?" He calls and Byron comes bounding into the dining room from watching TV.

"It is your bed time young man but our little lady here says that she is really good at checkers..."

Byron grins mischievously before his eye narrow to competitive slits. "Oh yeah?" He says sweetly – to sweetly. He's trying to play me.

"So do you want to go to bed or do you want a game of checkers?"

He looks from me to Bill and Betsy then back again. "Is it okay for her to play?" He gestures quickly to my stomach.

"Honey she's still more then capable." Betsy whispers back. "And you shouldn't feel you have to go easy on her because she's pregnant."

"Really?" He asks looking at me.

"Sure spunky." I smile at him. "The belly may mean I might need to sit sideways at the table but my hands are perfectly fine so I can still whoop your hiney."

"Oh it's on then." Byron grins and races to grab the board.

Betsy and Bill share a look and a laugh while I rotate on my chair and pull it closer to the table. A couple of hour's distraction will do me good.

***

"Byron it's almost midnight." Bill says with a yawn just a beep on my phone makes me jump ten feet in the air. "Time for bed."

"But we're even!" He whines through a yawn. "I have to beat her!"

"Three games each I think is more than enough." Betsy says patting his hand. "Bed time."

"But..."

"Byron we can play the grand finale tomorrow if you like?" I say cutting him off. I ignore the flashing from my phone reminding me I have a text message. "When we both are refreshed and on the ball."

"Promise?" He yawns, rubbing his eyes.

"Absolutely." I say patting his arm. My phone flashes again and I growl at it.

"Maybe you should check it dear." Bill says. "It could be Hugo."

"I know it's Hugo." I agree. "I don't want to talk to him."

"At least read the messages." Bill insists. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of keys. "Here." He hands me a key on a small key ring. "This is the back door key, you know just in case..."

"Sir I cannot take this" I exclaim holding the key away from me as if it were diseased. "I don't want to be more of a burden then not."

"Just keep it." Bill insists, pushing my hand back to me. "You don't have to use it."

"Are you sure?" I panic.

"Yes little miss." Bill smiles at me as Betsy takes a practically sleeping Byron to his room. "It is bed time for me so night night."

"Thank you." I smile at him, nervous. My phone flashes again and I angrily pick it up, reading the first message.

Anna pls forgive me!

I roll my eyes as I read the second one.

Anna I have been thinking, I just saw the most awesome thing and it got me thinking... I was being a dick

I roll my eyes at the message again. _No shit._ I think as I go to message number three.

I really wanna see you, apologise, explain. Something! Anything! Please?

As I am reading the message it vibrates in my hand and my phone tells me I have a new message. Of course I open it.

Anna are you awake? Can I call?

I sigh. _What do I reply back with?_

I look at my phone for quite a while not knowing what I want. I am tired but I also know I won't be able to sleep feeling the way I do. So I write back;

OK fine.

It's not even five seconds later and my phone starts ringing. "Hello?" I whisper.

"Anna?" Hugo sounds relieved. "Anna?"

"Yes Hugo."

"I'm so sorry I was being a royal dick."

"Yes you were."

"You're not meant to agree with me!" He laughs through the phone.

"Well you were." I respond.

"I know, I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"

"Okay."

"Really?"

"Nah Hugo." I say sarcastically. "I'm just jerking your chain."

"Oh." He sounds instantly deflated and I feel instantly bad.

"Kidding!" I add quickly. "I was just playing. I do forgive you."

"Oh."

We sit there is really awkward silence. "So..." I say when I can't take anymore. "I'm gonna go then..."

"Can I come see you?" He blurts out.

"When?"

"Now?"

"Hugo it's like 12.30am?"

"I know. I should leave you to sleep, you would probably need it but I just feel that we left things in an ugly way and I would really like to see you and make sure that there is no bad anything between us."

"Oh okay."

"So can I come see you?"

"Hugo it's really late. I dunno..."

"Please?" He sounds desperate. "Anna please?"

_He sounds like he really wants to work things out now?_ I reason. _And he sounds... lost._ "Okay." I agree and I hear him release a breath in relief through the phone. "I will text you the address."

"Oh Anna thank you." Hugo says happily. "I will be there soon."

"Okay." I agree, nodding before realising he can't actually see me.

Ten minutes later I see a giant SUV moving slowly down my street. I use the key Bill had given me and sneak out the back, moving as quietly as one can with twins on board to the front. I stand near a big bushy tree to wait for Hugo so we would make as little noise as possible. It comes to a stop just in front of me and Hugo winds the window down.

"Could you possibly have gotten a bigger car?" I laugh feeling tiny standing next to it.

"I wanted you to be comfortable." He says and sticks a single white rose out the window at me. "For you."

"Hugo." I gasp, instantly plucking it from his hands. "You remembered."

"Of course I remembered Anna." He says getting out of the car. "How could I not? Even though you don't think so that week was special to me too."

"But..." He reaches me and gets really close.

"I have never connected with any _woman_ like that ever." He looks me straight in my eyes and I get really nervous. "It scared me so I said that it would only be for the week. I figured that if I had the week with you and that was all that I would be safe. I wouldn't get hurt."

"Okay?"

"But I did get hurt." He moves a stray piece of my hair out of the way. "I realised after I left that I missed you. That I should have at least got your phone number or an email or something."

"Okay?"

"I actually harassed the hotel people trying to get them to cough your details up to me but they said forget it." He grabs both my hands. "I know I'm rambling and you're probably thinking that I am on crazy juice or something but tonight I saw my brother finally get the girl of his dreams... and she's an awesome chick."

"Jaydan finally got her?" I grin.

"Yes." Hugo frowns. "How do you know?"

"Jaydan told me about it." I smile. "Good for him."

"So you're the little voice of encouragement he was talking about then?" Hugo looks puzzled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah you do."

"No I don't."

"Yeah well just so you know that thing you _didn't_ give him? Has made him super happy."

"I didn't do much." I smile, genuinely happy for him. "Just a gentle nudge."

"Oh Anna-Beth!" Hugo sighs and brings my hands up to his to kiss. "Your special, and I knew it from the moment I saw you. That's why you scare me!"

"Ow!" I squeak jumping back and grabbing my stomach.

"Anna?" Hugo says panicking. "What happened? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"Yes. No." I say through a deep breath. "God that hurt."

Chapter 7

"What hurt?" Hugo sounds close to hysterics again.

"The kick."

"Kick? What kick?" Hugo sounds puzzled. "Is that some funky dunk new term for labour or something?"

"What?" I laugh looking at him like he has two heads. Then it clicks. "Oh no Hugo." I grab his hand and place it on my belly. "The babies are kicking. At this late stage it hurts when they do that's all."

"They are kicking?" He seems awed as he gently rests his hand on my belly. "You can feel it? Really?"

"They kick all the time, but sometimes it hurts because they are quite strong now and can give a good jab."

"So I would be able to feel the..." He stops as the babies kick again underneath his hand. His eyes grow wide and a goofy look appears on his face.

I smile at him and let him enjoy this moment with his babies. "It's awesome isn't it?"

"That's so cool!" He grins putting his other hand on my belly. We stand there for several minutes in the dark night. Babies kicking, Hugo with both hands on my belly and my realising that this is the best moment ever in my life.

"The babies are calming down." I say a few minutes later. "They must be going to sleep."

"Babies sleep in there too?" He asks, he looks genuinely surprised.

"Of course." I smile, knowing I was surprised by that too. "They sleep from very early on. The cycle is just a lot shorter than an adults."

"That's so cool." He looks goofily at my stomach before growing serious. "Anna I'm sorry I tried to force you to marry me." He whispers quietly, dropping his hands to his side. "You caught me so off guard I didn't realise half the stuff I was saying."

"That's okay." I say patting his arm. "It really is." I repeat when he raises an eyebrow. He looks half convinced and I stare him down. _I. will. Not. Show. Fear._

"What are we gonna do?"

"About?" I ask dumbly, standing is really starting to hurt me now. I automatically start rubbing my back.

"Are you in pain?" Hugo asks immediately catching on.

"Standing for too long and not moving around hurts after a while." I reply.

"So that's a yes?" He asks as he opens the back seat. "Stupid me should have asked you to sit straight away." He gestures for me to get in but as I line myself up with the S.U.V. we both realise there is no way I am climbing in on my own. The back seat is at my shoulders and I won't be able to hoist myself up.

"May I?" He asks gently, gesturing at me to let him pick me up. I am torn between not wanting him to pick this giant whale body up and wanting to get off my feet. "Anna you're beautiful and you won't be too heavy. I promise to keep my hands to myself too." He says as if reading my mind.

"It's not that." I lie, heat rushing to my cheeks.

"What is it then?"

I stare at him blankly. Unable to answer. How do you tell your babies dada that you're scared that if he touches you, you won't want him to let you go? How do you explain that if he found your roundness repulsive it would be the end of you? How do you explain that you don't really know why you don't want to be picked up, just that this crazy insecurity came over you and you freaked out? How do you?

"Anna?" He questions when I don't respond.

"Umm..."

"Don't you want to get off your feet?" He asks. I scowl at him. "See? So let me do it. You will feel better."

I let out a grunt in response and he takes it as my yes. He scoops me up effortlessly but ever so gently and I won't let myself like the feel the way his arm muscles flex with every movement. Or the way that the heat from him soaks through his clothes straight through to me, making aching saw muscles relax and I defiantly won't let myself breath in the way he smells... That just brings back memories that I have supressed for almost a year.

He gently places me in the seat and its comfort instantly hugs me. I think I purr with contentment. He closes the door and walks around to the other side, getting in the back seat too.

"You know this could look really bad if I weren't already knocked up." I grin as I close my eyes and lay my head back on the rest.

Hugo chuckles. "It could hey." I feel him shift next to me. "Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"I still want you to marry me."

My head snaps up and I pin him with a look. He raises his hands in surrender.

"Wait. Before you bite my head off let me finish." I clamp my mouth and any nasty insults shut and gesture at him to continue. "But I know you don't want to so just think about it okay?"

"There is no need for me to think about it." I reply.

"You're not even going to give it a chance?" He sounds... almost hurt?

"There's no need." I reply. "We can raise the babies without being married. I won't marry a guy for anything less than love."

"That's for fairy tales." Hugo puffs out before he thinks.

My head snaps up and I pin him with an ice cold stare. "I will not marry anyone unless I can't live without him."

"What?"

"I will only marry once. There is no way I will ever just settle like my parents did. He has to be the one I can't live without."

"But we have babies."

"I know that."

"So how could you think of marrying anyone else?"

"Hugo it's not going to be for a long time." I look at him like he's a little dense. "I'm eighteen. About to have twins. Men and relationships are a long way off."

Hugo goes to respond and then clamps his mouth shut. "Oh." Squeaks out.

"So I understand where you're coming from, I get that you want to do the right thing but you can without the piece of paper." I pat his arm. "It's not necessary. We will work it out." I flinch as I move back and automatically start rubbing my back.

"You're in a lot of pain aren't you?" He says after a moment.

"It isn't always pleasant." I agree indirectly.

"Can I help in any way?"

"You happen to have a masseuse stashed away in one of these fancy smancy pockets?" I joke referring to the luxury of the car. I don't know what it is but I know it's the top of the line of the best of the best. Would have been worth a small fortune.

"Will I do?"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Maybe I can do it?" Hugo seems nervous, but assured. "I have been known to give pretty damn good massages before."

"I'm sure you have." I agree able to read between the lines. "But that's not the type of massage I need."

"What?" He looks at me puzzle before it clicks. "Oh Anna no. I don't want to do any funny business I just want to help."

"Oh so now that I'm pregnant I'm too gross to see like that." I huff knowing I am over reacting but unable to help myself. I blame it on the pregnancy hormones.

Hugo recoils looking at me like I have two heads.

"What?" I snap. "I'm good enough when I'm all hot and cute and skinny but the moment I have two beach balls shoved in front of me I'm hideous." I scowl at him like all the world's problems are his fault. "And to think you were worried I was going to meet another man! I'm carrying your babies and you're behaving like that. Could you imagine another man's react..." Hugo shuts me up by leaning over and kissing the words right out me. It's not a gentle kiss but forceful and passionate and at first I am too stunned to move. Then he lays a big warm hand on my cheek. I melt like butter.

_What am I doing?_ I ask several moments later when his hand starts sliding down. "Hugo no!" I gasp pushing him away panicking.

"It's okay Anna." He says breathing heavily. "I'm not going to ask you to do anything you don't want to do." He leans back against the door handle, eyes glazed and staring at me with an odd expression.

"What?"

"I shouldn't have done that?" He says more as a question then a statement.

"Oh." I say deflating.

"You're pregnant." He reasons. "You don't need me mauling you. You need a bed and food and somewhere safe to stay."

"I have somewhere safe to say."

"You told me you only just met these people." He frowns at me. "How long have you known them?"

I look at him unwilling to answer.

"Anna-Beth?" He growls.

I look at the clock on the car's dashboard. "About eight hours."

Hugo goes still. "Eight hours?" He asks again with thinly veiled rage.

"Yes." I mumble. "Do not judge me."

"How can I not?" He squeaks. "You're staying with people you don't even know and you're pregnant!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" I throw back at him, tears welling in my eyes.

"Then tell me." He orders.

"No." I scream, twisting to get out of the car. I open the door and kind of slide out.

"Anna what are you doing?"

"Getting away from you." I hiss. "This was a big mistake. You're a macho judgemental pig."

"What?" He says leaning out the car to try and grab me.

"You're a bossy macho pig." I hiss at him getting in his face. "You have been so judgemental of me. I made a mistake coming here. Leave me alone."

"You know that won't happen sweetheart." He threatens outright. "Their my babies' too!"

"I have done it this far on my own I will continue to do it without you."

"This is the easy part Anna." He tosses at me as I walk away from the car. "When they come you won't have as much control!"

"Hugo Baker you are not the person I thought you were." I whisper with my back to him. "To threaten me like that? Really? Because that's so going to help you get your way. I been threatened and abused my whole life by my family. You do not scare me."

I hear him gasp as if what he just said clicks. "Anna wait!" He tries to grab at me but I move out of his grasp.

"No." I say. "I'm done for tonight."

Chapter 8

"Anna dear?" Betsy whispers quietly. _Why is she invading my darkness? Its so peaceful and painless here!_

"Mm?"

"There's a gentleman at the door asking for you."

"I'm asleep." I mumble grumpily as I try to shut out the noises and go back to the land of dreams. It took forever to go to sleep last night. My mind was constantly replaying what happened with Hugo over and over.

"I said that but he said he needed to see you anyway. It's urgent."

"Tell him to come back at a more reasonable hour."

"It's 10am."

"Oh."

"I think it's the babies' dad."

"Probably. I don't know anyone else here." I cover my face with my arm.

"He seems really insistent on seeing you straight away."

I groan loud, stretching as best I can like a cat. "Why?"

"I don't know dear." I peek an eye open to see Betsy with her face right up in mine. I jolt back and she does too. "Sorry didn't mean to startle you."

"Betsy is she awake?" Bill asks from the door way of the room they gave me.

"She is now." Betsy half turns to him.

"Anna do you want me to make him go away?" Bill holds a protective tone to his voice that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. _He would have made an awesome dad._

"No." I pout gently. Hours of thinking calmed me down enough to realise Hugo is coping the only way he knows how. Being bossy and taking control. "I can't run from him forever."

"No but I can give you a good long while." Bill growls and I look at him with a curious gaze. _That man must sense everything_.

"Thank you Bill." I smile, sitting up. "That's very kind of you but I am okay. Tell him I will be there in a few minutes."

"Are you sure?" Bill insists.

"Yes." I smile at him warmly.

He grunts his acceptance and stalks away without another word.

"He's harmless Anna-Beth." Betsy says to me straightening up.

"No its okay." I say watching him walk back down the hall. "I don't mind, he just sounds so passionate. It's actually kind of sweet he's willing to do it for me."

"He has two daughters. Byron's Mum and her younger sister. He lost her to domestic violence five years ago." Betsy says with a sad look. "It was horrible. She was the baby of our bunch and he blames himself for it."

"How?" I ask before I can stop myself. "Why?"

"He was the one who introduced them. The guy was a work college of Bill's."

"I'm sure he wasn't to know that the guy was like that." I say in Bill's defence.

"Of course not." Betsy agrees. "But that doesn't stop the guilt he has, and you remind him of her. She was four months pregnant when she died."

"Oh." I whisper, tears springing to my eyes. The thought of something like that happening to me makes me shudder. My babies mean everything to me and I just wouldn't be able to cope if something happened to them. "That's so sad."

"He's never fully recovered." Betsy pats my hair gently. "Could be why he is being so protective of you."

"He has nothing to worry about, Hugo won't hurt me."

"I know dear and so does Bill." She smiles sadly at me as she helps me up. "It is just a young _woman_ in distress affects him."

"I'm sorry."

"Nonsense dear. It is not your fault." Betsy moves over to my suitcase. "Now what would you like to wear?"

I quickly get dressed, with Betsy's blessed help and walk out to Hugo. Bill is standing at the door with a shot gun over his shoulder – literally – staring Hugo down. My heart swells with instant love for the older man and I burst into tears.

I walk over to him silently and wrap my arms around him from behind. "Thank you Bill." I whisper just loud enough for him to hear. He stiffens at first but then relaxes, patting my hands.

"You're welcome my dear." He turns back to Hugo who is frowning. "You hurt her kid and I don't care who you are. I will castrate you." He cocks the gun for added measure and Hugo flinches.

"Yes sir." He whispers, his eyes locked on mine.

"You are coming here for dinner tonight too." Bill adds with a voice that says he has no choice. "Be here at five thirty got it? This young lady has us now and I don't care if it's been two hours or two years she's become family and family meets other family."

Hugo finally meets the man's gaze. "Yes sir."

Bill nods and then stalks off without another word.

"Well that was pleasant." Betsy says just as Byron comes bounding through the back door.

"Is this the baby dada?" He inquires, sizing Hugo up.

I hold back a laugh as I nod. Byron walks up to him and motions for Hugo to squat down. He does. "She's my checkers partner and she's one of the best I played. You better not make her leave me or I will help Pops... what was it again he said? Cat-rate you."

Betsy and I barely manage to control our laughter as Hugo looks horrified at the kid before quickly composing himself. "I promise I won't hurt her. I just want to take her out for breakfast and grovel an apology. If she will let me that is." He adds when Byron raises an eyebrow.

"It's okay Byron." I whisper in the little boy's ear. "I'm gonna go talk to him and I will be back to play checkers with you again this afternoon okay?"

"You sure?" Byron says spinning around, hands on hips. "I heard him make you cry. Boys don't make girls cry. It's not nice. Pops tells me so all the time."

"No its not." Hugo agrees. "I didn't mean to make her cry Byron. I was just surprised that she came to me that is all."

"Don't make her cry again Mr Hugo." Byron shoves his little fist in Hugo's face. "I mean it."

"Yes sir." Hugo nods then looks at me. "Shall we go?"

"Sure." I smile waddling out. "Be back soon you guys, thank you." Betsy and Byron wave.

"Wow." Hugo says when we are out of ear shot.

"What?" I ask, playing dumb. I know why he said wow, I feel the same way. It's like I have known these people my entire life and they are my family.

"You said you met them yesterday right?"

"Yes."

"And they just decided to take you in like that?"

"Betsy – that's the little grey haired fire cracker – said that Bill lost his daughter to domestic violence five years ago. She was apparently pregnant too. He blames himself."

"Oh shit." Hugo says. "And you're..."

"Yeah. I remind him of her so he has become instantly protective." I smile warmly. "To be honest Hugo he is the first person to be kind to me in a very long time. I won't hurt him."

Hugo opens the car door for me before gently picking me up. "Of course not." He says. "I don't want you to. I will admit I was a little freaked out to hear that you had just moved in with some random people off the street but after meeting them I can understand why." He smiles at the house as he shuts the door.

"They have been so kind to me." I say. "I don't want to cause them any trouble."

"I get that and I promise to behave myself."

"Good."

"Where would you like to eat?"

"I don't know this area Hugo." I reply. "You tell me."

"I was thinking we can go back to _Touchés_ for breakfast and talk for a while."

"To be honest with you I have five weeks till the babies come. Yesterday was horrible. Today I want to just relax and chill and for you and I to just hang out."

"Really?" His voice squeaks.

"You seem surprised."

"Well I have been a bit of a di..."

"I know." I say cutting him off. "But I understand that it would have been a shock to you. Hearing that you have twins on the way. I will give you yesterday for free but from now on any jerkiness and I have Pops and Byron at the ready."

Hugo laughs. "Byron was so cute wasn't he?"

"Sure was." I smile. "And Bill? He has been more fatherly to me this last 24 hours then my father has this whole pregnancy."

"I was going to ask how your family are coping." Hugo says.

"They aren't." I shrug.

"Really?" He asks surprised. "Not even after having all this time to digest it?"

"They tried everything they could to get me to have an abortion."

"Really?" Hugo squeaks again, starting the car.

"Yes." I nod, looking out the window. "Even took me to court, claiming that I was incapable of making such a decision at my 'young age'."

"Oh my god Anna!" Hugo looks at me horrified before pulling out onto the street.

"The judge obviously ruled I can." I shrug. I have blocked out how much that hurt. "Because here we are today."

"Wow." He is driving so can't look at me but his face says it all. He's disgusted with my family. "I have to ask but Anna?"

"Why I didn't get an abortion like they wanted? Made my life easier?"

"How did you know that was what I was going to ask?"

"Because anyone and everyone who knows me has asked the same thing."

"Oh."

"And to answer you?" I look out the passenger window again. "I couldn't do it. The thought of it just made me sick. It was never really an option. My parents have always drilled into us to take responsibility for our actions so I did."

"Bet that's not what they meant though hey?"

"Nah I guess not." I laugh along with him.

"I still can't believe they would take their own daughter to court."

"Look Hugo, I don't want to talk about them." I sigh. "They kicked me out and told me to never come back so that's what I did. As far as I'm concerned right now Bill, Betsy and Byron are more family then my real one and I have known them less than a day."

Hugo looks like he wants to say something but changes his mind. "Okay." He sighs as we arrive at _Touchés_ just as Jaydan and his girl are walking from the other direction arms around each other.

"Hey there." Jaydan smiles at me. "How's my favourite pregnant lady?"

"I'm okay thanks." I blush, worried his girlfriend may take offence.

"Tara this is Anna, Anna meet my beautiful lady Tara."

"Hey." She smiles warmly at me and there is no hint of crazy jealous psycho in her. If anything she seems compassionate. "Nice to meet you. Jaydan has told me you're the inspiration for last night."

"I um..."

"It's okay." Tara says warmly. "I just wanted to thank you. You helped him do what neither of us was willing to without a gigantic nudge."

"Then I guess you're welcome?" I smile at her. She nods.

"Hugo I have some news." Jaydan says to me. "Shall we all have breakfast together and I can fill you in?"

"Jaydan you just had breakfast!" Tara laughs.

"Yeah so? Hugo and I both did but that was like so two hours ago." He grins at her. "I can go again, what you say Hugo?"

Hugo looks as me sheepishly. "Anna?"

"You already had breakfast?"

"At Mum and Dad's."

"Then why do you want breakfast again?"

"Cos I can." Hugo grins at me goofily and I can't help but laugh.

"Well I guess its breakfast time then!"

We are seated quickly couples on opposite sides of a booth that the boys insisted on because it would be more comfortable for me and ordered drinks.

"Hugo you know that singer Willow Greene?" Jaydan asks and I pretend not to be interested.

"Yeah?"

"I finally got a hold of her people." He says and stops. "They finally rung me back just after breakfast this morning."

"Yeah and?" Hugo finally encourages when he adds nothing else.

"She's coming here in three weeks to do a concert."

"Here like Moonlight Falls or here like _Touchés_?"

"What do you think?" Jaydan grins at Hugo.

"Oh my god you _got her_ got her?" Hugo seems ecstatic.

"Yep three Saturdays from now."

"She's so awesome." Tara smiles at her boyfriend adoringly. "You did good. He wooed her people so much they were almost willing hand her over to him without negotiations."

"Oh honey I know." He says staring straight her with a look that says he is referring to her and not Willow Greene.

"Ew." Hugo says, pretending to vomit. "Get a room you too."

"You're just jealous!" Jaydan goads.

"Not really." Hugo laughs. "I'm about to be a daddy."

"And married." Tara adds smiling. Hugo freezes. Everything goes deadly silent and Tara looks confused.

"I'm sorry?" I ask.

"You guys are getting married?" Tara says not so sure now.

"We are?" I ask looking to Hugo.

"Umm." Tara looks to Jaydan for help.

"Oh oh." Jaydan grins at his brother. "Someone's in trouble."

"I thought you said you would let me think about it?" I hiss at Hugo.

"I am."

"So why do Jaydan and Tara think we are getting married?"

"Um..."

"Hugo!" I hiss at him again. "The truth. Now."

"I may have announced it at breakfast at my parents' house this morning."

"So all that talk of you letting me think about it?" I demand as my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. "That was all a bunch of bullshi..."

"Anna no!" Hugo exclaims. "I am willing to do it your way. Give you time. I was just so excited I had to tell someone."

"So telling your parents you're getting married is telling someone?"

"Um..."

"Jaydan maybe we better go?" Tara says shoving him out of the booth. "For what it's worth I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I snap at her then stop. Take a breath. "Don't be." I repeat nicer. "I'm sorry for snapping. The pregnancy hormones mean my fuse is about yay big." I hold up my hand with my pointer finger and thumb squished tightly together. "You did me a favour Tara, thank you."

"Anna..." Hugo looks nervous.

"Tara, Jaydan you don't need to leave." I take a deep breath. "Hugo I don't like that you lied to your parents but I get it. Let's just hang out today like I said and for a few hours forget everything." My phone buzzes again and I shove it deeper in my bag.

"Are you sure?" Tara asks sitting back down.

"Absolutely." I fake a big grin. They lower themselves back to their seats, everyone still looking a little uneasy. "I'm okay. It's okay." I repeat when everyone just sits there.

Tara seems to sense the fact that I need to move on. "When are you due?" She asks glowing. "I love babies. It's so exciting!"

"Five weeks." I grin at her effortlessly, shooting her a thank you look.

"Five weeks?!" Hugo squawks, paling.

"Well technically its eight weeks but the doctors back home said twins usually come earlier because they run out of room faster."

"Oh geez." Hugo pales even more. Tara looks at him and then at me.

"Oops." She smiles. "Clearly no baby talk at all right now."

I laugh at her and pet Hugo gently on his arm. "It's okay Hugo. We have today." I smile at him reassuringly and he looks so lost I just hug him without thinking. I wrap my arms around his neck and shoulders and hug him.

Stunned Hugo doesn't move for a moment and my emotions still haven't caught up to my actions. When he wraps his arms around me back everything clicks.

Chapter 9

I pull back quickly and smile uncomfortably at him. "Sorry." I whisper.

"For?"

"Hugging you."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"I don't know." I look at him confused. My phone vibrates again and I sigh. I know who it is but they clearly won't leave me alone until I answer. "Give me a sec?" I ask pulling it out.

Hugo nods as I awkwardly get up. "Hello Mother." I say crisply into the phone and Hugo sucks in a breath as I waddle away.

" _Why haven't you called?"_ She demands in that high pitched snobby voice she has down pact. She sounds like she is talking down to you even when she isn't.

"I didn't see the reason too." I retort in the same way. I lost respect for my parents the day they tried to force me to have an abortion. It disappeared completely the moment they asked me to adopt out their grandchild too.

" _I'm your mother. That's every reason to."_

"You gave that right up when you took me to court to have my babies terminated." I hiss into the phone with more emotion then I wanted to. I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump ten feet in the air as I turn to see Hugo standing beside me. He quickly raises his hands in surrender, only wanting to offer silent support. I look into his eyes and see concern and something else... It almost looks protective? I raise my finger to my lips, indicating him to be quiet. He nods silently, grabbing my hand and just holding it. I look at him through new eyes, mesmerised by his gentle gesture.

" _Oh please!"_ My mother scoffs into the phone snapping me out of the moment. _"We were trying to do you a favour. You're throwing your life away having those babies and you know it. We could still fix it you know. Make it all go away really quickly and you could come back home."_

"My babies are not just things you throw away." I snort at her. "They are your grandchildren too and you want me to just toss them away like that? What kind of woman are you?"

" _It's not like that and you know it. We would make sure they are well looked after."_

"How?" I snort in complete disbelief. "Actually you know what I don't even care. I'm not giving them up! You can't make me and you won't make me." I throw my hands up in agitation and Hugo starts rubbing my back wordlessly. His warm soothing hand feels fantastic, I want to curl into a ball and purr myself to sleep.

" _Anna-Beth I did not raise you to be so rebellious."_

"No but you did raise me to take responsibility for my actions and that's what I am doing. You should be happy. I'm being a good little daughter"

" _This is not what we meant."_

"No of course not." I retort with a half laugh. "I'm pretty sure you didn't want your eighteen year old daughter to become pregnant the first time she ever had sex. Or want to take her to court to force her to make it go away. Bet you didn't expect her to want to keep it – them – either. No. No you wouldn't want those things. Instead you wanted me to go to law school and become like Dad. An unhappy self-absorbed rich snob who thinks he can bully people into doing want he wants by threatening them with court every time they step out of his line."

" _You will not speak of your father that way Miss Pearson!"_ I laugh at my mother's screechy, indignant tone. I can almost picture her fainting on the floor from embarrassment.

"Why not?" I ask innocently. "It's the truth isn't it? _You_ say it all the time."

" _That is not the point dear."_

"Of course it isn't. There is one set of rules for you and Dad and another for us children. But then I am the black sheep now so that means I get even more a difficult and different set of rules."

" _Anna-Beth! You will stop speaking to me this way!"_

"Fine by me. I'm going to go now." I say ready to hang up, completely ignoring her.

" _Anna wait!"_ My mother cries into the phone.

"No. Clearly you rang to cause problems and I won't be taking part thanks."

" _I rang to warn you."_

"Warn me?"

" _Yes."_ My mother sighs and for the first time I hear her struggling. _"Your father? He wants to take Hugo to court."_

"What on earth for?"

" _Um sexual relations with a minor."_

"I was eighteen."

" _Well he seems to think it was earlier then that because you can't get pregnant after only one time."_

"Wanna make a bet." I yell into the phone now. "Hugo has done nothing wrong! I was eighteen and I will fight him every step of the way!"

" _Dear one more thing..."_

"What?" I ask dread filling me.

" _Your father wants to seek custody of your babies because he thinks you are financially and mentally unable to care for them."_

"Why would he think that?"

" _We know about how you have been sleeping on friends couches and how you caught a bus out to see Mr Baker yesterday because you have run out of money."_

"What?" I ask panic filling me. I look at Hugo who has barely managed to suppress his shock and surprise. Clearly he can pick up on the conversation enough to take a guess at what my mother is saying.

" _Your father seems to think he has a very good case."_

"Why are you telling me this?"

" _A woman in your condition doesn't need more stress. And no matter what you think you are in fact still my daughter. I love you. I want what's best for you."_

"Hugo and I are getting married." I blurt out randomly. His jaw drops and Mum sucks in a big breath.

"Tell my sorry excuse for a father that!" I scream into the phone before quickly hanging up. It rings two seconds later.

"Anna?"

"No." I say to the phone pressing the hang up button again.

"Anna stop." Hugo says snatching the phone from me. "You need to calm down. It's not good for the babies."

"What would you know?" I snap at him then flinch. "Sorry."

"It's okay." He says but I know it's not. He's not the enemy yet I keep treating him like he is, "Why don't we sit back down?"

"Oh my god! Tara and Jaydan!"

"They have left to go spend the day together."

"Really?" I ask feeling really guilty for being relieved.

"Yes." Hugo says ushering me back to the table. "I think they understand we need to sort some stuff out now even though you wanted a time out."

I plonk down in the seat and put my head in my hands. "What am I going to do?"

"What are _we_ going to do you mean."

"Hugo no." I shake my head vigorously. "I can't expect you to deal with my family." I sob, tears starting to fall out of my head.

"Why not?"

"We aren't together. We aren't even friends!" I wail. "You're the babies' father! You don't even like me!"

"Well I thought we were friends?"

"You have to like the person to be friends with them you know!" I wail, a few people turn towards us. I evil eye them all. Daring them to say anything. None do and quickly turn back to their own business.

"Who says I don't like you?"

"You told me that it would be the week together only and then to never contact you again!" I wail even louder. "That tells a girl a lot about where she stands you know." Hugo flinches and I realise I accidently hit a raw nerve.

"I... um..."

"You don't owe me an explanation Hugo." I mumble, grabbing a napkin and wiping my eyes. "You were upfront I agreed. I knew what I was getting into."

"But it's different now."

"Only because we are going to have children together." I retort. "If I hadn't gotten pregnant you would have happily never seen me again."

"It was different with you." He says in his defence. "It's what I had to do. It was best for you."

"I'm sure you say that to all the ladies." I hiss at him, knowing I am being unfair. I can't help it. I feel so lost and confused.

Hugo says nothing, just looks really defeated so I feel even worse than when we started this conversation. I feel so lost and confused because I don't know where I stand with any of it. Hugo, the babies, my parents.

"I'm about to be a Mum and I have absolutely nothing for them. I have nowhere to live and no money. I have my mother ringing me to tell me that my father wants to sue you for sex with a minor and take my babies away from me permanently." I sob and Hugo wraps his arms around me again. "I got no frickin clue about anything right now."

Hugo makes hushing sounds while he strokes my hair. We sit there for several minutes neither saying anything, when he moves away from me suddenly. "Anna please don't get mad but I was thinking..."

"Oh oh." I grin at him through my tears. "Whenever someone starts with that sentence these days there's a high chance of it ending badly for me."

"I'm serious." Hugo turns to me from his seat. "I know you don't want to get married but what about living together?"

"I um..." _Oh shit._ All playfulness is gone now.

"Before you answer think about it." He looks really nervous. "We are having babies together and you have nowhere to go. Your family really stinks right now and Bill and Betsy have their hands full with Byron."

"All true." I agree sighing. I have no choice and I know it. I really am at Hugo's mercy now more than ever. My family really are going to ruin me if I don't.

"I was thinking it could also help solve a lot of your problems with your father."

"True again." I say defeated knowing he is right. If Hugo and I move into together a lot of the arguments my dad has would be gone. In fact all of them really.

"You would have help, I would make sure I would do what I can and if I couldn't I will find someone who would."

"You would?" I ask surprised.

"Of course!" He exclaims. He seems hurt and again I realise I have dug the knife in by doubting him. This man has done nothing to me and yet I keep throwing out the punches.

"Of course you would." I agree. "I'm sorry Hugo. Your right about everything. It's a great idea."

"I was thinking we could get a house big en... what?" He pauses and looks at me stunned. "You're not going to fight me?"

"No."

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Are you really asleep?"

"What? No." I half laugh at him. He looks so cute with his goofy surprised expression.

"But you don't ever do what I say."

"There's a first for everything." I reply.

He looks at me speechless, mouth gold fishing.

"Hugo I have nowhere else to go. Like you said I can't impose on Betsy and Bill any more then I have already and... well you heard my parents. I have no hope there."

"Oh." He sounds deflated.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No." He says but he is clearly lying. He won't make eye contact with me.

"Are you okay?" I feel obliged to ask.

"Of course."

"Hugo."

"Yeah?" He says, still refusing to look at me.

"How we gonna start a good relationship if you lie to me before we have even moved in together?"

"I'm not lying."

"Hugo!"

"Okay fine." He sighs. "To be honest I was kind of hoping you would want to live with me for me too. Not just because you have no other option."

Now I stare at him blankly. Completely confused. "But I thought that was why you were doing this?"

"It was."

"Then I don't understand."

"Look." He sighs. He seems really nervous, "This is hard for me. Haven't you wondered why Jaydan is named after our father and not me?"

"Well I never really gave it much thought." I admit honestly. "But now that you mention it first born sons usually are the ones to get the name yes."

"Our father is not my real father." He says it so softly I almost don't hear him.

"What?" I ask to make sure I heard right.

"Jaydan Senior is my stepfather." Hugo looks at his shoes. "My real father is a dead beat drop kick that my mum 'accidently' fell pregnant too."

"Oh Hugo I'm so sorry!" I exclaim. "That must be so hard for you."

"Jaydan Senior was a little cruel to me when we first met him. He saw me as an inconvenience to having all the attention from Mum. He would ignore me a lot and pretend I wasn't there, yet when we were out as a family he would play dotting dad. Of course as a four year old boy any male attention is better than no male attention especially to one who has never really had a dad. I mean how was I to know that it's not okay to think of him as daddy straight off the bat? I mean I was four and he was always around and told other adults I was his."

"Oh Hugo!" I want to hug him. He shrugs like it means nothing but I know it means something.

"Of course when Jaydan Jr. came along he changed, realised his mistakes and tried to make up for it but the damage had already been done. I realised at a very young age to never let anyone get to close. Never show them love or emotion and to never ever trust that they will always be there for you. I vowed then that no one was honest and trustworthy."

"Oh Hugo that's so cruel for a four year old to think like that!" I sit on my hands so I don't hug him. He clearly needs space. "How could your mother let him get away with that?"

"She never knew and still to this day doesn't."

"Really?" I squeak totally surprised.

"Anna-Beth my father has spent the rest of my life trying to make up for it. He was young, I understand that now but I couldn't let go of the feeling of not trusting. Still couldn't actually." Hugo grabs both my hands and smiles at me. "Until I met you."

I gasp surprised.

"You scare me because I feel things. Things I didn't know I could feel." He kisses my knuckles and chills shoot all over my body. "But look at you hey? You my dear have a Doofus for a father but still see the bright side of life. Still want to have your fairy tale and still have a heart as big as the world. When I saw you that day at the pool I could just sense that you were special. I tried to stay away but you kept popping up everywhere so I had to do something." Hugo fidgets and I hold my breath.

"Okay." I say when he says nothing.

"This is hard for me." He sighs looking like a panicked rabbit in headlights. He looks into my eyes. "You got through my walls Anna. You made me feel alive and wanted... needed even. That was very very scary. Is very very scary. So I put up unbreakable boundaries. Boundaries I knew you wouldn't break because you are a good person."

"Oh Hugo!" I grab his hands and pull him closer to me, making him wrap his arms around my big belly. I wrap my hands around his neck and pull his head down to mine. "You're special to me too. For starters you're the only man I have ever slept with. We are having babies together but even taking that all out I could see in your eyes a guarded soul, all you needed was someone to love you because you have so much to give you just didn't know how." He looks at me shocked as my words sink in.

"Hugo you need to understand you are worth it. You are special and you're incredible to me. You wanted to marry me because we were having babies. You wanted to get a house with me just because my Dad's being a dick. Jaydan adores you and even though Jaydan Senior had issues with you in the beginning at least he learnt the error of his ways. My parents think it's okay to use their power and status to try and bully anyone and everyone who defies them – including their own daughter – into aborting her babies."

"That's so wrong." Hugo says, getting all tense.

"Shh. I know." I say gently placing my finger to his lips. "I get this feeling you want to go all kung fu on their butts for me..." He nods excitedly, not at all trying to hide his anger. "... But you don't need to. Having you, here and our babies? That's more important to me. It's enough. I don't need to get them back or anything."

"But they shouldn't be allowed to bully you."

"I agree one hundred percent." I nod. "But it would make us no better than them and we are. We are good people. We are young yes but we are going to make it work. Seeing you today? Around your friends and family? I realise now there is a reason this happened."

He stares at me blankly and I smile shyly. "We were meant to meet I reckon. Everything happens for a reason. Our babies brought us together and in doing so will help heal us both."

Hugo looks at me, searching for something in my eyes before he lowers his head to kiss me gently on the cheek. "Come to the barbeque with me tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry what?" I gasp, feeling offended that he is just brushing off my big heartfelt speech. Colour starts rushing to my face at the embarrassment of I may have read it very wrong. Maybe he doesn't like me the way I like him?

"My friends and I?" He says moving a piece of hair I flick into my face to try and shield my reddening cheeks. "We have a barbeque every Sunday. I want you to come."

"Why?" I ask dumbly, flicking the hair back trying to hide my humiliation.

"Because I want to introduce them to the love of my life and my babies Mama."

My mouth drops open and Hugo laughs at me. "Who would have thought I could ever get you speechless?"

"Hugo?" I say grinning at him back.

"Yeah?"

"Yes I will marry you. That's if you still want too."

Now he's the one speechless and I'm the one grinning at him. "Hugo?"

"Oh my god absolutely yes!" He says jumping up and down. "I promise you will have the best life!" He kisses my forehead and runs around like a chicken with its head cut off. I laugh at him adoringly knowing life won't be boring at all.

Chapter 10 – Sunday Morning

"Oh my god I look like the size of a house!" I whine as I sashay around in the long, floor length skirt and tunic top I managed to pluck out of my suitcase.

"No dear you look beautiful." Bill says from the door way of my room. He holds out his arm for me and I smile at him gratefully, accepting with a little curtsy.

"But I am meeting his friends, I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb." I hook my arm into his as we walk into the hallway.

"Impossible my dear. You are a vision." Bill says gently patting my hand. "Betsy are you almost ready?!" He calls up the hall way. A muffled squawk followed by something dropping has Bill and I rolling our eyes at each other.

After my accepting to marry Hugo yesterday things moved very quickly. He wanted to meet Bill and Betsy properly before taking me ring shopping. I, of course had told him it wasn't necessary but he insisted. Using the excuse that if my parents or any lawyers for them show up in the coming days it would be more believable – that it would help show we mean business, I settled on a simple but elegant design that made us both happy.

After that we spent the afternoon getting to know each other all over again. Spending hours just talking and eating and talking. He even spent time with me while I battled Byron at checkers. We came to a stalemate again before Hugo took him on and lost in a landslide victory to Byron. Byron loved it and said that Hugo could play him anytime.

Hugo mumbled something about Byron stashing pieces up his sleeves which of course had the boy in hysterics and won over instantly. Dinner was quiet, we got take away and ate at Betsy and Bill's before I felt too worn out and wanted to go to bed.

Hugo, before he left, invited Bill, Betsy and Byron to come to the party because they were now family too. Betsy was in tears immediately and Bill's eyes shone. For people I have known only two days they mean more to me then my actual family does right now.

"Betsy?!" Bill calls again, shaking me out of my thoughts. "Hurry up will you!"

"Keep your knickers on Bill!" She hisses coming out of her room. "Beauty takes time!"

"Pfft." Bill huffs tapping his toes on the floor. He knows when to stop. "There's no one to be beautiful for you crazy lady unless you want to be a cradle snatcher." He mumbles it under his breath but I hear him anyways. I quietly laugh at both of them.

"You guys are so awesome." I say affectionately. "I have never had a family like this."

"My dear you do now." Bill says and Betsy nods coming up behind us playing with a dangly earring. We all smile at each other just as Byron walks out into the hall.

"Did I miss something?" He demands.

"I was just saying that you guys are all wonderful." I answer, my voice muffled by Betsy's hair.

"Yep we are." He nods and comes and flings himself onto our pile up.

A knock at the door has us pulling apart, "I bet that's Hugo." I say sniffing and wiping away tears.

"I will get it." Bill says and takes off before anyone can stop him.

***

"You really didn't have to pick us all up you know." I say as Hugo pulls the hunky chunky SUV into the drive of a very large house. It looks like it belongs there but Hugo told me the barbeque is at his friends house.

"I know." Hugo humours me. "But the street that Steven's house is on never has any parking and as his friend I get certain privileges... like parking in the driveway with the guests of honour."

"We're guests of honour?" Byron's ears perk up.

"Sure are." Hugo turns in his seat as he turns of the car. "We are all celebrating Anna-Beth, the twins and you guys for taking her in."

"Hugo." I say instantly sobbing. I laugh through my tears. "Damn pregnancy hormones. You shouldn't have done this. I don't like being centre of attention."

"It's cool!" Byron interrupts, his nose pressed to the window. "Hey is that a water slide and pool I see?"

"Sure is."

"Oh my can I go on it?"

"Sure can." Hugo laughs and then sucks in a breath of realisation. "That is if it's okay with Pop and Aunt Betsy."

"Can I?" Byron squeals, jumping up and down in his seat. "Can I? Can I? Please?"

"Let's go introduce everyone." Hugo says changing the subject when no one responds.

"Good idea Hugo, I want to meet these bestest friends of yours."

"They will all be here, Cameron a little later but he's just doing a few promotional things for the Willow Greene concert."

"Already?" I ask at the same time Byron pops his head in between us and says, "Willow Green?"

"Yes." Hugo says looking at me. "The more advertising for longer the bigger the crowd." He turns to Byron. "And yes. Willow Greene."

"Like the famous singer Willow Greene?"

"That's the one."

"Oh my go..."

"Byron!" Betsy cuts him off. "Hush now. Out of the car."

"But Willow Greene..."

"Isn't here today." She scolds then gasps and I look up to see a big tall guy with bright blonde hair walking towards us, beer in his hand. I look back to Betsy who I swear is a little flushed.

"Steven!" Hugo man hugs his friend.

"Hugo!" Steven grins at him then turns to me immediately. "And you must be the super beautiful Anna-Beth Pearson we have heard nothing about?" His tone is pleasant but accusing at the same time.

"That would be me." I nod uncomfortably as Bill flanks my side instantly. The gesture is not lost on Hugo.

"Don't worry about him guys, his harmless. All bark no bite." Hugo shoulder nudges his friend. "Steven just forgets that not every woman on this planet is his business."

"Oh I bite." Steven laughs, clearly not getting the message he should shut up. "Totally bite but taken pregnant women are not my cup of tea. Although there is a certain... glow about you Anna-Beth that makes me think pregnant women really are my thing."

"Dude!" Hugo exclaims and I think Bill literally growls. "That on earth are you doing?"

"What?" Steven grins clueless to his stupidity. "It's a compliment."

"How is that a compliment?" Bill demands in a voice I haven't heard him use before. It's loud, very loud, like a bullhorn and his body language is screaming for a fight.

I rest a hand on his arm, gently pulling him back. "Bill it's okay."

"No its not." He hisses towards Steven who is now looking a little frightened now, all smug cockiness is gone. "This young lady here has been through enough without some tosspot nincompoop treating her like she's a piece of meat." He turns to Hugo who is hiding a smile. "Hugo I apologise for making a scene but no one will speak to Anna-Beth like that around me friend of yours or not!"

"Understood Bill." Hugo nods. "Let me just have a word with Steven," He grabs his startled friend by the arm and yanks him away. "I will be right back." He calls over his shoulder practically dragging Steven behind him in his hurry to get away.

"Bill dear maybe you should sit?" Betsy waves her hand in front of her brother, who still has steam coming out his ears. "I don't want you working yourself up."

"No!" I cry, panicking. "Please don't because of me." He simply nods and tries to visibly relax. Clearly recognising I am frightened.

"Anna-Beth you need to hush t dear, you cannot be getting upset now."

"I know!" I almost wail. "But I don't want anything to happen to Bill!"

"Nothing will dear, he's as fit as a fiddle."

"Really?"

"Really." Betsy assures me before she and I help guide a quiet, brooding Bill to a nearby table. Byron has managed to find a bottle of water and places it in front of his pop.

"No one should ever speak to a lady like that." Bill huffs, but a lot of his steam has left.

"I agree." I nod smiling at him. "I really do. Hugo will sort him out."

"He better."

I am about to respond when my phone rings. It's a special tone for a special person and if I could jump up and down withi joy I would – but I cant so I wont. I quickly yank the phone out of my pocket and press connect.

"Candace!" I practically scream into the phone.

" _Hello to you too sister from the monster mother."_ Candace laughs into the phone. It is a joke she and I have because we often refer to ourselves as sisters. She is always stating that I'm just from the monster mother while she got the awesome one.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiii!" I giggle into the phone. "Oh my god I missed you."

" _I have missed you to, believe me."_

"Oh honey." I say knowing exactly what she's talking about. "How is she?"

" _Not good."_ Candace barely keeps it together. _"That's why I rang."_

"Oh Candace..."

" _No!"_ Candace cuts me off fast. _"She's still alive, but the doctors don't know how much longer for. She wants you."_

"Absolutely!" I don't even hesitate. "I am sure Hugo will understand."

" _So you're with baby dada then?"_

"Yeah but that's not important." I wave it off even though she can't see me. "What's important right now is you. Where are you?"

" _Well about that..."_

"Candace?"

" _I'm in Moonlight Falls."_

I go silent for a minute as that sinks in.

" _Anna?"_

"Where?"

" _Some place called Touchés. The bus driver said that that's where all the youngling's hang out."_

"That's Hugo's Club." I bounce up and down. "We are coming to get you. Wait there."

" _Okay."_

I look around the party before I realise I can't see Hugo anywhere. "Hugo!" I scream at the top of my lungs. He comes running within seconds.

"Anna what's wrong?"

"My friend Candace... She needs me."

"Okay?" He says looking confused.

"She's at _Touchés_ ... We need to go get her now."

"Okay." He says fishing his keys out of his pocket instantly.

"Bill will you be okay?"

"Go get your friend little lady, we will be right here."

"Yes." Betsy agrees. "Bill and I will take Byron to play on the waterslide if that's fine with you Hugo?"

"Of course!" He exclaims. "Just let me get Jaydan and Tara to come and show you around.

Jaydan appears instantly and I get the impression that that boy has like super crazy hearing. He hears everything. "We got it." Jaydan smiles at me. "Go get your friend."

I smile and nod at him and waddle back to the car.

"Anna-Beth?" Hugo asks cautiously near the door.

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay?"

"No." I answer honestly as he lifts me up into the seat. "Candace is going through some stuff now and I may have to go back home for a couple of weeks."

"Oh." Hugo seems to sense the situation because he doesn't press me any further, instead holds my hand the whole way to back to _Touchés_.

We arrive in minutes and I see my poor, emotionally battered friend hunched over near the entrance. "Candace!" I call out to her and her head immediately snaps up and looks around. When she settles on the SUV her eyes grow wide.

"Wow I didn't think you were gonna come get me in a tank!" She grins at me through her pain. That's one of the things I love about her. She is always so full of positivity that even in her darkest hours she can still crack jokes.

"I don't even have a response for that." I laugh. "Only because I kind of agree with you."

"Hey!" Hugo pretends to be offended. "Don't knock him, he's a favourite!"

"Him?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yes him." Hugo rubs the steering wheel mumbling incoherent things to the car. I just roll my eyes.

"Not knocking." Candace grins at me as she walks over. "I like tanks, it's a compliment trust me."

"I'm Hugo." Hugo sticks his hand out my window, he leans over me and I get a big whiff of him. _Oh he smells so good!_

"Candace. Nice to finally meet you Hugo."

"You to." He smiles. "Hop in, we are having like a BBQ for Anna over at my friend Steven's house."

"Sounds good." Candace smiles politely and jumps – literally – into the back seat.

I reach behind me as best as I can, waving my hand around like a loony searching for my friend. She leans forward and wraps her arms around me before bursting into tears.

"Anna I'm such a mess." She mumbles quietly through her sobs.

"Baby I know." I squeeze her tight. "I'm here now. All the way."

"All the way isn't that long anymore." She sobs again and tears well in my eyes. "They say it's gonna happen in a few short weeks. Anna! What am I gonna do?"

I want to tell her something, anything and I look to Hugo who has kept respectfully quiet. He sends me a small smile of comfort before patting Candace on the arm, "Candace whatever you need, whatever you want. We will make it happen."

"Can you turn back time?" She says a little aggressively, before instantly regretting it. "Sorry!"

"No need." Hugo hands us both a tissue he plucked from nowhere. "We don't even have to go to the party if you don't want to."

"No." Candace sits up straight, pulling herself together instantly. "Today, just for today we are going to have fun."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes." She smiles at me stubbornly. "Tomorrow we deal, today we celebrate you two."

"I can take you to a hotel?" Hugo says again.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"We are here." He says pulling the car back into the driveway just as Steven comes running out. He looks at Hugo and I before his eyes drift to the backseat and he literally freezes mid step.

"Who's that weirdo?" Candace half laughs, she could only be talking about Steven.

"Steven." Hugo says, barely able to control his own laughter. "My apparently petrified friend."

I open my door and call out "Steven!" he snaps out of it and wanders over to Candace's door, ignoring Hugo and I.

"Hello." He says as he opens her door. "I'm Steven, the host of this rocking party."

"I'm not impressed." Candace returns back to him. "Or Interested."

Hugo and I burst into laughter as Steven stands there speechless. Candace gets out of the car and moves away.

"Well then sexy chicken legs I will just have to change your mind wont I?" He seems to have gotten his groove back because he stands next to her, right in his face. "Trust me."

"Or not." Candace says again easily cutting him off.

"Anna?" Hugo whispers in my ear.

"Yeah?" I cuddle up to him.

"I like her."

"She's my sister."

"She's awesome."

"She needs me."

"I know."

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not."

"You sure?"

"Anna-Beth I am in love with you. I would give you the world if I could."

"Oh."

"We will do whatever she needs."

"Um Anna?" Candace stands next to me again. "Does the creepy guy have an off switch?"

I laugh, "No why?"

"Because he's gonna end up head first in the pool!"

"You wouldn't be the first." Hugo laughs. "Nor the last." He adds just as Steven grins at him.

"Great." Candace rolls her eyes. "Why do I always get the crazies?"

"No idea." I laugh at her. "But let's go party!"

"Just for today!" Candace agrees. "Just for today!"

***

In a Few Short Weeks

**Book Three in the Saga of Moonlight Falls**

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't. "Candace" She had said. "I have some bad news." She sounded so calm and peaceful I almost expected it to be a joke! But it wasn't! "Don't get worked up but I have to tell you..." She adds trying to hold her own tears in and I know it's bad, my Mum never cries! I grab her arm and make her look at me, asking her with my eyes to keep talking...

" _I'm dying Candace. I have Ovarian Cancer."_

How? How do you deal with something like that? Watching your Mum die slowly of cancer? No one should ever have to deal with something like that. Ever. It's just cruel.

I needed to get away from it all. Just for a few days. I just need air. The doctors say she has a couple of weeks left and Mum told me I needed to bring Anna-Beth to her anyways. I'm not being a coward... I'm not!

So anyways here I am. Moonlight Falls. Cool place. Anna-Beth's baby dada seems cool and his friends seem decent too but not that obnoxious hot one. He's really annoying. He's loud and crude and calling me the most ridiculous things. Like any girl will take "sexy chicken legs" as a compliment! Pfft!

I want nothing to do with him.

I don't!

Really I don't.

No really... I'm like completely serious...

Even when he gets all cute and tries to help me...

Besides my mum is my priority. My ONLY priority. Now is not the time to get romantic with anyone especially snot nosed, loud-mouthed hot boys that irritate me. Why do I get the feeling if Anna-Beth could read my mind she would tell me "Thou is protesting way too much" right now?

Oh Boy...

I'm screwed.

Coming December 2014
