Changed Since Texas / Post Malone

4.2

Austin's POV

I sat quietly in the back seat of the Escalade that Dre sent for me at LAX as I made my way back to my home in Tarzana. To say that I didn't feel bad about leaving Charlie would be a complete an utter lie, I felt horrible for leaving her. I went to Dallas with every intention to have her sitting here next to me as we made our way back to our home. But then I found out that she hid our son from us, and not just for a few months. No, she hid him from me for years. Turns out she was pregnant when she left Dallas when she was 18 and she was raising our son all on her own.

When she told me that he was almost four, my heart fell to the ground. I know that she thought she was doing the right thing by not telling me because she wanted me to live out the dream that I had always told her that I wanted, but to be honest whether or not I respected her for having such a huge heart to not want to ruin my dream, that wasn't her decision to make. If she had told me I would've came back to her, I would've been there for her to help her raise our son. The tremendous pain I felt in my heart that I missed out on him growing up was unlike anything I could describe.

There was also a huge hole in my heart that I wished I had filled by reaching out and holding him and talking to him. He knew who I was, which meant that Charlie wasn't hiding me from him, and when she was holding him in her arms, the look he was giving me was pure love for a man he didn't even really know. It was a dick move for me to walk out on him, especially when he was reaching out and calling for me. But, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I will meet him one day, I won't keep myself from him despite whatever happens between me and Charlie. I want to be a part of his life and I want to see him grow up. Regardless if he was kept a secret or not he deserves to have his Dad as part of his life.

I sighed when the Escalade pulled into my driveway, grabbing the handle to the door as I pushed it open and stepped out into the warm California night air. I thanked the driver for bringing me home as I swung my duffle over my shoulder and walked somberly into my house. I happily greeted Branson at the door, giving him several scratches behind his ear before walking over to my Bud Light fridge and grabbing a beer, popping the top as I took a long swig. I threw my duffle down on the couch as I made my way out towards my back yard, gazing over the view of the valley that was kept at a distance by my wrap around infinity pool.

I grabbed a cigarette from my pack quickly lighting it as I blew out a thick cloud of smoke. I sat somberly on the end of a lounge chair my right hand clutching my beer as it rested on my right knee. The elbow of my left hand resting on my left knee as I pressed my forehead into my palm, my cigarette burning between my fingers as I looked down at the ground.

Charlie would love this, and now that I knew he was here, so would our son. It wasn't quite LA and the area that I was in was far from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. They would've been able to have a safe, quiet and happy life here. I would've been able to go out with them a lot easier here than if I lived in the heart of LA. This house was perfect for them, perfect for Austy to grow up in.

I let out a deep breath as I realized that until I got my thoughts straight about what I wanted to do with the situation that was just recently presented to me, staying here was going to be difficult. It was going to constantly bring thoughts of Charlie and our son as we finally became a family here in Tarzana as I lived out my dream with my girl and my son right by my side.

"Stoney, you alright man?" I heard Dre say as he walked out and stood next to me. I broke my head away from my hand to look up at him quickly, a small chuckle leaving my lips as I brought the icy aluminum of the blue can clutched in my hand to my lips. I shook my head as I resumed the current position I was in.

"Yeah man I'll be fine" I said quietly, bringing the can back up to my lips as I took another long sip, my lips glossing in the lights from my house from the wet liquid that glazed over them.