Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Ten

❝dance (pronounced dɑːns or dans), noun
to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, especially to the accompaniment of music.❞ 

Hunter noticed how Ryan was starting to avoid him again. He noticed the way she'd sometimes let her guard down around him, but then she'd hide away again, not looking at him. Phoenix noticed it, too.

"Mama? Why sad?" he asked one morning, as Ryan silently ate breakfast. She was wearing a long, baggy top, which wasn't usually her style, even though she still looked perfect to Hunter. Somehow, these days, she was even more attractive. Not that she never usually was... but now, Hunter found himself craving her when he least expected it. It didn't help that she was trying to stay away from him.

"Mama's not sad, darling," said Ryan.

"No. Mama sad. Why Mama sad?"

"No reason."

"Ry, that's not true," said Hunter, and she looked up at him. Her eyes were tired, even though she was wearing makeup. The greenish blue stopped him short for a moment, before he kept going. "I'm worried about you.

"Why? I'm fine."

"That's not true. Please. I just want to know what's wrong."

"Hunt-"

"Do you think I'm blind, Ryan? I can see how red your eyes are. You've been crying."

"I got shampoo in my eyes."

"I don't believe you."

She slammed her fist down on the table suddenly. "Drop it, Hunter!" she snapped. "I'm fine!"

"I know you're lying to me-"

"What do you care?! Just leave me alone!" She pushed her plate away untouched, and stood up, leaving the table. Hunter sighed, picking at his toast.

"Papa?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"We see Uncle Andy today?" He said 'uncle' like uncoo.

"Yeah, we're gonna go to the studio."

"And Uncle Matt? And Uncle Stevo and Uncle Deve and Uncle Dustin?"

Hunter chuckled. "Yes, honey. We'll see them."

Phoenix looked at him. "Why Mama sad?"

He sighed. "I wish I knew. I don't know, Nick."

"Why?"

"She won't tell me."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Phoenix didn't say anything after that, and once he finished eating, Hunter took him down from his high chair and let him toddle off to wherever it was that he wanted to go. He walked to their room, finding Ryan staring at herself in the mirror. "Honey? What's wrong?"

She didn't seem to hear him, but then turned around. "N-Nothing. I've just... gained a little weight, that's all."

"Oh," he said. "I couldn't tell."

"I can't afford to get fat before the wedding..."

"You're not fat."

She just sighed. "Alright. I'm gonna go-"

"Nowhere. You're going to come with me, and we're gonna go to the studio, and then tonight, we'll go on a date. Just us."

"But-"

"Shh," he said. "You're stressed."

"I'm not-"

"You're hiding something from me. But you're not going to hide from me any longer. We're getting married next month-"