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

Chapter Fifty-Two

❝emotion (pronounced ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)n or ih-moh-shuhn), noun
an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.❞

It was late June, two weeks before Robin's fourth birthday. Hunter noticed that Ryan was drinking sleeping pills as often as she was allowed. She was trying to numb the pain, the pain that hadn't dulled even after five months. Her pregnancy wasn't helping matters. She was struggling through each and every day, and he could see that. The only reason she hadn't ended it all already was because of Robin.

Robin, of course, was another matter entirely. Similarly to Elle's nightmares about losing Hunter, Robin came into their room crying every night, scared of losing Ryan. She cried until she could make Ryan promise that she wouldn't die anytime soon. And he wasn't stupid. He saw the way her facial muscles tightened when she made that promise. He knew she was making a promise that she didn't want to keep.

And it scared him worse than anything.

There was a knock on the door, and Hunter went to answer it. When he opened the door, he was shocked. "Lola!"

"Hi, sir," she said, sounding nervous. "May I speak to Mrs Hayes-Lockhart?"

"Yeah, of course. Come in."

Nita and Cole came and sniffed at Lola's wheelchair, and she smiled slightly. "Aww, hi! You two are cute."

"Not going to school today?" Hunter asked.

"I've been excused. I'm going to be held back unless I study, though, so I'm going to get some homework from Ryan, if possible. And, you know, she's good at everything. I kinda want her to teach me in everything else, too." Her eyes lowered. "None of the other teachers understand. Not really."

"I know." He smiled at her. "Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, a hot chocolate?"

"Oh- n-no, that's fine, sir."

"Sir? Call me Hunter. It's fine. You call her Ryan, you can call me Hunter."

She nodded. "Yes, Hunter."

He smiled. "Are you sure you don't want anything? I can make you something, I don't mind. I'm going to make Ryan a green tea anyway."

She hesitated, then said, "A... A hot chocolate would be wonderful."

"Of course. Give me a moment, I'll make you one now. Whipped cream?"

"Yes, please."

Hunter disappeared into the kitchen, and Lola looked around the room, observing the photos on the walls. There was one big one of a photoshoot from a while ago. Ryan was laughing, and Hunter was hugging her. She could remember seeing it in a magazine somewhere. She smiled slightly. They were so sweet together.

Hunter came back with a mug and a plate of vanilla and chocolate cookies. "Take one," he offered, and she did so, taking a bite.

"Mmm," she said. "They're home-made."

"Ryan was craving them the other day, so she and my daughter made cookies together," he said, smiling. "I'm glad you like them."

"How is she? Ryan? With the pregnancy and all?"

"Well, we did an ultrasound. Looks like it'll be a bouncing baby boy." He sighed happily. "I love my daughters, don't get me wrong, but I've always wanted a son."

"That's sweet."

"Yeah."

They were quiet, until Hunter said, "How are you doing now, darling?"