We Are Family

Chapter Five: The Funeral

Hailey closed her eyes as she hugged Cesc close to her, she knew why he had come and she was grateful even if it wasn’t for her; she had told him the truth about the twins when David had once lost his temper and hit her.

“Have you told him?” Cesc asked, his voice cold as Hailey pulled back from him and shook her head; she knew why he asked and she hated herself for making him lie even if he knew what was at stake if she told Gerard the truth.

Cesc nodded his head a little relieved that she hadn’t told his best friend that he was a father, he hated to think how Gerard would react to the news that he had twins; he knew it would hurt him when he discovered the truth.

“Good and you’ll be going to Barbados to stay?” Cesc asked as he looked at Hailey, he knew that he was being cruel but he wanted to protect Gerard; he didn’t deserve to have the blonde ruin his life and he knew that the Gerard was better off without her.

Hailey swallowed as she nodded her head, she looked away from Cesc as she tried to calm herself; she didn’t want to cry right now since Gerard would catch on that there was something wrong.

Cesc sighed as he ran a hand through his hair and glanced over at Gerard, he hated to think how heartbroken he would be if he learnt that Hailey had kept the fact he was a father from him.

“How are you?” Cesc asked as he turned his attention back to Hailey, she was wearing a black bodycon dress with lace inserts paired with black chain barely there sandals for the funeral of her husband; he was the only one that knew what David had really been like with Hailey.

Hailey snorted as she looked at Cesc, she really didn’t believe him sometimes; he had been hot and cold with her since he had learnt about the twins and she didn’t want to deal with it right now.

“Like you care,” Hailey spat before she collected her black metal edge large envelope clutch, she walked away not wanting to deal with Cesc right now; he didn’t care what happened to her and the sooner that she was gone the better.

Cesc blinked surprised as he watched Hailey walk away, he knew he’d been a horrible friend to her since he found out that she was lying to Gerard; he had pretty much turned his back on her when he had found out the truth, only speaking to her when she came to him directly.

“What did you do?” Lionel asked Cesc hadn’t forgiven Hailey for making him swear not to tell Gerard; they both knew that her parents were a threat to the twins and would do anything to ensure they kept Hailey under their control.

Cesc sighed as he sipped on his drink, today was not the day to be alienating Hailey; especially when Gerard wanted her to come back to Barcelona with them.

“Cesc… you know why she didn’t tell him, she’s been trying to do the right thing since he got here,” Lionel said knowing what his friend was like, Cesc was protective of everyone and didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t been able to protect Gerard from this.

***

Gerard stared at Hailey’s back as he watched her sat with her parents, he hadn’t been able to get close to her since they had taken her away from him and they were doing it so that they could send her and the twins to Barbados.

“Easy Gerard,” Lionel murmured as he glanced at his friend, he could see that the taller man had clenched his fists and it was clearly that he was getting worked up.

Cesc looked across the small argentine and frowned knowing that this attachment was going to get Hailey in trouble; it would cost her everything if Gerard didn’t let her go.

“I’m not letting her slip through my fingers, not again,” Gerard said as he glared at the back of Harold’s head, he wasn’t sure what he would do if they stole Hailey away from him; she loved him and he wasn’t going to let that go.

Cesc shared a look with Lionel, when Gerard set his mind to it then he wouldn’t be moved; if he was determined to keep Hailey then he would.

“You know we’ll help you,” Lionel said as he turned away from Cesc, if they didn’t help him then they would lose Hailey completely; the blonde didn’t deserve whatever her parents had planned for her and the twins.

***

Hailey sighed relieved that it was all over, she moved about her apartment as she prepared some dinner for the twins; she was glad that Antonella had offered to watch them while she was at the funeral.

Gerard watched her closely as she moved, her parents expected her to be getting on a flight in seven hours and he was glad to see that she had made no move to do so; he refused to allow her to leave him again.

“Hails why don’t you sit down,” Lionel said as he tried to stop Hailey from doing too much, she deserved a rest after all she had been through; he glanced at Cesc who was sat in the corner away from Hailey, knowing that he needed to apologise.

Gerard chuckled as Hailey batted Lionel out of the way before he glanced at Cesc wondering what had happened between him and Hailey; he could tell that the footballer had upset Hailey in some way and he hoped that it wasn’t serious.

Gerard furrowed his brow as he remembered the letter that he had been given by David’s lawyer, he pulled it from his pocket as he watched Hailey disappear back into the kitchen with Lionel; he ripped open the envelope curious about why the man had written to him.

The letter itself was several pages long and he wondered what the lawyer had wanted to tell him in death that he hadn’t been able to tell him when he was alive.

“Dear Gerard. I know that if you are reading this then the worst has come to pass and I beg for your forgiveness. I stole not only the love of your life from you but your children as well. The twins, Garrett and Kaitlyn, are yours.” Gerard whispered as he read the letter, he stared at it in horror as he realised what this was.

His blue eyes snapped to Hailey as she walked back into the room laughing at something that Lionel had said.

“Is it true?” Gerard said making the blonde stop and look at him, she furrowed her brow confused while Cesc’s attention snapped to him; the room was deathly quiet as Gerard stared heavily at Hailey wanting the truth from her.

Hailey looked at him confused before her eyes fell on the letter that he was holding, she opened her mouth as she realised what it was; her head span as she realised that David had written a letter to Gerard about the twins.

“Are Garrett and Kaitlyn mine?” Gerard asked making them all realise that he knew about the twins, he looked around as he realised that Cesc and Lionel had known about this; betrayal spiked in his stomach as he looked directly at Hailey.

Hailey looked generally frightened about something and Gerard knew that she had every reason to be; he felt anger start to grip him.

“I can explain,” Hailey whispered as she realised that now that Gerard knew the truth, she had lost him for good; there was no way he’d want her now.