We Are Family

Chapter Eight: Telling the Twins

Hailey took a deep breath as she sat the twins down, she knew it was only fair to explain to them that Gerard was their real father; she’d wanted to tell them for years and David had stopped her from doing so.

Hailey was wearing a red and white cropped stripe print top and skinny flared jeans paired with camel 420 trainers, she had arrived home early that morning from the hospital and she knew it was time to explain what was going on.

“Mama what is going on?” Kaitlyn asked as she tilted her head and looked at Hailey, she could sense that something was bothering her mother and she knew it had something to do with the arrival of a certain footballer.

Hailey sat down on the couch and rested her hands on her knees, she wouldn’t tell the twins all of the evil things that their step-father had done; it wasn’t fair on them after how nice he had been to them.

“There’s something that I need to tell the two of you, a special secret,” Hailey said knowing her parents wouldn’t approve of what she was about to do; however if they were to go back to Barcelona with Gerard then the twins needed to know the truth about who their real father was.

Hailey smiled as she watched the twins get excited, she knew that they would be a little surprised that David wasn’t their real father and she was going to sugar coat the reason why they hadn’t been with Gerard before now.

“Before mummy had you two. She was in love with a man but your abuelos didn’t like him, so they forced mummy to marry David,” Hailey explained softly, she glanced behind her knowing that they weren’t alone and that Gerard didn’t completely trust her; he was afraid she’d take off with the twins and never come back.

Garrett and Kaitlyn looked at their mother, they sat quietly as Hailey gathered her thoughts knowing that she needed to do this before her parents arrived; they were furious that she hadn’t flown out to Barbados the day before.

“However mummy still loved the other man and she kept seeing him until she fell pregnant with you,” Hailey said knowing that this was probably the first time that she had told anyone this story; she had learnt over the years that it was better to keep quiet about her marriage to David, everyone seemed to take his side anyway.

Gerard leant against the wall out of sight, his heart raced in his chest as he listened to Hailey telling the twins about them; he smiled fondly at the past that they shared.

“Your Abuela was furious when she discovered what had happened and she stole mummy away so she couldn’t be with the man that she loved,” Hailey whispered as she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, she smiled as Kaitlyn gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth.

The blonde was suddenly glad that she was using her story-telling voice, it made telling this tale easier.

“Didn’t Abuela want you to be happy?” Garrett asked as he watched his mother, he had never liked his grandparents since they were always mean to him and his sister; they never smiled or brought presents, they even made his mother cry sometimes.

Hailey shook her head as Kaitlyn moved to sit next to her, the blonde wrapped her arms around the little girl knowing that this wasn’t easy for any of them; they were in for a shock soon.

“No she wanted power… she forced mummy to marry David and told her that she could never see your padre again,” Hailey said as she remembered the horrible talk she’d had with her mother; she’d cried so hard that day and now she knew it would all be okay.

Garrett and Kaitlyn frowned, they both knew that David wasn’t their real father and they had never really called him so unless he demanded it; they could tell that now that he was gone they would learn who their real father was.

“After David passed away, mummy called your padre and he’s here,” Hailey said making the twins perk up, they looked at her wondering where he could be; the blonde bit her lip as she wondered how to tell them that Gerard was their father.

Hailey had always made a point of making the twins watch Barcelona play on television, she knew how much David disliked it but it was one way for her to see Gerard again; she had missed him so much.

“Is he staying?” Garrett asked as he leant closer to his mother, his big blue eyes reminding his mother so much of his father; Garrett was a miniature vision of Gerard and it had drove David insanely jealous.

Kaitlyn looked at her mother, she was eager to meet her father as well and she knew that he had to be someone special for her mother to love him; she had always thought it was odd that they didn’t look like David.

“I am and I’m never going to let you go,” Gerard said making the twins jump and look at him, they stared at the footballer as if shocked to see him; they’d thought that all the footballers had gone out for lunch.

Hailey looked at her ex-boyfriend, she could see so much emotion in his blue eyes and she wished with all her heart that none of this would have happened; the two of them could have been happily married by now.

“Garrett, Kaitlyn… this is your padre,” Hailey said as she carefully set her arms on her lap, she wasn’t sure how the two five year olds would react to their father being there; however she knew that this meant so much to Gerard.

Garrett and Kaitlyn shared a look before they squealed in excitement and moved to hug their father, who quickly dropped to his knees to hold him.

Hailey watched the sight as tears filled in her eyes, there was nothing more that she wanted in the world than to make things right.

***

“Gracias,” Gerard said as he stepped into the kitchen were Hailey was washing up, he knew that it couldn’t have been easy for her to tell the twins about him; but he was glad that she had done it.

Hailey nodded her head as she continued to wash the dishes, it was the least that she could do considering what she had done to him; the blonde doubted that she would ever forgive herself even if Gerard did.

The footballer watched her knowing that someone was going to have to make the first step, there had been so much damage done to their relationship that they needed to fix this; he didn’t want to lose Hailey even if he was mad at her.

“Don’t do this to yourself Hails,” Gerard said as he stopped her, he hated it when she was sad and he cursed himself for being mad at her right now even if she deserved it; she could have come to him and she didn’t and now they had to deal with the consequences.

Hailey sniffled as she tried to fight back her tears, she really didn’t want to be one of those women and yet she hated the fact that she had hurt Gerard.

“It’ll be okay,” Gerard whispered as he pulled her into his arms, he held her close as he felt his own emotions take over; it would take time to fix the damage that had been done, he just hoped they would be strong enough to fix it.

Hailey swallowed as she nodded her head, she took several deep breathes as she tried to calm herself before the doorbell rang; the blonde pulled back from Gerard knowing that this wasn’t going to end well.