Vivian could feel all restraint leaving her body, one she could stand but all three? This was asking way too much of her. When she walked in she saw Ryan with Lydia sitting on the sofa, Becca on his lap. Abs and Liz were sitting together, like that surprised her, and Nan was standing near the fireplace. She tried looking for Shiloh, but couldn’t find him. “Where’s Shi?” she asked ignoring Liz’s smiling face.
“Oh I think Scott is changing him,” Liz said feeling very uncomfortable. “Scott has him? How could you let him take Shi?” she asked angrily to no one in particular. “What are you so worried about? It’s not like he’s going to take him away,” Liz said without thinking. Vivian had just been worried about having the two together but now that Liz had mentioned the possibility she ran out of the room in search of them.
“Scott? Scott?” she yelled running up to the nursery. When she entered she was surprised to see him on the rocking chair with Shi in his arms. “Don’t yell he’s just fallen asleep,” Scott whispered. She knew that she shouldn’t feel anything in watching them together but couldn’t help it. In front of her were father and son and neither of them knew it.
“I can take him now,” she said moving towards him. “Don’t worry Viv, I’m a trained professional, my sister uses me as a babysitter all the time,” he said touching the baby’s small hand. Vivian walked towards him and stopped at the sound of his voice. “You’re a very lucky woman you know that?” he said finally looking up. Their eyes met and Vivian couldn’t help but turn away. “Why is that?” she asked getting the crib ready so he could lay Shiloh down. “You’ve got the most beautiful baby in the world, a family that loves you, and a guy downstairs that would do anything to get you back,” he said moving to lay Shi down in the crib.
“You’re right on the first two,” she whispered not wanting to wake the baby. “No Vivian I’m right on all three. Don’t let what happened between us keep you two apart,” Scott said standing near her. “Scott?” she said softly. “Yeah,” he answered.
“Did you tell him? I mean he is your best friend,” she said nervously. He looked towards the door wanting so much to just avoid those piercing blue eyes. “I couldn’t I tried a few times, the guilt is unbearable, but I’ve never had the courage,” he said.
“Don’t feel so guilty we were both really drunk, and to tell you the truth maybe it was for the best,” Vivian said looking at a sweet looking Shiloh. “Don’t let him go just like that Vivian. Do whatever it takes because once they’re gone you’ll feel the pain forever.”
Inside she wanted to yell at him for being so understanding about something he had no idea of but on the exterior she just smiled. “It’s a lot more complicated than that, I’m the one that left and besides he already has someone else.”
“Who Liz? Have you been reading those disgusting tabloids? Viv, she would never do something like that to you.” She looked at him and felt all the old feelings come back. The anger, frustration and disappointment she had felt when rushed back. “You and I both should know better than to assume loyalty and friendship mean anything when it comes down to it,” she said walking out the door. Scott stood in the nursery looking down at the small child wondering where his father could be. Or if maybe he was in this very house, maybe it was Abs.
For Lydia’s sake Vivian agreed to at least be amiable to both Liz and Abs allowing them to stay. They were up half the night, everyone (except for Vivian) talking about what they had been doing lately. When it came time to go to bed she couldn’t stand the tension that filled the room. “So Ryan and Lydia can have the master bedroom on the east wing, Scott will be in the room across from Vivian in the west wing,” Nanna said preparing linens for the unexpected guests. “Where will we be staying?” Liz asked.
“You two probably want a room together. How about the room across from Lydia’s that has a nice king size bed,” Vivian said giving them both an evil look. Lydia elbowed Vivian to shut up but it didn’t stop her. “Since I hear no objection I’m assuming you both agree,” she continued.
“Of course I don’t want to room with him,” Liz said nervously. “Why? It’s not like you haven’t before,” Vivian said walking up to her room. She left them all with mouths opened and Abs with an angry look on his face.
She had been in her room just a few seconds when she heard a knock on her door. Thinking it was Lydia she opened the door, without asking who it was first.
“You’re going to tell me right now, why you’re being so mean to all of us. Or I won’t leave until you do,” Abs said storming in and grabbing her arm. Vivian gasped in pain because his hold was so tight. “Let go of me this instant!” she yelled.
“Not until you tell me why the hell you’ve decided to turn into a bitch. And why you left us stranded without even a goodbye a year ago,” he said locking the door behind him.
“Fine you want to know the truth? Well you better sit down Abs because you’re sure as hell not going to like it,” she said pulling his hand off her arm. “The reasons I left were one you asked me to, and two because I knew I couldn’t stand to be in the same country as you.”
Abs sat down on her bed waiting for a better explanation than that. “So you left because of a silly fight?” he asked looking away as she started changing for bed. “No I was ready to try and work things out with you the morning after that silly fight. In which I may add you told me I was a heartless witch. I stupidly went to your house with intentions of working things out. But you already know what I found there don’t you?”
His face paled as he remembered hearing a door slam but at the moment he had assumed it had just been the wind. “I see you finally remember.”
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