Bittersweet Chapter Thirteen
Zac chewed on his lip as he waited at the airport. He still had one more month left on the road but there had been a week long break which thankfully happened to fall around Jude's birthday and he had flown into Tulsa to come to the party which Liz planned to throw tomorrow. His arrival would be a surprise to his wife and kids.
"Zac," Taylor said as he walked over to where his brother sat in the airport. Before last month when Zac screwed up they hadn't been particularly close but now it seemed like Zac was using him to get information on Liz and the kids because Liz was ignoring all of Zac's phone calls. "Sorry I was running late," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "I had to take my date back to her house."
Hearing Taylor, Zac shook his head and stood up, "It's fine," he smiled as he stood up and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "At least you showed up."
"True," Taylor laughed as he walked out of the airport, feeling Zac following behind him. "I mean, I did think of leaving you," he joked as they walked to his car.
Zac rolled his eyes at Taylor's joke, "Funny asshole," he said as he fake glared at the back of Taylor's head. "Really fucking funny."
Shrugging Taylor unlocked his door when they made it to his car, "Yeah, I actually thought it was funny," he smirked as he opened the door and got in, buckling up.
Zac got in the car and buckled up as well, falling silent as Taylor drove off. "Can you umm drive me home?" he asked knowing he told Taylor on the phone yesterday that he would let him know where he wanted to stay. He knew the kids would be in bed my now but Liz would still be up.
"O...okay," Taylor said as his voice faltered when Zac mentioned wanting to go home. He was half wondering if he should tell Zac now that Liz wasn't there or let Eleanor do it when Zac got there.
Zac smiled when Taylor agreed and he just looked out the window, going silent as Taylor drove to his house. He was starting to get worried now on how Liz would react when she saw him but then again he was also glad to be seeing her face to face. Maybe they could work some things out in their marriage. Come to some way to work through him letting Andrea give him a blow job.
When Taylor finally pulled up to his house, Zac got out of the car, grabbing his bags and shutting the door not even offering Taylor a goodbye. He just wanted to get in and see Liz again. He needed to see her again.
Going to the door he laid his bags down and reached in his pocket for his keys, unlocking the door and letting himself in. "Liz?" he called out trying not to be too loud since he was sure the kids were probably sleeping now.
Eleanor who had been in the kitchen cleaning up the mess from dinner, froze when she heard Zac. She guessed Taylor hadn't told him that Liz wasn't home. That Liz had went out to dinner with another man.
"Fuck Taylor," she muttered under her breath as she wiped her hands off on the dish towel and left the kitchen, almost bumping into Zac along the way.
Zac stopped as he almost collided with Eleanor in the entrance way of the kitchen. Looking at her confused he raised an eyebrow. "Liz isn't home?" he asked knowing it was almost midnight. Where the hell could she be at this time of night?
Eleanor blushed a deep shade of red at Zac's question. "Liz is sort of on a date," she confessed as she avoided Zac's gaze.
"A date?" Zac asked feeling confused, his eyes gazing over Eleanor's face. Her cheeks were red, redder than her hair right now. "Like a girlfriend date that she has with Sara from time to time?"
"No," Eleanor answered as she shook her head. "She's on a date with a guy from Jude's play date group thing," she frowned as she moved past Zac and went into the living room. "He's a single dad named Tristin. They have been talking for the past two weeks."
Hearing Eleanor, Zac went silent and frowned. Liz was on a date with another man. Did this mean she wanted to move on? Had she already filed for divorce and not told him about it?
Eleanor noted Zac's silence and she frowned more as she found her purse laying by the door, "I should go," she said as she opened the door. "Liz paid me before she left so you don't have too," she sighed as she exited the house quickly.
After Eleanor had left, Zac stood in the kitchen entrance way for what felt like ages before finally moving and heading upstairs to check on the kids and strip down just to his boxers.
Making it upstairs he immediately went into the bedroom he shared with Liz he laid his bags by the dresser and then slipped out of his t-shirt and jeans before leaving the room. Going down the hall he opened Emerson's room and smiled seeing her sleeping peacefully in her toddler bed.
When he got to Jude's room he opened the door and laughed as he found his son passed out on the floor, a book in his hands.
"Silly boy," Zac muttered as he walked into the room and picked his son up, carrying him to the bed. The moment he had laid Jude down and covered him up though, his son's eyes slowly opened.
"Daddy?" Jude asked as he raised an eyebrow and yawned.
Zac smiled down at his son, "Yeah buddy?" he asked as he bent down so he was more to Jude's level.
"I missed you," Jude smiled before closing his eyes and drifting back off.
Zac couldn't help but laugh again, "I missed you too buddy," he said as he kissed his cheek and left the room. Chewing his lip he went down the hall back to the room he shared with his wife. Climbing into the bed he covered up and shut the light off, before closing his eyes and going to sleep.
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Liz grinned as she came in from her date with Tristin. It had went really well and they had even set up another night for another date, "You know, you didn't have to come in," Liz said as she turned to look into his brown eyes.
"But I wanted too," Tristin nodded as he looked at Liz. "I don't have to worry about being home with Gavin because his grandparents have him until Jude's party tomorrow. I figure you could use the company."
Liz blushed and ran her tongue across her lips, "The company is appreciated," she nodded as she ran a hand through her hair which she had managed to curl into loose ringlets. "But I probably should get to bed and check on my kids," Liz shrugged as she looked down at her wristwatch. "Anyway it's going on two in the morning. I'd hate for you to be sleepy at Jude's birthday tomorrow."
Tristin laughed as he nodded, "I guess you have a point," he said as he walked to where Liz stood by the couch. "Can I at least get a goodnight kiss before I go?" he asked as he looked into her eyes.
Blushing some more Liz looked into his brown eyes and she chewed on her lip, feeling almost uneasy about the thought of kissing him. Yeah she had agreed to go on a date with him tonight and another one sometime in the week but she wasn't sure she wanted to kiss him. Not when she was still married to Zac. Not when she was still unsure of where her marriage was headed.
"The only person who should be kissing my wife goodnight is me," Zac spoke up as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. He had woken up when Liz came home and stayed at the top of the stairs until he heard this Tristin guy mentioning kissing Liz. Crossing his arms he glared at the man. He looked like he was a year or two younger than him and it sort of made Zac jealous.
Tristin gulped some as he looked at the man who was glaring at him. Yes he had known Liz was married but she had said they were going through some troubles and he would be gone for another month. "I umm. I should go," he squeaked out as he backed away from Liz and walked to the door.
Zac just smirked as he watched Tristin, "And don't let the door hit you on your way out," he yelled out as the door shut behind Tristin in a hurry.
"I didn't know you were coming home," Liz said as she walked away from the couch and over to where Zac was at the stairs. "I mean I didn't tell you when Jude's party was."
Zac uncrossed his arms and looked at Liz, "Taylor told me. I decided to come in and surprise you and the kids," he frowned at her less than welcoming attitude. "I guess I was the one with the surprise," he said as he turned and headed back upstairs.
Following behind Zac, Liz stayed silent until they reached the bedroom and she shut the door as Zac walked back to bed. "If I had known you were coming I wouldn't have agreed to go on the date with Tristin," she defended as she slipped out of the high heels she had on, walking to the dresser where she pulled out a night gown, quickly changing into it.
Zac climbed back into the bed and watched Liz, "Kind of hard to know anything when you want speak to me. So is your going on a date your way of saying you want to end our marriage?" he asked almost afraid of her answer.
After she was in her night gown, Liz sighed and got into bed beside Zac, "I know I should have taken your calls," she nodded as she looked at him. "As for our marriage I..I've been talking to lawyers but nothing is certain," she admitted as she chewed on her lip. "The kids miss you so much and I keep thinking how it would affect them if we divorced and you were gone for a majority of the time and then this baby I'm pregnant with it would never know what it was like to have us both together as it's parents," she frowned as she felt tears sting her eyes. "I'm not sure what to do Zac."
"You can stay with me," Zac told her as he pulled Liz into him when he saw tears in her eyes. "You can stay with me and once tour ends we can fix us," he whispered as he kissed her forehead softly. Zac wasn't sure if she would listen to him but he hoped she would. "I love you."
"I love you too," Liz whispered as she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Zac's arms.
Zac chewed on his lip as he waited at the airport. He still had one more month left on the road but there had been a week long break which thankfully happened to fall around Jude's birthday and he had flown into Tulsa to come to the party which Liz planned to throw tomorrow. His arrival would be a surprise to his wife and kids.
"Zac," Taylor said as he walked over to where his brother sat in the airport. Before last month when Zac screwed up they hadn't been particularly close but now it seemed like Zac was using him to get information on Liz and the kids because Liz was ignoring all of Zac's phone calls. "Sorry I was running late," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "I had to take my date back to her house."
Hearing Taylor, Zac shook his head and stood up, "It's fine," he smiled as he stood up and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "At least you showed up."
"True," Taylor laughed as he walked out of the airport, feeling Zac following behind him. "I mean, I did think of leaving you," he joked as they walked to his car.
Zac rolled his eyes at Taylor's joke, "Funny asshole," he said as he fake glared at the back of Taylor's head. "Really fucking funny."
Shrugging Taylor unlocked his door when they made it to his car, "Yeah, I actually thought it was funny," he smirked as he opened the door and got in, buckling up.
Zac got in the car and buckled up as well, falling silent as Taylor drove off. "Can you umm drive me home?" he asked knowing he told Taylor on the phone yesterday that he would let him know where he wanted to stay. He knew the kids would be in bed my now but Liz would still be up.
"O...okay," Taylor said as his voice faltered when Zac mentioned wanting to go home. He was half wondering if he should tell Zac now that Liz wasn't there or let Eleanor do it when Zac got there.
Zac smiled when Taylor agreed and he just looked out the window, going silent as Taylor drove to his house. He was starting to get worried now on how Liz would react when she saw him but then again he was also glad to be seeing her face to face. Maybe they could work some things out in their marriage. Come to some way to work through him letting Andrea give him a blow job.
When Taylor finally pulled up to his house, Zac got out of the car, grabbing his bags and shutting the door not even offering Taylor a goodbye. He just wanted to get in and see Liz again. He needed to see her again.
Going to the door he laid his bags down and reached in his pocket for his keys, unlocking the door and letting himself in. "Liz?" he called out trying not to be too loud since he was sure the kids were probably sleeping now.
Eleanor who had been in the kitchen cleaning up the mess from dinner, froze when she heard Zac. She guessed Taylor hadn't told him that Liz wasn't home. That Liz had went out to dinner with another man.
"Fuck Taylor," she muttered under her breath as she wiped her hands off on the dish towel and left the kitchen, almost bumping into Zac along the way.
Zac stopped as he almost collided with Eleanor in the entrance way of the kitchen. Looking at her confused he raised an eyebrow. "Liz isn't home?" he asked knowing it was almost midnight. Where the hell could she be at this time of night?
Eleanor blushed a deep shade of red at Zac's question. "Liz is sort of on a date," she confessed as she avoided Zac's gaze.
"A date?" Zac asked feeling confused, his eyes gazing over Eleanor's face. Her cheeks were red, redder than her hair right now. "Like a girlfriend date that she has with Sara from time to time?"
"No," Eleanor answered as she shook her head. "She's on a date with a guy from Jude's play date group thing," she frowned as she moved past Zac and went into the living room. "He's a single dad named Tristin. They have been talking for the past two weeks."
Hearing Eleanor, Zac went silent and frowned. Liz was on a date with another man. Did this mean she wanted to move on? Had she already filed for divorce and not told him about it?
Eleanor noted Zac's silence and she frowned more as she found her purse laying by the door, "I should go," she said as she opened the door. "Liz paid me before she left so you don't have too," she sighed as she exited the house quickly.
After Eleanor had left, Zac stood in the kitchen entrance way for what felt like ages before finally moving and heading upstairs to check on the kids and strip down just to his boxers.
Making it upstairs he immediately went into the bedroom he shared with Liz he laid his bags by the dresser and then slipped out of his t-shirt and jeans before leaving the room. Going down the hall he opened Emerson's room and smiled seeing her sleeping peacefully in her toddler bed.
When he got to Jude's room he opened the door and laughed as he found his son passed out on the floor, a book in his hands.
"Silly boy," Zac muttered as he walked into the room and picked his son up, carrying him to the bed. The moment he had laid Jude down and covered him up though, his son's eyes slowly opened.
"Daddy?" Jude asked as he raised an eyebrow and yawned.
Zac smiled down at his son, "Yeah buddy?" he asked as he bent down so he was more to Jude's level.
"I missed you," Jude smiled before closing his eyes and drifting back off.
Zac couldn't help but laugh again, "I missed you too buddy," he said as he kissed his cheek and left the room. Chewing his lip he went down the hall back to the room he shared with his wife. Climbing into the bed he covered up and shut the light off, before closing his eyes and going to sleep.
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Liz grinned as she came in from her date with Tristin. It had went really well and they had even set up another night for another date, "You know, you didn't have to come in," Liz said as she turned to look into his brown eyes.
"But I wanted too," Tristin nodded as he looked at Liz. "I don't have to worry about being home with Gavin because his grandparents have him until Jude's party tomorrow. I figure you could use the company."
Liz blushed and ran her tongue across her lips, "The company is appreciated," she nodded as she ran a hand through her hair which she had managed to curl into loose ringlets. "But I probably should get to bed and check on my kids," Liz shrugged as she looked down at her wristwatch. "Anyway it's going on two in the morning. I'd hate for you to be sleepy at Jude's birthday tomorrow."
Tristin laughed as he nodded, "I guess you have a point," he said as he walked to where Liz stood by the couch. "Can I at least get a goodnight kiss before I go?" he asked as he looked into her eyes.
Blushing some more Liz looked into his brown eyes and she chewed on her lip, feeling almost uneasy about the thought of kissing him. Yeah she had agreed to go on a date with him tonight and another one sometime in the week but she wasn't sure she wanted to kiss him. Not when she was still married to Zac. Not when she was still unsure of where her marriage was headed.
"The only person who should be kissing my wife goodnight is me," Zac spoke up as he stood at the bottom of the stairs. He had woken up when Liz came home and stayed at the top of the stairs until he heard this Tristin guy mentioning kissing Liz. Crossing his arms he glared at the man. He looked like he was a year or two younger than him and it sort of made Zac jealous.
Tristin gulped some as he looked at the man who was glaring at him. Yes he had known Liz was married but she had said they were going through some troubles and he would be gone for another month. "I umm. I should go," he squeaked out as he backed away from Liz and walked to the door.
Zac just smirked as he watched Tristin, "And don't let the door hit you on your way out," he yelled out as the door shut behind Tristin in a hurry.
"I didn't know you were coming home," Liz said as she walked away from the couch and over to where Zac was at the stairs. "I mean I didn't tell you when Jude's party was."
Zac uncrossed his arms and looked at Liz, "Taylor told me. I decided to come in and surprise you and the kids," he frowned at her less than welcoming attitude. "I guess I was the one with the surprise," he said as he turned and headed back upstairs.
Following behind Zac, Liz stayed silent until they reached the bedroom and she shut the door as Zac walked back to bed. "If I had known you were coming I wouldn't have agreed to go on the date with Tristin," she defended as she slipped out of the high heels she had on, walking to the dresser where she pulled out a night gown, quickly changing into it.
Zac climbed back into the bed and watched Liz, "Kind of hard to know anything when you want speak to me. So is your going on a date your way of saying you want to end our marriage?" he asked almost afraid of her answer.
After she was in her night gown, Liz sighed and got into bed beside Zac, "I know I should have taken your calls," she nodded as she looked at him. "As for our marriage I..I've been talking to lawyers but nothing is certain," she admitted as she chewed on her lip. "The kids miss you so much and I keep thinking how it would affect them if we divorced and you were gone for a majority of the time and then this baby I'm pregnant with it would never know what it was like to have us both together as it's parents," she frowned as she felt tears sting her eyes. "I'm not sure what to do Zac."
"You can stay with me," Zac told her as he pulled Liz into him when he saw tears in her eyes. "You can stay with me and once tour ends we can fix us," he whispered as he kissed her forehead softly. Zac wasn't sure if she would listen to him but he hoped she would. "I love you."
"I love you too," Liz whispered as she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Zac's arms.