A Haze

Chapter 11. A Deal Breaker.

Nicole's POV

When I wake up I'm dazed for a moment, trying to call back last night's memories. Andy and I kissed we did not have sex, we talked a little bit but then fell asleep pretty quickly. When I sit up and look around Andy isn't in the bedroom. 

I climb out of the bed and head out of the bedroom shutting the door behind me, I walk down the long hallway it's quiet as far as I can tell.

When I get downstairs I look around and listen, suddenly a football comes flying across my face I stop dead my tracks and my head snaps to the left looking down the hallway.

"Oops sorry." A younger boy says he looks maybe to be 7 or 8 years old. 

"Yo Andy, your girlfriend's awake!" I look to my right in surprise there is a boy who appears to be maybe 12 or 13, he's twirling the football that'd nearly smacked me in the face. 

I hear a whistle come from behind me I spin around to see a boy who looks about fifteen eyeing me head to toe. I press my lips together trying not to laugh as Andy comes up and smacks him over the top of the head. "In your fucking dreams buddy."

"Nikki this is my brother Josh." He points to the boy who'd whistled at me. "That one over there is Anthony." He points at the boy who appears to be twelve or so. "That's David." He points to the younger one who'd threw the football.

"Hi Nikki." They all three say to me.

I laugh quietly. "Hi." I smile at all of them, they're cute.

A younger boy comes running down the hallway with underwear on his head screaming and all he has on is shorts. Andy watches him in irritation, and then looks up at me laughing at my stunned expression. 

"Um yeah that's Justin." He says shaking his head.

Two toddlers come through the hallway yelling running after him, one clearly a girl one a boy obviously the same age.

I look up at Andy for the answer. 

"Mathew and Megan they're twins going on three years old." Andy says.

I nod in understanding. "Wow how do you keep them all straight?" I ask in disbelief and he laughs. "You're the oldest I take it?"

He nods. "Yep."

We walk into the large kitchen and there is a little girl in the high chair making a mess of her food throwing it everywhere, the floor, and her hair.

"My mom is gone, so you'll have to wait a bit before I can take you home or to get your car or whatever." He says looking back at me as he walks towards the stove where there is food cooking.

"Oh yeah that's fine." I whisper.

"Oh that's Gracie by the way." He points to the little girl in the high chair.

"She's cute." I whisper, she has unbelievable blue eyes.

Just as Andy turns the stove off, I slowly turn back to the little girl in the high chair and something clicks.

"I thought you only had six siblings?" I ask curiously.

He turns to face me, he clenches his jaw and then un-clenches it again. "That's right five brothers, one sister." He sighs. "Josh is 15, Anthony is 12, David is 8, Justin is 5, and the twins are 2." He whispers, he looks into my eyes knitting his eyebrows together and bites down on his bottom lip for a moment. "Gracie is my daughter, she's 14 months old." He whispers.

I stare at him in shock, I feel my eyes widen, my jaw drop and my breathing become faster. "What?!" I shout.

He watches me waiting for it to sink in.

"Y-you have a d-d-daughter?" I stutter in shock.

He gives me a nod, my head snaps back to the baby who is a splitting image of him. She looks up at me and smiles then waves at me, which stuns me I stare at her for a long moment.

"How could you not tell me this?" I ask him angrily.

He licks his lips and takes a deep breath. "It's a long story." He whispers. "Not a story I like to tell which is partly why I don't date." He shrugs.

"Partly there's more?" I ask in disbelief, I start rubbing my temples.

He nods. "Food is done!" He yells. 

All six kids come running into the kitchen as he takes plates out of the cupboard. 

He looks at me. "Hungry?" He asks.

I shake my head and look away from him, after a moment I feel a hand grab my arm. I look up into his blue eyes, and he looks almost apologetic. "Look if it's a deal breaker, I get it." He says and shrugs. "If not I'll tell you the rest but don't make me tell you this story unless you are sure she-" He points at Gracie "isn't a problem." 

"Can I think about it for a minute? I'm just trying to let it sink in." I whisper.

He nods in understanding and we both hear the front door slam shut. His hand is still wrapped around my forearm we both look to the left and watch as a woman in her late thirties or early forties walks in. 

"Hi honey." She says to Andy then looks at me in confusion she looks back at Andy tilting her head. 

"Nikki this is Lisa my mom, mom this is Nikki." He says quietly.

"Nice to meet you." She says politely.

"Nice to meet you too." I whisper.

"I'm going to take Nikki home and then I'll be right back." He tells his mom. 

"Okay, hurry up though I do need to work tonight." She says sternly.

"Sure." He says, he starts to push me toward's the door but stops he pulls his wallet out and turns to his mom she arches an eyebrow at him in confusion. "Phone bill." He says.

"Oh shit I forgot." She says irritated.

"Shit!" Gracie yells.

I throw my hand over my mouth in surprise and laugh at the little girl.

"Well at least it ain't my fault this time." Andy smirks at his mother, she huffs in irritation and rolls her eyes.

Andy pushes me towards the door, we head back into the hallway and toward's the door where there's a coat rack, and our shoes are laying below it.

He pulls his keys out and open's the door up for me, we climb into his Impala. "I assume you want your car first?" He asks.

"Yeah." I nod.

We head into the city where we'd run into each other the night before, it's hard to believe that'd happened just last night it already seems like a distant memory. 

He pulls up beside my car, I sit there for a long moment staring at my car Andy doesn't say a word. 

"I'm sorry I should have told you about her, I don't tell anyone about her though not really." He whispers. 

"Are you ashamed of her?" I ask in confusion.

"Ashamed of my daughter?" He asks in disbelief. "No, I just keep my personal life to myself mostly because it isn't anyone's business, I've never felt the need to tell anyone about her or what'd happened, it's complicated." He says.

I nod in understanding I start to open up the passenger side door and begin getting out of the car but I stop for a moment.

Fuck it.

I turn back crawl up beside him and smash my lips to his, when I break the kiss and look at him I smile and shake my head. "She's not a deal breaker, a surprise maybe but a good one no child should ever be a mistake or deal breaker." I whisper.

He gives me as small quick smile and nods. "Okay." He says simply I peck him on the lips and climb out of the car. 

I watch as he pulls away I pull my keys from my pocket and get into my firebird, I back it out slowly and head for home.