I arrived at her old house.

I see Kyle in his car across the street. Lannie is standing in front the rubble that use to be her home. The wind is blowing her long beautiful blonde hair around her face. She's wearing her usual crop top and jeans. She couldn't be more stunning.

I walk up to her side and stop. I'm facing her as she faces front. She's been crying and won't look at me. The silence between us is deafening. I just stand and wait. Then I hear her sigh.

"I've thought long and hard about this. About us.....us three. I was planning on leaving....changing my name and never coming back. But I couldn't do it," she moves some hair that's stuck on her face, then sighs again "I'm tired of running. Of hiding. I realized, after some time and a lot of crying, that it wouldn't be fair of me to leave and not let you three know."

She turns her head away from me looks over at Kyle and then back to the rubble of her home. "Make no mistake about this Forest, what we had, what we all had is over. I don't think there's no way of going back. I don't know if I could ever forgive y'all. What you did or didn't do; hurt me more than any of you realize."

I start to tell her how sorry I am before I can get a word out she holds up her hand.

"I couldn't break up your family anyway. You know I could never do that. I was packed and ready to go. To leave, yet again," she sighs. She still hasn't looked at me. "I was at the park watching the kids play, then a realization hit me. I couldn't go without you knowing; at least I can give you three that." She bends her head and reaches into her purse.

"Even though all of this has happened I couldn't be that cruel," I have no idea what she's talking about. "But once I tell you Forest, don't think this changes anything between us. I'm still not changing my mind. If I have to; I'll do this on my own. Completely.
I do love all three of you, you must realize that; if the tables were turned, I would of defended all of you. Stood up for you. Chose you!" She's getting more upset, she still hasn't looked at me. Look at me flower. "So this is my goodbye."

She grabs my hand and places a plastic baggy in it and closes my fingers over it. She holds my fist in her hand, looking down at it.

"I will always love you Forest, till my dying breath." She sighs. Wipes a tear from her cheek, turns to leave and walks to Kyle car. Look at me! She opens the door. Gets in the car and they drive off. She never looked at me. I watch as the car turns the corner. I'm as still as a stone. I never said a word. I couldn't. To see the pain we caused was just much for me. I am a coward.

I look down to my hand and open my fist. There's a pregnancy test on the baggy. I turn it over and see,

Two pink lines.

I stood there. Frozen. My thoughts running rampant through my head. I'm going to be dad! The love of my life walked away, pregnant with my child, and I let her go. I fall to my knees in front of the burnt down rubble of her former home, my spirit crushed. I'm as empty as her home is now.

———

I sit in my truck in front my house. I cut the engine when I got here but I haven't got out. Just sitting; staring through the windshield; not moving my mind fazes out. I don't know how long I sat there. I don't come out of it till I hear Blue pounding on the side window. I guess it took me a while to realize he was there because he looks frantic. I unlock my door and exit my truck, grabbing the little baggy from the seat.

"What the hell Forest? What's wrong? I've been knocking on the window for ten damn minutes!" I ignore him. I go in the house with my him right behind me. I see Denny at the kitchen table with headphones on; rocking back and forth, listening to music. His face is bruised and it amuses me a bit. I half smile and go to sit at the table. I toss the baggy on the table and wait. Denny looks at me confused. Blue comes and sits beside me. With the same look. Denny grabs the baggy and turns it over. He laughs.

"How far along are you Forest?" Smart ass. I just shake my head. Put my elbows on the table and prop my head on them. I look to Denny then Blue.

"Lannies pregnant." That's all I say. I lean back and sigh. Then the shit hits the fan.

"What? When did you see her? Where is she? Is she ok?" All the questions coming from Blue. Denny still sits with the baggie in his hand. Staring at it.

I explain to them what happened. That Lannies not coming back. How she was going to leave, change her name, but she didn't think it was fair to us. About her saying goodbye. The more I told them. The more upset Blue got. Denny is still stone faced.

"We're going to be dads but we're not going to be in our child's life? How is that fair?" I agree with Blue but he's not getting the picture.

"No, she told us that she's not going anywhere; it's just that our relationship with her is done." Which breaks my dumb ass heart. Denny still hasn't moved.

"I won't let it be, over that is, I can't. A child needs its parents. She will not raise this child on her own. I won't let her. I'm finding her, one way or other, and I'm bringing her back!" My thoughts exactly. But it won't be that easy.

"She's made up her mind. She's broken Blue and we did this. She told me she would have defended us no matter what. We didn't stand up for her. We're idiots. She won't come back." I try to put conviction behind my words. Trying to convince myself that it is over. How could we ever make it up to her anyway?

"Besides, all three of us would have to beg for her forgiveness and I don't see that happening." I look at Denny he finally looks at me and scowls.

"Don't blame me! She left! This isn't on me! Baby or not; she knows how are parents feel! They will never accept her. Mom has made that abundantly clear!" He's got to be kidding.

"You would chose mom over Lannie, over your child? What kind of man are you?" Blue yells at him. Denny flinches. We all go quiet. All you can hear is our breathing. I get up and go to the couch. Leaning my head back I close my eyes; I have a headache and I'm miserable, I can't deal with Denny and his mommas boy shit!

"Regardless of what either of you think, I'm choosing Lannie and my child! I'm going to find her." Blue states as he gets up and leaves the house. I watch him go, then look over to Denny. He's still holding the baggy and looking at it hard. I turn my head back and close my eyes. I have to find a way to get her back. I want my child in my life full time. I want her in my life.

I hear Denny get on his phone. He puts it on speaker, I can can hear the other phone ringing. What's he up to? I get up and go back to sit beside him. On the fifth ring someone answered.

"Hello" mom

"Mom" Denny says

"Oh, Denny we were just about to head to your house. Is everything ok?" She sounds so cheerful. How can she be so happy when our world is falling apart and why has Denny called her? I see his still holding the baggy.

"Mom, please listen, Lannie is my life. I love her mom, you have to stop with this vendetta you have with her, she's going to be apart of our lives and you and dad will just have to deal with it. She's pre-"

"No Denny I will not accept this! She's not right for you!" She doesn't include me and Blue "you can do so much better. She broke your hear-"

"Mom shut up and listen! She is right for me! For us! She's the only one that will ever be right! Either accept that or don't, but I'm not changing my mind! She's ours and we are hers! She's everything that is good about us and if you ever want to get to know your grandchild then you will accept it!" And he hangs up. Fuming. I'm in shock. He floored me. Never thought he would ever go up against mom. He looks at me.

"Let's go find Lannie." He tells me while getting up. Just as we stand, my phone rings. It's Blue.

"Hey"

"I found her!" How the hell?

"Where is she? How did you-"

"She's at Castco Hotel, Devlin saw her there this morning. He lives across the street." Devlin is his worker at the shop. I'm excited I tell Denny what Blue told me.

"Ok meet us there. We're on her way." I tell him as I hang up and we head out the door.

———

Twenty minutes later we're all standing in the gravel lot of the hotel. We have no idea which room she's in and they won't tell us which room she's in either. So we decided to wait. None of us leaving till we see her. I filled Blue in on Denny and moms conversation. He was just as shocked I was.

"What are we going to say to her?" Ask Denny. He seems genuine this time. I hope he is. If not I will hurt him. He's not fucking this up again.

"I don't know, whatever comes to mind I guess." I want to say we get on our knees and beg. Cry. Anything to get her back.

"We should of brought flowers, candy or something." Blue has a point. We're here empty handed. Hell we should of bought a damn ring.

"Maybe we should call Kyra. She always has the best ideas." No I think Chuck always does. But it couldn't hurt.

"Ok I'll call." I tell them. I get my phone out and dial.

"Hello" Kyras soft voice comes through the phone. I put her on speaker.

"Kyra, it's Forest, we need your help." She hesitates. We hear her tell someone she'll be right back.

"Uhm, I can't talk right now Forest, I uhm have company." Lannies there. I just know she is.

"Lannies there isn't she?"

"Yes she is but she doesn't want to see you, not yet anyway, just give it some time. She will come around." She sighs. God I hope she will come around.

"Ok I'll call you later. We need to talk to you about...something."

"Ok give me like an hour."

"Sure thing thanks Kyra." She hangs up. I look at my brothers.

"I think I have a plan. If you're up to it?"

"Anything" they say in unison.

We load up and head out. I'm going to get our girl back. No matter what.

Please let this work!

———

Thank you pretties.
Please vote and comment. ❤️
What do you think Forest has planned.
It better be good. Enjoy!