Two Steps Forward ✔️

Chapter 16

I woke up feeling something on my stomach. I look to see Chris asleep next to me, one hand on mine, the other on my stomach. Someone told him I was pregnant. I groaned, "Chris?" I groaned again, bringing my hand to my head.

Chris heard Gemma grunting. He looked up to see her hand on her head, "god, Gemma!"

I pushed him away as he tried to kiss me, "Harrison?"

Chris stood up, "he's fine. He's been awake for hours. I was so worried about you."

I shook my head, looking away from him, "well I'm fine. You can go now."

He grabbed her hand but she pulled it away, "Gemma please."

"Get out!" I looked at him and saw the pain in his eyes, but I didn't care, "please. Just go."

"No." He placed his hand on her stomach, "what about our baby?"

I shook my head again as I looked away from him, "I don't think I'm going to keep it."

"What?!" He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him, "you can't be serious Gem."

I scoffed, "as if being the other woman isn't enough? You had to get me pregnant too?" I shook my face out of his grip, "no. No way Chris."

He groaned as he saw Lucas and Scott come into the room. "I've already signed the papers Gemma. Please. Look at me."

I shook my head, "no. It's too late. It doesn't matter. Go to your son and leave me alone."

I heard him hesitate, but leave the room as I looked at Lucas and Scott, "which one of you told him?"

Lucas sighed, "I did. He walked in when I was asking the doctor if the baby was okay. He assumed it was mine but I told him it was his. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. And the baby? It's okay?"

Lucas nodded as he sat on the bed next to her, running his hands through her hair, "the baby is fine. Are you?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Why was Chris so upset?"

I watched Scott take over the seat his brother just occupied. I groaned, "I may have told him I wasn't keeping the baby."

"What?!"

I watched both men leap to their feet, looking at me.

Scott shook his head, "you can't be serious Gemma. It's Chris's baby. This is what you both always wanted."

"I don't care. He's married Scott!" I grunted, holding my head again as Lucas sat back next to me, "don't fuss. It just hurts when I raise my voice."

"Look. He said he's already signed the papers. And even though Harrison isn't his son, he said he's fighting for custody of him. He's really leaving her Gemma."

I looked at Scott, "Harrison isn't his son? How do you know?"

He shrugged, "Chris had a nurse test them both when he arrived."

I sat in silence for a minute, feeling guilty. All the things that must be going through Chris's head right now; finding out he wasn't Harrison's father. I looked back up at Scott, "I don't really know what I'm doing. I haven't decided. But please don't say anything to Chris. As far as he is concerned, I'm not keeping the baby."

Scott shook his head, "come on Gemma. Don't make me do that. I can't."

I watched him for a moment, "when Chris was coming home from LA, did you know about Mallory? About the baby?"

He groaned, looking at the floor, "yes."

"If you can not tell me, not warn me, then you can keep this to yourself for now."

He sighed, nodding, "fine."

"Thank you. Now can one of you find out when I can go home?"

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I came back home to get a few things for Harrison and found Mallory sitting at the kitchen table, looking at the divorce papers I already signed. "Are you going to sign them?"

Mallory looked up at Chris, "I don't want to. I want to be with you Chris."

I watched her stand up and make her way to me, "Mallory. I don't want to be with you. I never have." I felt her hands on my pants, trying to undo them, "no!" I pushed her and her hands away, "I just said I don't want you! Sign the papers. And give me custody of my son."

Mallory scoffed, "I'll sign the papers, but you're crazy if you think I'm letting you have full custody of Harrison. He isn't even your son!"

I shook my head, "he will always be my son! You ruined everything. And I can't even hate you as much as I want to. Because I was the idiot that let you." I went to Harrison's room and got stuff together and went back to the hospital.

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When I was finally released from the hospital, I sat in my living room when I heard a knock on the door. I found Chris with Harrison on my porch, "what's up guys?"

He saw her avoiding his gaze as he knelt down to Harrison, "why don't you go and watch tv while I talk to Auntie Gem, okay?"

Harrison half smiled as I stepped out onto the front porch with Chris, closing the door behind me, "what's going on?"

He sighed, "Mallory went to her parents in LA. And I have to return to work, can you please take care of my son while I'm gone. I don't trust anyone more than you."

I nodded, "of course I will."

"You have a key to my place, so stay here, stay there. Whatever you want. I'm sure you'll have to get more stuff for him. And thank you. Gem?"

I felt him place his hand on my stomach, "Chris. Please." I looked up at him to see tears in his eyes.

"Please don't do this. She's signed the papers. She's leaving. Please Gemma." He placed his hands on her cheeks, "I will spend the rest of my life fixing us, making everything up to you. Just please keep my baby. Please."

I avoided the subject, "Scott told me Harrison isn't yours. I'm sorry Chris."

He shook his head, removing his hands, "we knew it already, didn't we? And besides, he's still my son. I love you Gemma."

I watched him hesitate, but start to walk away, "Chris, wait." I ran to him on the walkway as I leapt into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck. I heard him moan softly as I crashed my lips into his. When I pulled away he rested his head on mine, "I love you too Chris. Come back to me. Please." I paused for a minute, "alone. Please."

Chris laughed, "I promise. I only want you."