His Baby

~ Chapter 05 ~

~ CHAPTER 05~

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THERE'S A SMALL KNOCK on the door, I'm sitting on the couch, with my feet up on the ottoman, I have my eyes close, and one hand resting on my forehead and the other on my stomach.

I ended up coming to the Shepherd household for dinner.

"Chloe can you get the door!" Jane calls from the kitchen, and I look up, Chloe has Violet laying on her legs, she's cooing at the baby.

"I'll get it," I say and I stand up, and I hear another knock on the door "Hi, how can I help you?" I reply swinging the door open, not noticing who is behind the door.

"Vic?" The person says and I look up recognising the voice

"Jax?" I reply looking in front of me, and I'm staring at Jackson Shepherd. My ex-boyfriend and the father of my baby.

I stare at him shocked and his jaw has also dropped, and he looks white as a ghost.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, and I look back at the kitchen

"I uh, I" he mumbles

"Hi there " A voice interrupts making herself present from behind him, and I turn to her direction, and she smiles sticking out her hand "Ellie"

I cough "I'm sorry Ellie who?" I say and she turns to Jackson, looking back at me

"Eleanora Scott... Sheppies Girlfriend" she says and I choke, but I am saved by Jane

"Who is at the door dear?" she says, and I step aside, and she immediately looks at me with a sorry look on her face.

"Oh, Jackson! What are you doing here... I thought you weren't going to be here for a couple of days" she says "and you brought someone along"

"Ahh yes, I told you remember, This is Ellie my um-" Jackson says staring at me

"Girlfriend, My name's Eleanora, but most people call me Ellie," She says interrupting

"Sorry, it's getting late, and I need to be home for dinner," I announce before anyone gets a chance to respond, I don't hear the rest because I leave the doorway, running to Chloe. I pick up the diaper bag, rushing around before I take Violet

"Hey! I want more baby time" she says

"I'm sorry I have to go," I say and I strap Violet into her car seat "Tell your mum I'll be here at 8"

"What, why," she says confused

"I just have to go, look I'm sorry," I say and I pick up the carrier exiting the house before I see Jax, or this new 'Ellie'

I run to the car as quickly as I can somewhat balancing the baby bag and Violet in her car seat, I strap her in and I sit in the front seat. I click in my seatbelt and place my hands on the steering wheel. I close my eyes and I take a deep breath before I slowly start to cry.

I wipe my eyes and I turn my car on. I drive the short drive home, with tears rolling down my face, and I don't even know why I feel like this. It's also the damn postpartum hormones.

When I get home, I sit in the driveway just thinking. Violet's fallen asleep again, so I have a moment to think to myself. When I'm ready I open my car door, and I take Violet out of her car seat, I walk into the house and my mum is in the kitchen, my brothers and my dad are eating what she's cooking and I think I can hear Scarlett in our bedroom.

I walk up and knock on the door and when she opens it I put a finger up to my lips and she looks at the baby, I bring her in and place her in the bassinet beside my bed. Scarlett grabs the baby monitor and we walk down to the kitchen.

"Why are you home?," she says as soon as we sit down on the kitchen "what's wrong"

"Nothing... nothing, it's just my hormones out of whack," I say wanting some time to process this on my own

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine" I reply

"Tori, you know that you can tell me anything and I will-"

"Do anything for me or your god baby, I know, I know" I say and she smiles pulling me in for a hug before she turns on the tv.

...

The volume in the dining room is loud as usual, and I'm pretty sure this is why Violet is immune to loud sounds. Everyone laughing and the baby is being passed around as per usual, my family say it is because they don't see her enough, but I know it's because they want to give me a "break".

I feel sick, so I'm just pushing my food around. I look up and everyone around me is laughing, my brothers are scoffing down dinner as usual.

"Jax is home," I say quietly

But since it is so loud no one hears me

"Jax is home," I say louder and everyone turns to me

"What!?" Scarlett says in disbelief, she's sitting next to me so she heard me

"JAX IS HOME," I say and I begin to sob

"Who's home?" my oldest brother Alexander says, and everyone looks puzzled

"Shep" Scarlett whispers, and she pulls me into a hug

The room goes silent, the only thing hear is Violet's baby noises

"Did you know about this?" my brothers say and they turn to Grayson

"I uhh," Grayson says back, and he's gone pale

"Grayson, did you know" they question him

"Yes... Yes, I did" he says and I look up at him "Tori, I'm so sorry- I didn't know how to tell you, He's here for Chloe's grad-"

"It's fine Gray" I whisper

"No, it's not," Finn says

"It's fine Finn," I say and I feel Scarlett squeeze my hand

"How could you know and not tell us, tell Tori," Alex says

"What was I supposed to say, oh hey sis, your ex-boyfriend, the father of your baby- my niece, is home?" Grayson says

"You could have said something" he retorts back

"I said it's fine" I yell back and I stand up "Can I have Violet please" I whisper and my mum hands over my 7-week old baby.

"Thank you," I say and I walk up the stairs, and I can hear Scarlett's chair shuffle as she follows me up the stairs.

I open my bedroom door and walk to my bed, Scarlett walks in behind me, and she shuts my door. I lay back against my headboard, and I bring my knees up so that Violet can lay upright on my knees.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier," she says and sits next to me holding Violets hand

"I don't know Scar," I say "I guess, I just wanted to process it on my own, have some time to myself- to think" I reply

"Okay... but next time"

"Yes, yes, I will tell you," I say mocking her

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