Love Drunk: Chapter Twenty Three

Lainie had been acting strangely lately, her behaviour had hurt Dexter's feelings more than once. But after Alex turned up drunk and caused the girls some distress, Lainie finally confessed to Dex what was bothering her...she was pregnant! How will this bombshell affect the gang?

Dexter Maloney sat staring into space. He hadn't slept a wink at all last night after the fight with Alex and...

...when Ashton came shuffling over to him, yawning all the way, he still couldn't stop staring into space. He felt just numb!

"Hey there kiddo, you're up early!"

"Couldn't sleep!" he muttered.

"Okay, tell your big bro all your woes!" Ash sat down beside him and looked at him expectantly. "What's the deal?"

"The deal is that Lainie is pregnant!" Dexter replied flatly.

"Oh dear!" Ash whistled and squirmed in his seat, "That's bad huh?"

"I guess." Dex still stared at the same spot, "But the thing is, there is a slight possibility..." he finally turned his head to look at his brother...

"...that the baby's mine!"

"Dexter what the hell???" Ash spluttered.

"We...in the lift and..."

"I KNEW IT!!!" Ash pointed a finger at his brother. "Does she know it? I mean..."

"Probably, I think so. You see I can't ever forget that night, it was the best night of my life and even though it happened in a dirty, damp elevator...it meant the world to me!"

"Dexter, this is big!"

"I know. I never really thought about being a father. It never really came up, wasn't on the agenda! But now, with there being a chance that I might be..."

"...I so want it to be mine!"

"Dexter, you need to talk to Lainie about this! You can't just leave it, you could be that baby's daddy! Lainie's baby!"

"I know!" he squeezed his eyes shut and balled his hands up into fists, "I know, but I don't know what to do Ash!"

"You have to go and discuss this NOW!"

"What if..." Dex began but was shouted down by his brother,

"GO!"

Lainie answered the door looking pale and pasty. When she saw it was him she smiled faintly and was about to speak when Dexter blurted out "It could be mine, right?" Lainie nodded and let him in. 

Roxy was eating her breakfast at the table but got up and left them to it when she saw Dexter come in. "You two, you really need to be alone!" she smiled and went to her room.

"So..." Dex mumbled as they sat on the couch.

"Dexy I don't know a hundred percent, the baby could be Alex's!"

"I know!" he replied sadly.

Then he looked intently at her, "But see it doesn't matter!"

"Dexy..."

"No, please freckles! Listen to me! I will stand by you, I will raise this baby with you no matter what! You're not alone! I will be there with you every step of the way! I mean, you're keeping it right?" he eyed her nervously.

"Yes Dexy, I'm keeping it! But...your artwork, your music! You can't raise a baby and do all that too! Your dreams! You can't give up on them!" Dexter smiled and put his arm around her.

"Freckles! I'm not! They're just on hold! Look we had..." he blushed slightly then finished what he was going to say, "...we had sex and I don't regret it! But this means that there's a chance...and I could be partly responsible for this baby after what we...did! It was nice despite the surroundings and our...condition and most importantly, I remember it! Do you?" 

Lainie smiled and struggled to make eye contact with him.

"I do Dexy, and it was! Nice!"

Roxy was listening from her room and let out an exasperated sigh, "Oh my god you two make me sooooo mad!!!"

While Dex was out at Lainie's discussing his possible fatherhood, Ash had Erin over again to teach her the drums...well...

...when they got close, all his feelings for her that he'd managed to control...came out!

He kissed her, and she didn't put up a fight! He couldn't seem to stop himself, it felt so good to be this close to her again! He'd missed her so much! That familiar tasting lip gloss that drove him wild! 

He whispered her name, and she let out a tiny sigh and smiled as he lifted her into his arms.

Carrying her to his room and placing her tenderly on the bed, he'd been "just friends" with her for far too long, the urge was too great for him to take a step back before they went too far...

...but he found the strength. And she was disappointed! "We can't!" he whispered as she let out a little grunt of frustration.

"ASH!" she cried.

Raising her hands up in annoyance she yelped "I can't do this anymore!" gathered up her clothes and left him alone.

As Dexter was leaving Lainie's flat, backing out and wagging his finger at her, "Now I don't want you to lift anything okay? No working in the diner, you get a new cook right?" Erin came storming past him and out the front door.

"Hey, where's the fire?" he called to her, subconsciously grabbing Lainie's hand.

"Ask your brother!" she muttered, not even looking back.

"Dexy?" Lainie cut into his thoughts as she pulled her hand away softly and rubbed her swelling belly.

"Huh?"

"Go talk to Ash, I think they had a fight. She looked pretty upset!"

"Okay. Don't.Do.ANYTHING!"

Dexter found his brother in his room, in his boxers, moping! "Well, do you never learn from your little brother's mistakes?" he sat down beside him.

"No I guess not! You and I could have been dads together if I hadn't stopped myself there!"

"I doubt that!" Dex laughed, "You're always cautious! I was in a lift and drunk, you're in your bedroom with plenty of protection if I know you!"

"I haven't...since Melissa! And you should have seen what Erin was wearin', ugh!"

"I know bro I saw, and they'll be out of date by now!" he laughed again and nudged his brother.

"Dexter it's not a laughing matter! You've been with two girls in the last four or five months, I'm...outta the loop!"

"And yet you love this girl! You want this girl! So take her!"

"Dexter!"

"Ashton!" Dexter mocked, "Life is too short, and she is hot so...why are you being so 1950s?"

"How did you get on with Lainie?"

"Oooh, subtle subject change, good one bro! We're going to be parents!"

"So it's yours?"

"Dunno, but I'm going to stand by her, whether I am or not!"

"Well, guess I'm gunna be an uncle then huh?"

"Guess so!"

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ash eyed his brother.

"I'm sure! Hey! Mum will be thrilled, she's wanted to be a granny for like...ever!"

Drew was still practically living at Charlotte's. He missed the Maloneys but he was so happy being with his Char, it made it all worth it! He'd been letting the work pile up lately so today he visited his lab to make some headway with it. Charlotte wanted to be there of course, she loved to watch him work. 

"So this is a..."

"Self cleaning bread maker for a very eccentric little man across town who pays me big bucks to make these weird contraptions!"

"Oh!" Charlotte nodded.

"So, can you make anything Andrew?"

"What do you want me to make you Char?" he smiled broadly.

"A...ring?" she replied quickly.

"Okay, what kind of...ring?"

"A pretty one!" she giggled.

"Like an engagement ring!" Drew nodded and put aside the gadget he was making.

"Oh no Andrew, no no no! I've been married before! Never ever doing that again, gosh!" she made a tutting sound and shook her head as Drew's face fell.

He wanted...someday not now...to marry this wonderful woman! And she didn't want to marry him? "So that's a definite never then?"

"Well..." she saw the look of hurt on his face and struggled to find the words, "...Andrew!"

"No it's fine Char, I understand. Once bitten, twice shy! But just promise me something?"

"What Andrew?"

"Just...don't give up on it, let me prove to you that it can be good? Someday I mean!"

Charlotte smiled at him and replied, "Someday, I promise!"

And that was good enough for him!

Roxy and Lainie weren't opening the diner today, morning sickness was really taking it's toll on her. Roxy was pleased that Dexter wanted to man up and raise the baby with Lainie, but that chance of Alex being the father really soured her happiness! She wanted to be happy for her best friend, and Dexter too! If only Alex was never part of this, it could all be so simple!

The knock on the door made both the girls jump. "I'll go, it might be Alex!" Roxy went to get up.

"No, not after Dexy smacked him one, I'll go!" Lainie pulled herself off the couch and headed for the door.

When Lainie opened the door she got the shock of her life! "Hey sis! Surprise!"

"Liv!"

"Well aren't you going to let me in?" Lainie stood for a few seconds before gaining her composure, "Hello?" her sister waved a hand in front of her face.

"Sure! Come in!" she gestured for Liv to enter.

"Hey Roxanne, you lost weight! Looking fabulous girl!"
"Hi Liv!" Roxy smiled unenthusiastically.

"So what brings you all the way over to Moonlight Falls Liv?" Lainie eyed her sister warily.
"I just wanted to wish you Happy Birthday!!!"
"Liv my birthday was yesterday?"

"I know, my train was delayed! Plus I wanted to see how my little sis was doing with this diner of hers! And I see Roxy lost weight but honey...you look like you gained it!"
"Um...that's a kind of funny story, yeah...I'm having a baby!" Liv gasped and her eyes widened.

"You WHAT??? I didn't know you were seeing anyone?" she beamed and touched her belly.
"I'm not anymore, I was with Alex Wilder? My boyfriend from Uni? But we broke up, and now I'm..." Roxy interrupted.

"Now she's got a keeper! Dexter Maloney! I'm in a band with him and he's an artist. He's the father of Lainie's baby too, they're going to make the cutest little family! Where Alex was a boy? Dexter is a man!" Roxy grinned. Lainie didn't like deceiving her sister, it wasn't set in stone that Dexter WAS the father! In fact there was more chance of it being Alex's, she'd slept with Alex a few times and Dexter only once!

Liv smiled awkwardly and replied, "Well, when do I get to meet this great keeper of a guy?"

When Dex answered the door to a very worried looking Lainie, he feared the worst! Alex was harassing her! But when she forced a smile on her face and announced "Dexy? I want you to meet my sister, Liv!" he relaxed, it was just a girl!

"So, you're the guy who's got my baby sister up the duff eh?" Dexter's cheeks burned and he felt extremely hot all of a sudden! This wasn't JUST a girl, this was...the Terminator!!!
"I..well..."
"Yep that's him! He's just dreamy isn't he?" Roxy piped up.

"No!" Liv replied matter-of-factly. "I don't like you!" she looked Dexter up and down until something else caught her eye, "But you..."

Ash happened to come out of his room at the wrong time as Liv winked at purred at him, "...you I like!"
"Um..."
"ASHTON!" Lainie shouted rather loudly, "This is my sister Liv!"
"Ashton! Hi there!" she gave him a flirty smile.
"Hi!" he was taken aback with her forwardness.

"I'm...uh...heading out! To see Erin!" he gave Dexter a look, trying to get him to go along with it.
"Oh really big brother? Because I thought you were hanging out with me tonight!" he sniggered as Ash glared at him.

"You're brothers?" Liv gushed, "Oh what a coincidence eh?"
"Yeah, fancy that!" Dexter mocked her.

"You're not on my good list Dexter, don't push it!" Liv turned on him as Ash fought the urge to laugh.

"Why's that?" Ash tried to keep as straight a face as possible.
"Your little brother has got my little sister pregnant and I don't see a ring on her finger, do you Ashton?" she pouted and batted her eyelashes.
"Oh, yeah that's bad! Dexter did you know that's bad?" he was finding this highly amusing!

"Well we're not really..." Dex started as Roxy butted in again,
"Into marriage! If it ain't broke why fix it eh Liv?"
"What?" Dexter scowled at her, "What's going on here?"
"You and Lainie and bump, happy little family right Maloney?" Roxy scowled back at him while talking through gritted teeth.

"So Ashton, you and I must really catch up while I'm in town yes?" Liv was very taken by poor Ash, and he was squirming big style.
"Well...I...am kind of...attached?"
"Oh? Oh goody I do love a good fight!" Lainie cut in to save Ash from any more embarrassment.

"Liv, you're staying? Where are you staying???"
"With you silly!" Liv rolled her eyes.
"How...er...how long?" Lainie stammered as panic began to rise inside of her.
"Oh a few days, a week...who knows?" she chuckled and turned back to Ash.

Lainie wasn't the only one panicking as Dex took hold of her from behind and rubbed her little bump, and she felt his heart pounding against her back!

Oh dear, Liv is going to be trouble! And all this fibbing will get them nowhere! Chapter twenty four takes Dex and Lainie to their first scan, will they want to know the sex of the baby? Or do they want to be surprised? We shall see! XD