Love Drunk: Chapter Twenty Five

After standing by Lainie to raise a baby that is more than likely another man's, Dexter Maloney began to have doubts and fears! He so desperately wants to be the father of Lainie's unborn baby that it's breaking his heart. Not only that but he truly believes that she isn't interested in being with him either! If only they both knew how much they loved each other things could be so simple. Will they ever come to their senses? And will everything go according to plan with the baby?

Baby Maloney was due in a few weeks and Lainie was now eight and a half months gone. She had still been working in the diner as the head chef until today...

...because Dexter had had enough! He wasn't sleeping, for numerous reasons, but the main reason was worry over Lainie slipping and falling in the kitchen. So today the new chef arrived, and Lainie was not too pleased at being sidelined. She was giving him the cold shoulder, but he could take it...for a little piece of mind, he could take it!

She didn't take too kindly to being watched over, but since he was worrying about her, he felt he needed to be around just in case! Dex was struggling to keep up with the demands of the gallery for more paintings. He had become very popular and his artwork was known far and wide thanks to Mr King. Not only that, but the band had snagged a recording contract with the possibility of a five album deal if they were good enough. Dexter felt the pressure, becoming a father, painting on demand, recording a demo for a record company...

...he was drowning! But on the surface, he made sure Lainie felt safe and content with everything even though he didn't! He wanted this baby, he wanted to be it's daddy, he wanted to change it's nappies and sing it to sleep, he wanted to take it out to the park, hear it's first words, see it take it's first steps...

...but he was scared! Scared that he wouldn't be able to shake off that niggling feeling that this baby wasn't really his, because that was a big possibility. He'd promised Lainie he'd stand by her, and that was what he would do, but the feeling remained and he worried that it might affect how he treated the baby when it was born.

He'd confided in his brother, he needed someone to talk to, but Ashton told him he was being silly. That this was a wonderful thing, Ash was just way too excited to even take Dexter seriously. "Every first time dad gets the wobblies!" He laughed, surveying the new goodies he had acquired. He was still buying stuff for the baby.

"Ash, what is THAT?" Dex pointed to an odd looking toy.

"Oh this?" Ash chuckled, "It's a teddy bear! Sir Growlsalot!" He laughed even harder, "See what I...did...there! Aw man you seriously need to chill!"

"Ashton, becoming a father is one thing! But with Alex hanging over my head...it's too much!"

"Will you FORGET Alex???" Ash was growing impatient.

"Forget..." Dexter couldn't believe how relaxed his brother was over this, and his brother couldn't believe how stressed HE was over it!

"Dexter you are here right now, at this moment! Where is he? Huh? I'll tell ya where he is, he's probably writhing around somewhere with Selena FreakLean!"

"Eww thanks for the visual!"

"All I'm trying to say is this, Lainie wants YOU to raise this baby with her, NOT Alex! Does that not tell you something?"

"That I'm the easy option? That I'm the reliable one?"

"No Dexter, that you're the one she WANTS!!!" Dex gave his brother a confused look.

"Dexter? When a woman chooses the father of her baby, she chooses VERY carefully! And Lainie chose YOU!"

"Well actually I offered..." Ash raised a hand to quieten his brother.

"No! If she didn't want you to have anything to do with this baby Dexter, she would have told you where to go a loooong time ago! Wake up!"

"Maybe she felt pressured..."

"Oh come on! Lainie? Pressured??? She's a strong and independent woman Dexter! That's why she's been working in that diner all this time! It's only because her belly has gotten so big that she's given in, and your whining hasn't helped either!" Ash patted him on the shoulder and sighed.

"You guys, you're so good together! When are you going to see that? I know how much you love her and I also happen to know that your love for her is returned to you just as much! This is exactly what you both need to...admit to each other that...you know!"

"Ash, I tried so many times to tell her. But she always saw someone else before me! First David, then Alex! She never even considered me as an option, ever!" Dex could feel tears forming in his eyes at the thought of not being worthy of her.

"She just doesn't see me in that way bro! Face it, because I have! I know you all want us to be a happy little family, but it's just not gunna happen!" Ash looked him in the eyes and replied in a low voice,

"Yes it is, and she does! All you have to do is open your mouth and say the words..." Dex cut in with a yell,

"I DID!!! A few months ago I told her I loved her! I said it, I love you freckles! And she said I was such a good friend blah blah blah she loved me too yada yada!"

"You never said..."

"I spent the night in a broken down lift with the woman I adore, I made love to her! I woke up that morning when you found me with a hope in my heart! I raced down to that diner and I told her, I opened up my heart and let her in and you know what?" Dex could not look at his brother as he added, "She closed the door on me and said no thanks!" Dex didn't even realise he was crying as he told his brother the harsh truth.

"So don't tell me how easy it is Ashton, because it's not! To be so close, so intimate with her...only to be shot down and friend zoned! It's worse than having her and it not working out! To not even try, she doesn't want me! When are you jerks gunna get off my back and see that???" Dex turned heel and left his brother alone among the baby's things.

He didn't know any of that, he knew Lainie was just as in love with Dexter as he was with her! But how could he get them to admit it to one another??? Why were they both being so stupid? He had to fix this before the baby arrived or it could be bad for everyone involved!

Dex felt smothered, he felt like he couldn't breathe. So he headed out for a walk, when a familiar figure crossed his path, "Oh you have GOT to be KIDDING me!" He shrieked.

"Hello Dexter!" Selena smiled.

"What do you want Selena?" He snapped, tempted to push her out of his way.

"I missed you!" She gave him one of her infamous pouts.

"Well go and miss me somewhere else huh?" As he went to leave her, she sighed and muttered something under her breath.

Dexter turned and eyed her angrily, "What did you just say?"

"I said you really shouldn't tease a girl Dexter!"

"What do you mean?" He tried to stay calm but it was proving very difficult, "I hope you're not trying to threaten me again Selena!"

"You spent the night with me and tossed me aside like garbage, is that fair?" He wanted to smack that pout off her face, he'd never wanted to hit a woman so much!

"Selena, I apologised for that, I told you! Things are different now, I'm going to be a father! Lainie and I are having a baby!" Selena's eyes widened in horror.

"You impregnated her?" Her lip began to tremble, "Why didn't you impregnate me?"

"Thank god I didn't!" He spat and left her alone in the street as he stomped off.

Erin was still giving Ash a hard time over Liv. Even though it had been over five months since she left, Erin was still jealous. It secretly made Ash feel good about himself, to think two women were fighting over him. The only problem was that they had rekindled their relationship, they just hadn't defined it. Erin was desperate to sleep with him, to give herself to him completely, but he was still holding back.

As they lay snuggling together on her bed, Erin once again brought up their relationship status, "So are we officially a couple or..." Ash groaned and squeezed her tightly.

"Please Erin, let's just have a quiet moment. Can we do that?"

"Why won't you talk about it?"

"Because I'm scared, you know that. You know how I feel about you, isn't that enough?"

Erin sat up and frowned, "But you haven't SAID it!"

"I will, I feel it....so one day I will say it!"

"What am I to you Ash?" She fought back the urge to burst into tears.

Ash sat up beside her, "Well, I could ask the same thing, what am I to you?" He gave her a serious look.

"You know what I want from you! I've always been honest and upfront. I want to be your girlfriend!"

"And why do you want to be? Is it because I'm the drummer in the band you follow? Or is it because of my dashing smile and winning personality?"

"At first..." Erin paused and thought for a minute, then looked rather sad.

"...it was the latter. But when I first met you for real, you set my heart alight and I've been burning for you ever since! If you were to quit the band tomorrow and ask me to run away with you? I'd be there in a heartbeat!"

"I'm not running away Erin!" Ash laughed, "But if you gimme time, I'll make it worth your while, I promise you're not waiting for nothing! I will deliver, I give you my word!"

Erin stood up and sighed, "I want to believe you Ash, but all I keep hearing is the same thing and I'm still waiting. I told you before, I will not wait forever!"

"What are you saying?" Ash felt the panic rise inside of him.

"I'm saying..." She sighed even harder.

"...that there is a guy...and he likes me! He actually wants to be seen with me and...if I have to wait too long...he might turn my head!"

"You can't force me into being with you Erin, not when I'm still trying to...Erin don't push me!"

"Then don't make me wait too long! It's that simple!" Ash was actually scared of losing her! The thought of another guy touching her, making her laugh, kissing her lips...it terrified him! So why wasn't he taking action and making her his?

Drew was still mulling over Charlotte's reaction to his offer of an engagement ring. They had continued to spend almost every moment of the day with each other happy and content, especially after the baby talk they had a couple of months back. But Drew desperately wanted to marry her! The thought of never making her his wife depressed him! After coming from a broken home, Drew wanted so badly to have a solid family unit despite promising her they could make their babies first and he did envy Dex becoming a father, even if he might not be biologically.

Charlotte was rambling away about the soap she was watching as Drew's mind was working overtime with all these worries. Not only that, but his grandfather wasn't keeping too well either, he kept this from Charlotte because it would only upset her. She had grown attached to him. "Oh gosh Andrew, she hid the murder weapon in her sister's wedding bouquet! How awful!" she giggled in amazement.

"Yeah, totally!" Drew laughed along. No, why upset Charlotte when Winston might bounce back? Better to keep quiet for now.

But it didn't turn out to be something trivial as Drew received a call from the care home. Winston had been admitted into hospital with pneumonia! 

When he told Charlotte, she cried. "Andrew! We have to be there, we have to see him!"

"He's not allowed visitors just now Char, let's just wait it out. The hospital will call if..."

"Andrew, he's the closest thing I've had to a father in a long time. Oh if anything happens to him..." She trailed off... 

"...oh I'm sorry, I'm being very selfish! He's your grandfather Andrew!"

"No, it's okay!" Drew pulled her in for a hug, "I think he means the same to you as he does to me!" 

It was very quiet in the diner that night and Lainie decided to close early. Saying goodbye to the chef and sending Roxy out front to total up, she was aware of a presence in the kitchen...

...and jumped with surprise when she spotted a thin blonde girl with pale skin standing at the door. "I would like to speak with you!" She announced flatly.

"Selena?" She tilted her head and examined her in detail. The last time she saw her she was draped all over Alex in her bed, kissing the face off him and worse!

"Yes, I am Dexter's Selena! And I want you to stay away from him!"

"Um well that's going to be hard because we're having a child together?"

"You will keep your hands off my Dexter!" The girl was so calm and expressionless. It was eerie.

"Why would I do that? If my memory serves me right, you slept with my boyfriend!"

"So you slept with mine?" She was like a china doll, so very still and empty.

"With all due respect Selena, he was never yours in the first place!"

This seemed to spark an emotion in her as she lunged forward and grabbed hold of Lainie.

"I am warning you, fat pig, to stay away from him!!!" Roxy happened to walk in on her threat and squeezed herself between her best friend and this weird girl.

"Hey! Hands off she's pregnant! Are you crazy???"

"ROOOOXXXXYYYYY!!!" Lainie screamed in agony.

"Lain?" Roxy mumbled as Lainie doubled up and cried out even louder.

"Oh my god, my...I think...my waters have broken!!!" As Roxy looked down at the puddle on the kitchen floor and Lainie clutching her bump, Selena snuck out in the middle of the commotion.

"But...you're not due for another three weeks!?" Roxy panicked and dialled for an ambulance.

"Oh Roxanne, I think something is very wrong!" She gasped as the pain escalated.

Dexter arrived at the hospital with Ash, Drew and Charlotte. When he saw Roxy pacing up and down he thought the worst. "Rox?" She seemed to calm down at the sight of them all.

"Oh Dexter!" He knew it was bad when she didn't refer to him as Maloney!

"What happened?"

"That dozy cow Selena!" She growled, "Came in through the back and started giving her grief, she must have scared her because the next thing I knew Lainie was crying out in pain and her waters broke and..."

"The baby?" Dexter held his breath and waited.

"The baby is coming Dexter, it's early! She's been asking for you since we got here, she needs you daddy so get your butt in gear!" She smiled nervously at him as he ran into the room.

"No you don't understand! I want Dexy!" He could hear her crying.

"Baby I'm here, I'm here!" He tried to catch his breath as she gave him a relieved smile and outstretched her hand for him to hold it.

"Dexy! The baby, it's early!" She wept, "I think it's dying!"

He held her hand tightly and tried to soothe her, "No baby girl, it's just wanting to see us a bit sooner! Everything will be fine freckles!" He kissed her tenderly on her sweaty forehead as she cried out.

"Don't leave Dexy!" She sobbed, "I need you!"

"I'm here baby, not going anywhere I promise you!"

Ash, Drew, Charlotte and Roxy waited outside worried sick for Lainie and the baby. After hours of waiting and worrying, Dexter emerged with some news.

"Bro?" Ash stood looking worried.

"The baby is okay, she's still in labour but they say it won't be long. I asked if it was the stress of Selena hassling her that caused her to go into early labour but...the doc said no! It was just time."

"You okay?" Ash scanned his brother's face.

"Yes, yes I am now I know they're both gunna be okay!"

"This is it little brother!" He grinned, "You excited?"

"I am!" Dexter replied in surprise, "I actually am! I'd better go back in!"

"Give her our love!" Charlotte called to him.

It was 10:42 the following morning before Lainie finally gave birth...

"Congratulations daddy, you have a daughter!" The doctor smiled at Dex as Lainie handed the baby to him.

"Oh my...she's perfect!" He cried, fighting back the tears as her little hands flapped around and she gurgled. Holding her in his arms, the feeling was indescribable!

And it was at that moment, he realised...it didn't matter whether he was her real father or not! This little girl was his no matter what! And he was going to be the best daddy she could ever have!

Lainie asked him quietly, "What are we going to call her?" Dexter grinned widely and replied immediately,

"Keira!"

"Keira? Oh Dexy that's beautiful! Keira Roxanne Robertson-Maloney!" Lainie smiled as Dexter couldn't stop gazing at the adorable newborn in his arms.

He could feel the happy tears falling as baby Keira wrapped her tiny hand around his finger, sealing their bond forever!

Oh, so Keira has arrived! And she is a lucky girl having Dexy as her daddy! But is this going to be all happy families for them? Hmm, who knows? ;)