Chapter 26
"She's not yours...." the words echoed in Lance's head again as he looked down upon the sleeping baby in her crib.
"Not yours." Lance whispered sadly, his eyes watering. He had always wanted to be a father. When he had found out that Amanda was pregnant he had been ecstatic, had turned over a new leaf....had changed his ways. This baby meant the world to him, and now he knew....she wasn't his. Celine lay sleeping before him. Lance had never really looked at her before, really looked....but she did look like Nick. It made his blood boil to know that Nick had stolen yet another thing from him. Lance could hear the TV in the other room, Amanda watching the New Year's celebration. Lance was more hurt by the fact he had not been told the baby was not his. Wiping the tears from his green eyes he walked into the other room. Nick was on the television performing. Amanda watched intently, singing along to his music. Lance admitted he liked the music, but his total disgust for Nick outweighed it all. Lance decided he couldn't take anymore.
"Aww he is using the guitar I bought him for Christmas!" Amanda pointed out. Lance practically growled when she mentioned Christmas. He took a deep breath and strode over to Amanda, shaking with anger. The clock on the wall said 10 minutes to midnight. Ten more minutes and everything would be right again.
"When were you going to tell me, Amanda?" Lance whispered suddenly, his voice piercing the silence. Amanda looked up at him, her pretty face marked with confusion.
"Answer me! When were you gonna tell me?" he shouted.
"What do you mean, honey?"
"Celine isn't mine." Lance stated, not meeting her gaze. Amanda's eyes went wide as she realised what her husband was saying. But how? How could he have figured it out? She supposed he would find out eventually, but not this soon.
"Lance, I-" she began, but fell silent and looked away. There was no excuse for this, no excuse for keeping a secret like this. Lance shook his head at her in disappointment, his eyes watering again.
"You knew how much being a father meant to me, Amanda! YOU FUCKING KNEW!!" he shouted angrily. Amanda couldn't answer....she didn't know what to say.
"You must think I am an idiot, don't you?"
"No, I don't. Lance, I am so sorry...." Amanda said, pleading with him. Lance clenched his fists.
"SORRY? YOU'RE SORRY? Well, I am sorry too. Sorry I asked you to marry me, because it is quite obvious you don't love me." his voice boomed.
"But, Lance...."
"NO. I don't want to hear your excuses anymore. You betrayed me for the last time. I hope you and Nick had a cozy holiday.....from what I saw you weren't sorry then either." Lance snapped coldly. Amanda gasped, Lance had seen her and Nick under the mistletoe.
"It was an innocent kiss." she protested, tears running down her cheeks. Lance turned away from her and walked towards their bedroom. Amanda followed and saw him packing things into a duffel bag.
"Where are you going?" Amanda asked in shock. Lance whirled around, his eyes shining and full of hurt.
"I'm done." he whispered softly, not looking at her.
"Baby...."
"I'm finished, Amanda. This can't possibly work." he said moodily as he crammed more clothes into the bag.
"Lance, please don't leave....I love you!" Amanda sobbed, holding his hand. Lance knocked it away and zipped the bag closed. Celine was crying in the other room and it was two minutes to midnight.
"You never loved me, Amanda. If you loved me you wouldn't have slept with Nick." he shouted at her, heading for the door. Amanda grabbed his arm to pull him back and they struggled there for a few moments.
"What about the baby?" Amanda cried, tugging on his sleeve, the baby's cries growing louder in the other room.
"She isn't mine, remember? I don't owe her shit. I'm through with both of you." Lance growled, pushing her away. Amanda tripped and fell on the floor, sobbing as Lance walked out the door, the door slamming behind him. The clock struck midnight as Amanda sat on the floor sobbing, the baby crying in the other room. Lance had left her, and now she was on her own. The clock struck again in reply, the house silent except for Amanda's sobbing. She sat there for a long time, her head in her knees as the tears rolled down her face, Lance's final words still lingering in the air.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Happy new year guys! Hope ya enjoy this chapter!
