“I promise that I will always do whatever it takes to make you and your mama very, very happy. You two will always be my world.”
“Aww, thanks,” Faith suddenly said.
“You were listening!” Chandler exclaimed, lightly hitting the blonde on the arm.
“Ouch! Hey! You can’t hit a pregnant lady!”
“You were supposed to be asleep,” Chandler said, rising to kiss the blonde.
“How could I sleep through a beautiful speech like that?” Faith asked sweetly.
“I meant that you know,” Chandler said softly. “Our family means everything to me. I’ll always do whatever it takes to make you happy.”
“We’ll make each other happy,” Faith said tenderly.
Chandler placed her hand over the blonde’s stomach as she kissed her soft lips.
Present
Faith asked Peyton to meet her for coffee at the Starbucks that they had their first date at. She wasn’t looking forward to the conversation they had to have.
Faith sat anxiously in the Starbucks, waiting for Peyton.
“Hey,” Peyton said as she approached the blonde.
“Hey,” Faith said enthusiastically. A little too enthusiastically.
Peyton looked at the blonde with a questioning look as she sat down across from her.
“Are you okay?” Peyton asked.
“Yeah, I’m great!” Faith lied.
“You seem a little off. Is this because I cancelled dinner? I swear I really did have a work emergency. I wasn’t trying to blow you off.”
“No! Trust me it’s not that.”
“So then there is something,” Peyton concluded.
“Yeah,” Faith sighed. “There is. But, why don’t we get coffee first?”
“We don’t have to,” Peyton said quietly. “I think I already know where this conversation is headed.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, I’ve been dumped before, Faith. I know the signs.”
“I’m not dumping you,” Faith argued. “Per say.”
“Per say?” Peyton laughed. “That’s a new one.”
“Something happened the other day,” Faith started. “Between Chandler and I.”
Peyton already knew what that meant. “Oh.”
“I’m sorry! I know I’m terrible and you probably hate me right now.”
“I don’t hate you,” Peyton said.
“I don’t blame you for being angry with me. I deserve it.”
“Faith!” Peyton exclaimed.
“What?”
“Stop talking.”
Faith stared back at the woman and stayed quiet.
“I’m not angry with you and I don’t hate you.”
“You don’t?”
“No,” Peyton said. “We’ve only been on two dates; technically, one. We weren’t exclusive.”
“Still, I shouldn’t have led you on like that.”
“I’m a big girl Faith. We had sex and it was great. But, I knew you were still in love with Chandler. You told me so yourself.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Peyton said. “I can’t blame you for following your heart. If you find love like the love you and Chandler share you should hold onto it like your life depends on it.”
“I hope you find that kind of love too,” Faith said sincerely.
“I will, someday,” Peyton smiled.
A huge weight was lifted from Faith’s chest. She felt like she could finally have a fresh start. With Chandler.
Later that day, Faith headed to Chandler’s apartment to pick up Ky.
After ending things with Peyton, Faith couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. She was happier than she’d been in a long time. Even before the break up with Chandler, Faith hadn’t been happy. It only got worse after the two lovers had split. But, things were finally looking up. Faith was getting her family back. That was all she wanted.
When Faith got to Chandler’s apartment, she knocked on the door. She wondered if Chandler would want to move back home now that things were okay between them. She thought it was silly to be paying for a separate apartment when they had a house. Rent in New York wasn’t cheap. Not to mention, she couldn’t wait until they didn’t have to take turns with Ky anymore.
As the door swung open, Faith’s smile disappeared. She was met with none other than, Megan. She’d thought she’d seen the last of the woman, but apparently she was wrong.
“Hey, Faith,” Megan smiled.
“Hey,” Faith said shortly. “Megan.”
“Chandler’s just taking a quick shower,” Megan informed Faith. “Ky is all packed up though. I’ll go grab her.”
She’s still here! Why is she still here? She’s not acting like Chandler broke up with her which can only mean one thing. CHANDLER DIDN’T BREAK UP WITH HER!
Megan returned a few moments later with Ky in her arms as well as her diaper bag.
I don’t want her holding Ky!
“Hey baby,” Faith smiled, taking the toddler into her arms. “Did you have fun with Mommy?”
“She did,” Megan responded for the toddler.
I was asking my daughter.
Suddenly, Faith didn’t feel so bad for sleeping with Chandler behind Megan’s back. Something about the woman was putting her off.
“We went to the park earlier and she got to play soccer with me and Chan,” Megan added. “She’s getting pretty good.”
“Of course she is,” Faith smiled smugly. “Just like her mama.”
Megan looked at Faith questioningly. It seemed she could tell that Faith was being condescending.
“Well, we should get going,” Faith sighed. “Just tell Chandler I’ll see her whenever.”
Faith stomped off with Ky in her arms before Megan had the chance to respond. Faith had to get out of there before she said something she would regret.
Chapter 16
Chandler was at work when Faith’s water broke. Luckily, Andy was with her so he drove her to the hospital as soon as it happened.
Faith had been in labor for the last six hours. Her bitchy attitude was making a fierce return.
As a contraction overtook her body, Chandler flew forward and held Faith’s hand in hers. “Just breathe through it,” Chandler said soothingly.
“What else would I do?” Faith snapped. “Not breathe?”
Chandler couldn’t help but giggle at the woman’s remark. She knew that Faith was in terrible pain and the delivery process was getting to her.
“Sorry,” Faith said emotionally.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Chandler said, rubbing her back. “You’re having our baby. The least that I can do is take a little abuse from you.”
“But, you don’t deserve it,” Faith cried.
Faith’s doctor examined her as the couple focused on each other.
“Okay, Faith, it’s time,” the doctor said.
“Finally!” Faith huffed.
“When the next contraction hits I want you to push as hard as you can.”
“Ready to meet our little girl?” Chandler asked tearfully.
“Yeah,” Faith sobbed.
Chandler kissed Faith’s forehead as she brought her hand around her back, rubbing soothing circles along her spine.
“I should have gotten the epidural,” Faith said irritated.
“Told you,” Chandler smiled.
“Shut up!”
As the next contraction overtook Faith’s body, she squeezed Chandler’s hand.
“Okay, big push!” the doctor said.
“Big push!” Chandler repeated.
“I heard her!”
Faith pushed as hard as she could, squeezing Chandler’s hand as she did.
Chandler made a wincing face at how hard Faith was squeezing her hand.
“I’m sorry,” Faith cried.
“Just focus on the baby,” Chandler said soothingly.
“I see your little girl’s head,” the doctor said. “Two more pushes and you�
��ll be able to hold her in your arms. Come on.”
Faith pushed again, this time trying not to squeeze Chandler’s hand as much.
“Hey, you can squeeze my hand,” Chandler whispered to her. “Please, let me help you through this.”
Chandler rested her forehead against Faith’s sweaty forehead. She kissed her softly and looked into her eyes.
“One more push and she’s here,” Chandler spoke softly. “We can do this together. One more push.”
Faith pushed one final time and squeezed Chandler’s hand.
After what seemed like forever, a beautiful cry filled the room.
Chandler cried as she kissed Faith and then they both looked over at their new baby. After the cord was cut, the nurse took her to clean her off a little before bringing her over to the couple.
The nurse placed the baby onto Faith’s chest. She held the baby against her chest as Chandler put her hand over the baby’s back.
No words could describe how they both felt in that moment. Neither of them could speak. They were in awe of the beautiful baby in front of them.
“So, what’s her name?” Faith asked Chandler softly, not taking her eyes from the newborn.
“Whatever you want,” Chandler smiled.
“No,” Faith said, finally looking away from their daughter. “I think you should name her. I carried her, but she’s ours. You should choose her name.”
Hazel eyes gazed into green eyes as Chandler smiled tearfully at the woman.
“Okay,” Chandler started, “I really liked Kylie.”
“Like the Kardashians?” Faith asked, slight shock in her voice.
“I wasn’t exactly thinking of them when I saw the name, but yeah I guess.”
Faith smiled as she looked back down at their baby.
“I like it,” Faith said. “Kylie Cahill Reynolds.”
“We can call her Ky for short,” Chandler suggested.
“It’s prefect,” Faith grinned.
“You both are,” Chandler said softly, looking at their daughter.
Present
Faith had just finished putting Ky to bed. Her cell phone rang for what had to be the tenth time in the last hour. Chandler was trying to call her again. Faith was ignoring the brunette and she planned to keep ignoring her.
Faith was angry. She had ended things with Peyton as soon as she knew that she and Chandler were getting back together. She expected that Chandler would do the same with Megan.
Had she changed her mind? She seemed eager to get back together. Really eager. She couldn’t understand what would have changed in the last twenty-four hours.
Faith wished she was a drinker. She could use a drink right about now. The situation with Chandler was frustrating her to no end. She wanted to get back together with the brunette, but she was starting to remember why they broke up in the first place.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Faith jumped at the sudden pounding on her front door. She rolled her eyes as she started towards the entrance.
Wonder who that could be? This is so typical of her. I clearly don’t want to talk, but she ambushes me anyway.
Faith opened the front door and glared at Chandler angrily. “Ky is sleeping you know!”
“Ky is a very heavy sleeper!” Chandler spat back. “Is there a particular reason why you aren’t answering your phone?”
“You see there’s this wonderful thing called caller id and if you don’t want to speak to the person showing up on the caller id you don’t have to answer it.”
“Faith!”
“Chandler!”
“Why are you being so childish? If you would have answered your phone I could have explained what happened with Megan.”
“Clearly nothing new,” Faith spat. “You’re still together.”
“You have to give me a chance to break up with Megan!” Chandler exclaimed as she pushed past Faith and into the house.
“I didn’t say that you could come in!”
“Faith Cahill, stop being so bitchy!”
“I cannot believe you just called me a bitch!” Faith said, her mouth wide open in shock. She slammed the front door shut.
“I didn’t call you a bitch! I called you bitchy!”
“Same difference,” Faith scoffed.
“I know you just found out about Megan, but we’ve been dating for three months. You have to give me a chance to let her down gently. I want to be with you but I did like Megan. She deserves better than me just dumping her out of the blue.”
She moved on after three months of being broken up?
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Faith replied calmly.
“Shouldn’t what?” Chandler questioned.
“Break up with her. Maybe you should wait and see if what you have with Megan is better than what we have.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Clearly what we had wasn’t that special if you moved on after three months.”
“I was lonely and upset about the break up! Could you really blame me for wanting someone to make me feel loved again?”
“No, which is why I’m telling you to make it work with Megan.”
“I can’t believe this! What are you going back to your old ways?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I thought you were done with the self-sacrificing of your own happiness for others?”
“I am! That’s exactly what I’m doing here. I’m considering my own happiness. I’m remembering why we broke up in the first place and I’m worried that I’m giving up a great relationship with Peyton by trying to rekindle what was already broken.”
“We weren’t broken!”
“Yes, we were! We were barely even in a relationship anymore. We barely talked. We never had sex!”
“That wasn’t my fault! You know that residency was stressing me out. I barely had time to shower and then when Ky was born we didn’t have time for anything but her! I was trying to make it work. It’s just that…”
“It’s just that work always comes first, right? You value your career over everything and everyone.”
Chandler felt like Faith had slapped her across the face. “That’s not fair.”
“Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it? This is the same argument we had before we broke up.”
“No, it’s not true and you know it. I love you and Ky more than anything in this world. Just because I didn’t stop building my career when Ky was born doesn’t mean I don’t value our family. You were the one that wanted to have children too early and I saw how much you wanted a baby so I gave in even though I knew we barely had time for each other as it was.”
Faith stayed quiet at the admission. She was the one that pressured Chandler into having a baby. She knew that Chandler wanted to wait until residency was over, but she didn’t take that into consideration.
“Now, I wouldn’t trade Ky for anything and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Chandler clarified. “I love Ky. I love you. I love our family. But it fell apart.” She sighed as she sat down on the couch defeated.
Faith couldn’t argue with that. Their family fell apart and instead of fixing it she just called it quits. Relationships took work and she didn’t put in the work that their relationship deserved.
Faith sat down next to Chandler. “I’m sorry,” Faith apologized. “I know you value our family more than work. That wasn’t fair of me to say.”
“I can understand why you’d think that,” Chandler said. “I’ve seen a lot of doctors at the hospital that are divorced because of the hours of the job. It happens way more than it should. I love my job, but it does make it hard for us.”
“I know you love your job. You should. You get to do amazing things every day.”
“None of it means anything to me if I don’t have you to come home to,” Chandler said gently. She raised Faith’s chin so that she was looking her in the eyes. “You and Ky are everything to me, Faith. You always will be.”
Faith smiled sadly as Chandler p
ressed her soft lips against hers.
“I’m sorry for what I said too,” Chandler said. “I know you’ve made a lot of progress since high school. You finally learned that your happiness matters too. What you want matters. But, I think that you think you have to sacrifice things that you want for Ky now.”
“I can’t help it. She comes first now.”
“She does, but she deserves to have two moms that are happy. You can’t go back to sacrificing your happiness because you’re a mother now. You can be a mother and still have the career that you want. I know you like teaching, but you love acting.”
“You’re right,” Faith admitted.
“I know,” Chandler smiled. “You are an amazing actor. I love watching you. Now, Ky has practically three parents that will always be there for her. You’ve been putting it all on you and you don’t have to. All of the work doesn’t have to fall on your shoulders. You are an amazing mother and I love that about you so much.”
“You are too,” Faith smiled.
“We’re a team. You can have the career you dreamed of and still be an amazing mother.”
Faith nodded her head as she kissed Chandler, holding her face in her hands.
As they came apart, Faith breathes a sigh of relief. She needed things with Chandler to work out this time.
“I broke up with Megan,” Chandler said.
“You could have led with that!” Faith admonished.
“I needed to get my point across first,” Chandler laughed. “But, I think we should take this slowly.”
“We already slept together, Chan.”
“I know, but no more.”
“No more sex?” Faith asked surprised.
“No more sex,” Chandler laughed. She couldn’t resist laughing at the adorable confused look on the blonde’s face. “I want us to start over from the beginning. That means going on dates again. A completely fresh start.”
“With no sex?” Faith asked for clarification
Chandler rolled her eyes as she kissed the blonde softly. “I want this to be forever, so I don’t want to move too fast. We have to focus on strengthening our relationship first and then focus on our physical relationship.”
“Well, our physical relationship definitely doesn’t need any strengthening,” Faith joked smugly.
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