Nine Crimes

Chapter Thirty-Two: Fainting

A/N: This is the last chapter. There will be a sequel that is gonna be posted sometime in 2017 :). I hope you guys stick around for that.

Nine Crimes Chapter Thirty-Two

I chew my lip as I sit on the bed in the hotel room. It's been a week since Natalie came back and it's also been a week since I chose to be with Bethany after she miscarried our baby. A whole week and I have been doing what I am good at when I don't want to talk to someone, avoid them.

The person I don't want to talk to is Natalie, having to tell her that I can't be with her, that I chose Bethany is going to hurt her just like the pregnancy news hurt her but I know it had to be done, especially since Bethany gave me an ultimatium which was why I was sitting here in this hotel room tonight, the same hotel and room where it all started for Natalie and I is going to be where it ends too.

Hearing a knock on the door I stand from the bed, checking the peep-hole though I am not sure why I am, I know it's Natalie. Who else would it be? Opening the door I move aside as she walks in so effortlessly. She looks tired but then again I guess taking care of five kids would make her tired.

"You wanted to talk," Natalie speaks and I shut the door, turning just in time to see her sitting on the bed. A bed that we have made love on.

I nod as I walk over and join her on the bed, "I do want to talk," I fake a smile not able to meet her gaze. "I..I...I just am not sure where to start," I squeak out feeling a lump form in my throat. This is hard but it's what I have to do.

"How about you start with the fact that you are dating Bethany," Natalie says which makes me raise my eyebrow to give her a confused look. How does she know this when I only told my family this past week? "Taylor told me," she says as if reading my mind. "He said he figured I should know so that I don't get my hopes up of you coming to Georgia with me when I leave next week."

"You're going to Georgia?" I ask her feeling confused. "How long?"

This time it's Natalie who looks away from me, "Forever maybe," she shrugs before looking back at me her eyes looking watery and like she could cry at any minute. "I signed up to go to college. Mom is moving back and she said she'd help me with the kids. I was going to ask you to come back with me," she tells me though I can see from her expression there is more but she isn't saying it. "I was hoping we could have a chance to be a family, you and me and my children when they weren't with Taylor and then your kids when they weren't with Kate," she laughs sadly before a few tears finally go down her cheek, "Maybe have a baby or two of our own."

It's only when she finishes I feel the lump in my throat grow just a bit bigger, "You would have had my babies?" I ask her before seeing a weird emotion flash in her eyes, it's one I haven't seen from her before and for some reason it sends a shiver down my spine.

"I would have your babies," Natalie nods finally a small smile playing on her lips. "I would have done anything for you Zachary. I loved you, I still love you," she tells me finally voicing out loud to me that she loves me. It's the first time I have heard her say it and god how much I wish it wasn't under these circumstances.

Moving a hand up I wipe away her tears. "When did you know you loved me?" I ask her wanting to know how long she has realized she loved me. How long she kept to herself.

Natalie moves my hand away from her cheek taking a hold of it with her own hands, "I knew it when were in California but then I was too stupid to admit it was love. I was able to admit it was love the night I went to sleep in your bed drunk but once I realized it I was just too scared to give up the life I was comfortable with. I was too scared to leave a man I no longer was in love with. I was scared to try something new but when we made on Halloween everything changed in more ways than one. I came so close to telling you I loved you and then the next day I found out about Abe. Then I left as you know...and when I come back I wanted to tell you but Bethany showed up and I couldn't."