Little tears (part 2)

2nd fic “All or nothing”
Chapter 1
“Can some one please tell me why this is such a big deal?” Vickie whinged; she sat down on the sofa inside the glorious home of Shane and Nicole while everyone else ran around trying to get organized.
“It’s a big deal as the lads have been away for ages…six and a half months to be exact.” Chloe replied as she made a mad dash from the lounge to the kitchen.
“Yeah so what? It’s not like they haven’t been away before.” Vickie still didn’t get why the other girls were so stressed and fussed about making tonight’s welcome home party a huge affair.
“You know, sometimes Vic you can be a bit silly.” Georgina said with a laugh.
“Thanks.” Vic grunted.
“Oh pipe down will you? Come on Vic it’s going to be great. We haven’t seen the lads in months and in turn they haven’t seen you since you left all of us and went to study abroad.” Nicole said; she’d just walked into the lounge room carrying her 1yr-ol-baby daughter Crystal. Vickie couldn’t help but smile softly seeing her dearest best friend with her child.
“I can’t believe I missed so much when I left. You and Shane getting married and having a beautiful baby.” She shook her head.
“It’s ok Vic. Really you had your own commitments and while we would have loved for you to be here at the time, regardless Shane and I completely understood your decision.” Nicole said. Vickie smiled weakly.
“Thanks.”
“You never did tell us the real reason why you suddenly wanted to pack up and leave.” Chloe remarked returning from the kitchen, as did Georgina from the laundry respectively; they sat down on the sofa as well and got comfy. Vickie swallowed hard she cast a sidelong glance over to Nicole whom nodded her head ever so slightly indicating no one else aside from her and Vickie knew the real truth.
“Well, it’s not something I wanted to share with everyone at the time. Granted even I hadn’t wanted to face the truth. But…it was un-avoidable. Especially when you try to stay positive and hope the other person can understand.” She sighed.
“So I take it this has a lot to do with Mark and not so much with the study,” Chloe said.
“I suppose you can put it that way. Although in all fairness the study part was almost true,” Vic remarked.
“What happened?” Georgina asked. Before Vickie could reply the house phone rang shrilly.
“Just hold that thought guys.” Nicole smiled apologetically; she handed baby Crystal over to Vickie and picked up the cordless phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi Angel, listen we’ve just left the airport and are on our way to the house right now,” replied Shane.
“Oh great! We’re ready for you and I’m sure you’re going to like the surprise we’ve got here.” She said mysteriously; Shane raised his eyebrows obviously intrigued by the tone in her voice.
“You hiding something from me?” he quizzed. Nicole laughed, she looked at her friends thou they hadn’t really taken notice; too busy playing with baby Crystal whom is just loving all the attention from her aunties.
“I think you’re reading far too much into it Shay. I’ve got absolutely nothing to hide from you.” Nicole said with a smile. Shane ran a hand through his hair a bright sparkle in his eyes and smile; a glanced across to his three bandmates he saw the cheeky expressions mirrored on their own faces.
“I suppose I can let you off easily but maybe tonight I won’t.”
“Oh!” chorused Kian, Nicky and Mark in unison; Shane waved them away and Nicole held back a laugh.
“What a check you are Filan.”
“Psst. Nicole.” Chloe said. Nicole turned around.
“We still need to do a few more things before the lads arrive,” Chloe answered and at the same time made a gesture to her watch Nicole understood.
“Anyway Shay honey I’ve got to leave you now. We’ll see you when you get back,”
“Yeah all right babe. See you soon love you.”
“Love you more.”
“Man just get off the phone already Filan!” Kian exclaimed.
“All right, all right.” Shane and Nicole hung up and Nicole turned to look at her friends.
“Well ladies let us not waste anymore time and get everything finished, the lads will be here shortly and we don’t want to get caught by surprise.” She answered.
“Yes mam!” Chloe saluted; she and Georgina disappeared back into the kitchen to finish their work there, Nicole took Crystal from Vickie and they went back upstairs.
“So, are you to tell him or what?” Nicole asked bluntly. Vickie shock her head knowing exactly what her friend’s asking.
“I can’t.”
“You can’t or you won’t?” Vickie sighed.
“It’s too complicated Nic. Besides what good is it going to do me? He’s only going to hate me anyway, although I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he already does after…well after I just…took off.” She answered.
“You don’t have any idea how wrong you are.” Nicole said smiling smugly.
“What do you mean?” Vic gave her a questioning look.
“Never mind besides I don’t think I should tell you, rather that’d be Mark’s decision. Anyway back to what I wanted to say before. Vic you really have to tell Mark something. I mean, just think about it for a second here. One day Hayden is going to want to know about his father. He’ll want to know why his friends have a mother and father and he only has his mum,” she continued.
“Nic please-” they entered Crystal’s room and Nicole laid her daughter down in her crib.
“Don’t you think he’s got a right to know?”
“Of course he does! But…but it’s not as simple as you think it is. Mark and I were always fooling around and not giving a damn toss about consequences, it’s just how we’ve always been and while that isn’t the best way to perceive it that’s how we were. I’ll tell Hayden when the time is appropriate, right now he’s too young to understand.” Vickie answered. Nicole sighed shaking her head sadly.
“And what about Mark? Too old to understand he has a young son?” Nicole pressed even further.
“I really don’t want to talk about this Nic and you know that. Especially not today as the lads are back at home now. So can we just drop the subject altogether?” Vickie looked at her best friend pleadingly.
“Ok fine.” Sighed Nicole.
“But you know as well as I do, as soon as Mark knows you’re here he’s going to want to know everything.” She added.
“Yeah…and I’ll deal with it when that time comes,” Vickie answered.