54☽

⋆ Chapter 54 ⋆Wild Card

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                 "She's so beautiful!" The familiar voice of Marsha could be heard as Adaline slowly began waking up.

Nate noticed that the brunette was no longer asleep and moved to her side. "Hey Ads!" He smiled smoothing her hair down. "How are you feeling?"

"Where is she?" The Kingston girl wondered trying to sit up. Nate didn't hesitate to help her but she just pushed his hands away. "Where's my baby?"

"She's okay. My moms holding her." Nate reassured the girl, pointing over to Marsha, who was sitting on the small couch by the window.

"Can I hold her?" Adaline asked looking longingly at the small bundle in the older woman's arms.

"Of course sweetheart!" Marsha smiled happily handing the baby over to her mother.

Aurora had been a bit fussy while Adaline was asleep. She would really only calm down if Nate was holding her. Marsha had a hunch that the baby was hungry but they needed Adaline awake for that.

Nate wanted Adaline to get a little sleep. Which is why he didn't wake her as soon as Aurora was brought into the room. In total Adaline probably got at least an hour of sleep.

Holding her daughter in her arms was very overwhelming for the new mom. It was in moments like these where she wished her own mother was here to experience things with her.

Although she figured her mother would have been no help.

"Hey Rory!" Adaline gushed gently rocking the fussy baby in her arms. "You're mommy's little princess aren't you?"

"Oh good you're up!" The nurse, Grace cheered entering the room and ruining the cute moment between Adaline and Aurora. "It's time for baby Aurora to eat. I'm going to help you breastfeed her."

"I'll step out for this part." Marsha smiled at Adaline before exiting the room.

Nate stood by the head of the bed and watched as the nurse instructed Adaline on how to get Aurora to latch onto her breast. It took a couple of tries until she finally got it.

"I think that's the fastest I've seen a little one latch on." Grace chuckled. "You're doing great mom! And dad too of course!"

"Thank you for all of your help." Nate smiled kindly at the nurse. He didn't notice but Adaline glared at him as she watched him interact with the young nurse.

She didn't trust Nate, and she wasn't sure if she ever would again.

After feeding Aurora, Nate took her to burp her and put her to sleep. He knew Adaline needed to get more sleep and he was more than happy to take over.

Nate loved holding his daughter. He loved how tiny she was. Aurora fit perfectly in his arms. It was like she was made to fit in them. She was his light in the dark.

The Jacobs boy truly believed that Aurora would be the thing to fix his and Adaline's relationship.

Adaline had to stay in the hospital for another day and Nate promised that he wasn't going to leave her side.

Although, his promise was threatened when Maddy and Lexi came to visit Adaline.

When the two girls arrived they immediately rushed over to see the small baby in their best friends arms. Nate gave them some privacy while they talked knowing that Maddy didn't want anything to do with him at that moment.

His and Cassie's secret was out. Which meant Maddy was out for blood. He needed that tape from her but he didn't know how to go about getting it.

If he hurt Maddy then he'd hurt Adaline as well. That was something Nate didn't want to do. The more he hurt her the more she'd grow to hate him and the less chance he had getting her back.

After some deliberation the boy ultimately decided to pull Maddy aside and talk to her rationally while Lexi and Adaline talked inside of the room.

"Maddy? Can I uh talk to you out here?" Nate questioned nervously as he stuck his head inside of the room.

"For what?" Maddy replied coldly glaring at him.

"It's important." He sighed. "Please?"

"Fine." The Perez girl snapped. "Never thought I'd hear Nate begging anyone other than Addie." She joked smirking at her friend.

The girl in question rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the younger Howard sister. Lexi had previously been informing the two teens about her upcoming play.

Adaline was super excited to see it. She knew that Lexi had been working extremely hard on it. She couldn't wait to see what Lexi had come up with.

In the hallway, Nate and Maddy were currently in a very heated stare off. Maddy was glaring daggers at the Jacobs boy while he stood awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other.

"What the fuck did you bring me out here for Nate?" Maddy finally asked breaking the silence. "I'm supposed to be in there with my friend that YOU hurt." The dark haired girl seethed emphasizing the word you. "What's so important that you needed to drag me away from everyone?"

"I need a favor." Nate mumbled scratching the back of his neck while trying to avoid eye contact with the girl in front of him.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Maddy laughed. "After everything you've done to both Adaline and I, you want a favor from me?"

"I know you don't really like me at the moment..." He began only to be cut off.

"That's a fucking understatement."

"But this is really important. It's not just going to affect me but it'll also affect Addie and the baby."

"What is it?" The Perez girl sighed. As much as she wanted to strangle Nate she held herself back. Maddy was willing to help Nate if it meant that Adaline and the baby wouldn't get hurt.

"I need the tape." Nate said looking Maddy directly in the eye. He was trying to figure out what she was thinking but he could never tell with Maddy.

She was a wild card.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Maddy please!" The Jacobs boy pleaded. "If that gets out it'll not only fuck up dad's life but also mine as well. I won't be able to take care of Addie and the baby."

"She doesn't need you to take care of her." Maddy scoffed.

"Of course she does. Where is she going to go if she's not going to stay with my family?" He shot back. "How many people do you know that'll take in a teenage girl and her newborn baby?" When Maddy didn't reply he knew he was right. "Besides, I'm not going to let anyone else take care of my girlfriend or daughter. It's my responsibility."

"Wow Nate!" Maddy clapped mockingly. "Father of the year!" She shouted attracting some attention to them which led to Nate shushing her.  But Maddy didn't stop. "It's almost like you forgot all about the fact that you literally cheated on your pregnant girlfriend. Were you taking care of her then when you're tongue was done Cassie's throat?"

"Of course! Here we fucking go with this shit!" Nate groaned throwing his hands in the air exasperatedly. "What happened between Cassie and I was nothing and Addie knows that. There's no reason for you to bring it up."

"I'm going to keep bringing it up so you can be reminded of how fucking shitty you are!"

"Oh my fucking god Maddy!" The boy basically screamed. "Just give me the tape and I'll leave you alone."

"No." Maddy shook her head calmly.

"Fine!" Nate huffed getting in the girl's face. "Then I guess I'll just share your little tapes with Addie's dad. How would you feel about that?"

Maddy's face paled at the mention of her own tapes. Her life would be ruined if they got out just like Nate's would.

It was then that she realized she had no choice.

"I'll give it to you tomorrow. It's at my house." The Perez girl mumbled quietly. She didn't look Nate in the eye as she entered Adaline's room once again.

Nate couldn't help but let a proud smirk make its way onto his face. He knew that he didn't have those tapes of her and Mr. Kingston.

But Maddy didn't need to know that.