Freya's Redemption

"Now I have this small but perfect apartment, I can provide for my daughter and I met a wonderful man called Zack who has made me so happy and I am praying after telling my story will still want to be in mine and Morgan's life because that is what we want more than anything."

"Wow! That is an amazing story," Zack said after several moments of silence to take it all in. "Thank you for telling me. Kyle is a complete and utter asshole and I can see how remorseful you are but-"

"Once a cheater always a cheater, I know," Freya finished for Zack remorsefully. "The only thing I don't regret is Morgan, I regret her father, but I could never regret Morgan."

"Morgan is a beautiful girl," Zack agreed. "The thing is, my last relationship ended because she cheated on me and now, I find out my new girlfriend is a cheater." Zack began to look distressed, "I need to think about this. I was falling in love with you but now I need to find out if I really can. I need time to figure this out. I'm sorry, Freya."

"I understand," Freya replied trying to sound stoic. "Take as long as you need," she said before Zack walked out. The sound of her front door closing behind Zack broke her resolve and she began to sob as her heart broke in two.

Freya went, despondently, to her parents to collect Morgan. That was going to be the worst part, telling Morgan that Zack wasn't coming back. Morgan adored Zack and Freya was sure Zack adored Morgan. He was Morgan's first and only father figure and Freya was beginning to hope that he would want that job permanently. He was already proving that he would be a great father to her.

When Freya arrived at her parent's house Morgan ran to her and when Freya picked Morgan up to give her a hug, Morgan immediately asked,

"Zack?"

"Zack is busy, today, sweetie," Freya replied to her daughter.

"Morgan has been telling me all about Zack," her mother said. Seeing the sadness in Freya's eyes, she said to Morgan, "Darling, why don't you play with your toys for a little bit? I need to talk to Mummy in the kitchen."

"Now, are you going to tell me who is Zack?" she asked Freya as she put the kettle on.

"He is the man I have been seeing while you babysat Morgan," Freya confessed before she put her hand over her mouth and broke down again.

Freya's mother pulled the kitchen door ajar so Morgan couldn't see her mother cry, "What happened? What did he do?" she asked worriedly.

Freya shook her head, "He didn't do anything wrong. He has been wonderful to me and Morgan."

"Then what happened?"

"I told him about Charlie, my affair, my divorce and all the terrible things I did. Now because his ex-girlfriend cheated on him, he doesn't know if he can be with me. I thought I had got my life back, I began to think he could be a-" Freya stopped.

"Father to Morgan?" her mother finished for her and Freya nodded. Freya's mother embraced her and Freya sobbed into her mother's shoulder.

"I am so scared. I can't go back to how I was. When will it end? Haven't I been punished enough? I know what I did was wrong but all the people I hurt are happy now. Why can't I be?"

"Oh, Freya, I am so sorry!" her mother held Freya tightly. "Did Zack actually say it was over between you?"

"He said he needed time to think," Freya replied between sniffs.

"That is not the same as breaking up with you."

"But what if he does?"

"Freya!" her mother snapped pulling her away to look at her. "You are a grown woman and a mother! You need to stop doing this. Ever since Jack Reynolds when you were seventeen, you have invested all your happiness into one man. That is why you had your affair. Charlie stopped making you happy so you found someone else and you invested all your happiness into him. Every time you do it you make yourself miserable. You need to find your own happiness and not expect others to do it for you! Even if Zack does break up with you, you have a job and your own place. Those things do not rely on Zack. You have Morgan and the two of you can be happy by yourselves. You need to see that!"

The front door opened and closed and the sound of giggling erupted. Freya knew what was going on without even looking. She left the kitchen and saw what she expected, her father holding Morgan upside down and tickling her.

"Dad, can you not do that!" she said with exasperation.

"Why not? Morgan loves it. You used to love it." He looked at Freya and said to his wife, "Boy trouble again?"

"DAD!"

Chapter 7

The next few days were tough for Freya. Despite what her mother said to her she missed Zack and so did Morgan. She came to Freya asking where he was, all Freya could say was that he was busy. Morgan slept with her and Freya stayed awake worrying. Morgan even had a temper tantrum demanding that Zack come over. After Morgan calmed down, Freya wrote, unwrote and wrote again a message to Zack but she couldn't bring herself to send it. She tried looking for Zack in the office but he was nowhere to be found.

Freya needed to talk to someone else and Diana almost dragged Freya to the coffee shop where they usually met to talk,

"What is it, Freya? You've looked miserable for the past two days." Diana asked her with concern.

"I told Zack about my past."

"Oh, Freya! Why did you do that!?" Diana demanded with angry exasperation.

"I had to, I didn't want him to hear it from anyone else," tears began to well in her eyes.

"And what did he tell you?"

"That his ex-girlfriend cheated on him and he needs time to think."

An odd flicker of irritation passed across Diana's face, "Do you want me to talk to him?"

Freya shook her head, missing the strange offer of talking to a complete stranger, "I want him to decide for himself. I want him to be with me despite everything I've done in the past. I need him to think that I am worthy of him."

"How do you feel?"

"I miss him," her brow furrowed in her unhappiness. "My mum says I need to stop investing my happiness in one man but I can't help it with Zack."

"Good advice and you should listen to her. Do you love him?"

"I don't know. I think so. I know for sure that I am falling in love with him. I know Morgan adores him. I'm just miserable and confused. I just want to be happy. I spent three years feeling lonely, I don't want to feel like that ever again."

"If you don't hear from him in a couple of days then you should contact him. You can't stay this miserable while you wait for him to make a decision. If he can't commit to you then you need to break up with him."

Freya knew Diana was right but even so, she still wanted to be with Zack.

Luckily, Freya did not have to wait two days. At work, she got a message from Zack that simply asked,

"Can we talk at your place after work? Can Morgan be at your parents?"

Freya agreed. Her heart began to beat fast out of hope and fear.

"Are you okay?" whispered Diana over her monitor.

"Zack is coming over tonight," Freya whispered in reply.

"Give me your address. I'll come over this evening too, to check on you," Diana told her. Before she reassured Freya, "Whatever happens, you'll be fine."

That evening, Freya made sure she finished early to make sure the apartment was tidy for her visitor. She sat and her thoughts ran through her mind at a hundred miles an hour. She convinced herself that it was over between her and Zack. Why else would he want to talk? At least he had the decency to do it to her face. So, it was with less trepidation than Freya expected when she opened the front door when Zack arrived.

"Come in, Zack," Freya told him with a weak smile resisting the urge to kiss him. "Have a seat in the lounge."

She was shocked when she saw him. Any fear she had turned into worry for him. He was a mess. He looked unkempt, he obviously hadn't shaved all week or slept well.

"Would you like a drink? Tea or coffee?"

"Just water please," he asked nervously. He looked in a bad way.

When Freya sat down next to him, to her dismay he stood up with his back to her. He appeared to wipe his eyes before turning back to her. His eyes were red and he looked tearful.

"Christ, Freya! What have you done to me!? I was meandering along being single until I met you," his tone although upset was accusatory which hurt Freya intensely.

"I'm sorry, Zack. I never meant to hurt you," Freya couldn't look at Zack.

"Look at me, Freya!" he told seeing her look away and he wiped his eyes again. "I'm a mess and it is your fault. I have barely slept all week; I can't eat and I can't focus on anything. The only thing I can do and think about is you!"

"What? I don't understand. What do you mean?" Freya was totally confused. His tone and what he just said contradicted each other.

Zack almost fell to his knees in front of her, "I love you, Freya!" he told her desperately. Freya couldn't believe what she was hearing. Of every scenario that went through her head, this wasn't one of them. "After you told me about your past," Zack continued, "I couldn't believe it. My ex-girlfriend cheated on me with different men. She made me an emotional wreck. I gave everything to her and she cheated on me without conscience, like I meant nothing to her. I didn't think I could trust anyone again. Then I met you and I felt happy again until I found out my new girlfriend told me she was a cheater too."

"Zack, I never cheated on you! Not once!" Freya protested.

"When I walked out," Zack carried on ignoring Freya, "I went away, and I was so determined to stop all my feelings for you. But the harder I tried the worse I felt. I went to a bar to drink to forget you. I had the perfect opportunity to do it too. She was absolutely gorgeous and she chatted me up but I just wasn't interested because she wasn't you."

As a confession of love, it wasn't the best but Freya was still happy to hear it. She slowly reached out to touch Zack's cheek, fearful that she misunderstood and he would reject her. He did not.

"I missed you, Freya. I missed Morgan too. But I need you to promise me that you won't cheat on me. I don't think I can cope with that again," Zack pleaded.

"I can't cheat on you," Freya assured him. "I can't afford to. I told you about my past because if it was a problem for you, I needed you to leave me and Morgan now before we loved you too much. Before I started working for Brooke Goodchilds I was at rock bottom with a child. I can't go back to that again. I can't go back to feeling that way. Feeling like a failure of a mother and feeling like a failure as a person." Freya shifted forward so their foreheads were touching. Tears were streaming down both their faces.

"What do you want from me, Freya? Why me?"

"Because you're wonderful, amazing. You make me feel so safe and happy. You've given me so much happiness. I love you, Zack. I know Morgan loves you. What I want most is for us to be a family. I want you, me and Morgan to be a real family. Can make me and Morgan complete?"

Zack nodded his agreement. Freya gave him a long lingering kiss in gratitude.

"I would like one more thing from you but I want you to think about it. I want you to take your time and really think about it and be sure because other than my love for Morgan and you it is the only thing I'm sure about."

"What is it?" Zack asked confused.

"I told you Kyle waived away his parental rights as a father to Morgan which means legally, she has no father. It is blank on her birth certificate where the father is supposed to be. I want you to fill in that blank. I want you to be Morgan's father. You have already proved to me that you can be. I just want you to want to. There is no one else in the world I want to be Morgan's father other than you. Understand this is separate from you and me. Even if we don't work out, I still want you to be Morgan's father."

Zack looked at Freya wide-eyed, "You want me to adopt Morgan?" Freya nodded and smiled. "I think I would like that but I'll give it serious thought."

Freya kissed Zack again, "That is all I ask. I love you, Zack. Come to bed. I want to make love to you."

She took Zack's hand and led them to her bedroom. There was no intense passion. No ripping off each other's clothes. They simply undressed themselves before lying down next to each other. They just kissed and slowly caressed each other's bodies. There was an emotional intensity to their lovemaking. Freya's orgasms were small yet satisfying and numerous but what mattered was feeling Zack's love for her.

Freya could have stayed in bed with Zack forever but she couldn't.

"I need to pick up Morgan," she told him. "I'll shower first."

After her shower, she dressed herself, her doorbell rang and Diana was standing there with a bottle of wine, all dressed up.

"Diana!?" Freya exclaimed.

"You forgot I was coming, didn't you?" Diana said irritably, inviting herself in.

"I'm sorry, I've had an emotionally intense evening," Freya apologised

"So, how did it go? You don't look very upset," Diana said suspiciously

"He said he loves me!" she told her friend excitedly before whispering, "He's still here!"

"He's what?" Diana said suddenly looking very uncomfortable.

"He is in the shower."

Diana's phone rang and a look of panic crossed her face as she hung up on the would-be caller. Zack entered the room with a confused look on his face before he attempted to call again, only looking up when he heard Diana's phone ring once again.

Chapter 7

"Diana, what are you doing here!?" Zack demanded rudely.

"Zack, you know Diana?" Freya asked confused.

"Yes, you could say that!" Zack replied irritably.

Diana stood there with an air of superiority like someone who knew the game was up.

"You haven't told her, have you?" Zack asked Freya's friend angrily.

Diana just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly like she didn't care.

"Please don't tell me that you're Zack's ex?" Freya begged Diana.

Diana only now showed some form or emotion as her mouth opened and an incensed look appeared on her face, "Freya, how dare you! I am nothing like that bitch!"

"No, Diana isn't my ex, she is my meddling sister," Zack's irritation hadn't left him as he explained how he knew Diana. "She loves to interfere in my love life."

"You have to admit I was right about your ex and I am right about Freya," Diana shot back with a self-satisfying smirk. "You should be thanking me. Freya, Zack is my little brother. You invest all your happiness in one man and Zack invests all his happiness all in one woman. You are perfect for each other."

Freya was in a daze. She and Zack had confessed their love for each other and committed to being a family and now she found out that her boyfriend and best friend were brother and sister and she had no idea.

"It makes sense now why you were so invested," Zack said as it fully dawned on him.

"God, Zack you are always so slow," Diana replied rolling her eyes in exasperation. "I can understand Freya but didn't you notice that we work in the same department?"

Zack looked away annoyed because he hadn't.

"Diana, did you set me and Zack up?" Freya asked her friend angrily fearing what she and Zack had wasn't real. "Did you tell Zack to be with me?"

"No, I didn't," Diana pouted, "but when I found out you both were interested in each other I was so happy. Zack needed to get over his ex. She was a nasty bitch and you obviously needed a man. Knowing you both, the two of you were perfect for each other so I became like your fairy godmother, your Cinderella and Zack is Prince Charming, or at least he tries to be. Everything between you is real, I just made sure neither of you sabotaged it. You're welcome by the way. I admit, I became a little too invested in your relationship. Why did you tell Zack about your past? I had to give Zack a real hard time. Both of you dwell in the past so much."

"I can't believe you lied like that, Diana!" Zack snapped at his sister.

"You should be grateful that you have me or you would always be single. Freya is the best girlfriend you ever had and thanks to me she still is!" Diana responded indignantly and the brother and sister began to bicker.

"Can you two please stop arguing!" Freya screamed at the siblings. "Diana, you also need to know that Zack is considering adopting Morgan so she could be your niece if he agrees," she moved over to Zack and put her arms around him. "I am hoping the three of us are going to be a family."

Diana's mouth opened wide again but this time in surprise. She knew everything about her brother's and Freya's relationship but she hadn't seen this coming.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed hugging her brother and best friend. "Zack, I am proud of you. I'm going to be an auntie!" she said excitedly.

"It's not a done thing yet, Diana," Zack told his sister.

"No, of course not," she replied with a knowing smile.

"I'm sorry, Diana," Freya apologised embracing her friend, "I need to go and pick up Morgan, it is getting late. You wanted to go out too. I'm angry with you for what you did but I suppose it was with good intentions so I'll forgive you. Thank you, you are a good friend. You were there when I needed you."

Diana sighed, "It's okay. I can't drink anyway," she said disappointedly, waving the bottle of wine in her hand. "I just wanted one last night out."

"Why what's wrong?" Freya asked worriedly.

Diana's lips broke into an excited smile, "Nothing is wrong. I'm just pregnant, that's all! I had my three-month scan today!"

Freya threw her arms around her friend and squealed her delight for her friend. Zack stood there dumbfounded for a moment realising he was going to be an uncle before joining in the embrace before Diana pushed him away in disgust and began to berate him.

"Zack, you need to go home and change, you look disgusting. You better not screw it up with Freya either. I want her to be my baby's auntie as well as my best friend. We're all going to be family now so you need to up your game!"

Zack glowered at his sister before giving Freya a kiss, "I'm going home to change my clothes. I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, come back and stay the night," Freya told him. "Morgan has missed you terribly and she will want to see you."

"I better go too. I think my work is done and I need to focus on my husband," Diana said once Zack had left, embracing her friend again. "He hasn't been happy with me meddling in your love life because it meant I neglected him. It is worth it though, Don't tell Zack but he is a great guy and needs a good woman. He has been moping around for too long and with you, he has been the happiest I've ever seen him." Diana broke the embrace, "Right then, I'll see you in the office!" she told Freya with a bright smile before leaving.

When Freya arrived at her parents' house, Morgan was already asleep. Freya told her parents everything that happened.

"All's well that ends well then," Freya's mother told her. "Do you truly like this Zack and you think he will want to be a good father to Morgan?"

Freya nodded with a smile, "I do and I think he already is a good father to Morgan but he doesn't realise it."

"In that case, you will need to bring him here for lunch on Sunday so we can meet him. It is such a relief to see you happy. It was so worrying seeing you the way you were."

Freya arrived home with the sleeping Morgan in the back of her car to find Zack outside waiting for her. He had shaved and was wearing clean clothes.

"I need to get you a key," Freya told him as she kissed him.

Zack carried Morgan into her home and she naturally wrapped her little arms around him. With it being so late and they hadn't had dinner, pizza was ordered and Freya went into the kitchen to pour them both a glass of wine. When she returned, she found that Zack wasn't there. She found him at the door to Morgan's room.