Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Haley sits on the couch, staring at her ultrasound. Twins. She and Dylan are having twins. Well, actually... that's a lie. They're not having twins. She's having twins. Haley isn't sure how she let it get as far as she did. Other than the fact it was just easier at the time to let Dylan think they were his. But deep down Haley knows it isn't fair to anyone to keep up the lie any longer. Dylan deserves to know the truth, and so does the real father.

Pulling out her cellphone, Haley scrolls through her contact list for the number she knows all too well. She taps on the number and ponders what to do. Should she call? Should she text? Haley presses the call button and places the phone up to her ear. She waits with baited breath for the person on the other end to answer.

One ring, two ring, three, four...

"Hello. Haley?"

Click.

Haley chickens out and hangs up. She knows he already knows it's her. Hanging up without saying anything doesn't change that. He'll call back. Maybe not right away. But she knows he will eventually. He'll likely call in a few hours after he's contemplated all the possible reasons she'd be calling him after so many months.

Why had she kept the truth secret for so long? The truth was sure to mess up so many things. But she has to come clean. If she keeps it in any longer she feels like she is going to explode at any minute. Not to mention, the longer she keeps it in, the more it is working towards affecting even more people.

Haley feels her cheeks grow wet as tears start to escape her eyes, slowly cascading down like raindrops on a window. She reaches up and wipes the tears away quickly when she hears the front door of the house open. She's not sure she's ready just yet for anyone to see her crying and ask why.

"Oh. Hey, sweetie. I didn't know you were here," Claire says, walking into the kitchen and spotting the back of her head.

Haley puts on her best fake smile and turns to look at her mom. "I felt like being home for a while."

Bad mistake.

She knows instantly that her mom knows something is up. Maybe she was crying for longer than she knew and her eyes were all red and puffy.

"You've been crying."

And Haley's assumption is proven correct.

"What's wrong?" Claire asks, making her way over to Sit down next to her currently over emotional daughter.

"I messed up," Haley cries out, throwing the top part of her body forward, burying her head in the nook of Claire's neck.

"You messed up? What did you mess up?"

Haley waits a moment... then another before she picks her head back up. "I've been lying to everyone."

"You've been lying about what?" Claire asks, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

Something about the look on her mom's face has Haley spilling her secret immediately. "The babies aren't Dylan's."

Claire's eyes widen, but Haley can see a sparkle of happiness in her mom's eyes. But she won't question it. She already knows Claire will never be Dylan's biggest fan.

"I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly?"

Haley nods. "They're not Dylan's, mom."

"Well, whose are they?"

Haley takes a deep breath. "They're..."

Chapter Text

Claire is in shock as her eldest daughter whispers the name of her twin's true father.

On one hand, she feels relief about the confession because she has never been a big fan of Dylan. He's a good guy, sure. But mother knows best, and Dylan is not the best for her first born. On the other hand, she feels confusion. The father has been out of the picture for a while now. When did Haley and him have the chance to hook up?

"You're one hundred percent sure it's his?" Claire asks, wanting to make sure there was no doubt in Haley's mind about the father's identity.

Haley looks up at her with tear filled eyes and nods her head. "I've never been so sure in my life," she replies. "I'm a month farther along than I've told everyone I was."

Claire is not sure how to respond to her daughter's second confession at first. Why would Haley have felt the need to lie about how many months far along she was?

Haley must sense her thought process because she answers her unasked question. "I'd just gotten back with Dylan when I found out, I was afraid he'd leave if I told him the truth, and that I'd be all alone raising a kid."

"Why didn't you call him and tell him instead of keeping this lie going for so long?"

"I was and still am ashamed," Haley confesses, refusing to make eye contact with Claire.

"Ashamed? Why are you ashamed?"

Haley takes a moment before she answers, "Because I'm the other woman, again. And I don't want to ruin another relationship. I don't want to take Andy away from his dream job either."

Once again, Claire is in shock... maybe even more than before.

"Oh, Haley." Claire sighs, shaking her head.

"I know, I know," Haley says quietly, shame laced in her tone of voice. "I'm a bad person."

"You're not a bad person, you're still young and aren't the best when it comes to self-control."

"You can say that again."

Silence falls between the two for some time.

"So, you and Andy are having twins." Claire breaks the silence, shaking her head in an 'okay so this is happening' manner. "Does he know yet?"

Haley looks down at her hands in her lap and shakes her head. "I called to tell him but freaked out and hung up once he answered."

"You have to get up the courage and tell him. He deserves to know, his girlfriend deserves to know the truth, too... and most of all, those kids deserve for both their parents to be around when they grow up."

"I know, you're right." Haley picks up her phone and hovers her finger over redial.

"Do you want me to stay for moral support?"

"I think I should do this alone."

Claire nods her head in understanding as she stands up. "Okay, I'll leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything."

Haley smiles at her sadly. "Thanks, mom... for not reading me too much of a riot act over this."

Claire smiles back. "What else are moms for?" she asks rhetorically, leaning over to kiss her daughter's head. "I'll be in the other room if you need me.

She leaves the room as Haley pushes the redial button and puts the phone up to her ear.