It had been a week since Drew’s visit to see Annabelle. He was moping. It just 
wasn’t fair that every time he opened his arms to Annabelle, she slammed a door 
in his face. He loved her and didn’t deserve to be treated this way.





It was a Wednesday. March 25. Andy’s birthday. Drew spent the morning in his 
room crying. Later, he baked a cake, spelling out ‘Happy 5th birthday, Andy’. 
He then spent the next while trying to reach Annabelle. The problem was she had 
changed her number since their last tryst and Drew didn’t know how to reach her. 
He tried to call some of her friends in Florida, but nobody seemed to be home. 
‘They’re probably out celebrating Andy’s birthday,’ Drew thought with a sigh. 
His little boy was growing up and Drew didn’t even get a chance to know him.


Drew tried the last number on his list. Even though he really didn’t want to 
talk to Justin, he needed to speak to Annabelle and wish Andy a happy birthday.


On the fourth ring a man answered the phone.


“Hey, Justin.” Drew croaked into tbe phone.


“Drew?”


“Yeah, it’s me. How is everything?”


Justin didn’t bother to address Drew’s question. “Why are you calling me? It’s 
been years since I’ve even heard your name spoken.”


“I was hoping that you had Annabelle’s phone number. I seem to have misplaced 
it.”


“You’re a liar. She changed her number so you couldn’t call her.”


“Will you please help me out.” Drew got a bit choked up. “It’s my son’s 
birthday today. I just want to wish him a happy birthday.”


Justin felt sorry for Drew. He couldn’t imagine what he was going through, but 
he could hear the pain in Drew’s voice. “I wish I could help you out, Drew. But 
I’ve made a promise to Annabelle. She doesn’t want to talk to you, Drew. Why 
don’t you just forget about her?”


Drew hung up the phone. He sighed. There wasn’t anything he could do now. He had 
dried up all of his resources. He knew that Nick had the number, but he was, at 
the moment on a journey of self discovery. The band had taken a break, so Nick 
ran off to some tropical island, not telling anyone where he would be and he 
didn’t even bring his cell phone. A brilliant idea flashed in Drew’s head. 


It had been several years since the guys had gotten their own homes and Drew just 
so happened to have a key to Nick’s. He’d just use his key, let himself in and 
find Nick’s address book.


Drew smiled to himself as he exited the house. He was sure that in a few hours 
he’d be talking to his little boy on the phone.


Before Drew got to his car, he took a short detour to the mailbox. It was 
practically bursting with letters. He shuffled through them quickly. 


“Bill, bill, some lawyers office, junk, junk…” Drew practically dropped the 
next letter. It was from Annabelle. “Anna…” Drew’s voice held much emotion.


He quickly tore open the letter. The only contents was a picture. It was a fairly 
recent, professional shot of Andy and Annabelle. He stared at the picture for 
several moments before turning it over. The back read, in Annabelle’s 
handwriting, “I’m sorry, Drewy.” Drew turned the picture over again. He 
studied his son’s face. Memorizing every detail. Then he looked at Annabelle. 
She looked beautiful. She had a heathy glow about her. Drew noticed she had 
picked up some weight. He hoped she was taking care of herself.


Drew leafed through his mail again. He noticed that the letter that was from a 
lawyers office had come from Florida. Drew opened the letter timidly. 


Drew read the letter.


“Andrew John Lachey…relinquish parental rights to Andrew John Lachey Jr. and 
unborn baby yet to be named…” Drew dropped the letter. He fell to the ground, 
in shock. He read over the words again. “Relinquish... Andrew John Lachey Jr and 
unborn baby yet to be named…” 


“She wants me to give up my parental rights to Andy. Baby unborn?” Drew’s mind 
raced back to the last time he had seen Annabelle. It had been a few months ago, 
when he thought she was marrying Justin. They had made love…without a condom. 
“I am the stupidest man alive. She hates me and she wants to take away my 
children.”


Quickly sadness transformed into intense anger. “How can she do this to me?” 
Drew picked up the letter. At the bottom it had a place for him to sign. He 
shredded the letter, threw it on the ground and spit on it. There was no way he 
would ever give up his children. Annabelle hadn’t even told him about a second 
child. He was so angry he just didn’t know what to do with himself.


Without even thinking about what he was doing, Drew got into his car and drove to 
the airport. There he boarded a plane with a direct flight to Florida. In a few 
hours he would confront the woman he had wanted to marry and he would see his 
child and he would make plans to be a father to his unborn child.






The plane ride helped Drew to calm down. Most of his anger had dissipated. He was 
just very excited to see Andy. There wasn’t a day that passed that he didn’t 
miss his son. It had been years since Drew was allowed to hold him, years since 
he had really seen him. But all that was going to change now. He had been 
passive. Letting Annabelle control his life, but no longer would that be the 
case. He was taking charge.





After renting a car at the airport, Drew drove to Annabelle’s apartment. He went 
to the door and knocked loudly. A man in his thirties answered the door. Drew was 
stunned.


“Are you her boyfriend?” He asked.


“No, I’m her husband. May I ask who you are and what you’re doing at my 
doorstep?” Drew backed away a little. Annabelle was married? “Can I help you?”


“When?”


“When what?”


“When did you get married?”


“Two years ago.”


Drew’s heart broke. She was carrying his child and married another man. 


“Did you want to speak to my wife?” Drew nodded. The man yelled into the house, 
“Honey, there’s a strange man out here to see you.” Drew could hear a baby 
crying from inside. His baby had been born, he realized. He now had two children, 
one of whom he hadn’t even know existed until this morning. ”Excuse me.” The 
man said. “I’m going to attend to my daughter.”


“A little girl.” Drew mumbled. The man did not notice Drew speak. He then 
closed the door. Half a minute later, a woman answered the door. Someone that 
Drew didn’t recognize.


“May I help you?” She asked.


“Where’s Annabelle?”


“Excuse me.”


“Annabelle. She lives here.”


“You must be mistaken. Charles and I have lived in this apartment for three 
months. We’re the only occupants.”


“She used to live here.”


“Well, she doesn’t anymore. Is there something else I can help you with?”


“Yeah, do you have a phone book?”


“Of course.”


“Can I see it?”


“Come on in.” The woman opened the door and allowed Drew entrance. “Please 
excuse the mess, Judy just came home from the hospital a week ago and Charles and 
I have been very busy.” She handed Drew the phone book. “I hope you find what 
you’re looking for. By the way, my name is Violet.” She smiled at Drew.


He looked up from the phone book. “Drew.”


“It’s very nice to meet you Drew.” He simply smiled and turned to the white 
pages. ‘…Smith, A, Smith, Abigail, Smith, Anita, Smith, Andrew, Smith, 
Annabelle…279 W. Averson St, Orlando, Florida.


“Thank you so much, Violet. I must be going.” He walked to the door.


“Good luck.” She said as Drew left the apartment.


Drew ran to his car. He took out a map of the area from his glove box. He had 
purchased it the last time he went looking for Annabelle. Luckily, West Averson 
St was not very far away and Drew reached the residence in less than fifteen 
minutes. 


He parked on the street and went to knock on the front door.


He was shocked to see who had answered the door.


TO BE CONTINUED…