Breathe!
You Breathe! Chapter 1 Don't Rock The Boat, Baby!
"Are you sure you don't want me to come in too, Haley?" The brunette practically pleaded as she peered through the glass of one of the classroom of the Brunswick County Planned Parenthood building. "I would be so good at this. We can make it a girls thing."
"Sorry, I'm going to have to do the couple thing this time." Haley coaxed between stuffing her face and licking sauce off her fingers.
"But I saw a couple of hot guys go in there." She groaned.
"If you think meeting a guy at Lamaze is hot, you really do need to evaluated." Haley sassed and Brooke stuck out her tongue.
Screw the guys, this was family stuff and for the last year, Brooke only felt that way around the Scotts. Nathan and Haley in particular. She was still dying to join in her closest girl friends first Lamaze class so she would be prepared when Haley went into labor. What if Nathan wasn't there. She knew how scared Haley would be. She didn't want to let her down.
"No, Brooke. You boss me around enough." Haley insisted for the umpteenth time that day. This was a Naley thing as her perky friend would say, no substitutions.
She watched her buddy's face distort into a dimpled pout and sighed and spoke between bites. "I promise to pass out your Knockedup Knockout brochures, but you still can't come." Haley stood her ground as Brooke snatched the over half empty twelve piece Chick- Fil-A nuggets box and Polynesian sauce from Haley's greedy paws, disposing it in the nearby receptacle before handing her a napkin. Brooke understood, she would just find a different way to be there for Haley.
"You rock Tutormommy!" She bounced up and down, clapping her hands. "And you look sooo cute doing it in my clothes!" Brooke squealed before holding the classroom door open for her. "Besides, I'll let Superstar be the coach 'cause I know who calls the shots in your bedroom." Her friend teased.
"Brooke!" Haley scolded as the other class member watched them from the door. "I only told you that because you barged in on us playing Correctional Officer Haley and Inmate Nathan." She gritted with a blush.
"It's not my fault Peyton and you don't know how to lock a door." She patted Haley on the butt and her friends big brown eyes nearly bulged out of her head.
"Oh, please. Everyone knows that's Nathan's pre-game ritual." Ms. Davis rolled her eyes.
"Bye, Brooke." Haley shook her head with still blushing cheeks and waddled further into the room and the brunette finally left.
She was soon greeted by a tall big-boned blonde with a sweet southern accent .
"Hi, there. I'm your instructor, Charlene McDaniels." She held out her empty hand and Haley shook it, noticing several of the other students eyeing her. "And you are?"
"Haley…..Haley James-Scott." The young mother-to-be said softly and shyly.
Her name was checked from the list and Ms. McDaniels pointed to an area to the far left of the room that held three brand new pillows on a purple mat. "That will be your area, Haley." Her voice a little standoffish now as she looked down at the teen with the same disdain many other people had since her pregnancy became noticeable. "You do know you need a partner for this class? That wasn't "her"? Charlene smirked at her own insinuation.
"No, ma'am." Haley couldn't believe she had been so excited to come here that she barely slept last night (It could have been the late night meatball sub and thick slice of German chocolate cake that kept her up.) Now, she felt awkward and on display. She looked at her watch, remaining silent as they overheard comments made by some of her peers.
"Poor kid, I bet the boy broke up with her as soon as he found out about the bun in the oven." One barely showing women whispered a little too loudly to her boyfriend.
"She probably doesn't even know who the daddy is. What is she fifteen or sixteen?" A snobby brown skinned woman looked at her like she was something she found on the bottom of her Prada shoes and leaned back onto the pillows between her husband's legs. "You know how easy girls are today." The thirty-something man kindly winked at Haley, ignoring his wife's attitude and opinion.
"Ms. James-Scott…." Charlene gained her attention again. Haley didn't know why she let those bitches get to her, but they did. Maybe it was hormones , or her own insecurities about being so young and pregnant. Maybe they were right, she didn't belong here. She shouldn't be pregnant in the first place. "Class will be starting soon. Do you have a partner or not?"
"He'll be here." Haley said biting her lip as she checked the time again. She started for her designated mat only to be blocked by Charlene after a couple of "yeah, rights." from a few of the older parents-to-be . "I'm sorry Haley, but if you don't….."
I should have let Brooke stay. She thought. She would have ripped Charlene a new one, that's for sure. Where the hell is my husband anyway? He has so been busy lately and we haven't had much quality time, but he promised to be here with me, to share this with me. It's the first week. Damn it, Nathan!
"She said, he'll be here!" Haley heard one the two women that had come to her rescue tell the instructor as they were leading her to her spot in between their assigned places.
"Bitch!" The one wearing a Marines tee shirt that fit snug around her protruding belly drew under her breath as they helped Haley get comfortably. She was pretty and young too.
"Ignore those conservative Carolina asses." The petite woman of Asian heritage cut her eyes over at the instructor and some of the other ladies in the group. "I'm Lisa."
"Thank you…. For well, you know." The sweet blonde smiled for the first time since she had arrive. "I'm Haley."
She greeted the other woman too, her plump body hiding much of her pregnancy. Her hot pink streaked raven hair was in the cutest pixie cut.
"I'm Jennifer. I got artificially inseminated. This is my best friend Brad." She pointed to the cute blonde guy in his late twenties fixing her pillows. "You can borrow him if you…. Right, Brad?"
He gave her a big grin and shook his head in agreement. By the way he looked at Jennifer, Haley was sure he would agree to do practically anything she asked of him. Ms. Scott was about to protest the offer, but was interrupted by Lisa.
"This is my brother, Tao. My husband is serving his second tour in Iraq. He can help too." Lisa whispered as Charlene eyed the girls and went to secure the door , so the class could begin.
She reached for the knob, anticipating kicking the single teen mother out, but the door flung open and a tall, tan, male dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a fitted navy tee with NATHAN written in white right above his heart that showed off his muscular arms and well-define chest entered the room. His Tanner Cleaning baseball cap was turned backwards so you could she his chiseled features.
While every woman in the room checked out the gorgeous boy, his bright blues eyes focused in on the object of his affection. He moved so quickly past Charlene, she felt a breeze. Within seconds, he had kneeled in front of his pretty slip of a wife, kissing her soundly as his right hand rested on the roundness of her body that kept their child.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Baby. I know how you hate it when I'm all sweaty when I get home. So, I took a shower in the locker room before we cleaned the last gym today. Skills dad let me buff the floors at Tree Hill Middle School and East Brunswick High after their summer day camp. I was on my A game today, Hales!" He proudly boast as he continued to ramble, trying to catch up on the time he had missed with her since he had been working double shifts for the last two weeks. He wasn't much of a talker, but with Haley the words seem to flow. He needed her to be a part of everything he did.
Hearing his voice, the baby started to kick frantically. Both parents felt the swift movements in different ways. Haley let out a breath at the jabs to her ribs, while Nathan rubbed his large hand over her stomach to soothe the child as he spoke to him. "Hey, Little Man. I missed you too. Have you been good for mommy?" Three swift kicks in a row was his answer to Haley's dismay.
"Nathan, don't rile him up class is about to start." After catching her breathe, she scolded lowly as Charlene approached.
It was the first time Nathan became aware of the rest of the class and he hurried behind Haley copying Tao's and Brad's position as his wife introduce the other two pairs.
"I see your little boyfriend finally made it." Charlene noted to Haley as she glared at Nathan. "You'll have to leave summer school a little earlier next week, young man. We start this class on time…Mr.?"
Nathan watched his wife lower her head as a few chuckles flew through the room. They were here to learn relaxing methods and breathing techniques that would make her labor easier. However, feeling the tension in her frame and some of the disappointing looks from a handful of couples in the room, all this class was causing was stress to Haley so far. She had already gone through so much during this pregnancy and she was still slightly at risk. Yes, it was had been his and Daunte's fault. Luckily, Haley had forgiven him after some strained weeks and he was working hard to show her he deserved it and her and the baby. Now was one of those times.
"Nathan...Scott" Nathan said clearly. "The same as my wife of over a year…. and if I'm late next week, so I can provide for my family, you will treat her with the respect and politeness she deserves for just being her beautiful, kind self . If that's a problem, I'm sure we can get someone else in her to teach this class since it's one of the mayor projects and she's his daughter-in-law."
"I'm so sorry, Mr…..and Mrs. Scott. I'm sure Haley and you will learn a lot and love this class." Charlene plastered on a grin and hurried over to the front of class. "Shall we get started."
Haley leaned back one the two large pillows, but she could still feel the comfort of her husbands loving arms and words. Maybe this was going to alright after all.
Pamela