Chapter 1:
"What's wrong honey?" Peyton said to her little girl as she noticed that for the past few days, she was not as energetic or bubbly as she normally was.
"Nothing" the little girl said as she shook her head left and right.
"Mandy... What is it?" Peyton probed again as she knew that the little girl was lying.
"Nothing" the little girl said again.
"You know, you can tell me anything, right?" Peyton said urging her little girl to talk as she was worried as to what could have happened to cause this.
Mandy nodded then hugged Peyton tight. Then she said, "I love you mummy..."
"I know... I love you too... That is why you have to tell me what is going on that little pretty head of yours." Peyton said smiling.
"It's nothing important really." Mandy said shrugging her shoulders.
"Still, I want to know. I promised I'll be there for you, right? I just want to know what is going on with you right now." Peyton said. She wanted her and Mandy to have an open relationship. She did not want Mandy to keep things bottled up like she did when she was young. She knew it would not be good for her.
"I just don't want you to be upset again..." Mandy said as she kept her hold to her mom.
Peyton looked at her daughter proudly. She knew she raised a good and a smart kid. She just worries sometimes at how her little girl seems to want to carry everything in her shoulders. A trait she probably got from her.
"Just tell me, what it is and I promise I will not be upset. I'm sorry if I did before. I never meant to. I was probably just tired then." Peyton said.
"I don't like it when you cry" the little girl said simply
Peyton could not help but smile at this, but also wondered when she had cried in front of Mandy. She never let Mandy see her cry.
"Did someone say something hurtful to you at school?" Peyton prodded.
"No" Mandy said while shaking her head.
"Okay... Uhm.. Mandy, you have to tell me. I'm really getting worried about you. You wouldn't want mom worrying now, would you?" Peyton said while her daughter shook her head.
"It's just something I saw at the playground at school" the little girl said looking at her mom.
"What did you see?" Peyton asked trying to hide the panic in her voice. Her mind raced as to what could her little girl has seen. She almost wanted to call the cops, but before she was able to finalize the thought, she heard her daughter say something.
"Its Mark and his grandfather" The little girl said looking down.
"Did they do something to you?" Peyton asked still not getting it.
Mandy just shook her head still not looking at her mom.
As Peyton tied everything her little girl said, she finally got what her little girl was saying.
"You want to see with your grandpa?"Peyton asked.
"No..." the little girl said without conviction.
"Its okay, if you do, you know." Peyton said urging her little girl to tell her what she truly wants.
"I just don't want you to be upset. Remember, the time I asked you where grandpa is? You got really upset." Mandy explained finally looking at her mom.
"I was not upset." Peyton said.
"You cried after we talked. I heard you. I made you cry. I'm sorry." Mandy said sadly with tears threatening to fall.
"Hey, hey... I wasn't upset then. And you didn't make me cry. I just... I really miss him that's why I was crying then." Peyton explained to her young daughter.
Mandy's little arm hugged her mom tightly.
"What do you think? Maybe its time you meet him. I'm sure he'll really love you." Peyton said to her daughter as she kissed her forehead finally deciding its time she fixed things with her father.
"Are you sure?' Mandy asked a little apprehensive.
"Of course!" Peyton said.
"Really? Really? When?" Mandy asked too enthusiastically. She really wanted to meet her grandpa, but she loved her mom too much to ask.
"Maybe when vacation comes, that way you wouldn't have any problem at school." Peyton said.
"I can't wait for school to end!" Mandy declared really happy.
Peyton couldn't keep the smile from creeping into her lips. Her daughter is just too cute. It worried her when thinking of how the conversation would go with her father seeing as she has never talked to him for almost 9 years. She cut EVERYONE off once she left Tree Hill. And now, she's coming back. She could only hope that she does not run into someone she knows or who knows her. But seeing that it is Tree Hill THAT is so unlikely to happen.