Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them.
AN/ Here is the next chapter of the sequel to "looking back". I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but I just lost another family member. So things have been a little crazy. I am hoping to have the next chapter up soon as I have said before writing is my therapy.. Thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy reading!
Karen turned as the bell above the door of the café opened and laughter was heard. She smiled as the brides and bridesmaids came in from their fittings at the local bridal shop
"How did it go?" Karen asked as the group approached the counter
"Great. All of the dresses fit" Peyton said sitting down on one of the stools. Theresa and Haley following
"Erica and Carey still need to try on their dresses" Theresa added, "Oh, speaking of that, did you get by to try on yours?"
"Yes, Anna, Mary, Wanda and I all went last week" Karen said as she smiled at Theresa. It had been a fun filled day at the bridal shop for the moms.
"Thanks again, Karen for standing in as Skills' mom" Theresa said, "I know he really appreciates it"
"No need to thank me, Theresa. I am truly honored. I just sorry that his mom is not going to be here herself. This is one of the greatest moments for a mom"
"Yea, we are too. I am just glad he won't be the only one with out a mom there" Theresa said
"His real mom may not have been around for his entire life, but he has always had a mom" Haley added from the other side of Peyton
"Yea, that is true." Theresa said smiling at Karen, "We all have"
"Okay, stop with the mushy stuff before you make me cry" Peyton said putting her hands up causing the other ladies around her to laugh
"Hormones" Haley supplied as the bell above the door rang again
"Hey guys" Jake said as he and the other guys entered the café
"Hey everyone" Karen said
"How was the dress fittings?" Nathan said coming up behind Haley and kissing her on the cheek
"Fun" Haley replied, "How about the tux fittings?"
"Torture" Chris said taking a seat next to Haley
"Oh, poor Chris" Karen said placing a hand on his right hand
"It is only for a little while and than you can take off the tie and jacket at the reception" Theresa said looking down the counter towards him
"Good thing" Chris replied, "Karen, where is Meredith and Sam?"
"Oh, Meredith wanted to go to the park with Abby, so Sam offered to take them and give Abby's mom a break for a little while. They should be back soon."
"So, guys what are the plans for dinner?" Lucas said as he and the rest of the group came walking up to the counter and stood behind the others
"We were going to ask you guys the same question" Peyton replied
"Well, I could make dinner at the house" Karen said
"Mom, we don't want you to do that. You have been working all day" Nathan said
"It is not a problem. Besides, it is good to cook for more than just the two of us. It would be a while though. I am still waiting for Jackie to come in for her shift"
"That is fine." Theresa replied, "It won't kill us to wait a while"
"Speak for yourself" Mouth replied
"Hey that was my comment" Skills said
"I know, which is why I said it" Mouth said smiling towards his friend causing the group to laugh
"How about we head to the rivercourt for a while?" Jake said, "We can find Sam and Meredith on the way"
"Sounds good to me" Lucas replied
"Let's go than" Nathan said as the guys started towards the door
"Karen, do you need any help with dinner?" Haley said
"No, you go ahead with them"
"Are you sure? We hate to leave you to cook dinner by yourself" Brooke added
"Girls, I can handle it. Now, go." Karen replied smiling
"Sure?" Peyton asked
"Go" Karen said laughing, "Someone has to make sure they come home"
"Okay, but call if you need some help. We have our cells" Theresa said as they stood from the stools
"Okay, have fun" Karen replied as they walked out of the café. She smiled to herself, shook her head and turned back towards the coffee maker to finish the cleaning she had been doing earlier. Keith, I wish you were here to see this, she thought
A few minutes, the group stepped on the rivercourt. They had found Theresa, Meredith and Abby at the nearby park.
"Man, it feels weird to be back here again" Nathan said looking around
"Yea, it does. Last time we were here, you were sitting on the sidelines in a wheelchair and Brooke was not with us" Lucas replied
"Yea, you guys came out here after I was already on the plane heading home" Brooke said
"Chris, do you want to play?" Skills asked
"Nah, I am good." Chris replied sitting down on the bleachers next to Mouth and the rest of the group
"I meant to ask you little brother" Nathan said walking towards Chris, "Did you ever think anymore about trying out for the NBA?"
"Yea, I thought about it. I told you that" Chris replied
"I know that, but did you actually come to a decision about actually trying out?" Nathan siad
"I would like too, but I am not good enough. Plus, I don't play anywhere. No scout is going to come see me play in my driveway"
"We will see about that" Nathan said before walking away
"Shoot for teams" Skills said as the guys began to shoot the ball into the net to determine teams
"What did Nate mean by that?" Chris asked turning to Haley
"You never know with him, but if you want a tryout, he will get you a tryout" Haley replied
"Oh" Chris said turning back as the guys began their game
"Mouth, what time does Erica get in tomorrow?" Sam asked a few minutes later
"Her flight lands at 9am" Mouth responded
"I am so glad that you two finally decided to make it all offical" Haley added
"Yea, it took about two weeks before Erica called and said she had a job in New York down the street from my office. She moved in with me the next week"
"You guys don't waste anytime. I didn't know you were living together that quick." Brooke said
"We didn't have the same room. We were roommates who just happened to be dating."
"And Now?" Brooke asked
"Now, we share a bedroom and use the other room for storage" Mouth said smiling
"I am glad that you are happy, Mouth" Peyton said
"Me too"
"Remember that date we got you ready for last year with Erica?" Theresa asked
"Oh, yes. The date queen" Mouth replied, "You lived up to your name from high school that day" Mouth said looking towards Brooke
"What can I say? It is a gift" Brooke replied causing the group to laugh
"Nathan is looking really good out there" Chris said without turning his head from the game.
"Yea, he is" Peyton replied, "It is good to see him back to his old self again"
"Yea, I was afraid he would never play basketball again" Sam added
"I knew he would. Just had to have a little faith" Haley said
"Well, I think he had a little help too" Chris said turning his head to look at Haley. Haley responded by simply smiling
"Come on little brother" Lucas said out on the court as he and Nathan faced off. Lucas trying to block the shot that Nathan was looking to make.
"Just like old times, huh?" Nathan responded as he dribbled the ball
"Just like old times" Lucas responded as Nathan shot the ball over his head and he turned to watch it go in
"Get used to that. I could do it all day long" Nathan said
"Oh, lord. His ego is back too" Jake said as he grabbed the ball and passes it towards Lucas, his teammate
"Yea, and I think it has gotten bigger" Lucas said dribbling the ball and trying to keep Nathan from stealing it
"I can still move faster than you, old man" Nathan said
"Nate, you do realize that he is only a couple of months older than you" Skills said trying to block Jake so Lucas could not pass him the ball
"Yea, but he is still older" Nathan replied stealing the ball from his brother and dribbling the ball to make a slam dunk.
"19, 20" Skills said
"I am not letting you win that easy" Lucas said as he passes the ball towards Jake after retrieving it
"Okay, well, bring your "A" game" Nathan said smiling towards his brother. He had missed the banter between the two of them when they were playing the game they both loved
"Luke" Jake said as he passed the ball to Lucas who shot the ball before Nathan could cover him. He watched as the ball went into the net with a SWISH
"20, 20" Lucas said, "Next basket wins"
"Okay, Skills, it is me and you. We can't let these two win" Nathan said walking with Skills towards the ball
"I got it, Nate"
"Come on Luke! Come on Nate!" Meredith yelled from the sidelines
"So, you are cheering for us both now?" Lucas asked his little sister
"Yea, one of you is going to win" Meredith replied as she started yelling again, this time Abby joined her, "Come on Luke! Come on Nate!"
"Don't want to disappoint the little sister" Nathan said Skills passed him the ball and he dribbled it, moving to try and get passed Lucas. He shot the ball from center court
"And it is Scott for the win" Mouth said as the group stood from their seats. SWISH, "It's good!"
"Way to go, Nate!" Haley yelled from the bleachers
"Yea, Nate!" Peyton added
"Okay, it is bad when your best friend and my fiancee are happy when we lose" Jake said as he walked towards Lucas.
"Well, it is not so bad when my best friend and your fiancee are also his girlfriend and best friend"
"I think it is a conflict of interest" Jake replied smiling
"What?" Nathan said turning towards Jake
"Nothing" Jake said laughing, "Just trying to give a hard time. Good game guys"
"Yea, good to have you back Nate" Lucas replied pulling his brother into a hug
"Good to be back" Nathan said as the four guys walked towards the bleachers and sat down with the others
"You looked good out there" Haley said leaning up to talk to Nathan
"Thanks Hales. It felt good to be back out there" Nathan replied
"Rematch?" Jake asked a few minutes later
"Yea, one more game and than we head home for dinner" Skills said as the four guys made their way back on to the court
"Well, I guess we know what they will be doing when we are having our parties" Brooke said
"Yea, we will surely know where to find them" Theresa added as the group watched the game unfolded before them on that river court
At the Scott house, Karen was moving around the kitchen getting things done for dinner when the doorbell rang. She checked the food before moving to the front door to answer it.
"Trent" Karen said as she opened the front door and smiled at Theresa's older brother
"Hey Karen" Trent said as he was pulled into a hug
"I thought you weren't coming till tomorrow" Karen said as she motioned for him to come into the house
"I wanted to surprise T, but I can't find her"
"She is probably at the river court with everyone else. They are all home except Erica. They will be coming here for dinner" Karen said as began walking towards the kitchen were her dinner was cooking
"Okay."
"You are welcome to hang out here and stay for dinner"
"Thank you. I would like that" Trent responded as he followed her into the kitchen, "Need any help?"
"No, I got it under control, but thank you"
"Okay" Trent said taking a seat at the kitchen table
"So, what has been going on? Theresa said you have been busy" Karen said
"Yea, I have been busy, just not with only work" Trent replied
"You met someone?"
"Yea, I did. And she is everything I have ever wanted in someone to share time with"
"So, tell me about her"
"I haven't even told Theresa about her yet"
"I won't tell anyone"
Trent laughed before continuing, "Okay, her name is Rachel. She is a nurse and she just moved to DC a few months ago. I met her in the ER when I brought a young child in who had been involved in a serious car acciedent that I had witnessed. After we got the poor child stable, we had a minute to sit in the hallway and formally introduce ourselves and I asked her out for coffee when her shift was over. We met at a little café around the corner, one that she said reminded her of home. We sat for hours talking about anything and everything. And than she told where she was from, she is from Tree Hill"
Karen looked up at Trent as he said that, "She is from here?"
"Yea, come to find out she was working at Tree Hill General when Nathan was there"
"Does she have red hair?" Karen asked
"Yea, why?"
"She was one of the nurses that moved Nathan from the ICU to a regular room. Theresa said her name was Rachel Gettina"
"That is her. So, T does know her"
"I am not sure if she knows her more like she knows of her. They kind of stuck to their own group once they found each other" Karen said as she looked out the kitchen window, "Speaking of that group, here they come"
"Oh, I am going to go hide" Trent said
"Living Room" Karen said as Trent quickly moved towards the living room before the group reached the back door
"Hey Guys" Karen said as they walked into the kitchen
"Hey mom." Nathan said
"It smells good in here" Skills said walking over to the stove
"Back away" Karen said smiling
"Sorry Mom" Skill said smiling
"How was the river court?" Karen asked turning to face the group
"It was fun. Skills and I beat Jake and Lucas" Nathan said
"We let him win, Mom" Lucas said
"Yea, whatever" Skills replied
"Hey Theresa, can you go in the living room for me and grab the letter on the end table?" Karen asked Theresa who just happened to be the closest one to the doorway
"Sure" Theresa said walking away
Karen looked at Skills before pointing with her spoon towards the living room and mouthing 'Trent'. A minute later, the group heard Theresa scream. As the group rushed to the living room, Trent was laughing as he held his sister in a hug
"Hey guys" Trent said looking towards the group
"Trent, good to see you man" Skills said patting him on the shoulder
"Good to see you too, Skills. T, you can let go now"
"Oh, sorry" Theresa said as she let go of her brother and wiped at the tears that had been falling down her face
"T, why are you crying?" Trent asked
"Hormones. They both do it" Jake said as he shook Trent's hand
"Hey" Peyton said wiping at her own tears. She knew how much Theresa missed her brother
"It is the truth though" Skills added
"Hey guys, dinner is ready" Karen called from the kitchen saving Jake and Skills from their soon to be wives. The group moved to the kitchen to began eating. They spent the next few hours talking. The girls about the upcoming parties and the guys about the many basketball games they would be playing while the girls would be having their parities. They all knew this would probably be one of the last quiet times that week, things were about to get crazy.
