"Hi." Haley said as she came into his room.
"Haley, what's going on? Nathan freaked when you left."
Haley lay next to her best friend. "Tonight's been the worst night of my life. The day was long and just, horrible."
Lucas held her hand. "What happened?"
"I can't get pregnant. And Nathan and I had a little argument about it. And I went into the bathroom and emptied out my birth control. And I left. I mean I've already disappointed my husband."
Lucas sighed heavily. "So, what are you going to do about it?" Haley didn't answer so Lucas turned see her sleeping and he covered her up and went to sleep with her.
The next morning, Lucas and Haley woke up to the sound of Karen yelling at them. Haley jumped up and started breathing heavily. "Karen, it's not what it looks like. I just slept over here because-"
Karen stopped her be holding up her hand. "I know Haley. Nathan called me when he figured you'd end up here to talk to your best friend/brother-in-law. Your husband knows you. You really are lucky to have that."
"I know, but- it's complicated Karen. I'm- I'm just gonna go." Haley said as she headed toward the door.
"Haley James Scott, don't you dare leave this house with an empty stomach. I need to speak with you." Karen said sternly. "Come into the kitchen." Haley followed her and sat down at the table. "So, Nathan seems really worried about you."
Haley smiled at that. "I know and I love him for that, it's just- if he's worried about me, he's not worried about himself. And I can't have him not focusing on himself. It's just not right."
"Haley." Karen said as she handed Haley a plate of breakfast. "You two are married. He kind of has to worry about you."
"But he needs to worry about himself first. I need him to worry about him so I can get help. I'm- uh, going to see my brother's therapist today after school and then I'm going to spend some quality time with my brother."
"What about going home to your husband? They guy you married?"
Haley just shook her head. "I can't see him until I'm better."
Karen put her hand atop Haley's. "Go home. Talk with your husband. He loves you."
At school, Haley went to her locker and took out her books. She felt someone kiss her cheek. She knew it was Nathan but she didn't bother to turn around or speak to him.
"Hi Haley, it's me your husband." Nathan said.
"I have to get to class." Haley said. She slammed her locker door shut and ran off to her first class. She had ignored Nathan all day. And she went to her brother's after school. She didn't even knock on the front door. She just walked right on in. "Hey Mike. It's your favorite sister."
Mike came out of the kitchen with a towel on his shoulder and he was wiping his hands. "Hey. I was in the middle of making dinner. You're glad to stay, but I thought you were married yourself. Speaking of, shouldn't you be having newlywed sex with him right now?"
Haley rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I can't. I need to talk to you."
Back at school, Nathan was in the gym lifting weights. Lucas came into the weight room and he sat next to the bench he was sitting at. "You were right. Haley did sleep over my house. But she should be back at your house tonight. Maybe now, even. Why don't you go check? Go home. Go home to your wife. I bet you fifty bucks she's there. The bedroom is lit with candles and rose petals on the bed. And she's waiting there for you, for her husband."
"It's a bet." And he shook his hand. He was so excited because he wanted to believe so much that she would be there that he rushed home. He looked around the whole apartment. He called Lucas up on the phone. "You owe me fifty bucks."
"What are you talking about? Haley isn't at home with you?" Nathan didn't say anything; he just hung up the phone.
"Wow that must suck. I know how much you were meant to be a mom." Mike said as he finished up dinner.
"Yeah, and it suck even more that Nathan was actually looking forward to being a dad."
"Speaking of, does he know you're here?" Haley shook her head. "Call him."
"I left my phone my home." Haley said as her brother handed her the phone. She dialed his number. "Hey Nathan its Haley I was just calling to let you-."
"Where the hell are you?"
Haley could hear the anger in his voice. "I'm at Mike's."
"Why are you at Mike's?"
"I'll see you whenever." Haley hung up the phone and sarcastically smiled at her brother. "Are you happy now, Michael Donavan James?"
"I'm not happy when you're not happy. I mean, you are my baby sister, I love and when you get hurt or upset or you just get sick. My natural big brother instinct tells me to protect you."
"And I need to sleepover. I- I can't go home tonight. I just can't. I also need a favor."
"One second." He held up his hand and went over to the bottom of the stairs. "Kids, dinner is ready." He went over to his sister. "What's the favor you need?"
"I need you to let me use your therapist. I mean with the scare and everything, and Nathan being my husband and potential father; I need help." Haley said as the kids came down to get their dinner and then ran back upstairs to finish their homework.
"Okay. We'll go tonight. You can use my appointment."
"When does Jacey come home?"
"In about an hour, we'll go then."
"Thank you. I'll be back." Haley got up and headed toward the bathroom. She dialed Lucas' number on the phone she took with her. "Hey Luke, don't talk just listen. I need you to cover for me. Please just tell Nathan that I'm studying over at your house."
"Where exactly are you? You're not like, cheating on him, are you?"
"No, I'm not cheating on him. I would never do that. I just, need some time for myself. I mean with everything that's happened, I need sort of a break from reality, you know?"
"I kind of do, Haley."
"So, will you cover for me?"
"Yeah, if he asks, you are sleeping at my house."
Haley could hear his sigh on the phone. "Thank you." Haley hung up the phone and exited the bathroom. "Hi, Mike. Can we order pizza or Chinese or something? I hate your cooking."
"Yeah, I know you hate my cooking. But I've gotten much better since I had kids and I didn't want to kill them."
"Good answer." Haley said as she handed him the phone. "I'd like a small all veggie, please."
About an hour and a half later, Haley had gone to therapy. All she talked about was how Nathan wanted a baby and how she couldn't have one. And she thought she was ruining his life and disappointing him. She didn't want to do that. And then she went back to her brother's house and she borrowed her sister-in-law's clothes to sleep in.
When she woke up the next morning, she took a quick shower and grabbed a light breakfast. She wrote a not to her brother telling him she would be moving in with him for a while until she had her head straight and she knew who she was.
Nathan knew Haley wasn't going to come back. He just knew that this was the end of his marriage. So he wrote an angry letter to her and he would put it in her locker. He had to do something drastic, so that maybe she would get angry at him and divorce him or something.
NEXT CHAPTER:
HALEY FINDS THE NOTE
HALEY MOVES BACK IN WITH HER PARENTS
NATHAN THINKS ABOUT MOVING BACK HOME
HALEY DOES SOMETHING SHE MIGHT REGRET
