Back with another update! I know I know…I'm a jerk! The only excuse is that I have been so exhausted lately and have been sleeping like crazy. I'm sorry, though. And I apologize because there isn't a whole lot of Naley (or Sophie) in this chapter, but the next one will make up for that.
As always, thank you for all of the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to Julz, Steffsche (also for chapter 19), Me, Naleyluv, anom, Othfan48, Sophiaaaaa (also for chapters 18 & 19), grumpie2003 (I hope that's true about nobody but Lexie and Teddy), naleyalways4eva, courtneylovejason, rosepetal16, JamesLover23, thekellay, and jsjazz13 for taking the time to review. Your words truly put a smile on my face.
Not much to say so let's just get to reading. :)
"Hey, foxy." Peyton greeted plopping down on the bed next to the brunette who was fiddling with her hair. "How did you sleep?"
"Fine." Haley mumbled unconvincingly.
"Well, Sophie is in the kitchen with Jake and Jenny eating breakfast so we have some much needed girl time ahead of us. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really." Haley once again mumbled.
"Fair enough. Do you want to watch a movie?" Peyton asked as Haley shook her head. "Okay, then. Do you want to get some breakfast?" Once again, Haley only shook her head. "Yeah, you've got the right idea, because simply laying here pouting about everything is so much more fun and entertaining." She teased which actually caused a small smile to appear on her lips. "Jake said he and Owen got Nathan back to the hotel okay. They said he passed out in the car and they had to basically carry him up to the room. I just wanted to reassure you that he got home safely since I know you are worried about him regardless of the situation."
Haley let out a sardonic laugh, "Gosh, I'm such a push-over, aren't I?"
"No. You just care about him."
"And that has just been working out so well for me." Haley said dramatically. "Gosh, why is he such a jerk?"
"Because he's Nathan. When isn't he a jerk?" Peyton asked rhetorically.
"True."
"I think Nathan felt threatened." Peyton began cautiously.
"About what?" Haley questioned confused.
Peyton took a deep breath before proceeding, "Maybe of Julian."
"Why would Nathan feel threatened of Julian?" Haley asked looking at her friend who only raised her eyebrows pointedly at her. "Please. If you're implying that Nathan was jealous then you're clearly mistaken."
"Am I?"
"Yes. Hello! Do you not realize who you're talking about? You're talking about Nathan Scott-the guy who can pretty much get any girl in the world. He doesn't want me. And it's not like that between us. I admit there may be some sexual tension, and we may have almost kissed one another but…"
"What? And when was this?" Peyton interrupted.
"Not too long ago. But really, it was nothing. It was in the heat of the moment. And I was there, and Nathan's not able to just go out and hook up with anyone like he used to so it was only natural that he'd try to act on anything."
"And what about you? What is your excuse for almost kissing him?" The blond challenged.
"I was also in the heat of the moment. It has been awhile for me as well so I guess it was natural for me, too."
Peyton couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend. For such a bright girl, Haley could be so naïve at times. She realized that this debate about whether or not Nathan was jealous probably wasn't going to get them anywhere so she decided on a different approach. "Okay, maybe he wasn't jealous of Julian because of you per say, but maybe more about the possibility of this guy just waltzing in and disrupting his new life…with you and Sophie. Maybe he's worried about you getting serious with this guy and taking Sophie away from him."
"We already talked about those kinds of circumstances. Kind of. And he doesn't have anything to worry about in terms of Julian and me and Sophie. We are just friends. Before, I thought there could have been something between us, and I do care about him, but it's different now. I've moved on from whatever feelings I once had for him. I still enjoy his company and like conversing with him, but there's nothing romantically there anymore. Nathan's attitude had nothing to do with Julian." Haley responded.
"Okay." Peyton simply stated not wanting to push the conversation too far and upset her friend. Haley would just have to figure things out on her own. She just hopes Nathan figures things out for himself and takes the next step sooner rather than later. Things between Nathan and Haley were very clearly shifting which could be a really bad thing or a really good thing depending on how the two decided to act on things.
Nathan groaned as he turned over in the bed. His eyes squinted open, and he was instantly met with the sunlight beaming through the window. He snapped his eyes shut as he rolled back over digging his face into the pillow. It literally felt like someone was hitting him in the head over and over with a sledge hammer. After laying there for a few quiet moments, he finally forced his eyes open as he gently pushed himself up and out of the bed. That was when he noticed how quiet and deserted the hotel room was. Checking the bathroom, he realized that both Haley and Sophie weren't there. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed Haley's number.
"You've reached Haley James…"
Nathan didn't bother to listen to the rest of the voicemail as he abruptly ended his call in frustration. The night prior all came flooding back to him. His hangover was bad before but now with remembering the way he acted and the things he said, it had increased greatly. He grabbed a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and his charcoal grey fleece sweatshirt before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. He could smell the alcohol remnants on his clothes as well as seeping through the pores of his body, and it was enough to make him want to throw up even more.
Fifteen minutes later, Nathan was opening the door to Karen's Café and walking straight towards the counter where he saw the older brunette standing. "Hey, Karen." He greeted as he took a seat on one of the stools closest across from her.
"Nathan." Karen stated.
Nathan looked at her confused with the tone she was using. Her tone wasn't mean or anything like that, but it was a little stern and not as "welcoming" as he was accustomed to with her. Then, he realized she probably heard about or witnessed his behavior at the wedding. He suddenly felt like he was sitting in front of his mother waiting for her to start chastising him before giving him some form of punishment.
"Do you need some coffee?" She asked.
"If you don't mind that would be great." He answered cautiously. He watched as she nodded at him kind of tersely before retrieving the coffee pot and placing a mug in front of him pouring in some of the steaming hot coffee.
"How about something to eat? The special today is a turkey sandwich, and I have to say it's really good while nursing a…headache." She said.
Nathan noticed a tiny hint of a smirk on her lips, "Sure." He answered. Again, he watched as she wrote out his order on her menu pad before disappearing to the back for just a couple seconds. He remained silent as she walked towards him and stopping once she was in front of him. He took a second to survey the café, and he realized it was pretty deserted with only three tables actually occupied with just a couple of people sitting at each one. He turned and noticed Karen still staring at him almost like she was waiting for him to say something. "Have you by chance seen Haley today?" He questioned timidly.
"I have." She answered vaguely.
"Do you know where she is?"
"Yup."
Nathan knew she was purposely answering his questions so vaguely, and he had an inner battle within himself as to whether he should try to pursue anything further. Just then, he heard the door chime, and he instinctively turned around. That was when he noticed Peyton walking in with Sophie. And he definitely noticed the glare she was sending his way as she proceeded in his direction. He ignored her as he focused on Sophie. At least she seemed more than pleased to see him as she extended her arms towards him. He smiled boisterously at her as he took her in his arms. "Hey, Soph. I missed you." He said kissing the girl on her cheek soundly.
Nathan looked back up and noticed both Karen and Peyton staring at him-Peyton still sporting her glare while Karen was still sporting her stern look but a hint of softness which he assumed was due to Sophie's presence. "So…how's it going?"
"Seriously?" Peyton questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You're trying to make small talk."
"I guess." He replied lamely. "It beats sitting here in awkward silence receiving death glares from you." He added.
"Well, it's not like you don't deserve it." She countered.
Nathan ignored her comment. It may have been true-okay, definitely true, but he was in no mood to give Peyton the satisfaction. He turned back to Karen, "Do you think you could tell me where Haley is?"
"Why? She doesn't need to see you right now." Peyton jumped in.
"Peyton…" Karen chided good-naturedly before looking at Nathan, "Maybe you should just let her cool off and wait for her to come back to the hotel."
"But that could be hours." He complained.
"Well, Nathan, I'm sorry but you'll just have to deal with that." She said smiling softly at him as she pushed herself away from the counter and walked away to the back.
He sighed defeated as he watched her retreating form. He heard Peyton let out a scoff next to him, "Just say it, Peyton." He demanded turning towards her. "Go ahead and call me a jerk or a jackass or anything else you may want to say. I know I deserve it, okay, so you might as well get it over with."
"I just have a question for you." Peyton began as he waited expectantly, "why were you acting like such a…let's just use one of your words…jackass last night?"
"I don't know." He semi lied.
"That's disappointing." She stated.
He looked at her confused while asking her what she meant by that.
"Well, maybe if you tried to be a little bit more honest with yourself and with Haley when you do talk to her then maybe you can fix whatever caused you to be such a…word number two…jerk. And also for the record, you and Haley have both got to be two of the most naïve and stubborn people in the world."
Before Nathan could say anything more or even ponder anything further, Karen had walked back out placing the plate with his turkey sandwich along with some plain potato chips down in front of him. "Salt and fatty foods also help with headaches." She said winking at him before grabbing the coffee pot and checking on some customers sitting around the café.
Nathan ate his food in silence while sharing it with Sophie. He couldn't help but laugh at how much this girl could eat. She was so little, but she could certainly put a lot away. It reminded him of Haley which caused him to instantly smile. After finishing his food with Sophie's help, he drank the last drop of his coffee before pushing both the mug and his plate further away from him on the counter. He heard Peyton's voice sounding again, and he couldn't help but let out a tiny groan.
"You know…you don't deserve anything, but Haley might just be visiting the cemetery right now." She stated 'slyly'. "And I might just be willing to watch Sophie for awhile if you want to go check if you are really desperate to find her and talk to her."
"Really?" He questioned surprised.
Peyton turned and looked at him. She didn't answer, but by the look on her face he knew she was being completely serious.
Nathan thanked her as he gave Sophie a kiss goodbye telling her he'd be back soon before dropping some money on the counter and booking it out of the café and into his SUV. It only took him just a few minutes before he was pulling into the Oakdale Cemetery. After getting out, he walked through the headstones knowing which direction to go and soon enough, he found Haley sitting on the grass in front of two headstones sitting side by side.
Haley was sitting peacefully when she felt a presence next to her. She didn't have to look up to know who it was. In a completely contradicting way, she was both relieved and annoyed that it was him. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he took a seat down next to her.
"Hey." Nathan greeted quietly. He waited for her to respond, but she remained silent. He sighed softly as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, Haley." Still nothing. "Haley, please, can we just talk about this?" He pleaded.
"You know…" She began taking a deep sigh, "just like you have a hard time opening up about your parents, I also have a hard time opening up. Brooke is the only person I ever told about that night, and I trusted you. You really hurt me, Nathan."
"I know."
"No, you don't know!" She snapped actually surprising them both. "You don't know." She said a little more calmly after taking a quick moment before continuing. "I thought we were finally at this point where we were friends or at least trying to be friends or whatever this has been. For months, we haven't fought or been mean to each other or anything like we used to in the past. And it's been so nice. My whole life changed in one day. I lost my best friend who was so much more than just a best friend. I essentially became a mother. I quit my job. I moved away from my family and friends. And I'm not saying you haven't been affected by this nor am I blaming you for anything. I'm just talking about me. But it's just…it hasn't been easy, Nathan. But somehow you and Sophie have made it easier day by day. And when you treated me the way you did and said what you did, I felt so betrayed. And it really hurts."
"I'm so sorry, Haley. I know that sorry doesn't make up for anything, and I have no excuse for the way I acted or for what I said to you. I was drunk, and I'm not using that as an excuse-I'm not. But I was."
"But why were you drinking so much? I was there, Nathan. You were acting like that before you even started drinking heavier than just beer. I just don't know why you were acting like that in the first place." She stated.
Nathan knew she wanted answers, and she deserved the truth, but he wasn't sure he could actually come completely clean about it. He was still trying to admit and accept it himself, because he was in fact jealous. He realizes this. But he didn't know what to do about it. Things were good between them, and he didn't want to risk screwing that up. "I don't know. I guess…I was just…I don't know." He offered lamely looking down shamefully.
Haley closed her eyes and shook her head. That was definitely not the answer she wanted to hear from him. She deserved more than that, and it hurt that he couldn't-or wouldn't-give that to her. She wasn't exactly sure what his answer would have been or even what she wanted his answer to be, but she wanted some kind of answer. It was clear he was upset with her, but she didn't know why. It just hurt that he couldn't tell her. She thought they were finally at that turning point, but she guessed not.
Two weeks had passed-two very long weeks. Nathan and Haley were now back in Charlotte and back to their old routine…except for the fact that they rarely talked. Aside from anything related to Sophie or the simple 'how was your day?' types of questions, they relatively kept to themselves. It was more of Haley than Nathan, though, as he tried to get them back on track. He repeatedly apologized until she finally told him to just stop. She said she believed he was sorry, and she accepted it and forgave him already. Nathan knew she was anything but fine but decided maybe it was best to give her some space. He just hoped it wouldn't be too much longer, because he missed her greatly. It was so weird how you can live with someone and see them every single day but yet feel so far away at the same time.
Haley was lounging on the couch with a blanket draped over her form channel surfing looking for anything worthwhile to watch on the television. She let out an irritated sigh as she flipped and flipped yet nothing looked appealing. She perused through her DVR wondering if there were any recordings she forgot about, but again, nothing. Giving up, she settled on A Baby Story on TLC. As she continued to watch, she found herself completely fascinated with the couple whose life was currently being depicted onscreen. It was a story about a couple in their early thirties who have been trying to get pregnant for seven years. After several failed attempts, they finally went to a fertility expert only to be told there didn't seem to be anything wrong with either of them. So they went back to trying. Finally after another year later, she became pregnant. But it hasn't been an easy transition complete with too much weight loss, preeclampsia, bed rest, and a baby who was too eager to come into this world resulting in a premature delivery. The baby was currently in an incubation tube in the NICU as the parents along with the medical staff waited on pins and needles to see if the baby boy would even make it through the night.
Nathan walked into the living room with Sophie in tow clad in just a towel having just finished a bath. He took a seat on the couch brushing up against Haley's feet placing Sophie on his lap as he began to run a brush through her short, slightly damp, chocolate locks. He turned and noticed tears in Haley's eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
Haley nodded solemnly, "Yeah."
Noticing that her eyes were glued to the television, Nathan turned and caught site of what she was watching. It made complete sense now as the first thing he saw was a baby in the hospital, and he had to stifle back a laugh which was threatening to escape. She was such a girl sometimes. He finished brushing Sophie's hair and then got started on dressing her in a white long-sleeved nightshirt with a little pink flower on the front and a pair of pink pajama pants. "You ready to go to bed, Soph."
Sophie shook her head vigorously, and Nathan knew instantly that he wasn't going to have an easy time getting her to sleep. It was definitely going to be a 'let her cry herself to sleep' kind of nights. He absolutely hated those nights, but it was the only way to get her to actually sleep sometimes. "All right…well, I'm going to go put her to bed." He said turning towards Haley.
Haley sat upright on the couch pulling the little girl in her embrace. "Good night, sweetie. Give me a kiss." She said leaning back slightly as Sophie kissed her on the lips. Haley smiled at the little girl before handing her back to Nathan who stood up and disappeared from the living room and into Sophie's bedroom.
Ten minutes had passed. Nathan was still with Sophie while Haley was still lying along the couch. She heard a knock at the door. She glanced at the clock as her eyebrows scrunched wondering who on earth would be here at this time of night. Throwing the blanket off of her body, she stood up from the couch making her way towards the door. She swung it open and there stood Dan Scott, and she swore she felt a shiver pass through her body. Instinctively glancing behind her to see if Nathan had come out yet, she inwardly cursed when he hasn't. She turned back around and was met with Dan who was giving her a quick overview before smirking. Haley wanted to throw up right then and there. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes. I would like to speak to my son." Dan said with a tone anything but friendly.
"Well, he's a little busy right so I..." Haley was interrupted as Dan brushed passed her making sure to add a little force in the process as he walked straight into their apartment. "Come on in." She mumbled sarcastically. It took everything inside of her not to scream. Taking a moment to compose herself, she shut the door. She turned around and followed Dan's footsteps and found him checking the place out. She heard him let a low chuckle as he turned around to face her.
"I see my son's turned into quite the little pansy, hasn't he?" He laughed. "Please tell me that you decorated, because at least that way he'd still have half of his balls still left."
Haley scoffed at his crude statements. She still could not believe Dan Scott was standing in their apartment. What the heck did he want?
"I'm not surprised, though." He stated as Haley looked at him confused. She didn't quite get what he meant by that. Dan smiled evilly at her before continuing, "My son did always have a soft spot for charity cases-one in particular." He said as he once again gave her an overview.
Haley brought her arms up crossing them in front of her chest. She wasn't wearing anything revealing. She had on a pair of black sweatpants, a long-sleeved navy blue t-shirt, and even a pair of socks so she was pretty much completely covered. But the look he was giving and the way he kept checking her out was making her really uncomfortable.
"So are you guys sleeping together yet?" He asked.
"Excuse me?" She bit out. She couldn't believe he seriously just asked her that.
"I asked if you guys were sleeping together yet." He repeated.
"That...that's really inappropriate and quite frankly none of your business." She responded.
"Is that a yes or a no?" He prodded unfazed by her response. He smirked as she sent him a look of complete disgust before turning away from him. "I'm guessing it's a no. I know my son pretty well, and let's just say you're missing a few assets and attributes compared to the normal girls he tends to go for. You're not exactly his type. But on the other hand, it is you."
Ignoring the obvious dig he made with his first comment, Haley wanted to ask him what the hell he meant with his second comment and his emphasis of the word 'you', but the sound of feet shuffling into the room prompted her in keeping her mouth shut. She felt her body tense slightly. How was Nathan going to react when he saw his father standing in the living room of their apartment?
"Well, she's asl..." Nathan stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed who was standing there. What the hell was his dad doing here? "What are you doing here?"
"Why I'm here to see you, son." Dan smirked. "You don't call or write or visit. How else am I supposed to talk to my one and only son now that the other worthless one is dead?"
Haley's mouth dropped open in shock at his words. What kind of man says that about his child? She looked over at Nathan. She could tell he had been affected by Dan's words, but at the same time, the look on his face also indicated that he wasn't all that surprised either.
"You need to leave. There is nothing more for us to talk about." Nathan said sternly.
"That's not true. There are plenty of things we could talk about." Dan began. "For starters, we could talk about basketball. That's always a great topic of conversation. Hey, even Miss James here can join in since she knows so much about the game." He said with exaggerated emphasis while sending a pointed look her way.
"Leave her out of this." Nathan warned.
Dan chuckled, "Oh right, we don't talk about her, do we?" He challenged.
Haley saw something flicker in Nathan's eyes, and she couldn't read it. She watched the exchange between Dan and Nathan, and there was definitely something more going on there, and she had the feeling that it more than involved her. She instantly flashed back to when Brooke told her the truth about why Nathan had punched Dan. She was really worried that she was about to witness the next physical fight between them, because the anger radiating off of Nathan was very present right now.
"Seriously, Dad, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked.
"Besides wanting to see you," Dan began as Nathan rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I wanted to come by and personally tell you that I'll be staying at the beach house for awhile since your mother and I are separating."
"She finally kicked you to the curb?" Nathan questioned.
"Hardly. And I wouldn't count on this separation lasting too long. Your mother is just not herself lately. You see, she has polished off the last of our wine collection along with all of the other alcohol in our house so she's channeling her pent up frustration on me. She's just at a moment of weakness, and I plan on at least humoring her for awhile, but once I stock up the house again, I'll be back home." Dan said.
"And that doesn't concern you?" Nathan questioned.
"Does it concern you?" Dan challenged. "You know, Nathan, maybe you should try and figure out why your mother drinks so much. Maybe it's because her one and only son has practically abandoned her and cut her out of his life. So maybe instead of trying to lay a guilt trip on me, you should be pointing the finger at yourself. And while we're on the subject, your mother is a grown woman. If she wants to drink then I don't give a damn. Hell, it keeps her from talking to me so it doesn't faze me one bit."
Nathan knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but feel guilty. It wasn't because of Dan saying it was his fault that his mother drinks so much. He knew that wasn't true considering she started drinking long before he basically cut her out of his life. What he was feeling guilty about, though, was his lack of trying to help. He tried. He really did so he knows he shouldn't feel guilty. His mother is the one who has to actually acknowledge she has a problem and want to do something about it or nothing will ever work. But maybe he didn't try hard enough. Maybe instead of shutting her out, he should have really pushed and encouraged her to get help.
Haley watched the plethora of emotions passing through Nathan's face, and she hated the way Dan was trying to manipulate his own son. What kind of man did that? Nathan didn't deserve to feel the weight of his mother's problem on his shoulders, and she wanted to make sure he realized that. "Nathan, it's not your fault." She said quietly.
"And what prêt ail do you know about our family, Miss James?" Dan snarled at the girl.
"I know more than you think and even if I didn't, I know Nathan. And your son is not the one who's at fault for Deb's drinking." Haley said without skipping a beat.
"And I suppose you think it's mine."
"I never said that. As you've stated, Deb is a grown woman who makes her own choices, but out of everyone involved, Nathan is the one who owns no fault in it." She argued.
"Man, you two really must be sleeping together." He said capturing Nathan's attention once again. He laughed at the glare his son was sending his way. "You've got your own little personal cheerleader here, Nate. I've got to hand it to you, Miss James." He began turning to face Haley once again also chuckling at the look on her face. "You're quite the actress. You almost have me fooled. It's such a shame my son can't see through your innocent little act. I know exactly what type of girl you are."
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know enough about you, little girl. I know who your parents are…or should I say were considering your daddy skipped town as your mother lies buried in a coffin."
Haley barely had any time to process what he had just said when she heard a loud 'crack' as Dan went stumbling backwards. Turning towards Nathan, she saw him shaking his right hand while wincing slightly, and she realized he had just hit his father once again. Instinctively, she looked at his hand and let out a sigh of relief when it didn't appear to be as bad as the last time. And Nathan was bending his fingers so she was more than sure that it wasn't broken.
"You need to leave right now before I call the cops! And believe me I have no problem doing it!" Nathan exclaimed.
Dan wiped the blood from his lip as he glared at his son as he walked towards the door with Nathan trailing closely behind him. He stopped abruptly arriving at the door and turned back around with a smirk on his face, "Think about what you're doing, Nathan. She's not worth it. They're not worth it." He stated referring to both Haley and Sophie.
"Get the hell out of here and don't ever say anything like that to me again because a right hook to your jaw will be the least of your worries!" Nathan threatened.
"Go ahead and wreck your life over some girl. You might as well considering you already quit basketball, right. What's one more mistake? I'll see you around, son." Dan said one final time before exiting out of the apartment slamming the door shut behind him.
Taking a moment to compose himself, Nathan turned around to find Haley standing behind him. "I'm sorr…" Before he can finish, her lips were on his in a soft kiss. The kiss was simple as Haley let her lips linger against his for just a bit before breaking contact and backing away. She smiled ever so softly at him as he stood there in shock. "Wha…what was that for?" He stammered.
"For standing up for me with your dad."
"Well, he was way out of line."
"I wasn't talking about just tonight." She said capturing his full attention-not that she didn't already have it, but he was definitely more alert now. "I was also talking about the day you broke your hand." She revealed sending a soft smile his way. "Put some ice on your hand." She ordered softly before turning and walking away leaving him even more shocked than before.
Nathan walked into the house fresh from his run with sweat dripping down his body as he panted heavily. Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator after arriving in the kitchen, he sucked back the whole thing in one gulp. He threw the empty plastic container into the trash can before walking over towards the island placing his elbows on the surface and leaning his face to rest in his palms. He pushed himself too hard earlier. His head was still throbbing slightly from his hangover, and he really felt like he could throw up at any moment. But he had to work off his frustrations, and running was the way he had to do it. He took deep breaths when he heard heavy footsteps coming into the kitchen, and he let out a low groan already knowing who it was.
"Well, well…if it isn't my favorite son." Dan said walking further into the kitchen. He smirked as Nathan said nothing as well as not even acknowledging his presence. "What's wrong with you, Nathan? Are you still angry with our talk last night?"
"Just let it go, Dad."
"Now why would I do that? You know, you're just like that useless brother of yours. You can't do anything right anymore, and you're going to turn out just like him-stuck here living a life that will never satisfy you." Dan said.
"Projecting much?" Nathan quipped.
Dan ignored his son's comment and continued, "You're not quite as pathetic as your brother. Not yet anyway. He surpasses you because of that girl he's marrying. I thought it was just a fling, you know. She's a beautiful girl, and Lucas was in need of someone to keep his bed warm at night. And let's face it Brooke Davis sure knows how to do that considering how much she's been around."
"Brooke's not like that, dad. She's a good person, and she makes Lucas happy. He loves her. They love each other, and they're going to have a marriage filled with love and happiness. You can't say the same, can you?" Nathan challenged.
"Maybe you are closer to turning completely into Lucas than I thought. I heard you spent the night with that Haley girl last night." Dan stated.
"Gosh, not you, too. Not that you deserve an answer at all, but all I did was sleep there. I slept in the bed as she slept on the couch. There was nothing more to it so just drop it."
"I'm not blind, Nathan. I've seen the way you've looked at that girl all these years. And I've seen that picture you keep 'hidden' so don't try to pull one over on me." Dan countered.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Nathan bit out.
"Fine, continue with your denial. But I will say this, Nathan, she's not worth it. She comes from a completely different background than you do. You need to forget about that girl. She's nothing but lower class."
"You don't know anything about her." Nathan said feeling his anger rise.
"This is a small town, and I know all that I need to know. She doesn't belong with us. She's a waitress for God's sake. And she has more issues than you should have to deal with. Her daddy was nothing but a dead beat and ran off. The best thing that ever happened was when she left for California because I was sure you'd forget about her and move on, but then her mom just had to get sick. She should have just keeled over before Haley decided to move back here. She died just a little too late, huh." Dan chuckled. The next thing he knew, he felt an intense pain in his face as he flew back falling down to the ground.
Nathan didn't even think as his fist collided hard into his father's face. He was immediately met with a pain that almost took his breath away as he heard a 'crack'. He looked down and noticed how blue and purple his hand was already beginning to turn. He tried to "shake the pain away" only to feel a more intense level of pain causing him to wince loudly. Not bothering to take another glance at his father, he grabbed his keys from the island counter and walked straight out of the house. Sliding into the driver's seat of his SUV, he winced as his hand kept hitting against things. He realized this was not going to be an easy task as he started the engine and pulled the gear into reverse. On his way to the hospital, he kept replaying what had just happened over and over in his head. He couldn't believe how low his father had stooped with the things he was saying about Haley's mother. He had definitely crossed a line and more than deserved that punch. He was just praying that his father was feeling the type of pain he deserved.
Nathan fished out his keys as he stared at the door in front of him. He knew he had to do this or at least try, but he was nervous and apprehensively. After minutes of debating back and forth in his head, he finally placed on the keys into the lock and turned it. The house still looked the same as it always did-dark and intimidating. He walked through the foyer looking for any sign of her, and he found her sitting in the living room with a glass of wine. "I guess dad stocked the place once again." He muttered bitterly before shaking those thoughts away. He had to try to remain positive or his anger and resentment would probably get the best of him. "Hey, mom." He greeted quietly.
Deb was completely stunned to see her son standing in the room. "Nathan. What are you doing here?" She asked standing up to face him.
"I think we should talk." He stated simply, timidly.
"Of course. Come…sit down." She gestured towards the couch as she herself plopped down.
Hesitating for a brief moment, he finally took a seat next to her.
"It's so good to see you." She said. She hadn't seen him since Christmas nor had she talked to him since, and it was such a pleasant, unexpected surprise. She felt nervous, though. Her conversations with him never seem to end on a pleasant note, and she was also curious as to what he wanted to talk to her about. She knew this was anything but a simple social visit.
Nathan took a deep breath. "Mom, you have a problem." He said jumping straight to the point.
"What are you talking about, Nathan?"
"You're an alcoholic, and you need to get some help." He replied.
"Nathan, I am not an alcoholic. I'm fine. So I occasionally enjoy a glass of wine or two-that doesn't mean I have a problem." She said shaking her head as she stood up from the couch.
Nathan was quick to follow as he felt a sudden anger pass through his body, "Mom, stop!" He exclaimed causing her to turn around surprised by his sudden outburst. "For once in your life, can you just listen to me and talk to me? I came here today out of concern for you. I want to see you get better so can you please just hear me out?"
Deb nodded softly.
"You do have a problem, and you need to admit it. There's nothing wrong with it. People develop addictions all of the time, and it's okay. But it isn't okay to not do anything about it or at least try. Nobody will look down on you for trying to get better, but everyone looks down on you for not doing something about it. You have the opportunity to get better, and all I'm asking is that you try."
"Nathan…"
"I have some brochures here for some rehabilitation facilities here in North Carolina," He quickly interrupted. "I want you to get better, mom. I want you to be in my life again."
"I want that, too. I miss you, Nathan."
"But I can't do it." He declared. "Unless you sober up and get your life back together, I am telling you that this will be the last time I ever speak to you. I don't want Sophie around someone who has a problem like you do. She doesn't need to have that type of influence around her. And I am choosing Sophie in this situation. And I'm choosing myself. I was robbed of a mother growing up, and before it's too late, I would like to fix that. But it's up to you to make the changes necessary for that to happen. I'm here to support you. We are all here for you-Keith, Karen, even Haley. We are here for you through this whole process, and I know it isn't going to be easy, and we understand that. But we want to help you. Can you please just try?"
Tears clouded her vision as she began to feel overwhelmed with emotions. Instinctively, she reached for her wine glass bringing it to her lips only to have it softly taken from her hands. Her eyes met Nathan's.
"You don't need this, mom." He said softly but sternly.
"I'm sorry, Nathan." She cried, tears streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
Nathan stiffened as he felt his mother's arms around him. Things were so complicated between the two of them, and it was so natural for him to just brush his mother off. She made it easier and easier over the years. But now, he wanted her to know he was there for her. "I love you, mom. Just please get some help. If not for yourself then for me."
So please let me know what you think. I know things were kind of short and straight to the point, but I wanted to get through this chapter quickly to move onto the rest of the story.
And be on the lookout for another chapter soon. I would love to get one up for you on Friday, but I'm not going to make any promises. But I will promise to try really hard to do so. :)
Nine chapters left! And from here on out, I'm going to try to make the chapters nice and long for you guys.