Can't be Anyone Else
S01e43, part 1
Episode: Secrets…
A/N Please note that this is just part one. Part two should be up tomorrow. Thank you to thibbs65 and Clililou for their comments =)
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"Everything we do, every thought we've ever had, is produced by the human brain. But exactly how it operates remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries, and it seems the more we probe its secrets, the more surprises we find."
-Neil deGrasse Tyson-
Haley walked down the almost empty streets of Tree Hill. The chilly winter weather was starting to retreat – only a cool wind still lingered, blowing her dirty blond locks around.
Haley was actually glad for the wind; she still felt all hot and bothered after the Nathan/tickeling/hugging incident which had happened only a few minutes earlier. She felt herself flush as she remembered how close they had been; how Nathans arms had been wrapped around her, his warm breath on her neck.
She tried to shake of the feeling, but it was like it stuck to her heart and skin.
Why was she so bothered by it – she asked herself: Friends have tickle-fights? Friends hug? It wasn't a big deal she tried to rationalize – though her mind was screaming the opposite to her.
With a confused sigh, she let her hand run through her hair while walking. She was going to Karen's Café since she had finally managed to escape Nathan's grasp.
Stop thinking about him! She scolded herself, and wondered whether she had actually hurt him when she had kicked him?!
She was actually thankful that she had work to distract her – and it was only a bonus that Karen Davis was going to be there.
Karen was one of the strongest women she knew. She was bound to have some answers for her. Maybe she could make sense of everything that had happened with both Nathan and Brooke.
One thing was certain: She needed some motherly advice – and since her own mom still was gone – her "bonus" mom would have to do. Karen Davis had always been a mother figure to her. She had taken Haley into her home and into her heart as soon as she had stepped into the Davis' household all those years ago.
As she reached Karen's Café, she already felt lighter. In there was a routine, in there was safety, in there was Karen Davis – the image of strength.
She stepped in and was immediately hit with the warmth of the café, enveloping her in a warm embrace.
She smiled in contentment.
The café was buzzing, and was filled with familiar faces. Many regulars were there and they automatically greeted Haley as she walked passed them.
"Hello Haley" Bob, one of the regulars greeted. He was an elder man in his late 60's, he wore his signature blue dress shirt tucked into his brown pants. His grey hair was combed neatly to one side, and his warm dark blue eyes were gleaming under his thick glasses.
"Hello Bob" Haley greeted back with a huge smile.
"Now where have you been hiding lately? It feels like I haven't seen you for ages!" He said.
"You saw me last Thursday Bob!" Haley giggled.
"Oh yes that's right" He mumbled more so to himself. "Well it felt like a lifetime ago! We need you around here you know"
Haley smiled warmly at his complement. "Oh I'm sure Karen's got everything under perfect control, as usual"
"Yes I'm sure you're right…" Bob agreed, but seemed a bit uncertain. It looked like he was struggling with whether or not he should say more, leaving Haley confused.
He leaned forward, as if he didn't really want to say this out loud:
"… between you and me she has seemed a bit of heads lately. Today I had to wait twenty minutes for a cup of coffee, not that I'm complaining though" he leaned back in his seat and said a bit more loudly: "She's a real gem, Karen is. I've been coming here for ten years, and that's not about to change!" he said with resolution.
"Oh I'm sure it was just a slip of the mind" Haley tried to play it of, though Bob seemed a bit doubtful still. "Tell you what, the next refill is on the house" Haley smoothed out.
"Oh you really don't have to do that dear" he said embarrassed.
"Oh but I want too – you are after all my favorite customer!" she winked at him, making him chuckle.
"I'll see you later with that cup of coffee" she promised as she made her way to the back to throw her jacket of and put on her apron.
She had to admit it was weird that Bob had had to wait twenty minutes for a simple cup of black coffee. She looked through the café; it was pretty crowded. She shrugged it off: Everybody makes mistakes… even Karen Davis apparently.
Haley tied the apron on and headed for the kitchen to report for duty.
She immediately spotted Karen; She was leaning on the kitchen counter, with her hands on the counter supporting her weight. Her head was bend down and her short, black curly hair, shadowed her face. She was the image of perfect stillness in the middle of the chaotic kitchen with waitresses and cooks running around.
"Hey Karen" Haley greeted, as she approached her.
Karen's head immediately snapped back up and posture straightened out – as did the lines of worry that had previously been on her face. A genuine warm smile instead spread across her face as she greeted Haley back.
"Busy?" Haley guessed, as she watched how Karen's blue eyes sparked behind a haze of obvious exhaustion.
"Ah, you know the usual" Karen shrugged off. "How about you honey? How are you?"
Karen's blue eyes bored into her eyes, and Haley swore she saw a sly smile cross her lips, like she knew that she and Nathan had just been rolling around in her bed (tickling)!
"Actually, I…" Haley started but was interrupted, but Karen's cellphone ringing. As Karen looked at the caller ID, her face immediately darkened, while excusing herself. Karen turned her back to Haley and seemed to cling to the phone during the conversation: The conversation was fragmented and Karen's hushed tone of voice left Haley confused as to what was happening.
"Yes… are you sure…? How long…? Yes of course. Yeah, hold on I'll ask"
Karen turned around, covering her cellphone with one hand while asking if Haley could look after the cafe?
"Yeah of course Karen. What's going on?" Haley asked concerned, but Karen didn't have any time to answer as the person on the other end started to talk again, bringing Karen's attention back.
"She said she'd do it... yeah… I'll be right there" Karen hung up the phone and headed out to the personnel room to get her belongings. Behind her followed an ever confused and concerned Haley.
"What's going on?" She asked yet again. The distracted Karen mumbled something about that it had gotten worse.
"What's gotten worse?"
Karen continued to roam around looking for something. "Now where is it?" she mumbled. "Ah there you are!" She held up her keys in a moment of victory, before her face fell into sadness again.
"Karen…" Haley repeated, "What's gotten worse?" Haley put a comforting hand on Karen shoulder. Her brown eyes were filled with warmth and concern. Karen turned around to meet her eyes, but Karens eyes were filled with more than sadness this time:
"What do you mean? Don't you know?" Karen said confused. But the obvious bewilderment on Haley's face told her otherwise.
"I thought Brooke had told you…?" Karen continued more so to herself.
This sent Haley's thought's into overdrive: What did Brooke have to do with any if this? Had something happened to Brooke? Had it something to do with the way Brooke had been acting lately?
Before she could ask Karen any of the questions, Karen's cellphone rang again, and this time it sounded even more urgent, as Karen practically flew out of there yelling her gratitude on the way out of the door.
What the hell?
Haley had no idea what was going on, but one thing was for certain… she was going to find out!
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…To be continued
