Chapter Three
"Brooke, we're home. Did everyone get here already?"
"Yes mom, Val, Tyler, Jamie, and Caitie got here last night."
"Where's Val? I haven't seen her in two years."
"She and Tyler are outside waiting for you and dad."
"Mom!" Cried Val when her mom came outside to the deck. "Tyler and I have something to tell you." Tyler came over and grabbed Val's left hand.
"Um this is really hard to say. I know what you think we're telling you, but it's not that that we're getting married."
"Mrs. Lanier. How did you react to Brook telling you she was pregnant?" Asked Tyler.
"Val, are you pregnant?" Asked Mrs. Lanier.
"No, I'm not." Said Val honestly. "Remember how last Christmas we couldn't come out to visit you because I was in the hospital. I was in the hospital, but not because I broke my leg. I was there because I was in labor."
"Val, I'm disappointed in you." Said her mom. "Not because you got pregnant, but because you didn't tell us."
"Val, how could you be so irresponsible?" Yelled her father. "You get pregnant and you don't tell us. And you don't get married."
"Dad, there's a reason we're not married. We aren't ready to get married, I told him not to ask me. We have good jobs and we love her."
"You have a daughter." Val's mom was in awe.
"Yes, would you like to meet her?" Her mom nodded her head, her dad however her father refused to look at her. "Tyler, why don't you go find Brooke. She's watching her."
"Mom, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I was scared." Val walked over and gave her mom a hug.
"Mrs. Lanier, this is your granddaughter." Said Tyler coming back out.
"She's an angel. What's her name and when was she born?"
"She was born December 21st, and her name is Angel Leigh Connell-Lanier."
"Dad, do you want to hold her?" Asked Val, tentatively.
"No. I'm going inside."
"Tyler, I'm gonna talk to my Mom for a few minutes, okay. I'll see you inside. Go laugh at Jamie cooking."
"Mom, I don't want dad to hate Angel. I'm happy, Tyler and I live together. We're in love, but just not ready to get married."
"Honey, I know, give your father time, he'll adjust."
* * *
This is it, I'm graduating today. Brooke thought to herself.
"Ready Brooke?" Asked Val, poking her head in the door.
"Just give me a minute, stray hairs."
"Here, let me get that." Brooke was going to change into her gown at the school. "I like the nail polish." It was maroon, to match her graduation gown.
"You should, it's yours."
"Brooke, do people at school know you're pregnant?"
"Only Jen and Amy."
"Your hair's done, Have you heard from Hank and Jas yet?"
"Yeah, they're meeting us there. Do they know about Angel?"
"Tyler took her over there yesterday. Lets get up to the school." The ceremony took forever, their graduating class had over five hundred students. But soon everyone was throwing their caps and they were filing out if the gym. Nick's graduation party was that night and he had invited Val, Tyler, Jamie, Caitie, Hank and Jas to come. Val's mom offered to watch Angel so she and Tyler could go out. Nick's party was being held in the Kingsport Country Club.
"Congratulations Brooke you did it." Said Val coming up to her, giving her, her present.
"It's beautiful. Thank you."
"Brooke, come on, for some strange reason my parents want even more pictures." Said Nick.
"Okay, I'll be back soon." Said Brooke.
"Come this way." Said Nick, taking Brooke's hand.
"Where are your parents?"
"That was just something to get you to follow me."
"You could have just asked."
"I wanted to give you your present."
"Presents are good." Nick handed her a small wrapped box.
"What is it?"
"Open it. If I told you what it is it wouldn't be a surprise." Brooke opened it and inside was a box that usually came from a jewelry store. Inside the box was a letter.
Brooke-
We've been through a lot together, you know what I mean. I don't like the idea that we're going to different collages, even though we'll only be an hour drive, a phone call, or an E-mail away. I'm not the type of person to get all mushy, which is why I'm writing this letter. I'll also know what to say here and won't forget what I want to say. I know I've said this before but I love you. Brooke Lanier will you marry me?" If you doubt this is real look under the cardboard part in the box.
Brooke looked in the box and inside there was the most beautiful diamond ring. "Nick."
"Yeah."
"I love you too, I'm just not ready to get married yet." Nick's eye's were instantly filled with hurt.
"Brooke, we're gonna be parents together."
"I know, I'm just not ready for any of this. I'm only eighteen."
"Good-bye Brooke." Nick turned around and left before Brooke could see him cry. It wouldn't really have mattered because her eyes were to filled with tears to see anything. It hurt her, and him. She knew they loved each other.
"Brooke, what's wrong?" asked Val as Brooke ran by.
"Can you give me a ride home?"
"Yeah, Sure just let me tell Tyler, he can probably get a ride home with Jamie."
"Val, have you ever felt like you made a huge mistake, even though you know you didn't?"
"Yeah, what happened?"
"Nick asked me to marry him."
"That's great."
"I said no."
"Why?!"
"I'm in love with him, I'm just not ready to get married."
"You don't have to say anything else, it's the same with me and Tyler, only neither of us is ready to get married. If it's meant to be, it will."
"Lets go inside." Suggested Brooke. "I want to see Angel, I don't know what I'll do when you leave with her." As soon as they got inside they heard Angel start to cry. Val and Brooke rushed up the stairs to see what was wrong. But before they got there Angel stopped crying. Val poked her head in the room and saw her dad holding Angel who was sleeping in his arms. Val slowly backed out of the room, not letting her dad see her.
"Come on lets get something eat." Suggested Val, not wanting to shatter the moment between her Dad and Angel.
"Can I get a beer?" Asked Tyler who was still back at the party. He figured it would be okay to have one beer because he was getting a ride home from someone.
"ID?" asked the guy behind the counter. Tyler took out his drivers license and showed it to the bartender. "Sorry, there's so many underage kids here. I'm forced to check."
"No problem." Tyler took his drink and went to walk around outside, where he bumped into Nick.
"Hey Nick, do you have your car here?" asked Tyler thinking he could get a ride home.
"Yeah, I do. Need a ride?"
"Yeah, actually I do. Val took our car and took Brooke home, and I shouldn't drive." Said Tyler holding up the beer in his hand.
"Why did Brooke go home?"
"I'm not sure, she seemed really upset though. Come to think of it, you don't look so good yourself."
"Oh, I think I screwed up."
"Story of all guys lives. What'd you do?"
"I asked her to marry me. She said she loved me but wasn't ready to get married yet. So I said good-bye and walked away."
"Nick trust me. If it's meant to be, it will. I love Val. I'm ready to get married, she's not, so I let her think that neither of us is ready." Said Tyler.
"Why?"
"Because I'm in love with her, I'll know when she's ready to get married. I bought her a ring even before she got pregnant. I got her another ring when we bought Brooke her present. It's Angel's birthstone. I'm gonna give it to her for Christmas. And Nick, if you really love her and she loves you you'll be together."
"Lets go. You and Brooke need to talk." When they got home they found Brooke already asleep and Val in the living room with Angel.
"Have you seen Jamie or Caitie?" asked Val when he walked in.
"No, I think they were going to a night club tonight, or maybe it was out for drinks or something." It was none of the above however.
"You know, I really miss seeing everyone everyday." Said Jamie. Caitie and Jamie were sitting on the hood of Caitie's car. Just sitting and talking.
"We've all really changed. Val and Tyler have a daughter, Hank and Jas got married, we got married, and Brooke's pregnant."
"Look Caitie, a shooting star." Said Jamie pointing. "Make a wish." Caitie and Jamie both closed their eyes and wished. Caitie and Jamie both wished they could see their friends more.