A/N Thanks for the reviews on chapter six. Reviews mean even more when
they're for something you weren't confident with. I greatly appreciate it.
Chapter Seven
"I am so glad that's over." Deb said to herself as she walked in the door. She was growingly increasingly tired of the basketball moms circle and their tedious events. The only one of those women she could stand was Karen. It took all of her strength not to toss her jacket on the floor like Nathan had the habit of doing. But at that moment the closet seemed a long ways away. She decided to compromise and drape it over the couch.
"Ahhh." She yelled when she saw a strange form sleeping in her living room.
"Huh?" Lucas sat up, instantly alert. "Um.. Hi Mrs. Scott." He greeted, at a loss for words.
"Um hello Lucas." She said calmly, waiting for her heart to get back to a normal rate. "Do you think you could explain to me what's going on."
Before he could answer, Nathan came downstairs, rubbing his eyes, closely followed by Haley. "What's going on Mom?"
"Lucas was just going to tell me why he was sleeping on our couch. Nearly gave me a heart attack when I walked in."
"Sorry Mom. I figured you'd come in the side door like you usually do when you come in late."
"It was locked. Okay, sit down all of you and explain."
"I guess I might as well start at the beginning."
"That would be a good idea yes."
"Word got out about me and Haley. Everyone was talking about it today."
"Ohh." She looked over to Haley. "You okay?"
"Getting there."
"Now where were we?"
"Well Hales was pretty upset obviously and left school. Lucas and I were both looking for her and ran into each other instead so we decided to look together. We found her and she and I talked for a while while Lucas got food. Then Haley came with us to practice because we were late and all the guys were talking about it. One of them said some really awful stuff about Haley so I had to hit him."
"Had to." Deb started to say something but decided to leave it alone for the time being.
"We got into a fight. I broke his nose. Lucas tried to stop it. When Coach got back from his phone call he cancelled practice and Luke and Haley took me to emergency."
"Emergency! Are you okay." She was instantly in concerned mom mode.
"Mom I'm fine. Just a few bruised ribs. I'm off basketball for a few weeks but since Coach is probably gonna suspend me from the team that won't matter. Anyway, it was really late when we left the hospital and I couldn't drive Lucas home because I was on pain medication so I told him to stay. The idiot was going to walk all the way home in the dark."
Deb saw Lucas glare at Nathan. "He's right Lucas. One night here won't kill you."
"Well I don't know, you nearly gave me a heart attack too."
"Sorry about that. It's just not everyday I return home to find a strange boy sleeping on my couch."
"Fair enough."
"Well that explains why Lucas was in our living room but I don't suppose you have an excuse for Haley being in your room."
Haley blushed. "Umm."
"Mom." Nathan groaned. "We're having a baby, you're not still really deluding yourself are you?"
It was Deb's turn to blush. "You have a point. All right it's late. Everyone to bed. Lucas, that couch is horribly uncomfortable. I'll show you to the guest room."
"That's really not."
"Shh." She cut him off. "I insist."
***
"Hey Sweetie." Nathan said, kissing Haley on the cheek. "Did you have a good day?"
"Yeah. My class handed in their compositions today. Some of them are so cute."
"Daddy! Daddy!" I dark haired girl came running towards him. He grabbed her in his arms and swung her around.
"And what did you do today?" He asked when he'd set her down again. "We made pine cones!"
"Pine cones? Wow. That sounds pretty cool."
"Uh huh, wanna see?"
"Of course." She brought him a very sparkly pine cone, covered in pink glitter."
"That's very pretty."
"And look Daddy, you can make it snow!" She swung the pine cone over his head, covering him with pink glitter.
"Well look at that. That's pretty neat. My daughter knows how to make it snow."
"I have to go do homework now." She kissed his cheek and trotted off.
"Homework?" He looked at Haley. "I know they grow up fast but she is still in kindergarten right?"
"Yes she's still in kindergarten. She has to draw a picture and write her name on it."
"Gee, I hope she hasn't left it to the last minute. Wouldn't want her to take after her dad."
"I don't know about that. Her dad worked pretty hard in college and now he's coaching high school basketball."
"I just needed to right motivation." He kissed her. "What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing."
"Uh uh, I know that look. You have something to tell me."
She looked away. "No I don't."
"Come on Hales, what is it?"
"We're going to have another baby."
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
He picked her up and spun her around just like he'd done with his daughter.
"Nathan?" She said softly when she was back on solid ground.
"Yea?"
"Are you happy?"
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "The happiest."
"The happiest." Nathan mumbled, slowly emerging from sleep. At first he was disappointed to the discover that it had just been a dream but when he looked at Haley sleeping next to him, her head resting on his chest he realized that it didn't have to be. That dream, that future, could be his.
Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "Morning."
"Good morning."
"How are you ribs?"
"Ugh. The painkillers have definitely worn off."
"Awww. Poor baby. we'll have to get that prescription filled."
"Not yet. Right now, I just want to lie here."
"What time is it?"
"8am."
"Weren't you supposed to be at practice at 5am this morning?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't Coach going to be mad."
"Probably."
"And you don't care?"
"Not really. I can't do any practicing anyway and he can't possibly get any angrier with me than he was yesterday. I'll go talk to him after school today, explain everything. It'll be fine."
"I guess. What's that smell?"
"Mmmm. My mom's pancakes. We should get downstairs before Lucas eats them all. You hungry?"
"Starving. This eating for two thing isn't easy."
"Morning Mom. That smells great."
"Good morning. Breakfast is almost ready. Nathan, do you want to go wake Lucas up?"
"Sure."
"Do you want sausage or bacon Haley?"
"Bacon please."
"Is three enough?"
"Great thanks."
Nathan returned with Lucas as Deb served Haley three pancakes and three slices of bacon. "Hey Mom, save some for the rest of us."
"As if you have ever gone hungry in this house. Take a seat Lucas and help yourself."
"Thanks."
"These are great pancakes Deb." Haley gushed.
"Thank you, and at last you called me Deb. See, it's not so bad."
She smiled. "Guess not."
"I guess you guys aren't going to school."
"Guess not." Lucas said. "I didn't realize how late it was."
"Well I think you've all earned a day off. Lucas, did you call your mom to let her know where you were." She saw Lucas hang his head. "Lucas, she'll be worried."
"I know. I was going to but then I didn't know how to tell her I was staying here. I was too tired to explain."
"Well you're going to call her now. As a mom, I know she's worried sick right now." "Yeah."
She handed him the phone. "That would be right now."
He took the phone and dialed. "Hey Mom, it's me, just calling to let you know I spent the night with a friend, hope you weren't too worried."
"Answering machine?"
"Yeah."
"I'll drive you over to the restaurant after breakfast. She'll feel better when she sees for herself that you're alive and well."
"Uh huh."
"What about Haley? She didn't call." Lucas protested.
"But her parents will know where she is. This is about the last place on Earth your mom would expect to find you."
"So Nathan, Coach is going to kill us." He said, changing the subject.
"Um, yeah. I figured I'd go talk to him this afternoon, let him know what's going on."
"Probably a good idea. You want me to come along?"
"That's okay but thanks."
Both Deb and Haley watched the exchange with big smiles on their faces. The two guys sitting at the table were acting like friends, brothers even. That was something they'd both been waiting a long time to see.
Chapter Seven
"I am so glad that's over." Deb said to herself as she walked in the door. She was growingly increasingly tired of the basketball moms circle and their tedious events. The only one of those women she could stand was Karen. It took all of her strength not to toss her jacket on the floor like Nathan had the habit of doing. But at that moment the closet seemed a long ways away. She decided to compromise and drape it over the couch.
"Ahhh." She yelled when she saw a strange form sleeping in her living room.
"Huh?" Lucas sat up, instantly alert. "Um.. Hi Mrs. Scott." He greeted, at a loss for words.
"Um hello Lucas." She said calmly, waiting for her heart to get back to a normal rate. "Do you think you could explain to me what's going on."
Before he could answer, Nathan came downstairs, rubbing his eyes, closely followed by Haley. "What's going on Mom?"
"Lucas was just going to tell me why he was sleeping on our couch. Nearly gave me a heart attack when I walked in."
"Sorry Mom. I figured you'd come in the side door like you usually do when you come in late."
"It was locked. Okay, sit down all of you and explain."
"I guess I might as well start at the beginning."
"That would be a good idea yes."
"Word got out about me and Haley. Everyone was talking about it today."
"Ohh." She looked over to Haley. "You okay?"
"Getting there."
"Now where were we?"
"Well Hales was pretty upset obviously and left school. Lucas and I were both looking for her and ran into each other instead so we decided to look together. We found her and she and I talked for a while while Lucas got food. Then Haley came with us to practice because we were late and all the guys were talking about it. One of them said some really awful stuff about Haley so I had to hit him."
"Had to." Deb started to say something but decided to leave it alone for the time being.
"We got into a fight. I broke his nose. Lucas tried to stop it. When Coach got back from his phone call he cancelled practice and Luke and Haley took me to emergency."
"Emergency! Are you okay." She was instantly in concerned mom mode.
"Mom I'm fine. Just a few bruised ribs. I'm off basketball for a few weeks but since Coach is probably gonna suspend me from the team that won't matter. Anyway, it was really late when we left the hospital and I couldn't drive Lucas home because I was on pain medication so I told him to stay. The idiot was going to walk all the way home in the dark."
Deb saw Lucas glare at Nathan. "He's right Lucas. One night here won't kill you."
"Well I don't know, you nearly gave me a heart attack too."
"Sorry about that. It's just not everyday I return home to find a strange boy sleeping on my couch."
"Fair enough."
"Well that explains why Lucas was in our living room but I don't suppose you have an excuse for Haley being in your room."
Haley blushed. "Umm."
"Mom." Nathan groaned. "We're having a baby, you're not still really deluding yourself are you?"
It was Deb's turn to blush. "You have a point. All right it's late. Everyone to bed. Lucas, that couch is horribly uncomfortable. I'll show you to the guest room."
"That's really not."
"Shh." She cut him off. "I insist."
***
"Hey Sweetie." Nathan said, kissing Haley on the cheek. "Did you have a good day?"
"Yeah. My class handed in their compositions today. Some of them are so cute."
"Daddy! Daddy!" I dark haired girl came running towards him. He grabbed her in his arms and swung her around.
"And what did you do today?" He asked when he'd set her down again. "We made pine cones!"
"Pine cones? Wow. That sounds pretty cool."
"Uh huh, wanna see?"
"Of course." She brought him a very sparkly pine cone, covered in pink glitter."
"That's very pretty."
"And look Daddy, you can make it snow!" She swung the pine cone over his head, covering him with pink glitter.
"Well look at that. That's pretty neat. My daughter knows how to make it snow."
"I have to go do homework now." She kissed his cheek and trotted off.
"Homework?" He looked at Haley. "I know they grow up fast but she is still in kindergarten right?"
"Yes she's still in kindergarten. She has to draw a picture and write her name on it."
"Gee, I hope she hasn't left it to the last minute. Wouldn't want her to take after her dad."
"I don't know about that. Her dad worked pretty hard in college and now he's coaching high school basketball."
"I just needed to right motivation." He kissed her. "What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing."
"Uh uh, I know that look. You have something to tell me."
She looked away. "No I don't."
"Come on Hales, what is it?"
"We're going to have another baby."
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
He picked her up and spun her around just like he'd done with his daughter.
"Nathan?" She said softly when she was back on solid ground.
"Yea?"
"Are you happy?"
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "The happiest."
"The happiest." Nathan mumbled, slowly emerging from sleep. At first he was disappointed to the discover that it had just been a dream but when he looked at Haley sleeping next to him, her head resting on his chest he realized that it didn't have to be. That dream, that future, could be his.
Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "Morning."
"Good morning."
"How are you ribs?"
"Ugh. The painkillers have definitely worn off."
"Awww. Poor baby. we'll have to get that prescription filled."
"Not yet. Right now, I just want to lie here."
"What time is it?"
"8am."
"Weren't you supposed to be at practice at 5am this morning?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't Coach going to be mad."
"Probably."
"And you don't care?"
"Not really. I can't do any practicing anyway and he can't possibly get any angrier with me than he was yesterday. I'll go talk to him after school today, explain everything. It'll be fine."
"I guess. What's that smell?"
"Mmmm. My mom's pancakes. We should get downstairs before Lucas eats them all. You hungry?"
"Starving. This eating for two thing isn't easy."
"Morning Mom. That smells great."
"Good morning. Breakfast is almost ready. Nathan, do you want to go wake Lucas up?"
"Sure."
"Do you want sausage or bacon Haley?"
"Bacon please."
"Is three enough?"
"Great thanks."
Nathan returned with Lucas as Deb served Haley three pancakes and three slices of bacon. "Hey Mom, save some for the rest of us."
"As if you have ever gone hungry in this house. Take a seat Lucas and help yourself."
"Thanks."
"These are great pancakes Deb." Haley gushed.
"Thank you, and at last you called me Deb. See, it's not so bad."
She smiled. "Guess not."
"I guess you guys aren't going to school."
"Guess not." Lucas said. "I didn't realize how late it was."
"Well I think you've all earned a day off. Lucas, did you call your mom to let her know where you were." She saw Lucas hang his head. "Lucas, she'll be worried."
"I know. I was going to but then I didn't know how to tell her I was staying here. I was too tired to explain."
"Well you're going to call her now. As a mom, I know she's worried sick right now." "Yeah."
She handed him the phone. "That would be right now."
He took the phone and dialed. "Hey Mom, it's me, just calling to let you know I spent the night with a friend, hope you weren't too worried."
"Answering machine?"
"Yeah."
"I'll drive you over to the restaurant after breakfast. She'll feel better when she sees for herself that you're alive and well."
"Uh huh."
"What about Haley? She didn't call." Lucas protested.
"But her parents will know where she is. This is about the last place on Earth your mom would expect to find you."
"So Nathan, Coach is going to kill us." He said, changing the subject.
"Um, yeah. I figured I'd go talk to him this afternoon, let him know what's going on."
"Probably a good idea. You want me to come along?"
"That's okay but thanks."
Both Deb and Haley watched the exchange with big smiles on their faces. The two guys sitting at the table were acting like friends, brothers even. That was something they'd both been waiting a long time to see.
