Chapter Twenty-Two
*Addition and Subtraction*
It took a week for Peyton to recover from her surgery and for Cameran to gain enough weight to be released. Lucas had spent the whole time in the hospital by their side.
"Time to go home." Luke said strapping the baby into the car seat. The nurse wheeled Peyton out in a wheelchair and he helped her into the car. She was still sore from the c-section.
"I can't wait until we get home and I can eat some real food." She said.
"If I'm making it for you then I don't know if you can call it food." He told her seriously.
"Let's stop at the café. I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind us dropping by." She suggested.
"I would say yes but Haley and Nathan are leaving today for college."
"Really, they're leaving today?" Peyton was disappointed,
"Yeah I can't believe it's just going to be us." Luke sighed.
"I know exactly what it's like to lose a best friend." Peyton said sadly.
"I'm not losing Haley, besides she has Nathan now." He told her.
"And you're okay with that?" She was unsure of the response.
"For a while I wasn't but he makes her happy and she makes him happy. I should have accepted it from the beginning instead of being so stubborn about Nathan. He's not such a bad guy, just a little troubled. Anyone with a father like Dan would be and I can't hold that against him." He explained.
"Nice timing." She said sarcastically. "You fight with him for a year and then a week before he leaves you decide to make amends."
"Better late then never."
"I suppose so." He pulled into Haley's driveway and Nathan was there already.
"You're here!" Haley opened the door and threw her arms around Lucas and Peyton.
"I could get used to a greeting like that." He said but Haley was too busy doting over the baby.
"I don't think she wanted to see us." Peyton whispered to Luke before Haley snatched the baby carrier from her hand and ran into the house. They followed her and found Cameran in her carrier sitting on the kitchen table with Haley and Nathan hovering over her. Peyton unstrapped her daughter and gently rocked her in her arms. Lucas looked on, the love was evident in his gaze.
"Look that's Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley." Peyton said and kissed Cameran on the forehead.
"Can I hold her ?!?!" Haley asked fervently before Peyton handed her daughter to her.
"We've waited so long for you to come." She managed to say before the baby began to fuss. Haley quickly handed her over to Lucas.
"Oh, did mean old Aunt Haley scare you?" He said and Haley tried to look insulted.
"Don't worry. I think it's almost naptime that's all." Peyton added.
"Hey she's my niece. Let me hold her before we leave." Nathan pleaded. It was amazing for Haley to see Lucas slide Cameran into Nathan's arms and trust him with the most precious thing in his life. But then she realized that Lucas had also trusted Nathan with her. Weather or not he had told her so or not she knew that Lucas could have done more to hinder her relationship but she was glad he didn't..
"Hey there sweetness, it's Uncle Nathan." He said before the baby yawned and fell asleep in his arms.
"That's cute. Let me get a picture." Haley grabbed Nathan's cell phone and snapped a photo.
"What time are you leaving?" Peyton asked.
"It takes 12 hours to get to Princeton from here so if we leave by 11 am we can get there at 11 pm." Nathan informed them.
"It's 10 now and I want to stop at the café to say good-bye." Haley told him.
"We still need to load our stuff into the car." He said.
"I can help you with the stuff and the girls can go to the café and we will meet them there when we're done." Lucas volunteered.
"That sounds good. See you then." Haley pulled Peyton out the door. She wanted to make the most of her last hour in town.
Within 15 minutes the boys managed to squeeze Haley's stuff in the trunk along with Nathan's. When they got to the café there was no one inside.
"I wonder what's going on?" Luke inquired.
"Maybe business is slow today." Nathan tried to draw logic from the situation.
"Yeah but it's completely empty." Lucas searched the kitchen for signs of his mom.
"Lucas, Nathan is that you?" Haley shouted down the stairs.
"Why are you on the roof?" Nathan had never seen their home made golf course.
"It's a surprise!" She called. "And no Lucas it's not an insanely competitive golf game." Apprehensively they walked up the stairs not knowing what to expect.
The roof had been decorated and a banner reading 'Good Luck Haley and Nathan" hung above the door.
"Your mom and Karen threw us a going away party! Can you believe it?" Haley couldn't keep her composure any longer.
'This is great!" They ran over to Deb and Lucas made his way over to Peyton. She was in the middle of feeding Cameran.
"Here's my two favorite girls." He sat down and put his arm around her. "How are you feeling?"
"A little tired but I'll survive. At least she's taking the bottle now." She sighed.
"Were you giving mommy a hard time.?" He cooed letting Cameran take hold of his index finger.
"Do you want to burp her?" Peyton asked.
"Sure, come here Sweetheart." Luke took a towel from the diaper bag and placed it over his shoulder. Gently he laid Cameran over the towel and lightly patted her back until he got a result. He began to rock her slowly in his arms and she fell asleep immediately. Nathan and Haley came over to say good-bye. They couldn't believe it was 11 o'clock already.
"We have to go now." Haley told them sadly.
"Already, can't you stay a little longer?" Peyton pleaded.
"We'll never get there if we keep stalling." Nathan was slightly irritated. Everyone went back down to the café. Hugs were received from all around.
"I'm gonna miss you Hales." Lucas hugged her tightly.
"I'll miss you too. NYU isn't that far from Princeton, we can visit." She encouraged. "Besides you have a family to take care of."
"What am I going to do without your optimism?"
"You'll manage...I expect pictures of Cameran everyday." She called walking out the door. Deb had to leave because she couldn't bear to see her son leaving. Haley's parents waved quietly from the corner table and Karen sadly posted a help wanted sign in the window. Lucas stood in a daze watching Nathan's car disappear down the street.
"Hello Lucas, are you okay?" Peyton waved her hand in front of his face.
"Huh?" She broke his stare.
"Are we going now?" She already had the baby bag in her hand and had set the carrier down on the table.
"Yeah." He said reluctantly, almost as if he left his spot he would be leaving all his memories of Haley there as well.
Karen was already home when they arrived. She rushed out of the house, camera in hand.
"My grandaugher is finally here!" She began snapping shots of Lucas and Peyton taking Cameran out of the car, into the house and finally into her new room.
"Oh, I'm out of film." Karen left the room and Lucas locked the door behind her.
"Finally we're alone.'
"Shh!" Peyton quickly put her finger to his lips.
"She's asleep?" He whispered.
"Yeah and I think that is what I need to do too." She pulled the covers off the bed and got in with her clothes on. "It feels so good to be home."
Luke got in next to her and she rested her head on his shoulder. They fell into a sleep that was interrupted minutes later by Cameran's wail. Peyton raised herself up slowly and made her way over to the crib.
"Oh baby, what's the problem?" She rocked her daughter gently but the baby kept crying.
"Do you think she's hungry?" Lucas asked groggily.
"We just fed her."
"Maybe she needs a new diaper." He suggested.
"Whoa, you're right." She cringed after checking it. Carefully she discarded the old diaper and replaced it with a new one. "Good as new." Peyton laid her back in the crib but on her way back to bed Cameran once again began to cry.
"Your turn." Peyton gave up and went to bed. Lucas rubbed his eyes and went to console the baby,
"What's the matter? Aren't you tired?" The loud crying had turned into a whimper. He waited until Cameran was completely asleep before returning her to the crib. The quiet did not last long and the rest of the night was haunted by the sound of Cameran's scream.
*Addition and Subtraction*
It took a week for Peyton to recover from her surgery and for Cameran to gain enough weight to be released. Lucas had spent the whole time in the hospital by their side.
"Time to go home." Luke said strapping the baby into the car seat. The nurse wheeled Peyton out in a wheelchair and he helped her into the car. She was still sore from the c-section.
"I can't wait until we get home and I can eat some real food." She said.
"If I'm making it for you then I don't know if you can call it food." He told her seriously.
"Let's stop at the café. I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind us dropping by." She suggested.
"I would say yes but Haley and Nathan are leaving today for college."
"Really, they're leaving today?" Peyton was disappointed,
"Yeah I can't believe it's just going to be us." Luke sighed.
"I know exactly what it's like to lose a best friend." Peyton said sadly.
"I'm not losing Haley, besides she has Nathan now." He told her.
"And you're okay with that?" She was unsure of the response.
"For a while I wasn't but he makes her happy and she makes him happy. I should have accepted it from the beginning instead of being so stubborn about Nathan. He's not such a bad guy, just a little troubled. Anyone with a father like Dan would be and I can't hold that against him." He explained.
"Nice timing." She said sarcastically. "You fight with him for a year and then a week before he leaves you decide to make amends."
"Better late then never."
"I suppose so." He pulled into Haley's driveway and Nathan was there already.
"You're here!" Haley opened the door and threw her arms around Lucas and Peyton.
"I could get used to a greeting like that." He said but Haley was too busy doting over the baby.
"I don't think she wanted to see us." Peyton whispered to Luke before Haley snatched the baby carrier from her hand and ran into the house. They followed her and found Cameran in her carrier sitting on the kitchen table with Haley and Nathan hovering over her. Peyton unstrapped her daughter and gently rocked her in her arms. Lucas looked on, the love was evident in his gaze.
"Look that's Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley." Peyton said and kissed Cameran on the forehead.
"Can I hold her ?!?!" Haley asked fervently before Peyton handed her daughter to her.
"We've waited so long for you to come." She managed to say before the baby began to fuss. Haley quickly handed her over to Lucas.
"Oh, did mean old Aunt Haley scare you?" He said and Haley tried to look insulted.
"Don't worry. I think it's almost naptime that's all." Peyton added.
"Hey she's my niece. Let me hold her before we leave." Nathan pleaded. It was amazing for Haley to see Lucas slide Cameran into Nathan's arms and trust him with the most precious thing in his life. But then she realized that Lucas had also trusted Nathan with her. Weather or not he had told her so or not she knew that Lucas could have done more to hinder her relationship but she was glad he didn't..
"Hey there sweetness, it's Uncle Nathan." He said before the baby yawned and fell asleep in his arms.
"That's cute. Let me get a picture." Haley grabbed Nathan's cell phone and snapped a photo.
"What time are you leaving?" Peyton asked.
"It takes 12 hours to get to Princeton from here so if we leave by 11 am we can get there at 11 pm." Nathan informed them.
"It's 10 now and I want to stop at the café to say good-bye." Haley told him.
"We still need to load our stuff into the car." He said.
"I can help you with the stuff and the girls can go to the café and we will meet them there when we're done." Lucas volunteered.
"That sounds good. See you then." Haley pulled Peyton out the door. She wanted to make the most of her last hour in town.
Within 15 minutes the boys managed to squeeze Haley's stuff in the trunk along with Nathan's. When they got to the café there was no one inside.
"I wonder what's going on?" Luke inquired.
"Maybe business is slow today." Nathan tried to draw logic from the situation.
"Yeah but it's completely empty." Lucas searched the kitchen for signs of his mom.
"Lucas, Nathan is that you?" Haley shouted down the stairs.
"Why are you on the roof?" Nathan had never seen their home made golf course.
"It's a surprise!" She called. "And no Lucas it's not an insanely competitive golf game." Apprehensively they walked up the stairs not knowing what to expect.
The roof had been decorated and a banner reading 'Good Luck Haley and Nathan" hung above the door.
"Your mom and Karen threw us a going away party! Can you believe it?" Haley couldn't keep her composure any longer.
'This is great!" They ran over to Deb and Lucas made his way over to Peyton. She was in the middle of feeding Cameran.
"Here's my two favorite girls." He sat down and put his arm around her. "How are you feeling?"
"A little tired but I'll survive. At least she's taking the bottle now." She sighed.
"Were you giving mommy a hard time.?" He cooed letting Cameran take hold of his index finger.
"Do you want to burp her?" Peyton asked.
"Sure, come here Sweetheart." Luke took a towel from the diaper bag and placed it over his shoulder. Gently he laid Cameran over the towel and lightly patted her back until he got a result. He began to rock her slowly in his arms and she fell asleep immediately. Nathan and Haley came over to say good-bye. They couldn't believe it was 11 o'clock already.
"We have to go now." Haley told them sadly.
"Already, can't you stay a little longer?" Peyton pleaded.
"We'll never get there if we keep stalling." Nathan was slightly irritated. Everyone went back down to the café. Hugs were received from all around.
"I'm gonna miss you Hales." Lucas hugged her tightly.
"I'll miss you too. NYU isn't that far from Princeton, we can visit." She encouraged. "Besides you have a family to take care of."
"What am I going to do without your optimism?"
"You'll manage...I expect pictures of Cameran everyday." She called walking out the door. Deb had to leave because she couldn't bear to see her son leaving. Haley's parents waved quietly from the corner table and Karen sadly posted a help wanted sign in the window. Lucas stood in a daze watching Nathan's car disappear down the street.
"Hello Lucas, are you okay?" Peyton waved her hand in front of his face.
"Huh?" She broke his stare.
"Are we going now?" She already had the baby bag in her hand and had set the carrier down on the table.
"Yeah." He said reluctantly, almost as if he left his spot he would be leaving all his memories of Haley there as well.
Karen was already home when they arrived. She rushed out of the house, camera in hand.
"My grandaugher is finally here!" She began snapping shots of Lucas and Peyton taking Cameran out of the car, into the house and finally into her new room.
"Oh, I'm out of film." Karen left the room and Lucas locked the door behind her.
"Finally we're alone.'
"Shh!" Peyton quickly put her finger to his lips.
"She's asleep?" He whispered.
"Yeah and I think that is what I need to do too." She pulled the covers off the bed and got in with her clothes on. "It feels so good to be home."
Luke got in next to her and she rested her head on his shoulder. They fell into a sleep that was interrupted minutes later by Cameran's wail. Peyton raised herself up slowly and made her way over to the crib.
"Oh baby, what's the problem?" She rocked her daughter gently but the baby kept crying.
"Do you think she's hungry?" Lucas asked groggily.
"We just fed her."
"Maybe she needs a new diaper." He suggested.
"Whoa, you're right." She cringed after checking it. Carefully she discarded the old diaper and replaced it with a new one. "Good as new." Peyton laid her back in the crib but on her way back to bed Cameran once again began to cry.
"Your turn." Peyton gave up and went to bed. Lucas rubbed his eyes and went to console the baby,
"What's the matter? Aren't you tired?" The loud crying had turned into a whimper. He waited until Cameran was completely asleep before returning her to the crib. The quiet did not last long and the rest of the night was haunted by the sound of Cameran's scream.