Chapter 8: "And your mother loves your father"
Lucas stared at the screen hard and long… Peyton was back. Watching her, he didn't feel like he was a 22 year old, dealing with the trials and tribulations of life, but once again he felt a 17 year old on the brink of it.
Spencer sat up in bed, next to Jenny who just awoke as well.
"What's he doin?" Jenny, who was 5, one year older than Spencer asked
"Watchin' my mom." Spencer said
Spencer and Jenny watched the grown man stare at the computer with childish fascination.
"Is Uncle Lucas your dad?" Jenny asked
"Na uh. I don't gotta dad." Spencer said under his breath
Jenny paused and scooted closer to her new friend.
"I don't got a mom." She said. "You want Uncle Luke to be your dad huh?" Jenny asked
Spencer nodded, his bottom lip quivering.
"I can help you." Jenny said
"How?"
A smile crept over the small girls face, as her dirty blonde hair lay tussled on her head.
Lucas turned to see the small children sitting erect in the bed. He quickly shut off the machine.
"Hey guys." He said startled…
~ Later that day Lucas had to take Spencer out to buy a tuxedo for the wedding.
Spencer stared in the mirror at himself.
"What do you think?" Luke asked
"I look like a penguin…" Spencer said rubbing his nose with his shirt sleeve.
Lucas laughed.
"I think that you look nice." Lucas said
"Do I look ham-son?" Spencer asked twitching his nose, holding back a sneeze
"Very." Lucas said fixing the little boys bow tie. "You feeling okay buddy?" Luke asked feeling Spencers forehead.
"Uh huh." Spencer said. "Mom says I got algees…" He said.
"I think that you should go back to bed when we get back. The wedding is tomorrow and we can't have anybody being sick. And I have a surprise for you."
"What?" Spencer asked
"Nathan wants you to be his ring barer."
"Was' tat?" Spencer said through his congested nose.
"You carry the ring down the isle and then give it to Nathan to give to Haley…" Lucas tried to explain.
"Why does he give her a ring?" Spencer asked
"To show her how much he loves her." Lucas said simply
"Are you going to give my mommy a ring?" Spencer asked
Lucas was taken aback by the question. He stuttered non-words for a couple of seconds before he could respond with anything…
"What would make you think that?" He asked attempting not to look the boy in the eye.
"Cause mom says when you lov' somebody it makes ya sad, an you can't look 'em in 'da eye no more." Spencer said
"Did she tell you that?" Lucas asked
"No, she tol' it to Gladys." Spencer s aid as if it were a "no-duh," statement.
"Come on Buddy. You are not looking too good. Lets head back to the hotel." Lucas suggesting successfully changing the topic.
By the time that they pulled up to the hotel Spencer was asleep in the backseat. Luke noticed a familiar car parked next to his…
"Mom?" He said as he got out, remembering Spencer this time.
"Hey Honey!" Karen said hugging her son, who was awkwardly trying to hug her back while still holding onto Spencer.
"Who is this?" Karen asked
"Spencer…" Luke said trying to find a better explanation. Karen raised her eyebrow. "Peytons son."
Karen nodded, seemingly not in the least bit surprised…
"And his father?" Karen asked looking her son right in the eye.
"… I don't know."
Karen tucked her lips into her mouth.
"Tomorrow is Haley and Nathans day, we will talk about this after the wedding." She said.
Lucas nodded.
He went into the hotel room and changed Spencer into his boxer shorts. He was almost sure that the boy was running a temperature and wanted to keep him as cool as possible.
Spencer didn't move in his sleep. Which was strange. Many times down Spencer had almost fallen off of the car seat with all of his tossing and turning. Lucas beginning to get concerned sat with him on the bed.
"Spence." He said propping the boy up and trying to get him to sip water.
Spencer took a small sip but was unable to swallow it… it just ran out of his mouth.
Lucas began to panic. Was this normal when a child was sick? He didn't know anything about kids! Was he just over reacting?
"Spencer, are you alright buddy?" Luke asked him pulling him into his lap.
Unsure of what to do next he wrapped Spencer in a blanket and ran to his mothers room. He knocked frantically on the door.
"Mom!" He said.
"Luke!" She said when she opened the door. "Is everything okay?"
"It's Spencer! I think he's like sick or something!"
Karen looked at the boy covered in sweat.
"Let's take him to the hospital."
~ Peyton walked into the lobby of the hotel.
"I cannot believe that I am doing this." he mumbled to herself.
It was then that she saw Jake in the lobby, holding a now much more grown up looking Jenny.
"Peyton?!" Jake said in shock
"Hey." He said, surprised when Jake hugged her.
"Wow!" She said stepping back and looking at Jenny. "It's been so long."
"Jen, that is Peyton. Spencers mom." Jake explained
"Yeah. Have any idea where I can find Spencer and Luke?" Peyton said glancing around
"… you don't know." Jake said
"Know what?" Peyton said anticipating bad news
"About an hour ago Luke had to take Spencer to the hospital…" Jake said.
"WHAT!" Peyton yelled
~ Peyton rushed into the ER to find Lucas and Karen sitting in the chairs looking worried.
"Where the hell is he?" Peyton said.
"He's in the back, the doctor is looking at him." Luke said standing up. "He's going to be okay, he just has strep, and an ear infection."
"I knew I shouldn't have let him come!" Peyton said clenching her fists.
"He is having a great time!" Lucas said
"Oh yeah really? Then tell me why my son is lying in a hospital bed!" Peyton said anger surging through her.
"Kids get sick!" Lucas said.
Karen was thinking back to when Lucas was a child. How he always got ear aches… just like Spencers…
"You can leave Lucas." Peyton said through clenched teeth
"I am not going anywhere! I promised Spencer I would stay." Luke said coming closer to her.
"I don't need you here!" Peyton said beginning to get a little louder. Luckily for them they were the only ones in the room.
"Why?!" Lucas said stepping closer to her
"Because! You have never fucking been there! When I was pregnant with Spencer and couldn't hold down a job anymore because I couldn't fit into the waitress uniform were you there? When Spencer was born and he wasn't breathing were you there? Were you there when he took his first steps? The first day of pre-school? His first words? I didn't need you then and I sure as hell don't need you now." Peyton yelled
"Are you trying to say Spencer is mine?" Luke said
"What the fuck do you think I am trying to say!" Peyton yelled and then just realized she had outed herself.
"All of this time Peyton! You didn't have to do any of that shit alone!" Lucas said backing up from her tears coming to his eyes. "I can't believe you lied to me! I HAVE A SON PEYTON!" … Lucas let the thought sink in. "God, … do you not have a heart?" Lucas asked "My son doesn't know me. I NEVER wanted to turn out like my father but look at me now! I am not going to leave him again. I will be RIGHT THERE by his side when he wakes up, and from this day on. I am going to make up the years that YOU took away." A tear fell down Lukes cheek… "I always knew you were cold but this was low even for you." Lucas said walking out of the room slamming the door, leaving Peyton sobbing with her arms around herself…