I don't even bother trying to be patient as my fist raps against the metal
door to the motel room. Within seconds the door flies open. "What the
hell are you doing Lucas? Bella's asleep you know." Nathan demands, the
anger already building up inside of him. Without speaking I rage past him,
spotting Bella in the portable crib on the other side of the room, still
sound asleep. I run to her, lifting her gently, carefully trying not to
wake her up. I turn on my heals, reach for the diaper bag and quickly exit
the room, putting her in the back end of car, strapping her into the car
seat I had snatched from their rental care before I left and quietly close
the door.
"What the fuck is your problem man?" I say, finally making my way back to my half-brother, who until now, I had begun mending a sibling relationship with. "How could you treat Haley that way? Huh? She's the best thing that ever happened to you man, and you go and fucking hurt her? Let me tell you this Nate. You might be a big jock, able to stand up for yourself against her, but I'm not gonna let you get away with this one." I decide he's not worth the effort I'm putting on him and turn, heading back to my car as he stands in the doorway bewildered. "You better get it through that thick head of yours that you just lost the two best things that ever happened to you Nate." I say loudly as I sink into the driver's seat of the car and throw the gear into reverse.
I pull into the driveway at the beach house and a wave of relief washes over my body. I've finally managed to calm myself down somehow, not wanting to be so rigid with my niece. I unbuckle her from her car seat and lift her gently out, resting her sleeping body against my own. I reach for the diaper bag and head towards the house. I notice that the girls were both gone from the living room. As I head to the bedroom I take a quick peek into the kitchen and notice they aren't there either. As I reach the doorway to the bedroom the sight before me stops me.
My wife, who once despised Haley is holding her while they talk quietly amongst themselves. "Brooke. I'm pregnant." I hear Haley say to my wife. My eyes widen and my jaw drops drastically. Pregnant? I step inside, not wanting to prolong the waiting any longer and immediately hand Bella over to her mother.
"You're gonna be fine Hales. For now, you'll stay with Brooke and Nicky and me." I lean down and comfort her the most that anyone can right now. I watch in regret, wishing I could do something to make this better for her. The moment between mother and daughter is enough to silence the room. Even though the timing may not be perfect, I honestly don't think it ever will, I decide to get it all out in the open tonight so we can begin to help her through this. "When did this start Haley?"
"A few months ago. When he made his return from his injury. Bella was up all night; she was coming down with an ear infection and was up the entire night. Nate got upset. He'd been at the bar with a few of his teammates drinking for a couple of hours and came home drunk.. He needed to sleep it off because they were leaving for a game the next morning. He couldn't have a baby keeping him up all night. He told me to go do something, anything. Just so long as I shut her up." I take a deep breath but continue spilling my story to my two closest friends. "I did everything I could, but she wouldn't stop crying. Nate got upset and was going to try himself. I stood in the doorway to her room and wouldn't let him in. He was so angry about her crying and I didn't know what he was planning on doing to her. I know he'd never hurt her but I was just afraid. He was drunk; he wasn't thinking clearly. Anything could have happened. He got even more pissed off. Told me I was being ridiculous. Then he slapped me." I reveal to them both as they stand there completely shocked that I've been putting up with him for this long.
"I told him to stop it or get out. [i]Get out? It's my house Haley.[/i] That's how he responded to me before he hit the wall and put a hole in it. I went into Bella's room and locked the door behind me. I slept in the rocking chair all night." The tears are finally flowing as this worst memory has been brought forth once again. "It just got worse from that point on. He's drinking. Every night he comes home drunk. I never know what it's going to be next." I brush away some tears but will myself to explain everything. "I love him you guys. I know, you don't understand how I can, but I just do. I can't explain it either. And now with Bella and the new baby..."
Lucas pulls me into his arms and Brooke reaches for the Kleenex, handing them to me eagerly. "We're going to help you through this. Both of you." Luke tells me. It's then that I realize that everything will be alright; somehow, everything will be alright.
"What the fuck is your problem man?" I say, finally making my way back to my half-brother, who until now, I had begun mending a sibling relationship with. "How could you treat Haley that way? Huh? She's the best thing that ever happened to you man, and you go and fucking hurt her? Let me tell you this Nate. You might be a big jock, able to stand up for yourself against her, but I'm not gonna let you get away with this one." I decide he's not worth the effort I'm putting on him and turn, heading back to my car as he stands in the doorway bewildered. "You better get it through that thick head of yours that you just lost the two best things that ever happened to you Nate." I say loudly as I sink into the driver's seat of the car and throw the gear into reverse.
I pull into the driveway at the beach house and a wave of relief washes over my body. I've finally managed to calm myself down somehow, not wanting to be so rigid with my niece. I unbuckle her from her car seat and lift her gently out, resting her sleeping body against my own. I reach for the diaper bag and head towards the house. I notice that the girls were both gone from the living room. As I head to the bedroom I take a quick peek into the kitchen and notice they aren't there either. As I reach the doorway to the bedroom the sight before me stops me.
My wife, who once despised Haley is holding her while they talk quietly amongst themselves. "Brooke. I'm pregnant." I hear Haley say to my wife. My eyes widen and my jaw drops drastically. Pregnant? I step inside, not wanting to prolong the waiting any longer and immediately hand Bella over to her mother.
"You're gonna be fine Hales. For now, you'll stay with Brooke and Nicky and me." I lean down and comfort her the most that anyone can right now. I watch in regret, wishing I could do something to make this better for her. The moment between mother and daughter is enough to silence the room. Even though the timing may not be perfect, I honestly don't think it ever will, I decide to get it all out in the open tonight so we can begin to help her through this. "When did this start Haley?"
"A few months ago. When he made his return from his injury. Bella was up all night; she was coming down with an ear infection and was up the entire night. Nate got upset. He'd been at the bar with a few of his teammates drinking for a couple of hours and came home drunk.. He needed to sleep it off because they were leaving for a game the next morning. He couldn't have a baby keeping him up all night. He told me to go do something, anything. Just so long as I shut her up." I take a deep breath but continue spilling my story to my two closest friends. "I did everything I could, but she wouldn't stop crying. Nate got upset and was going to try himself. I stood in the doorway to her room and wouldn't let him in. He was so angry about her crying and I didn't know what he was planning on doing to her. I know he'd never hurt her but I was just afraid. He was drunk; he wasn't thinking clearly. Anything could have happened. He got even more pissed off. Told me I was being ridiculous. Then he slapped me." I reveal to them both as they stand there completely shocked that I've been putting up with him for this long.
"I told him to stop it or get out. [i]Get out? It's my house Haley.[/i] That's how he responded to me before he hit the wall and put a hole in it. I went into Bella's room and locked the door behind me. I slept in the rocking chair all night." The tears are finally flowing as this worst memory has been brought forth once again. "It just got worse from that point on. He's drinking. Every night he comes home drunk. I never know what it's going to be next." I brush away some tears but will myself to explain everything. "I love him you guys. I know, you don't understand how I can, but I just do. I can't explain it either. And now with Bella and the new baby..."
Lucas pulls me into his arms and Brooke reaches for the Kleenex, handing them to me eagerly. "We're going to help you through this. Both of you." Luke tells me. It's then that I realize that everything will be alright; somehow, everything will be alright.