Chapter Nine

"Look," Jake tried, "We should have called, wrote, let you know where we were."

"No, Jake, you shouldn't have called, or wrote, you should have stayed. You guys hurt a lot of people by leaving. We kept wondering why? Was it something we did? Something we said? And for a while got over it. Then, last year happened, last year I couldn't help Milo when he needed it. Sure, I gave him some of what I went through. But you were the only one who knew EXACTLY what he was going through. Not to mention every thing you missed.
Since you were gone Brooke and I have had 3 more kids. Same with Nathan and Haley. Mom and Dad have had two more. Dan's died. Nathan coaches middle school basketball. I coach high school. Brooke became a DOCTOR. And Haley took over Deb place at the cafe and writes on the side. And I can't help but thinking that we so unimportant that you didn't care if we missed out on your life. You left with one kid come back with EIGHT. You been doing who-knows-what who-knows-where. Jeez, Jake we were best friends, practically brothers. You should have stayed."

Lucas started to turn around and walk away.

"Best friend?" Jake called after him, "I would think that my BEST FRIEND might have wanted to have heard my side. My BEST FRIEND would listen." Lucas slowed down.
"It wasn't anything you guys did. It was something we did, Luke, we chose. Do you believe in signs, things happening for a reason? 'Cos when Peyton and I left, the night of the graduation party at the cafe, we were enganged and believing we were about to have two kids before nineteen. A week later it wasn't two before nineteen, Lucas, it was four! Four kids. What would my parents say, how stupid I've been--they've done that enough. And where in the world where I have put them here. One in the underwear drawer? Another with the socks? The other in the dishes? And Jenny? We broke down in Missouri and the only place in sight was a farmhouse with a couple who need our help just as much as we needed theirs. And when the triplets were born and every kid after that do you know how much I wanted to call? How much I wanted to tell my best friend? How much I wanted it to be your parents who stood there with me admiring my kids. But it didn't happen. Because we made a choice. You want to know something else, I regret it, but given the chance to do it over I would have done it over again. The exact same way. You want to know you missed besides the kids?
I farmed, I coached the local town's teen basket bally team, as it was only appropriate as I fathered half the team. Peyton created a nationally known art magazine. That we both classes by mail to get our college degrees. Where we got the time, I don't even know. And we saw two people who helped us become better people die within months of each other. So now you Know."

After Jake's rant they stood staring at each other. Neither knew how to respond and both were trying hard not to get emotional.

"Sorry, man."

"Me too." And all of the sudden they were each embraced by the other in one of the "male bonding" hugs.

"So what are you going to do in Tree Hill? There aren't a lot of farms around." Lucas said taking it one step at a time.

"Well, I heard they needed an assitant coach at the high school, but if you don't want me to That's cool."

"No don't do that, maybe it way it'll be a way for me to get to know my best friend, again."

Jake's new cell phone went off.

"Hello"

"Jake come home. We need to talk. Where are you?" It was Peyton.

"At the park, retrieving Aurora and Jonah. Talking to Lucas."

"Lucas? Scott?"

"How many Lucases do you know?"

Jake could tell that something was on her mind. So he quickly exchanged phone numbers, said his goodbye, retrieved his two kids, and made his way home.

"Okay, everyone into their rooms." Peyton announced. "Or outside. Play basketball or guitar. Do something. Just not here."

Soon eight kids had scattered leaving their parents in the living room.

"Jake, I, um" Peyton stuttered as if this was her first time.

"I'm pregnant--again."

"You sure?" Jake asked.
She nodded. "Oh, how did this happen?"

The talk with Lucas took out all of Jake's drama, so he went to the next best thing. comedy.

Jake playfully nudge her shoulder, "After four pregnancies and seven kids later, you would think we'd have already covered that one."

She smiled. He could always do that.

"But nine kids, Jake."

"After the triplets, I stopped being able to tell the difference, they just keep coming."

"How will we tell the kids?"

"Well, we could shoot a video, record a song telling them, show one of your fancy cartoons that tells them in a clever way,"

"Or we could just tell them. I get it."

"But that's so boring. Let's have fun with it, Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaase." jake said sounding like Hunter when he wanted out of time out.

Peyton laughed out loud. "You sound like our six year olds. Oh alright."

DINNER

The Jagielskis sat around the table. Everything was going normal until Jake started having his fun.

"Well, if we could move Audi and Aowen in with the girls. So that there'd be enough room, just in case there is more than one of them."

"Or the twins in with Levi and Aidan." Peyton said playing along.

"We're gonna have to get all new stuff. We threw all the old stuff away" Jake said trying so hard not to laugh at his kids.

"Do you think green or yellow?"

"Hold it right there." Audi interrupted."What's going on?"

"Oh, not too much just talking about what we're going to do for the new baby."

"THE WHAT?" came eight voices.

"You can't be." Jenny said as if there was no possible way.

"Did you hear that down there. Your sister says you can't be there."

"How far along?" Aowen asked.

"About three months."

"It better be a girl." Aurora said. The bets began as they had before.

"It doesn't matter how many there is you'll still be outnumbered." Aidan voiced his opinion.

"Unless she has five." Jenny said.

"OOh, let's not" Peyton said as she started to get the dirty dishes into the kitchen.

the phone rang.

"Jake can you get that, Babe?"

"Sure." Jake picked up the phone."Hello?"

"Jake? It's Keith. Lucas gave me your number."

"Keith! It's so good to se--hear you."

"Back at you kid. Look Karen and I are having a small party tomorrow. Just a summer thing. It would be great to see you again. And everyone new."
Keith sounded like he wasn't trying to rush anything and that he had gotten warning from Lucas.
"Um we don't have anything going on. That I know of. We'll come."

"That's great. It starts at noon."

"Sounds good. Do you want us to bring anything?"

"No, we've everything covered." Keith said.

"Okay, see you tomorrow. I look forward to it." Jake said, but Keith could hear he was worried.