A/N: I'm SO sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out. I've been really busy with summer work for and AP class I'm taking and I haven't had time to write my own stuff. Once school starts I promis to update more frequently. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Eight Friday, August 16
Peyton flopped down on the couch and enjoyed the silence of the house. Cameran, Ben and Gavin had a play date at the neighbor's house for a few hours. That short time gave Peyton some much-needed relaxation. Since they had returned from Tree Hill two weeks ago both hers and Lucas's jobs had gotten extremely busy. A corporate art buyer had bought a number of pieced out of Peyton's showroom and she had several requests from other clients. Luke's practice took off after the doctor from the competing office retired. Both of them were stressed from trying to balance their careers and home life.
Now that Peyton was becoming quite successful she was skeptical about having another baby. They had tried a few more times after the night in the café but decided to stop when things at work got too hectic. They agreed that a baby would have to wait for a better time. Peyton, however, had a feeling that by that time it was already too late. The damage was already done. It was never hard for her to conceive as she learned when she had Cameran at 18.
The possibility that she was pregnant kept her from taking a peaceful nap like she planned. Peyton checked her watch; it was 11:00. Lucas would be home at 12:00 for lunch and the kids wouldn't be back until 3:00. It gave her enough time to buy a test from the store and take it in privacy.
Half an Hour Later
Peyton set the time for the test and sat on the couch waiting for the results. She knew that she would be happy either way. A baby was a blessing any time in your life whether the timing was right or not. The sound of the IM on the computer interrupted her thoughts.
HaleyJScott: Hey Peyton!
PeytonSScott: Hey Hales! How are you feeling?
HaleyJScott: I feel great! I just got back from my two month check-up and I have sonogram pictures.
PeytonSScott: It's always amazing when you see your baby for the first time.
HaleyJScott:Yeah, Nathan couldn't be happier.
PeytonSScott:Did you tell you parent's yet?
HaleyJScott:Yeah but they think that it was conceived on the honeymoon. I don't want them to know that I didn't wait until I was married.
PeytonSScott:How are you going to hide the six-week difference?
HaleyJScott:I figured that they won't see me for the next seven months and when the baby is born we can just tell them it was premature.
Peyton heard the time go off in the background. She realized that the results of the test could impact her life for the fourth time.
PeytonSScott:Hold on a second. I need to check on something.
She stood up from the computer and walked tentatively across the room to where the test sat on the table. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the results.
"The line is blue. Damnit what does that mean?" Peyton shuffled through the package for the instructions. "Why do these things have to be so complicated?" She mumbled to herself. Finally she found the English side of the directions. "Oh my gosh. It's positive!" She ran back to the computer to tell Haley the news.
PeytonSScott:You're not the only one that has an addition.
HaleyJScott:What? Are you...Pregnant?
PeytonSScott:Yeah I just found out. Don't tell Lucas that I told you first.
HaleyJScott:Cross my heart!
PeytonSScott:I gotta go. Tell Nathan I said hey.
HaleyJScott:Say hi to Luke and the kids for me.
PeytonSScott:Okay, bye.
Peyton lingered at the computer for a few more moments. The truth lay clearly across the middle of the screen; she was pregnant. She was 24 years old and she had three kids with one on the way. It was not the way she would have envisioned her life ten years ago. At the time Peyton and Brooke were the queens of Tree Hill and Nathan was Peyton's king. Nothing about their dating experience was based on love and she had no parental models to show her how to have a relationship. Somehow she convinced herself that she would never find love. The only person she ever really cared about was Brooke, until she met Luke.
He showed he what it felt like to want to be with someone every minute of everyday. Unfortunately the new feelings she was learning came at the expense of her best friend. When the moment came to make the choice between the two most important people in her life, it was the most painful thing she had ever done. For months after her friendship ended with Brooke she questioned her decision. Now Peyton wouldn't change a thing about her life.
Lucas had taught her things about her life she never thought of and she didn't have to put up a facade around him. Plus he had three beautiful children with him, well now the count was up to four.
Peyton was now contemplating her task of telling Luke about the baby. Breaking the news bout Cameran was not the most romantic experience but she made up for it by planning a candlelight dinner 9 months before the twins were born. If she had something planned for him when he came home he would be able to figure it out immediately.
After about ten minutes of pondering she had an excellent idea. Peyton ran up to the attic and started digging through the boxes of baby clothes. Her plan was to hide a pair of baby clothes in Lucas's briefcase when he came home. Of course when he got back to the office and found them he would know exactly what the message was and freak out. That would be the most priceless reaction.
Luke arrived about an hour later at 12:30. Peyton thought that she would burst when she heard him come in the door. She was never very good at keeping secrets.
"Sorry I'm late baby. I had a patient walk in at the last minute and I couldn't turn him away." He apologized giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"It's okay; I'll make us some lunch." Peyton told him as he set his briefcase down on the kitchen counter and headed into the family room giving her the perfect opportunity to put her plan into action
When Peyton was done making lunch they sat at the kitchen table to eat. Their whole conversation was a blur to her. Every time there was a silence she thought she would give away the news. When Lucas finally went back to the office Peyton let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The last part of her plan was in effect. She sat anxiously by the phone waiting for his reaction. It came less than ten minutes later.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Was the first thing out of Luke's mouth.
"If you think it means we're having a baby then yes, it means what you think it means." She told him excitedly.
"Wow, I can't believe it...Well I can believe it but...I'm coming back home." He rambled
"No stay at the office. We're gonna need all the patients we can get right now. But I promise we can celebrate when you get home." She promised.
"Okay baby, I love you."
"I love you too."
Peyton finally felt relaxed enough to take her nap. She slept soundly thinking of how lucky she was.
Chapter Eight Friday, August 16
Peyton flopped down on the couch and enjoyed the silence of the house. Cameran, Ben and Gavin had a play date at the neighbor's house for a few hours. That short time gave Peyton some much-needed relaxation. Since they had returned from Tree Hill two weeks ago both hers and Lucas's jobs had gotten extremely busy. A corporate art buyer had bought a number of pieced out of Peyton's showroom and she had several requests from other clients. Luke's practice took off after the doctor from the competing office retired. Both of them were stressed from trying to balance their careers and home life.
Now that Peyton was becoming quite successful she was skeptical about having another baby. They had tried a few more times after the night in the café but decided to stop when things at work got too hectic. They agreed that a baby would have to wait for a better time. Peyton, however, had a feeling that by that time it was already too late. The damage was already done. It was never hard for her to conceive as she learned when she had Cameran at 18.
The possibility that she was pregnant kept her from taking a peaceful nap like she planned. Peyton checked her watch; it was 11:00. Lucas would be home at 12:00 for lunch and the kids wouldn't be back until 3:00. It gave her enough time to buy a test from the store and take it in privacy.
Half an Hour Later
Peyton set the time for the test and sat on the couch waiting for the results. She knew that she would be happy either way. A baby was a blessing any time in your life whether the timing was right or not. The sound of the IM on the computer interrupted her thoughts.
HaleyJScott: Hey Peyton!
PeytonSScott: Hey Hales! How are you feeling?
HaleyJScott: I feel great! I just got back from my two month check-up and I have sonogram pictures.
PeytonSScott: It's always amazing when you see your baby for the first time.
HaleyJScott:Yeah, Nathan couldn't be happier.
PeytonSScott:Did you tell you parent's yet?
HaleyJScott:Yeah but they think that it was conceived on the honeymoon. I don't want them to know that I didn't wait until I was married.
PeytonSScott:How are you going to hide the six-week difference?
HaleyJScott:I figured that they won't see me for the next seven months and when the baby is born we can just tell them it was premature.
Peyton heard the time go off in the background. She realized that the results of the test could impact her life for the fourth time.
PeytonSScott:Hold on a second. I need to check on something.
She stood up from the computer and walked tentatively across the room to where the test sat on the table. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the results.
"The line is blue. Damnit what does that mean?" Peyton shuffled through the package for the instructions. "Why do these things have to be so complicated?" She mumbled to herself. Finally she found the English side of the directions. "Oh my gosh. It's positive!" She ran back to the computer to tell Haley the news.
PeytonSScott:You're not the only one that has an addition.
HaleyJScott:What? Are you...Pregnant?
PeytonSScott:Yeah I just found out. Don't tell Lucas that I told you first.
HaleyJScott:Cross my heart!
PeytonSScott:I gotta go. Tell Nathan I said hey.
HaleyJScott:Say hi to Luke and the kids for me.
PeytonSScott:Okay, bye.
Peyton lingered at the computer for a few more moments. The truth lay clearly across the middle of the screen; she was pregnant. She was 24 years old and she had three kids with one on the way. It was not the way she would have envisioned her life ten years ago. At the time Peyton and Brooke were the queens of Tree Hill and Nathan was Peyton's king. Nothing about their dating experience was based on love and she had no parental models to show her how to have a relationship. Somehow she convinced herself that she would never find love. The only person she ever really cared about was Brooke, until she met Luke.
He showed he what it felt like to want to be with someone every minute of everyday. Unfortunately the new feelings she was learning came at the expense of her best friend. When the moment came to make the choice between the two most important people in her life, it was the most painful thing she had ever done. For months after her friendship ended with Brooke she questioned her decision. Now Peyton wouldn't change a thing about her life.
Lucas had taught her things about her life she never thought of and she didn't have to put up a facade around him. Plus he had three beautiful children with him, well now the count was up to four.
Peyton was now contemplating her task of telling Luke about the baby. Breaking the news bout Cameran was not the most romantic experience but she made up for it by planning a candlelight dinner 9 months before the twins were born. If she had something planned for him when he came home he would be able to figure it out immediately.
After about ten minutes of pondering she had an excellent idea. Peyton ran up to the attic and started digging through the boxes of baby clothes. Her plan was to hide a pair of baby clothes in Lucas's briefcase when he came home. Of course when he got back to the office and found them he would know exactly what the message was and freak out. That would be the most priceless reaction.
Luke arrived about an hour later at 12:30. Peyton thought that she would burst when she heard him come in the door. She was never very good at keeping secrets.
"Sorry I'm late baby. I had a patient walk in at the last minute and I couldn't turn him away." He apologized giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"It's okay; I'll make us some lunch." Peyton told him as he set his briefcase down on the kitchen counter and headed into the family room giving her the perfect opportunity to put her plan into action
When Peyton was done making lunch they sat at the kitchen table to eat. Their whole conversation was a blur to her. Every time there was a silence she thought she would give away the news. When Lucas finally went back to the office Peyton let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The last part of her plan was in effect. She sat anxiously by the phone waiting for his reaction. It came less than ten minutes later.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Was the first thing out of Luke's mouth.
"If you think it means we're having a baby then yes, it means what you think it means." She told him excitedly.
"Wow, I can't believe it...Well I can believe it but...I'm coming back home." He rambled
"No stay at the office. We're gonna need all the patients we can get right now. But I promise we can celebrate when you get home." She promised.
"Okay baby, I love you."
"I love you too."
Peyton finally felt relaxed enough to take her nap. She slept soundly thinking of how lucky she was.