Text books in hand, Peyton dashed from campus to her car that was parked in the designated student lot. She had forgotten to bring a jacket and there was a distinct chilling breeze in the air, a reminder to even a beach town, that fall had indeed arrived. Fumbling for her keys, she didn't even notice the woman standing next to the driver side door.
"Nikki!"
"Hey."
There was awkward silence. It wasn't enough room for two hens in the chicken house and a quiet tension had been building between the two women for weeks.
"Um, excuse me", Peyton mumbled as she brushed by to unlock her car.
"Can we talk?"
"I'm kind of in a hurry…"
"Please. It won't take long."
Peyton sighed in defeat.
"Fine. What's up?"
"Peyton, I just wanted to thank you for everything. You've been really great and I appreciate it but…"
"Nikki, just cut to the chase. You don't have to stall."
Nikki smiled a small smile and stared sheepishly at the ground for a bit.
"I want Jenny", she finally said.
Peyton's heart skipped several beats. It was what she had began to suspect although hearing verbal confirmation straight from the horse's mouth was still a startling revelation.
"What?"
"I want her. I want more time with my daughter, not just visits here and there."
"I can't believe you", Peyton rolled her eyes. "You swore you wouldn't do this. I went to bat for you against Jake and now you renig on your word."
"It's not like that", Nikki protested. "I'm not getting lawyers involved and I'm not trying to take Jenny away. But Peyton I am her mother and I love her and I want her with me. Is there anyway you, Jake and me can sit down and discuss an arrangement? I'm totally flexible. I'd be fine with every weekend."
"Yeah right. Like Jake would be willing to let you have Jenny every single weekend."
"I…wasn't talking about me, Peyton. I was talking about you guys. I want Jenny with me full time in Raleigh."
Peyton's eyes widened.
"Dude, you have got to seriously be joking right now."
"Peyton, this isn't a joking matter."
"Of course it's not! Because there is a little girl in the center of all of this and a she has a daddy that is crazy about her and who has raised her from the beginning. He was there when you weren't, Nikki. And when you came back to apologize, I tried to do the right thing and give you the benefit of the doubt. I felt sorry for you so I convinced Jake to let you have a second chance with Jenny."
"I know that and I appreciate it, Peyton. But I am Jenny's mother. I know what you've done for her and I glad that you stepped up when I didn't. But you aren't her mother. I'm sorry. I don't want to rip Jenny out of your life completely. I would never do that. You love her and she loves you. But this is my flesh and blood child we're talking about here."
Peyton couldn't believe it. Brooke and the others and especially Jake had tried to warn her but she was so intent on being a savior, that she hadn't listened. Now it was blowing up in her face and costing everyone big time.
"So what happens if we don't agree to this? How far are you willing to go?"
"I've hurt Jake enough, the last thing I want to do is hurt him again. I never want to hurt Jenny and I don't want to hurt you either, Peyton. You listened to me and helped me when no one else did and I'll never forget that. But I want the chance to raise my daughter. Yes, I made a huge mistake and walked out of her life once but that will never happen again. I want to be a mom, a real mom, not just some cool lady that shows up every other week with presents. Bottom line, I want Jenny. I'm willing to be fair about it but I want her…and I intend to get her."
"Are you going to get a lawyer?"
"I hope it doesn't come to that but if it's necessary, then yes."
Peyton bit her lip. She knew what that meant. A drawn out custody battle with Jenny in the middle. Attorneys were expensive and they were just a couple of college students. How would they afford one? And Jake's folks were struggling as it was. Plus, most Family Court judges sided in favor of the birth mother. It was almost a no win situation."
"You can't do this to Jake. It will kill him", Peyton whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.
"He'll see her and Raleigh isn't that far. You guys will know my every move."
"But it's not the same. That's what you don't understand, Nikki. Jake and Jenny are a team. He can't stand to be away from her at school and work. What do you think this will do to him? They have this beautiful, irreplaceable bond. For two years he has raised her and loved her and sacrificed for her. That little girl means everything to him. Jake can't be without her."
"Peyton, what do you want me to say?"
"Say that you'll stop this. That you'll go away quietly and leave things the way they are."
"I'm sorry. I can't do that."
Of course she couldn't, Peyton thought.
"So…is this just about Jenny?"
"Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb. Does this have anything to do with Jake? Do you still have feelings for him?"
Nikki took a deep breath. The million dollar question. The moment of truth.
"A very long time ago, Jake and I had a great thing. Out of that love, we made a beautiful baby. I was happy and we had it all but I screwed that up. Walking out on the both of them was the biggest mistake of my life. I know that now. I do love Jake, Peyton. Always have, always will. I see him with our baby and it just amazes me. His patience and tenderness…I miss that. But I messed it up and it's over. Jake is in love with you now. I know that and I accept it. I promise you, I am not trying to steal him back. You have my word."
"Your word?" Peyton laughed bitterly. "Oh yeah because that has worked out so beautifully so far, hasn't it?"
"I'm not trying to hurt you…"
"Hurt me? You're ripping my guts out Nikki. Don't you see? Two years ago you walked out on your life and I took your place. I became Jake's best friend and lover. I became Jenny's mother. I have sacrificed done any and everything I could to make their lives better. When you were partying and living it up, I was changing your kid's dirty diapers. When you were out having fun and spending money and doing normal college kid stuff, I was working and saving every penny so Jake and Jenny and me could have a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. All that bar and bed hopping and Girls Gone Wild Crap that you got to do? I never did because I was taking care of the responsibilities you walked away from. But you'll never hear me complain because I have no regrets. I love Jake and I love Jenny. Through good and bad times, we've always stuck together and I'd never, ever take that back. It's my life! They're my life! And just because you've wised up and you've changed, what right do you have to come back here and take it all away? What about me, Nikki? How dare you!"
"Peyton, I'm sorry…"
"Yeah", Peyton said. "Me too."
She brushed past the dark haired woman, hopped into her car, cranked the engine and roared off, leaving Nikki in the distance. However, she only made it a few miles before pulling over in a desolate parking lot. There alone, the reality of the conversation and situation hit her. Jake was going to lose Jenny and Peyton could lose the both of them and it was all her fault. She even wanted to hate Nikki but she couldn't. She knew Nikki loved her baby and who couldn't? It wasn't that hard to fall in love with either Jagielski…Jake or Jenny. Now it was slipping away, almost gone. Peyton couldn't handle it. That hurt more than anything else in her life, next to her mother's death. Soon she would be all alone. But there was one more decision to be made. One more choice that had to happen. Sure someone would get hurt, but any angle you looked at it, that was bound to happen. It had come down to the lesser of two evils. Peyton had to make a move and make one quick. She knew what she wanted to do. She knew what she had to do. She just didn't know what she was going to do.
