"I love shopping!" Brooke squealed.
"And it shows", Meg laughed, looking down at all the bags on the brunette's arms.
"This is so fun! I needed a girl's day out like this. I should have more clients in Charlotte so we can do this more often."
"I enjoy the company. It's a nice little getaway from work…and other things", Megan's voice trailed off.
"Hey, this is the mall where the designer sent your wedding gown, right?" Brooke asked, obviously missing Meg's previous implication.
"Um, yeah it's downstairs but…"
"Oh goody, goody! I can't wait to see it!"
"Brooke…"
"Let's go", Brooke dragged the blonde to the store. "I am so excited!"
Megan conceded and they walked to the bridal shop where a replica of Megan's wedding gown was displayed in the showcase. They stared at the mannequin wearing the gorgeous white satin strapless gown studded with real diamonds. The train was long and the veil elegant, matched perfectly with gloves.
"Here it is."
Brooke's mouth hung open.
"Oh my God! This dress…this dress is so freaking gorgeous! Oh, I'm jealous! Totally. It makes me want to run out and get married. Well, not really but you know what I mean."
"Thanks, Brooke."
"I really love it. Let me guess, size 5?"
"Size 4."
"Bitch", Brooke teased. "Well, I know you're going to look absolutely amazing in it but have you and Nathan considered an Empire waist instead of the Princess cut? I mean, the design is wicked but with your belly growing and the wedding three weeks away…how far along are you anyway?"
"Only five weeks. I'll be two months along by the time the wedding rolls around so it shouldn't be too bad. I should still be able to fit."
"Thank God. I'm a modern girl and everything and there's nothing wrong with being preggers before the walk down the aisle but you know how some people can be. And the Buddha belly is so not cute in the photos."
Meg looked away.
"Um, Brooke, have you…have you told anyone what I told you? You know, about me being pregnant and all?"
"No."
"You sure? Not Peyton or Lucas or anyone?"
"No. I mean, it's good news and everything but I really don't feel like it's my place to be broadcasting your personal business. It's hard but yes, Brooke Davis can keep a secret…if it's a secret."
"Thank you and yes it is a secret."
"Okay but people are going to find out eventually…"
"Nathan doesn't know."
Brooke stopped in her tracks.
"Meg…"
"I haven't told him yet."
"And why not?"
"I tried to. That first night when he got back. I was so happy to see him and just so glad that he was safe and alive and back home in my arms. But obviously that wasn't the best time to drop such a bombshell."
"Maybe so but he has been home for what, like a week and a half now?"
"Yeah."
"So…"
"So, it's hard. I try but the words won't come out."
"Well, make them! Megan, you so have to tell him. He's going to be a father. The man has a right to know."
"I know. I am. I mean, I will. Soon…"
"Is everything okay? I'm sure you're nervous and it wasn't planned or anything but Nathan will be happy. I know him. You know him, too. He loves rug rats. He's great with them, too. You've seen him with the little fans."
"I don't know, Brooke. I hope so. You're right that this is an unplanned pregnancy and I…well, I can't help but think that the timing really stinks on this one."
"It'll be okay."
"Will it?"
"What's wrong? Talk to me. Is there something else?"
"Yes…no…"
"Meg…"
"It's nothing probably. Nathan has just been…different since he got back, I guess."
"Different how?"
"I don't know. Moody. Distant. I can't explain it but you should see him. He's just not himself."
"Well, who could blame him? You saw the tsunami coverage on TV. It was brutal. To actually experience something like that…God, I don't know if I would have been strong enough. He probably just needs some time to deal with it all. You know how Scott men are. They aren't the most vocal when it comes to expressing feelings. Nathan will be fine."
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right. He's fine. I'm just being silly, huh?"
"You're just worried. You love him. That's normal."
The two women continued walking.
"Hey Brooke, can I ask you something."
"I'm an open book", she grinned. "What's up?"
"What was she like?"
"Who?"
"Haley", Megan answered softly.
"Tutor Wife?" Brooke wrinkled her nose. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. I want to know. Nathan told me the story one time after we started seriously dating but he never got into details."
"Let me think", Brooke shrugged. "You know the sordid soap opera love triangle of Dan, Deb and Karen, right?"
"Yeah. I heard."
"Okay. I can't begin with 'Once Upon A Time' because this ain't no freaking fairytale. Dan chose Deb and they raised Nathan and lived in mansions and drove fancy cars and always had plenty of money while Karen and Broody struggled two steps short of the welfare line before she got the loan to open the café."
"Brooke", Megan smiled. "That's not a very nice thing to say."
"What? It's true. Broody told me himself. Karen's family totally kicked her to the curb and if it hadn't been for Keith, a couple times that might would have starved."
"Oh my God."
"Oh yeah. Dan Scott is a real prince. Anyway, cut to many years later. Picture Tree Hill High. Nathan is the star hoopster, dating Peyton who was and is my very best friend. We were the popular, pretty cheerleaders. Anyway, Lucas gets recruited by Whitey to join the team and all hell breaks loose. Nathan and Papa Scott were not happy. Now all Nathan and Peyton had was booze, partying and drama and she and Lucas had this connection or some crap where they found it easy to just mope and brood together. So Lucas joins the team, everything gels and Nate and Peyton split. Nathan, of course, blames Luke for everything. Obviously the hazing and taunting and beatings weren't changing things so Nathan comes up with the ultimate revenge plan. Make Lucas' sweet, innocent, slightly homely and naïve best friend, Haley James fall in love. He would date her just to piss Lucas off, sleep with her, then leave her heartbroken."
"What happened?"
"Haley happened. They fell in love. Real love. She changed his life. Before she came along, he was this rude, crude, totally arrogant yet incredibly sexy terd of a human being. He was a bad boy, the Bad Boy of Tree Hill, in fact. But they just…I don't know. They really clicked. They just got each other, if you know what I mean. It was love. Next thing we all know, they're married."
"And how was that? What kind of husband was Nathan?"
"He was a great husband as far as I could tell. He really loved her. They were so cute, like puppies. They were always together. Very happy."
"Then why did Haley leave?"
Brooke rolled her eyes.
"The greatest debate in modern history since, 'Did Oswald really shoot President Kennedy?' Some people say, she had this musical dream and she pursued it and Michelle Branch really liked her voice and invited her to open on The Wreckers tour. Haley did and she called Nathan and tried to include him and keep the marriage together but his anger and pride and well, Scottness, got in the way."
"What do you say?"
"I don't know anymore. I mean, if it looks like a duck, it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, then…"
"It must be a duck."
"Exactly and the duck in question was one Chris Keller."
"You think something was going on there?"
"Who knows? She did kiss him. Jake saw them once and Jagielski so would not lie. Besides, Haley admitted it to Nathan before she left."
"He must have been so angry…"
"Angry is not the word, trust me. There are no words. He was like a wild, wounded, caged animal. No one could get to him. The fights and the drinking and the women…it was crazy. I can't t tell you how many times that idiot fiancé of yours got tossed in the Drunk Tank for getting sloshed and starting all kinds of trouble. Look, I don't know exactly what happened or why they ultimately split for good but one thing was for certain. Haley really hurt him."
"But he really loved her, huh?"
"She was his first love."
"And you never forget your first love."
"That's what they say…wait a minute, you don't think…"
"I don't know what I think, Brooke."
"No way Nathan still loves Haley. He loves you now. You guys are great together. You're happy. What he had with her happened a long time and it's over. It's been over for years. The Dominican was just the final stamp."
"You're right", Megan sighed. "I'm just being stupid."
"Probably those pregnancy hormones I keep hearing so much about."
Megan tried to smile.
"Yeah. Let's just drop it, okay? How about we grab some lunch and go back to shopping? There's a whole other floor of stores you haven't ransacked yet."
"You so read my mind", Brooke laughed as they linked arms. "Let's go."
Megan took a deep breath. She and Nathan were fine. Her suspicions were dumb and unfounded. Haley James was now out of their lives. They were free to be a family. She held her head high as she pushed the conversation with Brooke out of her mind…along with the nagging reservations in her heart.