Chapter 9

And then the moment was gone

It was 11 o clock on Saturday morning. Brooke had been up for hours obsessing about her project. Five days had passed and still she had no ideas. She concluded that she just wasn't an idea person. She had already drawn seven sketches of what the site should look like but she was completely clueless about what made a good business venture idea. She was an art person, an analyzer not an idea generating machine. Brooke frequently attended art shows, she would stare at photographs and paintings for hours analyzing every detail, dissecting them to figure out what the artist was trying to capture or convey. When she read the course description for E-commerce online they made it seem like the course was all about design. She sighed and threw herself unto the couch. She was going to have to wait a few weeks until she got to the part of the project that she was really interested in, site design and implementation.

A bedroom door opened in the hallway and two minutes later the shower was running. Bianca was up. It had to be Bianca because there was no way Rachel would be up before twelve on the weekend. Twenty minutes later Bianca walked into the living room. A large poster on the wall caught her eye.

"Brooke, what the hell is this?"

"Nothing much, just a little something I left for you and Rachel to read."

On the wall was a colossal poster that was skillfully divided into two parts. The heading read dating. One half of the poster was labelled pros and the other cons. Brooke Davis could not be serious. On the cons side she had listed cheating, AIDs, STDs, lying, fingering, oral sex, break ups, falling grades, falling in love, accountability, pregnancy, saying 'I love you' and annoying corny phone calls. On the pro side there was one item listed, Sex and next to it there was an asterisk. Bianca lowered her eyes to the bottom of the document where there was another asterisk. It read "this can be achieved without dating, don't forget what I'm buying soon for $59.99"

Brooke was so ridiculous with this no dating nonsense. It annoyed her how adamant she was about not dating. She was growing tired of it because she knew deep down Brooke wanted to experience most of the things on the con side of the list but she was just scared. Bianca decided to be firm with her.

"Brooke Penelope Davis, I'm going to the store now to do our grocery shopping and by the time I get back that stupid poster had better be gone. You hear me, you will go on a date if it's the last thing I do!"

Lucas and Nathan were equally as annoyed as Bianca if not more. They were stuck in the last place on the planet they would rather be. Lucas, Nathan and Dan were sitting in Botecelli's one of the restaurants at the Palm Springs Country Club. Dan had a condescending smirk on this face, he had destroyed both his sons on the golf course. Lucas was convinced that Dan was one of the most insecure people he had ever met. He would always pick out some of the most random things for the three of them to compete at, things he knew that he could beat them at. The sad part was that he actually felt good about himself when he won. It was like needed to feel like he was better than them. When he won these ridiculous little competitions, he would gloat for hours and criticize them for not being as good at it as him. He did not want to end up like Dan. He knew he had some inner demons to face and he was determined to conquer them before he had his own children so he wouldn't mess them up like Dan had. Lucas' greatest fear was becoming in his father.

"Boy if got a dollar for every time one of you did something stupid out there I would be a billionaire"

"Whatever dad. Whatever you need to do to make yourself feel better." Nathan said.

Nathan had always been more fearless than Lucas when it came to Dan. Lucas was always a little ashamed that his little brother had more guts than he did. There were countless times when Lucas had to break up physical altercations between Nathan and Dan. Nathan was a hot head and when he got angry he didn't like to do too much talking, especially if he was angry with his daddy dearest. Regardless of their differences over the years Nathan Scott had given up his Saturday morning to sleep in late to be with his father for one reason and one reason only – money. If Nathan did not show up in less than an hour his credit card would have been cancelled. Sure he had lived for three and a half years married to Haley without his shiny new magic credit card. Nathan figured that if Haley was going to enjoy her freedom and all that other nonsense she wanted and he was going to be depressed without her then he might as well have some money to make him feel better. So many CD's and Xbox games he wanted to buy but had to refrain from buying because the rent was due or the water heater was busted again. His recent wealth was bittersweet. He finally had the one thing he needed to feel like a better husband, a better provider but he had no one to provide for. Apparently Haley and money could not coexist together.

"So Nate, what's the latest with you and Mother Theresa?"

"She has name Dad, why don't you try using it some time"

"Oh I'm sorry how is your saint Haley"

"I wouldn't know."

"You know Nate you always make me out to be the bad guy, but if you took out that stick you got shoved up your ass you'll realize there's a lot you can learn from me."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"You think you have everything figured out huh. You were in love so you got married. People weigh the decision to get married for months and in one afternoon you run off like a fool and tie the knot without thinking it through. You know nothing about marriage. You just thought that Haley would let down her Rupunzel locks and you would climb up to meet her and live happily ever after."

"No I didn't. What the hell would you know about marriage? Where is your wife this week Russia? South Africa? Iceland? You sure as hell don't know."

"Nathan I can't believe you just asked me that question with a straight face. What do I know about marriage? Plenty or maybe you forgot that I got married at a young age too. I was just a little older than you are. I know the struggle. I know it's a battle. I know about the sacrifices, the second guessing all the time, the arguing, the wondering every minute of everyday what I could have been if I wasn't tied down. So you know what Nate sue me, hate me for the rest of my life because I didn't want you to become me. Despite what you both may think I love you. I would die for either of you in a heartbeat. I may not be the kind of Dad who you can snuggle up on the couch with but I've always tried to do right by both of you. I'm just trying to do what's best for you and it seems as though no matter how hard I try you two will always resent me. I mean I plan a father son morning for us and I have to get all this lip from Nathan."

Nathan and Lucas were speechless. It was the first time they had heard Dan talk about them like that. His words seemed genuine. To Dan, Nathan and Lucas were the most precious things to him in the world. Even though he expressed it in an unorthodox way Dan loved his boys. After Lucas kicked Nathan under the table Nathan decided get rid of his hostility.

An hour later the trio was down by the docks looking at their fellow club members on jet skis. Nathan and Dan were actually laughing together. It was hilarious the way some these posh country clubbers tried to live on the wild side. Most of them ended up plunging head first into the water. They had spent the entire day at the club. Lucas was actually feeling less tense than usual. He was also feeling a little guilty. If he could rig up a dartboard with points for the root of all the problems he had in his life, the one in the center, the one worth the most points would go to Dan. Right now he wasn't sure if that was how he should feel. They were now sitting on the porch chairs having drinks.

"You know Nathan I really enjoyed today. I should fly down so we can do this more often."

"Yeah dad, who knew, you were actually kind of fun"

"Kind of?"

"Ok Dad you were cool"

"You know there is another reason I'm here. I have something for you. I hope you'll like it."

Dan handed Nathan an envelope. He opened it and the smile that once adorned his face was gone. The happiness that just seconds ago was emanating from his face was gone. The only emotion on Nathan's face now was anger, worse than anger actually, rage.

"Divorce papers!"

"Nathan lower your voice people can hear you"

"So that's what this was about today. You took out your Mr. Nice Dad costume so you could butter me up so I'd decide to divorce Haley."

"No Nathan it's not like that. I really enjoyed the day with you and Luke.I"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP WITH YOUR LIES! Admit it, you tried to use your so called "love" for me to get me to divorce Haley"

"Nathan don't you understand this is what's best for you. You can have a future. What happens to you and Haley if you make it to the NBA and you get traded to another team in another city? Is she supposed to just pack up her things and follow you? Look at your grades Nathan? Your game? Nathan this marriage is destroying your life. I think you're the one who needs to admit things. I'll be honest I buttered you up so you would sign. Now you be honest Nathan. Tell me this marriage isn't destroying your life."

"You know what Dan. Fuck you!"

Nathan couldn't say it. He knew Dan was right. His marriage was destroying his life. Rather than let Dan win the battle he stormed off to the parking lot and sped off in his car. Lucas would have to take a taxi back home for all he cared. Now only Lucas and Dan remained on the table.

"Uh Dad I think I,m going to head home and make sure Nathan's alright."

"Ok Lucas but before you go take this." Dan said handing Lucas the divorce papers.

"I don't understand"

"You make sure he signs these papers! You hear me Lucas! I don't care if you have to lie to him, beat him, tie him up, make him see the light. You wouldn't want your credit card to be declined at some restaurant while your out with some girl."

Lucas shot Dan an evil look and walked off with papers in his hand. For a moment today he wasn't sure he should resent his father. For a moment he saw his dad in a different light. It was the briefest moment of his life.