Chapter 3

"And this is her daughter Emily" Karen said as she walked up holding Emily.

'Woah! Hold up! She has a kid?!' Nathan thought to himself.

"Oh she's so cute" Lucas said.

"She and Jenny became friends today" Peyton said.

"Oh really? Jenny, you made a new friend?" Jake questioned.

Jenny shook her head yes and squirmed to get out of Jake's arms. Karen put Emily down and she and Jenny ran off to play in the corner with some toys Haley had gotten out of her car earlier.

"Well, why don't you all sit down and I'll start bringing the food out" Karen suggested.

"Oh, let me help you Karen" Haley said as she started to follow Karen to the kitchen.

"No, no. You get acquainted with everyone. I've got it."

A few minutes later Karen came out with food and two people.

"Look who I found" she said.

Haley looked up and saw a pretty woman with blonde hair and a rugged looking man with brown hair.

"Haley, this is my fiancé Keith and my partner and best friend Deb. Keith, Deb, this is Haley James, my new employee" Karen said.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both" Haley said politely.

"Hi Haley" Keith said.

"Haley, it's nice to meet you" Deb said.

Lucas and Nathan pushed two tables together and everyone took their regular seats. Lucas dropped into his seat.

"Here Haley, you can sit by me" Peyton said as she pointed to the chair next to her as she sat next to Lucas.

Haley sat down next to Peyton and put Emily in the chair next to her. Emily was excited because Karen was sitting next to her. Keith sat at the head of the table. On the other side of the table Jake sat across from Lucas, Jenny sat next to him, then, it was Brooke, Nathan and Deb. Everyone started to eat. Throughout dinner there was conversation going on but, Haley just sat back quietly listening to everyone.

"So, Haley, how old are you?" Deb questioned.

"I'm twenty-one" Haley replied.

"How old is Emily?" Lucas questioned.

"She's three."

"Where are you from?" Brooke asked.

"New York."

'What's with all the questions?' Haley thought to herself.

"Mommy, I want my juice cup" Emily said.

"Em, you have juice right there on the table" Haley replied.

"No! I want my juice cup!" Emily said raising her voice.

Haley looked at her daughter and saw her yawn and rub her eyes. She was tired and cranky and Haley knew she wouldn't win this fight.

"Ok, I'll go get it" Haley said standing up.

She got her keys out and walked out to her car.

"Damn, that Audi is hers?" Lucas said in surprise.

"Hey Nate, you need a napkin?" Jake questioned as he watched Nathan staring at Haley.

"Huh, what? No. Why?" Nathan stammered as he turned his gaze from Haley to Jake.

"So you can wipe that drool from your chin, you've been drooling over her since Pey introduced you to her" Jake laughed.

"I have not!" Nathan denied.

"Oh yes you have! Don't even try to deny it!" Brooke said.

"What about your little basketball girlfriend Nate? You know, the one you're gonna lose your job over" Peyton teased.

"Plus she's what, nineteen? Come on Nate, you need to find someone else" Lucas said.

"Shut up! I'm tired of hearing s hit from all of you about Erin!" Nathan said through gritted teeth.

"Nathan James Scott! You're still seeing that little girl?" Deb questioned.

"Mom! She's not a little girl! She's nineteen!" Nathan sighed.

"Like I said, little girl" Deb reiterated.

"Oh Nate! You just got burned by your mom!" Jake laughed.

Haley walked in at this moment.

"Who's Nathan's mom?" she questioned with a confused look on her face.

"I am" Deb answered.

"Huh?"

Everyone laughed at the utter confusion written on Haley's face.

"You and Karen both have sons by the same man and you're best friends?"

"Yes. I divorced Dan when Nathan was still in high school. He moved soon after that and no one's heard from him since. But, Karen and I became friends before I divorced Dan. Keith helped us to realize that we shouldn't have a problem with each other but with his brother." Deb replied.

"His brother?" Haley questioned.

"Yes, Dan is his Keith's brother" Karen answered.

"Wow!"

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in. We're just one big messed up extended family" Brooke said jokingly.

"You're related to them too?"

"No. Jake and I are the only ones not related to them but we're like family. Lucas has been my best friend since we were five. Jake, Lucas and Nathan played basketball together and became best friends. So, we're like one big family" Brooke explained.

"Oh, ok" Haley said as she sat down trying to soak in all the new information.

Haley picked Emily up and sat her in her lap. Emily happily took the juice cup and started drinking from it.

"Do you have any brothers and sisters Haley?" Keith questioned.

"Yes. I have a sister Claire who is twenty-seven and a brother Gabe who is twenty-four" Haley divulged.

"What made you come here to Tree Hill?" Brooke questioned bluntly.

Peyton swiftly kicked Brooke under the table.

"OWW!" Brooke yelled glaring at Peyton.

"Ok, that's enough questions. We don't want to scare Haley away. Why don't we tell her a little about ourselves" Karen said.

"Well, I'm twenty-one, I go to UNC-Chapel Hill and I live with Jake and Jenny" Brooke started.

"But, we're just roommates and best friends" Jake threw out.

Haley saw the sadness in Brooke's eyes when Jake made this comment.

"I'm twenty-four and I teach History at Tree Hill High. Jenny is four" Jake said.

"Lucas is twenty-three and he's a sports writer and I'm twenty-two and I do the art work for Thud magazine" Peyton said.

"Your turn Nate" Lucas said.

"Huh? Oh, I'm twenty-three and I'm the athletic trainer for the girls basketball team at UNC-Chapel Hill."

The conversation continued for the next twenty minutes. Haley looked down and noticed that her daughter had fallen asleep in her arms. She brushed her curly blonde hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.

"Well, thank you all so much for inviting me to have dinner with you but, I need to get back to the hotel since Emily is sleeping" Haley said politely.

"Ok, it was great having you join us for dinner. I'll see you at seven tomorrow morning" Karen said.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Haley and she walked out of the café. After putting Emily in her car seat Haley got into the driver's seat. Before she could go anywhere her cell phone rang and she answered it.

"Hello."

"Where the f uck are you?" the voice on the other side of the phone shouted.

'Shit! Why didn't I look at the caller ID before I answered?' Haley chastised herself.

"Far away from you" Haley answered.

"Don't get smart with me Haley! Get your f ucking ass back home now!"

"No Connor! You will never see me or my daughter again" Haley shouted into the phone.

"Emily is my daughter too! I want you and Emily home now or so help me.." Connor started but was cut off by Haley.

"Or what? You'll find me and beat me? You've done that enough! Why don't you just leave me the f uck alone! I'm not coming back!" Haley shouted, anger evident in her voice.

"Haley, I will find you!" Connor shouted and then hung up on Haley.

Jake was standing outside the whole time Haley was on the phone. He saw her screaming and crying. He walked up to her car and knocked on her window. Haley jumped because of his actions then rolled down her window.

"Um, you left Emily's juice cup and I thought you might need it so I just wanted to bring it to you before you left. Are you ok?" Jake said, worry in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks" Haley said wiping away her tears trying to compose herself.

Haley took the juice cup from Jake then pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the hotel.