Chapter Eighteen: The Things That Bring You Back
"Your house is quiet," commented Gabby to Jenny as the two sat on Jenny's bed. Jenny was braiding Gabby's long red hair, and Gabby was staring at Jenny's wall.
"Weirdly quiet. Jake went to visit Uncle Nate and Uncle Luke at the basketball thing and took Benny with him. And Mom's tired again," said Jenny. Gabby nodded wisely.
"Do you know what gender they are yet?" asked Gabby, glancing listlessly out the window.
"Nope. Mom didn't want to. Don't you think that's…" Both girls gasped as a scream came from the direction of Peyton's bedroom, and were immediately on their feet.
"Mommy!" cried Jenny in alarm, when she saw her mother, crouching in pain on the bed, her arms protectively encircling her eight months pregnant stomach.
"Peyton?" said Gabby in shock, as Jenny ran to the bed, bounced onto it and gripped her mother's hand.
"Are you starting the… contractions?" asked Jenny awkwardly, looking completely lost.
"Yes," she said. She took a deep breath and seemed to relax slightly. Gabby crouched on the floor, wondering how she could help. Minutes later, Peyton's screeched in pain again.
"I'll call an ambulance," volunteered Gabby.
"No, just get a cab," argued Peyton, as she squeezed Jenny's hand again.
"What's the cab company number?" asked Gabby. The question floated in the air as Jenny's face whitened.
The door burst open behind them, and footsteps ran down the hall. They were obviously female, but it didn't stop Peyton from calling out to her husband in hope.
"Haley," said Gabby in relief. She stood up and hugged her shocked guardian.
"Gabs, what's going on?" she asked, eyeing Peyton on the bed.
"She's in labour. And the told me not to call the hospital, and Jake's not here and she's in lots of pain and I don't know what to do," moaned Gabby, the pitch of her voice steadily rising. Haley nodded and walked over to the bed and gently pried Jenny from her mother.
"Peyton, come on," said Haley, giving her hands for Peyton to grip.
"Where?" asked Peyton, as she was helped off the bed.
"The car's downstairs, we'll take you to the hospital," she said gently.
"Jake's not here," said Peyton, as the two walked slowly toward the door.
"I'll call him," promised Haley.
The five of them sped toward the hospital. Haley had called previously, and a wheelchair was waiting out front with a nurse. Peyton was wheeled in.
"Jared, take the girls back, Taylor can look after them," she said distractedly, preparing to follow Peyton. She was surprised by noises of indignation from both girls.
"Like hell. I'm not going anywhere," said Jenny stubbornly.
"Me neither," said Gabby. Haley looked frustrated, but powerless to argue.
"Fine. But I'm going to be busy, so I need you to sit still. And be… good," said Haley lamely.
"Fine. And anyway, Daddy will be here soon," said Jenny confidently, gliding out of the car after her mother, Gabby following her at a run. Haley bit her lip and felt disinclined to mention that Jake was on the other side of the country with Haley's boyfriends, and had no reason to suspect that his wife would go into labour a month early.
Haley remained in the behind with the girls, and while they sat down and began to talk, she pulled out her cell and called the number Peyton had given her.
As the phone rang, Haley glanced distractedly at the television. It was warning her that there was a massive rainstorm in southern California.
"Hello?" said Jake.
"Jake. This is Haley," she said.
"Haley James?" he echoed in surprise.
"Haley James. Um, Peyton's in labour. Can you come?" she asked anxiously. Jake cursed.
"No. Planes aren't leaving because of the storm. Tell her I'll be there as soon as I can," he said.
"Of course," she murmured.
"And Haley…" Jake's voice sounded reluctant.
"Yes?"
"Take care of her, will you?" he requested.
"I promise," she whispered, as a nurse approached her.
Haley looked nervously away as a Doctor came in and examined Peyton.
"You're doing well, Mrs. Jagielski. It won't be long now," he said.
"My husband's stuck in California," she said anxiously. The Doctor, a woman only slightly older than the two of them, frowned.
"It looks like we may have to do without him. You'll stay?" she asked, indicating Haley.
"Of course," she responded.
"Wait, you're Haley James?" said the Doctor.
"Yeah," said Haley, blushing faintly.
"I'm a fan. Is it true that you were married to that basketball player?" she asked. Haley smiled bitterly and glanced down at the bare expanse of skin on her right wrist.
"In another life," she said, smiling faintly.
Ten hours later Jenny and Gabby were sleeping in their chairs and Haley was in hospital scrubs. Jake was in California, and Peyton was ready to go.
"Come on, push Peyton," said Haley, as Peyton let out another scream.
"You would not believe… how much easier… it is for you to say that than for me to do it," groaned Peyton. Haley flickered a smile.
"I'll know," comforted Haley. Peyton glanced sideways at her, but in her own pain did not notice the look of anxiety and fear on Haley's face.
"Almost there, just a little further," encouraged an intern.
"Breath, Mrs. Jagielski," said the doctor. Haley grinned and felt like screaming when she heard a scream fill the delivery room, and the doctor held in her arms a red and purple bloody thing with a faint dusting of hair, screaming its lungs out.
"It's a girl!" she said. Peyton grinned faintly. "Now, you have ten minutes, I'm guessing."
Haley spun her head around so quickly that her eyes hurt.
"What's she talking about?" she asked nervously.
"The other one, I'm guessing," said Peyton, eyeing the baby that the nurse was cleaning off.
"You're having twins? I so didn't sign up for it," said Haley.
"I don't think I did either," smiled Peyton. Haley leaned over and kissed Peyton's forehead.
"Then I guess we'll just have to make the best of it," said Haley, as Peyton let out another look of alarm as the doctor came running.
Both women gazed down at the tiny red sleeping faces, completely identical.
"They're beautiful," said Haley.
"They are. I wish Jake was here," said Peyton quietly.
"He'll come. As soon as he can. Don't worry," soothed Haley.
"Can you get Jenny?" asked Peyton. Haley nodded and hurried off down the hall.
Taylor James was sitting upright in a hospital chair, a redhead on one shoulder, a brunette on the other. Her eyes widened when she saw Haley and she raised her eyebrows in a silent question.
"Girls. Two of them," whispered Haley. Jenny's blue eyes popped open.
"Really? Can I come?" asked Jenny, before Taylor could speak. Gabby woke up slower and raised herself into a sitting position, raising her arms to stretch them out.
"Sure. Gabby, you can look later, alright?" said Haley, as she and Jenny walked down the hall.
Haley led Jenny to Peyton's room and assured that she was sitting down on the bed before leaving to wander down the halls. Distractedly she pulled off the cap that was around her head and let her hair tumble around her sweaty shoulders.
Once again in a state of calm, Haley allowed her mind to drift back to the separate, equally difficult partings with the Scott brothers. Both so difficult because of the different feelings of love she'd had for the boys in the past and present, the different feelings of lust. The different feeling she had and always would have.
She casually strolled by Peyton's room and saw her with her three daughters, leaned against her pillows in exhaustion, her hair tied messily back, a flush of animation creeping into her cheeks.
"Haley, join us," said Peyton. Haley shook her head quickly, but smiled at the sentiment.
"I just heard from Jake. He thinks he can make it in tomorrow, but you'll probably be checked out by then," said Haley.
"That's okay. Jenny can take care of me," said Peyton bravely.
"And two babies? Taylor, Gabby and I can help... if you don't mind," said Haley. Peyton smiled.
"Thanks. That'd be great," said Peyton.
"Brooke too, maybe?" suggested Haley.
"She's in California with the guys. And not exactly a baby person."
"True. I'll leave you guys to yourselves," said Haley, exiting before either could protest.
Haley was prepared to resume her petrol of the hallway, but Taylor found her.
"So they're coming back," said Taylor, her expression searching.
"Yes."
"What are you going to tell them?" she persisted.
"About..? Honestly, I've made up my mind a thousand times about it and then changed it a thousand and one," said Haley, dropping her hand from her stomach.
"Don't worry. In fact, it sounds like we don't even have time to worry until these people hire a full time nanny," said Taylor, taking her sister's arm, engaging her in conversation and preparing to walk down the hallway.