Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them
AN/ Here is the next chapter! Don't forget to review!
Suggestions are welcome"Lucas, I am sorry that we didn't tell you before now" Anna said when Lucas pulled away from her hug
"Mom, I understand. You did what you that was best for me"
"Yea, we did, but we should have told you sooner. We should have told both of you" Larry said looking between his son and daughter
"Dad, it is okay."
"I am going to go call Deb and tell her that it might be a good idea to tell Nathan." Anna said as she stood, picked up the cordless phone sitting on the desk against the far wall and walked towards the living room.
"How do you think Nathan is going to take this?" Brooke asked"Nathan has never known Dan, but he has always had his mom." Peyton said
Anna entered the living room and began dialing Deb Lee's phone number. She expected Deb to answer and was surprised when Keith did.
"Hello?"
"Keith?"
"Yea"
"It's Anna"
"Anna" Keith said as he sighed, "Nathan found out"
"We already told Lucas. He told Larry that Nathan called you Uncle Keith and we told him. How is Nathan?"
"He is taking it pretty hard. I think he feels more betrayed than anything. Deb and I told him and Haley about an hour ago and we haven't seen him since"
"How's Deb?"
"Hold on a minute. You can ask her yourself," Keith said as Anna heard Keith tell Deb who was on the phone
"They lied to me, Hales. My entire life, I have had a brother that I have never known about. How could they not tell us before now? " Nathan said as he paced his old room. Haley sitting on the bed watching her husband
"I don't know Nathan. Maybe they thought it was for the best."
"For the best? They should have told us. They probably never told Lucas that he was adopted either. I feel like a bomb was just dropped on my life. I can only imagine how he is going to feel when they tell him. What am I going to say to Lucas, Hales? I don't know if we can have the same friendship we had before"
"Nate, just because you two are brothers doesn't mean that you can't be friends. You and I both know Lucas; we have known him for years. Once, he founds out he is going to want to get to know you better and spend time together and do things that brothers do"
"I hope so Hales. I really hope so"
"I think you should go to talk to your mom. She is probably worried about you"
"Yea" Nathan said as he walked towards the closed bedroom door and opened it
"Anna?"
"Hey Deb"
"Anna, I told Nathan."
"Keith told me. We told Lucas. We told him everything"
"I didn't want them to find out like this"
"Neither did we, but what is done is done"
"How's Lucas?"
"He took it pretty hard. He is really hurt that we have never told him before"
"Do you think they will ever forgive us?"
"One day"
"I know they both have many questions."
"Yea, We can only answer them one question at a time though"
"Maybe we should get them together before they go back to Chicago. They have a business relationship now and I don't want this affecting that"
"Why don't you talk with Nathan and see how he feels about that?"
"I don't know if he is going to feel like talking to me the rest of time they are visiting"
"He will. In the meantime, I will talk with Lucas. We will figure something out Deb."
"I know. I will give you a call tomorrow and we can decide further from there"
"Okay. It will be okay Deb"
"I hope so. Bye"
"Bye" Anna said as she hit the off button and headed back towards the kitchen where her family was
"Mom?" Nathan said as his mother hung up the phone. Deb looked into the hurt eyes of her son and sighed
"I am sorry, Nathan. I should have told you sooner. We all should have told you both sooner"
"It came as a big shock."
"I know it did. You have every right to be mad."
"I am not mad. I am more hurt than anything. My whole life I have wanted a brother, someone that I could talk to and grow up with. I have had a brother my whole life and I never knew about it."
"I think that we made the wrong decision all those years ago keeping you two apart. We thought we were protecting you and it seems that we have done more harm than good"
"Mom, I realize that you did what you thought was best. I can't fault you for that"
"Oh, Nathan. I am so sorry," Deb said as she pulled her son into a hug.
"I know mom." Nathan said as he returned the hug
"Is she going to tell Nathan?" Larry asked when Anna reentered the kitchen
"She already has. Keith said he took it pretty hard."
"He probably asked Keith" Lucas said thinking out loud
"Asked Keith?" Anna asked
"Yea, he probably asked Keith about Peyton and I."
"The other night. We all went out to dinner and that is when we figured out that we all call the same man Uncle Keith." Peyton added
"Is that why you said something?" Larry asked his son
"Yea. Nathan was going to ask Keith and then call me and let me know what he had said"
"Deb suggested getting together before you guys head home." Anna said, "What do you think Lucas?"
"We are going to see each other eventually"
"How about we load up the whole family, everybody and go have Christmas with your grandparents" Larry said
"Dad, do you really think that Granddaddy and Mammaw are going to want all of us there?" Peyton asked her dad
"Yes, your grandparents have been bugging us for years to come for Christmas."
"What about June and Kevin?" Peyton questioned her father
"I am including them in the whole family. I am going to go call your grandparents now," Larry said as he left the kitchen and headed towards his office.
"I need some air. I will be back in a little while," Lucas said as he walked towards the front door
"Be careful, babe" Brooke called after him knowing where he was going
"I will. Love you" Lucas replied before the door shut
As Deb and Nathan let go of their hug, Keith and Haley entered the room.
"Everything okay in here?" Keith asked
"Yea" Nathan answered
"Nathan, I talked with Anna. We were thinking of maybe getting together before you guys head home. We don't want this to affect your friendships or your business relationship" Deb said looking up at her son
"Mom, it is going to affect both. However, I think it might be for the better."
"I think it would be nice to all get together extend Christmas a little bit with the new extended family," Haley said as she took a seat on the couch
"What do you say Nate?" Keith asked
"I guess we can do that" Nathan finally answered
"Alright. Now, what are we going to do about dinner? I am starved"
Everyone laugh. Leave it to Keith to know exactly how to break the tension.
Lucas walked along the streets of the city he had grown up in. He had walked this same sidewalk many times, far too many times for him to count. He came upon the basketball court that he had played at as a kid with Mouth and Tim. The three all shared love for the game. That might be why they got along so well. Lucas turned from the court walked across the street and entered the memorial gardens. He walked until he was standing in front of the upraised headstone that faced the basketball court. The headstone read 'Marvin "Mouth" A. Mcfadden. Beloved husband, father, son and best friend August 21, 1989- December 26, 2012' Three years, Lucas thought, three years since he had been killed.
"Hey buddy" Lucas said as he sat down beside the headstone facing the basketball court, "If you thought things were crazy before, well they just got crazier. I found out this afternoon that I am adopted and to add to that, Nathan Lee is my biological brother. We apparently share the same father. I am still soaking in all of it. It is weird to know someone for all those years and never know that they are related to you. I don't even know what to do now. I know that is a first for me. Usually I am the one who always knows what to do, not this time. Nathan and I have been friends for years, but I am not sure if we can make the transition into being brothers. Mom and dad are talking about going to Tree Hill for Christmas. They want to get all of us together before we go back to Chicago. I know they are trying to help us, but it almost feels like they are trying to force us to be brothers. We both know that I don't like to be forced to do anything. I really wish that you could give me your input on this or make some stupid remark like you used too. "
"He was always good for stupid remarks" Lucas heard a female voice say behind him, one that recognized as Erica McFadden.
Lucas rose to his feet and hugged Erica; "It is good to see you Erica. How are you?"
"I am okay. This time of year is a little rough."
"Yea, How's Marvie?"
"He is good. He is with my mom right now looking through pictures of Mouth and I. He still doesn't completely understand, but he will one day."
"He never got to meet his dad all he has is pictures and you to tell him about him" Erica had been 7 months pregnant with Marvin Jr when Mouth was killed.
"And he has you. You knew Mouth longer than I did." Erica said
"When he gets older and can understand the crazy person that his dad was, I will tell him everything that I can about Mouth"
"I know you will. I framed that picture that you sent me a couple of months ago, the one with you and Mouth sitting on that awful couch you loved so much. It is sitting on his dresser in his room. He noticed it the other day and told me that it was daddy and Uncle Lucas"
"I miss him, Erica" Lucas said looking back at the headstone
"Yea, me too. Everyday"
"Well, I am going to go. Give you two some time to yourself."
"You don't have to leave"
"No, it is okay. I have said what I need to say."
"Okay. Give me a call before you leave. I would love to see Brooke and I know that Marvie would love to see both of you."
"I will. Bye Erica"
"See ya Luke"
Lucas started to walk away looking back once more at the headstone. Mouth had spoken from beyond the grave through his wife and had told Lucas exactly what he needed to hear. It was not something bluntly said, but something that was always there. Life is precious. Live each day like it was your last because it very well could be. Lucas decided then that he would do the best he could to become brothers with Nathan. They had a lot of time to make up for.