What Happens Next
Chapter 16
Author's Note: This isn't my favorite chapter, but I felt it was a necessary one. Hope it's still enjoyed! The next chapter will be up this weekend! I promise!
Nathan sat in the living room talking with Lucas when he dropped off Natalie. "So I screwed up, big time."
"What happened?"
"Jim and Lydia are here."
"As in Jim and Lydia James, Haley's parents?"
"Yeah."
"How did they even know she was here?"
Nathan grimaced, "I kinda called them yesterday."
"YOU called them?" Lucas saw Nathan nod his head, "She told you what they did, right?"
"Well yeah, but I thought maybe they deserved a second chance."
"Really?" Lucas wasn't about to admit that he thought the same thing.
"Lucas, if anyone knows about having Haley give them a second chance, it's me."
"But this is a little different Nate."
"Sure, they turned their back on her, but they are here now."
"Nathan…"
"Would you just talk to her, please," Nathan saw Lucas' look of uneasiness, "I'm going to take Natalie to see them tomorrow, and I'd really like Haley to go with us."
"I'll talk to her, but I can't guarantee anything."
"That's all I'm asking, thank you Lucas."
Lucas sighed, "See ya later Nathan."
Haley smiled at Lucas as she took Natalie from his arms, "Hey baby, did you have fun with Uncle Lucas?"
"We went to the park. And she had fun on the swings, didn't you sweetie." He tickled her chin, making Natalie giggle.
Haley laughed too, "Let me go change her and put her down."
"I'll be waiting."
Haley returned a few minutes later, "She's already asleep, you really wore her out."
Lucas laughed, "Glad I could help," he followed Haley into the kitchen.
"Have a seat," she motioned to the breakfast bar, "Tea?"
Lucas scrunched up his face, "Tea? Blech. Just water for me."
Haley smiled, "Tea was the only thing that truly helped relax me when I was pregnant with Natalie and it just kinda became a habit."
"Nathan told me what happened this morning."
"He was totally out of line. He shouldn't have called them. I told Nathan how I felt, and he went behind my back."
"He just thought they should know Hales. And he was hoping maybe you'd give them a second chance."
"What would give him THAT idea?"
"Because you've given him like a hundred chances."
"But that's different."
"How is it different Hales?"
"He's my husband. And I love him."
"They're your parents, deep down you love them too."
"I don't know Luke."
"Nobody can tell you how to feel. I get that. But I can give you suggestions. And I suggest you talk to them."
"I'll think about it."
"So did you talk to Nathan last night," Lucas raised an eyebrow, "you know, about your problem?"
Haley smiled, "Yeah, we talked. We're good."
Nathan was surprised when he pulled into the garage after work that evening and saw that Haley's car was gone. She hadn't left the house since coming home from the hospital. Knowing it was late, he was also surprised she wasn't home, putting Natalie to bed.
He found a note from her on the kitchen counter.
"Went for ice cream. Be back soon. Love, Your Girls"
Nathan smiled, he liked the sound of that – they were his girls.
He was just getting out of the shower when they returned.
Haley popped her head into the bathroom, "We're home," she smiled as she scanned his towel clad body. "She fell asleep in the car, I'm gonna go put her down. Ice cream's in the freezer."
Nathan met Haley in the kitchen, where he was setting out two bowls.
"Bowls…are you serious?" Haley grinned at him, "Since when do we use bowls?"
"Since we had clean ones?"
"They won't be clean if we use them for ice cream."
Nathan laughed, "I don't get you sometimes," he handed her a spoon. "So you're not mad about this morning?"
"No, not anymore," she looked at him, "Lucas talked to me – nice tactic by the way."
Nathan smiled, then it clicked, "You went to see them, didn't you."
"What?" Haley pretended to be shocked.
"The ice cream was just a cover-up. You went to see your parents."
She shrugged, "So what if I did?"
Nathan stood and hugged her, "I'm proud of you," he kissed her softly.
"Thanks. But it wasn't anything earth-shattering, I just invited them to meet us for brunch."
"That's still big Hales."
"So you'll go then?"
"Of course."
Next morning…
Nathan stepped out of the shower and looked at Haley, who was brushing her teeth. "Jeans?"
She looked at him through the mirror, "And a sweater. Something wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"No, it looks very nice. I guess I just thought we'd be dressing up."
Haley rolled her eyes, "You know that's not my style." She turned to face him directly, "We're going into an uncomfortable situation. I'll be damned if its going to be in uncomfortable clothes. Besides, I have no need to impress them."
"I agree completely," Nathan kissed her, "Jeans are great. And a basketball top?" Nathan grinned.
She kissed him back, "Oh honestly. You have other shirts that are nice. Should I set out some choices for you?"
"You already have, haven't you?"
Haley nodded.
"As long as we're not matching."
"We're a cheesy couple, not an old one," Haley grinned and kissed him once more.
Haley stood next to Nathan as he unbuckled Natalie from her car seat outside of the restaurant, "Is it too late to change my mind?"
"No, we can go back home, that's totally up to you."
Haley leaned against Nathan, wrapping an arm around his waist, "No, as long as you're with me, I'll be okay."
The Scott family walked into the small, quaint restaurant looking as if they'd never been apart.
Jim and Lydia watched as their daughter and her family walked towards them. Nathan stood in the middle; Natalie perched on one hip, and Haley's head resting on his chest at the crook of his arm on the other side.
The pair rose simultaneously to greet them. Lydia reached her daughter, "I'm so glad you're here Haley."
Jim extended his hand to Nathan, "Thank you for helping give my, out, family another chance."
"You're welcome, but I'm doing this for Haley."
Haley remained silent and separated from her mother. Sliding into the booth she motioned to a waiter, "Can we get a high chair please?"
Jim smiled at her, "We were so excited when you came to see us last night. We know we made a mistake Haley-bub." He paused, "I guess we thought you'd go back to Nathan before the baby was born. Or at least come back to town so that he could be part of her life. We knew how you felt about the situation with Lucas and Dan, and didn't believe you would want that for your child."
Haley felt Nathan grip her hand under the table. "You never even asked why I left Nathan. You just told me to go back. You didn't care to know that when I left, Nathan made me choose between him and my music."
"Or that when I left the tour to come back to him after he almost died he told me not to. All you heard was that I'd screwed up my life. To be honest, I was surprised neither of you said, 'We told you so.' I mean, you didn't really like Nathan, did you? And we know how you felt about the marriage. Yet, you still left town. So maybe all of this is your fault."
Lydia raised her eyebrows, "Our fault?"
"Well, yeah. You're the ones who let us get married. But maybe you just saw me as cramping your style and it was the perfect opportunity to make me someone else's problem."
"Haley-bub, we never wanted to get rid of you. We gave you what you said you wanted."
"But I was still in high school, hell, I should STILL be in high school. So who was I to make such a big decision?"
"Haley?" Nathan was shocked by this side of his wife.
"Quiet Nathan," she whispered.
"Do you regret the decisions you've made?" Lydia asked.
Haley looked at her parents, "Some of them."
"Then you must understand Haley, your father and I have regretted some of our decisions too. Like maybe we should have made you two wait. Maybe we should have stayed. We know we should have helped you. And we're sorry. But we're here now; we want to be a family again."
Haley looked at her parents, "How long will you be here?"
"As long as you want."
"What about after you leave?"
"We'll be like any other grandparents – spoiling our grandchild from a distance and visiting on birthdays and holidays. Oh yeah, and bugging our daughter and son-in-law to have more kids," Lydia smiled.
Haley glanced from one parent to the other, "We have a spare room where you can stay. Maybe for a week."
"We would like that."
That night, Nathan lay in bed, his arms wrapped around Haley, "So you're cool with your mom and dad being here?"
"No, not really. But I will be. I'd gotten used to being on my own."
"I've been thinking about what you said this morning at breakfast."
"Please don't. I was just trying to get them to realize how I felt about what they did."
"You just sounded so convincing. And it worried me a little. Like you really blame them for letting us get married, and for the fact that you're not still in high school. And I can't help but wonder, if you hate me too. Because I was the one who suggested marriage in the first place."
"I don't hate you Nathan. It WAS what I wanted. It's STILL what I want. I want to be with you."
"So the decisions you regret – am I one of them?"
"Nathan…"
"Am I?"
Haley rolled to face him, "Yes. And no."
Nathan raised an eyebrow, "Care to explain?"
"I regret choosing my music over our relationship. I regret not telling you sooner about Natalie, or my pregnancy. So yeah, my regrets are connected to you. But I don't regret any decision to be with you Nathan. I love you, always have, always will."
"I love you too Hales." Nathan kissed her nose, "But I have to admit, I was a little freaked this morning."
"I didn't mean to scare you."
"I know," Nathan kissed her again.