As always, own nothing but wish I did.
I have one request for everybody reading this, please review. I usually spend a couple hours writing each chapter and then to get at most five reviews after all of that isn't that motivating, I know more are reading than that. I won't stop writing cuz I know that there are people who love this story and it's not fair to them. But please review or I may resort to requiring a certain amount of reviews in order to get another update. You don't have to sign the review, anonymous is just fine. Also, review anything, if you don't like something don't be afraid not to tell me, or if I make a mistake, tell me.
Now, after all that, here's the update:
After putting all the letters back on the table I got finished getting ready and headed on down to the kitchen. On the table was a piece of paper folded over with my name on top. I opened it up.
Jenny-
Yes, another note, you
lucky girl. So Peyton and I have agreed that you are one of the
luckiest teenagers. Yet again you obviously aren't going to school
today. Don't get too used to it though, it'll soon change.
Especially is Anna has anything to do with it, turns out she doesn't
like the fact that she has to get up early to go to school and you
don't. Anyways, I'll be home soon. Not working a full day
today. Love you always.
Dad
'Dad.' That three letter word meant the world to me in that moment. I just kept repeating the word dad in my head and I guess I got lost in my thoughts cuz the next thing I know I'm shaken from my thought my dad practically yelling my name and giving me a weird look.
"Hi."
"Hi, been calling your name for the last five minutes, but I guess you were off in lala land."
"Yeah, I guess."
"So, what were you thinking about?"
"You know, stuff."
"Ahh, yes, teenagers and their refusal to not be vague. I guess stuff is all I'm getting."
"Yep."
"So, anyways, come over here, got some stuff to show you."
He led me into the living room which was now covered in photo albums and tapes.
"Overwhelming, I know. I was surprised by how much we had from when you were a baby. Well, actually not surprised being that Brooke took over some of this and once you give that girl a task she'll complete it ten times better than what you were expecting, well at least if it's a task she likes."
He motioned for me to sit on the couch and grabbed an album before joining me. "I actually didn't want to show you this one, cuz you're not really in it, but you are in a way. But Peyton said I should so you better understand."
"Understand?"
"This album has pictures of when Nikki and I were dating. There's some of her pregnant with you, that's how you're kinda in it."
He opened the album. The two pictures had the same caption under them, "Stalking Each Other". I looked at him to further explain.
"Okay, before you think anything wrong here. It turns out that your mom and I had crushes on each other before either of us even talked and we ended up taking pictures of each other without the other one's knowledge, kinda a way to have the other person but not have them. Okay, actually that doesn't exactly sound good come to think of it. Anyways, that's why the pictures are informal."
I looked back at the pictures. The one of dad was him running down the main street of Tree Hill. The one of my mother was her riding the carousel at the mall with her friends. Both looked carefree and relaxed in the pictures.
The next few pages were filled with pictures of them including a copy of the one I saw back in the box in California, very early in their relationship, both happy in love, oblivious to what their future would hold as a couple. As we looked at these pictures I peppered him with questions.
"Who asked who out first?"
"She actually asked me first. While I obviously had a crush on her, she was two years ahead of me in school and I had no idea she could even possibly feel the same way about me. Boy was I shocked when she asked me out. It actually took me a few minutes to answer her, I was so shocked."
"Did you love her?"
"Yeah, and that's what made her leaving that first time so hard, I loved her and I thought she loved me and she said she loved you but her leaving had me questioning it all. So I ended up falling out of love with her."
Then I asked a question I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer to. "Do you think you two would have been happier and possibly still a couple if she hadn't become pregnant with me?"
"Oh Jenny, don't you even dare start blaming yourself for what happened between Nikki and me. You were one of the best things to happen to me and losing you almost destroyed me. You're asking a lot of what if's here and I honestly don't want to know the answer to any of those what if's, I love my life and it became ten times, no a hundred times better now that I know you're back in my life."
Then we flipped to a page that a picture where my mother was obviously pregnant, dad and the two people I saw in Karen's Café two days before.
"Dad, who are those two people?"
"Oh, those are your mother's parents. Your mother pleaded with them to take a picture with us while she was pregnant, kinda a family portrait. But they weren't happy with us at that time. They thought she was ruining her future and they hated me for ruining it for her. Were you just curious or was there another reason?"
"Another reason, what other reason would there be?" I knew keeping a secret from him might not be the best thing, but would he really want to know that I had seen them.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe cuz you and Peyton saw them at Karen's a couple days ago."
"She told you about that?"
"Yeah, I mean we see them around town but usually manage to avoid them. They still haven't forgiven me even though they know your mother ended up kidnapping you and had you. Had you asked me who they were to hear the story of them, cuz Peyton's said you're really good at getting stories out of other without revealing everything you know. Have you met them before?"
"No, she never really mentioned family, does she have any siblings?"
"No, and neither do I. I never minded being an only child but I did want whatever children I had to have siblings. Obviously you see how well I did, both you and Anna have a sister and yet were both raised as if you were only children."
We continued looking at photo albums all afternoon, enjoying talking to each other and being around each other. It was kinda like all those years without each other didn't exist, there was no comfortableness at all. Then we started watching a tape of me as a baby, I gotta admit, I was a cute baby if I say so myself. When Anna and Peyton got home, they joined us and we all watched the tapes until about 6:00. This was the first time we all did a family activity as a family with no secret identities between us. It was nice.
At six we all got ready for another get together like we had the first night I was in Tree Hill. It was decided that tonight we would tell the truth to those who didn't know. This was actually fewer than Dad and Peyton thought since as far as I knew, they didn't know about Tim and Whitey knowing the truth. This might not be good.
As we drove to where we were all meeting Anna filled us in on her day and her viewpoints on how I should be in school. Even though Dad and Peyton already knew I was to go to school, I gotta admit her arguments for why I should go were good. I swear she could probably sell ice to an Eskimo, she's that good of an arguer, I'm sure she'll be a lawyer. I shook my head at that thought.
"What are you thinking about Jenny?"
"Just relishing the fact that I have a real true family."
"Yes, and just so you realize us Jagielskis, we tend to stick together, you're not going to lose us or get rid of us."
"Yes you will Jenny, don't listen to your father. When you turn eighteen I give you permission to leave out home and make a life for yourself, as long as you visit. I'll make sure he won't be calling you asking where you are when you're in your twenties. Don't give me that look Jake Jagielski, you know you would try to do that."
"Fine, yes I would, but just because I love my girls."
By this point we had reached our destination and got out. When we went inside we found that most everyone was there. I walked over to Whitey who was talking to Lucas and asked if I could talk to him alone. Once Lucas had left I told Whitey that they now knew the truth. What I didn't realize was that Tim had walked behind me right as I was saying that to Whitey.
"Yes, now Whitey and I won't have to keep the fact that you are Jenny Jagielski a secret anymore!"
Obviously he said that a little too loud cuz everybody turned to look at the three of us with nearly everyone yelling, "WHAT!"
Spoilers:
Jake and Peyton deal with the fact that others knew before them.
The trial begins soon.
Okay, so I know I promised a longer chapter and then didn't deliver on that promise ut this seemed like a good spot to end the chapter, I'll try better next time. Please review though.