Chapter One Hundred-Ten: Can You Tell Me Why?
Author's note: I confess that in posting I have something of an ulterior motive. Want to go vote for me at the writers911 board awards? I'd love you forever... Sorry.
Several Years Later
"MOM!" screamed a voice from the bottom of the stairs. Haley wiped a hand across her sweaty brow before running down, pulling Nina by the hand as she went.
"Evie sweetie, calm down," she said, kneeling down to fix the tie her daughter was wearing.
"But we don't have any time. We're going to be late," she said urgently. Haley kissed her forehead and attempted to smooth her daughter's long, wild curls.
"We're not, I promise."
"But it's my first day," she said. Haley looked at her, proudly clutching her Spongebob Squarepants backpack.
"And it's going to be perfect if you give me a second. Stay with Nina," said Haley, shepharding her slightly smaller, blonder daughter to stand by taller, darker Eve. Eve sighed impatiently, showing everyone the stress of her seven-year old life. She took Nina's hand as Haley rushed off to find Kade.
"Baby, you get Hayden and I'll get Devon. I've got a good feeling about today, I think we might actually be on time," said Brooke proudly, rolling over in bed to lightly peck her husband's lips.
"And we hope that Connor and Zoë spontaneously learn how to take care of themselves for the morning?" he suggested. She rolled her eyes.
"No, silly. We just hope they keep sleeping."
She peeked in on her small sleeping daughter, one year old Zoë Christiana, as she hurried past to Devon's room. After three sons, the girl was something of a novely.
"Baby, you awake?" asked Brooke, pausing in her eldest son's doorway. Somewhere in the vast house she heard Lucas awaken eight year old Hayden.
"Yeah. Yeah. Is it time, Mommy?" he asked sleepily.
"Yes. It's that time again," she said sadly.
"Don't have the baby while I'm at school," he instructed her.
"I'm not nearly far along yet," she said comfortingly. He'd taken to the news of the fifth child with surprising ease.
Brooke got up and left as Devon lept out of bed and began searching for his school uniform. They still had two more kids to handle. Plus, breakfast wasn't about to make itself.
"I don't want to get up," mumbled Ryan, as the sun streamed into the window and hit her eyes.
"Then don't," said Jake, rolling over to face her. Between them, three-year-old Jamie began to stir. She looked apprehensively at him as she rolled over and finally went back to sleep.
"Good. Let's stay here all day," said Ryan.
"We promised quite a few people we'd be there to see them off," reminded Jake. Ryan propped herself up on her elbows and let her long hair stream backward and pile onto her pile.
"Damnit. And here I was getting all glad that she's still too young for this stuff. Jay, wake up," said Ryan, shaking her daughter. Jamie snapped her eyelids shut tighter and waved her hand at her mother's intruding one. Laughing, Ryan sat Jamie up and waited while she awoke.
"Lazy thing. Come on," said Ryan, offering her hand. Jamie shakily stood up and took Ryan's hand as she leapt off the wide, high white bed that the three of them generally shared.
Jamie's small bare feet made smacking noises against the wooden floors as the three of them made their way through the apartment to the kitchen.
As they entered the kitchen Jake began to converse with their daughter, Ryan leaned against the wall and sneaked a glance at Jake's bare chest. He wasn't her lover, husband or boyfriend, but she'd never been able to stop looking.
"I'll make pancakes," she volunteered, reaching for the frying pan and pulling open a cupboard. She smiled gratefully at him as he flicked on the coffe machine.
He knew her well.
"Haley's probably going crazy," murmured Ryan, as she rooted through the cupboard for ingredients.
"Yeah. Her and Nathan have really..." he let his comment fall, not sure of what he wanted to say. Only sure of that he didn't want it to be true.
Ryan caught her daughter's eye and smiled. It was impossible not to smile, upon looking at Jamie. Especially in her white nightgown. Her white blonde hair curled around her cheeks, her brown eyes were fringed with long, thick eyelashes. Her red lips stuck out in contrast with her fair skin.
Jamie called out for her Aunt Haley as they entered the house. Eve, Nina, Devon and Hayden were waiting in the front hall, all attired stiffly in school uniforms. Ryan glanced at Eve's resentment at being in her navy tunic, thinking of how much her niece would appreciate the kneesocks as a teenager.
"Ryan!" screamed Eve, throwing herself at her Aunt. Ryan caught her niece and held her tightly, kissing Eve's dark curls. After seven years, Ryan was still her favourite person.
Nina, tall, blonde and bronze skinned, allowed her Aunt to hug her before turning to her young cousin in interest. Ryan took a deep breath as Brooke and Haley entered with Zoë , Connor and Kade. It was definitely a full house.
"Ryan sweetie, Heli isn't here yet. Can you take care of the three of them while we take these four to school?" asked Haley, looking haggard. Ryan glanced between her two brother's wives. Brooke was looking casual but well put together, well rested and fresh. Haley looked exhausted, as though she'd lived too much.
"Of course," said Ryan, putting sympathetic arms around her sister. Haley hugged back as if she'd forgotten how.
Ryan quickly hugged her two nephews with one arm each as their mothers herded them out and into the black car waiting out front. Ryan waved before gathering the four youngest in to herself and picking up small Zoë into her arms.
Outside, a pair of eyes stared as the four children and Brooke and Haley climbed into the company car, chattering excitedly. She examined their immaculate school uniforms, their young, trendy mothers.
She looked at the big house, the expensive car. At the life she'd left behind. She glanced in the big bay window and saw Ryan Scott with a smaller blonde child, presumably the third of Nathan and Haley.
She rifled a hand through her blonde curls before walking away, hoping that this was not to be considered as stalking.