"Haley!" I called racing through the house frantically looking for her. "Haley!"
"Jenny, I'm in the kitchen," She called back, and ran to her. She was holding the phone to her ear, looking at me confused. I stood there with the words, but I couldn't, not while she was on the phone. I knew I had to tell her. "You wanted to say something?"
"I can't yet." She pulled the phone from her ear and placed her hand over the receiver.
"You can't what?" She asked confused.
"I need a few weeks. Please don't tell him yet." She sighed heavily. And put up her finger to tell me to hold on a second. She picked up the phone and spoke into it.
"Um, I've got to go," she paused listening to the person on the other end. "Oh, that it was nothing important," paused again. "Yeah I know I made it sound like life and death, but you know me. A flair for the dramatic." She nervously laughed, and said bye before hanging up the phone. "Jenny…"
"I know. I'm just scared." She pulled me to the table and we both sat down.
"Honey, I would be too. But I can't keep this from him."
"Keep what? From who?" Nathan asked, holding a basketball with Elizabeth following his tail. She saw me and jumped into my lap.
"Hey sissy. How was momma?" She asked leaning her head on my shoulder. She and hadn't been spending as much time together as we use to.
"She misses you. Do you miss her?"
"Yes and no. I like having a real mommy and daddy. They always want to be with us, not out with guys and drinking." I kissed the top of her head, because though she knew what was happening with me, she didn't fully understand it. I knew she was struggling with her own feelings.
"She's not ready for us to tell him." Haley answered Nathan's question. He looked between us and shook his head.
"I know that this must be hard, but we have an obligation to him, Jenny. You can't ask us to keep it from him." He sounded angry, but his face looked concerned.
"Ok, but what's the big deal, to keep it secret for a few more days."
"The problem is that we are hurting our friendship with him as it is. Jenny, he loves you, and he has been…"
"Nathan! Stop!" Haley said putting her hand over his mouth. "We can't tell her anything, he needs to do it."
"Who are they talking about?" Elizabeth asked.
"My father." I told her.
"I wish I could meet my dad."
"I know we can't, but Haley we can't keep this secret."
"I know Nathan, but Jenny isn't ready for it yet."
"Well then lets tell him, and hopefully he will respect her wishes."
"NO!" I broke in. "Give me 7 days, one week. Just to get myself together." He looked into my panicked eyes and gave in.
"7 days, that's all."
Three nights later, we went to Brooke's birthday party, and she was having just the three close families together. Haley pointed out to her the day before that this was not like her and she replied, "Wow, you thought this was my party? Don't you know me better than that?" Saturday, Brooke was having a huge house party that was supposed to last all day.
Nathan and I were standing at the door, waiting on Haley to finish up with Elizabeth. She came barreling down the stairs a few minuets later, laughing. She was wearing a little blue Jean skirt and a halter-top. My mouth fell open.
"Elizabeth! Who bought you that?" I asked her. She ran behind Nathan, and Haley ran down after her.
"Elizabeth, you need to change right now. That is not appropriate." Haley scolded. "I'm not kidding."
"But Brooke made it for me." She whined. I stepped back, because Haley had been a good parent thus far.
"I don't care…" Nathan laughed. "Nathan, Stop that."
"She made it for me to wear tonight. I can't hurt her feelings." She began to cry, and I glanced to see if Haley would cave like our mother always did, and sure enough she bent down and hugged my sister. I rolled my eyes at them and headed for the car.
We pulled up to the other Scott residence in town; it was a few blocks away. Everyone was there when we got there; I was excited to see JR. We hadn't talked in a while. "Liz, you look great!" Brooke exclaimed as we stepped into the living room. Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at us and jumped into Brooke's lap. "I love this girl."
"The boys are upstairs," Brooke called to me. I hopped up the stairs, two at a time. Keith and JR were playing a game, while Kaylee just watched. They both glanced at me and grunted hello.
"Let me play." Kaylee whined, extending her play. She tried to reach for the controller out of JR's hand, but he pushed her back. "Jenny, tell them to let me play."
"Guys, give her a chance." I said.
"Please, girls can't play this game." Keith said.
"Girls are just as good as boys. Don't make me have to kick your ass to prove it to you." I threatened.
"That sounds like a challenge dude." JR said laughing.
"Fine, let her play." I picked up JR's controller and quickly won the fight. Everyone was laughing except for Keith, who sat there pouting.
"Now, let her play."
"Yeah so you can get beat by another girl." I pulled JR out of the room to talk to him. "What happened with your dad?"
"I don't want to meet him." I said. "But they are making me. He is just an ass, who didn't care about my mom and me. I'm never going to forgive him."
"Did I tell you about my sister?" JR asked.
"Kaylee?"
"No."
"Lily?"
"No. Listen, I have an older sister."
"What's she like?"
"I've never met her." His eyes saddened.
"Why?"
"Look don't tell them I told you this story, but her mother stole her."
"WHAT?" My mouth fell open. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, of course. Her mother only wanted her because my dad had her. She was my dad's life. For the first few years, he would go on the 'business trips', but my mom and I knew it was to look for her. He was never really with us, you know."
"Like physically?"
"Yeah, but emotionally too. My mom kept getting pregnant, and he missed Kaylee's and Bryan's births."
"That's horrible." I was sad for them.
"Yeah, and my mom was the same way, she loved and missed her so much. One day my dad decided he was finished looking for her, at least himself. SO he hired a PI, and he has never been on a 'business trip' since."
"Wow."
"They still cry for her at night, and he looks for her out the window when he hears a car pass by. It's sad. I'm telling you this, because you never know what could be going on with your father. Odds are something kept him from you, because I can't imagine a father not wanting to be with his daughter. So just meet the guy, give him a shot, you know." My eyes were tearing up, and I knew it was time. Time to meet this man.
"I'll have Haley call him tomorrow." We heard Brooke call us for dinner.
Dinner went smoothly and we were passing out the cake, when Jake's phone went off. "Jake, just let your voice mail pick it up." Peyton said to him.
"I can't it's the PI." He said quickly. "Hello?" He stood and went into the other room to take the call. I glanced at JR, who just shrugged.
"That's weird, we have been paying this guy for years and he has always had dead end leads, which we had to call him for." She said, mostly to herself.
"Well maybe he found something." Brooke said. I noticed Nathan and Haley exchange a glance, before diving into their cake. "What a great birthday present."
"But it's your birthday." Peyton said.
"Yeah, but if everyone else is happy than so am I." Jake stepped through the door, and had his eyes locked on me. Everyone in the room was looking back and fourth between us, Jake's eyes were red and watery. He just stared.
"What did he say?" Peyton asked trying to break his stare.
"They found her." Everyone stood there shocked, and excited.
"When do you get to see her?" Peyton asked, hugging his neck, but he never took his eyes off of me.
"I already have." He sighed and stepped towards me. "Jenny, I'm your father." Everyone's happy faces turned to shock, and I stood. My eyes on fire anger growing inside me. As he took yet another step towards me, before I could stop myself, I slapped him hard. He acted like it didn't happen, and he pulled me into a hug, and refused to let me go. "I'm so sorry baby. I'm sorry for everything she did." He whispered to me. I tried with all my might to push him away, but he wouldn't let go. Tears fell from my eyes, staining the front of his shirt.
"I hate you. Get off of me." I sobbed. "You left us, you left us. Why'd you leave me daddy, why?" I continued to sob, and he refused to let me go.
"I have always missed you and loved you." He just kept whispering to me.