Jake entered his and Peyton's home and was in the living room. He dropped his tool belt on the floor by the coat rack and noticed Jenny's baseball bat and leather glove on the floor.
"Oh no," he said to himself, realizing he'd missed Jenny's big game.
He closed the door and walked further into the house. Peyton came into the living room from the kitchen. She was holding Emma, who was half asleep on Peyton's shoulder. Peyton stared at her husband angrily.
"Look Peyton I—
"Where the hell were you tonight Jake?"
Jake sighed and said, "I'm sorry. The boss gave us longer hours and—
"You know what," Peyton interrupted again, "I need to put Emma down. So before you make excuses to try and expain it to me, I think you'd better go explain it to Jenny. It was her game that you missed tonight."
Jake watched Peyton walk down the hall and disappear into Emma's bedroom before walking down to Jenny's room.
"I've been thinking about everything that's been going on between us lately," Nathan said as he and Haley sat next to one another on the couch, "or rather what hasn't been going on between us. We haven't been talking much lately and—
"Nathan that's why I wanted to talk to you. See. I—
"Wait, Haley, let me finish first okay. I really need to get this out. I know that the reason you haven't felt like you could talk to me and tell me what's going on with you is because of what I said about having another baby. And I regret what I said that night mostly because it has cost me a month of honest conversation and happiness with you, but also because I didn't really mean what I said."
"I was wrong when I said I didn't want another baby, Haley. I didn't realize it then, but I really do want another baby. I think I made myself believe that I didn't want another baby because I was so scared that what happened last time would happen again. But my mom helped me realize that if I'm always worrying about the bad stuff that could happen, then I'm going to miss out on all the good stuff. And I don't want to do that. I love you so much, Haley. And I don't want to miss anything happy that we can have together."
Haley smiled. Telling Nathan about the baby was going to be so much easier now that he had told her all this.
"Boy, I am so glad to hear you say all this, Nathan," she said, "because there is something I need to tell you. And I've actually known about this for awhile, but I've been too afraid of my own feelings to say anything. But I don't think I'm afraid anymore."
Haley was ready to tell him now. She was sure she was. She wanted to tell him right now, but her lips just wouldn't move. Now, as she thought about how to tell him, Haley felt afraid of telling Nathan in fear of his being angry that she had kept the pregnancy hidden from him for so long.
"I think you are afraid still Haley." Nathan said, "But you don't have to be because I'm not angry."
Haley was confused. How could he know what she was thinking? Or a bigger question, did he already know what she was trying so hard to say?
Nathan pulled the picture from his pocket and Haley held her breath in.
"I found this today, Haley, but it was an accident. I didn't go looking for anything, I swear. I know about the baby, Haley and I'm not angry that you kept it from me. I understand why you did."
Haley felt her eyes swell and tears fall down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry you had to keep this to yourself all this time, but I'm glad that I know now. We can go through this together now. I am happy about this, Haley."
"You are?" Haley asked softly with tears.
"Of course I am." Nathan moved closer to his wife and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I was scared before, but I'm not anymore. As long as we stick together, I know every thing will be okay. There's a reason this baby was created, Haley and I think it's supposed to be a sign that everything will be okay."
Haley smiled and said, "I think you're right."
Nathan squeezed Haley tight, then kissed her. after a few minutes of kissing, Nathan stopped and asked, "So how long has our little miracle been in there?"
Haley smiled and said, "About eleven weeks."
"Eleven weeks." Nathan repeated, thinking about how long that was. "So that's almost three months. Wait, that means that—
"Yep," Haley interrupted, knowing already what Nathan had figured out, "The night of our anniversary."
"Wow," Nathan said with a smile. "This baby sure did sneak up on us, huh?"
"Sure did."
Jake knocked on the door before entering Jenny's bedroom. Jenny glanced at Jake with a sour look as she sat down on her bed.
Jake sighed, "Okay, I know you're mad at me and you should be. I got caught up at work and really busy and—
"Whatever, I don't care."
Jake quietly sat down in Jenny's desk chair. He noticed her MVP trophy sitting on the desk next to her computer in front of a picture frame of them together.
"Did you win this tonight?" Jake asked and Jenny nodded her head.
"Yep," she said, " and we won 18 to 4."
"Look Jenny," Jake said as he moved over to her bed, " I am really sorry for missing any of your games, especially tonight. I know tonight's game was really important you. I don't know how I'm going to make it up to you, but I am going to do whatever I can. I promise you that."
Jake waited for a reply from Jenny, but the still disappointed look on her face told him she had no reply. So Jake stood up, walked over to the door, stopped and said, "I love you, Jenny Bean."
He opened the door and stepped outside. But before he closed it fully, Jenny spoke, "Hey Dad…"
Jake peeked his head through the open part and Jenny finished, "I love you too."
Jake smiled before closing the door. Peyton was waiting for him when Jake returned to the living room.
"That was easier then I thought it would be." He said when he saw Peyton who was angrily pacing the floor.
"Well then you got lucky in there with her," Peyton replied as she stopped, "because it's going to be that easy to smooth things over with me Jake."
"I know I messed up, Peyton, but—
"Yeah, you did mess Jake. you messed up again. But that's not why I'm upset because we all make mistakes, we all mess up once in awhile. That's life, it happens. I'm upset that you missed that game tonight after promising both me and Jenny that you would be there. And on top of that, you missed it because of work."
Jake did not say anything as Peyton continued, "You keep making us all these promises, Jake, then you don't follow through on them. You promised that if you got this promotion, that you would be home more with us. But all of a sudden, you have these new big projects and longer hours. You were doing so great before, but now that you have this new promtion, you've gone back to spending more time at work than you do with your family. That has to change Jake. we have to be able to rely on you. And I can't do all this by myself."
"I don't know what you want me to do, Peyton. I am trying to work less, but I can't take off whenever I want too."
"Yes, you can. You're not trying hard enough. And it's not as simple as cutting back hours at work or taking a few days off. It's about your family. You have to want to be at home with your family and right now, I'm not convinced that you really do want to be at home with us."
Jake looked shocked at his wife's comment and he tried to defend himself, "What? Of course I want to be home with you. I love you so much, all of you. Work means so little to me. You and Jenny and Emma are my whole world."
"You're not acting like it Jake, you aren't proving that to us. Ever since you got this promotion, you've acted like work is more important. I know you love us, honestly, I do. But we all need you to be there for us, Jake, especially Jenny and Emma. And when the baby gets here, he or she will need you too. And—
Peyton stopped and grunted in pain as she grabbed her stomach, "Ow!"
"What?" Jake wondered worriedly as he came closer to Peyton and held her.
"Something's wrong…"Peyton gasped painfully as Jake helped her come down to the ground. "…the bay, I don't know what…we need to go…to the hospital."
"I'll call the doctor and tell him we're coming." Jake said before standing up and pulling out his cell phone. He ran to the kitchen to get the doctor's number off the board on the refrigerator. Jenny left her bedroom and appeared in the hallway.
"Mom, are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
Peyton shook her head and motioned for Jenny to come to her, so Jenny ran over.
"I need you to…call Brooke for me…ow…and ask her to meet us…at the hospital. Then get Emma from her crib and…ow…get her in her seat in the car."
Jenny nodded and ran of to do what Peyton had instructed. Jake returned from the kitchen.
"Okay, doctor Byrnes is meeting us at the hospital." He said as he knelt down to help Peyton off the floor. "Now let's hurry and get you there."
