CHAPTER 5
Hearing the doorbell ring for the second time, Nathan obviously having chose to ignore the first, Deb rushed out of the kitchen to greet her guests.
As she opened the door, Karen rushed forward and pulled her into a hug, surprising Deb with the gesture. "Deb. It's so good to see you". Deb returned the embrace and smiled at Lucas who grinned and said hey.
"Come in, come in, Karen I want to hear everything about your trip.
Deb took their coats and put them in a nearby closet. "Lucas, would you mind helping Nathan set the table, he's in the dining room - you know your way around". Deb winked at him as she led Karen towards the kitchen uttering something about girls talk. Deb certainly was cheery this evening. Lucas made his way down the familiar halls of the house he had briefly lived in with his father. Referring to Dan as his father was still quite alien to Lucas, even after all this time. But I guess after 16 years of being rejected by the man, and now being on Dan's hit list after this years events, it was understandable.
This year, Lucas had begun to fully comprehend just what kind of man Dan Scott really was and it terrified him that he himself had come dangerously close to being just like him. Although his intentions had been good, his quest to bring down the man who had spurned him for many years had hurt the people he cared about. Keith was gone, Nathan wouldn't speak to him and Andy was forced to leave the country and go back to New Zealand, ruining his mother's chances of having a normal, happy relationship with the man she loved. And Lucas was dying. Well, technically he wasn't dying, but since he's stopped his heart medication, the risk of him dropping at any moment was extremely high. If only he could bring himself to tell his mother.
Arriving at the dining room, Lucas leaned against the wall at quietly watched as his brother placed the cutlery on the table set for four. He smiled fondly when Nathan sighed and began to rearrange his already neat formation of knives, forks and spoons. He could be such a perfectionist at times, though he would never admit it. "Need a hand?" Lucas offered.
Nathan turned and glanced at Lucas but ignored the offer and continued his way around the table.
"Don't say I didn't offer." Lucas sighed and moved further into the room, stopping in front of Nathan at the opposite side of the table. Nathan glanced up at him again with a look of contempt and continued to pretend he wasn't there.
"So, I heard your Mom's news. You must have been pretty shocked. I was speechless". Nathan rolled his eyes at his brother's attempt to start a conversation and moved on to polishing the wine glasses. "You can't spend the entire evening ignoring me, Nate. At some point you 're going to have to say something. You're gonna have to tell me what an ass I am, how I suck at my game and that you're so much better than me and to top it off you'll call me a bastard and then I'll kick your ass on the court. It's called starting over. I apologise, you get over it and we go play some ball"
Nathan's eyes shot up, his anger boiling over. "You think it's that easy? You come in here all self-loathing and shit, make a half assed apology and I 'get over it'? I suddenly forget that you lied to my face, betrayed me and tore apart my family with your very existence? Forget that you were Haley's whipping boy and didn't have the balls to tell me that you saw her in New York? Yeah sure, I'll get over it. When hell freezes. And FYI, you have never kicked my ass on the court." Nathan slammed the glass he was polishing on to the table, almost shattering it and sucked in a deep breath. He stared at Lucas, rage in his eyes daring him to argue.
After a full minute of glaring and silence, Lucas reached for a box of matches and lit the candle in the middle of the table. "I told you you'd talk to me." Lucas smiled as Nathan stormed out of the room in frustration.
Not long after, the four sat down to a meal that Deb admitted to 'having a little professional help' preparing. Deb and Karen tried to keep the mood light by chatting about the places Karen had visited in New Zealand.
"It was just such an amazing country. Andy took me to so many places it would be impossible to describe every one of them. I think you would love it, Nathan. It's a great place for outdoors activities - bungee jumping, sky diving, snow boarding." Nathan smiled half-heartedly as Karen tried to involve him in the conversation, but mostly he just blocked it out. He was tired of listening to Lucas's stupid jokes about his mom bungee jumping. Finally, talk turned to his mother's pregnancy, and Nathan decided to tune in.
"I couldn't believe it when Lucas told me yesterday." Karen looked to Lucas who nodded in agreement.
"I was surprised myself. It wasn't exactly planned and I wasn't even sure I wanted to go through with it because of the divorce and everything we've been through this year." Deb looked at Nathan "But Nate convinced me that this is my fate and who am I to mess with fate? I'm so gloriously happy, Karen, I must sound like a madwoman gushing to anybody who'll listen about how happy I am but it's true." Deb let out a small laugh and Nathan smiled warmly at her.
"If you're happy, Deb then I'm delighted for you and if there is anything that Lucas and I can do, anything at all, just say the word" Karen hesitated for a moment. "Have you told Dan?"
Deb's smile dimmed slightly and Karen silently cursed herself for mentioning the elephant in the room. "I have. I didn't really stick around to see his reaction. I told him I'd let him have the company if he gave up parental rights to the baby."
Karen waited a moment, unsure as to whether Deb was serious "Did he agree?"
"I'll know tomorrow." Deb shrugged, her demeanour obviously troubled.
"Oh Deb." Karen reached over and took her friends hand. Deb took a sip of her water and smiled reassuringly at Karen.
"It's okay. This is what I want. I want to raise this baby by myself -" Nathan cleared his throat loudly "- well, with a little help of course" Deb smiled lovingly at her son. "Which brings me to my next request." Deb pushed her plate aside and had the attention of all three.
"Nathan. Lucas." she looked at them both, her tone and expression now completely serious. "I want both of you to stop this nonsense. In fact, I'm making you stop. I will not let my daughter come into this world and be greeted by such hostility, especially by two almost grown men who won't swallow their pride and admit they were both wrong." Deb glanced at Karen, who nodded her permission to continue. Lucas and Nathan just stared at their hands in front of them, their heads bowed and jaws clenched. "Earlier, in the kitchen, Karen and I were discussing how we could resolve this disagreement." Deb paused and both boys looked at her, both curious. "We're kicking you out."
Lucas and Nathan, in unison, both yelled "What!" Each looked to their mothers for clarity.
"I've rented a two bed apartment downtown and you both will move in tomorrow and will live there until we feel that you are ready to come home. This is not negotiable, we won't be fooled either." Deb stated simply, watching both boys reactions.
"You can't do that!" Lucas looked at Karen, and noticed the smile playing on her lips. "Mom, this isn't funny, this is serious? You're kicking me out of my home?" Karen almost caved as she saw her sons crestfallen face.
"I agree with you honey, this is serious. Very serious. You and Nathan need to grow up and you need to make up. For 16 years, you two have tortured each other but we won't allow it anymore."
Deb took her cue. "That's why we're doing this. You guys formed a friendship this year and now it's been sabotaged. Now you both are gonna damn well get it back!" Deb nodded resolutely.
Nathan leaned back in his chair and shook his head in frustration, his nostrils flaring and glared at his brother. "This sucks!" And for once, they were both in agreement.
A/N; Sorry the chapters are so short, i'm trying to make them longer but wrists are killing me from typing ha ha. Please review! I promise some Brucas and Naley action is coming in the next chapter!