Chapter 8:

Megan POV

"What do you mean you're sick", Mom barely whispers loud enough for us to hear several moments later. She hasn't' stop staring at me and if I know my mother, her mind is going a mile a minute right now. Tears are starting to form in her eyes and she's taking deep breaths. She's freaking out.

"Mom you need to calm down. It's not that serious", I start to say but Mom just rolls her eyes at me.

"You didn't' answer my question, what is wrong".

"I was having some problems after we came and visited you in New York. I was tired all the time, I couldn't hold any food down some days, and I would get these weird chest pains when I worked out. Thinking it was nothing, I didn't let it bother me. Until a month ago", I answer and start trembling.

"What happened a month ago", Mom questions.

"I collapsed at the river court", I mumble and take my eyes away from hers.

She doesn't say anything at first. I turn to look at Dad who seems to be frozen staring at her.

"Brooke", He whispers and reaches over to touch her hand that's on the table.

"I know I've been a shitty person Luke, but not to tell me about this is going way too far".

Dad's eyes go wide at her comment and quickly slide his hand away from hers.

"I want to know what's wrong now", Mom says sternly and when I look up to talk she's not looking at me to continue, she's looking at Dad.

I close my eyes then and drop my head to the table. I hate hearing these next three words.

"Megan has HCM".

The table goes silent and I'm still at my position. I have been wishing this moment would never happen.

Brooke POV

As soon as I hear those words, my heart falls into my stomach. This can't be happening.

"I thought we got her heart tested when she was born", I suddenly blurt out and try to contain the tears that are falling down my face.

Lucas wipes his nose and takes a deep breath. "It must have developed over time. I didn't know about mine until I was seventeen and that was because I was forced to get tested".

"So her condition is treatable just like yours", I immediately ask. Lucas looks away from me and shakes his head no.

"She's not responding to the medication".

I turn to look at Megan then, who still won't look up, and let the tears fall.

"We have a doctor's appointment in Charlotte after we get back from Hawaii. We're going to meet with a specialist who can tell us more about it. She's on different kinds of medicine that are trying to help her heart function as of now. At the appointment we are going to see what the next step is".

I start shaking then and try to calm down. I wipe my tears away and try to process everything.

"Okay I want to be at the appointment", I manage to say and they both look up at me with wide eyes.

"You don't have to stop your life just because I'm sick", Megan adds.

"Don't be ridiculous of course I do".

"No you don't", she says again and it's louder now. "I don't want your pity".

I freeze then and shake my head. "Stop I need to take care of you. I have to be there for you. You're my daughter why wouldn't I be there"?

"Because I don't want you to be"!

Ouch. I definitely took that one to heart.

"See Dad I told you this would happen if we told her. I was perfectly fine keeping this a family secret", Megan replies and stands up to leave.

"Megan don't leave", Lucas insists and reaches over to hold her hand. "Let's talk about this".

Megan freezes and stares at me then, ignoring Lucas completely. "You can't just come back home and act like a parent whenever you want too. Do you know how many things you have missed in my life just because you wanted your dreams to come true? Do you even know what you've put Dad through"?

"Show me some respect I am your Mother you can't talk to me this way", I shout and when I look her in the eyes all I see is red behind hers.

"It's about time I tell you exactly how I feel", she yells back at me. I swallow the gulp in my throat and open my mouth to try to say something.

"You know I used to miss you so much after you moved away. I would count down the days until I got to see you again on my mini calendar in my room. Each time you called and said you couldn't make it, I would cry myself to sleep. All of the times you forgot to call me before bed I would feel so neglected and unloved by you. But I always put those feelings aside because Dad would always say you loved me and were busy doing your job. Then I realized something, there are so many things you don't know about me and things that you have missed out on. How am I supposed to love someone unconditionally because they are my parent when it feels like I mean absolutely nothing to them"?

My heart is completely shattered. I look away after her speech and try to muster a sentence together. Anything to try and save the relationship I thought I had with Megan.

"When you have the answer to that question, you know where to find me", she replies and when I look up she is walking out the door of the café.

"Megan wait", Lucas yells and gets up from the booth. He looks at me and frowns. "I'm sorry about that. I'm going to find her and we can talk about this".

"No its okay", I reply and try to not breakdown.

"She didn't mean any of those things I hope you know. No matter what she says you're still her favorite parent", Lucas says and leans down to put his hand on my shoulder.

I shake my head no and release a breath. "I think this is the one time in my life I don't believe you".

I look up to meet his gaze and give him a small smile. "Here I'll worry about the food, you go find Megan".

He has his brooding face on and still hasn't taken his hand away from my shoulder. "Are you sure"?

I nod my head yes and reach in my purse to throw some money on the table.

"Yeah I'm sure. I'm going to head to Haley's later and I want to do some shopping. Text me after the game and maybe we can talk again", I announce.

He doesn't seem to buy it but he nods his head anyway and runs out of the café.

I used to tell myself that I would never live in regret. But right now, all I think about are the things that I wish I could take back. Especially the way things ended with Lucas and now with Megan. Why did I ever let a company get in the way of the two people I love the most in the world? And why am I trying to pretend I don't?

Lucas POV

My thoughts are scattered when I leave the café. Nothing ever goes my way anymore.

I knew Megan wasn't ready to tell Brooke about her HCM, but I pushed it anyway. And out of all people to understand how she feels, I royally screwed up.

I'm thankful she hasn't gotten far since I see her by the car leaning against it. I get my car keys out of my pocket and unlock the car, scaring her. She looks up and I notice she has been crying. She opens the cars passenger door and slams it shut. I open my car door and close it putting the key in the ignition. I drive off towards the opposite direction of the café and go the long way home.

"I already know what you want to say but I can't talk about it right now", Megan announces right before I open my mouth to speak.

I look over and see she's laying her head against the window and tears are streaming down her face. I swallow the lump in my throat at the sight of her crying and look away.

"Can you at least stop crying baby", I say in my most soothing voice. Megan gets really worked up when she cries and I'm afraid the stress isn't going to be good for her heart.

She doesn't say anything back but I can hear her heavy breathing. She's starting to cry harder because the cries are becoming sobs.

"Come on honey you need to calm down", I whisper and lean over to rub her back.

I look at the road and see were about two minutes away from the river court. I haven't stepped foot on the court since Brooke left. But I know when I was going through stuff that place was my escape. This is exactly what Megan needs right now.

When the river court comes into view I turn right into it and park the car. I turn to look at Megan since she is already sitting up in the seat.

"Dad what are we doing here", she says in a hoarse voice. I give her a small smile and open the car door. I hear her open her door and follow me as I lock the car behind us. I walk towards the wooden bench and pick up the basketball that Megan always keeps here. Taking it to the court I bounce it a few times and smile. I'm taken back to the first time I taught Megan how to shoot. She was four years old and was watching me play. She insisted she wasn't going home until she made one shot, funny enough she made it on her first one. I swear its natural talent she has.

I look up and pass the ball to Megan who catches it instantly. She's standing near the basketball net and has the most confused face.

"As a teenager this was my favorite place in the world. This is where I came from. I would come here to play basketball with my friends, or just think by myself. This was my escape and it has been one of my favorite place I got to pass down to you".

She smiles sadly at me and dribbles the ball on the pavement.

"Unfortunately I never had a relationship with my father so I could never ask him to bring me here to play with me. I've realized now that I haven't been here for a long time and I've taken that tradition away from us. I've made you feel like coming to the river court is a wrong thing to do, when it's not".

I open my hands to signal for the ball and she tosses it towards me. "So right now, since you don't want to talk, we're just going to play. We're not going to keep score, not going to have any rules, were just going to shoot some hoops, okay"?

She nods her head yes and wipes her face. I smile at her and take a jump shot, swish. I still got it.

After about thirty minutes of playing she stops and walks over to hug me. She wraps her arms around me and I lean my lips to kiss her head.

"I love you so much Dad", she says in my chest and lays her head on it.

"I love you too Kid", I whisper and squeeze her tightly.

"This means everything, bringing me here. I feel clearer now if you get what I mean", Megan laughs lightly.

I smile brightly at her and we release our hug.

"You do know you owe your mother an apology correct", I add and she frowns.

"I think I need to have a real conversation with Mom, not me screaming at her".

"That would probably be best", I laugh and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm just so upset with her I don't know what to do".

I walk over to the bench and she follows me to sit down. "You know, I don't ever talk about Grandpa Dan do I"?

She looks shocked at the mention of the name and shakes her head no. "We don't talk about him Dad because he killed your Uncle Keith".

I feel a piece of my heart break after hearing that and frown. After all these years it still gets me.

"Yes but he still was biologically my father, and he raised her Uncle Nathan", I add and she nods her head.

"My Dad didn't want me when he found out I was going to be born. He didn't want anything to do with me and left my Mom. Your Grandma raised me all by herself with no parents to help her only my Uncle Keith, who was his brother. She started the Café and was successful. I would like to say I turned out well and I know I am extremely happy with my life. But throughout all of those things, I didn't have a Dad. I had my Uncle Keith who was the greatest father figure in the world. I miss him every day too. I would give anything to have him back in the world but my own father took that away. That is evil in the world. And your Mother isn't evil".

"She has the biggest heart in the world Megan, and you hold the biggest place. She just doesn't know how to show it that well because she has been hurt so badly by her parents, friends, and even me. You're the most loved kid in the world. She would die for you, kill for you, and do anything for you. You're so lucky because you have two parents that would do that".

"Your right Dad", Megan replies and takes a deep breath. "I've just been so angry at her for not being here. For breaking promises after promises and it just being okay when it's not. She broke your heart Dad and she broke mine too".

"My relationship with your Mother has nothing to do with you. We got a divorce because we couldn't make it work. She doesn't love me anymore and I have to move on. I need you to stop worrying about me", I say and I put my arm over her shoulder.

"I'll stop worrying about you when you stop worrying about me", Megan sasses back and I laugh.

"That's not ever going to happen".

She chuckles with me and actually gives me a real smile.

"We probably should head home to get ready for the game", I add when I notice my wrist watch says twelve. We stand up and walk towards the car with my arm still over her shoulder.

"You know you really are the greatest father ever", she adds when we get in the car.

"Tell me something I don't know", I reply and we both laugh.

After a few minutes we pull into the driveway and I turn off the car. "You know you have to talk to her soon right"?

She nods her head but isn't frowning this time. "Yeah I figured I do it tomorrow".

"Why can't you do it after the game tonight"?

She smiles and I could swear she has a blush on her face. "I have plans tonight". With that she slams the door shut and runs into the house.

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