A/N: I reposted this because I corrected some typos. I'm sorry for making you guys think it's an update. I'm working on it. If you've read this, the night Rachel, Peyton and Brooke were talking was a Friday. I wrote Saturday on the first one and it's a mistake on my part. So sorry.
Title: Dinner Turned Engagement
Chapter 6: Things Are Bound To Get Complicated
Three hours later, she found herself lounging on the couch at Rachel's room. They had picked Peyton up from a cafe just a few blocks from Patty & Ben's house. She can't believe she's there, two hours away from the bustling city of New York. Then again, it was just like going to Lucas' east Hampton state. Travel takes too much time.
"Ok, are we going to talk about it, or do I have to beat it out of you?" Rachel asked, getting her out of her trance. She first meets Peyton's eyes, offering her a sympathetic smile. The red head had always been straight to the point when it came to these things.
She shook her head, a tight lipped smile crossing her lips. There was no way Rachel would allow her to sleep it through. "I think I'll take the first option." She jokes, and she knows the three of them are good. They have always been able to get past these things.
Peyton smirked, while Rachel rolled her eyes at her silly tone. And so, she began. "I know you don't think I'm trying, but I am. I'm trying so hard." She says, and she believes it's the most truthful thing she's told them in a while.
The red head seems to have believed it, only nodding her head. "Well, you better. I don't want to resort to hitting your head with a hammer just so you'd wake up from the dead." She says as she hit Brooke on the arm slightly. Brooke notices Peyton's lips turn into a smile.
"What are you smiling about, Goldilocks!" She says, and she knows that the blonde is just as happy as she is.
"Nothing. It's just amazing, you know. One moment you two are trying to kill each other, then the next you're rubbing elbows. I mean, I must have the two most insane people with me right now." She shares with enchantment in her voice.
"Well you're worse than us, being friends with both of us at the same time." Rachel remarks which only made Brooke shake her head. "What kind of sane person does that?!" The three of them are back, and they're stronger than ever. Suddenly, a phone rings.
"Okay, way to ruin a moment!" Rachel hollers as she saw that it was Brooke's blackberry.
"It's Lucas." She mouths to the two who exchanged devilish looks, the type Brooke couldn't possibly miss. "Hello?" She answers, not sure as to why the blonde is calling, trying to ignore her friend's faces.
"Hey, I'm sorry for calling so late." He says as he sat beside the cab driver. Thankfully, their flight had been a smooth one and the three of them, him, Nathan and Haley are on their way to their house to drop off their things. "Are you still with Rachel and Peyton?" He asks, hoping she'd say yes.
"Uh, yeah." Her eyes wander towards the two for a second then looks away again. "By the way, I don't think I'll make it to your house tomorrow morning." She tells him, knowing there's just no way she's willing to take a 4 hour drive on an early Saturday morning, when she could still be lounging in bed until the late afternoon.
"Actually, that's the reason I'm calling." He begins, and a crease forms between her eyebrows. "I won't be there this weekend, so I left the key with Millicent." He finishes and she thinks for a second.
"Millie? You went to my office?" She asks, and she hears him say yes, along with an apology for him being not there tomorrow. Curiosity got the best of her, and so she needed to ask. "Uh, why won't you be there again?" She says, then facing her two friends who were busy listening to her words, always raising eyebrows at her, along with their animated faces.
He didn't instantly answer, "Something came up." He says, and Brooke could only think about a meeting or something business related. "I just need to be there as soon as I can." He continues, and she understands, although she wanted to ask what it exactly is, she felt it wasn't her place to do so, and so she just said okay.
"I understand." She says, slightly nodding her head. "Well, call me if you need anything." She offers. She didn't know why she said that, she just felt that she needed to.
"I will. Thanks." He replies and with one last goodbye, he hangs up. As soon as he heard his phone click, Haley started to talk.
"I can't believe you told her that something just came up." She says, not in an irritated tone, but more like in a disappointed one. "Your father could be dying." She finishes and Lucas just huffs.
"It's not her problem. Besides, if I remember correctly, dad's the one who threw us into this…mess. I don't think she'll worry herself about him." He says, and before he realizes it, he feels bad about what he had said. That doesn't sound like Brooke at all, at least that's what he thinks.
Haley didn't bother to reply. There's no use arguing. Beside her sat Nathan who looks truly worried. Unlike Lucas, Haley thinks her husband shows more genuine care. The blonde Scott however, looks more resigned to his feelings, like he doesn't want to admit that he cares about his father. Men and their egos, Haley thought.
Less than an hour later, the three of them, though tired from the sudden flight, were on their way to the hospital. Luckily, Nathan still remembered where Deb left the keys whenever she left the house. The streets were empty, just slightly illuminated by the few street lights, but the hospital lobby wasn't. There sat what seems to be like reporters and the minute the three of them arrived cameras began to flash.
"Mr. Scott, how is your father doing?" One of the reporters almost shoved his recorder into Nathan's face. Keeping his cool, he decided not to answer.
One of the nurses knew what was happening and had been nice enough to lead them to Dan's room. Apparently, his condition stabilized and he was transferred into a private room, outside of which stood two policemen.
When the two saw the three of them, they need not utter a single word as they were freely allowed to enter the room. As soon as the door opened, more cameras flashed, and suddenly, it was like that day, not so many weeks ago, where reporters wanted to know about their private life.
"Lucas. Nathan." Deb was relieved to see her sons. Beside her sat Karen, who smiled when she saw the three.
"How's Dan?" Haley was the one to ask. She figured, she'd save the two from wounding their egos, as she figures both wanted to know about their father's condition.
"He got better, but they're still running some tests." Deb answers and the two boys just nod. "I'm so glad you're both here." She cries and although Lucas is still slightly mad at her, he couldn't bare the sight of his mother crying without doing anything, and so, he hugged her, and then, Nathan did too.
She tossed and turned in bed. It seems like sleep is going to be the last thing that'd be visiting her tonight. Kicking off her sheets, she got up from bed, and started walking across the room, then knocking onto one of the doors before letting herself in.
She was surprised to see Peyton and Rachel still up, munching on popcorn and watching some horror movie. Her eyes grew big. She couldn't believe it! How could they not include her on movie night? Friday nights are movie nights, she recalled. "You two are unbelievable!" She says as she watched the two not even take their eyes off at the TV to look at her.
Telling them to scoot over, she too sat on the bed that was big enough for three persons. Realizing that the movie had just ended, she couldn't be more pissed, not that she is, she just liked to project that she is. "I don't believe this!" She huffs as she leaned her back on the headboard.
"Well, time to go to sleep!" Rachel cheerfully said, tilting her head slightly, as if shooing the other two.
"Uh, no! I can't sleep." Brooke says begging to disagree. "In fact, I can't sleep because I can't stop thinking!" She continues, letting out a grunt.
"About what?" Peyton asks, still chewing on her popcorn.
"About…him!" She says, not even bothering to speak his name.
"About him?" Rachel taunts, knowing her friend just refuses to utter the word, but she too can't be sure. Is she talking about Chase, or is she talking about Lucas?
"Chase! About…Chase!" She replies, not in an I-still-love-him-so-I-can't-stop-thinking-about-him' way, but more like just because she's curious about some things.
"Okay, talk." Rachel begins, willing to answer every question that is bugging the brunette. "What about him?" She asks.
Brooke thought, this is the only way she'll know what's happening to her, and it's either she talks about it, or she doesn't, and even if it's not easy, she decides to take the first option. "Earlier, when I saw him, I didn't feel angry, I didn't wait for him to leave because I was angry at him, I was just afraid, because I didn't think I'd see him there of all places." She says, and her two friends listened.
"That's a good thing, right? That you're not angry at him?" Peyton asks, trying to find out what's really bugging the brunette.
"I…I don't know. Then this afternoon, when I found out, you know, about what you said—" She wanted to continue, but Rachel cut her off.
"Oh, that he cheated on you and your father had to pay him off so he doesn't cause trouble?" The red head says and Peyton's eyes grew big, while Brooke just glared at her, but she just waved a hand at them. "Okay, what about it?
Before the brunette continued, Peyton felt she needed to say something first. "For what it's worth, when he threatened to ruin your life, he was drunk." She explains with a nod.
She huffs at first, then finally continues. "Well, at first I couldn't believe it, and then I thought I was going to be angry, but I'm not…I'm not." A laugh escapes her lips, and for a moment, she thought she was losing it.
Rachel looked to Peyton with a confused face, then turned back to the brunette. "Brooke! Seriously, are you on something?" She asks, looking closely to the brunette face.
She rolled her eyes at the red head's action. "I mean, I just thought I'll be mad at him, but now, I think, he can show up, and I wouldn't care…I mean, is that normal?" She couldn't believe herself. Is she really asking about this? She should be glad, she doesn't care about him that way anymore.
"Yes Brooke! That's normal! It's been four years! It won't be normal if you're still mad and bitter." Rachel explained to which Peyton added.
"Yeah, whore here's got a point." And then continued munching what's left of their popcorn. "Besides, your pretty little ass is technically engaged. You shouldn't be crying over some other boy." Peyton jokes as she leans her head on the brunette's shoulder.
"Speaking of which, looks like I'm stuck with both of you for the whole weekend." Brooke replies, not minding to comment about her technically engaged ass.
"What, hot blonde got tired of you and kicked you out?" Rachel asks, arching an eyebrow at the brunette.
"Ha-ha. Funny. No. He said something came up and he needs to be there as soon as possible." She says just waving a hand at the red head, then unconsciously yawned.
"Well, I guess we better sleep this off. We have to drive back to New York tomorrow. Plus, don't think we're not intrigued about 'Andy'" Peyton says towards the red head who just rolled her eyes, as she got on her feet, and started walking towards the door already. Brooke nodded and followed. It seems like she'll be getting sleep after all.
The day started early for them when Dan's attending physician paid them an early visit. "Mrs. Scott, can I talk to you in private?" He begins, seeing how the room is now more crowded.
Deb looks to the three younger people and shakes her head. "It's okay, they're my sons." She tells him, then introduces the boys to the doctor. "This is Dr. Jekyll, your dad's attending physician." She finishes, and they all shake hands.
"I believe I have bad news for you." He begins, and Karen runs a hand thru Deb's back. Keith has yet to arrive because he needed to stay home with Lily. "The test results came back, and your husband tested positive for HCM."
"Excuse me, what? HCM? What's that?" Lucas interrupted, not really understanding what Dr Jekyll is talking about.
"Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, also known as HCM, is a disease in the muscle of the heart that causes it to thicken. It causes disruptions to the electric functions of the heart, thus causing sudden cardiac arrests, which is what happened to the patient." He explains, and Deb suddenly breaks into tears.
"Well, what's the cure? Does he need an operation?" Nathan asks, catching a glimpse of his still sleeping father. He looked too peaceful. Nathan never thought about seeing him lying on a hospital bed, asleep. Beside him stood Haley, he felt better just having her there.
"His heart suffered from so much stress that his heart tissues had been severely damaged. The best option I can recommend is a heart transplant." Dr. Jekyll explained and Lucas couldn't believe what he's hearing. His father needs a heart transplant.
In between tears, Deb tried to speak. "What if he doesn't have the transplant?...or how about medications? Isn't there something you can recommend?" She asks, trying to calm herself. Dan might not be the best husband, but still, she promised him for better or for worse.
"There are medications that he can take, but it only works when the muscle tissues of the heart aren't as damaged as his. If he doesn't get a transplant, I'm afraid the best he's got is six months." He says, trying to be careful with his words.
"Oh my God." The words escaped Haley's lips. She never thought she'd see the day that she'll actually feel sorry about Dan Scott, much less pity him, or think about being nice to him.
"So what are you trying to say, that he's dying? Is that it?" Lucas asked, his tone rising a little.
"Currently there are about 50 people who are lined up for a transplant, but with the condition your father has, it's possible for him to get bumped into the top part." Dr Jekyll explained, and Lucas refuses to hear it.
Deb's tears fell harder, and Karen is ready to comfort her. That was until Dr. Jekyll spoke again. "I'm afraid I have more news for you." He says, this time focusing on the two brothers. "HCM is one of the most famous causes of sudden death on young athletes, such as yourselves." He says, motioning to the two.
"I don't understand, what are you trying to say?" Deb was the one to ask. Both Lucas and Nathan weren't sure they want to hear what the doctor has to say next.
"HCM is genetic and there's a 50-50 chance that a child gets it if one of his parents has it." He answers then turns to the two young men. "I think it would be best to have yourselves tested, just in case—" He meant to continue but Lucas' booming voice cut him off.
"In case what? In case we have the disease too?!" He says, a lot louder than he should. He ran a hand through his head. This can't be happening.
"There are some medications that can help if it's diagnosed early. I hope you consider it." Dr. Jekyll insisted. "If you don't have any more questions, I'll see you when the patient wakes up." With that, he was gone.
"I'll arrange an appointment so both of you can get tested." Deb says, wiping her tears away. She slightly squeezed Karen's hand, as if asking for support.
"I'm not taking that test." Lucas says, his voice firm. It was his resolve, and with the tone of his voice, there's no way changing it. He left the room, seeming to forget about the mob of reporters that waited outside.
"I can't believe it's a Saturday morning and I'm not in bed still trying to get some sleep!" Brooke ranted as Rachel and Peyton stood in front of her, both rolling their eyes.
"You better hurry your fat ass because my grandma makes good food, and there won't be any left if you take a second longer." Rachel informs her as Peyton nodded and followed the red head downstairs.
Brooke huffed, blowing her hair out of her face. In less than ten minutes, surely, she was on her way down for breakfast. She was never one to make people wait, well, not unless it's Peyton or Rachel.
"So why are you calling Rachel 'Andy'? For the whole time I've known her, she's only been a Rachel and not an Andy." She heard Peyton joke as she had entered the dining room.
"Oh, here she is. Good morning dear." Patty greets as she tells Brooke to take a seat.
"Good morning Patty, Ben. Sorry, I'm not really a morning person." She says, apologizing for being late for breakfast.
"Oh that's okay honey, I'm just glad we have you girls here for the weekend." Ben replies and Brooke sees Patty nod, along with a wide smile.
"I'm glad to be here." She replies, then looks to Peyton who shared the same feelings. "So, you were talking about Rachel here being Andy? How did that ever happen?" Brooke asked as she too began to eat.
"Seriously, can't you two believe that I can be an Andy? I mean, I'm sweet! I'm caring!" She demanded earning a laugh from her grandparents.
"You see, not even Patty or Ben agrees." Peyton jokes, just earning more laughs.
"Andy's mother first told us that she named our granddaughter Andrea, but she was too far away then. She never took the time to visit us." Patty began, then allowed Ben to continue.
"So we decided on what to call her when we see her and we came up with Andy. When they visited us when she was still younger, we then found out her name's Rachel and not Andrea." Ben says and both Brooke and Peyton couldn't help but laugh.
"So we decided to ask her which name she preferred, and then she said Andy sounds better, and since then it stuck." Patty finishes, turning to her granddaughter.
"I see, so even she doesn't like her name. That's what I thought when I first met her." Brooke shared making the older couple laugh.
"Like your name is any better Penelope." Rachel teased sticking her tongue out. Brooke squinted her eye at the mention of her middle name. She never did like it.
"Hey, don't even get started with me, Elizabeth." Brooke countered when she saw Peyton laughing. Ben and Patty laughed more at the three girls. Their house hadn't been this lively in years.
"So, what are you planning to do today?" Ben asked as he stood up, setting the dishes on the sink, and then looking over to the three.
They all exchanged glances, not having anything in mind, until Rachel spoke. "Well, we're thinking about going back to the city already, but we really don't have anything to do there, right?" She turns to the two first, confirming if they had any other plans.
"Nope, nothing to do there." Brooke replies with a smile.
"What do you have in mind?" Peyton asked.
"Maybe we can tag along with you? Or maybe we can visit the fortune teller. Isn't there one here?" Rachel looks to Patty, who slightly nods. "That should be fun."
"Well, I don't think ballroom dancing is something you girls would enjoy. Maybe going to Madame Suzie's is better. She's really good at it." Patty says turning to Ben who nods in agreement.
Brooke raised an eyebrow slightly. She was never one to believe in fortune telling anyway. It's all bull to her. Some people are just really good at reading body language. "Madame Suzie's it is!" Rachel exclaimed only making Peyton and Brooke shrug.
They all finished eating, and before they know it, Patty and Ben had given them the directions to Madame Suzie's and the three of them were on their way.
Rachel was the first one to get out of the car and knock on the door, her two friends following her. A lady, with gray hair dressed in a long skirt and her body wrapped with a shawl opened the door. She flashed a smile to them. "What can I do for you beautiful ladies?" She asks her tone soft, and really accommodating.
"Uh, we're looking for Madame Suzie?" Rachel answers, and she sees the old woman break into a bigger smile.
"Oh, you're looking for me. I take it you want me to read my cards?" She says, looking at the three, Rachel returning it with a nod, while Brooke and Peyton weren't so sure about the idea. "Well come on in." She says.
The red head was the first one to walk in, looking behind her, the two have yet to follow. Staring at them knowingly, the blonde and the brunette then too walked in. They were then led to what they assumed to be the kitchen of the house. It hardly seemed like those rooms you see on movies that are dimly lit and has very little space. "Just let me get my cards." Madame Suzie says, and the three girls just smile at her.
When she was gone, Brooke needed to speak. "Are you sure where doing this? I mean, this isn't even true." She says, trying to get them out of it.
"First of all, we're already here, second of all, like you said, it's not true, but don't you think it'll be fun to hear about what the 'future' is supposed to hold?" Rachel explains. She did make a point. Besides, it's not like they have anything better to do.
"She's right. I mean, I don't believe in these tarot readings, no offense Rach, but I think I'd rather go here than go ballroom dancing with your grandparents." Peyton says, and Brooke just sinks into her seat. Before they knew it, Madame Suzie was back into the kitchen.
The three of them sat on stools in front of the kitchen counter, Madame Suzie sitting on the other side, opposite the three of them. "So, who told you about me?" She asks while she shuffled her cards.
"I heard about you from my grandparents, Ben and Patty." Rachel answers enthusiastically, as she leaned in closer to the counter.
"Oh, are you Andy?" Madame Suzie asked, in which Brooke and Peyton couldn't help but smirk while the red head nodded.
"It's actually Rachel, but the nickname kind of stuck, so…yeah." She explained and Madame Suzie nodded.
"I never knew their granddaughter looked so beautiful." She says, and Rachel felt proud, while Brooke rolled her eyes at her. "And you have beautiful friends too." She continues, and this time, Peyton had to nudge the red head a little. "So, who wants to go first?" Madame Suzie eyed the three, then focused to the one on the middle. "Do you want to go first?"
"I…uh, sure." Peyton answers, motioning for Madame Suzie to go ahead. She stifled a nervous laugh. Who knew hearing about tarot card reading could make her nervous, and she says she doesn't believe them. Yeah, right.
She shuffled her cards once more, drawing out 6 cards randomly, laying them down on the counter. She then asked Peyton to open each one of them. Madame Suzie looked at the cards and Peyton did too, not that she understood, but she noticed the names. They were The Lovers, II of Cups, V of Swords, The Fool, The Sun, and The Queen of Pentacles.
"What do they mean?" Peyton asked eagerly, causing Rachel to look over at Brooke, who raised an eyebrow towards her. The blonde couldn't say if Madame Suzie was happy with what she's seeing.
"You see this?" She says, pointing to The Queen of Pentacles. "It's on the first cycle. She could symbolize someone whom you feel safe and secure with. It means you have someone in your life you can trust." She finished. The three were silent, listening intently to the explanation.
"Figures." Rachel thought as she nodded. Peyton was silent, as if trying to figure out who that person is. Madame Suzie smiled at her, then picked up another card.
"The Fool." She begins, and to Peyton, that card doesn't sound anything close to okay. "On the second cycle, it's hard to say if it symbolizes a beginning or an end. This card could also mean that you might take on an adventure. It could be on love, or a business.." Madame Suzie finished and Peyton didn't feel happy at all of what she heard.
"The beginning or end? Of what?" She asks, as questions formed in her head. Madame Suzie just smiled, yet no answer was given until she picked up another card.
"The Sun." She begins once again, confusing Peyton, as to why she hadn't given her an answer. "This card stands for a masculine energy. On the third cycle, it has a positive effect, meaning you'll have stable friendships."
Peyton genuinely smiled. She wanted to say she really didn't believe in these tarot reading stuff, but Madame Suzie must've picked up that the three of them are really close. She squeezed her two friends hands who had been awfully silent.
Madame Suzie then pointed to the card facing Peyton on the left. It read V of swords. "On the left eye this card symbolizes emotions in a relationship. It symbolizes balance. You use your heart, but you use your head too." She then moved to the card opposite it. "The Lovers card negates all the negative effects of the V of swords. See how one is on the left and it's on the right?" Madame Suzie asked pointing to the cards. The three girls find themselves nod. "The Lovers card could mean a higher stage of a relationship. It could mean an engagement, marriage. It could also mean a baby." Madame Suzie finished.
To that Peyton felt her heart skip. It made her feel happy, and hopeful, and yet it scared the hell out of her at the same time. She looked nervously at the two, who clearly don't understand what it feels like to have your possible 'future' told.
"The outcome finally, is The II of cups." Madame Suzie picked the card up. "Much like The Lovers card, it mostly represents the growth of a relationship. This card represents inner peace. This card brings even the most different things together." She finished, and Peyton couldn't feel any happier about what she heard. She heaved a sigh of relief. Thank God there weren't any bad things that she heard, and she says she doesn't believe tarot card reading, yeah, she can tell that to herself.
"Okayyy, I think I'll go next." Rachel volunteered as she told Peyton to exchange seats with her. Madame Suzie nodded and smiled. She then collected the cards and shuffled them once again. She told Rachel to do the same thing Peyton did. Slowly, she drew out her cards all at the same time, from the same bunch.
This kind of surprised Peyton and Brooke, the red head always had a way to pique their minds. Madame Suzie just nodded with a smile. She laid out the cards on the table the same way she did with Peyton, and then ordered the red head to face them up one by one.
"Okay, this one says, Four of Wands?" Rachel says, pointing to the card. "What does it mean?" She asks, awfully interested of the meaning Madame Suzie comes up with.
"The Four of wands is a card that symbolizes personal greatness. The presence of this card indicates it's time to take the reins and make the move towards everything that you desire. It can also indicate that it's a good point to face personal fears head-on, and to speak your mind when dealing with others." Madame Suzie explained.
Peyton found herself smiling, that last one definitely rang true, knowing that it was the exact reason why the three of them are in Kingston now. Truly, Rachel knows how to speak her mind. Rachel couldn't comment on what she said. There's just no way that the woman would know about Brooke and her fighting, right?
"Okaaayy. What about this one? The Ace of Swords?" Rachel pointed again. "Is it related to Peyton's card earlier?" She asks, trying to look Madame Suzie in the eyes, as if wanting to figure out where she's getting all the things that she's saying.
"You see how it's on the right bottom, it means it's on the third cycle. This could indicate that there is deception in your life, and that you need to look closer. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions, and to question the truth that's being presented." She says, looking the red head equally straight in the eye.
Now that one really confused the her, deception? Although she says she doesn't believe it, somehow she feels like there's still something that one of her two friends isn't telling her, not something earth shattering, but still, it's something.
"Deception huh?" She says, eyeing the two beside her who just returned clueless faces. "How about this one in the middle? The Wheel of Fortune." Rachel read, and can't help but stifle a laugh. Maybe they got the name of the show from this card.
"The Wheel of Fortune symbolizes the ever-changing cycle of life, wins and losses, ups and downs, unexpected luck, advancements and setbacks, success and failure - the duality of things. The Wheel of Fortune represents our uncovering of life's cycles and patterns, and the realization that nothing is permanent, everything is always in flux." Madame Suzie answered.
Okay, that one bothered her again. The smile that was earlier on her face fell. Everything is always in flux, the line rang through her head but she shook it off, trying not to think about it much.
"Okay, how about that?" She says, pointing to a card that read: Page of Wands. It seemed that Madame Suzie had refused to give comments as she read the cards, and went directly to explaining its meaning.
"Your outcome card, the Page of Wands stands for a child or a childlike person that exudes excitement, a lot of energy, a strong sense of self, and adventure. Involvement with this person fosters enthusiasm and a light hearted approach to life. Doors to passion are opening." Madame Suzie says.
This one piqued Rachel's mind, it's something she actually liked to hear. "So, you're about to get a boyfriend?" Peyton teased as she raised an eyebrow at the red head. Rachel didn't reply, as Madame Suzie might take offense if she says she doesn't believe a thing she says, not because that's the case, but at least it's what she's trying to tell herself.
"Well, how about these two?" Rachel asks once again, pointing to the two remaining cards that have yet to be read.
"Ah, The Emperor and The Empress." Madame Suzie smiled, the last time being the time after she told Peyton about her last card. "I've never been able to read them together, much less opposite each other." She says, her voice seemed to be happy, which also made Rachel a bit happy, after all if she's happy about it, it could mean that she's seeing something good, right?
"As a card of good fortune she signifies that you are gentle and caring, as well as patient. You are to be able to wait until the time is right for an action so that you can reap the rewards, hard work pays off and relationships become satisfying. Paired with the Emperor, each of its negative effects are countered. The Emperor on the other hand reminds us that rational thought, willpower, and fearlessness yield recognition and achievement in general. On an emotional level this card symbolizes confirming of established feelings, tightening of links among beings, and self-respect." Madame Suzie finally finished.
Rachel didn't really get all what she had said. Although she hardly believes that she's gentle and caring. Brooke and Peyton however, know better. "Okay, your turn Brooke." Rachel says as she got up from her seat. The brunette rolled her eyes, not really sure about it.
"I'm not really interested about it, no offense." She says, turning to Madame Suzie who just smiled.
"Why, are you afraid we'll find out something you're hiding?" Rachel taunted. The brunette knew it was once again one of her mind games, and she always fell for them. "Plus, she's really good." Rachel adds, and somehow she really means it.
"Okay fine." Brooke finally agrees, and then exchanges seat with the read head. Madame Suzie shuffled her cards and ordered her to get six. One by one she faced them up, and that's when she started reading.
She had decided to follow him, although she wanted to stay with Nathan, the younger Scott opted for his wife to get his brother. He doesn't think he could get his ass back at the hospital, as he himself is not sure if he wants to take the test.
She went back to the one place which they all considered as a common ground. It seemed that they're able to talk through things when they're there, and hopefully, this time, they will too.
She saw him sitting on one of the bleachers of the Rivercourt, his face covered with both his hands, as if trying to get something to calm himself. Slowly she approached him. He didn't seem to notice until she's already sitting beside him.
"Haley…" His voice drifts off, feeling a little bad that she had to leave Nathan just to go look for him.
"It's okay Lucas, Nathan sent me." She explains, offering him a reassuring smile. "It's okay to be scared you know, he is too. I can tell." She tells him, not minding to look at him in the eye, just staring at the empty court in front of them.
"I just…I just thought I'd get down here, find out that everything's going to be okay, then we go back to New York and fix the mess that I left there." He shares, almost choking.
"I think it's best to take the test. You're life's more important than basketball, you know?" Haley tries to see him at the same wavelength, but it doesn't seem like he'll understand anytime soon.
"I don't know Haley, but right now, taking that test is not an option. I'm sorry." He explains, and she knows there's no use talking to him now, because once he has his resolve, it's hardly changed.
"Just think about it Lucas, there are people who love you and they don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you." Haley says as she got up from the seat she just occupied. She didn't think it would be such a short conversation. She began to walk away, deciding to leave Lucas for him to think about it, just then he called out to say something more.
"Haley, maybe…maybe if Nathan takes it, I'll consider it." He says, and he knows that it's selfish, but he just felt so alone and he needed to know that he isn't. Haley sadly nodded and left.
He took out his phone and dialled a number he just got familiar with, it's not something he can explain at this point, but over the past few weeks, even though they had been thrown into an unfortunate circumstance, hearing Brooke's voice felt like music to his ears. Waiting for the brunette to pick up, he sighed.
"Hello?" She answers, and he's grateful that she does. Not really knowing his real intention as to why he called, he replied with a lame 'Hi.' "Hey Lucas. What's up? Is something wrong?" She asks. He could hear Peyton and Rachel's laughs from the background.
"Uh, no, nothing's wrong. I just called to check if you have company." He says, suddenly tensed as the brunette might find out about his worries. "Is that Rachel and Peyton I'm hearing?" He asks, trying to stir the conversation into another topic.
"Yeah." Brooke replied with a chuckle. "We're actually not in New York, well, we're two hours away from New York." She tells him, her voice so light that it makes him feel light too.
"Really?" He says, interested about what she had planned for her weekend.
"Yeah. It's a long story." She says, followed by another light hearted chuckle. She sounded so happy that he's thankful he didn't tell her about Dan's condition, much less, about his.
"You sound like you're really having fun." He notices, and even if she doesn't answer, he knows that she is.
"I am." She answers entertainingly. "We actually visited a fortune teller of some sort earlier." She says, but holds back to the details.
"Well, what did she tell you? Any news our engagement is going to end soon?" He jokes, and somehow, he thinks her reply took longer than it should.
"Well you know, all those fortune teller stuff. I'm sure it's not even true." She tells him, not really wanting to dish the details. Now, that really got him intrigued.
"I've never been to a fortune teller before. Maybe I should go to one right now." He says, and his voice seemed more serious compared to its lighter tone earlier.
"Why, do you want to know something about your future?" She asks, failing to notice the change in his tone, maybe because her two friends kept telling her to hang up already.
"Maybe." He says wistfully, followed by a small chuckle. "Looks like Rachel and Peyton don't want you talking to me." He says, and Brooke says it's okay. He could hear the two form the background. "Brooke get your ass down here!"
"Now I'm thinking you just want to hang up already." Brooke teases and she knows that's not the case.
"Me?" He says, faking a shock expression. "Of course not." Seemingly forgetting about his present worries, his lips break into a genuine smile. "But, they do sound like they want you there already." He adds.
"I'm sure. They're losing to a bunch of old people in playing twister." She tells him and he lets out an unbelievable laugh.
"You're kidding me, right? You're not making the old ones there play twister, right?" He asks, almost sure that he was kidding. When nothing came, he had to shriek. "Brooke! They might break their bones!"
She laughs at him nervously. "Well, they seem to be really enjoying it, plus, no one's broken a bone yet, so we're still good, and just think, Peyton and Rachel are losing!" She shares and they both laugh.
"Well, have fun there and I'll see you on Monday?" He says and she says yes. As soon as she hung up, the anxious feeling he had earlier came settling back. He took in the view before him. He can't remember the last time he had played there.
Getting up from his seat, he decided to go to Keith's. He had yet to see his uncle. As if wanting to prove something to himself, he sprinted his way there. In less than fifteen minutes, he arrived at Keith's, covered in sweat, trying to catch his breath.
The sun is at its highest, running at that time of day would be stupid. Although the breeze felt cooler, the rays of the sun still burnt his skin. He knocked still trying to catch his hitching breath. "Lucas?" Keith answered the door, letting the blonde in. As soon as he did, the house phone rang. "Ok, just get yourself something to drink, I need to get that." He adds, and with the, his uncle vanished into the living room.
He can hear his words, "Yes, he's here. Ok, I'll talk to him about it." He heard. Great, he thought. Now his uncle would be up on his ass too. The next thing he knows, Keith is standing in the same room as him.
"I take it you know already?" Lucas says as he downed a glass of water. His uncle nodded, causing him to let out a grunt.
"You have to take that test Luke. We have to." Keith explains, and somehow, his words reach out to Lucas. It must've been because he used the word 'we,' but he's still too stubborn to even consider it right now.
"I don't need to take that test. I'm telling you, I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me." He says defensively, trying to explain where he's coming from. If there's anything wrong with him, it should've happened a long time ago, right?
"Then take the test, if you say you're fine then you have nothing to lose. Don't wait until you too need a transplant like your father." Keith says, thinking it was a little harsh.
"I sprinted my way down here! Not for one second did I stop, and look at me, I'm perfectly fine." He argues. "I'm not taking that test and its final." He finished, setting the glass on top of the counter producing a loud thud.
All his life he had respected his uncle Keith, and today might be the first time he'll walk out on him. He ignored his calls, and got out of the house. There's only one place left he thought about going, and God knows, it's not the best place to be when you have problems, that and getting drunk in the middle of the day aren't exactly the solution to his current problem.
She came back sooner than he had expected, getting up from his seat, he couldn't help himself and he hugged her. "How did it go?" He asks, as if he had figured out a solution on his own.
"He's not taking it. He's made up his mind, and you know how that is." She explains, and she hears him heave a heavy sigh.
"Mom's already scheduled the exam." He tells her, looking to his sleeping mother. "I'm going to take it." He adds, and even though she too is scared as hell to find out, she knows she's relieved.
"Just know, that whatever happens, you'll have me." She says and then continues. "Always and forever." She mumbles into his chest.
Hearing those words seemed to have taken away any second thoughts that he has left. Kissing her hair, he tells her it's going to be okay. "I'll be fine Hales. I can feel it." A grin crosses his face, bringing reassurance to them both. "Now, I have to go look for my stubborn brother." He adds and he sees her nod.
Pulling out of the hug, she tells him where she left the blonde. "He's still sitting at the Rivercourt when I left him." She says, but he knows more.
"Apparently he went to Keith's and when he tried to talk him into it, he stormed out of the house." He explains to her, and somehow she isn't surprised. They've all seen this version of him before, not too long ago when everything was still so screwed up.
She got worried, and just when he's about to step out, she needed to ask. "Do you want me to come with you?" He turned his back to face her, while shaking his head.
"No. I don't want you to be there when I kick his ass." He jokes and he doesn't see any relief crossing his wife's face. "Don't worry Hales, I'll bring him back." He added, and after she nods, he left.
The sun is about to set, and the laughter can still be heard. "I can't believe your asses got kicked in twister!" Brooke laughed as the three of them, together with Ben and Patty got back to the house.
"Well if you weren't so biased in spinning the damn arrow, we might not be falling on our knees!" Rachel ranted, not believing her grandmother kicked her ass in the game.
"Seriously, I think I broke my arm!" Peyton says as she tries to stretch it. The two just laughed it off while Ben and Patty too shared their laughs.
As soon as they got in, Ben switched on the television only to be greeted by a sports flash. "In sports." The announcer begins, the laughter of the girls still in the air. "Mayor of Tree Hill, Daniel Scott, is rushed to the hospital earlier yesterday." That's the part Brooke heard, and suddenly, she focused on it.
Everyone did too and listened to the rest of the report. "Source claims he was found passed out in his office, due to a cardiac arrest." The reporter continued. To this a faint 'Oh God.' escaped Patty's lips.
"The Scott brother's immediately flew to Tree Hill, North Carolina to be with their father, along with Nathan Scott is his wife." The reporter added as the TV displayed a video of Lucas, Nathan and Haley arriving at the hospital with less than happy faces on.
"How unfortunate." Patty commented, and then Brooke had to excuse herself as she took out her phone.
"Excuse me," She says as she offered the rest of them a smile, while placing her phone on her ear.
Ben must've noticed her sudden change in attitude, and so he asked Rachel and Peyton what's wrong. "Does Brooke know these people?" He says, turning to the two, Peyton nodded, while Rachel took the responsibility to answer.
"Yeah, Lucas is her fiancée…well, technically." She says awkwardly, then watching her brunette friend in the corner of her eye. In no time, Brooke walked back to them, worry evident in her face. Suddenly, Madame Suzie's card reading rang inside her head.
"He's not picking up. He didn't tell me it was his father. I thought it was just a business meeting or something." She rambled pacing around the living room. All of them before her stood in silence, not really getting why she's behaving that way, Rachel and Peyton especially.
The red head looked at the blonde knowingly, and then spoke. "Then we know where our next destination is, well, I mean, your destination." She says, implying that the brunette go down there.
"You think I should go down there?" She asks, placing a hand on her forehead, then tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She started pacing again.
"Yes, of course dear. I'm sure he needs you." Patty butted in, assuming that the two are romantically involved.
"It's really not like that, but, I, I don't know, maybe it's not a good idea." She replies and Ben and Patty just looked at each other with confused faces on. Peyton and Rachel just chose to stay silent.
"Why not. I'm sure he needs you, he just doesn't want to worry you." Ben explains, knowing how most guys think.
"Okay. We're going to Tree Hill." She finally decided, as if it was a very light thing to do.
"We are?" Peyton asked, not knowing if it was really the best idea, then Rachel nudged her, and she knew she needed to take a hint. "I mean, we're going to Tree Hill!" She says, more enthusiastically this time.
He's searched everywhere for him. The sun is almost out, and darkness begins to cover the streets. Then it hit him, he must be there. He must be, since he looks like he's going back to his old self. With no more second thoughts, he drove to the place.
Ten minutes later, he had his car parked and along with some other people, made his way inside the Blue Post. It was the one place where Lucas went to when he couldn't handle things anymore. It was the one place where he decided to drown his problems, the one place where he drowns himself.
Looking straight towards the bar, he sees his brother, and by that, he meant sitting on a stool, passed out. "Lucas!" He calls out, avoiding the crowd that walked opposite his direction.
"He didn't want to stop drinking, I told him to stop 15 shots ago. Man, I didn't know Lucas Scott drinks like a fish." The bartender says as he saw Nathan. He ignored his comment and helped his brother up.
"Dammit Luke. What are you doing to your self." He cursed under his breath, as he walked their way out. It was no surprise to him that reporters already lurked inside, taking photos. Hell, he thinks he must've gone blind for a minute.
Nice enough to help him, the bartender form earlier hooked one of Lucas' arm around him and helped Nathan get him into the car. Whether if it was because he really wanted to help or he just wanted to be included in the pictures, he didn't care. He's just thankful.
"Thanks man." He says as cameras continued to flash.
"Whatever. Just make sure he can handle his booze the next time he comes here." He replies and with that, he leaves.
Oh yes, the small town of Tree Hill just got more interesting. With Dan Scott's heart attack, Lucas Scott passed out on a bar, Nathan arriving to get him, and Brooke Davis, along with Rachel Gattina and Peyton Sawyer about to arrive, how could it not be?
Okay, so I really need you to review! Please, if you're reading this now, go hit that button and tell me what you think! Plus suggestions, if you have any, I'd love to hear them. Thanks to all those who reviewed for the last chapter by the way. I hope I still have some readers left out there. :)