Today when I was shopping with Wyatt I saw them. What they were doing in a grocery store in Savannah, I have no idea, but there they were. My parents. The people that told me to abort my child. God, I hope they don't see me. Please don't let them see me.
"Brooke?" my father says. Of course, Wyatt turns to see who it is calling my name and he gets a confused look on his face. I just continue to push the cart, grabbing the ice cream that Peyton asked for, hoping they'll think it's someone else, not their "daughter". I honestly don't know why they are even calling me. It's not like they want anything to do with me. They didn't when I lived in their home and they didn't when they kicked me out.
Crap, they are walking over now. Wyatt keeps staring at them.
"Wyatt, honey look at Mommy." I say. He turns and looks at me for a second and then looks back at my parents. Of course, because Mommy can't keep him entertained for more than 2 seconds.
"Brooke, will you look at us?"my father says as he grabs my arm. I stop now, and turn around to look him in the face.
"What do you want?" I say coldly.
"We thought that was you." my father states simply, my mother stepping next to him, looking terrified. Of course she is. This is probably the first time she has ever been in a grocery store.
"This place is disgusting... they'll let anything in here." my mother said looking at Wyatt. I can't believe them.
"Look, I don't know why you are here or why the hell you feel the need to talk to me, but I don't need it right now. I have to finish shopping and get home, so if you'll just excuse me." I say starting to walk away.
"Brooke, stop being such a bitch and talk to us. We're your parents." my father said, standing in the same spot.
I turn around and look him straight in the eye. "Okay, A) You have no right to call me a bitch. B) Parents? Do you mean the parents that ignored me for the first 17 and a half years of my life or the parents that kicked me out when they found out I was pregnant? Did you honestly think before you started calling my name? The last time I saw you you told me to abort my son! Did you really think I was going to be happy when I saw you?" I'm trying not to yell, not to make a scene or scare Wyatt. My parents are just standing there speechless. My father trying to think of something to say.
"Mama.." Wyatt says tugging on my shirt. I turn back to him and smile, assure him that everything is okay.
"So you kept it?" my mother said staring at Wyatt again.
"No, this is some kid I found in a dumpster! Of course I kept my son! Now will you just leave me alone!" I say, storming off now. As soon as I round the corner, I feel like crying. The nerve they have to ask me if I kept "it". He was right there! I hate how they act like nothing is wrong. They have always acted like nothing was wrong, and if it were to big for them to handle, then they would get angry behind closed doors and fix it. No matter what.
As I'm getting Wyatt into his car seat my cell phone rings.
"Hello?" I say, struggling with Wyatt who is trying to get out.
"Brooke, I think I should give you a heads up before you come home." Peyton says cautiously
"What? That my parents are back in town? Cause I've already run into them. Wyatt, sit down!" I say as I finally buckle Wyatt in.
"Your parents are here! Why the hell are they in Savannah?" Peyton asks, worried.
"I don't know! But they are already pissing me off! My mother kept calling Wyatt 'it'. Wait. That's not your heads up?" I say as I pull out of the parking space and heads towards the house.
"No. Some people are here to see you. People that aren't your parents." Peyton says. I could tell she was choosing her words carefully.
"So am I going to get mad when I see these people? You wouldn't have called if you thought I was going to be happy seeing these people. And by the way, who the hell are these people?" I say getting slightly ticked off.
"Well, I honestly don't know how your going to react. That's why I called ahead of time." Peyton says.
"Who the hell is at the house Peyton?" I say. I'm about 6 blocks from the house.
"Nathan and Haley."
Nathan and Haley. I haven't seen them since the night of Lucas's ceremony. God, they didn't even know I had been pregnant. I was going to tell Haley, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I knew she would take it really hard. She had been so close to Lucas. The more I think about it, the more I have no idea why I chose to go to Peyton. We hadn't even been on speaking terms. I guess I went to her because she knew what it felt like. To loose someone so close and dear to you before. For Haley and me, it was new. Haley was trying to cope with the loss of Lucas who had been like a brother. Me, the loss of the love of my life. But Peyton. Peyton lost someone she truly cared about, but she had also lost not one, but two mothers. I don't know what I would do if I had lost so many people I have loved.
I still remember the night I told Peyton. It had been a day or two after Lucas died. It had to have been at least 1 in the morning. I had been crying all day. I had slept in my car, seeing as my parents had kicked me out. I had paused at her front door though. I wasn't sure if I should tell her, or even if I should just walk in. But, she had caught me before I could even think about what to do. She opened the door with a small smile, but I could tell she had been crying too. That's when I just broke down. We went inside and sat down on her couch.
"I can't do this Peyton. I can't live without him. It's too hard. He has barely been gone 5 days Peyton. How am I supposed to live the rest of my life feeling like this?" I said quietly as we cried.
"I don't know Brooke. I don't know." Peyton said.
"I can't stay here Peyton. It's too hard. I can't walk around this town without remembering him. And as much as I love him, remembering him hurts. It hurts so much." I said, pulling out of our hug.
"I know it's hard Brooke. But it'll get better. I miss him too" Peyton said, looking me straight in the eye.
"No, it wont Peyton. It's not going to get better! It might for you, but it wont for me!" I say, trying to yell but do to my tears, it barely came out audible.
"Brooke, I loved him too. It will get better." Peyton said defensively
"I know you loved him Peyton, but it's different with me!" I said, getting slightly angry.
"How is it different Brooke! That he loved you back?" She was mad.
"Because you wont have to live everyday looking at.." I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"Looking at what Brooke? What aren't you telling me?" Peyton said.
"Looking at his baby." I had said, so quietly I was almost sure she hadn't heard me.
"What?"Peyton said guiltily.
"I'm... I'm..." I tried to say. I couldn't get it out, I just cried even more. She pulled me into a hug saying how sorry she was. For everything. For ruining mine and Lucas's relationship. For yelling at me. For the fact that I had to go through this without him.
We stayed like that for what seemed like hours. When we had both calmed down, we went to bed and the next morning we began discussing what to do. As we were trying to figure it out, Jake came over. He had come in for the ceremony with Jenny. Later it was decided that we would move to Savannah with Jake. And the rest, is history. We neevr told anyone where we were going, just that we were leaving.
"Brooke? Are you still there?" Peyton worried on the phone.
"Um, yeah. I'm almost home." God, this was going to be so hard. "Do they know?"
"No. I figured you should tell them. I mean, he is their nephew." Peyton said.
"Right. God, how did they know we were here?" I wondered aloud.
"It's not that hard to put together Brooke. We both leave town. Who do we know that lives out of town? Jake." Peyton said. I could tell she was stressing about this.
"Alright. I'm in the driveway. I'll see you in a sec." I say as I hang up my cell phone.
"Mama..." Wyatt said, already trying to get out of his carseat. I get out of the car and unbuckle him.
"Let's just let you tell them about you all by yourself. Come on baby." I say as I opent he front door.