Chapter Eight: Too Late
There are millions of people in the world, but in the end it all comes down to one. I still panic sometimes, forget to breathe. But I know there's something beautiful in all my imperfections, a beauty that held out for me to see.. And a strength that can never be taken away. - Crazy/Beautiful
"Natalie, sweety! Mommy's here. Just please stop crying baby."Haley whined in frustration as she held her daughter's whimpering body. Her cries would get softer and Haley would start to feel relieved but then they'd get louder and more drastic as the poor baby laid there in her mom's arms. "What is it that you want?" Natalie stopped for another second, and looked up at Haley, her small chin was quivering as she whimpered again and her eyes were full of tears.
Haley was walking circles around the living room floor as she stayed home alone. Soon Natalie started to cry again, this time much worst than before. "I don't know what Im doing." Haley started to cry, afraid that she wasn't experienced enough to be a mother. " What if Im no good at this?" She sighed.
"You will be, I always knew you would." A masculine voice whispered from behind her. She turned around quickly, Natalie still crying, to see Nathan standing there with his hands in his pockets. "The door was unlocked. I locked but... well..." He laughed and pointed at Natalie who had stopped crying and had her eyes fixated on him.
He walked over to Haley, as Natalie started to whimper again. He gave her a questioning look as he reached his hands out to the baby. Haley nodded hesitantly.
"She's beautiful." He whispered as the baby stopped crying all together and lifted her hands to Nathan's face.
Haley, still angry at him for leaving, spat out, "You would have realized that a long time ago if you were around."
Nathan knew she'd be angry, so he wasn't surprised, he just looked at down at Natalie playing with her to make her laugh. "Im sorry, Im here now Hales. Im back and Im not going anywhere."
Haley turned to face him and smiled sadly as she nodded. "That's good, it's going to be nice for your daughter to have you around." Nathan smiled back, happy at the thought that she may have actually forgiven him. Btu she soon bursted his bubble. "So what do you want? Weekend visitations? Monthly?" Haley raised one eyebrow at him as she crossed her arms in front of her.
Nathan squinted his eyes as he looked down at his daughter painfully. "So, we can't get back together?" He asked as he went over and placed Natalie in her bassinet. He walked over to Haley who as rooting through a drawer.
"Not a chance. You threw it all away when you walked out of the hospital room, leaving me and your daughter alone." She whispered angrily. Natalie had fallen asleep for the first time in a long time and she didn't want to wake her.
"Haley... listen..." Nathan moaned as he walked closer to her, placing his hands on her arms.
"Don't touch me." Haley shifted her arms quickly as she finally found what she was looking for. "Ah Ha! While we are on the topic of our divorce, I took the liberty of getting new divorce papers. I've already signed them it's your turn." Haley said sharply as she abruptly pushed the papers and a pen against Nathan's chest. Nathan clasped his hands over it as she let go and walked over to pick up some toys on the floor.
"You're serious?" Nathan whispered.
"Yes Nathan, I am. I really wish it didn't have to be like this, but you chose it. Let's just get it over with okay?" Haley whispered, afraid to let her guard down. Nathan signed the papers and passed them back to Haley. If it was what she really wanted, he'd do it.
"I've thought about this. I knew you'd be back after I saw what you wrote on the papers." Haley said as she continued cleaning. Nathan sighed deeply. He thought maybe that would change her mind and get them back track. But he was wrong, obviously.
"And?" He asked as he shoved his hands back in his pockets to stop them from shaking.
"You staying around here or... out in New York?" She asked casually, as if they were old friends. But what Nathan didn't know was that it was taking everything she had in her to act like this around him, so casual, but so angry, when all she wanted to do was run up to him and jump in his arms and kiss him with everything she had in him. And tell him it was okay, that she forgave him a long time ago. But... she didn't.
"Im staying." He said simply.
"Okay, how about... She can go with you, two nights a week, starting off. Then we'll see what happens?" Haley raised her eyebrows at him, suggestively.
Nathan just nodded.
"Okay, how about we st art next week... say Monday?" Haley sighed, feeling her walls break down again as he walked closer to her. Nathan nodded as he kept walking to her. He got really close to her, and she didn't move at first. His body was almost pressed against hers as he reached his hand out to place in the back of her neck. She leaned her head back into it, closing her eyes as she inhaled deeply. Pushing him away, she snapped, " Don't try that with me Scott, I know you too well." She pushed him and pointed toward the door. Nathan just dropped his head and walked towards it. "Karen will soon be here. She's watching Natalie, while I go on a date!" Haley smirked as she turned to check her makeup in the mirror. It killed her to say it, but she knew it probably killed him even more to hear it.
Nathan just shuttered, he wasn't going to try and force her to stay in because of him. She'd date a few guys and stuff, he knew that, how could he expect her not to? But he'd get her back, he'd show her that he could be everything that her and their daughter needed, like he should have long ago. "Well, why don't you let me take her instead? You don't need to get a babysitter anymore Hales, I'll take her anytime you want to go on...dates..." He almost choked on the last word.
What is this? He's not trying to stop me? He's being cool about it? Ouch... Haley thought. "Um..." Haley sighed, glancing over at Natalie sleeping soundly. "Let me get her things ready." She hesitated as she ran up the stairs to throw some things together.
Nathan was kneeling by Natalie, watching her sleep, when the doorbell rang. He got up and answered it, sighing when he motioned for Jake to come in. "You must be Haley's date." He sighed again.
"Yea! Who are you? Her other brother? Cousin?" Jake searched around.
"Im her husband!" Nathan shot out his pride taking him over. It shouldn't have been like this. He should not be welcoming other people into the house to pick up his wife. He knew he screwed it up royally.
"Not anymore..." Haley sighed as she walked down the stairs. Both men turned to look at her, and their jaws dropped. How is it possible for her to look like that? She's been up there for like, thirty seconds! Nathan thought. She was wearing a red dress that cut off just above her knees. Her hair was long and wavy and fell perfectly on her shoulders.
"Haley..." Jake gasped as he walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. Nathan clenched his fists at his sides as he watched them. "You look gorgeous."
"Thank you." Haley smiled. "Jake, do you mind if I speak to Nathan in the living room in private for one second please?" She asked nervously.
"Sure..." Jake smiled as he scratched his head. Haley grabbed Nathan's arm and led him into the living room.
In there, Nathan looked up at the ceiling as he placed his hands on his head and moaned with frustration. "This happening too fast Haley." He almost started to cry as he walked over to her quickly.
"I know..." Haley sniffed, finally letting her barrier down.
"Then don't go, stay here with me and Natalie, we can work it out Haley." Nathan whispered urgently as he placed his hands on her arms again.
"I wish we could. But it's too late Nathan." She sighed. She lifted her hands to his face and pulled his forehead down to meet hers painfully. "Listen, just let me do this okay? I need to do this! If you want to prove to me that you're ready for these responsibilities. Then just let me go. It's not that I want to leave you. Trust me. But I feel like I need to. So, just... be here for your daughter okay? And be a man Nathan... honestly... I think we need to fall apart." She sighed, she could feel his mouth getting closer to hers as she spoke, but now she also knew it was her closing the distance, not him, and she couldn't even catch herself doing it.
"Why?" Nathan began to sob.
"Because... its just too hard and complicated. It's not just anymore Nathan, it's Natalie now too..."
"More of a reason for us to try again!" Nathan tried.
"I don't know where to go from here Nathan. But wherever it is, I can't go there with you anymore..." Haley sighed. Soon she crashed her lips to his, for only a split second before pushing him away and disappearing out the door.
Brooke and Lucas sat on the couch, across from Erica and Mikey, who were sitting together on the sofa chair, dangling there feet over the edge. Lucas held Brooke's hand tightly as the got ready to explain things to their kids.
"Michael..." Brooke started as she took a deep breath. Michael just looked up at her silently. "There's something mommy needs to tell you, you may not like it but-" Michael cut her off.
"Mommy?" He started.
"Yea?" She responded. Michael could see that his mom's eyes were filling with tears, so he stood up and waled over to her, lifting his arms for her to pull him into her lap. Once he finally sat in his mom's arms, he continued. "It's okay..." He whispered as he touched his mom's face. This made Brooke cry harder. "Just tell me, I won't be mad I promise." This made both Brooke and Lucas laugh.
"Erica, you need to hear this too." Lucas said, as he motioned for her to join them. She ran over happily and jumped in Lucas's arms.
"Mikey... You've begun to like Lucas haven't you?" Brooke smiled at him. Michael grinned and looked at Lucas, nodding. "What would you say if I said he was your daddy?" Michael stopped grinning and looked up at her.
"My daddy left me." He said flatly.
"No, not really." Brooke hesitated, afraid of how Michael was beginning to react. "We just... lost our ways to each other, that's all." Brooke smiled.
"So... Luke is my dad?" Michael questioned knowingly.
"Yea..." Brooke whispered. They all just stared at him, waiting.
Suddenly, he started to cry and jumped off Brooke's lap, and up to his room. They all just stood there, not noticing how broken Erica was on Lucas's lap. Finally Lucas's heard her quiet sobs and felt her shaking.
"Erica? What's wrong?" Lucas questioned as he held her tighter.
"Mikey's my brother?" She choked out.
"Yea..." The both said. Neither of them understood her reaction and why she was crying, so they sat there staring at her, waiting for her to continue.
"I don't him to be..." She cried harshly.
"Erica!" Lucas yelled, startling her.
"Daddy, I want to go home." She sniffled. Brooke nodded at Lucas as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"I'll talk to Michael." She sighed in frustration as he rubbed her hands through her hair.
"And I'll talk to her..." Lucas smiled. He got up and left the room. And Brooke sat down on the couch nervously.
"Okay..." She said to herself confused... "What the hell just happened?"
There it was.. please review.. and be kind please... and like I said.. KEEP THE FAITH!... lol...
Michelley P.