That look of sadness on Charlee's face was gone as soon as Peyton had flown out the door. It was replaced by a look of anger.
"That boy is the most ungrateful child in the universe! All you do for him, and that's what you get in return! Unbelievable! If I would've raised these children, they would be perfect angels! Why didn-"
Troy cut her off and ran out of the room. He knew he had to get out of this house. He wasn't worried about Peyton, Troy knew that he was going to the Danforth's house. Troy was worried about what Charlee was going to do to the other kids. When she got angry, she really got angry. She would go around the house breaking things, throwing things, and yelling. Troy knew he had to get the kids out of the house. Now.
"Scarlett?" He screamed while running to her room. "Lacey?"
They came out of their room. Lacey saw her dad's face and started crying. "Daddy, I'm scared!"
"I am too," he muttered under his breath.
Scarlett ran into her room and came back with three bags packed with her stuff, Lacey's stuff, and Peyton's stuff. "Me and Peyton sort of knew this might happen. We packed our bags."
Troy smiled at how smart his eldest daughter was. She reminded him of his old girlfriend, Gabriella Montez. Wow. He hadn't thought of her in a long time. He missed her terribly. Maybe if she hadn't broken up with him, he wouldn't have been married 3 times. Maybe just once. Did she break up with him? Or did he break up with her? Troy couldn't remember. He decided to ask Chad once he got there. He had already decided to follow his son's example and go to the Danforths'.
"Okay, you two. Let's go."
The threesome trekked out of the house, waving to Charlee with sweet sarcastic smiles. Once they got outside, Troy faced a tough decision. Should he take the pickup or the Mustang? Lacey decided for him. She took Troy and Scarlett's hands and dragged them toward the icy silver mustang. "This one!!!" She said.
"My baby, you have excellent taste." Troy said to her as he got in, getting ready to drive. Scarlett, can you call Peyton and Chad and Taylor?"
"Sure daddy." Such an obeying daughter, he thought. I never want to lose her.
The top was down, and Lacey and Scarlett's dark brown curls were flying in the wind. Suddenly, he was reminded of Gabriella. Again. Why was he thinking about her so much tonight? Maybe it was an omen…
"Daddy, Taylor wants to talk to you." Scarlett said, handing her light blue Razr to her father.
"Tee?" Troy said, using his pet name for her. "Is Peyton there?"
"Not yet, Troy, but I'm sure he'll be here any minute. I have to warn you, there is going to be someone else here. Someone you know. You just might not want to see her again."
"Who?" Troy asked blindly. That's when he saw her.
Scarlett and Lacey screamed as the car swerved into the opposite lane. Troy was still staring at the woman in the car. She looked so familiar, but it couldn't be…not here…not in Little Rock… but it was…she was supposed to be in Albuquerque…
"Daddy! Daddy what's wrong? Daddy, what's going on? Daddy I'm scared!" Scarlett and Lacey were screaming.
"Troy? Troy, answer me! Are you okay? Are you there? Scarlett? What happened? What's going on?" Taylor's screaming tinny voice coming from the speakers of the dropped phone.
Troy wouldn't answer anybody. He couldn't answer anybody. It was like he was in a trance or something. He was so confused. He thought he wasn't ever going to see her again. She pulled up next to him.
"Are you okay?" She said with her sweet voice.
Troy looked up, and summed up his feelings in one word
"Gabriella."