Disclaimer: I don't own anything
…..
Peyton switched the 'closed' sign to 'open' and stepped back to the cashier table, sitting in her spot behind it.
Jack had gone out to get doughnuts, to celebrate their 'reunion'.
She wasn't sure why she agreed to give him a second chance. She was just tired of always being alone, she needed someone to be there for her and take care of her. And maybe Jack wasn't the perfect guy, but no one was perfect. And her time to start a family was running out. Ok, so that was a lie, she thought to herself, she had plenty of time. She was only thirty-two. But Jack was here, ready to marry her and make a family with her. Maybe this was how it was meant to be.
She smiled slightly to herself when she saw Nathan walk in.
"Hey," He greeted.
"Hey, she said. "How are you?"
Just then, the door behind him opened and in walked Jack with the doughnuts.
"Hey Peyt, Here are-"He stopped and smiled when he saw Nathan. "Oh, hey, Nathan, right?"
Nathan scowled. "Didn't she tell you to leave yesterday?"
Jack grinned, looking to Peyton. "Guess you haven't told him the good news."
"What good news?" Nathan asked Peyton.
"Well, she and I have gotten back together." Jack answered for her. "But don't worry; I'll forgive you for kicking me out of here yesterday."
Nathan blew out a sigh and walked to Peyton, grabbing her arm. "I need to talk to you." He dragged her outside.
"What in the world are you thinking?" Nathan bellowed once they were outside, out of Jack's earshot.
Peyton sighed. "Look, Nathan,"
"He cheated on you Peyton! And you're getting back together? What in the world are you thinking?"
"It's not the simple Nathan!"
"Then make it simple!"
"I'm tired, Nate, I'm tired of always being alone! When I was growing up, my aunt didn't give a rats ass about me. I was always on my own, and then I met Jack, and I fell in love with him. And it was nice to not feel so alone all the time. And yes, it hurt when I found him and the secretary together, but, you know what? Being alone again hurt more. And then the pregnancy..."
"Wait? You're pregnant?"
"No." Peyton sighed, closing her eyes. "I was."
She sat down on the curb, he sat next to her.
"Talk to me, Peyt."
"After I found them together, I found out I was pregnant. Two weeks after I found out, I had a miscarriage."
He took her hand in his. "Oh, Peyton, I'm so sorry."
"I was excited too, because even if I didn't get the guy, I wouldn't end up alone. After that, I moved here. and you know the rest, and then last night, I was at the beach, and he showed up and he kept saying he was sorry and how he made a mistake. And I was just tired of being alone. And he's better then nothing, right?"
He groaned. "My god, how infuriating can you possibly be?!"
"Why, Nathan, why am I being so infuriating?!"
"You're going back out with him! After he cheated on you! Again, what in the world are you thinking?! He's just gonna hurt you again, you know it! And no, Peyton, He's not better than nothing. He's worse."
"You know, you've got some nerve, telling me all that crap. You think I don't know that? I made a decision. I'm giving him a second chance, everyone deserves that much."
"Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me?" He bellowed. "He cheated on you Peyt!"
"Really? Is that what he was doing with that woman?"
"You know what? I can't talk to you. Call me when you come to your senses."
Peyton sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose after he left.
"He didn't seem too happy." Jack said once she returned inside the store.
"No." Peyton agreed. "I guess not."
He smiled slightly, and handed her a doughnut.
"Thanks." She said.
"Your welcome."
He stared at her after she walked to the backroom. Shaking his head, he put another doughnut into his mouth.
--
Nathan walked into the Café, sitting down at the bar.
"Someone looks happy." Karen said, placing a cup of coffee in front of him.
He shrugged. "It's been a bad morning."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"No, I guess not,"
"Want to tell me what happened?"
Nathan told her the story of Jack,
Karen grinned, "You like her."
"Well yeah, I mean even though we had a rocky start, she's pretty nice I guess,"
"No, Nathan, You like her,"
"What?" Nathan grimaced. "No, Karen, I do not like her. We're barely even friends."
"Then why do you care that she has a boyfriend."
"I don't care that she has a boyfriend, it's the boyfriend she chose."
"Because she didn't choose you?"
Nathan blew out a sigh, "No! It has nothing to do with me! I do not like her like that."
"Okay."
"I don't"
"Okay, I believe you."
--
Peyton was sitting in her car, staring up at the big house. So, she thought, he's rich.
She had come to apologize for her behavior earlier that morning. She didn't know if he would accept it, but she was going to try.
She wasn't coming over just so she could see him, she was coming to apologize, she told herself as she stepped out of the car and walked to the door, knocking on it.
The door opened minutes later and Paige appeared. "Peyton!"
She grinned, "Hi Paige. Is your dad home?"
"No, silly goose, he went to see you!"
"Well, yes, but did he come home afterwards?"
"No," Lindsey said, as she walked up behind Paige. "He called and said he was stopping by our grandma's café to get something to eat. You can come in and wait for him, if you want. We're baking cookies."
Peyton nodded and followed them into the kitchen.
"Are you in love with our daddy?" Paige asked once they reached the kitchen.
"Paige!" Lindsey exclaimed.
Peyton laughed. "No, We're just good friends."
"Oh," the little girl said, frowning.
"Do you want me to be in love with him?"
"Yeah," She answered. "Cause then I'd have a mommy,"
Peyton took a deep breath, and walked over, bending down to her level. "But you have a mommy,"
Paige shook her head. "No, I don't. My mommy is gone."
"That doesn't mean you don't have one. Just means she's not here right now."
"Will I see her again?"
"Yeah," Lindsey answered for Peyton. "You will. Just not for a while. A long while."
"Hello! Favorite Nieces!"
Peyton looked up from Paige to see a petite brunette woman carrying a lot of shopping bags walking in. She stood up.
"Hi, Aunt Brooke."
"Hi," Brooke pointed t Peyton. "Who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Peyton. Peyton Sawyer. I just bought the music store next to Karen's Café."
"Brooke Davis," they shook hands.
Brooke turned to Lindsey, "She's the one Nathan's in love with?"
Lindsey shrugged.
"Wait, what?" Peyton asked her eyes pretty big.
"Daddy's in love with you?" Paige asked,
"No," Peyton answered. "We're just friends"
Brooke grinned. "Okay."
"We are."
"I believe you."
"Auntie Brooke! You're fatter!"
Brooke scowled. "I am not fat! I am pregnant!"
"What's pregnant mean?"
"She's going to be a mommy, Paige" Lindsey answered. "Congratulations"
"I second that." Peyton agreed with Lindsey.
"Thanks. That's why I have all of these bags. I just went shopping."
"Does Uncle Lucas know?"
"Yes, He was the first to know! You'd think I would tell you I was pregnant before him?"
"I meant the shopping." Lindsey replied, laughing.
"Oh, no, and if you know what's good for you, you won't tell him I just spent all his money."
"He's gonna be mad." Paige said,
"No he's not. I bought these for his kid, he'll be happy. Besides, he loves me."
The front door opened, and the girls looked to see Nathan walking in.
"Daddy!" Paige ran to him, jumping into his arms.
"Well," Brooke said, winking at Peyton. "I better be going. Gotta hide the bags before Lucas gets home. See ya!" She hugged Nathan before walking out the door.
Lindsey smiled at Nathan before taking Paige and walking upstairs.
"I'm really hoping the reason you're here is to tell me I was right and that you broke up with him."
Peyton took a deep breath. "No, I didn't break up with him.-"
"Damn it, Peyton."
"I came to apologize. I shouldn't have yelled at you."
"Apology not accepted."
"What?!"
"As long as you are with that jackass, the apology is not accepted"
"Yeah, now who's being Infuriation?"
"Um, I think her name was Peggy? No, that's not it-"
Peyton slapped him. "Damn it, Nathan! I came here to apologize to you because I was rude, now I'm thinking I should take it back!"
"Good! Take it! I don't want it!"
"Your rudeness is getting really old, Nathan"
"You're stupidity is getting really old!"
Peyton huffed and stomped out.
Nathan sighed and rubbed his face before getting a bottle of water out of the fridge.
"You know, Dad, I really look up to you for your great kindness and generosity."
Nathan scowled and turned to Lindsey. "Not now, Linds,"
She sat down at the kitchen table. "That was really nice of you, yelling at her like that."
"I said not now Lindsey"
She scowled. "Why couldn't you just have accepted the apology?"
"Why can't you mind your own damn business? And didn't I teach you to not eavesdrop?"
"It's kind of hard not to overhear when you're yelling at the top of your lungs."
"Didn't I teach you not to back-talk?"
"I'm just trying to help you."
"How?"
"Well, you like her, don't you?"
"No! I do not like her!"
She sighed. "Whatever."
"I don't."
"I believe you."