Chapter 2 An Unexpected Call

Ten Years Ago
June 8, 2003

Karen walked over to a ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Karen?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Deb Scott." When Karen didn't reply she said, "Hello? Are you still there?"

"Y-yes. It's just . . . surprising to hear from you."

"I know." Deb took a deep breath. "I think it would be a good idea if we talked. Do you think you could meet me for lunch?"

"All my afternoons are pretty busy, but maybe a late dinner?"

"That sounds great."

There was an awkward silence and Karen cleared her throat. "Uh, the Hearthstone has great pasta."

"Good. Can you meet me there around seven?" Deb unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck.

"How's seven-thirty?" Karen asked.

"That's great, really great. Do you think you could give me instructions on how to get there?"

"Sure."

After a while and a few more awkward pauses Karen said goodbye and hung up. She sat down in a chair and put a hand over her eyes. It was going to be a disaster.

Karen walked into the restaurant and smiled hello to the hostess. "I'm meeting someone here, Deb Scott?"

The woman glanced down at her clipboard. "Oh yes, she's already here. I'll take you to her table."

"Thank you."

They made their way into the restaurant and she saw the blond woman stand up when she approached.

"Karen." Deb reached out to shake her hand.

"Deb." Karen smiled nervously. "I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"Oh, no, I just got here," Deb lied. She'd been sitting in the restaurant since six, trying to keep calm.

The hostess spoke. "I'll send a waiter right out."

Deb smiled politely.

Karen picked up a menu and asked, "Have you been here before?"

"No . . . I have been to Grady's, The Lodge, and Wellmont, though."

"Really?"

"I'm not much of a cook so we eat out a lot."

Karen nodded and the conversation fell flat. Deb breathed a sigh of relief when the waiter finally came. She'd known that this dinner was going to be awkward, but she'd never realized just how uncomfortable it was going to be.

"I'll have the steak—medium rare—and fettuccini alfredo, please," Karen said.

"I'll have the same thing."

"It's really very good." Karen smiled.

"I'll trust your judgment." Deb picked up a dinner roll and spread some butter on it. She spoke to the waiter just as he was beginning to walk away. "Oh, and could you bring out a bottle of Albariño?"

"I've never had that wine."

"Well, I think that if we're both going to get through this, we're going to need alcohol."

Karen laughed. "Maybe you should make it two bottles, then."

"Sounds good." Deb raised her hand for the waiter and he came back. "Make that two bottles."

"Two bottles it is," he said.

"Deb! I was kidding!" Karen exclaimed.

"I wasn't. We need alcohol, and not the cheap stuff either."

"Oh God." Karen put her head in her hands. "This is a nightmare."

"Tell me about it."

By the time the waiter brought out their food they were already through the first bottle and working on the second.

"Keith's been a godsend, really." Karen hiccupped. "I don't know what I would have done without him. He's been there for me ever since Lucas was born."

"I'm so sorry, Karen."

Karen waved a hand in the air. "It's not your fault. Not anybody's fault. Dan fault." Karen put a hand to her forehead, maybe she should hold off on the wine and eat something, she was starting to become incoherent.

"Yeah. My husband really is an asshole. I didn't even know that he had another son until years after we got married and had Nathan."

"How'd you find out?"

My parents are originally from Tree Hill, they own a car dealership here and after Dan was laid off and his business failed my parents offered him a job, but he didn't want to take it and he wouldn't say why."

"Shocker."

"Yeah. Well, my work with different foundations and charities is pretty rewarding, but it doesn't pay all that much. So finally we got to the point where Dan had to find something and since he didn't want to work at McDonald's, here we are. I guess it's good that he didn't let me find out after we moved here about his other son and you."

"What did you do when you found out?"

Deb shrugged. "Not much—that is, until now. After I found out that he'd been keeping this secret from me I didn't speak to him for months, which wasn't hard because I was traveling a lot, and I took Nathan with me when I could.

"By the time we moved here we'd starting talking again, a little. But I don't know if things will ever get back to normal. I'm beginning to see a side to him that I really don't like. I don't know how it's going to fall out."

Karen looked thoughtful and swirled the pasta around her fork.

"What about you?" Deb asked, sipping her wine. "How do you feel about me being here?"

"Honestly?"

Deb nodded.

"It's bringing up all kinds of feelings that I thought were long gone. I'd forgotten about how angry I was about what Dan did to me, or worse, what he did to Lucas."

"I'm sorry."

Karen smiled. "You keep saying that. It's not your fault. I wasn't really looking forward to this but that's because of Dan, not you."

Deb swallowed. "Karen . . . there's something that I wanted to ask you. The thing is, I want Nathan to know Lucas."

Karen took a breath. "I see."

"I'd understand if you say no, but I think that Nathan could really use a brother. He's been acting up lately and from what I've heard about your son I think he could be a really good influence on him."

"You've talked to people about Lucas?"

"To Dan's parents."

Karen stared at her. "Dan'sparents?"

Now Deb was surprised, "They have all kinds of pictures and things of Lucas. You didn't know?"

Karen shook her head. "I barely spoke to them when Dan and I were dating, and after he disappeared I didn't hear a word from Mae or Royal."

"They're the ones who told me about how much Lucas loves to read, play basketball, and that he's on the honor roll."

Karen was silent for a while, digesting this.

"Please don't answer me now, just think about it."

"I'll consider it."

"Thanks."

Deb reached over to fill Karen's wine glass to the brim and she laughed.

Karen got out of a cab in front of her house and made her way inside. Keith was sitting up, waiting for her.

"Karen?"

"Keith! Hey, hey. Hi."

" . . . are you drunk?"

"Drunk? Yeah. Yep. A little. Not too much, though."

"Not too much?" Keith was amused.

"Yep."

"Where were you?"

"Had dinner with Deb."

"What! Deb?"

"Yep."

"How . . ."

"I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, Keith. Right now, I'm going to bed. Been a long night."

Keith blinked as Karen made her way into her bedroom and flopped onto her bed. Within moments, she was out. Keith shook his head and took off her shoes before pulling a blanket over her and letting himself out.