Chapter 7 A New Normal

January 6, 2004

Keith walked into his shop, stomping the snow off his boots.

"Damn, it's cold." He shivered.

Lucas looked up from the car he was working on. "It's been snowing all day."

Keith walked over to the radio in his office and switched it on, tuning it to the weather channel:

"This is about to be the coldest January on record in North Carolina, and with record snowfall. No schools have been closed yet . . ."

Keith turned down the volume and smiled over at Lucas, "Why don't you stay here a little longer while I get some work done and I'll drive you home. You shouldn't be walking home in this."

"Sure."

Keith changed into his grease-stained overalls and work shoes; he came out onto the garage floor and took a look at the car that Lucas was working on.

"How's this going?" Keith handed Lucas a clamp.

"Fine. Mr. Kellerman said that he was having some trouble with stopping his car and it looks like he just needs to have the break pads replaced."

"Make sure that you check the piston seal for damage and the break line for cracks when you're done."

Lucas nodded.

"So we haven't really talked about your brother at all. It's been almost three months since Haley called me out of the blue to borrow my car. How are things going with him?" Keith asked.

"Everything's fine." Lucas scratched his head. "I was expecting it to be harder than it was, but Haley really helped me out and we're getting along."

"Is it hard for you at all, being around him?"

"Sometimes," Lucas admitted, "but it's getting better. I don't even really think about Dan when we're together anymore—well, at least not any more than usual."

They worked in silence for a while and then Lucas looked over at his uncle.

"Keith, did Dan ever . . . talk about me?"

The older man sighed quietly to himself and closed his eyes briefly before turning to Luke with a calm expression on his face. "I didn't really speak to Danny after he left Tree Hill. We've talked maybe six times in the last sixteen years. When I did speak to him I spent most of my time yelling and cursing him out."

Lucas smiled. "Really?"

Keith snorted. "I think you can tell that we haven't been close."

"Is . . ." Lucas looked down at his hands. "Do you wish things were different?"

"I don't know." Keith shrugged. "I would've wanted Dan to stay and take care of you and your mom, but if he had then Nathan wouldn't exist. I can't really bring myself to wish that."

Lucas looked thoughtful. "Neither can I."

The two worked companionably while Lucas thought to himself about the new routine that he'd fallen into. Nathan came over to the café almost every day now, and they'd usually go shoot hoops or play video games and it was great. They didn't talk much, though, and Nathan never really mentioned his father except in passing: "my dad had me run drills" or "my dad is gonna kill me if I'm late" was about as deep as it got.

But they'd spent more time together, especially now that Haley was usually working when Nathan came over. Sometimes it felt like he had hardly seen her over the past couple months. It seemed like she was always studying—even though she'd aced her winter trimester finals. Plus, she'd already done most of the work for all the classes she was taking in the spring.

Lately his curiosity about Dan had been getting the better of him and he'd had to stop himself from asking Nathan questions about his father. It was weird but that's how he saw Dan: he was Nathan's father.

Lucas pushed the piston back into the caliper and shook off his thoughts. He didn't need Dan—he'd always had Keith anyway.

Keith glanced at his watch and muttered, "Shoot."

"What?"

"I've got to mail some letters and get these bills taken care of tonight. I'm just going to run to the post office, I should be back in twenty minutes. You mind waiting?"

"Nope." Lucas looked at the car. "I think I've got at least a half hour's work left to do."

"Don't forget to put your face mask on while you're working on that."

"Come on, Keith, that thing covers my whole face and it's hot. I don't even really need it for a job like this."

"Look, you mother would never forgive me if a speck of rust got into your eye and blinded you, so just do it. I'll owe you one."

"Okay." Lucas shrugged and slid the mask on.

About ten minutes later Lucas heard the door open and called out, "That was quick. Did you call my mom and tell her that I'd be here late—"

Dan stood there just inside the door, his expression angry.

"Where's my brother?" he said.

Lucas just looked at him without speaking.

"Hello?" Dan asked impatiently.

"I don't know."

Lucas raised his face guard and the lines around Dan's eyes deepened a little as his face froze.

"Oh. It's you."

Lucas stared at him with an expression that might as well have been carved from stone. "I'll tell him you came by."

When he'd seen who it was Dan didn't look at him directly again, his gaze kept sliding around the room.

"What's his address?" Dan asked.

"Don't you know?" Lucas retreated into sarcasm. "I thought he was your brother."

"We don't keep in touch. But because my wife has been making my sonspend time with him we have to have a discussion about that."

The emphasis wasn't lost on Lucas and he turned his back on his father to go back to work. "Look it up yourself, he's in the book under Scott. I'm guessing you still know what his first name is."

Lucas went back to his work and didn't look around until he was sure that Dan had gone. When he heard the door close behind his father he straightened up and looked at the wrench in his hand for a minute before turning and throwing it at the wall as hard as he could.

"My dad doesn't talk about you," Nathan said.

"Really." Lucas kept his voice light and unconcerned.

"I asked him about coming with me but he said no."

"Well, that's okay." Lucas smiled over at him. "I like hanging out with you."

Nathan flushed a little with pleasure and took a shot. Nothing but net.

"I heard my dad talking to my mom, though. He said that I should be spending more time practicing."

"What do you want to do?"

"I like coming to the café, Haley's always there and your mom's nice."

"She is, isn't she."

Nathan studied the ball for a minute before turning to look at his older brother. Lucas was struck by the fact that he suddenly looked much older.

"Are you mad at him?"

"Who? Dan?"

Nathan nodded.

Lucas took a deep breath and looked off to the side, searching for something to say. Searching for a way to explain to a ten-year-old boy that he hated his father's guts. He opted for honesty.

"Sometimes. Sometimes I wonder why he didn't want to see me."

"Is it my fault?"

Lucas was floored. "No! Of course it's not your fault, it isn't anybody's fault.

"Sometimes I hear my parents arguing about it, my mom says that my dad should be ashamed of the way he's acted. But maybe my dad would have come back if I wasn't born."

"Nathan, look, it's really complicated and I can't even pretend that I have any answers. I guess Dan did what he thought he had to. But the only thing that really matters to me is that you're my brother and that I kinda like you."

Nathan made a face. "That's sappy."

Lucas laughed and laughed; the tension between his shoulder blades eased. "Yeah, I guess so."

The brothers headed back to the café and arrived just as Haley was getting ready to leave.

"Hey Scotts," she said.

"Hales." Lucas smiled.

"Hi, Haley." Nathan grinned.

"Where are you going?" Lucas asked.

"I'm just on my way home." Haley hitched her backpack strap higher on her shoulder. "I've got a test to study for."

"Oh? What class?"

"AP History."

"Why don't you hang with us for a little while?"

"I would, but I'd really like to get started."

"I know that you don't have that test for at least two weeks!"

"And?" Haley looked at Lucas like he was crazy.

Lucas sighed. "Okay."

Haley smiled at Nathan. "So you won the game, didn't you?"

"Why do you always assume that, Hales?" Lucas pretended to be angry.

"Naw." Nathan shook his head with disappointment. "He got me this time."

"Damn straight L.B.," Lucas said.

"L.B.?" Haley cocked an eyebrow at him. "What does that mean?"

"Little Brother," Lucas answered. "I've been calling him that for a while now—I came up with it a couple weeks ago."

"Really? I thought it was some basketball reference."

"Like what?" Lucas asked, amused.

"I don't know. Larry Bird?"

Lucas and Nathan both laughed.

"I'm glad I can amuse you." Haley suppressed a grin. "I'll see you later."

The brothers watched her go: one with a slightly worried look on his face, and the other with a little wistfulness.

Haley was helping Karen out at the café; one of the waitresses had called in sick at the last minute and she was filling in.

"I'll have you out of here as soon as possible," Karen promised. "You'll be able to salvage what's left of your Saturday."

"Don't even worry about it." Haley slid an order slip over to the cook.

"Haley!" A small voice from across the room made itself heard over the chatter in the room.

Karen grinned, "How does he always know when you're here?"

Haley smiled and shook her head. "I have no idea."

She turned and caught herself on a chair as the young man launched himself into her arms. She hugged him tightly and smiled down at him.

"Hey, Heartbreaker."

Nathan grinned up at her. "Why do you always call me that?"

"Because that's what you're going to be once you grow up and start using those beautiful baby blues on the women."

Nathan crinkled up his nose and Haley laughed. "What, you don't believe me?"

Nathan shrugged and looked down at the floor as Karen looked teasingly at him. "Oh, we're not going to have to wait until he grows up, he already has two girls fighting over him."

"Aunt Karen . . ." Nathan muttered.

"What's this?" Haley looked at Nathan sternly. "Gossip, and you haven't told me? You will be punished for keeping something this good to yourself."

"It's nothin' Haley. Really."

"I'm sure. Spill Karen."

"Well," she leaned in conspiratorially, "I heard that Kristy Demroke—you know Bill and Sara's youngest daughter?—and her former friend Holly Wernike were working with our Nathan on a class project. What kind of project was it, Nathan?"

Nathan was silent, glancing anxiously up at Haley. She smiled at him, sympathetic to his discomfort, and put one arm around him. He rested his head on her shoulder and confessed, "It was a global warming thing for the science fair."

"Right!" Karen laughed. "Kristy let it spill to her friend Holly that she was going to ask Nathan to 'go with' her during recess, not knowing that Holly has been carrying a torch for little boy blue."

Nathan looked like he wanted to die and burrowed further into Haley's side.

"So before recess Holly corners Nate, figuring that if she gets to him first—"

"She can cut out Kristy before she gets her hooks in him," Haley said with mock horror.

"Exactly. Nathan, unknowingly caught in the middle of this triangle, agrees to start seeing Holly and now Kristy won't speak to either of them."

Haley laughed as Nathan turned bright red.

"I said that I just wanted to be friends." He rolled his eyes. "Women are just trouble."

Karen and Haley laughed hysterically and Nathan gave up trying to talk to them.

"I'm going down to the Rivercourt to meet Lucas, Haley. D'you wanna to come?"

"Sorry sweetie, I've got to work." Nathan's face fell but then she added, "But maybe you, your brother, and I can go see that new movie . . . what's it called . . . Hellboy, tomorrow."

Nathan's grin wiped the disappointed expression off his face. "Really?"

"Please, when do I lie?"

"Never."

"I've taught you well. Go play, I'll see you later."

Nathan smiled widely and sped out of the café. Haley turned back to her boss. "God, the drama of grade school."

"I'm so glad that Lucas is almost old enough to be past it."

Haley shook her head. "I'm sorry, Karen, but it looks like Luke might not grow out of anything. He's a smart enough guy but whenever he gets around girls it's like there's a dial in his brain that gets turned to 'stupid.' It's very sad."

She sighed. "Really?"

Haley patted her arm. "Don't worry, I'll look out for him."

Karen rang up a customer's order and handed him his coffee and doughnut while Haley bussed the dishes off the counter and carried them into the kitchen. When she came back out she glanced around. The lunch rush was over and there were only a few people in the café who were sipping coffee as they read their newspapers and their books.

Haley sat down and looked over at Karen.

"You look a little tired Karen, are you okay?"

"I'm fine . . . I'm just a little worried about Lucas."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know, he ran into his father a few months ago but he's not talking about it."

"Months ago?"

"Yes, he just told me. Well, I don't think that he intended to tell me. I was talking about how it's a little strange that we haven't run into his father and he said that he had seen him."

"What happened?"

"I have no idea. He won't say one word about what Dan said to him."

Haley sighed. "What a jackass that man is."

Karen laughed humorlessly. "Yeah."

"I'll talk to Lucas. If he doesn't tell me I'll torture it out of him."

Karen's laugh was genuine this time but the hilarity fell off her face when she saw Haley's serious expression.

"Haley? I'd appreciate it if you didn't do anything to damage my son."

"Oh, Karen, I'm a professional. I never leave any physical evidence."

"And this is the part of the conversation where I get scared and run into the kitchen." Karen picked up a tub full of dirty dishes and retreated into the back.

Lucas caught up with Haley at her house the next day. She was still in bed at noon—rare for her—and he lay down on her mattress next to her.

"Hey, Luke."

Lucas didn't reply right away and then he said, "So Nathan told me that you want to go see a movie with us today?"

"Oh, sorry. I should have called you. But if you two want to go on your own I understand."

"Hales, look, are you mad at me or something?"

"Mad at you? For what?"

"I'm hoping you're going to tell me."

"I'm not mad. Why would you think that I was?"

"You've been hanging out with Jamie Lynn and her crowd a lot, I hardly see you."

"Well, you're busy with basketball, Nathan, and everything. I have tutoring and school. It's just been hectic."

"Nathan keeps asking me why you don't want to come with us anywhere anymore."

Haley looked at him with surprise. "I thought you guys wanted to spend some time together, you know, just the two of you."

"We do, but not all the time. I mean, it's not the same without you there."

"Really?"

"Of course. What do you think?"

"I thought that you guys were having a great time."

"We are, but it'd be better if you weren't avoiding us."

"I'm not avoiding you, I'm just giving you your space."

"Well, you've given us too much space. Quit it."

"Okay." Haley smiled. "But I figured that you two need to bond, you shouldn't feel like you need a buffer there."

"I don't," Lucas said.

Haley remained silent.

"Okay, I did, but I don't anymore. We're getting along great."

"I guess I can grace you with my presence . . ." Haley was going to say more but Lucas hit her in the face with a pillow.