Chapter Twelve – Haley's POV
We made our way into Karen's to find the rest of the gang already seated and chatting loudly.
"Brooke we can hear you from outside" Peyton said as we sat down
"Well it took you long enough, we ordered coffees all round" Rachel stated
"What if I wanted a hot chocolate?" I ask Peyton throwing me a thankful look
"Well that is just too bad" Brooke throws back at me
"Whatever Brooke, I'm going to change my order"
"You know what I think I'll have a hot chocolate too" Peyton says standing and walking to the counter with me. "Thanks Hales"
"No problem, I just thought I'd give you the option not to have coffee I tired not to have a lot when I was pregnant" I reply smiling we changed our order and made our way back to the table where I found the only empty seat next to Nathan, not that I was complaining, I just still didn't know what to think.
The waitress brought over the drinks and cakes people had ordered and the group continued to chat about all sorts of things, laughing at old memories but I couldn't think of anything but the kiss I was totally lost in my own world.
"Hayley, you coming?" Bevin asked
"What, where?"
"The rivercourt! Honestly Hales it's like you have been somewhere else since you got here" Brooke added
I caught Nathan's eye and he smirked "Sorry guys, I'm good let's go" I say making my way out the door with the others.
Peyton falls into step with me as we head towards the rivercourt "What is with you?" she asks
I turn to make sure everyone else is out of hearing distance and proceed to tell her about what had happened with Nathan earlier.
"My gosh girly, that is huge. What are you going to do about it??"
"I have no idea Peyt" I tell her "It's funny, I always wanted something like this to happen to prove to me that we made a mistake and that he still loves me but now I have no clue what to think"
"Well I think that you should just go with it, Have fun tonight with everyone but make sure you think about whether you are ready to jump back into something if he really wants to be more because you don't want to put your heart through the same thing again plus you have to thinks about Jamie and Sophie" Peyt replied.
I sighed "I know and that's why I am still confused about what to do"
"Well Karen has the kids for the night, just talk to him about everything and anything, tell him that you want to know what that kiss meant and if he has though about how this is going to affected the kids if something doesn't work out" Peyton said
"I guess you are right, but what if it was just out of the blue and he didn't mean it" I asked her worried
"Oh Hales, you have no idea do you?" she asked me I questioned her as to what she meant "Nathan still looks at you like you guys are in high school, he is still so in love with you Hales"
I smiled at this, could Peyton really be right? She was telling me what Rachel had only days before.
"What I want to know and I think after all the years we have been friends I deserve some honesty. What happen with the two of you?"
"Peyton look you're right you do deserve to know above everyone else and I will tell you, tonight even, just give me an hour or so" I said looking at her sadly
She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a sideways hug "You've got it Hales, I'm ready when you are"
We arrived at the Rivercourt where everyone else was the guys already playing, Brooke, Bevin and Rachel attempting to remember cheer moves from high school and Mouth as always commentating on the game at hand. Chase and Nathan vs Lucas and Skills, In school some would have said that was an un-fair match up but Chase had got so good over the years that it was actually pretty even.
"Stepping into my booth now is the lovely Scott girls, any thoughts on who will win tonight?" Mouth asked as we sat down next to him
"I'd hate to say against my husband but I think that the other team has more of the chance tonight and a reason to win" Peyton said nudging me
"Well my best friend has always been an awesome player but I have to say the other team is looking very good tonight" I add
"In more ways than one" Brooke shouts over at us as Chase shoots and scores "Good job Baby!"
"So then I guess tonight we are betting on Nathan and Chase to win" Mouth says to us
I was only half watching the game my brain was somewhere else trying to figure out how to tell Peyton what had happened between me and Nathan a few years before. Mouth called half time and Luke jogged over to where we were sitting and hugged Peyton causing her to scream at him knocking me out of my thoughts. I looked over at her trying to chase him down, he turned and she ended up running straight into his arms and he lifted her up and spun her round. I smiled and turned my head away from the scene and found myself staring right into Nathan eyes, he winked at me and grabbed the ball Luke had dropped and headed back onto the court.
"Peyton" I yelled she turned and looked at me "Walk now?" she nodded, I saw her tell Luke something and then head back to me and I got up and walked with her towards the docks.
We walked along the docks not saying a word she was waiting for me to start, the problem is that I didn't know where to begin until I came to our table, Nathan's and mine, so I sat and starting talking…
"Nathan we can't keep doing this, we are going round in circles. I've been putting the kids to bed by myself for months now, it's like you don't have time for us" I yell
"Haley you know it's a hard time at the dealership right now, I've been in meetings late every night trying to get on top of things"
"On top of what exactly Nathan" I demand thoughts of Taylor and Carrie rushing into my head
"Come on Hales, it's nothing like that, you know I love you"
"No well how do I know I can't remember the last night you were home early enough to even get into bed with me, and you are gone before I wake up. It's like you are back playing basketball and at an away game all the time" I say pacing back and forward "If you don't want to be a part of this family Nathan you should just go"
A shocked look came across his face "have I ever said that Hales" I could tell he was angry with what a had just said but I didn't care
"No you have never actually said it but the fact that you are never home anymore proves to me that you don't want to be here, it proves to my kids that you don't have time for them anymore"
"Your kids?? Hales, they are OUR kids"
"Then act like it Nathan, I mean how hard is it for you to take a day off work" I all but screamed at him
"Very Haley, we are in the middle over some big things"
"GET OUT"
"What Hales? What are talking about?" he questioned confused
"One day for Jamie and Sophie, but you can't even do that, so I want you to leave right now take some things and go and sleep at your office since you love the place so much" I state not giving him a option to respond as I head up the stairs as I walk along the hall I see Jamie's door close I shake my head knowing that he heard us maybe not all of it but enough. I reach his door and can hear him crying I go in and sit on his bed and hug him wondering if he will be angry at me for telling Nathan to go but he hugs me back
"Doesn't Dad love us anymore?" he says sobbing
"Oh Jamie, your dad loves you very much"
"Why is he leaving then?" he asks
"Your Dad needs to be on his own and figure out what he wants and he needs to figure out that he wants to be here at home with us as the most important thing in his life" I kissed his head "get some sleep we can talk in the morning" I said with a final hug and I walked out of his room.
"So that's when I walked down stairs and found that Nathan had done what I told him and had indeed gone. Yes I was mad at him and we had argued but he didn't even stay and fight for us. I collapsed to the floor in tears; I just wanted him to fight for us Peyton" I told her crying at the memory "I know looking back now it wasn't just him, I was part of the problem"
"What did you do Hales?" She questioned
"We just have such a history together and between Chris, my sister and Carrie I guess somewhere the trust between us got lost, we stopped talking and although he proved to me after the whole Carrie situation that he really did still love me, I couldn't help but wonder why all the long hours at the office and if he was feeling something for someone there." I sighed "And I think after a while I gave up trying, I did everything myself with the kids and the house that, that seemed like that way it was, I didn't see him at all basically. So you tell me how a marriage is meant to last when you don't see the other person?"
Peyton reached across the table and squeezed my hand "Hales you did what you had to, I may not understand everything that happened, all the ins and outs but from what you just told me I understand how hard it would have been for you to have to keep making up reasons for the kids to explain why Nathan wasn't home meanwhile trying to convince yourself that they were the real reasons. And while I'm 100% sure Nate didn't cheat on you, I understand why you had to ask him to leave"
"Do you remember the Christmas we spent with you are Luke two years ago?" I ask her
"Yeah Nathan was snowed in, in New York" She replied
"He wasn't snowed in" I say as Peyton looks confused "He was able to have another meeting on the 26th so he decided to stay, his work was more important than coming how to his family that's just the lie I told for him" I explain to her
She walked around the table and sat next to me pulling me in for a hug "You know that he has changed though Hales. He takes so much time away from the dealership, if he knows Luke has the kids he will go have lunch with them. It's different now; he has realized what he lost"
I sighed "You are right" I tell her
"I know! But really Hales, as your workmate, your friend and your sister try hard to put the family we all love back together, because I know that's what he wants too" she says knowingly
I smile at her and stand up pulling her up with me "Well lets get back to the group"