Chapter Eleven
The next morning Haley awoke slowly. With her eyes still closed she reached her hand out hoping to touch Nathan's warm chest. She wasn't surprised, however, when instead her hand landed on the cold sheet where he had slept the night before. With a sigh Haley opened her eyes to find a note on the pillow.
Sitting up she grabbed the note with a shaky hand. She only hesitated a moment before she read the brief note that was scrawled in his quick handwriting:
Haley, I'm not sure what I was thinking last night, I'm sorry I bothered you. Thank you for the aspirin it helped.
Nathan
It was so simple, so Nathan, it brought tears to her eyes. She had hoped, desperately, that last night would be the beginning to repairing their marriage. She wasn't expecting miracles but she had wished for something more than a note after he snuck out of her bed. Drunk or not he had said he loved her and she knew in her heart he meant it.
After slipping the note into her night stand drawer she took a quick shower and got dressed for the day. She was in no mood to cook so she grabbed her bag and opted to walk, instead of drive, to the café.
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"Why would he stay with her?" Peyton asked Brooke as they watched Jenny, Peyton's three year old daughter, play in the sand box.
"He loves her, and it didn't help that he was drunk and upset from dinner with his parents," Brooke replied with a sigh.
Peyton picked Jenny up and motioned for Brooke to follow as she put her in the pink and black stroller. "Drunk or not he should know better. Don't get me wrong I liked Haley but I'm not sure if she should be forgiven."
Brooke kept pace with Peyton and her long legs. She didn't respond right away, having a war with her own thoughts on the topic. "If she stays and shows she honestly is sorry and isn't going anywhere, then I'll fully forgive her," Brooke said with a smile as Karen's café came into view.
When they walked in Peyton stopped abruptly causing Brooke to run into her back. "What the Hell ?" Brooke shrieked annoyed. When Peyton didn't instantly correct her about her last name Brooke knew something was going on so she stepped around her taller friend and had to choke down a laugh.
"Hi Brooke, Peyton," Haley said with a weary smile from a table by the window.
"Haley, hi," Brooke said smiling.
"You must be Jenny," Haley said getting up and crouching in front of the stroller. "You're beautiful, you look like a mini Peyton. Though I think you have your daddy's eyes," Haley said with a soft laugh. "Peyton, she's gorgeous," Haley said standing up and making eye contact with her.
"Um.…thank you," Peyton said awkwardly. She was at a lose for what to say to Haley. She wanted to hate her but she was making it hard with her cheerful attitude and her interest in Jenny.
"We're gonna go grab a table, it was nice to see you," Brooke said while walking behind Peyton who opted not to say anything.
Once they were seated Haley groaned. She wanted someone she could talk to, someone who would help her fix the mess that her life was. She thought she had found that in Brooke but it became clear, rather quickly, that was not the case. Haley knew she was angry and hurt but after the talk they had on the bus she thought she had convinced her she was not going anywhere, that she was going to do everything in her power to fix what she had selfishly broken.
