By Kate
CHAPTER ONE, PART ONE - Joy Tinged with Sorrow
"It’s really quite remarkable,’ the doctor said, his voice sounding genuinely surprised. "We never expected this. This is. . it’s really uncharted territory."
"But the. . ." Haley’s voice faltered. She hadn’t quite processed it all yet. She had been sitting in the doctor’s office for close to an hour. Much of that time had been spent listening to the doctor explain how the brain worked and how it functioned and what they knew and what they didn’t know. But she had focused in on just a few key phrases.
Brain-damaged.
Long-term memory loss.
No memories of the last 15 years.
Nathan.
"Ms. James?" the doctor prompted.
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "I-I’m sorry. I-I. . . .I’m having trouble understanding this. . .everything."
The doctor looked at her kindly. She had gotten to know Dr. Glennon quite well in the last 4 weeks. Ever since she had received that terrifying call that had informed her that Nathan had been involved in a serious car accident. Dr. Glennon had been there from the moment she had paced the waiting room anxiously as Nathan underwent emergency surgery, to the tireless vigil she had kept at his bedside, willing him to wake from his coma. He had finally woken up last week and she had been elated. But now, after listening to Dr. Glennon explain the results of Nathan’s extensive psychological, neurological and physical tests, her joy was being overshadowed by her confusion and sadness at his prognosis.
"I understand this is hard to take in," Dr. Glennon said softly.
"I just. . . .I don’t understand how he can remember his childhood but not. . ." Again she faltered. She didn’t want to sound selfish, but the question remained. How could he not remember her? Them?
"Other things?" Dr. Glennon interjected kindly, although Haley could see that he knew what she had really wanted to ask. She nodded. Dr. Glennon sighed softly. "I’m sorry. I wish I had a simple answer for that. But as I told you, the brain is vastly complex, and our understanding of it is still developing. We’ve made great strides, but we haven’t been able to understand how it all works. Especially with respect to memories and how the brain stores them."
"All our tests indicate that Nathan suffered some damage to the area of the brain that controls long-term memories." Dr. Glennon continued. "His short-term memory does not appear to have been affected however, since he can remember what has happened since he awoke from his coma. That would also seem to indicate that while his long-term memories were damaged, the functioning of his long-term memory was not. In other words, he can store new memories."
"And of course, he still retains remnants of other long-term memories, especially those from when he was very young." Dr. Glennon sighed. "We don’t know why but we suspect that the longer a memory has been stored in the brain, the more. . .durable it is. More recent memories, unfortunately, seem to have been lost."
"Seem?" Haley asked.
"The test indicates that he has. . .vestiges of some recent memories. For instance, he has no recollection of the accident itself but somehow he knew he was in the hospital because he was in a car accident. Perhaps this is a remnant of his memory, or perhaps he learned that some other way." Dr. Glennon paused. "And in terms of overall brain functioning, that seems to be relatively undamaged. He still has the motor, language, cognitive, intellectual and reasoning abilities of a man of his age. As far as we can tell, the only thing impacted significantly is his long-term memory."
"And his other injuries?" she asked.
Dr. Glennon nodded. "He needs some physical therapy on his left leg which was broken in the accident, and his ribs are healing very well. He may be uncomfortable for a period of time because of that, but otherwise, physically, he’s fine." Dr. Glennon looked at her. "I know this is small comfort, but he is very lucky to be alive. To have even survived that crash."
She nodded. She knew this. When she had sat by his bedside, looking at his sleeping form, all she had wanted was for him to open his eyes. She had prayed for it. And her prayer was answered. Nathan was out of his coma and he was recovering well. She should be happy, and she was, yet there was a feeling of sadness that she just couldn’t shake.
"Um, I, uh. . .I’m not sure how to deal with this? Do I try to fill in his memories for him? Or-"
Dr. Glennon was shaking his head long before she finished her questions. "I would advise against that." He looked down. "Nathan most likely will suffer from some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. His only memories are of when he was a child, and yet clearly he is no longer a child so he’s going to notice that huge gap in his memories. That will affect him significantly. Coupled with the physical injuries, and his psyche has quite a lot to deal with already. If we were to try and ‘fill in’ those missing years for him, we may overwhelm him. He may feel trapped in a life he doesn’t remember or that he has to fulfill some role that he no longer knows or remembers."
"I don’t mean that he doesn’t want to remember. But at the moment, trying to may prove too stressful for him. It could set him back in his recovery. The few amnesia cases we do know of, it has always been best to let the amnesiac either re-discover those lost memories or to simply forge new ones."
"But if he asks?"
"There’s no easy answer, I’m afraid. Obviously you shouldn’t lie to him, but if you try and fill in too much, he may rebel, thinking you are trying to color his memories of himself and of others. And if he doesn’t and accepts what you say, then he might operate under the false illusion that he is recovering the lost memories. He might become too dependent on you and others to fill in the gaps for him, instead of honestly working at his own recovery."
Dr. Glennon looked at her kindly. "The best advice I can give you is to look at this as a new start. A new beginning and go from there."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hales?"
She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice right behind her.
"Damn it Lucas! How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me?"
"I’m sorry,’ Lucas said gently. "I rung the doorbell and-"
"No, I’m sorry," she said, collapsing next to the moving box she had been packing. "I’m just. . ." She let the sentence trail off with a shrug.
"It’s O.K., Hales." He came over and sat down on the armchair next to her. "What’s all this?"
"I’m packing," she said, stating the obvious.
"So I see," Lucas said with a smile. "Why?"
She sighed and felt yet another wave of tears about to overtake her. With increasing command, she drew in quick, deep breaths until she felt the emotion pass. "He doesn’t remember Luke."
"The doctor said that?"
She nodded. "We went over the test results today. The last. . .fifteen years of his life are basically lost. They’re just distant memories, if anything. He doesn’t remember any of it. High school. College. Getting drafted into the N.B.A. His life here. Me." The last word came out as a sob and this time, she was unsuccessful in stemming the tide of tears.
"Hales-" Lucas was at her side in an instant, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "It’s. . .I don’t know what to say. This is all so. . ."
"I don’t know if I can do this," she cried. "How can I pretend that what Nathan and I had didn’t exist? How do I look at him without giving my feelings away? How do I handle him looking at me that way?"
"What way?"
"He looks at me like I’m a stranger Luke." Another sob escaped her lips. "You know, Nathan and I have been through a lot and I handled it all. We handled it all. And we did it because underneath it all, we had our feelings for each other. That was our rock. . .our touchstone. Now we don’t even have that." She looked up at him with anguished eyes. "I went to see him the other day and for an instant, I thought he knew me, but then I realized it was just because he recognized me from my prior visit. He doesn’t know me Luke!"
"Hales, I. . ." Lucas stopped. "Now what I’m about to say has to be kept under the strictest best friends confidentiality, O.K.?" She sniffed and nodded. "Hales, I have never seen a love like yours and Nathan’s before. I mean I made no bones about how much I hated the fact that you two were together in the beginning but over time, as I got to know him and to see you two together. . . ." He looked at her with eyes blazing conviction. "I know the love is still there. Nathan may not remember it now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t remember it. You don’t just forget a love like that. And it doesn’t just go away. No matter what. Nothing so ordinary like a car crash can erase something like what you guys had."
She smiled. "Since when did you become so cheesy when it came to me and Nathan?"
Lucas chuckled but when he responded, he was completely serious. "Since I’ve seen how happy you make each other."
"I just don’t know anything anymore Luke. It’s like someone pressed the ‘Reset’ button and now I’m back at Square 1. Only difference is, I remember exactly what it was like over there in Square 50."
"I know, Hales. This is hard for everyone but you can do this."
She sniffled before getting up and resuming her packing, wanting desperately to believe Lucas, but unable to convince herself. "So, uh, how was the trip back to Tree Hill with Dan and Deb? Thanks for doing that by the way."
Lucas shrugged. "No problem. I wanted to see my Mom anyway. She hated leaving so soon, but with Deb here, someone had to run the Café."
"It’s O.K., Luke. It meant a lot that Karen. . .actually that everyone came out here for Nathan."
"And you," Lucas said gently. "They came here for you too."
"Even Dan?" Haley asked lightly.
Lucas chuckled. "O.K., Dan. . .I’m not too sure about."
"How is he?"
"Still in shock I think," Lucas said softly. "He thinks it’s only a matter of time before Nathan is back to his usual self and playing with the Kings again."
She sighed. She had always had a. . .complicated relationship with Nathan’s father. The relationship was at times cordial, even close, and other times, it was completely acrimonious and antagonistic. Unfortunately with the stress of Nathan’s accident, the relationship was definitely in an acrimonious stage. If Nathan hadn’t provided in advance for Haley to oversee his affairs in the event of his incapacitation, she had no doubt that she and Dan would be duking it out in court right now.
"How’s Deb?" she asked, steering the subject away from Dan. She had enough to deal with at the moment, she didn’t need to add ‘Dan-stress’ to it too. Fortunately, her relationship with Nathan’s mother was definitely less complicated than her relationship with Dan. In fact, she was glad she was able to foster a reconciliation of sorts between Nathan and his mother over the years.
"She’s holding up, but still pretty devastated. I’m surprised you convinced her to go back to Tree Hill."
"She was just sitting around, waiting and worrying. It wasn’t doing her any good to be here. At least in Tree Hill she has Karen, the Café and her friends."
"What about you Hales? Are you doing something other than sitting around worrying and waiting?"
"I’m packing as you can see," she said lightly. Thankfully, Lucas decided not to press the issue. "Again I ask, why are you packing? Are you going somewhere?"
"A hotel."
"I don’t mean to be repetitive but why?"
She sighed. "The doctor doesn’t think it’s a good idea to try and fill in Nathan’s memories right now. We should just start fresh, start new. Let him remember what he can when he can. So, I just thought it’d be better if I cleared out of here. It’ll raise too many questions when he comes home tomorrow and sees that we’re living together."
"They’re discharging him that soon?"
"Except for the. . . .he’s fine otherwise so yeah."
"Couldn’t you just tell him what you are to him? I mean that’s not filling in a memory. . .not really."
"Luke, that will just open a big can of worms. It’s better to just. . . ."
"Haley," Lucas said gently, causing her to look at him. "It’s not like you can. . .keep Nathan’s life under wraps you know? With the news coverage and all. . .he’s bound to hear things. I mean he already knows about his NBA career just from watching TV."
She nodded. "I know, but. . ." She ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "He already has enough to deal with Luke. And like you said, with the media, he’s gonna get bombarded with things as it is. I don’t need to add to it all by telling him about us. Besides, no one knows about us in the media. Nathan and I always kept our relationship really private so on that front, I think we’re O.K."
"So what if he asks?"
She shrugged. "I’ll just tell him we’re. . .really good friends."
"You’re a lot more than that to him Hales."
She sighed and involuntarily glanced down at the ring on her left hand. A simple, Princess-cut diamond bordered on each side by a small sapphire, and set in platinum. She slowly pulled it off and pocketed it. "Doesn’t matter right now."
~*~
She paused outside the hospital room and took several deep breaths. Willing herself to do what she needed to do. A few moments later, when she was confident that she had her emotions in check, she pushed the door open and walked in, a happy, cheerful expression firmly affixed to her face.
"Hi!" she said brightly, looking at the man on the bed.
He was propped up on a pillow, the bed in an upright position and watching TV. He smiled at her in greeting and quickly turned off the television.
"Haley."
"You remember," she said lightly.
"Of course," he said. "How could I ever forget you?"
She forced the smile to remain on her lips, despite feeling her heart lurch. It was simply too easy. If she closed her eyes and pretended, she could convince herself that it was the same Nathan. His charming, flirtatious manner had clearly survived the brain injury and while she enjoyed that aspect of his personality, right now, it was just too confusing. . .her emotions too raw.
In an attempt to stay focused, she forced herself to see him as he was. He was thinner than before, looking much weaker lying on the hospital bed. They had allowed him to change out of the hospital gown and into some pajamas that she had bought by. His left leg was encasted from his thigh down to his ankle and propped up on a large pillow. His face was significantly less swollen now, but there were still bruises.
The most notable thing about him, however, was his head. His thick, dark hair had been shorn off completely when he had undergone emergency brain surgery, and while it was growing back now, the length was still too short to be much more than a fuzzy patch of brown across his head. The look made him seem younger, more vulnerable and made his blue eyes seem bigger, more intense.
She could still make out the small scar across the left side of his head, where the doctors had cut part of his skull away in order to relieve pressure on his brain. It was healing now, but against the light fuzz of his hair, the wound still looked jarring.
"How are you doing?" she asked, coming in and standing by the hospital table at the foot of his bed.
He shrugged. "O.K., I guess. At least they stopped with all those weird tests."
She smiled. "So, listen, I need to talk to you about something." She paused and riffled through her shoulder bag. "I wasn’t entirely honest with you before."
"You weren’t?"
She shook her head. "I’m actually a little more than just your friend."
He looked at her with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. "Really?"
She finally found the papers she was looking for and pulled them out. "I’m actually the person who gets to make your decisions for you. . .at least for a little while."
"What are you talking about?"
She handed him the papers. ‘You gave me your power-of-attorney. So I make your health care decisions for you. Also your business decisions too." She shrugged. "Basically I get to run your life."
He looked up from the papers. "Why you?"
His question caught her off-guard and it took her a few seconds to compose her answer. "We were close. And you trusted me."
"How close?"
"Close enough for you to sign over control of your affairs," she said with a smile, hoping he would be satisfied with that answer.
Thankfully Nathan didn’t push it. "So, how long is this for?"
"Until you can and want to revoke it."
"What if I want to revoke it now?"
She fixed him with a calm gaze. "Do you?"
He sighed and shook his head, handing the papers back to her. "I can’t even remember half my life, I’m in no shape to figure out how to run it."
"It won’t be like this forever, Nathan." She didn’t know if she said that more for his benefit than for hers. Probably both.
He looked out the window of his private room and nodded. "Yeah."
She felt her heart surge with emotion at the vulnerability in his voice, and the look of confusion on his face. Without thinking, she came around and touched his hand in comfort. He gripped her hand, as if it were a lifeline and then looked at her with those piercing blue eyes of his, and for a moment, she was lost. The tightly reined-in emotions threatened to spill over as she stared into those familiar blue eyes. And yet, while the eyes may have been familiar, the look and emotion in them weren’t, and that jarred her back to the harsh reality.
She awkwardly withdrew her hand. "Um. . ."
"What?" he asked, looking at her.
‘N-nothing," she stammered, wracking her mind for some plausible excuse. "I-it’s . . .nothing." She cleared her throat and moved back over to the table, putting more physical distance between them. "So, uh, listen. . .how do you feel about getting out of the hospital?"
He smiled. "When and how fast?"
She chuckled. "The best I can promise is tomorrow. How’s that?"
He grinned. "Sounds good."
"O.K.," she said. "I’ll make the arrangements today then."
"Arrangements?"
"Well, you know, for home care and all that. Obviously you’re gonna need some help around the house while you’re recuperating. And you’ll need someone to take you to physical therapy. The doctor did talk to you about that, right?"
He nodded, looking concerned. "Yeah, but uh, what do you mean by ‘help’? From who? My parents?"
While Nathan didn’t remember some of the more recent ‘encounters’ with his parents, particularly Dan, she knew that Nathan had never had the best relationship with his father. And from the look on his face now, she would guess that whatever memories Nathan did have, they weren’t too different from the recent ones.
She shook her head. "I was thinking more of a home-care nurse."
He grimaced. "Another nurse?"
"What?" she said lightly. "I thought you liked the nurses here." Everyone at the hospital had been exceptional in their care and support of not only Nathan, but of her as well. They had even set up a small cot for her in his room while she had been maintaining her vigil, and the nurses, she knew, were much more attentive to Nathan than other patients. Most of that attention was derived from genuine concern, though she knew a few of them were just in awe of his celebrity status.
"They’re fine," he shrugged. "But once I’m out of the hospital, I’d like to leave the hospital behind you know?"
She smiled, and a memory flashed through her head involuntarily.
*****Flashback******
"Are you O.K.?" she asked, leaning in against him.
"Yeah," he mumbled, but he was still fidgeting. And Nathan didn’t fidget when he was ‘fine.’
"Nathan," she said, but he was still looking around the hospital waiting room, fidgeting with his hands, while his feet tapped some erratic rhythm. "Nathan." This time, he turned and finally looked at her.
"I’m sure your Dad’s gonna be fine," she said gently, reaching for his hand.
He laced his fingers through hers and then bought her hand up to his lips as he placed a gentle kiss against her knuckle. "Yeah."
"You want to head to the cafeteria maybe? Sitting around waiting is obviously driving you crazy."
He sighed. "I just. . .I don’t like hospitals."
"I don’t think anyone does."
"Yeah," he said softly, glancing around again. They were the only ones in the waiting room now. Deb had gone to make some calls, and well, Dan didn’t really have anyone else besides Deb and Nathan, and she wondered how much of their being here was done out of obligation, as opposed to genuine feelings of concern.
"Sorry," he said suddenly.
"What?"
"About this."
"What are you talking about?"
"I didn’t envision us spending our first day as a married couple sitting in the hospital waiting for word on my father." He looked around the hospital. "I thought our first day of married life would be a little. . .happier I guess."
"I’m happy," she said simply, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Besides, this is probably where the whole ‘for worse’ part of the vows come in hmm?"
He grinned. "And last night was definitely the ‘for better’ part.’
She blushed. "Nathan!"
"Oh, look who’s all shy and modest now," he said teasingly. "I don’t remember seeing this side of you last night."
"And you’re not gonna see that side of me again if you don’t watch it," she said lightly.
He chuckled and pulled her against him as he kissed her softly on the lips. "Anything but that."
She smiled against his lips. "I guess I found your weakness hmm?"
Someone clearing their throat caused the two of them to break apart. They found Deb standing there looking at them uncomfortably.
"Mom," Nathan said, standing up and pulling Haley with him.
"Um. . .they said your father’s stabilized. "We can go see him if we want."
"Why don’t you go first? Haley and I will be go in a little later."
Deb glanced at her uncomfortably. "Um. . .the doctors said your father’s stable but he shouldn’t be exposed to any, uh, stress or anything like that for now." She looked down. "And uh, given how things are with your father and I, maybe it’s best if you go in first, Nate. Alone."
"My relationship with Dad isn’t any better and Haley and I are-"
"Your Mom’s right, Nathan," she cut in gently. "It’s fine. I’ll wait here."
Deb shot her a look of gratitude. "Actually I-I still need to contact your grandparents. Roy and May aren’t answering their phone."
With another look at them, she walked out the waiting room. The minute his mother was out of view, Nathan turned to her.
"What was that about?"
She sighed. "Nathan, you heard your mother. Your Dad’s in a precarious state right now. We shouldn’t expose him to any unnecessary stress."
"I know that," he agreed. "Which is why we’re keeping the marriage under wraps for now. Why we didn’t wear our rings. But what does that have to do with you not coming with me?"
"I just. . .it’s no secret your Dad doesn’t like me and-"
"Which is his problem, not ours," Nathan cut in.
"And seeing me might just incite something," she continued as if he hadn’t interrupted. She reached up and touched the creases in his forehead. "Look, just go see your Dad, O.K.? When he gets better, then we can spring me and our marriage on him." She smiled. "I really don’t want to start our married life off by inadvertently killing your father, O.K.?"
He smiled, and then nodded. "O.K." He leaned down and dropped a soft kiss on her lips. "I’ll go and see him. Keep it short. And then we can get back to our life, and leave my parents. . .this hospital. . .all of it behind."
*****End Flashback*****
"Haley?"
She shook her head slightly. She hadn’t realized how caught up in that memory she had become. "Um, sorry. Just. . .thinking of something else there for a minute."
"So the nurse, am I gonna get a say in that?"
She sighed. "Not really. You need someone to help you Nathan. And a home-care nurse is the best person." She smiled and indicated the papers. "Besides, I get to make all the decisions now remember? And I vote for the nurse."
Nathan gave her a look that she recognized, but had instantly dismissed as ‘hopeful’ thinking on her part. She would learn, and quickly, that her recognition of that look had indeed been right. All too right.
CHAPTER TWO – A Battle of Wills
The first phone call she had received, she had been worried. The second phone call had surprised her, since it had come so soon after the first call. By the time the third phone call came, her worry was quickly fading, while her annoyance level was shooting up at record speeds. By the fourth phone call, she was completely irritated.
Now, as she pulled up to what used to be hers and Nathan’s house in a small, gated, private suburb of Sacramento, she was both irritated and pissed off. Slamming the door of her BMW with a little more force than necessary, she bounded up the stone steps to the large, wooden double doors, and quickly let herself in.
"Nathan!" she yelled out. She didn’t care if he was only a few days out of the hospital and still recovering from his near-death experience. Heck, she was about to give him another near-death experience.
"Haley?" came his all-too-calm voice from the direction of the living room.
With an angry ‘hmpf!’ she strode off in that direction. When she got to the large living room, which was basically just an extension of the even larger kitchen, she found him sitting on the couch, watching ESPN on the large plasma screen built into the wall. His wheelchair she noted was nearby, and his injured, encasted leg was propped up on an ottoman.
"Hi," he said with a calm smile at her, which only served to anger her even more.
Before she had a chance to say anything, however, a woman wearing medical scrubs came out from the direction of the bathroom. Seeing Haley, she looked relieved and quickly hurried over, plucking a tote bag from one of the kitchen barstools as she did so.
"Oh, Ms. James! Thank goodness you’re here already! I’m very sorry to do this to you but I-" The nurse stopped abruptly and cast Nathan what can only be classified as a ‘dirty look.’ "But I simply cannot be here any longer."
Nathan didn’t seem at all perturbed by the woman’s outburst because he was watching ESPN, as if nothing at all were going on. This, of course, only infuriated Haley even more.
"Mrs. Allen, couldn’t please just stay on until I can find a replacement?"
Mrs. Allen shook her head vigorously. "Again, I’m sorry to do this to you Ms. James. But this situation is just not working."
"But-"
"I’ll have my agency contact you about payment for what I put in today. I’m very sorry, Ms. James." And with that, Mrs. Allen swept past Haley. A few seconds later and Haley heard the front door open and close. She sighed angrily and turned towards Nathan, who was still irritatingly watching ESPN.
"Nathan!" she yelled, not knowing what else to do.
"What?"
"What? WHAT!" She gestured angrily in the direction that Mrs. Allen had just stalked off in a minute ago. "That. . .that’s what! That’s the fourth. . .count them, four!. . .nurse you've made quit in two days! Two days, Nathan and you gone through four nurses! That’s. . .that’s. . ."
She was so angry she couldn’t even form words anymore. So she settled for glaring at him. He didn’t seem the least bit perturbed.
"Why is it my fault that they decided to quit?" he asked calmly.
"Wh-. . .what?" she sputtered. She forced herself to take a deep breath. "Are you implying they all just upped and quit for no reason at all?"
He shrugged. "I don’t know. They probably had a reason. I’m just saying maybe I’m not the reason."
"Oh, you’re the reason all right!" she said angrily as she stomped around the large couch and grabbed the remote to shut off the TV. "Let’s see if I have this correct. The first nurse, David, quit because when he tried to help you change you made, and I’m quoting here,’an offensive and derogatory remark’ questioning his sexuality. The second-"
"I told him I could dress myself!"
"The second nurse," she continued, shooting him a warning glare. "A sweet woman by the way, with over 20 years experience and has never once quit an assignment according to her agency, quit after only 6 hours with you because you were, and again, I’m quoting here, ‘demanding, rude, abrasive, and demeaning.’"
"She was treating me like a 4 year old!"
"You were probably acting like one!" Haley shot back. "Now let’s see. The third nurse, also highly qualified, lasted the longest with you apparently only because you were asleep for part of her watch! She refused to say exactly why she was quitting but did say something about being a ‘trained nurse’ as opposed to your personal slave and whipping post!"
"I just made some requests. She’s here to help me isn’t she?"
"And was one of those requests to go and find you some porn?" Haley asked angrily.
He shrugged. "I wasn’t serious."
She expelled an angry breath. "And then, of course, there is the recently departed Mrs. Allen. She raised 4 boys, Nathan. And she lasted a whole-" Haley stopped and checked her watch. "A whole 3 and a half hours with you! What the hell did you do to the poor woman?"
"Nothing," he said, looking at her with an innocent expression. "I might have been cranky but I’m not a morning person."
"Cranky does not cause that kind of reaction in someone, Nathan!" She sighed and ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you deliberately driving these people away?"
"Who says I am?" he said calmly. "Maybe nurses and I just don’t mesh."
She eyed him and suddenly, she remembered that look he had given her in the hospital. She had dismissed it at first but could now see that she had been right. That was the look Nathan usually gave someone before he went into his stubborn ‘mode’ and began a battle of wills with them. She and Nathan had exchanged looks like that frequently in their relationship, and some of their ‘battles’ had been epic. She sensed another ‘epic’ taking shape right now.
She didn’t know if she should be happy or angry that he had also retained this aspect of his personality. She settled on angry, because it was easier to deal with at the moment.
"Nathan, you need a nurse here!"
He shook his head. "No, I don’t. I just need someone to help me with things at times. I don’t need a 24 hours-a-day babysitter!"
"That’s what they’re doing! Helping you. . .at least they would if you let them!"
"I just don’t like nurses."
"Who else is qualified to help you?"
He didn’t answer right away, and she thought for a second that she had won, or at least made a very sizeable dent in his argument against nurses. But then, he looked at her and she knew she hadn’t won anything. "You."
"W-what. . .N-nathan, I-" she stammered.
"Why not?" he asked calmly.
"Lots of reasons."
"I’ll settle for one."
"I can’t."
"That’s not a reason."
She expelled a short, quick breath in frustration. "Nathan, I. . .I’m not a trained nurse and you need a nurse. I mean, who’s gonna make sure your medications are right? What if you accidentally fall? Or something goes wrong? I mean you need someone who’s gonna be prepared in the event of an emergency."
"Haley, I had a brain injury, I didn’t become an incompetent idiot." He shot her a look of irritation. "I told you, I don’t need a babysitter, or for someone to treat me like a baby. I just need. . .I just need someone I feel comfortable around here to help me out with things. . .you know, like reaching for stuff on the shelf, making sure I don’t trip and bang my head and lose even more of my brain function."
The last part was said with a small smile, but the trauma of it all was still too new and raw to her. "Not funny."
"Sorry," he said sincerely. "But I’m fine. You had this house modified pretty good. . .I mean with the ramps and handrails and all, I can get around just fine on my own. I really don’t need a nurse."
"So you think," she said, refusing to give in.
"Fine," he retorted, sounding equally stubborn. "Then let’s ask my doctor. Whatever he says, go."
She shook her head. "No. Even if he says you don’t need a nurse, I still get to make the final decision remember?"
"Yeah, about that. . ."
She sighed. She didn’t want to argue with him. And in fact, it was shocking her just how easy it was to fall back into their familiar ‘bickering-style’ of arguing. Things like this. . .familiar patterns that weren’t quite the same. . .seemed to only make her adjustment to Nathan’s ‘condition’ that much harder.
"Look, Nathan, I’m not gonna use something you gave to me in trust and lo-" She caught herself just in time and feigned cough to cover it up. "You gave me your power of attorney in trust and friendship and I’m not gonna abuse that, but I’m not gonna just let you have your way when I know that my way is better for you."
"Wow, that sounds so much like the speech my mother gave me when I was 7."
"Sarcasm does not help this situation."
He shot her an annoyed look. "Well, what am I supposed to do? You clearly hold all the cards. . .sarcasm is about the only thing I have left."
"That and your unique ability to drive people away?" she asked. "At the rate you’re going, I’m gonna run out of willing nurses and agencies soon. That is if word hasn’t spread already."
He shrugged. "Can’t help it."
She gave him a knowing look. "And you’re gonna continue to ‘can’t help it’ right?"
He looked at her, and she could see him trying to figure out how best to work this situation. "Depends."
She decided to play along. "On?"
"I’ll agree to a nurse only when you can’t be here."
"Nathan," she said with a sigh. "First of all, I never agreed to be the one to stay here with you. And second of all, you need a nurse for even when . . .whoever. . .is here."
"And you still haven’t given me a reason why you won’t."
"Why is that important? I just told you I can’t. That should be enough for you."
He studied her for several minutes, not saying anything and she felt unnerved, even as she told herself that Nathan didn’t know her anymore and couldn’t possibly ‘read’ her like he used to. And yet. . .
"I’m just trying to figure it out," he said lightly.
"What?"
"What’s going on with you," he said. "Why you’re so resistant about helping me out even though we’re friends. Or so you tell me."
"We are friends."
"That’s it?"
"What else?"
"Like we didn’t have a torrid affair or something? Something that makes you uncomfortable at the thought of being in the same house with me? Even though said house is large enough to house two average sized families comfortably?"
She forced herself not to react. To keep her face blank. "You should stick to ESPN," she said lightly. "Daytime soaps aren’t good for your overactive imagination."
He grinned. "Hmmm. Looks like I might have struck a nerve."
She stood up abruptly. "You didn’t. And you are still getting a nurse."
"Fine," he said in a voice that indicated it was anything but ‘fine.’
She sighed. "Nathan, please do not keep driving these nurses away."
He didn’t respond but attempted to reach for the remote, which she had tossed down on the table out of his reach. "Mind grabbing that remote for me?"
"Nathan."
"A little help with the remote, please?"
She stared at him. He was seemingly intent on retrieving the remote, but she knew better. This argument wasn’t over, and she definitely did not hold all the cards in this. She inhaled before sitting back down. "Fine. Tell you what. Let’s compromise."
He stopped trying to reach for the remote and leaned back in the couch, taking a few seconds to get comfortable before turning to her. "What do you mean by compromise?"
"You’ll get a nurse, for part of the day and in exchange for you not being an as-. . .a difficult patient, someone else will come here and stay with you for the rest of the time. At least until you’re back on your feet."
"Who would that other person be?" he asked, with a smile at her.
"No, Nathan, I really can’t." He looked genuinely disappointed and she hated it, but she was protecting them. Yes, she was protecting herself more but living with Nathan, at this stage, was just making a difficult situation worse.
"Who else is there?"
"Nathan, you have a lot of people who care about you. I mean you might not remember them now but you have a lot of friends and your family-"
"I seriously hope you’re not thinking of asking my parents to come stay here."
"Well-"
"No," he said firmly. "Besides the fact that I’m a 25 year old man who shouldn’t be going back under the care of his parents, I. . ."
"What?"
He shook his head. "It’s. . .I don’t know."
"Nathan-"
"No parents," he said firmly.
"O.K.," she said softly. "Then, how about Lucas?"
"Lucas?" He looked at her incredulously. "My ‘brother’?" He actually used air quotes around the word brother, which made her smile, despite the seriousness of their discussion.
"O.K., first of all," she began. "The whole air quotes thing is. . ." She shook her head to indicate how ridiculous it was. "And second of all, I know you don’t remember it, but you and Lucas are actually close now. I don’t know what you remember about him but you get along now and I know Lucas wouldn’t mind staying here to help you out for a while."
"That’s just it," he said. "I don’t remember him. I remember. . pieces. . .like my parents arguing about him and seeing him around Tree Hill every so often but I don’t. . ."
"You saw each other while you were at the hospital," she said gently. "You got along then right?"
He shrugged. "I guess. But it was like all the other people who trailed in and out. I didn’t recognize them."
"Give it time." She forced an encouraging smile on her face. "You didn’t recognize me at first, right? But now, here you are, wanting me to move in with you."
"You’re different."
She wanted desperately to ask him what was different about her, but she was scared. She was scared of what he might say. Once those words came out of his mouth, there was no taking them back and she just wasn’t ready to hear them. The first time Nathan had told her being with her was ‘different’ it had started them on a wild, wonderful, sometimes heart-breaking, but ultimately incredible journey. Where would this lead them? She wasn’t quite ready to deal with it yet, so she took the coward’s way out.
"Yeah, people use that to describe me a lot," she said teasingly. "Usually before they say something like ‘please leave now.’"
He looked at her, his eyes flashing with some emotion she couldn’t quite read and for an instant, she thought he was going to press the issue but instead he just smiled at her feeble joke.
She cleared her throat, glad that the awkward moment passed without incident. "So how about I give Lucas a call?"
He looked at her and she could tell he was trying to determine how much more he could push her on this. She told herself to stand firm and with relief, she saw him back down. He sighed. "O.K."
He looked so disappointed, so lost and vulnerable then that she couldn’t help but reach across the couch and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Nathan, I will still come see you everyday. It’s just. . .it’s better that Lucas comes stay with you. That way, you guys can rebuild your relationship a little." She smiled. "Trust me. You guys really do like each other now. And even if you didn’t, like you said, this house is big enough so that you wouldn’t always be in each other’s way."
"Right." He glanced away briefly before looking back at her. "And what about our relationship, Haley? Are we going to rebuild that too?"
She knew she should have answered right away because her pause was more damning than if she had given a feeble answer. But she just didn’t know how to answer him. So all she could do was stare at him. Something in his eyes told her that her non-response was answer enough for him.
~*~
"You sure about this Hales?"
She stuffed a few more T-shirts into the bag. "Luke, I swear if you ask me that one more time, I’m gonna tattoo ‘yes’ in big, bold, black script on your forehead!"
Lucas chuckled. "Sorry."
She sighed. "No, I am. I mean you’re doing me this huge favor and I’m just being a bitch."
"Bitch is kind of a harsh word, although-" He stopped abruptly at the look that she shot him. "It’s O.K. Hales. The past month has been hell for you. . .it’s O.K. if you need to blow off some steam."
"Right. Blow off some steam. If it were that easy." She continued to help Lucas pack. "How about you? Are you sure about this? I mean, moving in with Nathan for a while? Is it cool with your job? What about Anna?"
Lucas smiled at her reassuringly. "I told you. It’s cool. I talked to the Athletic Director and he was fine with me taking some time. Besides, it’s a slow time right now, work-wise. We already got our recruits signed and I don’t start scouting until the high school season kicks up again in the fall so, I got time. The work I need to do, I can telecommute from your place."
Haley involuntarily winced at Lucas’ words. Your place. That big, beautiful, but cozy and comfortable house that she and Nathan had found just a few years ago had always been considered ‘their place.’ Both hers and Nathan’s. And yet, she was now living in some hotel downtown, and Nathan was living there but not quite feeling ‘at home’.
"Oh, good," she said with a small smile. "We have DSL and you can always use my home office upstairs. Nathan’s confined to the second floor until he can move around a bit better so if you guys need some space, you can just take the third floor."
Lucas looked at her in concern. "Hales, why don’t you just move back in? Just tell him and-"
"I can’t."
"Why? Because some doctor, who doesn’t understand anything about you or Nathan beyond medical facts and figures?"
She shook her head. "Because I won’t have him trying to. . ." She stopped and sighed tiredly. "I don’t want him to feel. . .obligated to me Luke. I never have."
"Obligated?"
She sighed. "Look, Luke. Nathan’s. . .he’s different and yet, in a lot of ways, I see the ‘old him’ too you know? And I know if I told him we are. . .were. . .engaged, that would make him feel obligated to me. To try and feel something for me. And that’s too much pressure for him, Luke." She looked at him sadly. "Besides, if Nathan’s going to feel something for me, I want it to be honest and, and. . .real. I don’t want it to be because that’s what he used to feel in a life he doesn’t remember anymore. Or that he knows, rationally, that he should love me because I’m his fiancee. If he’s gonna love me, I want it to be because he does. Pure and simple. No strings, no pressure, no obligations."
CHAPTER THREE – Strange Connections
“Hey man,” Lucas greeted as he walked into the kitchen. “Ms. Clark.”
“Mr. Scott,” Ms. Clark returned politely, without even glancing in his direction.
Nathan nodded in Lucas’ general direction but turned his attention back to the nurse who was stonily checking his pulse and blood pressure. He had to endure this routine three times a day, but he endured it because he and Haley had ‘compromised.’ Somehow, he knew that he didn’t get the better end of that little compromise.
“All normal, Mr. Scott,” Ms. Clark said with a curt smile. “I’ll go get your morning medications. Would you like me to help you with breakfast too?”
Nathan smiled tightly. “No, thank you. I can grab a bagel on my own.”
Another curt smile in his direction and Ms. Clark scampered off in the direction of what was a recreation room, but which Haley had converted into a bedroom for him. He looked at her retreating form in irritation before he wheeled his chair towards the kitchen, where Lucas was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee. He noticed an extra mug set out and he maneuvered his wheelchair towards the table.
“Thanks,” he mumbled as he reached for the mug.
Lucas smiled. “Figured you could use it.” He glanced in the direction that Ms. Clark had disappeared in. “You know if you killed her, Haley would throw a fit.”
He choked on his coffee as a laugh surged up his throat.
“Whoa!” Lucas looked at him in concern. “You O.K.?”
He nodded, still coughing. “H-How’d you know?”
“I’ve seen you cast a lot of people that look before,” Lucas said with a chuckle.
“Including you?”
Lucas shrugged. “Here and there. You got it thrown in your direction more than a few times too, in case you’re wondering.”
He laughed. “I’m not. And I know. Haley shoots me that look quite a few times a day.”
“You too, hmm?”
He smiled, knowing it was the right response. After all, Lucas was just joking around. But something about the implication of Lucas’ relationship with Haley bothered him. Why it would bother him he didn’t know. Haley was just a friend, so what her relationship with anyone else was like shouldn’t bug him one way or the other, right?
He sipped his coffee and discreetly studied Lucas, who was reading some book and munching on a crueller. The past few days had been. . .interesting. He had thought that he would hate having Lucas around, and oddly, he didn’t. His jumbled, mixed-up memories left him feeling completely strange where Lucas was concerned. The memories he could grasp clearly were full of resentment and anger, but it was towards the young Lucas. The blond kid he had seen around at times, and had heard his parents argue about. The kid his father so often used to ‘motivate’ him.
But the adult Lucas he saw now, he didn’t have any memories of. This Lucas regarded him with sincere concern, but didn’t smother him with it either. Lucas kept his distance, and kept mostly to the third floor of the house. Periodically he would call down to see if Nathan needed anything. In the evening, after Ms. Clark left, Lucas would just pop in to watch either ESPN or a movie with him or to grab something to eat in the kitchen.
And much to Nathan’s surprise, he got along quite well with Lucas. There was an easy camaraderie between them, like real brothers would have. It was nice, but also unnerving because the present just didn’t jib with the memories he had of the past. There was no way for him to connect how the kid he resented and at times hated in his youth was now the ‘older brother’ he could joke and laugh with. He felt as if someone had fast-forwarded his life and he missed out on some pretty damn good parts as a result.
Just then, Ms. Clark came ambling in, carrying a small cup which he knew contained his medications, mostly antibiotics and vitamins to help him heal a faster. He suppressed a groan and forced another tight smile onto his face. A deal was a deal after all.
“Here you go, Mr. Scott.” The woman had a clipped way of speaking that drove him nuts. He took the proffered cup and waited as she poured him a glass of water. He noticed Lucas continuing to read his book and couldn’t help but smile. Lucas and Ms. Clark didn’t exactly get along and the extent of their interaction was a brief exchange of pleasantries when they saw each other each day. After that, they basically just ignored each other. He only wished he had the same luxury.
Nathan downed the pills in one big gulp of water and then handed both the cup and water glass back to his nurse. He looked at her expectantly, knowing this was the time of day she ran over her schedule for him. He didn’t know why she bothered. It was always the same.
“Excellent,” she said. She glanced at her watch. “Well, then, I guess I’ll be running along now. I’ll be back later this afternoon to check in on you. And then. . .”
Nathan tuned her out. He was actually getting quite good at it. And thank goodness too, because without this little ‘talent,’ he would have broken his deal with Haley long ago. Besides, the woman said the same thing each morning. She would check on him that afternoon, help him off to PT, then be here when he got back, check on him again and then mercifully would leave for the day.
He wondered if she felt the need to repeat herself around him because of his brain injury. This, of course, incensed him because he wasn’t an idiot. And besides, even if he were, he still didn’t need the woman to constantly repeat herself around him.
He sensed that she was done, so he did what he always did, smile wanly and nod. “Thank you.”
“See you in a while then,” Ms. Clark said. “Good-bye Mr. Scott.”
“See you,” Lucas said, looking up briefly.
When Ms. Clark finally left, he let out a heavy sigh and turned to Lucas. “You know, if you helped me, Haley would never have to know.”
Lucas laughed. “I don’t know, man. Haley’s really smart.” Lucas cast him a sympathetic look. “Besides, you get your cast off soon, right?” He nodded. “Maybe by then Haley will agree to ax the nurse idea.”
“You think?”
“It’s possible.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.” He looked at Lucas. “Let me ask you something, man.”
“Sure.”
“How long have you known Haley?”
“A long time,” Lucas answered. “We go back to when we were kids. Why?”
He shrugged. “I’m just curious.” He indicated his head. “Trying to fill in the blanks you know?”
Lucas nodded. “Don’t force it too much. It’ll come, man.”
“So, how long have I known Haley?” he asked casually.
“You’ve known her a long time too,” Lucas answered. His tone mirrored Nathan’s casual one, but Nathan noted that he seemed to have tensed physically. Interesting.
He had quickly discovered that he seemed to have a knack for ‘reading’ people. He sensed that he always had this knack, because he could recall instances as a child where he knew how to read his father enough to get out of yet another lecture or brow-beating about his athletic performance. He was very thankful for this knack of his now. It proved invaluable when talking to others, especially in his current condition, because everyone’s default setting seemed to be ‘tread lightly and don’t reveal too much.’
Frankly, it was driving him crazy.
“Well, not as long as you have though right?” he asked. “’Cause I can’t remember her when we were kids. . .I remember you a little though.”
Lucas looked at him in interest. “Oh yeah? You remember me way back then?”
“Yeah, I think we had just moved back to Tree Hill, and you know, I was curious so I asked around. Whenever I was by the. . .” He stopped, the name of yet another place escaping him. He hated these all-too-frequent occurrences. It served to harshly and unequivocally remind him of just how much he had lost. “What’s that place you used to play basketball at?”
“The River Court,” Lucas said, his tone not changing at all. That was another thing Nathan liked about Lucas. Whenever he stumbled or visibly struggled, Lucas just acted like it was an ordinary, normal occurrence, and didn’t draw attention to it. It made him much less self-conscious about it, which he appreciated.
“Right,” he said. “The River Court. When I was by there, I would, you know, check you out.”
Lucas smirked. “You checked me out?”
“Dude, don’t go there,” Nathan said in warning, though he was grinning. Another fleeting memory came to him then. “Does your Mom still work at that diner?”
Lucas looked at him in surprise. “You remember the diner?”
He nodded. “Kinda. It’s a little. . .messed up. But I remember passing it a few times and seeing you in there with your mom.”
Lucas nodded. “Yeah, Mom still works there in a way. She bought the place after a few years and renamed it Karen’s Café. She’s expanded into catering now. She also took on a partner.” Lucas paused. “Your mom.”
Nathan looked at him in surprise. “Our mothers work together?”
Lucas smiled. “Strange hmm?”
“So they’re friends?”
“Yeah. Good friends actually.”
He nodded, but he was trying to sort through yet another fleeting memory. But this one, he couldn’t quite hold onto. “So how’d my Dad take it? I mean about our mothers working together and being friends?”
Lucas shot him a knowing look. “How do you think he took it?”
“That’s one thing I’m glad I can’t remember,” he said chuckling. Lucas smiled at him, but he could see the discomfort in his eyes. “Hey, relax man. If I can’t joke about losing a part of my mind, what else is there?”
Lucas considered his comment for a few seconds before he smiled. “You got a point.”
He shook his head. “Even as a kid I couldn’t understand how my Dad and you know, your mom and my mom could all. . .”
“Yeah, I know. It’s. . .strange. It always has been.” He shrugged. “But it works somehow.”
He nodded. “So you, me and Haley? Is that our version of our parents?”
“What?” Lucas asked, sounding confused.
“I mean you know. . .did we all hook up at one point or-“
“Ugh!” Lucas threw his hands up in horror. “God, man! The mental image you just put in my head! What the hell?”
“What?” he asked. “You mean you and Haley or me and Haley?”
“How about the three of us?” Lucas shot him a disgusted look. “You do realize you and I are brothers right?”
“I didn’t mean that!” he cried, also disturbed by the thought of the three of them. “I just meant you know. . .you and Haley. . .after all these years, you guys never hooked up?”
“Dude, Haley’s like a sister!” Lucas sounded genuinely horrified at the thought. “God, no!”
Lucas’ response unnerved him. So was Haley like a sister to him too? Somehow, he knew that couldn’t be the case. If it was, then why were all these confusing feelings towards her swirling inside of him? Was it some side effect from his accident?
“Haley’s like a sister to us?” he asked, forcing himself to sound nonchalant.
“She is to me!” Lucas exclaimed, still looking disgusted.
“What about me?”
“Uh. . .” Lucas paused and Nathan could see the telltale signs that he was trying to ‘spin’ the answer. He had seen this all too often now. And he hated it.
“Truth, man.”
Lucas sighed. “Look, Nate, sometimes the truth is. . .hard to handle.”
“Especially for poor brain damaged me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You know what” he said, letting his frustration and anger take hold. “I’m so sick of everyone acting like I’m some sort of idiot who can’t handle things! I’m sick of having people give me half-truths or tell me I’m not ready to hear something. I’m not ready?! It’s my life! And I have a right to know about it! All of it! Not just what people like you think I should know!”
“I’m just trying to-“
“If you say ‘help’ I swear to God I am gonna wheel myself over there and deck you!”
“Look, I get that you’re frustrated man, but the doctor-“
“F*ck the doctor!”
Lucas stood up. “This is getting out of hand. I’m gonna-“
“Be a sanctimonious ass?” He knew he was egging Lucas on, and unfairly at that, but all this pent-up frustration and anger needed a release and Lucas was the most convenient target. Besides, a part of him felt oddly satisfied at yelling at his brother. The feeling of them fighting was strangely familiar.
“Only if you’re being an obnoxious one!” Lucas threw back at him.
The sound of someone clearing their throat behind him stopped him from hurling another insult Lucas’ way. He turned and found Haley standing at the kitchen’s entrance, looking at the both of them with an expression he couldn’t quite read.
“Am I interrupting?” she asked calmly.
“No,” Lucas grabbed his book and headed for the door. “Hey Hales.”
“Lucas,” she greeted him with a look of clear disapproval as he brushed pass her. Nathan got a weird jolt of satisfaction at that, but that feeling quickly disappeared because Haley quickly turned that same look in his direction.
“Hi,” he said quietly, looking in her general direction but not at her. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“I’m not surprised with all that yelling,” she said, her voice still calm.
“Yeah, about that, I-“
She held up her hands. “I’d rather not know.”
He studied her briefly and could see that she really didn’t want to get into the specifics of his argument with Lucas. “You don’t want to know why Lucas and I were arguing?”
She shrugged. “You guys are brothers. You’re bound to argue. I’d be more surprised if you didn’t.”
“Really? And you don’t care?”
“As long as no one ends up in the hospital, no, I don’t.” She gave him a small smile. “I learned a long time ago that it’s best that you two just figure things out on your own.”
“Right.”
She placed her bag on the kitchen counter and took the seat that Lucas had just vacated. “If you want to talk about it though. . . .”
Again, the feelings of frustration welled up inside of him. He had tons of questions, but it seemed like the bulk of those questions centered around her. And his relationship with her. His gut was telling him that there was something. . .else. . .to their relationship beyond friendship. But he just didn’t know what that ‘something else’ was.
“Why bother?” he said dismissively. “It’s not like I’d get the truth.”
He saw her recoil at his words and felt instantly contrite. And maddeningly, this irritated him even more. How was it that she seemed to have this effect on him? He snapped at people all the time. Not just of late. He could recall early instances of just mouthing off at anyone and everyone. Whatever he had been like in the past 15 years, he was confident that he wasn’t a boy scout. Probably the opposite. So he was pretty sure he didn’t, or shouldn’t, care one way or the other when he let his temper and mouth run away from him.
And yet, when he behaved around her the way he tended to behave around others, something in him made him feel terrible. And want to ask her forgiveness instantly. What kind of friendship provoked these kind of feelings? What kind of ‘sister-like’ relationship would? There was definitely something else, something more to his relationship with Haley.
So why was everyone trying so hard to hide it? Clearly, they were on good terms now. So whatever had happened, it couldn’t have been that bad, right? Yet the secrecy was beginning to make him wonder just what had happened between Haley and himself.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked in an even tone.
“Just that,” he snapped as he mentally told that little voice inside of him to ‘shut up.’ “If I asked you something, would you tell me the truth?”
“Of course!” She sounded indignant that he was implying otherwise. “I’ve never lied to you, Nathan.”
“Right,” he said, looking at her challengingly. “Fine. Then answer this question for me. What exactly was our relationship?”
“We were friends. We are friends.” Her answer was too nice, too neat. As if she were just saying it by rote.
“That’s it?” he challenged. “Nothing else. At no point were we more than friends?” That telltale pause from her. “Yes or no? It’s a pretty straightforward question.”
“Nathan. . .“ She looked at him helplessly.
“The truth, hmm?” He looked at her angrily before he wheeled himself out of the kitchen and towards his room. But as angry as he was, a part of him just realized that she had basically confirmed what he had suspected. At one point, there had been something between him and Haley. Something beyond mere friendship. But what that was, he still didn’t know.
But he was determined to find out. Now more than ever.
