Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~21~

Brighid walked in to the Italy restaurant where she was meeting her dad and Nathan for dinner.

"Look who came" Dan said acting all happy.

"Here I am" Brighid sarcastically said pulling the chair out and sitting in it.

"Half with olives. We aim to please" the waitress said placing the pie down onto the tray that was in the middle of the table.

"Well you hit the bullseye, Tara" Dan said slightly flirtatious.

"Really" Brighid scoffed.

"What? You know how I like to kid around" Dan said coming to his own defense.

"Whatever dad" Nathan said. Brighid grabbed a slice and put it on her plate.

"So how's basketball practice?" Dan asked Nathan shoving a slice into his mouth.

"Oh ah, I haven't gone" Nathan responded.

"Really, so you aspire to work a second-rate auto shop when you get older. Huh, is that it?" Dan asked all mad.

"I don't know what I want" Nathan responded.

"Why can't he do something other than basketball and be successful at it?" Brighid asked.

"Oh like what Brighid? Tell me what you have planned for yourself. Especially now that you want to play family with that boy"

"I plan on going to college" Brighid mumbled.

"Really? Who's paying for it? Who's paying to watch your child?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't-"

"See Nathan. Basketball will lead to something" Dan lectured. Nathan and Brighid shared a glance with each other before taking another bite of their food.

Later that night Brighid was on the phone with Brooke as she tried to get Jenny to sleep. She offered to watch her for an hour or so for Jake. Brighid wanted to prove to her parents, Jake and herself that she in fact could handle raising a child.

"He was sitting at a table with Peyton and her dad, looking quite cozy if I may add" Brooke explained.

"Brooke I bet it was nothing. Lucas likes you... a lot" Brighid said as she rocked the car seat. Jenny was still crying.

"Uh, remind me to take my birth control tomorrow morning" Brooke said into the phone as she heard Jenny crying in the background.

"Brooke I got to go. Just don't think too much into it. Lucas likes you" Brighid said before hanging up the phone.

She looked all for Jenny's pacifier but could find it. Brighid in her last attempt took the bay out of the car seat and softly bounced her up and down. Jenny slowly began to cry less and soon her heavy head rested on Brighid's shoulder.

"Hey" Jake said walking in. Brighid quickly placed her finger to her lip for him to be quiet.

"She just fell asleep" Brighid whispered.

Brighid walked over the crib which was in the living room and placed her down gently. Jake smiled and stroked back her hair before following Brighid into the kitchen.

It was there Brighid broke down crying.

"Brig? What happened?"

"I'm not cut out for this" Brighid cried feeling defeated it took her so long to put Jenny, her own daughter, down to sleep.

"Hey, if it's about Jenny. She's fuzzy for a good 15 minutes before bed. It's nothing you did or should have done differently" Jake reassured her.

"Are you sure?" Brighid asked wiping the tears hoping her mascara wasn't running down her face.

"Promise you" Jake said. Brighid leaned her head on his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her waist. The two hadn't discussed getting back together but Brighid was hoping for something in the future.