Summary: Single mother with six kids whose ex-husband is her best friend. Yeah, cause that's exactly would sound great on a dating website.
Disclaimer: I only own the kids, but even that isn't enough for me. The title comes from a Carrie Underwood song by the same name.
So with To Get To You coming to an end I decided to post my new story to see what kind of reviews I get and if I should continue it. Please let me know! Thanks! Enjoy!
Cupid's Got A Shotgun
Chapter One: Kids
"Yes," sighing "cause I have all the time in the world to date right now Hales." Brooke rolled her green eyes. Ever since the divorce three years ago, Haley has been pushing Brooke to get back out there and date, but between working and the kids she does not have the time to.
"It's been enough time since the divorce. Get out there again Tigger. You deserve it." Haley tried to butter her up before continuing to push for what she wants. "Nate and I will watch them when you have a date or better yet use the jerk, who I love, ex of a husband you have. I mean he is the father, he sure can watch him."
"Cause Lucas can handle six kids." Sarcasm dripped from her voice. "Hell, I can't even handle them. Luke up against Em and her hormones will kill everyone in sight." She cracked a joke. "I'm really tempted to send Gwenie and Teddy to the zoo. Who knows, maybe the zoo will want those monkeys. Or better yet do you think I can send them to the circus and run off with Fabio to live happily ever after without the annoyance of kids."
Gwendolyn "Gwenie" Lucy and Theodore "Teddy" Henry were the two uh-oh's that made the Scott family complete. Brooke always thought after four kids she was done until the red headed Gwenie was born. The terror on feet, she knew what she wanted and knew how to get it. Nothing would stop her, even at the age of six. She made Brooke nervous from the minute she started walking. Then three months later, Brooke became pregnant with Teddy she hoped for a much easier baby and her wish came true. He was so cuddly and always wanted to be held, which is where he got his nickname Teddy Bear.
"If you want Fabio, you need to get out to date." Haley pointed out. "When was the last time you've been on a date? High school? The kids are older now you can go out. Go do something fun without them." Haley tried to reason. "We all need time to focus on ourselves and right now you need it the most."
"I'll focus on myself when Teddy turns eighteen. Till then I'm a mommy first."
"He's five. Soon enough he won't need his mommy anymore. Damn, Lydia told me today she's too old to be driven to school by me. I embarrass her. I should embarrass her. I'm her mother, it's my job." She rambled on, laughing slightly. "Just one date, B. I'll sign you up for one of those dating websites. I was talking to Bevin while waiting to pick up Lydia and she said she met her new husband on one. It may work out if you try."
"I'm a mother to six kids, Haley. Every guy will jump at the chance when they see single mother to six kids whose ex-husband is always there." Brooke rolled her eyes again.
"Just let me sign you up and you can go on three dates and that's it."
"Let me think about it, you damn woodpecker." Brooke knew Haley, and knew her well. She wouldn't stop till she gave in. "But if I do, approving all possible dates. Got it?"
"We'll see about that. The first one will be a blind date. You need to get back into your groove." Haley laughed. "The old Brooke Davis- pre kids and Lucas needs to come back."
"The old Brooke Davis before kids and Lucas was a slut, Hales."
"Well sometimes you need to get laid so you're not so grumpy."
"By Hales. I've got to go. Lucas was on pick up duty. Let's see how he feels when he sees Em with a boyfriend and Rosie and Gwen's pierced ears. Oh he will love me today." Brooke clapped her hands. "He'll love me all over again."
"I will never understand you two."
Their marriage was good, but they distanced themselves over the years, six kids pulling you in every direction as well as jobs going in two different places. Lucas traveled to New York City constantly to meet with his editors while Brooke stayed behind running her business from their small hometown.
"Mom I'm going to kill dad!" Emmeline stormed into the house. Footsteps of six other people followed behind her at a slower pace.
Emmeline Kate Scott was her father's daughter with her mother's personality. Her father's looks encompassed her from her blonde hair to her blue eyes that sometimes look green depending on the light. She was hell on wheels. She was stubborn and knew what she wanted and how to go and get it.
"Let the chaos begin." Brooke mumbled to herself, tossing the phone on the cushion next to her and her cup on the coffee table. "What happened Em?"
"Ask him! He ruined my life today. Do you know how embarrassing he can be, Mother?" She huffed, plopping down on the couch. "Father's should not be allowed to be on the school grounds no matter what."
"Luke, what did you do?" Brooke asked nervously as she tried to hide her laughter. Brooke saw this whole situation coming the moment Em was placed in her arms at birth. Right then and there Lucas gave her the 'no boys till your fifty' conversation. "Scratch that. Em, what did he do?"
"He dragged her to the car, Mommy! It was funny!" Teddy's angelic laugh went through out the house as he jumped into his mother's arms.
"In front of everyone!"
"Maybe if you weren't locking lips with a guy I wouldn't have too!" Lucas sighed. He hated teenage years. Hated it with a complete and utter passion. He wanted to just lock her away in a room till her emotions are in control.
"One kiss dad, that was all." The infamous Emmeline eye roll took place. "And he's my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend? No boys, no, no no!" Lucas yelled.
"Lucas, calm down, go have a beer. Boys are going to be in and out of her life for a while now."
"Brooke that's not helping."
"Dad, this is not something to have a heart attack over." Em sighed loudly, expressing her annoyance.
"Your room, now." He pointed to the staircase.
"You can't be serious dad!"
"Listen to him, Emmeline." Brooke sighed. She didn't agree with the punishment. Emmeline was acting her normal self, attitude yes but she's a teen still and Lucas and her agreed that they would be agreement with all punishments set by the other. "Go."
"He doesn't even belong here, why does he get to punish me?" Em stomped up the stairs mumbling under her breath. "I just don't get it."
"Watch it, Emmeline." Lucas warned.
"Emmy's in trouble! Emmy's in trouble!" Theodore skipped around the living room, chanting loudly because he could.
"Do you want to be in trouble?" Lucas's eyes went directly to his youngest son. The blue eyes met blue eyes and Teddy calmed down in an instant mumbling a no for a response. "That's what I thought."
Being divorced didn't do anything much to effect the family, they were still all together multiple times during the week. Lucas would even come over for dinner before taking the kids over to his three-bedroom apartment for his nights. If one kid had a school or sporting event, the family went as a whole to support it. They will always be a family.
"Where's Sully?" Brooke looked around missing her middle son, one that was broody and shy like his father, one that loved to read and write even at eleven-years-old. He was a little nerdy at times; wearing t-shirts with characters from books Brooke has never heard of and had glasses that didn't help much.
"Shit!" Lucas mumbled throwing his hands in the air. "I knew I was forgetting something."
Being the smarty-pants in the family, Sullivan Micah was sent to a specialized elementary school that targets his needs for learning. It was in the next town over, making bussing impossible, and Lucas forgot multiple times to pick him up.
"Daddy! You need to put a dollar in the swear jar!" Gwenie stated pointing to the jar filled with single dollar bills and a couple of five-dollar bills. The swear jar is a jar that was started when Patrick's first words was "uck" but Lucas and Brooke both knew what he meant. They had to change their language, and change it fast. Brooke caught on quickly and only had a few slips, but Lucas on the other hand needed to have singles on him at all times. "You said a bad word!"
"Later, baby. Daddy did a big uh-oh and has to go fix it." Lucas sighed running his hands through his longer than normal blonde hair.
"How can you do this? It's not like it's the first time." Brooke followed him outside, clearly upset. "Yes, he's quiet and not at the same school but hell Lucas, you dropped him off this morning."
"Stop with the nagging Brooke. I fucked up okay? I'll make it better by going to get him now." He climbed into that stupid truck that he bought the minute the divorce went through because Brooke made him give up his hotrod when baby number four came along.
"I come too!" Gwenie and Teddy ran out the door, almost pushing Brooke over as they climbed into the SUV that Lucas hates driving.
"The things you do." Brooke mumbled to herself throwing her hands up in defeat.
After twelve years of marriage the bickering started, just like what happened. Brooke would fight every little thing and Lucas would fight back. They both were so stubborn and always had to be correct. It ended in the distance and the fighting.
"Mom?" Rosalie skipped over to Brooke. "You'd never guess what Lydia taught me!"
Brooke sucked in a breath. The nine-year-old was best friend's with her eleven-year-old cousin. Rosalie Clara was the sweet but sassy angel. She, thanks to Lucas started at a young age, could play basketball with her eyes closed. She loved the sport, but as she got older her love turned to girlier things- Brooke expertise. She had raven locks that fell to her lower back and her green eyes sparkled in the sun. She was gorgeous but doesn't every parent think his or her kid is gorgeous?
"What did she teach you know?" Brooke was nervous. Last time Lydia taught Rosalie anything, she came home saying 'whatever' to everything. Sure it wasn't bad, but it was just annoying.
"What sex is! Uncle Nathan gave her the talk cause she's a woman now." Rosalie nodded her head. "I'm almost a women, did you know that?"
"Please not yet." She made a mental note to talk to Nathan about what he tells Lydia and also to make a note to keep her innocent Rosie away from Lydia. "Baby, stay my baby forever."
"Teddy's your baby, Mommy. I'm getting older you know."
"Whatever you say Darling. All of you go pack a bag for the night. It's your father's night for all you." Brooke shoved them all up the stairs with groans of complaints. The kids loved their dad but having to share a room wasn't what they really liked. In Lucas's small three-bedroom townhome, the girls shared one room and the boys shared a room leaving Lucas with his own. The three-bedroom townhome was their old beach house. Many memories encompassed that house.
Whenever Lucas did pickup it meant one thing, kids are with him for the night. The silence helped Brooke relax, and most of the time she'd pick up a shift at the café to let Haley go home to her family or help out with the dinner rush. She loved it when the kids were really young and their back office turned into a playroom. That she missed terribly.
"Em?" Brooke knocked on her eldest's door.
"Why does he get to punish me if he doesn't even live here? Like seriously Mom?" Emmeline laid on her back on her bed. She was not even looking at Brooke but she did that a lot. Em's room was a representation of her. Walls filled with boy band posters, pictures of the family and pictures of friends. A shelf in the one corner held cheerleading and gymnastic trophies that she worked hard for.
"Cause he's still your father, Em. He has that right no matter where you are." She patted her daughter's leg. "Get ready to go."
"Sadly." Em pouted falling back on her bed. "I hate it there."
"Its one night, babe. That's all." Brooke laughed it off before leaving the room.
"But on Saturday, Trent asked me out, but it's Dad's weekend and he'll say no to it. I wanna go to the dance, Mom. I should be allowed to."
"Tell him about the dance and leave out the boy. A little lie never hurt your father." Brooke laughed. "If he says anything about it afterwards, I'll deal with him."
"Thanks, Mom."
"Anytime Emmy Kay. Finish getting ready."
Ten minutes later, Lucas returned as the kids waiting in the TV room for him.
"I can only say sorry so many times, Sul. I know it was shitty but you gotta stop with the silence treatment. Your ten."
"Eleven dad, I'm eleven now." Sullivan stuttered slightly. He never spoke up like this, which shocked Brooke tremendously.
"You are?" Lucas looked just as shocked. He remembers birthdays horribly. Brooke buys him a calendar every Christmas with a years worth of pictures of the kids for him to remember birthdays and other special days that year. "Not the point, Sully. It was a mistake and I'll make it up tonight. We'll get ice cream later? All of use."
"Ice cream?" Gwenie cheered jumping up and down with excitement.
"I can't have ice cream. You should know that."
"Sully, go grab your bag, okay?" Brooke tried to calm the situation, hoping to have Sullivan leave for a little will help with the situation.
"Got any beer?" Lucas headed through the house towards the kitchen.
"You have your own beer. Leave mine for myself."
Instead of listening, Lucas grabbed one and made himself at home of the couch next to his kids, ignoring the death glare coming from Brooke.
"I'm ready." Sully spoke softly, only looking at the ground.
"Thanks for the beer, gorgeous." Lucas kissed Brooke's cheek like nothings changed before piling all the kids in the car.
"Enjoy tonight, and remember you have school tomorrow." Brooke yelled after them, knowing they'll choose to ignore him. "I need a beer." Brooke mumbled to herself.
Laying on the couch in silence, Brooke's eyes wondered around the house. Even though Lucas and her are not married anymore, there were family photos with both of them in it all around. Brooke couldn't part with the precious photos of her children progressing in age. They were memories that helped shaped her, and her family to who they were today.
"Fuck this." Brooke was bored and lonely with everyone gone. This large house did much to comfort her loneliness. Maybe Haley was right, maybe she needed to get back out there again. But dating after almost twenty years of not dating? The whole idea made Brooke cringe, but it maybe the right step.
"Hey Hales," Brooke nervously stated into the phone. She was feeling herself chicken out about doing this.
"What can I do for you, Tigger?" Haley laughed.
"I think I may take you up on your offer. It's kind of lonely being all by myself."
"Oh my gosh, this will be amazing!" Haley cheered. "Oh we are so going to find you an amazing guy! Cheer up a little! Any guy will love you and those kids."
"I hope you are right, Tutor Girl." Brooke nervously let out a laugh. "Let's just see if I get the guts to do this and if Lucas acknowledges it."
"I don't understand you two. You both still act like a happily married couple. Why would it matter if he acknowledges it?"
"Just set up the profile and inform me when you get a guy, okay? Bye Tutor Mom." Brooke laughed hanging up her phone.
Cupid's finally gonna help her out again. Here goes nothing.