"Alright, P. Sawyer, what's going on?" Brooke Davis breezed into the Scott home slamming the door behind her.
"I haven't been that name in a while," a voice said.
Brooke could see movement on the couch and knew her best friend in the world was sitting in the house brooding about something. Since they were little, Peyton had a knack for crawling within herself. Of course, since marrying Lucas, she had shed that broody nature for the most part, except for today.
"You will always be P. Sawyer to me, even if you are P. Scott now," Brooke informed her as she plumped down the couch next to her. "Now, what is up?" Brooke looked at her friend with a hint of concern.
"Who says anything is up?" Peyton turned to Brooke as she fiddled with the brown pillow on her lap. "I am just sitting here."
"Okay," Brooke began brushing a lock of brown hair from her face. "First your husband calls me distraught that you won't leave the house." Brooke looks down at Peyton's attire of baggy sweats and an old band t-shirt. "And second, Miss. Rock fashion wouldn't be caught dead in that. Where is that trendy Peyton I have learned to love?"
"She is gone," Peyton said turning her head from Brooke. "Replaced by this."
Peyton lifted the pillow from her lap to expose the hint of a slightly distended abdomen. The results of Peyton and Lucas announcing her pregnancy four short months ago.
"Oh my god," Brooke said jumping up from the couch. "I race over here to check on you and you are brooding because you are finally showing?"
Peyton narrowed her gaze at Brooke. "This is serious," Peyton told her. "I have a huge meeting this afternoon and I have tried on everything in my closet and nothing fits."
Brooke took the pillow from Peyton. "Maybe because you wear a size zero and now that you are gaining some baby weight you actually weigh what normal people weigh." Brooke threw the pillow at Peyton's head.
"Hey, watch it." Peyton reclaimed the pillow and placed it back on her lap. "I'm pregnant."
"Right, you are pregnant," Brooke's voice grew soft. "And you have a healthy baby growing in there. Be glad of that."
"I am, Brooke, I promise." Peyton splayed her palm over her swollen tummy. She rubbed it gently. "It's just it seems I exploded over night. And I worry about how I look and what Lucas thinks and if I will be a good mother. And oh my god, what about giving birth?"
"You worry too much," Brooke told her. She sat back down beside Peyton and ran her fingers through Peyton's dark blonde hair. "But, luckily you have a best friend who knows a bit about fashion." Brooke smiled at her. "What time is your meeting?"
"It's at five," Peyton told her. Looking at the clock and noticing it was almost 10 a.m.
"Okay, I will be back here at 4 p.m." Brooke hopped up from the couch. "Be prepared to be amazed."
"Okay," Peyton threw Brooke a puzzled gaze but laughed in spite of herself. "By the way, I love you B. Davis."
"Back at you, P. Sawyer," Brooke smiled. "Scott," she added. Brooke leaned down and kissed Peyton's cheek and then was out the door.
Just as Brooke was getting in her car her cell phone rang. Looking down at the caller ID she saw it was Lucas. "Don't worry," she told him before Lucas could say hello. "Brooke is on the job."
"Uh, okay," Lucas said. "So, it isn't anything serious." Lucas' tone was laced with worry.
"Nothing a few yards of cloth and a best friend can't handle," Brooke told him with a smile. "Talk to you later. I have to get busy." Brooke hung up the phone and got in her car.
As promised, Brooke arrived back at Peyton and Lucas' house promptly at 4 p.m., this time with Millie in tow. She carried a garment bag and didn't wait for Peyton to say hello as she walked into the house.
"Well, hello Millie," Peyton said as she watched in awe at her friend Brooke at work. "What ya' got there, Brooke?"
"Oh, only my next new line, inspired by you." Brooke beamed. "I call it Rockin' Maternity Wear," Brooke said as she unzipped the garment bag to reveal her creations.
The three outfits were trendy, hip, casual and totally Peyton Sawyer Scott. A way for a mother-to-be to keep the look she craved and also let everyone know she had baby on the way.
"Brooke," Peyton almost screamed. "This is amazing."
"I know," Brooke said without a hint of shame. "What can I say, I work well under pressure."
"Try this one on," Brooke continued. She handed Peyton a pair of maternity jeans that looked worn and torn at the knees and a mulit-colored shirt.
When Peyton emerged from her bedroom wearing the outfit, Brooke and Mille smiled at each other and Peyton began to turn in circles.
"Wow," the three women heard a male voice say. "You do this?" Lucas asked Brooke.
"Yep." Brooke smiled and Peyton came over to hug her. "All for you," she whispered to Peyton.
Peyton thanked Brooke and walked over to Lucas who hugged her tightly, kissed the top of her head and placed his hand on her abdomen where their baby rested. "You look amazing," Lucas told Peyton. And he mouthed thank you to Brooke.
"Oh, look at the time," Peyton said. "I have to go to my meeting."
"I'll drive you," Lucas told her. "Don't want to let you out of my sight with you looking like that."
Peyton dipped her head and blushed as Lucas began to lead her out the door.
"Bye Brooke," Peyton called back. "I love you."
"Love you too, P. Sawyer," Brooke said.
With a sigh, she collapsed on the couch and smiled.
"That was great," Millie said. "But is that really our new line?"
"Did you see her," Brooke looked at Millie. "She looked amazing. Move over Clothes over Bros, Rockin' Maternity Wear is well, gonna' rock."