Chapter 7
"Grace?" Brooke called softly, quietly opening the front door.
"Miss Brooke?" Gracie asked, coming out of her room.
"Hey sweetie."
"What's wrong with Daddy?"
"I don't know Grace; I'm going to go see if I can figure out. Can you please go to your bedroom and pack a bag with a toothbrush, panties, pajamas, and a few outfits?"
Gracie nodded, and quietly slipped back into her bedroom.
Brooke went into the kitchen and found a pen and piece of paper. She quickly sprawled a note on the paper and she taped the note on the refrigerator. She turned to see Grace standing before her, a pink suitcase in one hand, the other clutching a worn stuffed pig.
"Is this your backpack?" Brooke asked, gesturing towards the bag on the kitchen table. Grace nodded. Brooke grabbed the bag, and lead Gracie out of the house.
Grace looked up at the woman in front of her, then back to the house that used to be so comforting, yet had become scary in the past two days. She climbed into the front seat of Brooke's tiny Honda, and glanced to the backseat to find the twins napping in identical car seats. Brooke slid into the seat beside her and pushed a CD into the player. It was Taylor Swift; the only CD Brooke owned that Gracie might know. They rode home without speaking, letting the music of the young star fill the car.
I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know,
I'll be strong, I'll be wrong,
Oh but life goes on,
Oh I'm just a girl, trying to find a place in this world.
Brooke was sitting in her studio staring at fabric samples. She was trying to decide between two swatches. She needed it to be perfect, it was her first dress that was going to be worn at the Emmys'.
"Miss Brooke?" Gracie called, peeking through the cracked door.
"Yes, sweetie?" Brooke responded, turning away from the fabric. Maybe fresh eyes would help.
"Can you sign my permission slip?"
Brooke nodded, and Grace let herself in and looked around while Brooke signed the paper.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked as Brooke handed her the paper back.
"I'm trying to pick a fabric," Brooke said, "Do you want to help?"
Gracie nodded, and moved closer to Brooke to see what was on her desk.
"I like this one," she said, pointing to an interesting white denim.
"Then it's settled," Brooke said, "White denim."
Grace smiled; she wasn't used to her suggestions being taken so seriously.
"Miss Brooke, I don't have anything to wear on Easter Sunday."
Brooke frowned. She was hoping Mouth would come to his senses by then.
"I can make you something," Brooke offered.
"Really?" Gracie asked, her face brightening.
"Yeah. I've already finished the twin's outfits."
"Can I help?"
Brooke nodded, pulled Grace onto her lap.
Brooke pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil, and the girls soon found themselves involved in an all-nighter.
That Sunday, Brooke loaded up all the kids into the car. She still hadn't heard from Mouth. Grace was dressed in the dress they had spent so much time making. It was a beautiful magenta color, with spaghetti straps and a pretty ruffled bib-front. They had gone shopping the day earlier, and had bought her a pair of strappy-white sandals, with just enough of a heel to make Gracie feel like a grown-up.
Celia and Keith were, of course, matching. Brooke had made Celia a pretty sleeve-less floral dress, with a green bow, that perfectly matched the one Brooke was wearing. She had curled her hair, and pulled it up into a half-ponytail with a huge white bow. Keith was wearing a little green polo that perfectly matched Celia's dress, and a tiny pair of khakis.
She dropped the kids off at Sunday school then climbed into her car and drove to Mouth's house. She walked through the open door and found him passed out on the couch.
"Hey," she said loudly. Mouth didn't stir.
"Hey!" she yelled, lightly kicking him.
Mouth slowly opened his eyes to find a very pissed off Brooke standing in front of him.
"Good, you're up," she started.
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but you'd better get over yourself and start being a father again."
Mouth forced himself to sit up, but didn't respond.
"You have a heart broken daughter at church right now. Or maybe not, because if you don't start treating her the way she deserves I'll call social services, and she won't be yours anymore. But I guess I needn't mind calling, she already lives with me.
"Gracie is a beautiful child, and I love having her around. I can't imagine the kind of scum that gains her trust then comes home one night and stops feeding her, and putting her to bed.
"So please Mouth, get over whatever's going on with you, because Grace needs you. And because, well, I need you too."
Mouth sat and let the words sink in.
"You need me?" he asked pathetically.
Brooke nodded, her mascara pouring down her face.
"I need you too Brooke."
He pulled himself off the couch, and pulled his friend into a hug.
"I love you Brooke," Mouth said.
"I love you too Mouth," she replied.
He caught her gaze, and then slowly but surely, placed a light kiss on her lips. Brooke stepped back shocked, then, as she looked the boy that had always loved her, she began to see a man. She caught his glance, and pulled his lips to her own. They stood in the middle of his living room for a hour, kissing until they ran out of breath.
I know it's hard on a rainy day
you want to shut the world out and just be left alone
But don't run out on your faith
'Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand
What you've been up there searching for
forever is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
seem so small
AN- Hello! Just to let you know, I'm not a huge Brooke/Mouth fan, but it just felt right in this story. The Scotts' Easter outfits are from the Portrait of Spring Collection by Hanna Andersson. So you can go on their website to check them out. The lyrics are A Place in This World by Taylor Swift and So Small by Carrie Underwood. Thanks for the reviews! Speaking of reviews, I would really love some! They really do make me update faster. Thanks!
