Chapter 22! YAY! OK… Like I said this chapter will have a lot of stuff you may need for the sequel. Some of it may seem like pointless information but there is a point to all of it, I swear. LOL… it may seem strange and make no since now, but it will. This chapter is pretty short because I am building up for next chapter, the last one and Brooke's party. So far… I have nothing so any ideas are greatly appreciated! LOL. This is going to be the last update until after Thanksgiving for 2 reasons. 1 I don't have time to write it with Thanksgiving and shopping and fun stuff like that and 2 I am sure you guys don't have time to sit down and read it until maybe Saturday or Sunday. So I just wanted to warn you guys about that. Also until after Christmas my updates may be a little more spaced out sometimes… Cheerleading season has hit HARD and I am always gone with my sister. LOL. Anyway I will try and warn you guys if it is ever going to be more than 7 days between updates. Enjoy and Please review!
"Mommy! Lets goes" Emma yelled as Brooke hurried to get her tank top on.
Lucas was of course sick with the flu, and had been pretty sick since they had gotten back from Myrtle Beach. Brooke was calling it the never-ending hangover. Nathan and Haley had gone back home to Amber, poor Haley worrying about everything that could have gone wrong. She wasn't usually like that, but Nathan said ever since she had gotten pregnant her hormones had been so out of whack you never knew what she was going to do. This left Brooke alone taking care of 2 kids.
Emma had Tae Kwon Do at 9:40. Then Lunch at McDonalds or Chic-Fil-A with some kid that Emma just had to have lunch with, and Brooke was conned into taking her with those sad little puppy eyes. No telling who it was going to be this week. Emma had a new best friend every day so it was just too hard to keep up. Then she would take Emma and Austin to the mall where they would be thoroughly spoiled and then finally home to whining Lucas. The fact that she knew the schedule of her entire day creeped her out but at the same time comforted her.
"Ok Em, I'm ready… calm down" Brooke sighed running down the stairs with Austin in her arms, where Emma was waiting at the front door with her flip-flops
"My belt"
"Damn… where did I put it?"
"Belwa was is eating it" Emma giggled pointing to Bella who was asleep on her back on the couch
"Great… Austin no, leave your shoe on baby… we're going to watch Emmy break boards and kick people…Ah Ha! Ok, found the belt… lets go" Brooke said pulling the belt out from under the couch
"Dada"
"Daddy's sick… Luke, we're leaving. Do you need anything?" Brooke yelled up the stairs
"Nyquil" Lucas coughed back
"Some Jack Daniels will do the same thing…"
"Please"
"Ok, bye gorgeous" Brooke yelled back as she shut the door behind her
After stopping at IHOP to get some breakfast, then the gas station to get some gum the finally got to Tae Kwon Do only 5 minutes late, a new record considering Emma was late every week by at least 10 minutes.
"Sorry… she's here" Brooke said handing Emma over to her instructor Chris. Chris was a tall blonde scruffy guy, a lot like Lucas muscle wise, maybe 3 years older who had been taking Tae Kwon Do since he was 8. He was absolutely thrilled to have Emma in his class, even if she was late every week. Emma was of course the smallest in her class of kids ranging from 3-5 year olds. She wasn't the only girl, but she was the only one who wasn't shy and would actually do things in class. She was always showing off her painted nails or her French braided pigtails to every boy in the class. Then she had to out do everyone, including the boys by kicking the highest or yelling the loudest.
"No problem… Emma are you ready for class?" Chris asked ticking Emma
"Yes Sir" Emma giggled
"Well… I see we have finally gotten the Yes Sir part down… Good job, now run in class and I'll be in there in a minute after I talk to your mother"
"Kiss" Brooke said bending down to Emma's level
"Loves you"
"Love you most… do good today, don't kick any boys in the" Brooke started knowing Emma would finish
"Nuts… I knows"
"That's my girl… don't want to damage their future off-spring. Ok go kick some ass" Brooke giggled giving her one last quick kiss
"Ma'am" Chris smiled
"Please don't call me ma'am… dude, I'm younger than you are. Its Brooke"
"Right, Brooke… I just wanted to ask you a favor"
"Sure…" Brooke smiled sitting down on a bench so she could watch Emma
"Well Emma does great in class… with everything but saying yes ma'am and yes sir… I was wondering if you made her say those at home"
"No…"
"Why?" Chris asked blankly like it was some kind of crime
"Because she isn't in the military and as long as she answers Lucas and I we're good"
"I see… Well ok then, I had better get class started. Parents are starting to get huffy…"
"Have fun" Brooke laughed
"With a class of 16, 3 and 4 year olds… Always"
"He has it bad for me" Brooke giggled once he was out of earshot
"He has it bad for every mother under 40" The lady beside her laughed
"Nice… a player. Austin, don't be a player, ask daddy what happens when you are a player… bad, bad things, especially if mommy is the girl you play"
"Not just him, all the instructors here have some moral problems"
"There all in college… what do you expect?" Brooke asked laughing looking over at the 4 instructors shooting glances at her
"Well I was just thinking of talking to Master Lee about it"
"He's the Korean dude who runs all the classes right?" Brooke asked. She really had no idea who was who in this place other than Emma's teacher and the girl who helped him out in the class
"Yes… nice, nice man"
"I bet" Brooke smiled rolling her eyes. She hared women like this, women who felt the need to start up some random conversation about things that had absolutely no point. Why couldn't she just watch in silence?
"Look at the little girl! She is here every week giggling and smiling… you can tell she really likes it. She's yours right?"
"Emma… yea she's mine. I wanted her to be a ballet dancer" Brooke laughed
"She is tiny enough, and so funny! Just last week she came out of class and I asked her if she had been sweating. Do you know what she said to me?"
"Do I want to know?" Brooke asked. There was no telling what Emma told people when she wasn't around.
"She goes I don't sweat, I glisten. I thought I was going to fall out of my chair"
"That's Emma…"
"Well I had better go… Mario is out of his private lesson. He is getting ready to test for his red belt" The woman smiled proudly like it was the greatest thing ever
"Wow" Brooke laughed
"Yes, I am proud… it was nice talking to you"
"You too… not" Brooke giggled to Austin once he was out of earshot
"No"
"No is right, ugh I bet that's daddy calling to complain about his head or his back or something… Hello?" Brooke whined grabbing her ringing phone
"Brooke"
"Yes…"
"Its me" Someone yelled into the speaker
"Me?"
"Tim… duh!" Tim laughed
"Right, Tim…"
"I need to know Lucas's wife's name for her birthday present"
"You are such a dumbass" Brooke sighed. Poor Tim…
"What? Lucas said if I didn't get something nice for her then he was going to kick my ass, apparently coupons for free sex with me aren't nice"
"Tim… her name is Brooke. B-R-O-O-K-E!" Brooke spelled out slowly
"Wait… damn it!"
"What now?"
"I forgot… Liked Peyton, Dated Brooke, Cheated with Peyton, Got Brooke Pregnant, Didn't cheat with Peyton, Married Brooke…" Tim whispered to himself
"Tim… I think college just may be doing something for you after all"
"You think?"
"No… ok can I go now?" Brooke begged. Parents were starting to look at her funny and getting frustrated
"Wait… Do you think she would like a cat? I got her a cat"
"Tim… No! Tim! NO animals…" Brooke yelled into the phone. They did not need anymore animals. The barely had time for the 3 they had
"Whatever dude… cats rule, ok I will see you next week at the party"
"Next week… uh Tim, the party is in 3 weeks.3 weeks from today in um, Fayetteville" Brooke lied
"Peyton told me next week"
"Peyton was lying… she just didn't want you to come"
"Damn that cheating liar" Tim yelled
"I know… terrible isn't she"
"Thanks Brooke… you and Nathan have a good life"
"Thanks Dim…I hope you and whatever you are smoking have one too, bye now" Brooke giggled
"Teresa, I'm dating Teresa"
"Good to know Dim… Tell her BROOKE says hi… bye" Brooke said hanging up the phone. That was defiantly a match made in heaven. Tim and Teresa… they were going to have some stupid children.
Lucas laid in bed staring at the blank TV. He had forgotten to ask Brooke to give him the remote before she left and now he was stuck with nothing to do. He had tried to call Nathan but he was out playing ball, and Haley was too busy teaching Amber to do a headstand to talk. Then he had called Keith to see how he was doing but his mother had answered to he had had to hang up fast. Then he called Peyton but she and Jake were gone somewhere. That just left Mouth…
"Hello" Mouth answered once Lucas had dialed
"Dude… its Lucas"
"Hey, can I call you back? I have company" Mouth said nervously
"Girl Company?"
"Yes"
"Nice going man, anyone I know" Lucas asked
"It's not Brooke" Mouth said quickly
"I knew that" Lucas laughed. Poor Mouth still had it bad for Brooke and she was totally oblivious, which was probably a good thing since she would most likely be totally creeped out by the whole situation.
"Its Bevin"
"The Cheerleader?"
"Yea…"
"Wow Mouth… you go do your business dude" Lucas laughed
"I'll call you back later?"
"Bye man"
It was weird now that all the high school cliques were gone. It was almost like all the drama that people went through in high school wasn't even worth it now because college was a totally different place. It wasn't about the tortured jocks who were just trying to slide by or the nerds who were just trying to get by anymore. All the pain that had once consumed them all into their own little worlds was gone, big or small it didn't matter anymore. Like a every wise young girl had once told him "In the end, it all hurts the same" and she was right. He couldn't remember most of the things that he had gone in high school other than the obvious, all the drama of trying to figure out who he was really in love with and whether or not he was making the right choice, it all just kind of fell into place.
Lucas knew he was bored now that he was analyzing his high school years or "brooding" as Brooke would have put it if she had been there. He still had no idea what he was going to get her for her birthday. She was so hard to shop for because whatever she wanted she bought. It was that simple to her, but it made it hard on everyone else. A dog was out of the question since neither of them wanted another animal. Jewelry was always an option, but it just seemed so cliché. Whatever he decided, he had to do it fast.
Brooke finally drug Emma out of Tae Kwon Do after agreeing to eat with her friend Samantha, her mother and her new baby sister. Emma the social butterfly was going to eat with someone if it killed her. Brooke didn't mind having lunch with them. It was just that she didn't really like other people's kids. All of Emma's friends were so immature and whiney, while Emma acted like she was 3 going on 23. She didn't throw a fit if she didn't get what she wanted, or cling all over Brooke's legs because she was shy. She was just Emma, the perfect 3 year old as Brooke liked to put it.
"Where ares we going?" Emma asked as Brooke drive towards the chain of fast food restaurants.
"McDonalds… but we could drive down to Tree Hill and go to Blue post Billiards if you want. I think I could get you in with my fake ID"
"Doeses it have a playpace?"
"No, but it is the place where I got your daddy tattooed, drunk and robbed him of his virginity all in the same night" Brooke giggled giving Austin the thumbs up
"You rocked his world?"
"Babe, I always rock daddy's world. I'm good like that"
"I be good wike that?" Emma asked
"With my genes you will be, believe me… but not until your 30" Brooke added in quickly
"Yay… we're heres!"
"Ugh, she drives a mini-van… Emma this should prove to you how much I love you, I don't do this for just anyone"
"I knows" Emma giggled throwing her hands up for Brooke to help her out
"You know? You always know… now get your cute butt out of this car and go play, K?"
"K" Emma giggled running towards the door
"Brooke… Stacey and I are here... Stacey… What are mother's rules?"
"No strangers, no boys, no older kids" Stacey said almost like a robot
"Good dear… Jenna and I will follow"
"You've got that one whipped" Brooke laughed
"Excuse me?"
"I mean she listens every well"
"Yes… Tae Kwon Do has helped a lot with that. Stacey! You may not play until you eat" The woman yelled
"Yes ma'am"
"Me toos mommy?" Emma asked confused whether her rules had changed too
"Em, what is my biggest rule in the whole world?"
"Donts have sex"
"Other than that…" Brooke laughed rolling her eyes
"Haves fun"
"Good… you can play if you want, or sit with Austin and I"
"I sit with you"
"How old is she?" Brooke asked pointing to the tiny carrier beside Stacey's mom
"6 weeks"
"You look good to have had a baby just 6 weeks ago" Brooke lied trying to be nice. The woman was huge…
"We adopted her. Stacey and Jenna were both adopted"
"Wow…" Was all Brooke would utter. She had had no idea at all.
"Didn't have a choice. I got pregnant at 16 with twins, I carried them to term and then there were complications."
"I'm sorry…"
"Adoption is great though, you and your husband should consider it"
"I think 2 is enough for us. Right Emmy?"
"Rights…"
Lucas was asleep when the phone rang waking him up. It always seemed to work like that when he was sick. When he wanted to talk no one was home… but when he finally got to sleep, there was the phone.
"Hello" He answered groggily
"Hey Handsome" Brooke giggled sounding silkily Cheery
"Hey"
"You seem better"
"Liar… what are you guys doing" Lucas asked coughing
"Lunch… Emma is taking Austin down the slide… So I talked to Tim"
"Really?"
"Yea… he called me to get birthday present ideas for your wife" Brooke laughed
"Dumbass"
"That's what I said"
"So when are you guys going to be home?" Lucas whined trying to get her home
"Miss me?"
"Not really"
"Now whose the liar?" Brooke giggled
"I'm bored"
"Aww, poor baby… lets have a pity party" Brooke laughed
"Bite me… you're a mean wife. Haley stays home with Nathan"
"Not until the germs are gone… and Haley doesn't have 2 children"
"Seriously though, home?" Lucas asked trying to sound pathetic
"No shopping?"
"I might do something drastic to relieve my boredom"
"Good lord your worse than Emma… We're on our way" Brooke laughed
"Love you"
"Liar… bye"
Brooke walked into the play place to track down Emma and Austin who were god only knew where. Play Places were like magnets for those 2. She could probably leave them there all day and they wouldn't even notice.
"Emma, Austin… lets go save daddy from himself"
"No shopping?" Emma asked
"No shopping…"
"Go ba bye" Austin asked
"Yes, bye bye… tell Stacey Bye Emma"
"Bye!" Emma yelled as they walked out.
Lucas paced up and down the floor in front of the bed. He felt like crap but he had been lying down for way too long. His legs and shoulder were aching from not moving them for so long and his head was pounding. He wasn't sure what having Brooke home was going to do for this but he hoped just having someone to talk too would make it better plus it meant she wouldn't go shopping, thus leaving something out there that she wanted and didn't have.
Brooke drove towards home by way of Target and as soon as she, Emma and Austin had gotten them each something to keep them entertained while they were stuck at home with sick Lucas they got back on the road.
"Turns it" Emma whined as Hilary Duff came over the radio
"Honey… we're both just going to have to except the fact that Hilary Duff is the new Brittany" Brooke laughed flipping it to a CD
"She is is too ugly"
"Yes" Brooke agreed. She loved to listen to Emma's ranting… It was just funnier when it came from a 3 year old
"Ands she is bad"
"Yes"
"I donts like her" Emma giggled
"Me either… She needs to die that fake blonde hair"
"Wike Peyton?"
"Yes… Son of a bitch!" Brooke yelled as a pick-up truck smashed into the back of her
"What is your problem lady?"
"Emma, Austin are you guys ok?" Brooke asked turning around to make sure they were ok
"Yea" Emma answered but Austin just cried
"Come here baby… don't cry… Look you asshole! You hit me!"
"Well you were driving like a lunatic!" The man yelled throwing his hands in the air
"Really? Because he way it looks to me YOU were driving like a lunatic. I have kids in the car!"
"Is that my fault?"
"Screw you, you know what? The police will deal with you, Emma hand me my phone" Brooke yelled giving him the finger as she walked back to her car
"Don't bother, I'll call them"
"I know you will…I'm calling my husband"
"Hello?" Lucas asked
"Lucas… some idiot just smashed the hell out of my car" Brooke cried
"Brooke, what? Are you guys ok?"
"Yes, but my car isn't!"
"We can get it fixed" Lucas said trying to comfort her over the phone, which wasn't easy
"You haven't seen the car"
"Where are you?" Lucas asked
"Um, right by target?"
"Brooke, is that you?" Jeff yelled from the curb
"Yay! It's Jeff… I'll call you back babe, get some sleep" Brooke said excitedly hanging up the phone
"Brooke"
"Jeff! That son of a b" Brooke started
"I know… I saw… Have you called the police?"
"He is doing it right now…"
"Ok… here let me take Austin, you get Emma she looks freaked" Jeff laughed seeing Emma staring at the back of the smashed car
"Thanks"
"Mommy… did the car die?"
"No! This car will not die… I love this car, you were conceived in this car"
"I wanna go home"
"Me too, but we have to wait for the police to come"
Finally after 30 minutes of waiting and Brooke cussing the man out every 5 the police came and filled out a report.
"It's totaled" The officer said handing Brooke the 2nd car seat from the backseat
"What? No… It can't be totaled"
"I'm sorry ma'am"
"But," Brooke cried
"Ma'am…why don't you go home and we will call you with updates"
"But"
"Brooke" Jeff said trying to pull her away
"I love that car"
"More than you love you children… you should go talk to them"
"That car is the reason I have my children…" Brooke whined
"Ma'am… your insurance will cover it."
"But I want that car"
"Come on Brooke" Jeff laughed
"Fine… but don't you dare move that car until I get my husband out here to look at it. He can fix it!" Brooke yelled as Jeff drug her away
"Brooke isn't Lucas sick?"
"Your point is?" Brooke asked climbing into the front seat of Jeff's car
"Awre you ok mommy?" Emma asked patting her on the shoulder
"No" Brooke whined
"Brooke… it was just a car" Jeff laughed as he drove
"Ba bye" Austin waved to the car
"No Austin! Don't tell the car bye bye. Mommy is getting her car back if I have to sell a child… ok that was a joke… but I'll sell Lucas"
"I'll be sure to tell him how much you love him when they put you in the Looney house!"
"Emma and Austin will come see me wont you guys?" Brooke asked
"Yea"
"And they'll bring me drugs…"
"Buts yous will is be a cwrack whore" Emma giggled
"Then you can be a crack whores daughter, where's Linda?"
"Hospital" Jeff answered
"Why?"
"They, they found something in her scan… its probably nothing but we just want to be sure"
"Wow… I'm sorry here I am being a crazy person and you have real problems"
"It's ok Brooke, we all know you are a crazy person" Jeff laughed pulling into her drivway where Lucas was walking outside
"True, but still is there anything I can do?"
"If you wanted to give her some company tomorrow that would be great, I'll watch the kids"
"Sure" Brooke smiled
"Brooke, you cant just hangs up on me like that! You scared the hell out of me" Lucas coughed hugging her when she got out of the car
"Sorry… You look sick, really, really sick, ok come on"
"Where are we going?"
"We are taking your car to look at my car"
"Brooke, I'm sick" Lucas coughed
"We'll my cars sicker!" Brooke whined
"Well I know what I am getting her for her birthday"
Spoilers: Next Chapter is the last chapter! I swear it will be better than this one LOL! Please Review!