"Pearl Jam is pretty cool but they are not the best band ever, Lucas."
"Yeah? And who is? N Sync?" he grinned.
It was early morning and the two were out for a jog on the beach. Lucas was growing stronger by the day and he had been eager to do more and more. It was supposed to be good exercise. It was painful and he wasn't as fast as he had hoped but it was at least a step. As always, Brooke was there right by his side to encourage and help all the while dousing the conversation with her salty sarcasm and plenty of teasing.
"The Bee Gees. The Bee Gees were the greatest band ever. Now take that, Mr. Timberlake."
"Bee Gees, huh?" Lucas chuckled.
"What's wrong with the Bee Gees? And you better watch it or else I'll punch you."
"Nothing. The Bee Gees were cool, I'll admit it. I even liked that Saturday Night Fever movie even though you tortured me with the DVD like ten million times. Still they're no Pearl Jam. In a way it's like comparing apples and oranges, you know? I'm just surprised you said that. I was expecting something else."
"What, the Backstreet Boys?"
"Maybe", he shrugged.
"The Bee Gees were great for that time. Disco was fun and free and that's what people needed at that time especially after the Vietnam War and all. When you hear that music, it makes you want to get up and dance and have fun. Like my favorite song was 'Night Fever', oh my God, you should see Gordie in his white suit doing his best John Travolta impersonation. My favorite song of all time is 'How Deep Is Your Love?' The words are,
I know your eyes in the morning sun
I feel you touch me in the pouring rain
And the moment that you wander far from me
I wanna feel you in my arms again
And you come to me on a summer breeze
Keep me warm in your love and then softly leave
And it's me you need to show ....
How deep is your love?
I really need to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
We belong to you and me
…I don't know. It sounds weird but the lyrics kind of touched me"
"I agree", he shrugged, carefully studying the thoughtful expression on her face.
Even though she was running at a relatively slow pace, Lucas was finding it awful difficult to keep up with her. It was hard. He had always been so competitive and athletic, always the leader. Now he was struggling just to make it, just to keep up. That bruised his ego beyond repair. Ignoring the pain, he pressed on, not really paying attention to what Brooke was saying. He was so uncomfortable it was hard to pay attention to anything. He didn't even see the broken piece of branch in front of him.
"Fuck!" he screamed out as he fell forward.
Brooke stopped and turned around in time just to see hit the ground with a sickening thud. He had landed hard on his knee.
"Are you okay, Luke? Can you get up?"
Pain etched on his face and four letter words spewing from his mouth, he pulled himself to a steady standing position. A small trickle of blood dripped from his knee.
"Damn", he yelled again.
"You okay? Are you gonna be able to walk?"
Lucas sucked in his breath and took a few wobbly steps forward. Nothing seemed to be broken or injured too badly except for his pride. He was tired. Tired of falling, tired of being off balance, tired of not being the man he used to be. His fall was simply the last straw in the middle of a frustrating road to redemption.
"Come on. It doesn't look too bad."
"I can't", Lucas pouted.
"What do you mean?"
"You heard me. It hurts and it's hard to walk. Fuck this. I've had enough for today anyway."
"Luke, what are you saying?"
"Brooke, not now."
"Come on", she laughed out loud. "I can't believe you. Quit being such a baby. I've seen you go through much worse and now you want to complain about a little scratch that stopped bleeding in 2.2 seconds."
"You don't understand, Brooke. When are you gonna get it through your thick skull that I am sick with a heart condition and sometimes I am in serious pain?"
"Oh I understand alright. I understand that every time the going gets a little tough, Lucas Eugene Scott gets going. I'm sorry this is not a bed of roses for you but who ever said it would be? This is hard, Luke and it's supposed to be. You're gonna have to tough it out. Push forward, stay focused, suck up the pain and do what you have to do."
"Whatever. I'm not in the mood for one of your stupid pep talks."
"Stupid pep talks? Oh really? I came here to help you. My health is fine, Lucas. I could jog to Georgia and back. I did all this for you and all you want to do is cry and complain. The world isn't fair, huh? Boo hoo, welcome to reality there, kiddo. Now I know you're in pain. I know a defective heart is no day at the park and it's gonna take a whole hell of a lot to recover. But I also know that you can do this."
"You don't know, Brooke. You don't know shit. That's the problem. You only think you do."
To her surprise, his words stung like a slap in the face. In a way it was. With nothing left to say, Brooke turned on her heels and jogged off. He cursed himself for being such an idiot but he knew there was no use in running after her. Lame apologies weren't going to make anything better. She was pissed and he knew it.
"Brooke, sweetie, where did you say the candles were again?"
"In the drawer! Gosh, do I have to do everything around here?" she yelled as she retreated to the bedroom and slammed the door.
Mary winced and looked at Haley and Mikayla who just shrugged. About that time the front door opened and a sweaty Lucas entered the house.
"Luke, just in time. Your FedEx package arrived."
"Whatever", he mumbled, shutting his door so hard the entire room shook.
"I don't understand", Mary said. "This morning they left like old friends going out for a jog. They come back ready to kill each other and everybody else."
"Those two are weird", Mikayla shrugged.
Everyone else seemed to share the same feelings. Lucas and Brooke were weird, for lack of a better word.
"Well, they better stop before the party starts", Haley sighed.
"Stop what?" Karen asked as she emerged from the bathroom.
"Everybody's favorite soon to be divorcees are at it again."
Karen just shook her head as she stared sadly at her little granddaughter. It was Harmony's first birthday and in a few hours a party was scheduled to start to celebrate that. Now everything depended on whether or not her parents could keep from killing one another. Meanwhile Brooke remained seething inside her bedroom trying to get ready. She didn't even look at the Caller ID on her cell phone as she was applying mascara.
"Hello?"
"It's Little Diva's first birthday!"
"Hey Gordie", Brooke greeted, less than enthused.
"Damn. And hello to you too. You know better than to be greeting me with that funky ass attitude. I didn't do nothing to you. Hell, I didn't sleep with you last night. Actually nobody did which might explain the funky attitude."
"Gordon, I am not in the mood right now."
"So I see. What happened now? Tell the Gordon. Come on child."
"Nothing. I'm fine. I refuse to let my Prozac needing, irritating shit of a soon to be ex husband ruin this day for me."
"What did Judas do now?"
"We were having the best day and we've been getting along and we were excited about Harmony's birthday party so we decided to run on the beach this morning. Everything was going great until he tripped and fell. Totally not my fault but of course he lapses into pout mode and well you can imagine the rest. I am so sick of him, Gordon. It's like having two kids around and half the time Harmony is the more mature one."
"Child, it's that male pride and testosterone thing."
"Really?"
"I guess so or at least that's what I heard on Regis and Kelly. Shit, Diva, I don't know! I'm out of advice when it comes to this unhealthy bipolar connection you and Judas have. Anyway, I just called to wish my goddaughter a happy birthday and to send my regrets for not being able to make it to her party."
"Yeah, I'm sure you are regretting being holed up in Jamaica of all places", Brooke rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Actually, I am. I'm here for work and unfortunately there are no men here, just female models so yes I would rather be eating cupcakes and drinking Kool Aid with you hags right about now."
"You have such a way with words", Brooke teased.
"Did you get my gift? Did little Harmony like it?" Gordon asked, ignoring her.
"Uh, I loved the two thousand dollar Dolce and Gabanna bracelet you bought my one year old", Brooke laughed. "And Harmony likes it too…I think. She at least likes to chew on it a lot but that's usually a good sign."
"Nothing but the best, Girlfriend. You know me. Well I have to run. Kiss the little tyke for me and if Judas keeps acting up, well, just yell at him and punch him. You seem to be good at that."
Brooke shrugged. If all else failed, Gordon was right.
-------
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Harmony…Happy Birthday to you!"
Everyone sang, led by Haley who strummed the tune on her guitar.
"Blow out the candle, Harmony", Brooke cooed. "Come on, baby. Blow it out."
Harmony obviously could have cared less about the canedle. Still Brooke was determined. Karen was on hand with camera in tow waiting for the magical moment. They waited and waited and waited…and waited some more.
"Harmony, come on Precious. You can do it."
Taking his baby girl from her mother's arms, Lucas leaned down.
"Let Daddy help you, Baby", he said as he blew out the candle.
Everyone clapped including Harmony but Brooke was seething. If Karen hadn't spent all morning preparing the special Barbie cake, Brooke had half a mind to ram Luke's big head into it.
"Um, let's open Harmony's presents", Haley good naturedly suggested, sensing the tension.
The group gathered round and opened the many gifts of toys and clothes Harmony had received. Finally it was down to the last two packages.
"Here, sweetheart", Haley smiled. "Look, Harmony, it's from Daddy."
Haley opened the package and inside it was revealed to be a beautiful doll. The guests ooohed and aaahed over it. Brooke looked like she was going to have a seizure.
"Okay, Harmony. Last present, Baby Girl. Let's see what Mama got you."
Haley tore open the wrapper…to reveal the very same, identical beautiful doll Lucas had bought. The room fell silent.
"Dad, can we have cake now?" Aidan asked after a minute, pulling on his father's hand.
"Cake never sounded so good", Nathan sighed, relieved of any kind of distraction. "Let's eat."
Haley, Karen, and Mary went about cutting the cake that was served with juice, potato chips and hot dogs. Harmony, looking like a living doll herself, in a Baby Gucci dress and her expensive bracelet, was having a field day with her hands in the cake and the ice cream. Smiling her first real smile of the day, Brooke slipped off to the kitchen to get paper towels. To her dismay, there was Lucas.
"What the hell are you doing in here?"
"Just grabbing some napkins", he said, trying not to start a fight.
"Oh really? How original, Luke. That's exactlt what I came in here for."
"Fine. Let's just get what we came for and…"
"Don't tell me what to do, Lucas Scott."
"Oh that's real mature and on our daughter's birthday at that. Look, I'm not doing this with you right now. We can talk later or whatever."
"Whatever? I guess when that's convenient for you, huh? Everything has to go according to Luke's schedule."
"Brooke, can I get you some cheese to go with that whine?"
"Whine? Whine! Me? Are you insane? I have listened to you snivel and cry and whine and pout and brood about everything under the sun for the past two years."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah! 'My shoulder aches, I fouled out, I'm sorry I cheated on you, my Daddy doesn't love me, I had a heart attack, wah, wah, wah. Gosh, I ought to hire a violinist to follow you around all day so your little sob story can have a soundtrack."
She had crossed the line and they both knew it. She didn't care that she had gone way far. She was frustrated and tired of biting her tongue. The whole point was to hurt his feelings.
"Hire me a violinist, you say? Gee, how can you Brooke with your broke ass? Wait, maybe you can just abandon our child again and have your little buddy Felix loan you the money."
Brooke's jaw hit the floor as a satisfied grin took over Luke's face. It was on. Brooke could dish it out but she couldn't take it.
"What is going on in here?" Mary interrupted. "What's with all the yelling?"
Brooke grabbed a knife and waved it wildly in the air.
"I don't know, Mother. Why don't you ask this pathetic, cheating, lying, no good cretin of a human being?"
"Brooke, I don't think you want to go there with the name calling. When you can no longer afford a cell phone and you're shopping at K-Mart, give me a ring on the payphone."
"Enough!" Mary said, grabbing the knife. "Look at you two! Listen to yourselves! You both should be ashamed!"
"He started it, Mom, with his pissy attitude and then he bought my daughter that doll he knew I was buying her."
"If you would shut your cake hole, maybe I could apologize for this morning and I didn't know you were buying Harmony that doll. I saw it first anyway!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Both of you stop it! You are arguing over expensive dolls that you both bought that your daughter couldn't care less about either one. That's right. She's covered in ice cream and chocolate as we speak, playing with the wrapping paper and not giving two hoots about those dolls. Now you two, grow up and get it together, please!"
With that, Mary stormed off, leaving the two breathless and still pouty.
"Look, Brooke, I…"
"Don't talk to me."
"Fine. I was just trying to apologize."
"Don't. I don't want to see or hear you right now, Lucas Scott. You make me sick. All I really want to do is clobber you!"
"Well yeah? Well all I really want to do is kiss you because you look so freaking hot when you're mad", he yelled back.
"Don't just stand there and talk about it, maybe you should do it", she screamed.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Then I will!"
With that he grabbed her and pressed his lips hard to hers. It was a long, breathtaking kiss that left both winded when they finally pulled away. The emotional and sexual tension was at an all time high as Haley walked in.
"You two okay? I just came to get napkins."
Throwing up her hands and screaming, Brooke picked up a pint of ice cream and dumped it on Luke's head before storming out.
"Oh my God. Luke…are you okay? What was that all about?"
Lucas wiped the mess from his face. Overcome, he could only say one thing.
"God, I love that woman."