"Good morning, good morning", Brooke said, handing a still sleepy Lucas a plate.
"Upgrade?"
"Hell yes. From boxed cereal to frozen waffles. Don't ever say I didn't do anything special for you."
"Thanks", he said, taking in a mouthful. "Hey these are pretty good. You're quite handy with the toaster."
"Practically a pro", she said proudly. "Now what's on the agenda today? What have you planned?"
"Actually nothing", Lucas shrugged. "Yesterday was such a blast and now I'm all fresh out of ideas."
Brooke thought for a minute.
"Well, I have an idea. If you don't mind spending another whole day with me, there is something I want you to see."
"Alright", he nodded.
After breakfast, quick showers and a few minutes of idle chit chatter with Peyton, the two were off. They rode the train, engrossed in each other and animated conversation. Finally they reached their destination.
"Where are we?" Lucas asked.
"Long Island", she grinned. "Welcome to the world famous Hamptons."
Lucas looked around in awe at the lavish properties.
"Wow. I've seen this place on TV and stuff and I've heard about it, but you never know how beautiful something is until you see it up close in person with your own eyes."
Finally a taxi took them to a private driveway. Brooke paid the cabbie as she and Lucas climbed out.
"Brooke, where are we?"
"My parent's house", she smiled. "Come on, I want you to meet my family."
Lucas suddenly felt a little apprehensive. He had just starting walking again and it was tough getting used to the special crutches, yet he was helpless without them. He could not move very fast and when he did, his movements weren't very steady. Now he was parked in front of a house that was straight out of a Lifestyles Of The Roch And The Famous episode. The only thing missing was Robin Leach on the front lawn. What on earth would Brooke's family think?
Brooke linked her arm in his, waiting patiently with his slower movements. She helped him to the front door then let them in with her key.
"Mom?"
"Brooke? My goodness. I wasn't expecting you, honey. How are you?" asked the friendly, matronly brunette.
"Mom, this is my friend, Lucas Scott. Lucas, meet my mother, Elizabeth Davis."
"How do you do, ma'am?" he asked nervously.
Elizabeth smiled and wiped her hands on her apron before reaching out to him with a hug.
"It's so nice to meet you. Welcome to our home, Lucas. Is there anything I can get for you? Something to eat or drink, maybe?"
"Mrs. Davis, I'm fine, thank you."
She smiled.
"Well, if you need anything at all, just let us know. Please make yourself comfortable."
"Mom, I'm just gonna go introduce him to Dad", Brooke said as she flashed Lucas that "I told you everything would be okay" smile.
They went upstairs to the master bedroom and Brooke knocked twice.
"Hey Daddy, it's me. I have someone with me I want you to meet."
They entered the room and Mr. Davis was in bed.
"Lucas, this is my dad. Daddy, this is the guy I told you about. Lucas Scott."
Lucas slowly made his way to the bed and extended his hand.
"Very nice to meet you, sir."
Mr. Davis didn't offer his hand back but instead he just smiled. Brooke walked over and placed Lucas' hand over her father's and Mr. Davis gave it a gentle squeeze. It was a sweet and quiet moment and that's when it dawned on Lucas...Mr. Davis was paralyzed too.
"Daddy, we won't stay long but I just wanted you to meet the special guy I had been talking to you about."
She kissed her father's cheek before they returned downstairs.
Mrs. Davis was waiting on them with iced tea and a tray of arranged snacks. The three spent the afternoon chatting. She was nothing like Lucas expected. He thought all rich parents were distant and snooty and would look down on someone like him. Mrs. Davis was the exact opposite. Warm, friendly, talkative with a set of bright eyes and smile that instantly made you feel at ease. Initially he was fearful when he found out he was meeting Brooke's folks but the hours spent at the Davis house couldn't have been more relaxing or fun. Finally it was time to head back to Manhattan and as Lucas and Mrs. Davis traded hugs, he found himself actually sad to leave.
"What happened to him?" Lucas asked as he and Brooke were back on the train.
"My dad was a judge for the State Supreme Court of New York. There was this case he presided over and the defendant ended up getting locked up for a long time. Let's just say his family wasn't happy about it. Even though the case had been tried in criminal court on several different jurisdictions, these people blamed my father. He was somehow singled out. Anyway, one day after work on his way out to his car, that defendant's uncle put a bullet in his back. It pierced his spinal cord and did all kinds of internal damage."
"Oh my God. When did this happen?"
"The summer I graduated and decided to move to Manhattan to concentrate on acting full time. It's hard. I delayed my plans for the summer just to be with him. He's what they call a quadriplegic. No sensation in his trunk or limbs. At first he couldn't move at all but now he has limited sensations in his right hand. He can't talk either. But after all that, he's still my dad. His mind is still funtions perfectly and that's the hardest part. It's not like he's a vegetable or anything. He knows exactly what's going on around him. That's what sucks…he's trapped inside that miserable shell of a body and it's so damned unfair."
"I'm sorry", Lucas said, rubbing her arm.
"It's cool, you know. We got over it. He's such a trooper. In those situations that you can't help, you just press on and make the best of things."
"Yeah…I guess you do", Lucas whispered, for the first time realizing just how blessed he was.
"Thank you for coming with me though. I just wanted you to meet them."
"Thanks for inviting me. I had a good time, Brooke. Your parents are so nice. Even though your dad couldn't talk to me, we still communicated. He understood everything."
"Yeah. He does a lot of communicating through his eyes and facial expressions. Also when he squeezes your hand."
"And your mom...man, don't get me started. She's such an incredible woman."
Brooke smiled fondly.
"Yeah, she is pretty amazing, isn't she? She loves the hell out of my dad, I tell you that much. Never tires, never complains but it's a 24/7 job. I have a lot of respect for her…for both of them. Family is important. With acting being second, those two things are most important in my life."
Lucas looked at Brooke with so much admiration in his eyes. She was so much more than just a pretty face or another actress on the screen.
"It must have been so hard for you..."
"In a way because I mean, that's my father and all and I love him so it's difficult to see him like that and we were so close so it's bad when father figure is taken away from you."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
Lucas took Brooke's hand in his own.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you before. I was scared and I didn't know."
"It's okay, Luke", she said as he began to stroke his hand.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Just being a cool person. For being patient and understanding with me. For being my friend...for letting me be around your family", Lucas said as his voice trailed off.
"I…I'm glad you came up here", she said sincerely.
Lucas broke out laughing.
"What?"
"Nothing?"
"Luke, why are you laughing at me? I thought we were having like a moment or something. What's funny?"
"No, it's just that you did it."
"Did what?"
"It. That thing you do with your voice. That sultry, sexy, Marilyn Monroe whisper thing."
Brooke blushed.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"There it is again", Lucas grinned.
"You're embarrassing me. I've been teased about it my whole life. I can't help it. You know, teachers actually considered that like a speech impediment."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. It definitely beats a lisp or a stutter…"
"I like it. I think it's super sexy. It…it's the first thing, besides your eyes, that stood out to me when I saw you on TV for the first time."
Brooke grinned and looked at the floor. It was one of those special, magical movie moments where there were smiles and sweet silence as the almost empty train continued its way back to the city.
"What are you thinking about?" Brooke asked.
Lucas just gave her a shy smile as his instincts took over.
"This", he said as he leaned over and brushed her lips with his own.
Brooke couldn't believe it.
"Lucas…"
His heart pounded with raw fear. He had lost control and hoped his actions hadn't ruined everything
"I'm sorry", he said. "Maybe I got a little ahead of myself. I guess I should have asked. If you didn't want to be kissed…"
He was silenced by her lips sweetly kissing his.
