Chapter Eight

It had been a week since Brooke had talked to Karen, and she had to admit, every day seemed to get just a little bit easier. Vaughn had stopped being as difficult. Saylor had returned to preschool. Tavian still asked questions every now and then, but she fielded them like a pro now. Her only worry was that Laney still would not talk about it.

As promised, Brooke had taken the kids to visit Grandma Karen and Grandpa Andy where they had all fallen in love with the puppies. It had taken all day but finally the kids had been able to agree on just one. They still had yet to decide on a name.

"But I like the name Butch!" Tavian whined as the kids all filed into the house after school.

"That's ugly. I still say we name him Newton." Laney argued.

"Newton? You can definitely come up with something better than that." Vaughn rolled her eyes, "I'm with Saylor. I like the name puppy. It's so simple."

"You do not name a puppy 'Puppy'. That's just not right." Brooke closed the door behind herself and dropped her purse onto the counter, "We will think of something later. Go get started on your homework while I figure something out for dinner. Saylor, you have one hour of TV time starting now."

It was quiet for about 30 minutes until she called all of them in for dinner. It was all set out on the table. Chicken nuggets, french fries, corn, and salad.

"What about killer? He's little so it'd be completely ridiculous." Vaughn suggested.

"No." Brooke vetoed, "Last thing I need is for your brother or sister to go to school and tell people they have a killer at their house. Not gonna happen."

They all continued to think while they ate and then suddenly Saylor snapped her head to attention and she screamed "NUGGET!"

They all looked at her, confusion written across their features but she just grinned.

"Like a chicken nugget. Name him Nugget." Saylor explained, "Please mommy?"

Brooke laughed and looked around the table for objections.

"It might work guys. It's cute."

Vaughn just shook her head.

"I can't believe the rugrat came up with the perfect name."

Laney laughed.

"It is perfect. Our little Nugget."

"I like it." Tavian agreed.

"Then Nugget it is." Brooke leaned over and kissed Saylor's cheek with a loud smacking kiss, "Very good baby girl. You named the puppy."

They were all discussing things they wanted to do with the puppy even 30 minutes later as they continued to eat when the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Vaughn jumped out of her seat and grabbed the cordless phone off the wall, "Hello?"

"Vaughn?"

Vaughn hesitated as she recognized the voice and then sighed.

"Hi dad."

All eyes in the room turned to her.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?"

"Great as I can be considering… can I help you with something?" She brushed him off quickly and easily. She may have been doing better at home, but she was definitely still mad at her father.

"I need to talk to your mom. Is she around?"

"Yeah. Mom?" Vaughn handed the cordless phone to Brooke and sighed, "It's my father."

"Hey Lucas." Brooke stood from the table with the phone and motioned to the kids to keep eating while she went into the other room, "What can I do for you?"

"I uh… wow, I called to talk to you but that really threw me off. Is she still that mad at me?"

"It's barely been a week Luke. What do you expect?"

"I didn't expect that. I just… wow. She hates me."

"She does not hate you." Brooke groaned. She hated trying to console him. She shouldn't have to make him feel better about what he did. He had left. She was hurting. He sucked. In all scenarios, she had every right to hate him and let him feel like crap for everything he'd done, "She's getting better. Now was there a reason you called? Cause we were in the middle of dinner."

"Yeah, sorry." Lucas took a deep breath, "I have the papers."

"What papers?"

"The divorce papers… We did have that conversation didn't we?"

"Yes. Yeah. Sorry." Brooke sighed, "I forgot. Sorry. You have the papers. What about them? I thought you were sending them over when they were ready."

"I just wanted to make sure that what Alex and I came up with would be ok with you."

"Alex and I?" A slight tone of skepticism crept into her tone.

"We work together Brooke."

"Didn't realize you worked so closely together Lucas. First name basis?"

"Brooke, cut the shit. We are strictly colleagues and he helped me with the divorce papers. Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Yeah. Tell me." Brooke sat back and waited to hear what he'd come up with.

"Alright, since I left you, you legally have rights to everything. The house and everything in it. The cars… it's all yours. Our joint bank account will be split in half. You'll keep everything that's in your personal account. I'll keep everything that's in mine. Since you'll have the kids most of the time, I'll pay you child support. We figured a fair amount would be $800 a month. I'll also pay you alimony, an extra $200 a month which means I'd be giving you $1000 a month."

"Sounds fair but what do you mean I'll have the kids MOST of the time?"

"During the summer I thought they could spend a month here with me. And when they have school holidays they could come here except Christmas, cause I know how much Christmas means to you but I'd want them for New Years."

"No." Brooke said simply.

"No?" Lucas frowned, "What do you mean no? That's a fair arrangement."

"They're not going to St. Louis. It's not gonna happen."

"Brooke…"

"Do not Brooke me. I'm not budging on this issue. You left us, and because of that, you forfeit all rights to your children Lucas. You want to see them. You can come here. I have NO problem with that but they will not go to St. Louis, not under any circumstances so I suggest you rewrite those divorce papers and make them say that."

"Divorce?" Laney stood in the doorway and Brooke looked up just in time to see her breaking down into tears, "You're getting a divorce? Daddy's really not coming back?"

"Laney?" Brooke watched her daughter flee from the room down the hall to her bedroom. Vaughn entered the living room next, Saylor in her arms and Tavian by her side.

"Were you planning on telling us?" She asked calmly.

"Lucas, I have to call you back." Brooke hung up on her husband before he could object and she stood, taking a few steps towards her children, "Of course I was gonna tell you, but your dad was still getting the papers ready. I didn't think it was time."

"So you're just gonna divorce him? Just like that?"

"What else do you want me to do Vaughn? He's not interested in me anymore."

Vaughn was quiet. Tavian and Saylor just stared at Brooke, blank looks in their eyes.

"It's not fair." Vaughn finally managed to whisper, "Why our dad?"

"I don't know Vaughn, but please baby, don't get angry. I was gonna tell you as soon as I knew ok? And… it's all gonna work out. You'll see."

"Daddy's never coming back is he?" Tavian finally asked, "Divorce means he's not coming back."

"We don't know that. It just means that mommy and daddy won't be married anymore. It doesn't mean he's not your daddy anymore and it doesn't mean you won't see him anymore. It just means that he won't live here and… he and I will no longer be together."

"Oh." Tavian still didn't seem happy, "Can I go to bed now mommy? I don't feel good."

"Me too. I don't feel good." Saylor added, her first words since the conversation had started.

Brooke sighed. It was never a good sign when the kids were actually asking to go to bed.

"Yeah, come on. I'll tuck you in and read to you."

"No story tonight mommy." Saylor shook her head, "I just wanna sleep."

She could feel the tears coming but Brooke held back. She had to be strong for the kids, especially now.

"Alright sweetie. Let's put you to bed then."

Thirty minutes later, Tavian and Saylor were both fast asleep. Laney was locked in her room. Only Vaughn and Brooke remained as the dinner sat mostly untouched on the table.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Brooke asked Vaughn after what seemed like endless silence as they sat in the living room.

"I don't have much to say. I hate him."

"Don't hate him Vaughn." Brooke sighed, once again finding herself defending the man she too felt hatred for in that moment, "He's still your father no matter what."

"He didn't have to leave. He chose to abandon us! He could have stayed. He could have told us in person that he's gay. He could have faced things like a man but no, he left us, left you, and didn't bother to even say a real goodbye. So I do hate him. I hate him so much."

Brooke pulled Vaughn into her arms as the oldest of her children, if only by a few minutes, began to cry.

There weren't really words to say to comfort the young girl as she cried. All Brooke could do was just hold her and rub her back. At least she knew that Vaughn was getting it all out this way and not the way she had been, with angry words to the ones around her who didn't deserve it.

"You don't have to answer now Vaughn, but there is something I need you to consider." Brooke whispered after Vaughn's cries subsided a little.

Vaughn looked up into her mother's eyes and nodded.

"Your dad called to tell me that as part of the divorce settlement, he'd like for you and your brother and sisters to spend one month in the summer and all holidays except for Christmas with him in St. Louis. It's your decision ultimately. You and Laney will both have a say in it."

"Saylor and Tavian?"

"Are too young, so I get to decide."

"And?"

"I say no. If your father wants to see them, he's gonna have to come here, but if you and Laney want to go to St. Louis, I can't stop you."

"I don't want to." Laney spoke up from the doorway again.

Brooke was startled and jumped, but then she sighed.

"Laney my love, you've gotta stop sneaking up on me like that."

"Sorry mom." She joined her mom and sister on the couch, snuggling up to Brooke on Brooke's other side, "And I'm sorry I freaked out before. I guess I just thought maybe this was all a dream and Daddy would come back."

"Unfortunately babe, this is reality."

Laney sighed.

"I won't go to St. Louis. You're right. If he wants to see us, he can come here. He's the one who left us in the first place. Why should we have to go out of our way to see him now?"

"Because he's your dad." Brooke once again took his side and mentally cursed herself for being too nice, "But it's up to you. Like I said, you don't have to answer me now. Just think about it."

"I won't go either." Vaughn said simply, "It's not right for us to go there when he left us. He can come here."

"At least take some time to think about it girls."

"No need. My mind's made up." Laney replied.

"Me too." Vaughn echoed.

Brooke sighed.

"Ok, then I will tell him."

"No. I wanna tell him." Vaughn argued that point, "I'll tell him just where to get off…"

"Vaughn."

"I'll try to be nice about it." She smiled evily and picked up the phone, dialing all but one number before looking to her mom, "Is it ok to call now?"

Brooke nodded and Vaughn hit the last button, placing the phone up to her ear and waiting for her father to answer.

"Brooke, don't hang up on me like that again. I swear to…"

"Hi Dad." Vaughn said simply.

"Vaughn… sorry sweetie. I thought you were your mom."

"Obviously." She snorted, "I just wanted to tell you that Laney and I have talked with mom and she told us about what you wanted with us coming out during the summer and on holidays. Mom said that Laney and I could decide for ourselves whether or not to do it and I wanted to tell you myself what we decided."

"Ok."

"No."

"Vaughn, you are mad at me right now. I understand your anger sweetheart, but one day, you're gonna get over all of this and you're gonna want to see me."

"If you know what's best for you, you'll see us before the day that I get over all of this, but you'll come here to see us because honestly dad, it's not fair for us to have to pick up and live in a new city for a month during the summer and holidays. We shouldn't be the ones suffering in this situation. You left us."

"It's nice in St. Louis. You'd love it here."

"I love it here. So the answer is no. Laney and I will not be coming to St. Louis to visit and I hope that mom wins and Saylor and Tavian don't have to go either because you're just gonna hurt them more if they have to move around. They don't understand what's going on still. It's not fair to them."

"You let your mother and I decide what's fair to them."

"I trust mom's decision making skills. Not so much yours. Goodnight dad. Sweet dreams."

Vaughn didn't hang up but she handed the phone to her mother then headed off to bed, Laney close behind.

Brooke watched them go then held the phone to her ear.

"For what it's worth, I told them not to make a decision tonight." Brooke said as soon as the girls were gone.

"You're gonna have to fight me for custody because I'm not just going to give up my kids that easily, you know that right?"

"You gave up your kids when you walked out that door Lucas, but sure, I will fight you. I'll hire a lawyer and we can drag the kids through a messy custody battle, carrying out the divorce until a year later, nothing's been decided and you and I are still married because you're being too pigheaded to realize that what you did was wrong."

"I can't change the fact that I'm gay Brooke."

"I'm not asking you too!" Brooke was exhausted and tired of fighting, "I'm not asking you not to be gay and I'm not saying that it's wrong for you to be gay. It was wrong for you to walk out. That is all and any judge from here to Timbuktu will see it my way, but you can make me fight this out if you'd like. I'll hire a lawyer tomorrow if that's what it takes."

"I am a lawyer Brooke. You have nothing against me and my firm of legal staff."

"I have love and support. My kids support me, your brother supports me, hell, even your mother supports me."

"You told my mother?"

"Hell yes I did. She came over last week and had lunch with Saylor and I, who by the way, missed half of the week of preschool last week because she's terrified that if I drop her off one day I might not be here when she gets home like daddy wasn't here after he dropped her off on a certain Friday in the not so distant past. But that's beside the point. Your mom came over. We talked. Then we went out to dinner with all the kids and talked some more. Then I took the kids to see her and Andy this last weekend. They took in a stray dog awhile back who had puppies so we adopted one. He's coming home in a few weeks. The kids love him. Named him Nugget, a name Saylor actually came up with. Tomorrow, your mom, Nathan, and I are going to have lunch together to talk about plans for Tavian's upcoming birthday party. So yeah, I'd say they're on my side. And I'd be willing to bet that if I had a chat with your father, he'd probably even be on my side, not that I'd want him to be, but he's got some good lawyers on retainer for his car dealership right? Or maybe I'll just go to the lawyer who your mom used when she divorced your dad. Or maybe…"

"I get the point Brooke!" Lucas yelled, "Dammit! You cannot take them away from me!"

"You took them away from yourself." Brooke said calmly, "And you can always see them anytime you want… as long as it's here, and not in St. Louis."