Chapter 11 – New York.

Taking a cab from the Garment District to Central Park East at six in the afternoon is a waste of time. So I put my heels on my purse, grab a pair of ballet shoes I keep around and walk home. Besides, it's been a beautiful spring day, temperature hovering above seventy, so I take it slowly, enjoying the window shopping and the people in the street. By the time I get to my building, the stress of the day is gone, and I'm in a very good mood, just looking foward to a long soak and a long phone call with my other half in North Carolina.

In the lobby, I find a long legged skinny blonde stretched in a chair, eyes closed, listening to music.

I get near her and touch her arm. She opens her eyes slowly, looks at me and gives me a sharp little smile, removing the earbuds and standing up for a hug."BDavis, Hi."

"PSawyer! So nice to see you.. Why didn't you tell me you were arriving? I would have left you a key."

"I got here an hour ago. My plane arrived early, and I figured I could just wait for you. No sweat." She looks at me. "I mean, a little sweat. Did you walk from work?"

"Yeah. Going around by car at this hour is just a waste of time, and the weather is very nice." Peyton had a pair of large suitcases. "Let's drag your stuff upstairs."

"These two suitcases contain most of my life in Los Angeles. There's a couple of boxes with CD's, books and a few other things that I dispatched, but, for the most part, this is it."

We drag her suitcases to her room and drop them there, returning to the living room. "So BDavis, what were your plans for the evening?"

"Nothing much. Soaking in the bathtub and calling Lucas. Hadn't gotten as far as dinner yet." The mention of Lucas draws a little cloud on the eyes an otherwise unusually sunny Peyton. "What about you, do you want to take a bath, rest? I know we have a lot to catch up."

"What about you follow your plan, soak and call your boyfriend. I'll take a shower, unpack these suitcases and change. We reconvene here, say in an hour, for a pizza and catch up?"

"Make that an hour and a half, and you're on." I like long soaks.

I come back to the living room wearing an exercise suit and fluffy sandals. Peyton is wearing a large band t-shirt and shorts, her hair tied in a messy bun atop her head. She is in the phone, ordering pizza. "Pepperoni, extra cheese ok?"

"It's fine." I open a bottle of wine and pour two glasses, that I take to the couch.

"So, PSawyer, updates from the last couple of weeks, or the monkey in the room?"

"Let's do the monkey, Brooke. It's a simple question. How did you and Lucas get back together?"

"All right. Short answer first. I've been in love with him since I told you back in junior year. He's been in love with me since the Winter Formal junior year. Everything that happened in between, including you, was due to a complicated history and a nasty set of circumstances. When he came here three weeks ago we started talking and quickly it became clear that the complications had disappeared, and our feelings were very much still there. And that's all."

"Which complication disappeared? Me?"

"No. Why did I break up with him last year? I was afraid of getting hurt again, and uncertain about his feelings. That's why I pushed him away. He was never uncertain or afraid, He knew perfectly well he wanted to be with me. The big obstacle between us was my fear and insecurity. That's what disappeared. After a whole year living here with my mother, I finally learned that closing yourself off, and denying what's in your heart is much worse than taking chances. Victoria is the perfect example. When Lucas came here three weeks ago I was on my way to turning into Victoria. He saved me, again."

"I still don't understand how you could do this, I mean, getting back with him knowing how it would hurt me. It's so unlike you."

"Sweetie, I love you. I love you so much that you stole the love of my life twice, and I forgave you. But I could not really forgive you for tossing him aside afterwards. Do you have any idea what it felt like? He was here, broken up and confused, after he offered you the one thing I wanted most in this world and you turned him down. You stole him from me to break his heart less than a year later? How could I do this knowing it would hurt you? It was so damn easy, I had to fight myself not to gloat. You skittish little brat.

She looks down. "You know. I guess I did deserve that. I've been regretting not saying yes to him since that day. But in truth, it's best this way. I have the impression you guys are exactly where you belong."

"Oh, you have no idea how right you are about that. You know, I don't know if you're ready for this or not, but you're still my best friend, so here it goes." I pull out the ring. "He offered me forever that very Thursday, and I accepted it." I take the ring from the necklace and put it in my finger, for good now.

Peyton takes my hand and examines the ring. "Is this Keith's ring?"

"Yes." Peyton starts crying.

"It's beautiful Brooke. Congratulations. From the bottom of my heart."

"We will be married in June next year., here in New York. Will you be my maid of honor?"

"I did promise, didn't I?"

"Yes you did."

"Then, yes. I'll stand right by your side when you marry Lucas. I love you both, you two are my family."

"Thank you, PSawyer. This means a lot to me."

We embrace, and stay that way until the pizza arrives.

It's ten in the evening when Lucas gets home. He lets himself in, and I jump on his neck, for a proper greeting. He gives me a searing kiss. "Hi, pretty girl. Nice to see that cat out of the bag and in your finger. Victoria?"

"Still in Spain. She comes back next week."

"All right. What about you, Peyt. What's up?"

"Hi Luke. I'm signing up a new band called Fast Slap for SIA and working with the Oxymorons for Green Cow. I'd like your opinion of Fast Slap later."

"If you want useful input, you should ask Haley. All I can say is whether I like it or not."

"That's not a bad idea, Luke. I will ask Haley for help."

I sat on one of the stuffed chairs, with Brooke in my lap. It's the first time since high school that Peyton is really seeing us together, and I am watchful for her reaction. I can see it's not exactly a walk in the park, but she is coping with it. "So, Brooke tells me you are going to be her maid of honor. Thanks. It means a lot."

"Luke, it's obvious that the two of you belong together. I'm her best friend, and I care for you a lot. I need to support your happiness."

"I still need to talk to you about what happened."

"I have just one question for you Lucas. Why did you propose to me?"

"The main reason is that I wanted my own family. I was living with Nate, Hales and Jamie for a year, a kind of third parent in their home, but it was their home. When I came to LA with a ring for you, I was looking for my home. It wasn't about you and I going for our next step, it was me, looking for something I needed. It was stupid, and a little unfair with you, and for that I'm sorry."

"The family you really wanted is sitting in your lap right now."

"I didn't even dream that Brooke might still be an option, Peyton. The harsh truth is that, for me, being with you was always my level best attempt of getting over Brooke. It would never work either. I just don't love you that way, and I don't think I ever would. I'm glad you turned me down in LA. Proposing to you was one more of a series of mistakes I've made over the years concerning my relationship with the two of you. I am sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"I've already forgiven you, Luke. I can't be mad with you for a mistake we made together. It's such a cliche. I was always the rebound girl. I probably even knew that at some level when I turned you down. Right now, I just wish you two all the happiness you can find." She gives a faint smile. "I think I even found my rebound boy. I went on a couple of dates with this cute movie guy in LA. He says he is coming to New York at some point, and we are going out again."

"Hey, PSawyer, good job! I want details, though."

She looks at me at laughs. "Later, BDavis. I don't think your fiancee is ready to take part in these conversations yet. "

"You're right about that. Right now, I need to take this woman to our bed and..."

"I get the picture, Luke. Good night, BDavis."

"Good night, PSawyer. Will you carry me, my love? I feel I am exactly where I want to be."

"With pleasure."

I wake up with Lucas looking at me, holding his head, elbow in a pillow and a bright smile on his face. "Good morning, creep. Been staring for long?"

"Five minutes or so. Good morning to you too. Just waking up, and you still look breathtaking..."

"Keep going this way, and you just might get lucky." My mind goes back to the previous night for a second. "Again."

"A quickie and a shower?"

I smile, I know what I like. "A quickie in the shower."

It's a beautiful Spring Saturday, so we decide to go spend it in the park outside. Lucas packs snacks, water, a blanket in a small backpack and we go out. We first go to the Zoo, to gawk at the penguins and then to the lake, for some rowing. We make out on the rowboat, until our enthusiasm almost gives us a dunking. The park is very crowded, as it appears that half the city seems to be around, but we are lost in our bubble, playing with each other, joking and talking about nothing, just enjoying being young, alive and with each other. It's already late afternoon, and we are lying on our blanket, in a tree's shade when we hear soft crying from behind a bush. Lucas gets up and walks to the source of the crying. I follow closely on his footsteps.

Behind the bushes there was a small boy, maybe four or five, sitting on the ground and crying quietly. His skin is coffee and cream, with tightly curly hair, skinny, with delicate hands, features and huge black eyes. Lucas kneels down in front of the boy, and talks softly to him.

"Hello, sweetie."

"Hi." Sniffing.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Peter."

As Lucas speaks with him, the little boy scoots towards Lucas, until his body is leaning against Lucas legs, and his hand is clutching Lucas shirt.

"Hi Peter. I'm Lucas, and the pretty girl here is Brooke."

"Hi."

"Where is your mommy, Peter?"

As Lucas talks to the little boy, I keep scanning around, looking for a grown up who lost someone. Nobody stands out.

"I don't know. I lost her."

I look a little more carefully at Peter. He is wearing jeans, a plain white t-shirt, socks and old sneakers. He is a little grubby, and looks terrified. My heart sinks a bit, when I realize this little boy might have been lost for more than a few minutes.

"We should go look for your mommy."

Lucas gets up slowly and offers his hand to Peter. Instead of taking Lucas hand, Peter gets up and wraps his arms tightly around Lucas leg. Lucas coaxes him to let go a bit, so that he can be picked up. He wraps his arms around Lucas neck and places his head on Lucas shoulder, getting back to crying quietly. I take the opportunity to do a quick scan in his pockets, but I find nothing. We begin to walk around in expanding circles, looking for someone who might have lost a child.

"We need the police, my love."

We walk around for another fifteen minutes, until we see a pair of cops coming down a path on bicycles. We flag them down.

Lucas is still speaking very slowly and quietly, trying to keep our little friend from panicking. "Hello, officers. This is Peter. We found him about half an hour ago, behind a bush around three hundred yards in that direction. He appears to be lost. Could you please help us find his mommy?"

That gets the wheels turning. The contact dispatch by radio, informing that there's a child found and transmit his description. The officers, noting how the little boy seems glued to Lucas, let him stay where he is, but make us show them where we found him.

Finally I ask him. "Are you hungry, sweetie?"

"He nods forcefully." Very hungry. I fish out of the backpack a PB&J sandwich and a Mars bar and a bottle of water, that Lucas had packed for our walk.

He grabs Lucas neck with one hand, while he eats with the other, and in a second, food and water are gone. A couple of minutes later, the little boy is asleep in Lucas arms.

At one point I manage to get him to switch from Lucas to me, to give Lucas a break.

A couple of hours later, the police decides that nobody is looking for Peter, and call child protective services to take him into custody. By the time the social worker arrives, it is close to ten o'clock. She makes some phone calls and gets set to take custody of Peter.

As she approaches the little boy, he grabs into my neck and starts screaming.

Lucas asks her. "Where are you taking him?"

"There is a temporary facility midtown that has a bed for him. He'll only stay there for a couple of nights, and then he'll be placed in foster care until his situation can be determined."

"Can he stay with us for these few days? He has clearly developed some attachment. It will be really traumatic for him to be placed in some institution now."

"It would be a serious break in procedure. I can see it would be better for him, though. Would you be willing to keep him for a few days? Do you have a place for him?"\

I exchange a glance with Lucas. "Yes and yes. We live in an apartment next to the park." It's not a good time to get into our complicated living arrangements.

The social worker makes some more phone calls, and finally she passes me the phone. A woman, identifying herself as Margareth Stone, afterhours family court judge, asks me a series of questions, and informs me that she is placing the minor Peter Doe under my temporary custody, and that I must appear before her on Monday afternoon, for a more permanent disposition.

We get back to the apartment close to midnight, after stopping at a convenience store for supplies and a sipping cup. Peter is still asleep as we get in, where we are met with a distraught Peyton.

"Where have you..." She sees the little bundle in Lucas arms. "A child?"

"His name is Peter, PSawyer. We found him lost in the park, and he wouldn't let go of us. The police is looking for his family. In the meantime, he will be staying here with us for a few days."

"Luke, he needs a bath. Peyton, would you put his clothes in the washer and dryer? He can sleep in one of my smaller t-shirts for the night. I think he will have to sleep in our bed with us, Luke."

"I agree. There's no way he would close his eyes if he is not with one of us."

"He is beautiful, Brooke."

I smile. "Yes, he is."

Next morning I'm the first to wake up, with Lucas asleep, basically with a little boy, also asleep, on top of him. I tiptoe out of the room, and my first job is to call Haley. Lucas was supposed to go back to North Carolina yesterday evening, and the Scotts are probably worried sick by now.

"Scott residence, Haley speaking."

"Tutormom, it's Brooke."

"Hi Tigger, what did you do with my brother-in-law?"

"He's here. Something came up."

"Something?"

"You are not going to believe this. We found a little boy in the park yesterday afternoon. To make a long story short, he is here now, for a few days at least. The little boy's name is Peter, and he is about four. Him and your brother-in-law appear to be glued together, and since Peter cannot go out of the state, Luke is stuck here for a bit. Can you guys help figure out things for Luke's work?"

"A little boy! You found a little boy."

"He is beautiful, Haley."

That creates a pause on the other side of the line. I don't think I ever called her Haley before. "I see."

"Don't worry about Luke's work. It's the last week of classes. I think he had a couple of finals, which, given the circumstances, I can probably e-mail to New York for him to do there, and wrapping up practice for the Summer break, which Nathan and the staff can handle. Just tell your worse half to call me when he can."

"Will do, tutormom."

"Good luck, Brooke."

I go prepare breakfast, and a few minutes later, my boys show up, one in the arms of the other. My boys...

"Peyton."

"Luke?"

"Can I please have some drawing materials?"

"Sure, I have some stuff that's safe for a small child."

Lucas places paper and crayons within reach of Peter, and, very soon, he is drawing. At first Luke just stays next to him, observing, but soon he begins to talk softly with Peter.

"Hey Peter, beautiful drawing. Who is that?"

"That's you."

"Do you mind if I call you Pete?"

"Mom calls me Pitts, like the seeds in fruit. You can call me Pitts too."

"I'd like that, Pitts. And who is that?"

"That's Brooke. She is very pretty."

"She sure is. Is you mommy pretty?"

"She is pretty too."

"Your name is Peter."

"Yes."

"Peter what?"

"Peter Alexander Brody."

"That's a beautiful name, Pitts." Luke gives me a look, and I fish out the social assistant card with her phone number. I call her and tell her Peter's full name. She thanks me, saying that it should make it much easier to locate his family.

"How old are you Pitts?"

"I'm four."

"Now, who is that?"

"That's me silly. See, You, Brooke and me. Now I'm going to draw some trees, like in the park."

"Lucas."

"Yes, Pitts."

"All done. This is for you."

The picture shows a tall guy and a girl with black hair, with a little brown kid between them. The little kid has a sad face, but he is holding hands with the grown ups, and they are happy. There are trees in the background, and a smiling sun in the sky. The little boy climbs up on Lucas lap, and curls himself up against Lucas, who puts his arms lightly around him. He say in a tinny voice. "I love you, Lucas. I wish you were my daddy." Lucas looks at me, and tears are coming down his face. "I love you too Pitts." I sit down on the floor besides Lucas, and put my head on his shoulder. I can feel the tears coming down my cheeks too.

Peyton and I go out to buy some clothes and toys for Pitts, while Luke stays with him. When we go out, they are reading The Cat in the Hat. When we come back a couple of hours later Lucas had placed a waste basket in the sofa, and was teaching basket throwing to the little boy, using a sock ball.

We sleep one more night with Pitts in our bed. Monday morning, the social worker calls.

"Ms Davis, good morning. Thank you again for taking care of Peter, and for finding his full name. We got the whole picture of what happened now."

I place her on speaker. "Can you tell us?"

"I think so. It's a matter of public record. Peter's mother is a twenty-three-year-old drug addict named Alice Brody. She lives with her parents and the little boy in Jersey. No father in the picture. She went out Saturday morning, presumably to take Peter to the park, but instead brought him to the city. We believe she was looking to score. She was found last night, high as a kite, in a corner where junkies get together, and spent the night in the tank. The grandparents came forward and want to take Peter home. I'm calling you just to warn you that you should be prepared to surrender him to the grandparents at the judge's office this afternoon."

"Very well. We'll be there."

I can see the pain in Lucas eyes, the same pain I feel in my heart. "Should we fight to get custody, fiancee?"

"I don't think so, pretty girl. He is better off with his own family, if they can take care of him."

"I'll call the firm I have on retainer and ask for one of their lawyers to accompany us, just in case."

"That sounds like a good idea"

We meet the social worker and a middle-aged couple with tired eyes outside the judge's chambers. Pitts eyes brighten when he sees them. Gramma! He jumps in the woman's arms, and I can see the tears both in hers and in her husbands eyes in having their little grandson back. Lucas is right. He is better off with them. In chambers we are informed that the mother is losing her parental rights, and is going to face criminal charges for endangering a child. She should spend at least a few months in jail. They say she is showing deep regret, and they that they hope the incident might encourage her to turn her life around. Full custody of Pitts is awarded to the grandparents, uncontested.

We talk to the couple for a while, they thank us many times for our help. We tell them that, in this short time, we became very fond of Pitts, and ask if they would allow us to visit, sometimes. Gently they turn us down, saying it might confuse Pitts, and remind him of a scary incident. We say our goodbyes to Pitts and head home.

At home we tell Peyton that Pitts back with his family and in good hands, and head to our bed, where we are finally allowed to melt down. We cry in each other's arms for a long time, and we just stay in each others arms, quietly, for another long time. "Luke."

"Brooke."

"I was going to wait until after the wedding. But I don't want to wait anymore."

"We're stopping contraceptives?"

"Yes."

"That's good. Did I tell you today that I love you?"