Balloons lined the sidewalk. Small children ran around the backyard sugar high on the cookies and candy laid out along the long table with the pink table cloth. Parents stood along the edge of the uproar laughing at their children and occasionally chastising a child for this or that. The glass patio door opened and closed as constant streams of people moved in and out of the house. Haley and Nathan stood on the side chatting with Lucas, Jake and Peyton.
"So you think Lyn's enjoying herself?" Peyton joked. The four adults watched as the little girl chased other children around the yard, her birthday crown balanced precariously on her head.
"I think she's going to want to turn seven again tomorrow," Haley smiled.
A breathless Brooklyn ran up to her parents. "Mom, do you think we could cut the cake now?" Haley smiled down at her little girl.
"Whatever our birthday girl wants." The girl clapped her hands in glee.
"Cake!" The children nearby caught on and began to chant.
"Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" Haley rushed inside and reappeared with a large cake with pink frosting and seven lit candles. The group sang happy birthday and Brooklyn blew out her candles to a round of applause.
"Oh did I miss the singing?" a cheery voice called from the patio. The Scotts and Jegalskis turned at the familiar voice.
"Brooke!" Brooklyn cheered and ran to the brunette. Her younger sister and Jenny standing nearby turned at the shout.
"Brooke!" they both called and followed Brooklyn. Brooke hugged her three goddaughters with a bit of difficulty.
"You got fat," Audrey pointed to Brooke's protruding stomach. With a sad look in her eyes, Brooke smiled.
"Actually there's a little baby in there," she told Audrey.
"Did you eat it?" Audrey asked, puzzled.
"No stupid she's pregnant. You know like mommy was before she brought baby Drew home," Brooklyn stuck her tongue out.
"Hey hey girls, don't fight," Haley said as she arrived. "Wow Brooke." Haley looked at Brooke's stomach.
"Yeah," Brooke commented.
"Congratulations," Peyton said as the two hugged.
"What is this, when I came back to town last time it seemed like everyone was knocked up and when I come back to town with the baby in my stomach everybody's jumped off the baby bandwagon?" Brooke noted her two friends' flat stomachs.
"Brooke you've been gone for three months. Believe it or not those things don't stay in there forever," Haley laughed.
"So where are my darling new godchildren? You are going to make me the godmother right?" Peyton and Haley rolled their eyes.
"We wouldn't dare not to," Peyton told her.
"I think they are with their dad's, ah here they are." At that moment Lucas, Nathan, and Jake joined the group. The latter two carrying small bundles of blankets. Lucas smiled at Brooke and then looked down at her stomach, shocked. His eyes widened and Brooke looked down, ashamed. She had no reason to be ashamed. She was married. It was the natural order of things. Girl gets married, and then girl has children. It was the way of life. Brooke was ok with being pregnant until she saw Lucas. Suddenly she felt dirty and ashamed that she was carrying someone else's baby. She was afraid that it would bring back memories of the last time she was pregnant.
"This is your new godson Drew Scott," Haley said as she took the baby from Nathan's arms and presented him to Brooke. Brooke took the baby in her arms.
"Haley he's beautiful," Brooke beamed.
"Yeah it makes up for those moments when he screams at one am." Haley took her son back.
"And where's the little Jegalski?" Brooke clapped her hands in excitement.
"Meet Sophie Rose Jegalski," Peyton smiled as Jake handed Sophie to Brooke. Tears began to fill Brooke's eyes.
"She's gorgeous. Man there sure are a lot of females in our group," Brooke commented looking around at the assembled adults and their children.
"I know, let's hope that that little one has a Y chromosome," Jake pointed to her stomach. Brooke smiled but shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly Sophie began to scream. Jumping into mom mode, Peyton took the baby from Brooke's arms.
"She needs to be fed."
"I've got some stuff inside," Haley told her. "I've got to feed Drew anyways. Brooke I'm glad you're here. Help yourself to some food." With that Haley and Peyton disappeared into the house.
"Hey Jake do you think you could help me serve the cake?" Nathan asked a bit pointedly. Jake looked from Lucas to Brooke, both of whom were looking down at the ground.
"Yeah I think I can do that." The two made a hasty leave.
"And then there were two," Brooke said.
"So wow you're pregnant," Lucas pointed out stupidly.
"Yeah."
"How far?"
"About three months."
"Three months wow." Silence overtook them. "So do you ever think of last time?"
"Last time?" Brooke asked.
"The last time you were pregnant. Does this make you think of that?" Again Brooke's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry that was really rude of me." Lucas moved to her side, feeling guilty. Hesitantly he put an arm around her shoulders. Giving in, Brooke leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"What if I lose this one too?" Brooke sobbed. "I don't think I could handle that. I'm just barely getting over the loss of my last baby. I don't…." But she didn't finish because she began to sob.
"Hey…hey. Brooke." Lucas took her chin in his hand and tilted her face up to look at him. "You are not going to lose this baby. I will make sure of that. I will be here for you if you'll let me and I will make sure that this baby is safe and that you're safe. You will not lose him or her." Lucas put his hand on her stomach. "I promise you that. You will not lose this baby," he repeated sternly. Brooke sniffled a couple more times before the tears stopped. Lucas led her to a seat.
"I talked to my doctor and told him about last time. He said that it was most likely caused by stressed so I've been phoning in my work. Doing the designs at home and mailing them to the office you know?" Lucas smiled.
"Well if that's the case then why don't you stay here?"
"What?!"
"Stay here. Peyton and Haley are here and they've been through this before so they can help you out. And this way I can keep an eye on you. And I know your goddaughters would love to have you around more. I swear that Jenny talks about you like you hold the sun up in the sky."
"I really love that little girl," Brooke smiled as she watched Jenny run around the yard. "I love all three of those little girls. Or I guess four now plus one little boy."
"You haven't even spent any time with Drew or Sophie. How do you know you love them?" Brooke smiled.
"Because when those little babies looked up at me with their big doll eyes I felt it. I felt that twang in my heart that told me I was going to love those babies forever. It's why I can't wait to be a mom. I can't wait to have a baby who's all mine. I can't wait to hold him or her in my arms and know that she or he needs me. Really needs me. Peyton and Haley smile more now did you notice that?" Lucas nodded. "Ever since Jenny and Brooklyn those two girls have transformed into these happy go lucky people that I barely recognize. And I want that. I can't wait to be a mother."
"Yeah parenting sounds great," Lucas said with a smile. "I know that every time I hear 'Uncle Lucas' my heart just melts. I think I'm ready to be a dad. Now I've just got to find the girl." Brooke gave a sad smile. Lucas deserved to be happy and she was married but it still stung a little whenever she thought about him with another girl. A part of her would always ache for Lucas.
"You'll be a great dad someday Lucas," Brooke reassured him.
"And you'll be a great mom in about six months Brooke." Lucas put his arm around Brooke and pressed his lips to her forehead. Brooke's heart jumped into her throat. It was a friendly gesture and nothing more, she tried to assure herself. But that's not the way her heart chose to take it. Her heart chose to continue beating at racecar speed as Lucas leaned back in his chair, his arm still around her shoulders. Lucas had the ability to turn Brooke into a giddy, love-struck teenager even when she was married to another man. And Brooke had a feeling that he always would have that ability. But was it wrong that he had it? Shouldn't she feel that way about David, her husband? The two didn't speak, simply watched the goings on around them. A woman whom neither recognized approached them.
"You know Brooklyn?" she asked of the two.
"We're her godparents," Brooke spoke proudly. The woman smiled and nodded.
"The girl in the pigtails on the swing, she's mine." The woman smiled blissfully as the three looked towards the swingset. "Your first child?" she asked of Brooke pointing to her swollen stomach. Brooke nodded. "You two are going to love parenting it's so rewarding."
"It's her first child, not mine. I'm not the father," Lucas spoke.
"Oh I'm sorry. I just assumed."
"I'm a friend and nothing more," Lucas informed her firmly. But something in his voice told Brooke that it pained him to say those words. And part of Brooke found herself happy that it hurt him.
"Oh well you're going to love parenting," the woman spoke now only to Brooke. "Babies really bring together family and friends. It's wonderful. And demanding. I've got to go." The woman bustled towards the swings where her daughter was now lying on the ground crying. Lucas and Brooke watched the woman pick the girl up and cradle her like a baby even though she was about eight.
"I think I'm going to stay," Brooke whispered.
"Really?" Lucas turned to her, excited. Grinning, Brooke nodded. She loved that it made him excited. "Brooke that's great." He hugged her tight and Brooke clung to him wishing that he wouldn't let go and then feeling guilty for it. "Well you're not staying in that motel you always stay at. You can move in with me." Brooke's smile faltered slightly. "So that I can take care of the baby, nothing more." Brooke smiled.
"I'm going to go back to LA tomorrow to get my stuff and settle a few things, but then I'll be back and you'll be stuck with a hormonal woman who will get progressively fatter and crankier in your house."
"I can't wait." Grinning from ear to ear, Lucas hugged her again.
"I'm going to go tell the girls." With a bit of difficulty Brooke eased herself out of her chair and strode across the lawn to tell her goddaughters. She couldn't believe she was doing this, leaving her husband to move in with her high school sweetheart. But then again she wasn't leaving David. She would remain married to him and return to him when the baby was born. She was just doing this for the baby. So that the baby would be born without any complications. But the churning in Brooke's stomach told her that this whole thing wasn't just for the baby, that maybe it was a little for Brooke as well.