Chapter 3

"I don't know what to do, Haley," Brooke said, her legs dangling off of the tall barstool she was sitting on at the counter of Karen's café.

"I just don't understand it. How could Lucas have stayed out until midnight when he knew that his daughter was at the hospital?"

"I don't know Haley. I guess it doesn't really surprise me. He hasn't had anything to do with Jenna in the past," Brooke said, kissing the top of the little head asleep against her shoulder.

"It still doesn't sound like Lucas."

"Lucas hasn't sounded like Lucas in three years. None of this sounds like Lucas."

"I'm sorry Brooke."

"Yeah, me too. I better get the kids home."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Mommy!" Jenna called from her bedroom.

"Jenna, it's quiet time," Brooke responded from the couch. Jenna had slept all morning at the café and was not about to go to sleep.

"Mommy, make Jenna be quiet!" Taylor said.

"My dino says it is time to get up!" Aniston said, coming out of his bedroom.

Brooke groaned. She needed them to be quiet. She'd been nursing a headache all day, and it was beginning to be joined by a sore throat.

"Aniston, tell your dinosaur that he's wrong. It is time to rest. Mommy's tired. Just go lay down on your bed."

Aniston sighed and went back to his room pouting.

"Mom! Can I leave my room to get a new book out of my back-pack! I finished this one!" Leighton asked from her bed.

"Yeah Ley, that's fine."

"I'm not asleep yet!" Jenna nearly screamed.

Brooke gave up. They weren't going to sleep.

"You can get up," Brooke announced, popping a DVD into the player, heading to her bedroom. They could have the couch. Hopefully that satisfaction would keep them happy long enough for her to squeeze a nap in. All four kids bounded out of their bedrooms. Brooke smiled to herself watching her kids situate themselves on the couch. Jenna was wearing a Sleeping Beauty dress and tiara. Taylor was positioning her baby doll so she could see the television. Aniston had dragged his dinosaur out of the bedroom with him and was sitting on its head. Leighton was plugging her ears with one hand and holding a book with the other. Brooke felt bad for Leighton sometimes. Leighton liked things to be quiet, and in a house with four siblings, she didn't get that very often.

Brooke turned on the movie and collapsed on her bed. She felt her body relax on the soft mattress, as her eyes began to slowly close. WAAAAA! Brooke shot up in bed, startled. Elijah was up. She shook her head a little then went to get her son.

"Good morning Elijah! Mommy loves you," Brooke said, lifting him out of the crib and laying him down gently on her bed.

"It's time for a new diaper for Elijah!" Brooke said, kissing her son's nose. Elijah reached up and grabbed Brooke's nose, causing Brooke to giggle. She loved her kids. She changed Elijah into a fresh diaper, and decided to give up her nap. It wasn't going to happen. She went into the family room, and plopped down on the couch next to Leighton, who had given up reading, and was enthralled with the movie. Brooke turned Elijah around so he could see what was going on. Leighton leaned her head against Brooke's shoulder. Elijah grunted a little, then began to scream. Brooke sighed and stood up, situating him on her shoulder, taking him to the kitchen as to not disturb the older kids. She bounced him some, hoping to calm him down. He didn't calm down; he started to scream even louder. Brooke felt her phone buzzing in her pocket, and struggled to flip it open while holding a still screaming Elijah.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Lucas."

"Hey Luke."

"I'm going to be home late tonight."

"Fine," Brooke said, snapping her phone shut.

Brooke was laying in her bed, trying to watch television. The kids were all in bed for the night, but not without a fight. Her head was pounding and she was beginning to admit defeat to the cold that she'd been fighting all day. She pulled herself out of bed, coughing, hoping to find some medicine in the bathroom. She had needed Lucas that day. She didn't feel good, and the kids had been difficult. But he wasn't there. Of course he wasn't. He was never there. Lucas was never there. Brooke felt herself being filled with anger. She was lonely, and it was his fault. She grabbed the phone off of her bedside table. It was only ten. Karen would still be awake.

"Hey Karen," Brooke whispered when she heard the phone be picked up.

"Brooke, what's wrong?"

"Lucas isn't home yet, and I think I need to go to his office and talk to him."

"Okay," Karen said, waiting to hear why she was needed.

"I need you to please come and sit with the kids for a few minutes."

"Brooke, I don't know,"

"Karen, please, this is for my marriage."

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Brooke grabbed two Aleve from her cabinet, swallowing them quickly. She pulled a pair of jeans from her dresser and pulled them on over her slender frame. She greeted Karen, then slid into the driver's seat of the mini-van that she hated. She contemplated what she was going to say to Lucas. There were so many ways that he'd hurt her. It wasn't the things he did, but rather the things he didn't do. He didn't go to Leighton's birthday party. He didn't go to the hospital to see Jenna. Brooke couldn't remember the last time she had felt the gentle touch of his lips against hers. He was absent. He never told Brooke he loved her anymore. He never thanked her for what she did for her family. The truth was, he didn't do anything. Brooke needed Lucas.

She pulled into the parking lot of his office, next to Peyton's car. Brooke hopped out of the car, feeling a second wind now that the Aleve had kicked in a little. She threw open the door of the office and quickly climbed the stairs to Lucas' floor. She was going to tell him everything. Lay it all down on the table. It was her only choice, she couldn't continue to live the way she had that day. She walked into his office, turning the corner to Lucas cubicle. She felt her heart drop. Her body went weak as her eyes focused on her husband. Her husband and his receptionist. Her husband and her best friend. Lucas and Peyton.

AN- Hey guys! Sorry this has taken an insane amount of time to be updated, I've been really busy the past couple weeks. This may have a couple of errors because I wanted to get it up quickly for you, so please don't hesitate to point them out to me so they can changed. Thanks for sticking with me, and please please please review!