Summary: Julian is about to lose his job after the company he works for is combining with another. His boss, Lucas, always flirted with his wife, Brooke. What happens when Julian pushes Brooke to sleep with Lucas to keep his job?
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the little boys. Everything else is owned by One Tree Hill. The title is from a Fall Out Boy song!
So here it is. The Epilog is completed meaning this story is over. I'm going to try to write one-shots for now since life is hectic, too hectic maybe to write a whole story. I hope you all enjoy this! Thanks for reading!
Sugar, We're Going Down Swinging
Chapter Sixteen: Epilog
Brooke's Point-of-View
Silence. I enjoyed silence even though some may disagree with that. Rocking back and forth as I sipped my coffee watching the sunrise above. It was quiet, peace and quiet that I loved.
"Pretty Girl?" Lucas opened the front door, a cup of coffee- in a mug that Clarice decorated proudly for her father- steaming in his hand. "What you doing out here?"
"Enjoying it." I responded, sipping slowly not to burn me. "It's calm this early."
"Yes, yes it is." He smiled, laughing lightly before joining me on one of the white Cracker Barrel rocking chairs. As soon as we moved into this house I made him buy four of them. Two on each side, perfectly comfortable to rock back and forth in, watching children play. "Everything okay?"
"Just thinking, that's all."
"Thinking makes you over think things, Brooke. You and I both know that for a fact."
"Yeah, but I have a lot to think about. Changes are happening like crazy." I looked at him.
He gave me everything I wanted and dreamed of. A house in the country with neighbors close yet far enough away that you're not on top of them and observing their every move. A farm actually sat across from the dream home. It was perfect.
Three bikes made a home on their deck. Two older, BMX style bikes for Grant and William that were covered in mud on a daily bases and one pink, frilly bike, that the only daughter in the house hold, and a princess in her own mine could want.
Things changed. Some for the better, and some I would take away in a second.
Clarice "Reesie" Adelaide Scott, born four years ago is the perfect completion to the family. Blue eyes, dark curly locks that bounced with each step she took, and dimples that complement her smile perfectly.
She was a princess and she knew it. Every man in this house, including her two teenage brothers, spoiled her completely. I was the only one who put rules into effect for her.
It took a while to conceive her and many struggles to make sure she survived.
In my dream I always had four children. The third boy, something I did not know, happened to him. I never seen his face in any dream I had of them.
I knew something would happen. I knew I wasn't going to have that third son.
It became reality when Malcolm Lucas Scott was placed in my arms sleeping peacefully seven years ago.
I never got to know him. I never got to know his personality or know what he liked or disliked. I would have loved an opportunity to get to know him. I always wondered if he would be like me or like Lucas. It was something I think about constantly.
Pictures of him decked the walls, just like the other kids. Except his never change. His pictures stay the same as they did when we took them when he passed.
I played with the necklace around my neck; one that Lucas bought me the day I was sent home, baby less.
Leaving that hospital, you see all these new mother's holding their baby and showing them off to everyone. You hear all the screams from soon-to-be mothers and the whaling cries from the newborn babies. I was broken.
The necklace made me whole again. A gold heart shaped locket with the initials MLS on the front and a picture of Lucas and I with Malcolm on the inside. It was my favorite picture and I hold it tightly to my heart for the rest of my life.
Lucas always told me after Clarice came along that we can try again but deep down I knew I couldn't. I couldn't replace Malcolm just like that. His memory deserves to be known and preserved for everyone who wonders who the baby on the wall is.
"Spill it Brooke," Lucas patiently waited. "I can see the gears turning in your mind."
"Thank you," I spoke lightly, "Thank you for all of this."
I don't know why I thanked him. I always seem to remind him for what he did for us.
Grant and William appreciate it a lot.
Julian was one of that father's that still, even though he said he was tired of it, took them out of spit. He took them, not because he really wanted them to be there but because I hated them being apart- even if it was only four days a month.
Julian moved on, marrying some girl who had kids already before adding another child to that bunch. The boys sleep on futons found in the basement, when they go, if they decide to go.
It's been ten years since he gave up the fight and in ten years the boys changed.
Grant, the oh-so-serious book nerd, branched out. He, at sixteen, BMX bikes all over those ramps Lucas helped him build the year we moved in. He branched away from the animal lover, more like he hides it from the world, and became into cars. You show him a car and he'll tell you what is inside, the horsepower of the engine and every single detail of the car.
Lately he's been trying to talk us into buying him a car so he can drive around and use the license that sat useless most of the time.
There were strict regulations for that license and a car. Only As and Bs allowed and his father has to chip in fifty percent of it. But with three step kids, two new kids and the two boys who he needs to support makes buying half a car difficult.
But Grant will continue to beg; little did he know, come his seventeenth birthday, Lucas restored a mustang for him that will be his if he can get a part time job to pay for part of insurance and gas.
William on the other hand did not change at all. He was the wild child or some would call dare devil or class clown. The energy that one thirteen year old has was terrifying to me. I didn't understand it, but everyone just said he'd be like that forever. I'm okay with it.
You want to be cheered up; William is the child for you. And I will always love that about him.
Yes he is not a straight A student like Grant, but I still expect him to do his best even if it is Bs and Cs.
"Nothing, just random thoughts Broody. Nothing to important." I flashed him a smile.
The sun rose higher and we sat in silence till we knew Reesie would be up any moment terrorizing the household with her sass.
"As long as it's nothing bad, Pretty Girl." He climbed out of the chair, holding out for my hand. "Come on, time for life to happen."
"I like the silence." I declared. The silence let me remember everything, remember why I purposely chose to do things and were those choices left me.
"As do I, but you and I both know if we don't get in that house you'll have two grumpy teenagers on an hour drive."
I forgot what today was. I always try to forget the days I have to drive across the highway for an hour to meet Julian at a rest station in the middle of both houses.
"Great." I sighed. "You cook and I'll start getting them up."
It was an extended weekend meaning the boys get to head over to their father's this morning instead of Friday nights. I wish I could change it, but they still go.
I think it's more of the fact that even though Grant does not have to go any more as he past fourteen, the age of determining who you want to live with, he is being the older brother that I know him to be and is willing to go to protect William.
Always the protector.
"Mama! Daddy!" Clarice went screaming through the house. Dressed her best in a Sofia the First dress up outfit over her pajamas, and dress up shoes on her feet she stomped down the wooden staircase that was at the entrance of the house.
The old wooden staircase has so much detail that could never be replicated even though Lucas tried to get me to agree to build a new house on the plot of land he found. But the character of this house and the history behind it, makes it home.
"Princess, you need to be quiet." Lucas laughed, allowing for his pride and joy to jump off the forth step and into his arms.
"William and Grant are up. I woke them up!" She declared proudly, shaking her head at Lucas.
"Yes we are. She jumped on the fucking bed." Grant hissed.
The one downfall with the house was that it was a three-bedroom old farmhouse. The third, and biggest bedroom was given to the boys to share. Grant on one side with car posters and posters of half naked girls I try to protest against, and William on the other with band posters.
"Language, G." I warned, giving him one cold hard stare that made him mumble an apologetic 'sorry'. "Reesie, you know better to go in their room before the clock shows the number ten."
"It had a seven and a three and Mama, you said when you add those it makes ten so it had a ten." Her reasoning made me laugh. The logic the four-year-old held so true. "See I was right!"
"I meant when the actual number was ten, Baby Girl."
"I wish we could just lock the door." William made his presence known. "It will be amazing to actually sleep on a no-school day."
"Go to bed earlier. I got an eight o'clock bedtime, William. You should sleep then too."
"Eight o'clock bed time is for babies- like you." William teased. He bickered with Clarice constantly but I think he enjoyed it. It was how they bonded. Annoying each other to the point were one screams out in annoyance at the end.
"Be nice, Will." I warned. "I hope you two are packed. We'll head out at nine."
"Yea." Both boys answered alongside nodding a respond.
"Okay, now who wants what for breakfast?" I changed the subject quickly. I didn't ever really stay on the topic of Julian for a while, unless it was one of the boys asking questions.
In a second, all three kids screamed out three different things. It was going to be a long morning.
-XO-OTH-XO-
Before I knew it we were on our way. This time, only like a couple of times, Lucas and Clarice joined for the ride. We were going to meet Lucas's mother in the city for shopping for Christmas and lunch.
"Why do you have a different daddy?" Clarice asked when we pulled up to the rest stop.
We discussed it since the beginning that they have a different daddy because Mama use to be married. Some days Reesie understood, other days she didn't.
In the corner of my eye I noticed Julian leaning against his car waiting for us.
"Behave boys. Please?" I warned as Lucas pulled up to the parking spot next to Julian's in the mini-van that I did not want in the first place. "I know you really don't want to go on the trip to see your Grandmother, but she is your dad's mother."
I looked into the nine-passenger van Julian now owns and laugh. He was so against more than two kids. Two was his max. Now in his house he has a total of ranging from five to seven kids at any time. I had to laugh, it was hilarious.
"Brooke." Julian smiled. He was more emotionless then when everything went down. We didn't speak any more than a simple hello. "I'll drop them off on my way back on Monday."
"Julian, they have school on Monday. You told me Sunday night." I sighed. School was a deal breaker for me. If he wanted Grant and William for a vacation, fine, but they do not skip school. "They can't skip school."
"Well things have changed." Was his response. I knew what that meant. His lovely wife- whatever her name was- wanted to stay till Monday so they will stay till Monday.
"Well next time check with me." I hissed. "Your visitation is Friday to Sunday night. Not Monday night."
"I can always go back for more." He warned in his typical threat.
"Last time this happens, Julian. They're not allowed to skip school. I'll allow it this once but never again."
Fuck compromising. I didn't ever like it but it was good for the boys to see their other family.
"Yeah. I'll call you Monday with when I'll drop them off."
These drop offs have never been this calm though. Lucas use to do the drop offs for me because I was still terrified of him. Over time, Julian broke down. His dark hair is now salt and pepper around the edges, and more wrinkles can be found in his face. That's what he gets for having a newborn right now.
His loss.
"Bye." I shut the window, waving by to the boys who were crammed in the back.
"You did well, B." Lucas placed his hand on my leg, squeezing it lightly.
"He still scares me," I whisper low enough for Reesie not to hear. "I don't want them going there anymore."
"Well for now, it's their choice. I bet you when Will turns fourteen they won't be going there anymore." Lucas always said the things I needed to hear. "Six more months a counting."
"I know." I nodded, watching them pull out. The look on William's face broke my heart. "Let's just go."
I started to play with the necklace, hoping for it to bring me serenity. It does.
I thought back to when this mess began. I never thought I'd end up like this. Happily married for eight-years and two more kids, one who walks and one who flies, adding to the bunch. I never thought I'd be this happy.
"I love you, Brooke." Lucas gently brought my hand up to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it. "Don't over think anything."
"Just do it." I smiled, finishing his thought.
Looking back, I never thought I'd be here, but now I wouldn't change it.
I have a man who loves me and treats me right and amazing kids.
No more am I crashing, I am running high.
Love always finds you in the darnest places.
If someone told me I'd fall in love with my husband at the time boss and ten years later be married to them, I'd laugh in your face.
But now, I wouldn't change it for the world.