Chapter 7: untitled
We walked hand in hand all the way to Brooke's house. About a block away I pulled my hand out of Jake's and told him to wait there. I wanted him to let me get a head start.
I ran up to door putting on my best angry face. I pounded on the front door. "Brooklyn Penelope Adams, open this door." I commanded.
The door jerked open and a weary Chase greeted me. "Luke, man, I told her it was a bad idea but you know Brooke."
"It's okay. I just need to have a minute with your lovely wife." I said calmly through my gritted teeth.
"She's in the living room, just promise you won't kill her. I love her." He said gesturing me into his humble abode.
I walked through the foyer and caught sight of Brooke lying on the couch engrossed in some television program. She caught me out of the corner of her eye and tried to hide her nervousness to no avail.
"Hey Cheery." I said walking toward her and sitting next to her. "So we need to talk."
"Luke, you probably thought it was wrong but I don't think so and I am not going to apologize. You two were meant to be 'forever and always' like those lovebirds down the street. You can me mad, Luke. But…" I clasped my hand over her mouth hoping to save myself from listening to anymore of her ramblings.
"You've known me since forever and you still don't know my fake anger from my real anger." I said, removing from hand from her mouth. "No, I wanted to thank you so much. Brooke you don't how much this means to me."
"I have an idea. Probably about how I felt when you locked me in a room with Chase after we broke up."
"Yeah. Let me go get Jake. He is probably waiting outside." Getting up from the couch, I made my way to the door and found Jake standing there waiting on me. I took his hand and led him to the living room.
"Jake Jagielski, get your pasty ass in here." Brooke said wrapping her arms around my boyfriend. "Glad to see you're back." I glanced over at Chase and saw an air of uneasiness about him. It must be weird to have your wife talk to some guy everyday without knowing who he is or was and then suddenly come face to face with him.
"Chase this is Jake, my boyfriend." I introduced them, noticing a new sense of comfort. They very nicely exchanged pleasantries as I whispered in Brooke's ear that there were other things on my mind that needed tending to. Hearing the news she practically pushed us out the door while her husband stood there bewildered.
I leaned in close to Jake and felt his arm wrap me closer. This was how we walked all the way to Tric. Peyton was babysitting Jenny and I was more than anxious to see my little girl again. I tried to picture how she would look, but all I could see was the little four year old I held long ago.
"Do you think she'll know who I am?"
"I kept pictures of you all around the house. Trust me, our daughter knows what you look like." He said, giving me insight to his life without me. "Luke, I don't know what I can do to make you see that everything is going to be okay. I have waited four years to be with you again and nothing and no one is going to change that." With that, Jake cupped my face, staring straight into my eyes and if to show me his soul.
"I'm trying to get things back to the way they were, Jake…I am. And I want this more than anything in the world. I want you and I want the family we had." I leaned in, pressing my lips against, nearly knocking both of us off our feet.
"Well…well…well. Looks like you two are back on track. Need me to keep Jenny." Peyton said laughing at us as we both turned a bright shade of red.
"There's no need, tonight is my chance to have my family back and see what I've missed. But I'll take a rain check on that offer." I said as she led us to Peyton's office where my daughter was sitting watching the Princess Diaries. I quietly snuck up behind her and sat down ever so subtly, to avail. Her eyes never left the television screen. I wrapped my arms around her and called her "Princess" like I did all those years ago. Her eyes grew wide and she threw herself into my arms. I lifter her up and spun her around. I could feel her tears saturate my shirt, but I knew that they were tears of joy.
"Daddy, you're back."
"Daddy's back and he's not going anywhere." I whispered. A single tear streamed down my face, knowing now that this is where my heart lied. Jake joined the group hug as he gave both Jenny and I kisses. Flashes could be seen out of my eye as Peyton took photographs of the tender moment.
"You ready to go home, Jenny?" I asked, feeling Jake's arm wrap around my waist. The warmth from his body and the glow in Jenny's eyes made my heart skip a beat. Perfection comes in so many styles that if one doesn't search for it they may watch it pass before their eyes, unnoticed.
"Good to see you're back Jake. Glad to see you finally came to your senses. So was it Brooke's constant nagging or the words that Cole told Gavin that got you back?" Peyton chided.
"Brooke can be a pest but when I read what Luke's characters said to each other after years of separation, I knew then that I made a mistake." He explained.
"That was in chapter 30. You didn't realize how much Cole was hurt when Gavin left. I don't get it."
"Peyton, when people break up there is bound to be pain and loss. But when Cole saw Gavin for the first time he was angry and relieved and happy all at the same time. That mix of emotions is a sign of true love. It was at that moment that Cole realized that he hadn't lived since he last saw Gavin. He was alive again."
"So."
"So, I knew then that Luke wasn't just writing for his fans. He was writing for me. He was living the moment when he would see me again in his head. Knowing that Luke was writing to me meant everything to me. It was then that I quit my job, sold our house, and came back. Back to the one person in the whole world who could make me happy."
"God, why are all the good ones gay?" Peyton exasperated.
"You had your chance Peyton, now it's mine." I said, holding on to Jake tighter. I was never going to let him go.