Chapter 14

It was the ending of the week after Leah had spoke to Brooke about her concern, and Leah was ready to speak with Joanne, but luckily for Brooke Joanne was major busy with a huge case coming up, and was spending late nights at the office and now that it was Friday she was finally able to take a break, and everyone was going to just chill out at the Life Cafe.

"I'm telling her tomorrow." Leah said as she leaned forward to get closer to the mirror as she put her make-up on.

Brooke sighed, "okay okay."

"She's been stressed out, so I'm going to just let her have tonight to relax." Leah said, standing up straight, fixing her hair up.

"So why stress her out even more? Let me deal with this." Brooke said, walking over, wrapping her arms around her from behind, resting her head against her back.

"I told you why." Leah said, laying her hands over Brookes.

Brooke sighed nodding, "Okay."

Before anything else was said, they could hear Mark and Cora enter the house. Brooke pulled away, "Let's go."

Leah nodded, following her upstairs.

"Ryan and Tessa were playing quietly in the toy room when we left." Cora said, Mark and her having gotten a babysitter for the kids. "Is Tessa felling any better? Ryan says she isn't...normal." she slightly smirked.

"As in she isn't being all Maureen like?" Joanne smiled, as she pulled her coat out from the closet.

Mark smiled nodding, "Precisely."

Joanne smiled nodding, "She's fine. It's just the medication she is on. She only has a few days left, and she should be back to ...well as Ryan put it, normal."

Cora smiled, "Ryan will be happy to hear that."

Joanne smiled, doing up her jacket, "Honeybear, let's go."

"Coming." Maureen yelled from the bedroom, appearing at the top of the stairs a few minutes later, and heading down, pulling her coat on.

"Let's drink some beer." Brooke said, slipping her shoes on, looking up when no one answered, "Kidding."

Leah smirked, pressing a kiss to her cheek, "No you're not, but I still think you're cute."

"Gross." Maureen teased playfully nudging them apart.

Brooke smirked, "So is your face." She teased, and then ran out of the house, Maureen chasing after her the sound of Brooke squealing floating in the air.

Leah and Joanne shared a look, lightly laughing, before the four of them left the house.

At the Life, Brooke's playfulness completely changed, since when they entered she had seen Leo across the street, watching her. She sat uneasy, her knee bouncing, flinching when Collins laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Relax girl, just wondering if you want a refill?" He asked.

"Oh right, yeah." She nodded handing him her empty glass.

Collins rose a brow, but then headed off to the bar.

Mimi came over sliding into the spot next to her, "It's him isn't it?"

Brooke looked over, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Leah leaned in, "Mimi knows?"

Brooke sighed rolling her eyes, "Kind of."

Mimi looked between them, "I saw her talking to Leo, she hasn't done anything yet?"

"She's going to tell my Mama right now." Leah said grabbing her hand standing.

"Leah, no." Brooke said tugging her back down, "Just chill okay, he's not even in here. I just saw him across the street before we came in here, that's all."

Leah sighed looking to Mimi for help.

"Brooke..." Mimi began.

"Just back off." Brooke said standing up, heading to the bar, not wanting to get anyone else involved. Not only was she a little unnerved about Leo standing by, she had also spotted her father, who had made a visit back to the city ever since the restraining order had been lifted and he was released from jail. However this time around he was sober and was a changed man, but no way would Maureen think that after he had hit Joanne those years ago. So she had kept it quiet and would visit him on her own whenever she had the chance. But now she wasn't alone and he was sitting in the same restaurant as her family, and was worried someone would recognize him.

Her thoughts were broken when Collins came over handing her a drink, "I asked for a double shot in this one." He said, "It looks like you have stuff on your mind, and sure I shouldn't be encouraging alcohol especially after everything that had happened with Mo, but this is a good way to just have a good time, ya know?"

Brooke looked up at him taking the drink, "Thanks Collins." She smirked taking a drink, "You are Tom Collins after all."

"Not many people have the same name as a drink." He winked, heading back over to Angel.

Brooke lightly laughed, shaking her head, watching the group interact, sort of relaxing a bit, Leo going unnoticed as he entered the Life Cafe, walking over to her, reaching into his coat pocket, wrapping his fingers around a gun.