DAMN LAST YEAR WAS ONE BUSY, WILL WITH ISSUES KIND OF YEAR. I HOPE THIS NEW ONE IS BETTER SO HERE IS AN UPDATE, I HOPE THIS IS A SIGN OF THAT I CAN FINALLY GIVE YOU MY READERS PROPER UPDATES AND END THIS STORY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE ME REVIEWS, ALERT MY STORY, ME AS AN AUTHOR AND OF COURSE PLACED THIS PROJECT AS FAVORITE, ALSO MY ANONYMOUS READERS. SO THANK YOU: LEONIE1988. SALAZARJASAM, LOVEPJANDBRUCASLOVER, ARUBAGIRL0926, AUTIOTHGIRL, BROOKEDAVIS23, JUSTINV97, HXART, JENNY14, SDWASH27.
DISCLAIMER: I DON´T OWN ANYTHING ABOUT OTH. IT ALL BELONGS TO MARK SCHWAHNN, THE CW, WARNER AND TOLLINS - ROBBINS.
I DON´T EVEN OWN THE SONG THAT BELONGS TO NICK LACHEY, AND HIS RECORD COMPANY.
HERE IT IS... ENJOY AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW, THAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE ME.
BY THE WAY I INVITE YOU ALL TO CHECK MY OTHER STORY NAMED TAKING CHANCES, HERE IS THE LINK: s/7133371/1/TAKING_CHANCES
Chapter 31
Lucas was walking down the hall towards his office when he passed in front of Brooke´s room, saw the door open and heard someone crying so he decided to enter but when he did that, he saw Brooke sitting on the side of the bed crying.
In that moment, he decided to sit next to hear and comfort her ...
"Hey Brooke what´s wrong?" Lucas said sitting down next to her in bed.
"Nothing It´s wrong." Brooke said wipping her tears for a bit but still crying.
"I can´t see you like this, so something is wrong and after the talk the other day,
I think you can tell me so what happened?." Lucas explained.
"I got into a fight with Ben again." Brooke said with sincerity.
"And that is why you are crying like the world is going to end tomorrow." Lucas stated.
"Yeah pretty much." Brooke stated.
"What did you fight for? what subject?" Lucas asked.
"For the only subject we always fight." Brooke said.
"His dad?" Lucas asked.
"Yes." Brooke stated.
"What about that now?" Lucas asked.
"He wants me to tell him right away and I told him I´m not ready yet." Brooke said.
"I understand both of your points and both are right in a certain way." Lucas said.
"I know but he was so angry and said the meanest thing to me." Brooke said feeling a bit sad.
"Brooke, he has a right to be angry. I know I was with Dan." Lucas stated.
"I also know that but you didn´t see how he was." Brooke stated.
"What mean thing did he tell you?" Lucas asked.
"He said that I didn´t have a problem ruining his life and the life of his father by not telling him the true". Brooke said with a new batch of tears emerging from her eyes.
"Awwww this kid. I´m pretty sure that he didn´t meant to." Lucas said hugging her and waving his head in disapproval.
"I don´t know Lucas." Brooke said hugging back Lucas.
"What happened after that?" Lucas asked.
"He stormed out of the room like a fury and I don´t know where he is, I´m worry." Brooke said.
"First of all don´t worry, I will go look for him. Second, like I said before I´m pretty sure he didn´t mean it, teens sometimes can said the meanest things without actually meaning too." Lucas stated.
"I know, I´m example of that." Brooke stated.
"See, he is just probably feed up with the situation of not knowing who his dad is and probably just want to step in front of him and call him dad, hug him and have a relationship.
Knowing him, he probably also feels that you took him all of that. Do you remember when I went to live with Dan?" Lucas said and asked.
"Yes." Brooke said.
"I knew who he was but I did it because I wanted to prove that what I know of him was wrong that he was a good person and it was campaign against him. But you also know how it turned out right?" Lucas said and asked once again.
"No." Brooke said.
"I proved that everyone was right." Lucas stated.
"That is why you came back to your house?" Brooke asked.
"Yes. What I´m trying to say is that maybe Ben wants the true out to see what kind of father he has, want to build a relationship because I know for a fact that the mothers don´t usually talk about the fathers at all." Lucas stated.
"Maybe." Brooke said.
"But he needs you to come clean, accept the consequences of your action because it´s way too shocking for the father and way too difficult for Ben to stand in his doorway and say Hi, I´m your son right there out the blue." Lucas stated.
"You think?" Brooke asked.
"Yes, I know it would be for me if I was the father and Ben comes to my door and say Hi, Lucas I´m your long lost son... I would be like What the fuck, I don´t have a son. What I´m trying to say is that his urges for you to come clean could come from his need of knowing him, see what kind of men he is but most importantly wanting a relationship with him and that is something you deprived him for so long." Lucas said laughing just a bit.
"I think you are right." Brooke said.
"I know, I´m right because I know what is like to be in his place and wanting what he wants. I don´t say do it right now but like I said the other night do it as soon as you can." Lucas said.
"Thanks Lucas. For being so nice to me." Brooke said.
"You are welcome, I can´t see you like this. You need to calm down and don´t worry I will go look for Ben and talking to him too." Lucas pleaded with her.
"You would?" Brooke asked.
"Yes I would. Now calm down ok?" Lucas said and asked.
"Ok." Brooke said.
He gave her one last hug, got up, and left the room to get a couple of things before starting the search for Ben.
~X~X~X~X~
Rachel waited for a full hour before going back to the room that Brooke was, when she got there she knocked the door and waited for the sign to come in.
When she did, she found Brooke sitting on the bed, sad, emotional and said ...
"Hey Brookie ..." Rachel said chirpy.
"Hey Rach." Brooke said.
"I wanted to see how the chat with Ben was? since I felt he was going to discuss heavy stuff." Rachel asked.
"Yes we did discuss stuff that was heavy and it went very wrong." Brooke stated.
"Really?" Rachel asked.
"Really." Brooke stated.
"I imagine that it was the father issue again right?." Rachel asked once more.
"Right." Brooke stated.
"Want to talk about it?" Rachel asked again.
"He wanted me to tell Lucas the true." Brooke said.
"What did you tell him?" Rachel asked.
"That I wasn´t ready to do it yet." Brooke stated.
"And what was his response?" Rachel asked.
"He said the meaniest things to me." Brooke said.
"What things?" Rachel asked.
"He said that and I quote "you don´t want to ruin his holidays but you didn´t have a problem ruining my life and ruining Lucas´s life by not telling him I´m his son"." Brooke said.
"Noooooo" Rachel said not believing what she was seeing.
"Yes." Brooke said.
"I just can´t believe he said that you." Rachel now expressed what she was thinking.
"Yes he did, and he was so mad. I have never seen him like that to the point that he stormed out of the room after he said that." Brooke said.
"This kid never learns. He can´t act like this, I know he is right on pushing you to tell him about his son but you have to pick the time because you did the crime now you have to pay the time". Rachel said laughing just a bit.
"I know." Brooke said.
"But don´t wait too much." Rachel stated.
"I won´t but I think that will be a conversation to have it alone. There is a lot to explain on my part. I´m not prepared yet and it was not the time with everyone here." Brooke said.
"I get it and I feel the same way ... you two should have a private conversation and not with everyone around plus do you still think of giving him the box?" Rachel said and asked.
"Yes, everything I collected in that box is for him." Brooke stated.
"Do you want me and Jason to go find Ben and talk to him?" Rachel asked.
"Nah, that is ok. " Brooke said.
"Really, it doesn´t cost us anything." Rachel said.
"It not necessary because minuts after Ben stormed out of the room, Lucas happened to pass by and saw me like that so he entered the room and asked me what had happened." Brooke said.
"He did?" Rachel asked with surprise.
"Yes, he is so sweet with me lately." Brooke stated.
"I know. So did you tell him?" Rachel said and asked once more.
"I did, I told him everything that happened, he offered to look for Ben and speak to him." Brooke said
"Doing daddy´s chords and he doesn´t know it". Rachel said laughing.
"Rach!." Brooke said,
"But it´s true." Rachel stated.
"I know and in some form is good because apparently he is the only one who can get thru him. The only one Ben listen." Brooke stated.
"That is also true because he was the only one to get you two talking again after you confessed him the true." Rachel said.
"Yes." Brooke said.
"Enough talking about this stuff, let´s go lift our spirit with Ice Cream." Rachel said.
"I don´t want to go out, I want to wait for Ben." Brooke said.
"Who said anything about going out, let´s just raid Lucas´s Freezer". Rachel stated laughing.
"Rach, we can´t do that." Brooke said horrified of what Rachel said.
"Shut up and follow my lead". Rachel said laughing.
Rachel grabbed Brooke by the hands, pulled her out of bed and into the kitchen they went.
~X~X~X~X~
After leaving Brooke´s room, he went to the garage, picked a car and drove to where he knew Ben would be. He went there a lot in the last time, even if he can´t play because of the cast, the place was call Ravenscourt Park.
Like the name indicated it was a park, a very beautiful one, but the reason to be Ben´s favorite spot was that it had a basketball court. Once he found a place to park the car, closed it and started walking thru it until he reached the spot where the court was.
There he was sitting outside the court watching the kids play, so he went from behind and said ...
"Fancy running into you here" Lucas said laughing a bit.
"Hi Lucas, did my mother send you?" Ben asked turning around.
"No, I offer". Lucas stated laughing and sitting next to him.
"Ok." He said.
"Plus I knew that the others won´t find you, they don´t know your spots in London." Lucas said.
"You do?". Ben asked surprised.
"I think I do, I found you right?" He asked.
"Yes you did." Ben said.
"So what happened champ?" Lucas asked.
"Didn´t my mom tell you?" Ben asked.
"Well I found your mother crying with the door half open and she did tell me but I want to hear it from you, if you want to tell me of course." He said.
"She was crying?" Ben asked surprised once more.
"Yes, so are you going to tell me or should I operate on what your mother told me?" Lucas asked.
"No, I will tell you." He said defeated.
"Great, I´m ready to listen." Lucas said.
"I just had the biggest fight with her about the same subject as always ..." Ben said trailing off at the end.
"Your dad?" Lucas asked.
"Yes." Ben said.
"What about him now?". Lucas asked once more knowing what it was about but letting Ben tell him.
"I want her to tell him, I think it´s about time but she pulls the same crap as always." Ben said.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"That she is not sure, she doesn´t know, she doesn´t feel it´s the right moment to do it and let´s not forget the whole I´m afraid line and I´m not ready". Ben said being sarcastic.
"Ben, watch the tone with me ok buddy?" Lucas asked.
"Ok. Sorry." Ben apologized.
"In front of me Ben you are going to refer to her with respect." Lucas stated.
"Ok, again sorry." Ben once again apologized.
"Apology taken, what happened next?" Lucas said and asked.
"I blew up, I told her that I didn´t give a fuck what she feels and that she didn´t have a problem ruining my life and my dad´s life by not telling the true. Then I stormed off because I couldn´t deal with her at that moment." Ben explained.
"Wowwww buddy, don´t you think you were too harsh on her?" Lucas asked.
"I told her how I feel." Ben said.
"Ben, it´s ok you let your feelings out kid but not like that. You can´t say those nasty things to your mother. What do you we talk about a couple months before when I was in Tree Hill? Do you remember?" Lucas said and asked.
"I do." Ben said.
"What was that?" Lucas asked.
"That I should be nice to her." Ben said.
"What else?" Lucas asked once more.
"That I need to treat her better." Ben said.
"Very good. What you told her was uncalled for and makes you look like a brat Ben, which leaves Brooke as a bad mother. Do you think she was a bad mother to you?" Lucas said and asked.
"No she was an excellent mother." Ben stated.
"So?" Lucas asked to signalize him to continue.
"I think you are right. I need to tone my attitude." Ben recognize.
"Yes, you do and you have to ask for her forgiveness." Lucas said.
"Do I have to?" Ben asked ashamed.
"Ben !..." Lucas said.
"Ok Ok, I will tell her to forgive me, that I was a rude son ..." Ben said.
"And what more?" Lucas asked.
"That I will try not to do it again." Ben said.
"That is better kiddo because I didn´t bring the family on the holidays for you to fight. I brought them for you to be happy because the whole sense of them is to spend it with feeling the holiday joy." Lucas said.
"Lucas?" Ben asked.
"What?" Lucas answered with another question.
"Did you go easy with the alcohol before finding me?". Ben asked laughing.
"Hey kid, show some respect for the men who is housing you". Lucas said laughing too.
"Ok ok sorry but it´s not like you to be puking rainbows". Ben said laughing again.
"I´m not puking rainbows, I´m sensitive about the holidays, they are gift to me since I don't´ spend the entire year with my family." Lucas said continuing laughing.
"I know." Ben stated.
"Kiddo, bottom line ... I want you to understand that sometimes when you have a secret for as long as your mom does, it takes a really really long time to find the courage, that inner strength to let it out ..." Lucas said.
"Why is that?" Ben asked.
"Don´t know, I think it is because you get to a point where you are used to live with that secret and the fear of how the other will react takes a hold to your heart that is not that easily to break." Lucas tried to explain.
"Probably." Ben said.
"You know what they say ... the fear itself it´s not dumb". Lucas said laughing just a bit.
"Yeah." Ben said.
"Let´s go home so you can talk to your mother and if I know her and your aunt just a bit, they probably left me with not dessert at all". Lucas said laughing again.
They both left the park towards the car, jump on it and drove to the house. Once they reached there, went directly to the garage to left the car there. They entered thru the garage door to the foyer and found Alfred who said ...
"Sir, Master Ben... I thought I heard the car." Alfred said.
"Yes, we are back Alfred." Lucas said.
"Very good Sir" (starting to leave). Alfred said starting to leave.
"Alfred?" Lucas asked.
"Yes?" Alfred responded with a question.
"Where is Brooke?" Lucas asked to amuse Ben.
"Miss Brooke and her friend are sucking our freeze dry if you allow me the phrase." Alfred said.
"Yes Alfred, you are allowed. See I told you Ben". Lucas said laughing.
"You do know my mom". Ben said laughing too.
"Go talk to her and do what we talked about." Lucas said encouraging Ben.
"Ok". Ben said leaving towards the kitchen.
"Any other news Alfred?" Lucas asked.
"Yes Sir, Miss Lindsay left the house towards his parents a little while ago." Alfred informed.
"How is that? I thought she wouldn´t leave until the 30th." Lucas asked shocked.
"I don´t know Sir, she told me she had to leave and that I should let you know." Alfred explained.
"Ok. I will talk to her. Thanks Alfred." Lucas said.
"You are welcome Sir." Alfred said and leave.
~X~X~X~X~
Haley was in the living room, sitting in the couch reading a book when Nathan passed to go to the TV room so she lifts her eyes from the book and says ...
"Nathan honey ..." Haley said.
"Yes. What do you need?" Nathan asked stopping in his tracks.
"What do you think I need something?" Haley responded with a question.
"Because you said Nathan honey". Nathan said laughing.
"Well actually I wanted to ask you something." Haley admitted.
"See. What did you want to ask?" Nathan asked laughing.
"Did you already talk to Lucas?." Haley asked.
"About?" Nathan asked.
"You know." Haley said.
"No I don´t." Nathan admitted.
"About what we discussed? The wedding?" Haley asked bringing the memory back to his husband.
"Ahh Yes, that thing. No I didn´t ." Nathan said remembering.
"What are you expecting?" Haley asked.
"I don´t know. See him perhaps". Nathan said laughing.
In that moment, Karen walks into the living room and was stopped by Haley ...
"Karen, do you know where Lucas is?" Haley asked.
"I think he is in the office. Why?" Karen responded and asked.
"Because Nathan has to talk to him." Haley stated.
"About what Nathan?" Karen asked.
"Haley wants me to talk to him about the subject of lacking sensibility when you ask a girl to marry in front of your ex." Nathan explained.
"Who still loves him right?" Karen asked.
"See even Karen saw it too and I had to explain it to you." Haley said.
"I´m a men, I don´t get these things, you get me basketball and I can give a masterclass but I don´t not understand girl stuff." Nathan explained.
"My son can be a total dumb sometimes and if you don´t want to do it Nathan, I can." Karen stated.
"No, that is ok Karen. I can do it, don´t worry." Nathan said.
"Then go do it." Haley said getting impacient.
"Hales, stop pushing ok. It´s not an easy task to do and if you are going to be like this for the rest of our life, I think I will contemplate divorce fondly". Nathan said laughing.
"Nathan Royal Scott, don´t you dare. I´m not divorcing you and you are stuck with me". Haley said first with a menacing voice but later hugging him and giving a light kiss on the lips.
"This is better. I will do it in the rest of the day." Nathan said.
"Ok." Haley said.
~X~X~X~X~
When Ben arrived to the kitchen, he saw his mother and his aunt sitting happily in the table, each with jar of Ice Cream in their hands, eating and talking.
Ben got closer to Brooke and said ...
"Mom, can we talk?" Ben said.
"Yes baby. Sit." Brooke said leaving the jar of ice cream aside.
"I better go." Rachel said.
"You can stay if you want Aunt Rachel." Ben said.
"No it´s better that you two have this conversation alone and you better be nice to your mom kiddo." Rachel stated.
"I will Aunt Rachel, don´t worry." Ben said.
"See you later to both and I think I will try to find Jason", Rachel said leaving the room.
"First and foremost, I want to apologize for the way I treated you, you didn´t deserve it and for telling you all those nasty things." Ben said apologetic.
"You are forgiven, my beautiful baby boy. Come give me a hug and a kiss." Brooke said.
"I love you mom." Ben said reaching out to hug her and give her a kiss.
"I love you too baby boy. Everything I ever did it was because of my love for you and how I always wanted the best for you." Brooke said returning the hug and the kiss.
"I know. I thank you for that." Ben said.
"You don´t have too. You are the light of my eyes and every sacrifice I did for you, it was worth it." Brooke said.
"How could I get such a good mom?" Ben asked.
"How could I get such a good son?" Brooke responded with another question while a laugh escaped her lips.
"I´m not that good mom". Ben said feeling a bit ashamed.
"Don´t say that. You are good son, everyone makes mistakes, you get the temper from both sides plus it´s not easy what I put you thru but I couldn´t pick you a better father." Brooke said hugging him again.
"Once he knows." Ben said.
"Yes, once he knows." Brooke stated.
"Speaking of that, I understand your insecurity." Ben said.
"How is that?" Brooke asked.
"I had a talk with Lucas and he said something that made me understand that part of you." Ben responded.
"What did he say?" Brooke asked curious.
"He said to me that sometimes when you have a secret for as long as you have, it takes a really really long time to find the courage to confess." Ben said.
"He is right." Brooke stated.
"So I asked him why that happens?" Ben said.
"What did he tell you?" Brooke asked.
"He said that he doesn´t know but that he thinks that it´s because you get to a point where you are so used to live with that secret that the fear of how the other will reacts dominate your life and actions. He also said that breaking fear is very difficult." Ben explained.
"That is exactly right and what happens to me." Brooke said surprised.
"That is why I said I understood you." Ben stated.
"I´m glad that you are." Brooke said.
"Because of that I will give you time, to come out at your own speed." Ben said.
"Thank you son." Brooke said.
"But please don´t take two years on telling him." Ben pleaded.
"I promise I won´t." Brooke said promising him that.
"You better keep your promise." Ben said.
"I will." Brooke said.
"By the way ... Dad really knows you. Like Really Really knows you." Ben said whispering the word Dad.
"Why you said that?" Brooke asked curious once again knowing that this was the truth but wanting to know what Ben would say.
"Because before we leave the place where he found me, he said that you and Aunt Rachel would be eating all of his Ice Cream and he was right. I found you here, eating Ice Cream with my aunt and according to Alfred, you two were sucking the freezer dry" Ben said laughing.
"Oh my god. I told Rachel we shouldn´t do that." Brooke said embarrassed.
"Don´t worry mom he doesn´t care." Ben said.
"And yes, there are only a few people who knows me the way he does." Brooke stated.
"Who are those people?" Ben asked curious.
"Well Karen, Rachel; Haley and Lucas." Brooke enumerated.
"Wow!." Ben said surprised.
"Why don´t we stop talking about this and go watch a movie or something?" Brooke asked.
"Ok." Ben responded.
~X~X~X~X~
Lucas was working on his office, he was trying to smooth a couple of "wrinkles" in the outline of his latest book before he immerse himself in the task of writing it.
He was all focused and in a zen state when someone yelled "hey unwanted" at him so he snaps out of it and said...
"WTF Nate? Why did you yell that at me?" Lucas said looking at Nathan.
"Because I knew it was the only way to get your attention." Nathan said.
"You could have called me by my name, don´t you think?." Lucas asked.
"I have being calling you by your name for a solid ten minutes and I didn´t get anything." Nathan said.
"Sorry Nate, I was ..." Lucas said ashamed.
"Absorbed by the computer screen?" Nathan asked.
"You could say that" Lucas said laughing.
"So, I think you are very busy, I can come by in another moment." Nathan said.
"I am busy but no, now that you are here... what do you need?" Lucas said and asked.
"To talk to you." Nathan said.
"Ok. Come on in and sit. It must be important for you to come because usually I´m the one who always needs to talk". Lucas said laughing just one bit.
"It´s not that important that is why I can come in another time." Nathan said.
"Nonsense, come on in and let´s do it." Lucas said dismissing his brother.
"Ok." Nathan said sitting.
"What is it little bro?" Lucas asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about something that happened on Christmas night." Nathan said.
"What about that night?" Lucas asked.
"You did something that how should I put it? ... It was not considerate at all." Nathan said.
"What did I do?" Lucas asked trying to remember.
"Think. I would rather you realize it alone but if you can´t I will refresh your memory." Nathan said.
"Let me think" (thinking). Lucas said thinking.
After thinking a long couple of minutes, nothing came to his memory so he said...
"Nope, I can´t remember what it is that I did wrong." Lucas said.
"Ok. I will tell you." Nathan said.
"Please do, because you got me thinking. " Lucas said.
"Luke, I love you, your are my brother but you need to be more considerate when you do stuff in front of Brooke." Nathan said.
"I don´t know what are you talking about. I´m always considerate around her." Lucas said not knowing what he wanted to point out.
"No you are not". Nathan said laughing.
"I am. She is a very important part of my life even though were are not together or ever will be for that matter." Lucas said.
"Statements like this makes me thinks that Haley and Karen are right ... you are such a klutz sometimes." Nathan stated.
"What did I do? I don´t know . I´m always considerate in front of her, I will always love her, like I said she is and was a very important part of my life." Lucas said and asked.
"I need to be more clear because this is not getting us anywhere." Nathan said.
"You are the one confusing me..." Lucas said.
"I´m going to go straight to the point." Nathan said trying to be direct.
"Please..." Lucas pleaded.
"Luke, my brother, you don´t propose to another woman in front of your Ex for the love of god." Nathan explained.
"Oh... why not? It´s not like she is still in love with me." Lucas said and asked.
"I love you but you can be such a moron sometimes. It doesn´t involve the fact whether she loves you or not, it´s the fact that you don´t do that in front of your immediate ex." Nathan said.
"Sorry, I still don´t see your point." Lucas said.
"I will give you an example to see if you get my point... Imagine that I divorced Haley and I fell in love with another woman and I have no better idea to propose to her in your birthday with her in the attendance. What would you do?." Nathan gave an example and asked.
"If that were to happen I will tell you ... Nate I love you but I will probably kick the living crap out of you for making Haley go through that moment and make her suffer." Lucas stated.
"Ok. Now you see my point?." Nathan asked laughing.
"I do but Brooke doesn´t love me anymore." Lucas said realizing what his brother meant all along.
"Let´s leave that aside, what I´m trying to say is that you don´t have an extensive line of girlfriends in the past, you only had 3 ... Peyton, Brooke and Lindsay so you can´t do that in front of Brooke." Nathan said,
"I get it, in front of which one is ok to do it?" Lucas asked.
"If it was Peyton instead of Brooke, it would be ok. But what you did on Christmas, lacked of consideration and sensibility. You need to be aware of this stuff." Nathan said.
"If it was Lindsay instead of Brooke, was that bad too?" Lucas said.
"Yes. It will be the same. It´s like a common courtesy." Nathan stated.
"I understand." Lucas said.
"You didn´t see Uncle Keith proposing your mom Karen in front of Dan." Nathan said.
"Ok Nate, I get it. Cut it out." Lucas said kind of irritated by that analogy.
"Sorry about that last one. But you saw my point." Nathan said realizing what he just said.
"I did. What should I do now? Should I apologize to Brooke?" Lucas asaid and asked.
"Don´t know men. Do what you feel." Nathan said.
"Ok. Let me think about it." Lucas said.
"Well I will leave to let you work in whatever got you that absorbed." Nathan said.
"Thanks, I was having some issues with the outline of my next book and I was trying to fix it." Lucas said.
"Ok, you do that and I will do another thing". Nathan said laughing.
"Thanks for making me see what I did wrong, I didn´t realize it, I thought that having the whole family here was the perfect time." Lucas said thankful.
"You are welcome Luke. Sometimes the perfect time in reality is the imperfect time." Nathan said.
"Wow, who is the writer in the family? Me or you?" Lucas asked jokingly.
"Always you bro". Nathan said laughing and leaving the room.
~X~X~X~X~
James, Lilly and Ben were playing basketball in the indoor court that Lucas had on his house, they were there just shooting some hoops, having fun, passing the time when Lilly and James note how distracted Ben is so they ask ...
"What´s wrong Ben?" Jamie asked.
"Nothing Jamie." Ben said.
"You and Lilly are the only ones allowed to call me that". Jamie said laughing.
"Yeah Nephew what is wrong? you seem distracted." Lilly said and asked.
"Nothing. Just had a fight with my mom today." Ben said.
"Did you two patch it up?" Lilly asked.
"Did you? Because your mom is the coolest person ever." Jamie asked and said.
"Yes, we did. A couple of minutes ago in fact and yes she is." Ben stated.
"Was it the fight about Lucas?" James asked lookign around first.
"Yes it was." Ben said.
"But if you patched things up with her, why are you still distracted?" Lilly said and asked.
"I told her nasty things and after Lucas talked some sense in me, I feel bad." Ben said.
"But you just told us that you patched things up and I guess includes the more familiar I´m sorry mom right?" Jamie said and asked.
"Yes." Ben said.
"So?" Lilly asked.
"That subject got me very frustated." Ben confessed.
"How?" Jamie and Lilly asked.
"I understand where my mom is coming from, I do and I also understand how is hard for her to let a secret out that you held for so long but I just want it out. I just want to go out that door, run into Lucas and say Hi Dad, I love you." Ben opened her heart.
"Why don´t you do it?" Jamie asked.
"I can´t." Ben said.
"Why not?" Jamie asked.
"Because you and Lilly know that grandma Karen has a point on mom facing the consequences of her mistake, it´s the only way she will learn." Ben said.
"Ben is right James but on the other hand, I think Brooke already learned that lesson just need to find that inner strenght to let it out. The same inner strenght that took her to take the decision on not telling." Lilly said.
"I understand what you two are saying, I do not share my parents and Karen´s opinion but twick the situation a bit". Jamie said laughing.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked.
"I mean that he knows that you are Brooke´s kid right?" Jamie asked.
"Right." Ben said.
"I have seen the way he treats you... even though he thinks you are not his, he love you like one." Jamie stated.
"Yes James is right. I have seen it too." Lilly confirmed what Jamie said.
"So why don´t you go ahead and ask him if you can call him Dad?. The worst he can say is no but I don´t think he will." Jamie asked and said.
"Are you for real?" Ben asked.
"Yes, why not. It´s the best in this worst case scenario that you are living. Hey it´s only my opinion." James said.
"I don´t know." Ben said.
"I love you cousin but you are just as scared as Aunt Brooke." Jamie said.
"Nephew, it doesn´t hurt to try. That way you can´t feel frustated about the things you can´t say and the wait until Brooke spill it out would be a more easy one to pass." Lilly said.
"Yeah that could be a solution to all this mess. But what if he learns later that I knew all the time I was his son and didn´t say a thing?." Ben said and asked, voicing his concerns
"Think about that when you reach to that bridge but in the meantime enjoy calling dad to your real dad." Jamie said.
"I have to say that James´s idea is not a bad one and you know that I don´t support many of his ideas." Lilly said with honesty.
"That is true." James stated laughing a bit.
"Ok, I will think about it." Ben said.
"Don´t be afraid." Jamie and Lilly said.
"You two are the best cousin and aunt a person can have." Ben said happily.
"You are welcome". Jamie and Lilly said hugging the three in a tight circle.
~X~X~X~X~
A month went by, Lindsay after a lot of thinking and trying not to see Lucas took a decision but first she decided to get some answers in case she was rushing.
"Good Morning Ms. Lindsay." Alfred said opening the door.
"Good Morning Alfred." Lindsay said entering the house.
"Nice to see you here again." Alfred said.
"Thanks Alfred. Is Lucas in the house?" Lindsay asked.
"Yes, he is in his office." Alfred stated.
"Thanks." Lindsay said.
She went to the office, saw him absorbed in the computer and waited a couple of minutes before knocking on the frame door.
When she did a head and pair of blue eyes looked at her with a big smile and said ...
"Honey! You are back." Lucas said with a smile on his face.
"Yes, I am." Lindsay said.
"Come, come ... I miss you." Lucas said encouraging to come inside.
"Me too. What were you doing? " Lindsay said and asked.
"Working on chapter 10 of my new novel. You are going to love this one." Lucas said.
"I will tell you when I read it." Lindsay stated.
"Ok. Are you ok Linds?" Lucas said grabbing Lindsay´s hand.
"Yes, why are you asking?" She asked.
"You seem different." Lucas stated.
"I´m the same." She said.
"Ok. So you came in plan of seeing your boyfriend or your writer?". Lucas said and asked, laughing a bit too.
"I need to ask a question to my boyfriend." Lindsay said.
"Then fired away." He said.
"In this month that I was away on my parents house and traveling because of work, I was re-reading An Unkindness of Ravens ..." Lindsay started to say.
"Yes..." Lucas said encouraging her to go on.
"And I was wondering for the first time if the story of the Lucas and Brooke in the book is the story of you two..." She continued.
"Ok. " Lucas said.
"So? is it or is not?" Lindsay asked.
"Do you want the true or not?" Lucas responded with another question.
"The truth always." Lindsay stated.
"In this case... Yes. The Brooke and Lucas in the book is the real love story of me and her but ours had a different ending." Lucas explained.
"That is all I needed to know so I can do this..." Lindsay said.
"Do what?." Lucas asked.
"Do this". Lindsay said removing the ring from her finger and giving it back to Lucas.
"Why are you giving me back the ring?" Lucas asked surprised.
"Is it in obvious?... I´m calling the engagement off." Lindsay asked and said.
"If it is because of what I just told you. That story has being over for the past 17 years." Lucas stated.
"It´s not because of that, I realized that this ... us would never work." Lindsay said.
"Why do you say that? This us worked fine the past 6 months." Lucas asked and said.
"Because it´s evident." Lindsay stated.
"Do you not love me?" Lucas asked still not over the shock of her giving back the ring.
"I do love you Luke but I realized two things ... the first one is that whether you want it or not, you will always going to be united to Brooke until the day you die..." Lindsay said.
"What is the other thing?". Lucas asked letting her explain before saying something and fight for the relationship.
"The second thing I realized thru the holidays is that you look at Brooke in a special way and you never once saw me that way." Lindsay said.
"Are you calling off the engagement because of jealousy?" Lucas asked.
"Is not jeaulosy at all but I know that you will never look at the same way and from now on you and me will only have a proffessional relationship and see us when is strictly neccesary. You are a great writer and I don´t want to lose you. You are a great asset to the editorial company." Lindsay said.
"Stop talking business like. I love you Lindsey, you said that something will always unite me and Brooke but that is not true, there isn´t something like that. Our loved ended 17 years ago." Lucas said,
"That is not like that. You will always have something that will unite Brooke and you for as long you both live." Lindsay stated.
"If you think there is something please tell me because I can see it." Lucas said.
"I can´t." Lindsay said.
"Why you can´t?" Lucas asked.
"Because I just can´t ok. Leave it like that." Lindsay said.
"Linds, you are the first person I ever ask to marry me, if I didn´t love you do think I will do that?." Lucas said and asked.
"No." Lindsay said.
"Then tell me why are you breaking this up?" Lucas asked.
"Answer me another question ... If your love story with Brooke wouldn´t have ended, would you have proposed her? Please I ask you to respond sincerely." Lindsay said.
"Sincerely ... Probably." Lucas said truthfully.
"See, that is what I´m talking about. it´s not just looks. Is the fact that you still love her and that there is an unbreakable bond between you two." Lindsay said.
"Brooke will always have a special place in my life and special affection because she was my first everything but that is it. We can´t base our current life on what if´s. It stopped doing that a while ago.
I ask you now that you don´t do that, I ask you to grab this ring and put it back and start planning our wedding. I love you Lindsey, how many time do I need to tell you this?" Lucas said and asked.
"I took my decision and I´m not backing down." Lindsey said,.
"So your decision is to leave me." Lucas said.
"Don´t put it like that." Lindsay said.
"Why can´t I put it like that? It is what you are doing." Lucas asked and said.
"Respect my decision." Lindsay asked nicely.
"We are both grown ups, I will respect it but don´t ask me to understand it or like it. I did all the fight that I could to save this relationship, but if you are not willing then there is nothing I can do about it. I learned that the hard way.
And for the ring, you can keep it or sell it." Lucas explained.
"Thanks. I´m not keeping the ring. Good Bye, Lucas". Lindsay said leaving the room and the house but the ring remained in Lucas´s desk.
"Good Bye, Lindsay". Lucas said with a frustated tone of voice.
~X~X~X~X~
Two months passed now, it was February already, Ben was in his room doing some homework when he heard a knock on the door so he invited the person to come in.
It turns out that it was Lucas ...
"Hey Buddy, Alfred said that you wanted to see me." Lucas said.
"Yes." Ben said.
"What is it for?." Lucas asked.
"I wanted to talk to you." Ben said.
"About?" Lucas asked.
"I have being doing a lot of thinking since for the past month ..." Ben started to say.
"What is it with people and lot of thinking these past months?". Lucas asked out loud laughing a bit.
"You said it because of Lindsay." Ben said.
"Yes." Lucas said.
"How are you doing with that?" Ben asked.
"I´m doing fine. I decided not to be sad for things that are out of my control. If she wanted to end it then it´s her problem not mine, I did all that I could to save it.
There are other fishes in the pond." Lucas said.
"Good." Ben said.
"About what you did a lot of thinking?" Lucas asked.
"About despite how much I fight with my mom, those days in Christmas and now that she is back in Tree Hill, I miss her, Aunt Rachel and I miss everyone." Ben explained.
"I´m glad that you are feeling that way." Lucas said.
"So I was thinking of coming back to Tree Hill at the end of the school year. What do you think?" Ben said and asked.
"What I think?" Lucas asked.
"Yes." Ben said.
"I think that you should do whatever makes you happy and if that is going back to Tree Hill then do it, I think it´s a good decision. I won´t deny that I´m going to miss you so much and that I already got used to having you here in the house." Lucas stated.
"I´m going to miss so much too and all this year meant so much to me. I love you like a Dad". Ben said going to hug him.
"And I love you like son. It was nice to have another person in the house to talk to besides the servants". Lucas said returning the hug and laughing a bit.
"You are welcome." Ben said laughing a bit too.
"I´m going to tell you something that I didn´t plan on divulging but ..." Lucas said.
"What?" Ben asked.
"My next book, you gave me the inspiration." Lucas confessed.
"Really?" Ben asked surprised.
"Really." Lucas stated.
"What is it about?" Ben asked.
"It´s about how the life of a men who was used to be alone suddenly changes when a teenager comes to live with him." Lucas explained.
"Me?" Ne asked.
"Yes you." Lucas stated.
"So the change was for the better or the worst?." Ben asked.
"Always for the better buddy, always." Lucas said.
"I will continue to bother you with calls and everything once I´m away." Ben said.
"I hope you do because otherwise I will have to go to Tree Hill more often". Lucas said laughing.
"I´m thinking of not calling so Karen can thank me for bringing you home more often". Ben said laughing too.
"You better call me or skype with me and don´t worry I need to take vacations once a year". Lucas said still laughing.
"Yes you do." Ben said.
"So what are you doing?" Lucas asked.
"Homework." Ben said.
"Close to finish?" Lucas asked.
"Yes." Ben said.
"When you do, come find me at the office and we can watch a movie together with popcorn and all the stuff." Lucas said.
"Awesome. Be there in minutes." Ben said excited.
"Don´t rush. You do the homework like you should, I can wait half an hour or an hour if I have too." Lucas said calming the teen.
"Ok. see in a little while." Ben said.
"See you in a little while". Lucas said standing up from the bed and giving a kiss in Ben´s head before leaving the room.
DON´T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW! AND BEFORE YOU ASK DON´T WORRY I EXPECT LUCAS TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH IN THE NEXT 3 OR 4 CHAPTER AT THE MOST.
NEXT UPDATE IS NEXT MONTH PROBABLY BECAUSE I WON´T HAVE INTERNET FOR THE NEXT 2 WEEKS DO TO SOME ISSUE THEY NEED TO REPAIR.
XOXO TO ALL