Chapter 4

This chapter is longer than the previous ones.

Brooke was sitting at a table at Tric the next morning waiting for her lawyer to show up. Chris came into the bar area and sat next to her.

"Hey Brooke," Chris said. "Chris Keller is surprised to see you here so early."

"What are you doing here Chris?" Brooke asked.

"I just finished recording my new song," Chris replied.

"What's the name of the song?" Brooke asked.

"It's called uh…." Chris said.

"It's called 'Uh'?" Brooke asked. "That's a strange name."

"That's exactly what it's called," Chris lied.

"Let's hear it," Brooke said.

"Okay," Chris said. "Chris Keller will sing his new song."

Chris began to sing.

"Uh uh uh uh," Chris sang aloud, "you broke my heart. Uh uh uh uh with a great big dart!"

"That sounds too made up," Brooke laughed.

Chris burst into tears.

"Oh Brooke!" Chris sobbed. "My sweet Brookie Bear!"

"Brookie Bear?" Brooke asked.

"Chris Keller has writer's block!" Chris sobbed.

"As much as I'd love to care," Brooke said, "I really don't. I'm waiting for my lawyer."

"Lawyer?" Chris asked.

"Yeah," Brooke said. "I'm suing for hypothetical custody of Jamie."

"I could do that too," Chris said. "Chris Keller is crazy about that kid."

"Oh please," Brooke said. "You can barely take care of yourself. The other night you called Julian crying because there was a spider on your windowsill."

"That spider had an red hour glass on it!" Chris shouted.

"No it didn't," Brooke said.

Brooke lawyer arrived and sat down at the table.

"Hey Paula," Brooke said. "This is Chris Keller."

"Oh we know each other," Paula said. "We had a date and afterward he never called me!"

"I meant to call you back," Chris said. "Chris Keller was just busy."

"Yeah!" Paula shouted. "Busy sticking your tongue down some blonde girl's throat!"

"Tara means nothing to me!" Chris shouted. "And she kissed me! Forcefully I might add!"

"Okay guys," Brooke said, "enough. This is about me."

"Alright," Paula said, "let's see. What is the case this time?"

"Hypothetical custody," Brooke replied.

"Okay," Paula said. "Explain."

"My friends Nathan and Haley Scott want to hypothetically send their son, my godson Jamie Scott to live with his godfather/uncle, Lucas Scott and his wife, my best friend Peyton," Brooke said. "They didn't even ask my opinion. Lucas and Peyton move around so much and Jamie probably wouldn't like that. I can provide the proper environment for him and take car of him like he my actual son. I even have twin sons so I know what it's like to raise boys."

"Is Jamie a blood relative?" Paula asked.

"No," Brooke replied.

"Do you believe his parents are abusing him?" Paula asked.

"No," Brooke answered.

"Sorry Brooke," Paula said. "You have no case."

"What?!" Brooke shouted. "But you've never failed me!"

"Even if you did have a case," Paula said, "would you really sue your best friends?"

"I just can't stand the thought of Jamie being sent away," Brooke said.

"Tell Haley and Nathan that," Paula said. "And also, I still expect to get paid for this meeting."

Haley and Nathan arrived and Brooke walked over to them.

"Well you were right Haley," Brooke said. "I have no case."

"Case?" Nathan asked.

"Look," Brooke said. "It really hurt my feelings when you didn't include me in the subject. I have to go now."

Brooke walked out and Nathan and Haley looked at each other. Chris began to jump up and down and scream.

"Oh my god!" Chris shouted. "Chris Keller just got a text! I'm going on tour with Garbage!"

That night, Brooke sat on her porch steps looking up at the stars. Julian came out of the house and sat by his wife.

"How are feeling?" Julian asked.

"Like an idiot," Brooke replied. "I should've known I didn't have a case."

"I know how much you care about Jamie," Julian said. "I care about him too. But you know Lucas is his uncle and he and Jamie have always been close."

"I know," Brooke said. "I've been an awful best friend to Haley. After today she'll probably never speak to me again."

"It'll be okay," Julian assured his wife.

Brooke stood up and began walking.

"Where are you going?" Julian asked.

"Sonic," Brooke replied. "I need to drown my sorrows in an Ultimate Chicken Dinner."

"Can you bring me back a hamburger?" Julian asked. "Oh, and fries. Oh, and a shake and onion rings."

"Sure," Brooke said. "Anything for the twins?"

"They're at a friend's house for the night," Julian said.

"Okay," Brooke said.

Brooke walked to Sonic. When she arrived, she saw Haley sitting at an outside picnic table eating onion rings.

"Hey," Brooke said.

"Hey," Haley said. "I was really craving Sonic."

Brooke sat down next to Haley.

"I've been a bad friend," Brooke said.

"No," Haley said, "I've been a bad friend. I should've told you about possibly sending Jamie to live with Lucas and Peyton."

"No," Brooke said. "It's none of my business. Lucas and Peyton would be wonderful guardians hypothetically. End of story."

"I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you," Haley said.

"Yes you are," Brooke agreed. "Now let's talk about the obvious. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not pregnant!" Haley shouted. "Why does everyone keep suggesting that?!"