Lucas laid on his bed, trying to figure out what this all meant. He looked through the scrambled object, there were all pieces from her childhood but also the things that Lucas and her did together. There was a slight cry coming from the other room, rubbed his eyes from being so tired. Being a single father was really being hard for him. He didn't understand how this was so complicated. He quickly walked into Davis' room, seeing him lay on his stomach. Lucas picked up his crying child, slowly rocking so that he could calm down. He walked back into his room, sitting on the bed with baby davis in his hand. Lucas saw a feather from his costume back in high school when they went to a haloween party a trick. There were also pictures of Lucas and Brooke together. Lucas held up one picture in particular, a picture of Lucas and Brooke when they first actually talked. Brooke was making a silly face, one of her eyes were closed and her tongue was sticking out. Lucas looked at himself in the picture, seeing how he was awkwardly staring and smiling into the camera. Lucas showed Davis, laughing a little.
"Yup, this was your mom." Lucas showed him, Davis calmed down and stared at the picture. "She was even crazier in person." Lucas chuckled to himself. If Brooke was here right now, she would hit him in the head. Lucas missed the little things that she would do to him. Lucas took in a deep breath, Davis started to breath heavily, he was going to cry again. "Alright, time to eat." Lucas stood up from the bed, running into the kitchen. The front door to his swung open. Haley shut the door behind her, jingling her keys in her hand.
"Hey, Luke." Haley said to him. She looked down at Davis, who was starting to cry. "Hey, Davis." Haley's voice was high and her face lit up. She grabbed Davis from Lucas' hand while he made his bottle. Haley looked down at Davis, seeing how he looked just like Lucas and Brooke. It was odd to her how he didn't look more than the other.
"Don't you have your own kid to take care of and smoother?" Lucas teased her, shaking the bottle in his hand.
"Yea, he's with his father." Haley rolled her eyes.
"So, they ditched you." Lucas tested the bottle on his wrist, it was perfect. Haley handed him back Davis, carefully. Lucas started to fed Davis, giving his attention back to Haley.
"Yea. I just wanted to check on you." Haley said to him. Since Brooke was gone, she didn't really have anyone to talk to.
"We're okay," Lucas looked down at Davis with a smile. "But, we're going to have ditch you too." Lucas said to her. Haley pouted, she didn't have anything to do.
"I'm so bored." Haley whined.
"Write a song." Lucas started to rock Davis gently, he chuckled a little.
"Write a book." Haley shot back.
"I'm not the one whose bored, I have a kid that needs my one-thousand percent attention." Lucas reminded Haley. He couldn't really do the things that he used to do since Davis was here.
"Wow, you only give him a thousand percent?" Haley cocked her head, teasing Lucas a little. They both laughed, seeing how they always tested each other. "Alright, bye Luke." Haley said to him, kissing Lucas on the forehead. "Bye, Davis." Haley said in a baby voice, kissing Davis on the forehead as well. Haley turned around and left the boys alone to themselves.
"Finally, she's gone." Lucas said in a high voice, shaking his sons hand a little as if the words came from his mouth. "I know right." Lucas said to his son. He walked back into his room, having Davis propted up by pillows, still drinking from the bottle. Lucas looked through the box that Brooke had saved for him. He noticed his first book, there was somethings that were highlightened but he would look into them later. When he looked further, he found something that he didn't know was there. He picked up the diamond ring, it was Brooke's. It was her wedding ring. Lucas thought back when he talked the book store owner when he recieved the package.
The old man pushed the box towards Lucas, letting him take it in his posssition. The old man put his hands up like he was going to surrender.
"I didn't look through it, I swear." The old man laughed. "Take this. Whenever your ready, we can talk."
Lucas glanced through the pictures and the little things that Brooke kept. It was like a timeline of their love, she kept everything.
Lucas laid Davis in his crib, watching him close his small eyes. Lucas realized that Davis was now all he had left of Brooke, even the letters couldn't feel his lonely void. Lucas wasn't worried of the letters being finished, he had Davis to keep Brooke's memories alive. He heard the doorbell, then a knock at the door. Lucas quickly raced to the door, he didn't want the noise to walk Davis up. Lucas opened the door, it was the old man that's the owner of the bookstore. Lucas invited him for dinner because he wanted to get to know him and how he knew Brooke. Lucas stepped aside, letting the old man walk in. Lucas noticed that he reminded him of whitey. Lucas shut the door behind him. The old man embraced the house, looking around and seeing every detail.
"Uh, I hope you like take out." Lucas rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. Lucas walked over and grabbed the two plates that had chiense food on them. Lucas handed the old man the plate.
"That's all I eat," The old man joked. Lucas let out a slight laugh, he liked the old man dry humor. They sat down in the living room, taking a few bites of their food before they began to talk. "How are you?" The old man asked him. Lucas quickly swallowed his food to answer the man.
"I'm doing...fine. I guess. I can't really think of my feelings. I have Davis now." Lucas pointed to the room in the back. The old man nodded, understanding what Lucas was feeling. "How did you know Brooke?" Lucas asked question that he had been wondering all day. The old man laughed, looking back at the memories they had together. Lucas smiled, knowing that Brooke Davis was on his mind.
"She used to come to my store all the time. The first time I met her, she was looking for a book. She said that she had to impress this guy that she met. She said that he was all into books." The old man looked up at Lucas, knowing that Brooke was talking about Lucas. Lucas narrowed his eyebrows, it sounded like him but he couldn't remember it. "I told her that she shouldn't be worried about guys since she's only sixteen but she kept explaining how this guy was so different. She wanted to impress him." The old man took a bite of his beef and noodles. Lucas chuckled a little.
"I was trying to impress her, she was the most popular girl in school. I thought I would never had a chance with her." Lucas said to the old man.
"Well, you did, you married her and you made her life worth living." The old man assured Lucas. Lucas felt his heart skip a beat, the thought of Brooke made him nervous. He missed her like never before. It was something that he would have to live with, he would have to move on even when he didn't want too. "Day after day, she came. She didn't even buy a book." The old man chuckled to himself.
"She came to talk to you." Lucas looked at the old man. The old man nodded, he remembered how she wouldn't leave until she knew that he was going to be okay. The old man took in a deep breath.
"When my wife died, Brooke wouldn't leave my side. I guess I became her father figure since her parents were never in her life. I was there for and she was there for me." The old man said to Lucas. The old man placed his plate to the side, he didn't really have to appiete to eat. Lucas felt like he was finding out a part of Brooke that he never knew before.
"Thank you," Lucas said to the old man. "I never felt closer to Brooke." Lucas smiled, showing that he was okay.
"I lost the main two beautiful ladies in my life but it does go on and the pain in your heart heals. You have Davis now, you have to make sure that hes okay." The old man told Lucas. Lucas felt sorry for the old man, wanting to make him feel better because he was alone.
"I have a lot things to do tomorrow, I'm going to need help. Would you like to-" Lucas tried to say.
"You don't have to show pity for a old man like me," The old man stood up, laughing a little. Lucas stood up quickly.
"No, really. I want to get to know you. Please." Lucas begged him. The old man stood there for a second, trying to figure out what to do.
"Sure." The old man said to him. Lucas showed the old man out, watching him leave his home. Lucas felt like he was getting to know Brooke all over again. It was a new experience for him. Lucas didn't know yet but he was going to connect with the old man like he connected with whitey. There was something that made him open up everytime he was with the old man. Lucas walked to the room, he stood near the door and looked around. Brooke's clothes were still in closet and dressers, her perfume, makeup and jewlery was still on the dresser like she was still here. Lucas coudln't bring himself to take them down and give them away. He grabbed a letter, getting ready to dream about the love of his life. He pulled the letter out of the evenlope.
Dear, Lucas
Lucas, I watch the people crowd the streets with laughter and cheer. It was parade in town but I was on the sidelines. I was spending more time with the old man, more than I ever thought I could. I don't want to break his heart but I will have to tell him sooner or later. I have to tell him that I'm sick, I don't want to. And if your reading this, then that means I'm dead. And i hope that Richard is takin care of. I don't want him to be alone, Lucas. Don't leave him alone. He was such an important part of my life. He's an amazing person, and he has such a big heart. And he has the best advice. I'm kind of glad that I died before he did because I don't know if I could take it. Take care of him, Lucas. For me.
Love, Brooke.
Lucas didn't understand how he didn't know that Brooke was spending this much time with the old man. It was like he was seeing someone else other than Brooke. Sometimes he liked it but othertimes he wondered who he married. He laid on his bed, looking up at the plain ceiling. All he could think about was Brooke, and how she was always there for him. It was so empty in the house, there was no conversation or music. Brooke would be this light that would shine through Lucas' darkness and demons. Now his darkness was swallowing him whole and his demons were coming out to play.