"Hey Brooke.."
She was taken out her thoughts. She froze, her mouth wouldn't open. She couldn't hear her voice. No sound. Nothing would come out. Her name rolling off his tongue. She hadn't heard his voice in so long let alone speak her name.
"Mom, I'm so sorry this is my fault," Emma spoke. Brookes head started to spin. She couldn't grasp what was happening. What did Emma mean it was her fault? Wait Emma and Lucas were here. At the same time. She grabbed for furniture to hold her up as her head started to spin.
"Brooke are you ok you don't look good?" Nathan said pushing past Lucas with Emma into the house. Making sure they didn't step on glass.
"Brooke," she felt comforting arms around her. Holding her up. Her legs felt like jello. Was this a dream? She closed her eyes tight and then opened them hoping it was a dream. But it wasn't. She closed her eyes and opened them and he was still there. Standing with hands in his pocket. His had a clean cut like had back during junior year when he returned from Charlotte. He looked good. Basketball had kept him in shape.
Anger. Confusion, sadness. All started to take over. The shaking started again. And then, everything went black.
Keith grabbed her before she fell down.
"Mom!" Emma shouted in fear. Karen ran towards her granddaughter. "Grandma is she ok?" She asked fearful. Karen locked eyes with Lucas. Taking Emma by the shoulders she moved her towards the kitchen. "She's going to be fine my love. She's just overwhelmed. Uncle Nate and Grandpa will take care of her."
Nathan picked Brooke up in his arms. He walked towards Brookes room. A little voice came from behind Haley who stood in the same spot, "Mommy, is Auntie Brooke going to be ok?" Jamie stuck his thumb in mouth, he did that when he was nervous. Haley picked Jamie off the ground and moved towards the kitchen, " auntie Brooke just needs to take a little nap. Let's go see what Emma and Grandma Karen are doing."
"But mommy who was that man? Did he make Aunt Brooke upset?" Lucas heard a voice ask in the distance. His nephew didn't even know who he was.
"Someone mommy and daddy and aunt Brooke used to know. Let's clean up for dinner baby."
Left in the foyer of the house were Lucas, Keith, and Whitey. You could cut the tension with a knife. "Well son, didn't expect you to get over here quicker than me." Whitney chuckled and walked towards the kitchen leaving Lucas and Keith. Keith was confused and Lucas could tell.
"Keith I'm…"
Keith cut Lucas off, "don't finish that statement Lucas. I shouldn't be the one to hear those words." There was a silence before he continues. "Why are you here Luke? 10 years and you show back up."
"I uh got traded to the Bobcats, and I was uh at practice today."
The color drained in Keith's face. He knew Nathan took Emma to practice with him today. He knew Lucas met Emma.
"She's an amazing kid ya know."
Lucas nodded his head. "From the 5 minutes we talked, she seemed so mature for her age."
"She gets that from Brooke. And her stubbornness too; can't tell either of them anything." They both fell into a comfortable silence.
Keith's hard exterior going away. "Listen Luke, im glad you're home son. But I think you should go and we meet up tomorrow. This is a lot for Brooke as you saw and it sounds like Emma and her need to have a long talk."
"Keith, I am really sorry. I know my apology means nothing, but I promise I'm not going anywhere. Especially now."
Sighing, "I know Luke. I know if you knew about her you would have been here. But you need to not be mad at Brooke. In time you guys will be able to get everything out. But for right now, there's a lot of people in this house who were hurt and confused when you left. Who are still hurt and confused. Brooke being the main person."
Lucas nodded his head understanding. He began walking away. "Where are you staying?" Keith asked.
Lucas stopped on the steps and turned around, "right now, renting a house on Pleasant, but could end up buying it."
"The one next to the house with the red door?"
"Yea they just sold that thing. New people moving in so I won't be the only one new on that block."
Keith rubbed his eye socket and laughed out of complete disbelief, "your neighbor is the girl behind the red door Luke." His throat began to dry up knowing what Keith meant. He began to close the front door, "Call me tomorrow Luke ya know since you changed your number, we can meet up at the Rivercourt."
Her eyes began to flutter as she heard voices around her.
"How did this happen Nate I don't understand."
"He got traded. He plays for the bobcats now." The talking stopped as someone walked into the room, "he left." Brooke moved her hand to her forehead opening her eyes. She sat up in her bed.
"Brooke don't get up too quickly." Haley rushed to her side.
Brooke's hand grazed over the bruise, "Haley I'm ok. I didn't hit it hard enough to lose my memory and not remember what just happened." Brooke voice became a whisper. She took her hand to wipe away some tears that strayed down onto her face. Haley rushed to her friend and put her arm around her. "Oh Brooke," tears spilled down Haley's cheek.
"Guys can I uh, can I speak to Brooke alone?" Nathan spoke. Karen, Keith, and Haley nodded their heads and walked out of the room. Haley hugged Brooke and squeezed her tight. As she walked towards the door, "I love you Tigger."
"Brooke," his voice wavered, " I didn't know. I didn't know he would be there or I wouldn't have brought her."
Brooke was playing with her fingers nervously. Tears began to flow from her face. "It's so hard to see him," she said in a hushed tone. Nathan put a protective arm around her and kissed the side of her head.
"Listen, I'm going to be honest and upfront. We saw him. I told him to stay away from her, he thought she was mine. Practice ended and I went to the locker room. I came back out and they were talking."
She opened her mount to speak but stopped and Nathan continued. "She approached him. She went up to him and told him who she was Brooke. I know you're upset with her but you have to talk to her. She's scared. She just saw her mom faint and met her father for the first time. Just talk to her."
Nathan walked out and came back with Emma. Emma rushed over to Brooke and wrapped her arms around.
"Mom I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have spoken to him. I messed everything up I'm so sorry are you ok?"
Brooke took her hand pushing the hair out of her daughters face. And kissed her forehead. "Baby I love you, you know that?" Brooke waited for her to nod her head. "Im not mad, I just wish this would have went differently ya know?"
"Mom I," Emma started. "Baby let's have a nice dinner with our family and we can talk about it tonight ok? You've already had a stressful day, let's have at least one good moment. It smells like dinner is ready. Why don't you go to the kitchen and let e throne know I'll be down in 10."
Emma nodded her head and got up to walk to the kitchen. Brooke stood up once Emma was out of the room and walked towards her closet. She reached in the far back and found a box that had seen better days. Opening it up she started to pull out some of the contents, pictures, movie stubs, letters. She ran her thumb over the picture; prom. They wore red which they dubbed their color. The picture was taken moments before they were crowned prom king and queen. The weight on her chest got heavier. Life as she knew it was about to change for everyone, but mainly her.