Stay
Chapter 40
So much harder to be honest
With yourself at 20-something
But the hardest pill to swallow is the meantime
Are the best days just the ones that we survive?
Brooke and Lucas grapple with the impending ending of their marriage. The decide before they tell anyone else they needed to tell Ethan.
The 9 year old went through a phase of wanting to color his hair but that was long over now.
He was smarter and more insightful then people gave him credit for. He knew something was going on with his parents by how they had been behaving. It was different then normal even though they tried to hide it.
"We sent Brenda and Brendan to grandma Karen's. We wanted to talk to you." Brooke announced.
"What matters more then anything we tell you right now."
"Changes that we love you. And you're siblings more then anything in the whole world." Lucas proclaimed.
Lucas sighed deeply. Staring at the same boy he remembered so clearly. Chocolate brown eyes and black hair. With peaches and cream complexion .
So much had changed since then. Ethan had become his son in much more then name only.
"Mom and I are getting divorced. Do you know what that means.?" Lucas asked.
"It means the two of you don't want to married anymore. Which means we won't be a family." Ethan replied.
Brooke took his hand in hers. "The five of us. Are a family. That will never change. I promise you." She replied.
"I'm going to be moving out E. We're going to share time you. Brenda. Brendan. One week with me then you're mom. We'll switch out weekends."
"It'll make sense. Once it happens and you get used to it." Lucas explained.
It was then that Ethan bursted into tears. And ran into his father's arms.
"I don't like this. I don't want you go." Ethan said. Between sobs.
Lucas held him securely. "This changes nothing between us at all."
"I'm still you're dad. And you my boy. Get to see and talk to me whenever you want." He reassured the boy.
...
Sometime Later
Lucas left the bedroom and made his way towards the door.
"He's so upset. I want this transition to be as easy as possible and painless but i know that just won't happen." Lucas proclaimed.
"You're planning to move out. I didn't expect that already." Brooke admitted.
"You had papers drawn up. Why exactly would i wait.?" Lucas asked her.
"We said and did things that hurt each other. But the love our connection. Is still there."
"I feel it even with the tension and the anger."
"I messed up i pushed you away instead of pulling you close to me."
"I just don't want to say goodbye. I can't."
"Luke." Brooke said. Kissing him hard as she pulled him closer.
Lucas kissed her back. They found their way upstairs and towards their bedroom.
And for that night they expressed the words they couldn't say and the feelings they felt.
In the morning. Brooke awoke. Knowing he would leave.
Taking her heart with him.
"This was goodbye Brooke." Lucas said.
...
In a matter of days they told everyone close to them and eventually the rest of the town found out.
...
Lucas did at some point move out. Making it a point to get it done when Brooke. Ethan. And the twins weren't there.
As the divorce papers were sighed and sent. Life became hazy and quiet. At least for Lucas when he wasn't with his children.
A letter her received from Brooke. Stopped him in his tracks one morning before work.
She had written in great length the apology he had been wanting and waiting on.
He had wrote back. Thanking her. Wanting them to regain their close friendship in time.
3 Years Later
"It's Brenda and Brendan's first day of preschool." Lucas said happily into the camera before focusing on his children.
Who smiled waved and laughed at the camera.
Brooke snapped pictures of the twins then Ethan on his own then with them.
The 12 year old felt way too old for all this stuff. The first week of school was the best it was all half days and you didn't get real homework yet.
Plus he was 6th grader now. Officially in middle school. They had the 6th. 7th. And 8th graders all in the same school.