Chapter 12
Notes: It ends a bit abruptly, but I wanted to put something out. Hopefully I can follow it up in a week or so and conclude the pre-treasure hunt part of the story!
Exactly two weeks ago, John B had his first sessions with Dr. Andrew. He had another session after that. Both times on the ride home Brooke casually asked how it went and both times John B remained tight lipped. This Thursday, Dr. Andrew closed his office for the holiday.
It is also the Thursday after Christmas. Christmas, all things considered, went relatively well. On Christmas Eve, Samantha came over to watch holiday movies and decorate cookies. On Christmas morning, after a quiet morning of opening gifts and lounging around, Julian, Brooke, John B, and JJ went over to Nathan and Haley's house to have dinner and exchange gifts.
Currently, Brooke is at the chateau with John B, Pope, and Nathan and Haley's son, Jamie. Julian and JJ are back in Tree Hill. As part of their Christmas present, Brooke and Julian had told the boys they would take them back to Kildare for a long weekend. Pope visited Tree Hill once, but they had not traveled back due to JJ's injuries and the busyness of the holiday season. John B seemed excited to visit, but there was a subtle change in JJ's mood that Brooke and Julian picked up on.
On Christmas, they had a quick chat about how they should have asked him what he wanted instead of just assuming. The day after Christmas, Julian received an email from his biggest clients inquiring if they could use the studio on the dates they planned to be in Kildare. Julian says yes to the deal for two reasons: the obvious one was that he could not afford to risk having this client go with someone else and then become loyal to them and the second reason was that it gave JJ an out if he didn't want to go back. Julian casually brings it up to JJ saying that he would love the company if JJ wanted to stay with him in Tree Hill to give his body some more time to heal. They were both shocked when JJ took Julian up on the offer.
While Julian had cooked steaks for dinner in Tree Hill, Brooke had been sketching in the chateau's kitchen waiting for takeout. Jamie, Pope and John B were fishing off the dock shelter. When the food arrived, Brooke set the table and went to call the boys in for dinner. It was cold, so instead of walking all the way out to the end of the dock, she rang the bell in the backyard. "Dinner's ready, guys," she called.
A minute later, Jamie and Pope, in the middle of an animated conversation about improv comedy, walked into the chateau.
"Hey, Aunt Brooke, what's for dinner?" Jamie asked.
"I ended up ordering tacos again. And no surprise, I went a bit overboard. Where's John B?"
Pope and Jamie looked at each other and shrugged. "Maybe he had something on his line when you called us in," Jamie guessed.
"Actually, his dad used to," Pope began but then changed course, "I'll go get him."
"Did his dad use that bell to get him to come inside?" Brooke asked gripping the table.
Pope started shaking his head no, but then nodded. "You didn't know, I'll go talk to him."
"If you guys could bring some tacos over to Miss Stephanie to thank her for taking care of the chickens that would be great; I'd hate for the tacos to go to waste. I can talk to John B," Brooke said as she grabbed her winter coat.
From the chateau's backyard, she could see John B pacing back and forth on the dock shelter. Wrapping her coat around her she walked quickly. "Hey! You, okay?" she asked when they were about six feet apart.
Despite Brooke's voice being soft, John B jumped. "Yeah, fine," John B said without making eye contact.
"I ordered some tacos for dinner. Did you catch anything?" Brooke asked as she stood on the threshold of the dock and the dock shelter.
"No, it was a bust," John B said his voice breaking.
Brooke is now positive that John B is crying. She moves quickly towards him. "Honey, what's wrong?" She asks, not wanting to out Pope by admitting she knows why he is upset.
"Nothing," he mutters as he storms past her and walks quickly back to the chateau, goes into his room and shuts the door.
Brooke debated what to do. She knew teenagers valued their privacy, but in the almost two months John B had lived with them, he had only mentioned his dad once and quickly changed the subject whenever he was brought up. However, his father's absence was impacting him greatly. Sometimes he would completely zone out during a conversation or just stare out into the ocean.
Brooke also noticed that unlike JJ who seemed (recently at least) to almost bask in Julian's presence and seek it out, John B did all he could to distance himself from Julian. Brooke knew it was likely that John B would feel like he was betraying his dad by getting closer to Julian. Sure, he was putting walls up between himself and Brooke too, but he seemed to tolerate her presence (even occasionally seeking it out) and to be more comfortable with her. Brooke decided to have the conversation. It might be harder for John B in the short term, but she knew John B couldn't keep going through everything alone.
She knocked and didn't get a response. "John B," she said. Shit! Brooke though. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm coming in." Ten seconds later, Brooke opened the door. John B was lying face down on the bed, his body shaking. Brooke sat down at the edge of the bed and placed her hand on his upper back.
Brooke was surprised when, after a few seconds, John B turned his head to the side and looked at her with glassy eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" Brooke asked.
"My dad used to call me in with that bell."
Brooke nodded. "He called you in with the bell I rang."
"Yeah," John B said sitting up at the end of the bed and meeting Brooke's eyes. "Like for dinner or when it was time for bed."
"Like how I just did?"
"Yeah…I wigged out, it was stupid."
"Oh, honey, no it wasn't stupid at all," Brooke said, pulling him into a hug and rubbing his back. She is surprised when he hugs her back.
After a few seconds, John B pulls away embarrassed.
"I know it must be hard to talk about your dad. If you don't talk about him, you can pretend like he's not missing. But I'm guessing even if you try not to think about your dad, it's just something you can't really help."
John B shrugged and bounced his knee up and down. Brooke could tell he had reached his limit and tried to think of a neutral topic. "I ordered way too many tacos as usual, so I had Pope and Jamie bring them over to Miss Stephanie to thank her for taking care of the chickens."
"Good, the tacos will soke up all of the alcohol."
Brooke bites down on her lip and shakes her head. "Alcoholism is a medical condition. Even if Miss Stephanie was an alcoholic, you shouldn't joke about it."
"We're back," Pope said as he walked into the chateau. "Sorry it took so long; Miss Stephanie was totally incoherent."
"Yeah, she just kept saying she didn't order tacos," Jamie added loudly.
John B smirked at Brooke, who rolled her eyes. "I'll find someone else tomorrow, promise" she told him as squeezed his shoulder before getting up to leave.
"Aunt Brooke," Jamie said as Brooke walked into the living room. "You might want to get someone else to take care of the chickens and the rooster. We kept telling her the tacos were a thank you for taking care of them and she had no idea what we were talking about," he said while making a motion that indicated taking a swig of alcohol.
"Thanks, Jimmy Jam. It's already on tomorrow's agenda."
Brooke and John B came home Saturday night. Brooke had texted Julian when they dropped Jamie off, that they would be home in five minutes. When they pull into the driveway, JJ and Julian are waiting on the chat set on the front porch.
"Hey, how was it?" Julian asks them both as he stood up from his chair.
"It was fun," Brooke said giving Julian a quick hug.
Brooke smiled warmly at JJ, "Hi, honey! I missed you so much! How was your weekend?"
"Uh…good thanks." JJ says as he looks at the ground not bothering to get up from the chair.
"John B did you have fun?" Julian asked.
"Yeah, thanks."
An hour later, Brooke and Julian were walking on the beach.
"Did you see how uncomfortable JJ was when I told him I missed him. How was he this weekend?" Brooke asked.
"He was good, no major drama. We watched a few movies, but I mostly gave him his space."
"You're doing great with him, babe. He is so comfortable with you," Brooke said.
"And you have a great rapport with John B," Julian said.
"Maybe…but I'm pretty sure I made him uncomfortable this weekend. I rang the bell to call the boys in for dinner, which Pope let slip was something his dad would do. When I went out to talk to him, it was obvious that he was really upset, and he went into his room and closed the door. I told him I was coming in and we briefly talked about it. He was crying and now I think he is just really embarrassed."
Julian put his arm around Brooke's shoulder. "For whatever reason John B seems be more comfortable opening up to you, and with JJ, for whatever reason he is marginally more comfortable with me. I say, let's just be grateful that they each have one adult they are at least somewhat willing to be parented by."
Brooke wrapped her arm around Julian's waist. "You're right! I keep having to remind myself that they have known us for less than two months. So, all things considered, were not doing so bad. I also need to remember, that unless it is a safety thing, I really need to let them come to me."
It's a month after Christmas. Things have fallen into more of a routine, with JJ going back to school after winter break. Two weeks after the incident with his dad, Julian and Brooke began temporarily homeschooling him with Haley's help.
"Happy almost half-birthday, JJ" Brooke said as JJ and John B came into the kitchen Thursday morning before school.
"Uhhh…thanks," JJ responded.
"What's a half-birthday?" John B asked as he went to the cabinet to grab cereal.
"A fun way to celebrate your birthday twice a year!" Brooke said as she grabbed the milk from the fridge and placed it on the counter. "You just add six months to your actual birthday; so, JJ's birthday is August 10th which means his half-birthday is February 10th."
"Aces," JJ said as he yawned.
"Well, you only turn fourteen and a half once," Brooke said to him with a wink.
"No offence, Brooke, but that might be the Kookiest thing you've ever said," John B said.
"Keep talking, buddy, you're going to cost your little friend here," Brooke said as she walked up behind JJ and placed her hands on his shoulders, "exactly one-half of an ice-cream cake, a day off of school to do fun activities, and a present!"
"Shut up, JB!" JJ said as he jokingly punched him.
John B made some tisking noises. "Yeah, I don't know if someone who displays such poor behavior really deserves a half-birthday."
"Of course, he deserves a half-birthday!" Brooke said, pinching JJ's cheek lightly. "Julian, back me up here," Brooke said as Julian walked into the kitchen from his home office.
"Absolutely," Julian agreed. "How often does one turn fourteen and a half?" He said putting an arm around JJ shoulder.
"Only once, so I would argue that's like a week off of school," JJ said with a mouth full of cereal.
"Oh, God," John B muttered.
"Hey, if you stop calling me a Kook, you'll get one too when you turn fifteen and a half," Brooke said.
"I'll be in independent living by then, Brooke," John B said.
Brooke looked a bit thrown off and shared a glance with Julian. Recovering quickly, she said, "True, but we will definitely still be in your life. After a few years of half-birthdays, you'll come to love them!"
"Especially since no one executes an event like Brooke Davis." Julian said glancing at Brooke who nodded in agreement. "JJ, want to get in a quick thirty-minute review in before your history test today?"
"If I pass, can I smoke a joint?" JJ asked.
"You're joking, right?" Julian asked unsure.
JJ shrugs.
Brooke glares at both JJ and Julian. "Of course, he's joking. Your fourteen, JJ."
"It's the hardest of hard passes, buddy," Julian tells him.
"It's like watching his motivation to study get blown away in a cloud of smoke," John B comments.
"JJ has been very motivated and doing a great job with homeschooling," Brooke said.
"Thanks, Brooke. But a little extra motivation never hurt, right?" JJ asked.
Brooke ignored JJ and asked John B, "Do you have a history test today too?"
"I had the same test right before winter break," John B says.
A little over a week later, Brooke and John B are driving home from lunch and a Costco run to get provisions for the writer's retreat Samantha's is hosting at their house in Tree Hill. Brooke had intentionally asked John B to help her with the grocery run so that she could talk to him about independent living.
It is not like she should have been surprised by John B saying he would be in the independent living program by the time he was fifteen and a half. She is, after all, the one who suggested independent living. She told him she and Julian would be willing to help him make his case. At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do; it would ease the tension for the time being and John B would likely decide to keep living with them.
Brooke thinks back to when Samantha first started living with her; in an effort to convince Samantha to live with her she offered her the opportunity to come and go as she pleased, only to very quickly become uneasy with a fifteen-year-old coming home at two in the morning. John B living completely on his own at fifteen stirs up the same feelings of distress.
