Brooke was not okay after the fight she had with Lucas. She tried to concentrate on work to keep herself from crying, but the whole incident was taking a toll on her. She knew that she had screwed up, but the entire situation was messy. Every angle was like an eternal flame, ready to scorch and never burn out. She just felt weak and tired and scared. When her shift finally ended, she left without greeting any of her coworkers. Dredging her way as slowly as she could to her apartment, she wondered if she could take a break. She didn't feel ready to go home and pretend like she was fine and strong and invincible. She yearned for a moment to herself to be a mess and be able to lie in the anguish she was facing internally.
She thought of going to a bar and getting a beer, but what good was one beer going to do? She couldn't get wasted, she had to set a good example for Sam and take care of Jamie. Brooke quickly gave up on that idea and made her way home at a snail's pace. She deliberately skipped a few trains that would take her home, just wanting to stand and be. She wanted to roll herself into a ball and cry, but she wasn't allowed to do that, so she moved on. Reaching the apartment, she began to fight with the jammed door, having no energy in her. Her fight with Lucas had completely spent her emotionally and she was drained of all energy. Her mind was a blank slate and she couldn't wait to jump in the shower and allow the sound of the water to drown her sobs.
"What happened? Did you and Lucas have a fight?" Sam asked as soon as she heard the sound of the door. She was sprawled on the couch and she had been napping, but she woke up within seconds of Brooke trying to bolt the door behind her.
"Everything's fine," Brooke lied.
She saw Sam get pale in front of her eyes, she had been crying too. "This is all my fault," she blamed herself.
"Everything is fine, Samantha. Now, I need to get started on dinner. Can I just make noodles?" she asked, not having the stamina or patience for more.
"You never call me Samantha, what happened?" she asked, needing to know just how badly she had messed up Brooke and Lucas' relationship.
"Where's Jamie?" Brooke asked instead, trying to change the topic.
"Reading and colouring in the room," Sam replied obediently. Brooke sighed and walked inside, needing a break from Sam's interrogation.
"Hey little man, how was your day?" she asked, smiling at her son. Only her innocent little baby had the ability to make her smile even on the darkest of nights.
"It was fine," he replied. "Mommy, did Daddy hurt Sammy?"
"Huh? No, your Dad would never hurt you or Sam," Brooke replied.
"Then why was she crying when Dad came over?" he asked.
Brooke sighed and lifted Jamie so that she could settle the toddler on her lap. She smelt his hair and enveloped him in a bear hug, wanting to squeeze him tight in a futile attempt that he would take her pain away. "Sam was crying because of something I said to her, Jamie."
"What? What did you say? Was it a bad word?" he asked, widening his eyes.
"No, it was not a bad word, but it was something that made her feel scared. Mommy was only trying to protect her, but she made things bad," Brooke poured her heart out to her toddler. She felt tears stream down her eyes again.
Jamie looked at his mother and hugged her in an attempt that she would stop crying.
"I love you so much, Jamie," Brooke said, feeling her child's unconditional love.
Sam stood by the door and watched the scene unfold. She hated herself at that moment. She had messed everything up. Why did she always cause problems for her and Lucas? Sam wanted to run away and leave, but recent history had told her that Brooke would only be bothered and worried and come looking for her. She felt like emptying her mind, allowing it to feel happy. She wanted a fix so badly at that moment. If only she could get through the night feeling peaceful and happy. She thought of her supplier in the park, but then she looked at Jamie's face in Brooke's arms.
The last time Brooke had dropped her at rehab, she had made Jamie come too so that Sam would feel accountable. She had already grown attached to that little toddler. Brooke had made her carry the boy in her arms all the way to the doors of the facility. Sam had felt nothing but guilty doing that, like she was getting a privilege she did not deserve. She didn't deserve love or a family, especially such a good one after disappointing them over and over. Brooke had told her that if there was a next time that Brooke would have to drop Sam to the facility, she would have to explain to Jamie why she wouldn't be living with them for a month. Brooke had assured her that she would not kick her out, but she would be answerable to Jamie.
Sam felt helpless. She needed someone to fix everything for her, an adult who could help. She saw Brooke lift Jamie in her arms and walk towards the door so that she could prepare dinner. Panicking, she quickly moved away so that it didn't look like she had been eavesdropping.
Brooke looked at Sam but didn't say anything as she placed Jamie on the counter and opened a cabinet to get out some noodles. She was only 21 after all. She did not have the maturity to deal with everything, so she hid from Sam, hoping to delay having to give her answers she didn't want to.
Sam walked to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She had to do something, and fast. All her thoughts took her to one place, one person, one fix.
She looked at the phone screen and pressed call, "Hi, I need your help. Can you meet me?"
Brooke prepared the noodles and set Jamie and Sam with a bowl. Then she moved to a drawer to get some clothes for her shower.
"Wait, aren't you eating?" Sam asked her.
"No, I ate at the hotel. I'm good," Brooke replied, not eyeing Sam even once. She continued to rummage for her PJs and walked to the bathroom door. Her movements were suddenly halted by the doorbell ringing, alerting her senses all at once.
She looked at her kids with wide eyes and whispered to them, "Who could that be? So late at night too? Jamie Sam, get up and go to the room, lock the door and do not open it until I say that it is okay. Sam, I mean it." Brooke got the kids to stand and hurry in, the doorbell rang a second time. Brooke made sure that the door was locked. She took her phone in her hand and kept it ready with the numbers 911 shining on her screen, the other held a small plastic baseball bat that was Jamie's toy. It wasn't hard enough to hurt anyone, but she was hoping she didn't have to swing it anyway. Then she peered out through the tiny peephole.
"What!" she yelled stunned and quickly opened the door. "Karen? Wh-wh-what are you doing here?"
She pulled the lady inside and struggled with the door to lock it shut again. "You shouldn't be out in this neighbourhood this late!" Brooke was angry at her. What was she thinking, to have come to see her there despite all her attempts to keep her away from the apartment. "My neighbours are drug dealers and pimps! Oh God! You did not need to know that! Wait, how did you even get the address? Lucas! God! What is that man's issue?"
Karen was shocked to hear what Brooke had just said. Her eyes looked all around the apartment, taking it all in. She felt cold and dreary being there. Her heart broke for its dilapidated condition but she was quick to get her bearings and adjust in the new environment. She saw the bat Brooke was still clutching. Brooke noticed her gaze linger and quickly dropped it to the floor. "Actually, it was Sam," Karen replied as her eyes moved to find her grandkids. Her eyes settled in two steaming bowls of ramen instead. Brooke followed her gaze and felt embarrassed.
"Uhh, I usually cook them healthy meals. I was just really tired today," she said with a mock chuckle in an attempt to defend her lack of culinary skills. "Also, what do you mean Sam called?" Brooke wasn't looking at Karen anymore as she tried to move things in a horrible attempt to make the apartment look a little cleaner for her guest and a little warmer and homier, but who was she kidding.
"You, Jamie and Sam live all the way out here? This is so far from the city," she remarked.
"Yeah, but it's cheap. Sorry, you're going to have to keep your coat on," Brooke said as she cleared the couch for Karen to sit. She showed her her index finger to signify one minute and knocked on Jamie and Sam's bedroom door.
"You can come out," she called out to them. Brooke heard the lock twist and Jamie and Sam stepped out.
"Grandma!" Jamie greeted her and ran in to hug her tightly. Karen eyed the kids and her eyes strayed to peep in the room. She couldn't see much but she saw how it was much different from the living room. Brooke really loved her kids, it was evident.
"Hi Jamie, I missed seeing you today," she said to the toddler.
"I missed you too, Grandma! Will you have dinner with us?" he offered. Brooke was proud of his manners, but she had only cooked enough for Sam and Jamie. There was more ramen at home, she could whip up more instant noodles, but Karen had studied in a culinary college in France! She couldn't feed her 2 minute noodles.
"Karen, uhh, do you want anything? To eat, I mean! Not why you're here at night. But, why are you here at night? This neighbourhood isn't exactly great for people to walk around unless you know your way and carry arsenals to protect yourself."
"Sam called me and asked me to come," she stated simply.
"I told you everything is fine! Why don't you just listen to me?" Brooke yelled loudly at Sam. Everyone was shocked by Brooke's outburst. "Wait no! Sorry! I shouldn't have yelled, I'm just - I'm just-" but Brooke never got to finish what she was saying because she began to cry into her hands. Her entire upper body began to shake as she let go of the feelings the aftermath of her fight with Lucas had left her with - the shocks, tremors, fears, everything. She needed people to leave her alone and let her be. She needed to feel her feelings and let the pain stab her and wound her and take her soul so that she could begin the process of healing her scars, although her healing was more like bandaids fixing bullet holes.
Karen immediately got into mom mode. She bundled Brooke in her arms and held her as she cried. Jamie looked worriedly. He had never seen his mom weak. She was strong and invincible.
"Sam," Karen whispered and nudged towards the boy.
Sam sighed but grabbed the bowls of ramen and began walking to her bedroom. "Come on, Squirt," she said.
"But Mommy!" he whined.
"Karen is taking care of her. Come on," she ordered another time.
"But what happened?" he asked and then he began to wail too. His sobs were loud and piercing, enough to reach the neighbours' through the paper thin walls. Brooke did not want them to be banging at her door. Her sobs stopped immediately as she went to Jamie. She was too weak to say reassuring words, but she began to console him. She hugged him and tried to shush him. Jamie's wails only got louder in his mom's arms.
"It's okay. Everything is okay. You're okay and I'm okay. We're all fine. Shh, come on now. Shhh," she whispered to him while rocking him in her arms.
Jamie's wails quietened to hiccups. Brooke carried him in her arms to the sink and filled water in his sippy cup. "Take little sips, okay?" she instructed as she handed it to him. Jamie looked at her with his big blue eyes glistening with tears as he tried to calm himself down. Brooke rubbed his back as he gulped the water.
"Do you feel better, baby?" she asked him.
"Why were you crying?" Jamie asked her.
"Remember that time when Mommy told you not to run in the house because she had swept the floor and you would slip and fall if you didn't listen?" she asked Jamie who nodded his head.
"Do you remember that you didn't listen to me and ran and fell?" She continued the story. Jamie nodded his head again.
"You cried so much after that. It wasn't because you were hurt, it was because you broke the rules and did what mommy told you not to do, right?" she reminded her child.
"Yeah?" Jamie replied but he still wasn't getting the point of the story.
"Mommy did a similar thing. She had been warned not to do something and she didn't listen. So Mommy was crying because she felt bad, just like you felt bad when you ran when you weren't supposed to," Brooke simplified it.
"Oh! You broke the rules! Is Grandma going to give you a timeout too?" he asked innocently.
"If she does, it's because Mommy deserves one," Brooke replied, amused and in awe of her child's maturity, empathy and understanding.
"Grandma needs to talk to me alone. Will you be a good boy and hang out with Sam in your bedroom? No spilling noodles though, okay. You have to be careful eating in there," she said and put Jamie back down on the ground. He walked in and Sam followed with a heavy sigh that Brooke couldn't tell whether it was a good or bad one.
Brooke sighed herself and sat on the couch she called her bed, keeping a respectable distance from Karen. The lumpiness folded her in and she liked it that way.
"Talk to me, Brooke," Karen requested. Brooke, to her, looked like she was back to being a crazy 17 year old that she had housed.
"I'm really tired, Karen. Please. I just want to sleep and forget," she replied.
"What happened, baby? One minute I'm expecting to find you by the pool but I find you and Lucas arguing in the room instead. You run out and Sam calls me later saying that she needs an adult to come over and fix everything," Karen explained her predicament.
"An adult, huh?" Brooke replied, amused by Sam's choice of words.
"I know you're 21, but you're far too young to have the number of responsibilities you have on your plate," Karen explained.
"You had the same number of them, Karen. Our stories aren't all that different, except that Dan didn't want Lucas and I- and I kept Jamie from him," Brooke said and began to cry all over again.
Just then, Karen's phone began to ring. She unzipped her bag and got the device out, "Hey, Lucas," she said on the phone, making Brooke want to shrink herself. Brooke put her arms around her feet and perched her head between her legs to roll herself into a small ball.
"Where are you, mom?" he asked.
"Actually, I am at Brooke's," Karen replied.
"What! How! Why? No, how did you even get her address?" he asked.
"Sam asked me to drop by. We need to figure out whatever is going on between the two of you. Do you think you can come over?" she asked him.
Brooke's eyes widened at that as she looked at Karen and shook her head no fervently. She whispered to Karen, begging her to not invite Lucas over.
"No, Maa, I'm sorry. I don't want to. Everything sucks! She kept my kid from me and expects me to forgive her for it while she is unwilling to forgive me for my past actions with Peyton. I can't mom! I'm done apologising. She needs to meet me somewhere halfway," he yelled. "And I know that I messed up in High School. I know that I hurt her and broke her heart, but she cannot keep me at a distance from Jamie and Sam because of it!"
"Yeah, so why don't you come over to reach that halfway point, you can discuss how you want to manage the kids. They are getting affected by your fights, the two of you realise that, right? Lucas, you stopped playing Little League basketball because you realised how much it upset me to see Dan every week as he came to watch Nathan play. So you gave up on Professional Basketball! You cannot do that to Jamie. Kids are like sponges, they absorb everything. So please come here," Karen suggested.
"Karen, no, please. I'm begging you. No," Brooke cried loud enough for Lucas to hear her.
"See, she doesn't want to see me either. Listen, whenever you're done with Brooke, call me and I will come to pick you up from her Apartment. You will not get cabs in that area at night and I am sure that Brooke must have already warned you about the neighbourhood. So, just call me and I'll come and get you," he replied.
Karen didn't fight. She knew her son. "If you feel like it, drop by," she said and cut the call.
Brooke looked at her expectantly. "Don't worry. He isn't coming," she said and saw Brooke relaxing a bit.
"Care to share what happened?" she asked.
"Nothing. Everything. I said something stupid to Sam, well not stupid, but stupid. I shoved my insecurities regarding Lucas on Sam and not in so many words, asked her to keep Lucas at arm's length because I didn't want her heart to break too once Peyton gets to her senses and comes down to swoop the ring Lucas has, uhh, loaned me for our fake engagement. Sam obviously has a bucket full of insecurities of her own and maybe told Lucas about our conversation. He went ballistic on me saying that if I said that to Sam, what was stopping me from saying it to Jamie. But I wouldn't! I would never keep him away from him, only I have. So, my words mean nothing. He said that we are to only discuss matters regarding Jamie and Sam but nothing beyond that point. I was only scared that he would break my kids' hearts, Karen!" Brooke cried again.
Karen hugged her as Brooke's tears fell unabashedly on her shoulders. "What about your heart, Brooke?"
"My heart? My heart is already turned to dust and obliterated. There isn't anything left to hurt," she replied.
"Is that so? Then why are you crying out here? Lucas said that he wants to continue having a relationship with Sam and Jamie. It is you that he is cutting out," Karen caught her dead on. Brooke was speechless at her fake-mom-for-a-few-months' remarks.
"Come on Karen, it's Lucas and Peyton. It has always been Lucas and Peyton and you know that. You have seen it first hand. I am not a part of the equation," she argued.
"You have always been a part of the equation, Brooke. You were there each time," she reminded.
"Yeah, and it sucked each time. It hurt each time! I told him when I trusted him again just how afraid I was to get close to him again and I know I did some pretty skanky things to let him know that - Chris Keller, gosh! But, I was so afraid to show him my vulnerabilities. He was my biggest vulnerability and he used it to wreck me, twice. He hurt me really badly! I cannot believe that I slept with him again on graduation! I am never letting him close to me again. This was for the best Karen, we will discuss the kids and that's it. I do not want anything more with him," Brooke said.
Karen felt upset hearing that. She did not expect the two of them to get back together, but she did wish that they would remain good friends with each other and co-parent gracefully. "Honey, you don't have that luxury. To get Sam and Jamie out of here, especially Sam, you are going to have to pretend to be engaged with him and how can you be a happy stable couple looking to adopt if you two are cold with each other?"
"It's called acting, Karen," Brooke said sassily.
"Brooke, come on."
"I'm sorry, but I mean it. I don't trust him and he hates me for what I did and we are both right in our own ways. We hurt each other. That's what we do. He hurt me by cheating on me with Peyton… twice, and I hurt him by keeping his son away from him for two years. We were both right and we were both wrong. The entire situation is so bad, it's unfixable. But please tell him that I won't keep him from Jamie and I won't be talking to Sam about him anymore, he is free to have a relationship in whatever capacity she and him choose. I will keep out of it," she replied, more in a diplomatic ghost tone. Brooke was done fighting. She was scarred and bruised and no matter what she tried to fix things or protect her and her family, she only got more hurt in the process. He had the capacity to wreck and ruin her and still, he also had that hold on her to make her not cut off entirely. Still, she needed to do just that to save herself.
"I really wish you two would talk things out and move past everything. I know that it is too much and too heavy for both of you to move past from. Both of you were hurt in the deepest, most brutal way by the other's actions, but, try to forgive. Try to reconcile. As Lucas said, reach halfway," she attempted one last time, though she knew that it would be a failed attempt.
"The kids will reach him halfway. I am disappearing from the picture. I'll drop Jamie to school and Lucas you and Lucas can pick him up while you are still in New York. He can hang out at the hotel and I will grab him after my shift gets done and get him home for the night," she planned, thinking it was an equal barter. Andy and Lily will be here soon, then we might be going to Tree Hill anyway and you and Luke can get Sam time as you so generously offered to allow her to stay with you. You and Lucas can see what works with her. I'll talk to her tonight and apologise to her for what I said to her and plead her to not let my words affect her relationship with Lucas, but that is the best that I can do. I still don't trust him once Peyton arrives, but maybe it was a me thing. Let's hope Jamie and Sam get to be a part of the picture and not background noise," she replied.
"You weren't background noise, Brooke," Karen said, her heart needed the young girl to believe her.
"Then what was I? His whore for when Peyton wouldn't sleep with him? His slut to keep him company? What the hell was I, Karen? Because I was not his girlfriend. I told him that I loved him and he said it back to me too. He lied! Because he didn't love me. How can you do that to someone you love? But then again, I slept with him hours after he broke up with Peyton, drunk or not."
"Why did you sleep with him that night, Brooke? Was it revenge to get back at Peyton?" Karen asked slowly, as if she was afraid to cross that line. Did she really want to know about her son's sexual life? No! Would the line of questioning hurt Brooke? Most likely.
"No. I was really drunk, but it wasn't for revenge at all," she stuttered.
"Then why? You knew it wasn't right, despite them having broken up," Karen coaxed.
Brooke closed her eyes, internally contemplating whether or not to tell Karen the truth. SHe inhaled and exhaled deeply and slowly, mustering courage, gather strength. "I slept with him because a part of me was still attached, a part of me still loved him, a part of me still missed him, a part of me still wanted to feel him - okay, I'm not getting into details! But he asked and I was drunk and I did not have any rationale, I only had the feelings and all my feelings could never deny Lucas Scott anything. If he had asked me to get back with him and stay in Tree Hill for him, I probably would have! It was only the next day after the hangover subsided that I realised the awful mistake I had made. I'm paying for it everyday with Lucas hating me and Peyton doesn't even know yet, but she will sooner or later once we move to Tree Hill. Another thing that I couldn't deny to Lucas Scott and I hate that! I hate that he only sees vulnerable Brooke because I usually am around him. It's what it is," she said, giving up the battle. Brooke's stomach lurched at that moment, she had spilled the truth to Karen. "Please don't tell him I said all of this to you.
"Are you moving to Tree Hill because Lucas asked you to?" Karen asked.
"Essentially, yes. I mean yes, it is a thousand times better life for Jamie and Sam, no question but it's more for Lucas' benefit. I buried Tree Hill once I knew that I was pregnant. I had no intention of ever stepping foot in that place. I am grateful for the house and the help starting my business, and Andy's insight, hindsight and investment, but I am also scared and overwhelmed by fear. It all goes away when Peyton arrives. I can only trust myself to provide and take care of us, and Tree Hill…. Drama covers that place thick and heavy like a shroud. I don't expect Tree Hill to be easy at all, Karen. Every place, every person is going to feel like they are judging me. You can see that New York is shitty at best, but I get to hide here. But the jobs I had to do to pay my bills and afford this were terrible, so it's all whatever."
"What will make you happy? What do you want?" Karen asked.
"To be able to stop loving him."
"What are you doing?" Jamie asked Sam in the room who had her ear stuck to the door.
"Shhh! I am trying to listen," she whispered to him.
"Why?" Jamie asked curiously.
"Because I want to know what Brooke and Karen are talking about," Sam replied.
Jamie copied his older sister's actions. After all, she was the coolest person in the world to him. So, he wanted to do everything that she did. Hence, Sam had to cut back on swearing, and partying and drugs. Jamie loved to copy her.
"What are they talking about?" he asked, not understanding the situation.
"About your dad," Sam answered.
"What about him?"
"I won't know unless you let me listen!" Sam was exasperated. Toddlers were way too much work. She knew. She had been around them all her life. Jamie rolled his eyes and moved to play with his toy trains instead, thankfully.
Sam listened and grew shocked with each one of Brooke's questions. Their history was so much more than Peyton and Jamie. Sam realised that she would have to get a copy of Lucas' book to reach the true story. That was the only way she would learn Brooke's story. Brooke always had armour on. Ever since Lucas, she had begun sharing more, but there was a lot left to unearth.
Jamie began to yawn soon and Sam realised that she needed to be the one to put him to bed. "Come on, bed time," she called out to Jamie.
"But I'm not tired," Jamie argued.
"Sure, but I am. So, why don't you read me a story in your racecar bed?" Sam asked.
"I thought you wanted to spy on Mama and Grandma," Jamie joked.
Sam laughed and grabbed him and began to tickle him making Jamie squeal with laughter. "You think you're smart, huh! Let's see how you do with the tickle monster!"
"No! Stop! Stop!" Jamie said between laughing and panting. "I'll go to bed! I promise! As long as you tell me a story, and not the ones from the books, a new story."
"A new story?"
"Yeah," Jamie replied, nodding his head excitedly.
"Okay, did I ever tell you about this one home that I lived in where my fosters, wait no, I can't tell you that," she said, realising that her story would probably scar the kid and give him nightmares.
"No, tell me!" Jamie whined.
"I have a better idea, do you want to hear a story about your mom and dad?" Sam asked.
"Yes! Do you know it?" he asked, his eyes widened with excitement and wonder.
"No, but I know someone who does," she said and called someone.
"Hey, the dweeb wants to hear a new bedtime story. I figured you're an author so…" Samantha said on the phone to Lucas. She put the phone on speaker and placed it by Jamie's bed.
"Hi Dad! Can you tell me a bedtime story?" Jamie requested.
"Sure, but I don't have any books on me," he said. "I can make one up…uhh." Lucas attempted to make one up on the spot but it was proving difficult.
"Dad, can you tell me the story about when you and mom met?" Jamie asked with some coaxing from Sam.
Lucas huffed as if someone had sucked all the air out of the room. "You want to know about when your mom and I met? Uhh, well, it was the night of my very first basketball game as a Tree Hill Raven. I scored a three pointer at the buzzer and the Ravens won the game. That night, everyone was cheering loudly for me and congratulating me. When I entered my car, Brooke, your mother, was uhh, yeah, she was in the car, uhh, waiting? She asked me whether that last shot felt good? Then we were interrupted by my Coach…. Brooke also asked me, when the last shot went through, whether I felt it change. I asked her what she meant by that. I remember her response so vividly. She said everything. She asked me how many moments in life can you point to and say, "That's when it all changed?" You had just had one. Then she warned me that being popular wasn't so bad. I drove her home, said goodnight and waited till she got inside. Yep, that was how we met," Lucas narrated on the phone.
"You're deleting a bunch of details, aren't you?" Sam asked with an eyebrow raise.
"Nope," Lucas lied unconvincingly. "That was it."
"Oh, but how did mom get in your car? What was she doing there? Waiting to ask you what changed? Did she need a lift? And what changed, Daddy?" Jamie asked curiously.
"I don't know how your mom got in. Yes, she needed a lift," Lucas played along. "As to what changed, your mom was right. Everything changed."
"Was it good? The change?" Jamie continued to ask.
"Yes, for the most part, everything was good," Lucas replied, knowing that it really was good.
"You didn't know Mommy until the game? Were you in another school? I have known all my friends since the first day of school," Jamie continued to question.
"I knew your mom. Everyone knew your mom. She was the most popular girl in school. Your mom had never heard of me though until that day. So, we had never talked," Lucas explained.
"So, then you became popular?"
"Sorta, I guess," Lucas replied.
"Weird."
"Yeah, Popularity is a weird thing, Jamie," he replied, feeling it in his bones. His popularity had led to some pretty great and some pretty awful moments.
"Did it change for mom too?" he asked.
"Oh yes, by a lot actually. I was the first guy to tell your mom that she didn't have to act the way she did. That she deserved better than that, that she could be better than that,"
"What did mom act like?" Jamie enquired. Sam was amused as well.
"Uhh, she was, umm, she didn't have to act like she was mean," Lucas replied.
"Mom was mean!" Jamie screamed, loud enough that Brooke ran in.
"Hey, what's going on?" Brooke asked. "You two okay?"
"Mom, were you mean?" Jamie continued to ask, incredulously.
"Mean? To whom?" she asked, not knowing what her child meant. Even Karen had come in and checked.
"Dad told me that you were mean!" Jamie complained. "Were you?"
"What?" Brooke replied, still confused.
Sam burst out laughing. "Explain, young lady." Brooke ordered.
"Jamie wanted a new bedtime story and all my experiences are PG-13 so I called Lucas and Jamie asked him to tell him the story of the first time you met."
"I was not mean to Lucas the first time I met him! The first time I met him, I was….." and sudden horror appeared on Brooke's face as she remembered being naked in his car, in only a pair of mittens, the leopard print bra she had deliberately left for him to find and how Coach Durham had seen everything! "Oh yes! I was mean, I was very mean Jamie."
Sam burst out laughing. "I need to hear this entire story."
"Brooke, no! I didn't mean it like that!" Lucas said, having heard the commotion. He was still on speaker phone. "It's fine, Luke. Umm, it's just fine."
"Yeah, sorry," he answered.
"Why were you mean, mom?" Jamie asked.
"Because I was really stupid or possessed!" Brooke replied, frustrated with herself and her actions in the car.
"You're not mean now," Jamie continued.
"Yes, I am not mean now. I am no longer stupid. Come on, you need to sleep. Enough storytelling for the night. Say Goodnight to your Dad, put those bowls in the sink and go brush your teeth,' Brooke instructed.
"Brooke, sorry, he ambushed me. He asked me about change and whether we had changed and I don't know, I panicked," Lucas continued to say on the phone.
"It's fine, I get it. I was quite 'mean' back then. Anyway, uhh, you can come get Karen. We are done." Suddenly Brooke's stomach growled loudly.
"Hey, have you eaten?" Karen asked her. "Wait, I only saw two bowls for the kids."
"Yeah, I ate at the hotel," Brooke lied.
"She is lying mom!" Lucas said, still on speaker.
"Weren't we only going to discuss the kids from now on? This is about me, not Jamie or Sam. Goodbye Lucas!' Brooke seethed.
Karen looked at Brooke, "I am going to whip something up for you," she said and walked out to the tiny kitchen.
"No!" Brooke tried to stop her from opening the fridge. But it was too late. Karen saw how bare it was. She inhaled and exhaled deeply and closed it behind her. She didn't know what to do to help Brooke who was too stubborn to ask for any.
