"Good morning, Pretty Girl, it's time for you to take your medicines," Lucas whispered in my ear which instantly resulted in my face cracking into a smile.
"Too early, Broody! I sleep when the babies sleep," I mumbled in my sleep.
"Come on. Just have a little bit of breakfast and your pills. Then since you have school from the bed, you can nap until the first period. Don't forget, you have a Math test and you have the worst invigilator of all, my mom," he said to me in an amused manner.
"Go away!" I wailed. "Babies sleep, I sleep."
"Brooke, I am really getting late for school. Let's not make this difficult," he begged.
I huffed but lifted my head off the covers. Lucas had got me a tray with baked beans on toast, a sliced pear and freshly squeezed watermelon juice.
"What part of this is little?" I asked, kinking my eyebrow.
"My mom is a cook and those are her grandchildren," he said, pointing at my stomach. "She is going to make you three times your original size."
"I am already ten times my original size! Great, now they're awake!" I threw him a nasty look while rubbing my side where one of the babies had jabbed me.
Lucas began laughing as he stole a slice of pear from my plate and moved around throwing a clean jersey and shorts into his gym bag. His hair was still damp from his shower and he was shirtless and I could not help but enjoy the view.
"Lukie, can you do online school too, please?" I begged in a voice that made me sound like a three-year-old.
"B, it's hard for me to leave you as it is.." he trailed, trying hard to not get enticed.
"The bed is plenty warm and we have two iPads and earphones," I smirked.
"It was easy for Turner to say yes to you judging how he had to get the 2nd floor bathroom and the hallways bleached and cleaned after everything that went down. He is actually sort of mad at me for knocking you up and putting you in this mess in the first place. Been nothing but icy to me as he tries to be accommodating for you," Lucas remarked.
"Did they find my underwear? I left it on the bathroom floor, last I remember. Though, it wouldn't be the first time I left underwear in the school bathroom," I said with a straight face which made the colour fade off Lucas' face.
"Okay, I'm just gonna go! I'll log you in for the first period and then give the iPad to Peyton for the next class. Just please can you gulp the pills down so I know that you didn't forget," he asked, putting his shirt on.
"And you take away my view! I already hate this morning," I pouted before putting the pills in my mouth and swallowing them down with water.
"Thanks, love you, bye!" he said, giving me a quick kiss on the lips and running to his car. I looked out of the window until I could not see him anymore, missing him already.
"Oh Dear! Kids, learn this from now only.. Attachment is bad!" I said to my belly as I bit into the best baked beans on toast I had ever had in my life!
I got out of the bed to use the restroom just as Karen was entering the room.
"All okay, Brooke?" she asked me.
"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Scott," I said, afraid to even look up. Karen was still a stranger to me. I had only met her that day at the cafe. She seemed perfectly lovely and Lucas, Deb, Keith and Haley all seemed to love her, but I did not know her. Besides, I was mad at her! Now that I was about to be a mother myself, I had a semblance of an idea about how a mom felt, well a good mom. Mine was still terrible. But, Lucas' was not! She had totally abandoned and fled and left her child to face the brunt of the beating that she was too weak to take. I would rather die than allow anyone to even think about lifting a finger on my children. Nevertheless, at the moment, she was caring for me and I was grateful.
"You can call me Karen," she said to me with the warmth only a parent can show. Suddenly, I was mad. Mad at her about Lucas and all the things that she was responsible for that put the man that I loved in jeopardy.
"I'm just gonna go to the restroom and then begin class," I said curtly before walking away. When I got back, she was waiting for me in our room.
"Brooke, I know that we never had the chance to discuss house rules since you were already asleep by the time I came back, but I would like for us to talk during your breaks, or perhaps after school," she said to me in a serious tone.
"Sure," I said, not even looking at her.
"What's wrong? Do you feel unwell?" she asked me, sensing my anger and emotions. I totally blame the pills that I was on for the outburst that ensued, but I probably should have controlled myself better.
"What's wrong is all this pretending. You and Lucas seem to just forgive and forget each other and all is okay, when it was not. It really clearly was not. Dan was abusive and he tried to kill Lucas, the same Lucas who is your son. How could you just run away? How could you just pack up and leave without him, leaving that defenceless boy who stood no chance in front of that man to fend for himself! I just don't get it!" I vent out.
A tear slipped down Karen's eye, "I guess Lucas never told you the whole story. You know the rehab stint that everyone thought I was in, well it was real for the beginning. Dan used to hit Lucas and I tried to make him stop, so he would hit me instead and I would take the blows, but then he would go hit Lucas too and it was hard to see a way out. Some people really have a way to manipulate you emotionally as well. It's like the door is unlocked, but your mind is jailed so you won't even attempt to try and check.
Have you ever heard the story of the elephant and the rope? A thin flimsy rope is used to tie a gargantuan elephant, a rope which would take no effort to break at all. Yet, he never breaks it and runs away. This is because when the elephant was young, the same rope was used to tie him and at that time when it was a baby, it was strong enough to keep him bound. The baby elephant did not have the strength to break through that tie. So with that mental conditioning, the now grown elephant never tried to break free even when it grew to be strong and mighty. With time, the conditioning becomes your conviction and then your reality and your life. I believed that this really was the life Lucas and I were going to have till the end of time.
I used to take pills - painkillers to ease the pain of the assaults. One day I took too many and Deb found me overdosed. She actually shipped me to rehab. I got clean in a month and then moved to Savannah. I called Lucas as soon as I was allowed to. I wanted him with me, a hundred percent. I said to him that I would come back to Tree Hill or bring him there. He lied. He knew that if he ran away too in fear that Dan would come hunting for me. He told me that he had escaped. That he was living with Deb and Keith. I believed him. I had to keep contact to a minimum from fear of Dan finding out, and Deb kept the paychecks coming into my account, I figured she was actually taking care of my boy. I promise you Brooke, I never intended for my son to have to go through that. He lied to me to protect me. I wish he hadn't but he did. I only recently learnt it when you were at the hospital. We had a long discussion and agreed that we needed to just get past it by focusing on the positive and the now, that we were free and together. I would take a bullet to protect Lucas and you and your children."
"I-I_I don't know what to say. I am so sorry, Mrs. Scott. I never should have. That was so terrible of me to even assume or ask. I never should have brought it up the way that I did. I am so sorry. Please, forgive me," I said quickly, averting looking at the petite woman in front of me.
"It's alright, Brooke. I understand. You care for my son. I can see it, you want to protect him at all costs, just like I do. It's just hard sometimes. Situations are unfavourable, people are complicated, everyone has different opinions on how to handle things, but that's life. I hope that you choose to look past it too," she said in a sage-like manner.
"You're so great," I heard myself spill out to her before I placed my hand on my mouth. "I really should just stop talking. Clearly my brain makes no sense, so just ignore me." She laughed as she asked me to join class.
Karen came to check on me ever so often, making sure that I was alright and had everything. Lucas had put all my books on the bed so that I had no trouble reaching books and grabbing supplies that I would need. It was working out. When School ended, she came back to have a talk.
"Now Brooke, I know that Lucas and you are together. Or well, some sense of together, I am not too sure and I know that the worst that could happen already has. Yet, I want this to be as smooth as possible. The two of you are still teenagers and just because you are pregnant does not mean that you can get away with anything under my roof. I would appreciate it if Lucas and you slept in separate rooms and we do have the space for it," Karen advised. It took everything out of me to not roll my eyes. How much was Lucas keeping from his mother? We were practically living together before all of this anyway, that's how we got into this mess in the first place. Although it felt wrong to call our babies a mess. Accident as they had been and yes, if anybody asked, I did not want to be a mother at sixteen and yes, I would do things differently if given a magical choice, but I still loved them more than everything, ever! This was my reality and I had reached acceptance and found grace in it.
"Karen, Lucas and I can't have sex, I am a whale who can't see what her feet look like and with the whole cervical incompetency thing, it just isn't going to happen. I cannot drink. I don't smoke or do drugs and neither can I. Hell, I can't even have coffee! I am always tired and usually very crummy and cranky. Lucas is a godsend and a knight for what I put him through. I get it, we are underage and we are living with you, but Lucas is still emancipated according to the State of North Carolina and I planned on putting my paperwork in as well once I had enough earnings. I can't work anymore, but I will get to it once the twins are born. We appreciate all the help that you're providing us with and all the care and concern, it's just, there is no point to it. The only thing we get out of it is Lucas walking into my room every fifteen minutes to check on me, afraid and missing out on sleep, so doing bad at school. You know, at least if we're together, he knows when I am going to the bathroom because the bed squeaks under my weight and he just stirs then," I said to her in the calmest way as if I was having an epiphany. It seemed to work. Karen's wheels were churning.
"This feels like such bad parenting," she sighed, putting her head in her hands. "It can't just be okay?"
"Blame it on the dad!" I laughed, knowing for sure that I had won. "Karen, come on. He will just sneak in and you're the only one who will get worked up and tired about it."
"Fine, but no funny business," she conceded.
"Define funny…" I joked, earning a swat on my arm from the worried soon-to-be-grandmother.
"Brooke, I am serious," she chided.
"Relax Karen. Large, twins, bed rest, taking things slow. Lucas will shut me down before you if I tried something," I rolled my eyes. This seemed to satisfy her and she finally walked out.
— — –
"Hey Pretty Girl, I brought a guest," Lucas said to me a week later as he entered our room. I looked up from the bed where I had been sketching and was glad to see Peyton and Haley walk with Lucas.
"Heyyy!" I said happily. "It's my girls!"
"Get in bed, since I can't get out," I complained, pulling them up to me. "Now tell me every juicy gossip on the quad and spare no detail. I wanted to be on Facetime with you guys even then but Karen said that I needed to eat and relax. Gossip is relaxing, hello!"
The girls laughed before settling on the bed with me. I propped my head on Haley's shoulder and swung my legs into Peyton's lap to get comfortable, feeling grateful to just have them around me and in my life.
"Rachel is trying to replace you and take your place as Queen Bee of Tree Hill High and nobody is having it. Poor Bevin in the most Bevin manner possible just went to Rachel and told her to her face that a Queen has to be kind to her subjects and that at least you treated everyone with respect and as people and not slaves," Peyton said, trying to control her face from cracking into a smile, but failing miserably. "We may or may not have encouraged her though."
"Did Bevin actually pay attention in class and figure out Figures of Speech or does she think I am an actual Queen!?" I laughed.
"Knowing Bevin, probably the latter," Haley chortled.
"Lukie, don't just stand there and listen to us, go get us some snacks or you know join us in the gossip fest," I winked.
"Remind me not to do nice things for you," he eyed me.
"Snacks, slave boy! Something salty and water, stat!" I ordered, completely ignoring his former comment.
"Maybe it's not so bad that they are arriving early," he laughed."But you cannot hear that okay, stay in there!" The boy was pointing towards my belly with a stern face as if he was actually reprimanding two imaginary children standing in front of him.
"Aww, you're going to be suck a good dad, Luke!" Haley gushed over him. I was surprised because I thought only I felt that way.
"You really think so?" Lucas asked, quite surprised himself.
"Well, yeah. I mean at first thought the idea of the playboy and the slut of Tree Hill High from last year even dating seemed so bizarre. Then when we get to know the two of you and what both of you have been through and we see where you are, it's all just obvious. Like obviously the playboy fell for the easy girl and not the nerd like those RomComs. It's endearing that you were separated like star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, sans the whole death thing. You did the opposite, you two created lives! And obviously you have to one up everyone, so you do two at a time!" Peyton opined.
"I am just going to go and get the snacks," Lucas said, not knowing how to respond.
"Wow, you broke him," Haley said to Peyton, throwing a pillow towards her.
"So B, what do you want to do? We're here to keep you entertained the entire afternoon," Peyton told me.
"What I want to do is spa day," I cried, scrunching up my nose to emphasise just how badly I wanted it.
"Oh a spa day?" Peyton asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah, I can't even see my feet, I want a manicure and a pedicure and a foot and back massage!" I said, almost drooling. "But since we can't do that, how about a movie and chocolate. Lots of chocolate with pizza. Oooj, pizza and chocolate sounds so good it's scary!" Haley and Peyton burst out laughing.
"That sounds absolutely disgusting, Tigger!" Haley said.
"Okay, how about we go down to the den to watch that movie and we can find what chocolatey desserts Karen has stored in the fridge and order a pizza?" Peyton asked.
"Now that is joy! God, I am going to have bed sores the way Karen keeps me chained to this bed," I said as both Haley and Peyton helped me up and down the stairs. I really could not see below me for a good number of inches.
"Surprise!" Everyone yelled for me when I made it down the last few steps. I looked around the room and it was decorated for a party, complete with blue and pink balloons and streamers. A ginormous chocolate cake sat at the centre of the coffee table with an assortment of snacks and a neat pile of gifts were stacked on the side of the room.
"Oh my God! Girl prone to early labour here! What is this?" I asked as I saw all my friends over, at least all my girl friends. There was Bevin, Rachel, Theresa and the rest of the cheerleading team as well as Karen and Deb and the surprise guest, Veronica!
"It's your baby shower, Brooke! We have been planning it for weeks!" Peyton said to me excitedly.
"What! P Sawyer!" I said getting emotional and pulling her into a hug.
"Thanks, you guys!" I said, tears slipping down my cheeks as I made my way to the centre of the room and looked at all of them.
"And Brooke, guess the theme of the party," Haley said to me.
"I am just so grateful for the party," I said in a meaningful way as I sat on the closest armchair.
"It's a spa day!" Bevin said from the back. "Lucas told us to keep it a surprise from you because you had been mentioning it to him and it was just so hard to keep it from you at school, but I managed to not spoil the surprise!"
"Bevin, I haven't even come to school. I've been doing it online! You couldn't have even met me," I laughed.
"Oh, right!" she said and I focused my attention on Veronica.
"V! I am so happy to see you here! Please tell me you broke out of that prison," I prayed.
"It's so good to see you too, Brooke! And oh yeah, I was expelled like a month after you were. I'm back in California. I met your parents, they're the worst!" She laughed and gave me a hug.
"That Lucas is a real cutie you have got. I would so take him if he wasn't so in love with you. He literally tracked me down and got me here for this party!" she whispered in my ear while she was hugging me.
I looked at Luke from the corner of my eye, he was keeping away from all the girlie stuff and hanging out in the kitchen.
'Thanks Luke' I sent him a text just as three females walked in to give us a pamper treatment.
"Boy, you don't need a face mask, the way your skin is already glowing!" one of them said to me as I dipped my feet into the tub filled with warm water and bath salts. In fact I moaned out loudly as the ladies gave me a foot massage. Everyone giggled, making me turn red instantly.
The party went well, I stuffed my face with the most delectable chocolate cake ever and cried while unwrapping each present, especially Deb who had got us a double stroller. The baby clothes made me so emotional, it surprised me.
"So did you enjoy your party, Pretty Girl?" Lucas asked me as he helped me into a pair of pyjamas.
"Yeah, it was so relaxing. I fell asleep during that head massage!" I smiled, still feeling the effects of drowsiness.
"I saw," he smiled.
"Lucas, the party also got me thinking. Serious talk for a moment, please?" I asked, pulling him into bed to lie beside me.
"What's on your mind, Pretty Girl?" he asked, cupping my cheek in his palm.
"We don't know where we are gonna stay, I mean the beach house was just until Karen figures out where she wants to be. Lucas, where do we wanna be? We have no nurseries set up because we don't know where we are going to be staying. And as much as I love the gifts we got today, we are gonna need two cribs, two changing tables, two dressers and so much more! I could be giving birth tomorrow! We need to begin planning, with or without your mom. You are emancipated," I said, putting my hand on his chest.
"I know, Brooke and I have been planning all of that. Keith and I have been going on yard sales. We have cribs and changing tables and dressers actually. It's all at the Auto shop. We are refurbishing it ourselves to make it as good as new. I know, stuff regarding the house is a little messy but I haven't been able to decide, do we keep living with my mom or separately. You and I have savings, the furniture didn't cost much. We could rent an apartment, no problem. But we need mom for the time we are at school. I just don't know what is the right answer," he said to me. At that moment, I felt so much in love with this guy, I leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly.
"I love your mom, Luke, she is great, but I do feel like I am going to need the space to learn to be a parent on my own, to grow into it. I will need her to teach me all of the basics, I mean the only kid I have ever held has been baby Jenny. What I mean is that if I am living with her, I might just feel like I am walking on eggshells. I don't want to upset her though, her offer to babysit during school and my waitressing job post is the only way this works out. Yet, she terrifies me for some reason. Maybe we can live close to where she wants to move?" I said truthfully.
"I will go look at apartments for the two of us and video call you, how does that sound? Mom has been looking since we got here two weeks ago, but she wants to mortgage a house and is finding one with a low budget and lots of rooms for the grandkids," Lucas rolled his eyes. "We will have the place ready for you by the time of the birth, is that okay?"
"That's all I ask," I said, touching my forehead to his chest. "Read to me?"
"Sure, what would you like to hear? I just finished the last book that I was reading," he asked me.
"Julius Caesar. I never had the patience to read it even though it was my grandpa's favourite book," I said to him.
"You know what, you're in luck because I happen to have your grandfather's copy with me. It was on the nightstand when Victoria found us and you know everything that happened. Anyway, she thought it was mine and threw it in my box of things. Let me get it," he said, standing up and rummaging for the prized book.
He got it soon and got into bed, with me resting on his lap. He placed the book on my chest and opened it. I saw faded writing in the corner of the book which made me stop to trace it. "What does that say, Broody? It looks like my grandfather's handwriting."
"I don't know, but that word right there looks like Brooke," he said, pointing at a faded word.
"Yeah, and what's that, tear the seam?" I asked.
"I think so," he said, squirting his eyes.
"Wait, I never knew my grandad left me instructions. I never even opened the book," I said to Lucas.
"Yeah and over the years the writing has faded so much that it is barely legible. I never even realised there was anything written." Lucas said.
"Should we tear the seam?" I asked him, noticing that the book lining was in fact quite loose, almost like it had been stuck together.
I pulled it out and was shocked to find sheaves of paper tucked inside. I picked them up, the pages turning yellow with time, yet in great condition.
"I, Mr. James Davis residing at 4915, Ocean Avenue, Tree Hill, NC 28403 do make this my last will and testament…. Oh my God Lucas! It's his will! It's my grandfather's will! We never found it, so naturally my dad inherited everything. It says here that he left everything to me! My god, he left the house and all his properties and money to me! Lucas! It's millions of dollars!" I shrieked, making Karen run to the room.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I just became a millionaire!" I said, huffing as if a weight had been lifted off my chest.
"We'll call Deb's Lawyer tomorrow first and see what he has to say," Lucas said, bringing me down my rich girl high.
"Yeah, you're right. It's all still in my parent's control," I sighed.
"What millionaire, what are you two talking about?" Karen asked, still completely confused.
"We just found my grandfather's will and he left his entire estate to me," I answered. "Luke, this means we have more than enough money for the children! Oh my God, this means that we may get the house back! My grandfather's house! I can go back to being the girl behind the red door!" I was beaming!
— — –
"Lucky find, Ms. Davis. But yeah, the will looks legitimate. All the assets have been clearly accounted for. We will get the witnesses verified and once the will is probated, all the assets will be transferred in your name," the Lawyer said to me.
"The main house, here in Tree Hill. My parents sold it a couple of months ago, is it possible to get that house too?" I asked.
"Yes, it is. It will be hard and the current family will have to be compensated, but as I see, we will just use your parent's personal funds to compensate and the property reverts to you. There is a major hitch though," the Lawyer said. "You are still a minor and your parents are your legal guardians. So technically, they still have all the rights to deal with the properties in your name as long as it benefits you and it is hard to prove what is and isn't beneficial to a minor."
"What if I get emancipated?" I asked.
"Yes, then you can hold property the same way as any adult. Do you want to get emancipated?" the lawyer asked me.
"More than I want this money. Just one more thing, I really don't want to see my parents and fight them. Besides, I am very very pregnant, I cannot do court hearings," I informed.
"That's why you have an attorney, Ms. Davis. I represent you to the court for all legal matters. You will not have to step there or see them." he replied.
This made me beam widely. "How long till I get the loot!?" I asked.
"Before you know it. This is my area of expertise," he smiled.
"Luke, can we move there? After the twins are born? No rent, large house! Please!" I asked him once the lawyer left.
"Yes Pretty Girl, we can! And I presume we are getting the fanciest new furniture now for the nurseries?" he asked.
"No, they are yours. You put a lot of thought into them and worked so hard with refurbishing the furniture you picked out. The nurseries are yours to decorate - with Peyton's help! I need her artistic eye but I trust you Lucas Scott. If you want something new, we get it, not otherwise," I said, kissing his cheek.
"These twins are going to have the most kickass nursery in Tree Hill," he grinned. "And I can't wait to restack the books in the library! That is my meditation."
"Yeah, all of Grandpa's stuff is in a storage locker apparently. We will get the key soon. But, I feel so relieved now that we have money, we can give these kids the life they deserve and we can be more hands on with no job responsibilities. But, I think I still want to continue working, maybe fewer hours, but it felt good to make money of my own, that nobody could take away from me," I said.
"We can figure it all out after their birth. For now, just breathe that stress-free air," he said, kissing my head which instantly made my lips curl into a smile and hug him tight.
