"Hey Brooke, I'm going to head for the PTA - oh," Lucas said as he opened the door to Sophia's room after a couple knocks. There I was standing in front of the mirror, finally dressed in my own clothes, but I was struggling with the zipper.
"Can you zip me up, please? I am a designer, I should have figured out a better way for women to do this, but here we are," I said, giving a weary laugh.
I watched Lucas take each step slowly towards where I stood. He closed the door behind him and slowly took the zipper in his hands. His other hand touched my bare skin scarcely, yet it left behind a large trail of goosebumps. I did not have a bra on, it was just a tight maroon dress that I had paired with black stockings. I felt his fingers slide from my lower back till my neck as he took his time to zip me up.
"Where are you headed? That is a pretty dress," he asked me once the zipper had reached the end.
"To the Parent Teacher Conference with you," I said to him, giving him a quizzical look. "Where else would I go looking like this?"
"Yeah, but I thought you didn't want to come," Lucas responded, cocking his head to the side as if he was really confused by my current decision.
"We're in this together, Luke. No way am I going to let you get bulldozed by the angry mob awaiting us. I'm not going to let you have to deal with this alone," I said, grabbing his hand and pressing it to let him know just how serious I was.
"Thank You," he smiled at me before giving me a hug. I was surprised for a second, but I wrapped my arms around him momentarily.
"I did not want to go there and face them alone," he confessed.
"Yeah, I know. I'm here for you," I said before letting go of the hug and squeezing his arm reassuringly. "So where is Lindsey?"
"Downstairs, I told her I would drop her to her hotel on the way," he said to me, leaning against Sophia's bed.
"What, Lucas! For a guy who was an honour student, you are an absolutely dimwit! Are you out of your mind?" I whisper-yelled, afraid that Lindsey would hear me although I was on a different floor. "I, your ex, cannot live here with you while your CURRENT girlfriend lives in a hotel." I smacked him on his arm eliciting a yelp from him. "Do not do this to her, Lucas Eugene Scott! You are not playing on her insecurities."
"You lived here while she was in LA! Also, what am I supposed to do?" he asked me like it was the most difficult question in the world.
"Easy, she moves in and I move out. The kids are still in the hospital for at least a few more days, so you don't have to worry about how they feel about it, you know seeing you play house with another girl, the thing that you're apparently afraid of. Also, Lucas, they're 16. They can handle it, or they can at the very least learn to deal with it, if you ask Lindsey to move in, whenever. She is not going to wait for you forever so give her the thing that she is desperate for if you really feel the same way," I said.
I really did not blame Lindsey for the cheating entirely. Of course it was wrong and I did not condone it at all. Yet, I also saw it from her point of view. Lucas treated her like a meaningless fling despite dating her for 2 and a half years. They were also in each other's lives for years before that. He would not spend the night with her or allow her to be there with him. Lucas already had an established family life while this young girl was just trying to figure out what she wanted on a personal level while rising in her career. Nobody that young would want strings attached, especially kids who hated her and did not feel shy to voice their opinions about her in front of her. It was bound to play on her insecurities and anyone would look for another place for comfort. I was surprised at why she didn't just break it off with Lucas, but I mean, to each their own.
"What? You seriously want her to move in here and want me to kick you to the curb?" Lucas asked, looking at me as if I had grown a second head.
"It was fun while it lasted Mr. Scott, but after this PTA Conference, you're dropping me to the Davis Mansion and you're telling Lindsey right now to just wait for you at the house," I instructed him. "It's a good thing I did not unpack."
I looked around Sophia's room where there were open suitcases lying all around the floor. Millie had sent me a tonne of things, she also sent me a bag full of new lingerie with a note that said 'Just in case you decide to rekindle things with Lucas.' I just shook my head and zipped that bag up again. She also sent me stuff I did not ask for, which was work! With my laptop and iPad came my sketchpad, colour pencils, fabric samples and first piece prototypes of the fall collection, new cosmetic packaging to test and also the last B. Davis edition.
"Eh, maybe I'll come and grab my stuff another day. I have PJs and some other old formal suits in my closet there," I said, having no energy to pack all those things.
"Brooke, just spend tonight here. Who knows how long this conference is going to last?" he suggested.
"Luke, look at the time! It starts in exactly 18 minutes. We can't also be the parents who are late. Let's go, we will deal with this later," I said, running out of the door.
I waited in the car for him while he spoke to Lindsey. Sitting there, in the passenger seat again made me really wonder about my place in his life. I had always sat there, beside him when he drove us, be it to school, be it to all my Doctor's appointments, be it to dinners and dates or when we took the kids to the beach or the mall. I had always been right next to him, and then Lindsey came and I took my first ride ever with her in the car with us and this was not my place anymore. I felt a huge sense of loss in that moment, more than I could ever admit to anyone. Sitting there, in my now old spot, it felt wrong, like I didn't belong there, almost as if I was wedging myself into the life he could have with her and third-wheeling my single ass.
"I told her that you were not going to live here, that you were going to be in your own house. But, I also told her that I was not ready for her to move in here. The kids are going to be back home very soon and I don't know how long Lindsey plans on staying in Tree Hill. She usually doesn't spend time beyond a week, but I cannot ask her without sounding rude. I also cannot invite her to stay and uninvite her once the kids are home. So just please, not more of this. We don't have time to drop her to the hotel anymore so she is taking an Uber back. Now, are you ready to take the fastest drive of your life?" Lucas joked as he ran and sat in the car.
I gave him a smile, but said nothing as I clipped my seat belt in place. He put his hand on my thigh like he always did when he knew that the racing speed would make me jolt behind. Yet, it was all so wrong. I curled my fingers with his for a moment before allowing his hand to fall away from my lap as slowly and casually as I could. I didn't want him to take things the wrong way. I just really had to learn to keep my distance. I saw Lucas look at me confusedly from the corner of my eye but I just focused my attention outside the window.
We made it in the nick of time. Taking the seats at the back of the auditorium, we saw Principal Rimkus walk to the podium and begin her address.
"Dear Parents,
What happened here was a traumatic event of senseless violence. We are all deeply saddened by it. As educators and as parents, it is difficult to comprehend such catastrophic events. We feel closely connected to the children, teachers and staff, families and community who were so devastated.
I want to reassure you that we take school safety and security very seriously at Tree Hill High School. We are vigilant and proactive when it comes to our children's safety and have clear plans and procedures to deal with emergency situations.
We have convened as a staff to review other precautionary measures that will be implemented to maintain both a secure and nurturing environment for our students. There will be secured doors, metal detectors and additional security cameras installed. We have discussed what to do and/or say if a student raises a concern or has questions about the tragedy. School support and administrative staff have committed to being available and accessible to respond to children's concerns and needs as necessary and appropriate.
We understand that each child deals with tragedy differently, but we urge you to ask the child to get in touch with the guidance counsellors who have been hired for the month specifically to help all the children transition back into a regular school routine. Support and help will always be provided. We know that it might be hard for some to return to school immediately, so online school is an option that will be provided to all until the end of the current semester. However, the sooner they get into routine, the better.
Our social work team has prepared some tips to help you support your children and family at this time:
• Recognize that children may become concerned that something bad will happen to themselves, family or friends. Explain that safety measures are in place and reassure them that you and other adults will take care of them.
• Maintain normal family routines as much as possible. Routine family activities, classes and friends can help children feel more secure.
• Be aware of your own needs. Don't ignore your own feelings of anxiety, grief and anger. Talking to friends, family members, faith leaders and mental health counsellors can help. Let your children know you are sad. You will be better able to support them if you can express your own emotions in a productive manner.
As always, our top priority is the safety and well-being of each of our students—your children. This is a responsibility we take very seriously. It's important for you to know help is available through our schools. If you are concerned about your teen or feel he or she needs additional support, and you would like to speak with a social worker or psychoeducational consultant, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help the child.
Now, do you parents have any questions?"
"Yes, how soon will these measures be implemented?" a parent from the front asked.
"As you saw, the work has already begun. It is expected to be completed in three days time, much before the end of the week when the kids resume coming to school," Principal Rimkus answered.
"The news says that this wasn't a random senseless attack like you so conveniently said in your speech. Wasn't the attack specifically directed towards two particular students? Children of some famous celebrities apparently," another raised a question.
"Yes, it was the grandfather of two students, James and Sophia Scott, who was responsible for the shooting. But rest assured, he is dead," the Principal tried to appease the crowd. A hubbub of murmurs erupted around the auditorium.
"What actions are being taken against those kids? We do not want our children going to school with other kids who are prone to attract violence! They are celebrity kids, who knows how many targets are behind their backs? They should not be allowed back in school," another yelled.
Hearing that, something in me snapped and I felt cold despair and fear run through my heart and veins instead of warm blood. I felt myself recoil into Lucas' chest, hoping that if I didn't look, it would make it all less real. Lucas enveloped me, hiding his face in my hair. He was scared too.
"Currently both of those children are in the hospital, recovering from gunshot wounds. I promise that all of your concerns regarding this matter will be put to rest. Now, are there any other concerns, not pertaining to the Scott children?"
"They are not bad people," a mother said. "I was so worried about the medical bills, but the hospital informed me that the Scotts had paid all the costs and they told me that they would also pay for my son to go visit a therapist for as long as he needed. In fact, they already got the best children's therapist out here for him, completely anonymously."
"Yeah, they did that for our kid too," another mother spoke up.
"It was they who were responsible to put them in the hospital and in need of therapy in the first place. This is just damage control for their status and reputation!" someone yelled angrily.
"What! No!" I yelled a little too loudly before I even realised what I was doing. Within a second, all eyes were on me.
"Aren't those the Scotts?" some other parent yelled. Oh, parents were so much worse than an angry mob. I had to do something.
I stood up and eased the creases of my dress before walking down the steps towards the stage where Principal Rimkus was standing. I saw everybody eyeing me like I was doing the walk of shame, yet I felt obligated to defend my children.
"Principal, may I say a few words? If that is alright with you?" I asked her, not meaning to overstep my bounds. She gave me a pitiful look, but stepped off the podium anyway.
Standing there, I looked around to only find scornful looks. I had not thought this through. What was I doing? Was it too late to run away and hide? At that moment, my eyes landed on Lucas.
"You got this," he mouthed to me before giving me a proud and reassuring smile.
"Hi, my name is Brooke Davis and I am the mother of James and Sophia Scott. What I wanted to say is that - okay look, I get all your concerns. I understand all of it. If this was somebody else's' family feud that resulted in my kids being victims of a senseless attack, I would be just as angry and pissed and devastated as the rest of you guys. I promise you that I am, if not more, just as broken and torn and upset and hurt about this. Yes, it was their grandfather who did this. Yes, they were the targets. What you don't know is that my kids, they never met him. They knew nothing about him.
The news has covered that Dan Scott was in jail for the last 16 years. What you don't know is that he was in jail for attacking me and abusing his son who is the father of my children and his mother for 16 years before that. He was a terrible and violent man, but our kids have never been exposed to any of this. They have lived very normal lives just like the rest of the children that go to this high school.
What I am trying to say is that, I am really sorry and deeply regretful and sorrowful that this happened for every child here. Injured or not, they should not be afraid to go to school. And when I say every child, I mean every child. That includes my children too. They did not deserve this as much as the next victim. They are innocent children too, and they are going to have to carry this baggage forever, that it was their grandfather that shot them and their classmates.
So parents, you have a choice here. You can either save my kids from a lot of mental trauma by helping them realise that this was not their fault. They did nothing wrong. This is not their fault. They have never behaved violently or done anything to condone violence. Do you think it is their fault that the grandfather they have never seen or met ever, who only knows about them because he met them one night 16 years ago when they were only a couple months old and carried a grudge for all those years because he landed in jail for his actions and decided to take it on them? How is this their fault? They are the victims here dealing with this trauma. It is only and only the gunman's fault. The man we have done nothing to instigate or provoke.
You can help my kids by telling this to your kids and explaining it to them that the only person to blame is that perverse man who pulled the trigger. Or you can play the blame game and pin the attack on my kids and make them suffer for a violence that they did not commit. Have some empathy, I don't know any of your personal lives but I know that no family is picture perfect. I am not saying that all of you have relatives in jail with an abusive streak, but everyone has some skeletons in their closets to varying degrees. What we have to focus on is how to ensure that this never happens again.
It is the school's responsibility to protect all the kids when they are at school, and I mean ALL the kids. That includes my Jamie and Sophia. So, whoever the gunman may be, if we failed to protect them, we failed them all and it is our responsibility to ensure that we stand up for them. My kids may choose never to return here, but it is their choice. Neither one of you makes it for them. This was not the children's fault so none of the children are going to suffer. If my twins feel uncomfortable, they can switch schools, where too this can happen just as much, unfortunately. The world is a difficult place to live in which is only made more difficult when we deal with violence with misdirected harshness and hatred.
And just because this was brought up, yes I paid all the kids' medical bills and got them appointments with the best therapist, but it has nothing to do with money or fame. I am not here trying to buy your silence about this traumatic thing that happened to your child. I am a mother, I felt it first hand how it was to almost lose your child and I wouldn't wish that on any parent. I also realised my privilege of having access to the best care money can buy for my twins and to me, it just felt wrong that some of you would also have to deal with how to overcome financial debts over and above the trauma that this has put all of us through. They all went through this together and so they all deserve equal care. That is basic math in my brain and so I did not even hesitate to make the calls that I did. You can pick what you feel about me, but I believe that I made the right calls then and I would do it again in a heartbeat because no kid deserves this, no, no person deserves this, period.
I hope you take stock of what I said. My family is grieving just as much as yours. We all want to get past this and my family can only do it if you all support us so please, if not for me, for my perfectly innocent kids, can we all be kind to one another? Violence can only be won with kindness and I know just how grateful I will be to every single one of you for your support, kindness and empathy during the worst time of our lives."
I was met with a standing ovation, not that that was my point. I just spoke the truth. I was just grateful that the other parents and teachers were understanding. I walked up to Lucas who hugged me.
"Thank you Brooke! I would not have been able to do that. I would have failed our kids so badly. Thank you for speaking your truth and making it right for them," he said appreciatively. I gave him a humble smile while the Principal called the meeting to an end.
"Thank you Principal Rimkus, for defending the twins. I know the parents would not have made it easy on you," Lucas said to her when we walked up to her once the Conference was over.
"Of course, Mr. Scott. As Ms. Davis put it so eloquently, it really was not the twin's fault at all. We were facing quite a bit of pressure from all ends, but after that speech, we should be able to fix things in a better manner. I just hope that all the kids get past this," she stated honestly. Her eyes were downcast as she said the last part.
"Ma'am, we are here to support the school, whatever it needs. If you need any help or support in any way that we can provide, we are here for you. We also wanted to ask you how we could get in touch with Mrs. Flynn's family? The teacher that didn't make it," I asked her.
"Do you see that man standing out there on the left by the exit?" she asked, pointing her index finger towards a middle-aged man. He looked much older than his actual age and he wore a look so weary, I felt that he hadn't eaten or slept in days. "That is Mrs. Flynn's husband."
I looked towards Lucas, linking my arms through his, asking him what were we supposed to say to him? He gave me a meek smile and looked towards Principal Rimkus again, "Thank you once again for everything."
We walk as slowly as we can towards Mr. Flynn. He was barely ten steps away, but Lucas seemed to be determined to take all the time that he could to get there. I watched him, following his lead, ready to support him.
"Hi Mr. Flynn, my name is Lucas Scott. Uhh, I don't know what to say to you. I cannot even imagine the kind of grief and pain that you must be going through. I am extremely sorry for your loss. I know I am probably the last person that you want to see right now, but I need you to know that I will be grieving and mourning her too. She didn't deserve this. You didn't deserve this," he said.
Mr. Flynn broke down in front of our eyes and almost collapsed in Lucas' arms. "I am sorry son, I really hated you and your children. I blamed you for the reason that I lost my dear wife. That is until I heard your wife's speech. She is correct. This is not your fault or the children's. It is only the fault of that sick man who thought merciless killing was okay."
"We are extremely sorry, Sir. If there really is anything that we can do to make this better for you, please let us help you. We wish we could do something to change the course of time and events, but…. I am just extremely sorry," I said to him, feeling at a complete loss of words. I opened my mouth several times to say something to reassure the poor man, but what can you say to someone who lost their loved one way too soon for no fault of their own. He gave us a weak smile before nodding his head and walking out of the doors.
"Want to head out?" Lucas asked me. "This place is creeping me out now."
"Yeah, let's go," I answered, following him to the parking lot.
"Do you want to grab a bite to eat before we head back?" he asked so casually, it surprised me.
"Luke, are you seriously avoiding going back home to Lindsey?" I asked, catching him dead in his act. I knew him way too well for his own good.
"No!" he lied through his teeth. "Can't a guy just be hungry?"
"Hmm, sure? Drop me home and then go wherever you want to grab a bite," I answered, not falling into his gimmicks.
"You know, sometimes you're very annoying! But you seriously don't want to go to that 24 hour diner that we used to frequent with Nathan and Haley? Or ice cream, you always want Chocolate Fudge!"
"Lucas, I'm no longer pregnant!" I laughed, remembering the endless number of times I made him run to get me a pint of chocolate fudge. "But, fine, we can go to the diner and you can eat whatever you want. But after that, you drop me straight home. I don't want Lindsey to make a voodoo doll out of my hair and impale me."
"I will never understand the mind of women!" he sighed.
"Of course you won't. Because unlike men, who have only a single track mind, we actually have the capacity to think!" I answered, shaking my head.
We drove up there and he ordered two cups of coffee and a veg coleslaw sandwich. I didn't know what to say or feel, I barely spent time with Lucas without an agenda and this felt exactly like it. It was so wrong. I drummed my fingers on the counter while we waited for the waitress to bring us the meal.
"What you did out there, I mean the way you stood up for our children, I'm grateful," he said to me, his face still glowing with admiration.
"Yeah, I used to be a bit of a bitch just for the sake of being one, but now I am a bitch for the sake of my friends and family. You do not want to test that!" I said, still feeling residual anger for how those parents had behaved, even though I pretty much expected just that.
Lucas was silent for a few moments, as if he was in deep thought. I looked at him confused and just when I was about to ask him whether he felt ill, he asked me, "Do I fall under that banner, your definition? Friends or Family?"
I felt beads of sweat fall down my forehead as I did not know how to answer that question. I felt my throat go dry. Why was the order for a stupid sandwich and coffee taking so long? Lucas kept a steady gaze on my face, studying every expression, every crease on my forehead and the corner of my eyes.
"Uhh, yes Luke. Of course! The kids are always going to link us, whether we like it or not. So, it barely leaves any space to be adversaries to one another," I said, quite satisfied with my answer.
"But what if we didn't have kids? What I mean is, just keeping you and I in the picture and keeping the kids out of the equation," he asked. I saw the crease lines on his forehead increase and in that moment, Lucas looked old. His eyes had gone a cold wintery grey and I knew he needed a sincere answer. However, the truth was that I didn't have one because I didn't know. How could I have known? If it weren't for the kids, maybe I would have never returned from London? Maybe Lucas would have moved on and maybe I would never see him or hear from him again as I would have no house in Tree Hill and would have gone to California where my parents resided.
"Here is your order. One coleslaw sandwich and two coffees," a waitress said, cutting the intense moment. Lucas broke his eye-contact with my face and thanked the waitress. I took that moment to get my bearings straight.
To get some extra time, I picked up the coffee and added cream and sugar, focusing all my attention on it to delay answering Lucas for as long as I could. I brought the coffee up to my lips and sipped on it gently, relishing its warmth. The waitress had returned by then and Lucas had refocused all his attention to me, ignoring the food in front of him.
"Okay, fine," I mumbled to myself when he refused to move. "Yes. You still do fall in that banner. You took care of me at my most vulnerable moment, you were there for me always, for all my lows, well except one low of the divorce, haha, but you're still the closest thing I have to a family, keeping the kids out of the equation, as you said. You taught me what a family is and what it is supposed to feel like. Heck you were my first and only family that I have ever had."
Lucas was quick to flick the tear that had strewn to his cheek away, now concentrating heavily on the food in front of him. What did the guy get out of making me give embarrassing speeches? He picked up his sandwich and took small bites out of it.
"Umm, while we were leaving, I texted my lawyers to make anonymous donations to the school and to Mr. Flynn. God knows that they really need it. But the only way to not make it look like we were covering up murder was to do it anonymously," I informed him.
"I always did admire your heart," he smiled at me.
Once we were done, he drove me to my house with the red door.
"Are you really sure that you want to live alone here? You could take one of the kids' rooms. I will talk to Lindsey and I am sure she will understand," Lucas asked me once more.
"No Luke, Lindsey will not understand. But, I will be fine!" I lied. I didn't know if I would be, but I needed to be.
"If you don't you can still call me and I will come get you," he kindly offered.
"Thanks," I said. "I will be waiting outside at 8."
"I was thinking that I could drive up here at 7:30 with a pair of clothes for you and you know, your toiletries and things. If memory serves me well, you didn't hate the outfits I picked out for you when you asked me to," he said to me, instantly making me blush. I had done that quite a bit, to test out what his tastes were, what he liked in me, sometimes just to give him a rise that he could pick whatever he wished for. He wasn't a bad picker at all, he never went over the top sexy, he always chose according to the place that we were headed to and he knew better than to pick in a way that all eyes were on me, a girl that he at least used to be extremely possessive about back then.
I remembered a time when he had punched somebody in the face because he kept staring at my breasts which were bigger since I was feeding two at that time. "Don't you dare look at my girl," he had said in a fit of rage that even he didn't realise what he had said and claimed.
"Fine," I acqueisced. "And thanks," I said before walking up the steps to unlock the door.
I was not prepared for this. It was late and I was exhausted, so I just hoped that sleep would come to me instead of haunting thoughts of being alone in an atrociously large house. I went to my bedroom and changed into some old pyjamas before getting into bed. I figured that if I read work emails, I could perhaps fall asleep sooner so that's what I did. I answered Millie's mails on priority and ignored anything from Victoria. If I was being completely honest, I did miss working to some extent, yet I knew that it was best to keep it all on a back burner.
I also realised that I needed to give Lucas and Lindsey some space, so I texted Peyton whether she wanted to catch dinner and maybe shop for the new baby together once the hospital decided to kick us out. I couldn't wait for the kids to be home again and in front of our eyes 24X7. I knew that it would be a long and hard battle, but I was willing to put in the hours and effort. It was getting late and I knew that Peyton was most likely asleep, so I didn't wait for an answer. I plugged in my earphones and heaved a heavy sigh as I began to one again, play Lucas' audiobook to fall asleep.
She was fiercely independent. Brooke Davis. Brilliant, and beautiful, and brave. In 2 years she had grown more than anyone I had ever known. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday. And I'm not sure she even knows it.
"Brooke! Brooke! Brooke!" Lucas yelled, shaking me awake.
"Huh-wha?" I asked, completely frazzled.
"The hospital called, we need to go!" he said to me, picking my clothes from the night before off the floor for me to change into and throwing them at me. His words felt like a shot to the spine as I woke up fully alert.
"What's wrong?" I asked, wasting no time caring that he was in the room as I slipped out of my pyjamas and put on the dress, still struggling with the zipper. Lucas walked up to me and pulled it up in an instant before grabbing my hand and making me run out of the door with him.
"The hospital called and said that Jamie had developed a fever and it could be an infection and Sophia was having bad nightmares, screaming loudly, so they had to sedate her. I just jumped into the car and drove here to get you, calling you up from the car. Why weren't you answering your phone!" he said to me, his voice getting louder with each word that he uttered.
"Uhh, I don't know, I just fell asleep!" I said sheepishly. "I'm sorry."
"Doctor, how are they?" we ask as soon as we reach Jamie and Sophia's room.
"He's fine. He is reacting well to the medications that we administered. It was a little scary there for a few moments as we were afraid that the surgery or some bullet fragment caused an infection that resulted in the fever. However, it's the opposite. His body is trying to heal itself as quickly as it can and that resulted in the fever. We are monitoring him closely and treating it with basic antibiotics. Sophia here is struggling with nightmares. She wakes up screaming, reliving the moment she was shot. Sedating her is a band aid fix. We need to get her real therapy soon. I'm sorry we made the two of you run here, but we were worried for a bit. Everything is under control now," he said.
"No, thank you for calling us," I responded.
I sat between their beds and touched Jamie's forehead. He really was burning up.
"Oh, my baby!" I said sympathetically. He was really knocked out from the medicines as he didn't open his eyes or so much as flinch a muscle.
Lucas, however, was pissed, "Brooke, you're staying at your house. We never split assets when we divorced. You still have part ownership of it. That is your house. You're staying there."
"But Broody!" I tried to explain myself.
"No, I mean it! The time I took to drive up there and get you, we could have saved and come directly to the hospital. You didn't even wake up to my calls!" he argued.
"Broody, the solution is that I get a car for myself and ensure that my phone is on sound and on full volume. You're acting crazy right now," I explained to him. "Peyton and I will go buy me a car tomorrow evening."
"Brooke, I was so scared! I saw the hospital call and I thought of the worst. I felt so helpless and hopeless and all I wanted in that moment was for you, who understands and feels the same way, who cares about James and Sophia as much as I care about them to be there with me. You were so far away. Brooke, I really can't do this myself!" he cried.
Oh dear God!
"Let's talk about it tomorrow in the morning, when we are more in our senses," I suggested. "Remember the time when Sophia would only hold your hand. She had just learnt what superheroes were and she was convinced that you had powers. She almost got beaten up at the park by bullies twice her age and maybe five times her size and yet, that girl did not bat an eyelid because she believed, nay, she knew that her daddy was a superhero. You didn't fight those bullies that day, but you did scare them away and Sophia with a smirk on her face, held your hand and stuck her tongue out at everybody without a worry because her dad was a superhero. You can do it alone Luke. You have for almost a decade now." I saw him tousle through Sophia's hair like he did with mine.
"Yeah, but what if I don't want to do it alone anymore? He asked.
"You could ask Lindsey to be more hands on, just take it through baby steps. I still get final say on all decisions, not Lindsey. She does not have authority over my children. Okay maybe not, the kids will not approve of her meddling in their lives. I can only see this ending badly. I am sorry Luke. You need to talk to them first and get them to understand what you need, then you need to talk to Lindsey and make sure that she can replace me as your wife but she cannot as their mother," I answered through gritted teeth. "But Luke, does she even want that? They don't need babysitters but they still need somebody to help them navigate through things. Does Lindsey want to do that? I know that she wants you, but maybe she doesn't enjoy the fact that you come as a package deal. I don't really get the vibe that she wants to be a step-mom at 28."
"Right on cue," he says to me, holding up his ringing phone with Lindsey's name flashing on the screen.
"Hi Lindsey," he begins but is instantly cut off.
"Lucas! Where the hell are you? I wasn't getting any sleep so I wondered if you wanted to join me at my hotel room, so I called the house but I got no reply. I know it was late, but still," she yelled so loudly, I could hear her even though the call was not on speaker.
"I am at the hospital. They called regarding the kids. I just panicked and ran," he said, his face a clear picture that he did not want to deal with her right now.
"Ran to Brooke I am sure," Lindsey said smugly, but just as loudly. "Why didn't you call me up, I would have come with you and been there for you."
"I don't know, I just panicked and ran! I'm sorry, I didn't even think about you at that moment. Wait, god, that came out so wrong. Lindsey, I am sorry. The hospital called and I was only concentrating on the kids and it was scary so I just left without thinking," he explained, conveniently ignoring the running to me part. Lindsey let out an audible sigh before ending the call.
"She didn't even ask whether the kids were okay," I whispered very softly.
"What?" Lucas asked, unable to hear what I had just said.
"Nothing, she just confirmed what I suspected. You told her the hospital called you in the middle of the night regarding the kids and she never asked you whether they were okay," I said to him with a sympathetic smile. Lucas stood there, thinking about what I had just said. Maybe Lindsey wasn't his girl, he was cheating on him, disinterested in the kids. Maybe it was time to tell Lucas the truth about his relationship with his girlfriend? I found it so difficult to get myself to do that though, it still pained me to see the boy in front of me heart-broken. I had done that when I went to London and again during the split and it had ripped me to shreds each time. I always needed him to be happy and the truth was that still, even today, I would give anything to just keep him happy and smiling and take all his pain away.
