Chapter 37: Sobieski is on the Kahlenberg
They walked through the galleries of Beaulieu Manor. They seemed to be endless, there were a lot of galleries, and yet they didn't seem lost. Finally, they came to one of the parlors. Brooke walked over to a table and looked over the day-old pile of mail and Sunday edition of the newspaper.
Nomi walked over to the table and pulled the paper to her. She looked over the front page. Nomi was ten and had a little clue what was going on in the world.
"Nana Brooke?" Nomi asked.
"Yes, Nomi?" Brooke replied.
"What does this mean?" Nomi asked.
"What does that mean?" Brooke asked.
"It says "Borders are heating up"," Nomi said.
Brooke sighed, "Nothing to be concerned with right now, Nomi," she said.
"Are you sure, Nana Brooke?" Nomi asked.
"Yes, I am Nomi," Brooke said.
"Daddy's in this country," Nomi said and pointed to the map.
"I know Nomi," Brooke said, "I'm sure your Daddy is safe."
Nomi nodded. Brooke shook as she looked at the headline again and read it more closely. To Brooke, it didn't look good, but they have backed off in the past.
"Hope you're right, Nana Brooke," Nomi said.
Brooke nodded, "Yeah, let's go see if Sassy is done streaming," she said.
"Yay!" Ellis said.
"Okay, Nana Brooke," Nomi said.
Brooke smiled, and they headed upstairs. When they came to the bedrooms, many of these bedrooms are now not used. They were the rooms Brooke's children use to have. Most of them have moved on to their own houses and establishments. It made Beaulieu seem empty.
Finally, they came to the door they wanted and opened it, the Streaming Room. Brooke saw Sawyer sitting at a desk with a headset on. Keni was sitting on a couch to the side with her own laptop.
Brooke shook her head as neither girl had dressed for the day. They were still in their short shorts, t-shirts, and shocks. With a sigh, Brooke just stood there.
"Nana Brooke," Nomi said.
"Yes?" Brooke asked.
"Why did I have to get dressed?" Nomi asked.
"Because proper ladies should be dressed for the day," Brooke said.
Nomi nodded.
"We're going to call it a stream, thanks for the tips and the watches," Sawyer said, "If you like what I do don't forget and become a patron on and we'll be streaming in our normal slot on Wednesday. Sobieski is on the Kahlenberg."
The screen went blank and Sawyer took off her headset. She looked over at Keni, "How we do?" Sawyer asked.
"Well enough, you probably can get that new mouse," Kendall said, "Also several new subscribers."
"Cool," Sawyer said and turned to see Brooke, "Hey Brooke, what's up?"
"Don't you two plans on getting dressed today?" Brooke asked.
"Why Mom? It's not like we're going anywhere today," Kendall said.
Brooke sighed, "Kendall, a lady should be dressed to impress," she said.
"Mom, what are you saying? There are days you stay in your PJs," Kendall said.
"Brooke, she does have a point," Sawyer said.
"Sassy, stay out of this," Brooke said, "You're just as bad."
Sawyer was about to reply. Brooke held up one hand and quieted Sawyer down.
"Mom, I don't want to get dressed up to hang around the house. One of the last days of vacation, I want to be comfortable and you've been watching too much Downton Abbey again," Kendall said.
"That's not what your sisters would do," Brooke pointed out.
Kendall sighed and turned to look at Brooke. The look on Kendall's face reminded Brooke of her Dad, Baldwin Stafford. Kendall was red in her ears, Brooke also noted, but Kendall rarely lost her temper.
"Mom, I'm not my sisters. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm different than Chase, Izzy, Fallon, or Trin, so don't compare them to me or expect me to act like them," Kendall said.
"Nomi, Ellis, let's see what we can do," Sawyer said and slipped by Brooke. Sawyer took Ellis' hand and the three Scotts left.
"It's true you're not your sisters, but I do expect a certain level of behavior," Brooke said.
"I think I'm doing pretty good, so far," Kendall said.
"What does that mean?" Brooke asked.
"I don't have addiction issues like Chase. Nor am I pregnant in high school like Izzy," Kendall said.
"Yet Keni, the word is yet," Brooke said, "Also, you need to get into a good college."
"I'm not going to an Ivy League, nor NYU Mom," Kendall said.
"What?" Brooke asked.
"Maybe, I want to take a gap year and find myself," Kendall said.
"That's crazy, Keni," Brooke said.
"Mom, I'm not my sisters, Or Sawyer's sisters, nor my brother, Sawyer's brother, or LK's brothers, I'm not LK or Sawyer either, I don't have a clue what I want to do or study," Kendall said.
"So, you want to sit on your tablet for a year reading conspiracy theory?" Brooke asked, "That doesn't sound like a plan."
Kendall sighed, "Maybe I want to backpack Europe or see the wonders of the ancient world. I don't know Mom, if I did, I would tell you," she said.
"What makes you want to do this?" Brooke asked, "You're also only fifteen."
"I don't know, Mom just feeling," Kendall said, "Maybe it's having so many strong people around me I never had to find myself."
Brooke nodded, "You sound pretty wise for your age, I wish I was that way when I was your age," Brooke said, "Where does it come from?"
"Uncle Lucas, maybe?" Kendall said.
Brooke nodded, "Well, we'll discuss the gap year later, I wanted to see if you wanted ice cream," she said.
"Okay," Kendall said.
Brooke sighed, "Let's go before those three Scotts eat it all," she said.
Kendall laughed, "They might just do that," she said.
Brooke nodded. Mom and daughter walked away from the room. Kendall smiled, they got along, alright, but there was always a tension between them. They had quite different views of the world. Kendall knew she had a different view of her place in it then her Mom.
Brooke put her arm around Kendall as they headed towards the kitchen.
