Chapter 87: The Arrivals
Tuesday, January 3rd, Evening
She parked her German SUV in the parking space and looked in the rearview mirror. Two of her grandchildren were sitting back there. Smiling, she shut down the engine and took a couple of deep breaths, getting ready for the blast of cold air once the car door opened.
"Are we ready?" Brooke Davis asked.
"Yes, Nana Brooke," Ellis Scott, her six-year-old grandson, said to Brooke's reflection.
"I can't wait to see the game," Naomi "Nomi" Scott, her ten-year-old granddaughter, said.
Brooke nodded, "Well let's go then," she said.
Everyone nodded and then opened the doors. They climbed out and closed the doors behind them. Slowly, they walked towards the high school building. Brooke noticed a small convoy of vehicles pulling up and parking. Brooke smiled as she noticed who it was, and knew why they came in two cars.
Coming out of the two vehicles was most of the younger or cadet line of the Tree Hill Scotts. Brooke laughed and could see six kids under the age of eleven, plus the fifteen-year-old Lydia "LK" Scott. Brooke stopped Nomi and Ellis so the two groups could merge.
Brooke smiled as Nathan and Haley walked up with their youngest child and six of their grandkids.
"Hi Brooke," Haley said, and looked at Nomi and Ellis, "Nomi, Ellis."
Nomi smiled, "Aunt Haley," she said.
"Aunt Haley," Ellis said.
"How're things going Haley?" Brooke asked.
Haley sighed, "Let's not get into it. I've had one of those days," she said.
"Like what?" Brooke asked.
Haley shook her head, "I had a phone call today about a Mental Lapse song," she said.
Nathan came over with the six grandkids and LK. He was holding hands with his youngest grandson, Darren. He looked at Brooke and then to Haley.
"Hey Brooke," Nathan said.
"Nathan," Brooke said and nodded.
Nathan nodded, "So, you told Brooke about the phone call, didn't you?" he asked.
"I mentioned it, but didn't go into, yet," Haley said.
Brooke nodded, "Why and who would want an old Mental Lapse song?" Brooke asked.
"Considering everything after the first album sucked," Nomi said.
Brooke turned to her granddaughter, "Nomi, where did you hear that from?" she asked, surprised.
Nomi gave Brooke an innocent look, "Several people," she said.
"They are kind of right," a deep male voice said, as he came over leading a group of brunette kids, and his brunette wife.
Brooke shook her head and turned to her son-in-law. Huck Burke stood there as tall as an old Oak Tree with his daughters' PJ and Key right next to him.
"Huck that's not the point, it's the words she used," Brooke said.
Huck shrugged, "Why mince words, it's the truth," he said, with a wicked grin.
Chase came up next to her husband with their two younger children in tow, BB, and Col. She rested a hand on Huck's shoulder, which meant she had to reach up. Their four kids ran over to greet their grandma Brooke, which she greeted each with a big smile and tried to share her time with them.
"Please excuse him, I'm still trying to housebreak him," Chase said.
Brooke nodded, "Is Bobbi, Kayla, and Kelly coming?" she asked.
Huck nodded, "They should be," he said.
"Should we save seats for them?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, sure," Nathan said.
Brooke nodded, "Sounds like a plan, but let's get inside and out of the cold," she said.
"I'll back that suggestion," Chase said.
Huck smiled, "This is a fine brisk winter night," he said.
"Enough, let's get inside and warm up," Haley said.
They went inside the building. Slowly they found their way into the gym. Brooke could see the girls from both teams were out warming up. On the floor, Brooke could see the bright ginger hair of her oldest granddaughter.
Brett Pierce-Burke was taking a few shots. Brooke noticed that Brett was one of the taller girls on the court. They worked out and loosened up.
Nathan led the group along the baseline to the bleachers. They climbed up into the bleachers and found a space where they could all sit down together.
Brooke looked down to see Brett's sisters and brothers from her Mom's marriage to Nathan and Haley's son, James. The two boys, who were twins, Landen and Logan, were leaning forward watching the eleven girls warming up. They were absorbed in everything the girls on the floor did.
Ashlyn's younger daughter Maeghan looked bored. She looked around the gym and looked over to where the Tree Hill Cheerleaders were milling about. Brooke noted that Ashlyn didn't want her daughters in basketball. Brett listened like a deaf beggar, where Maeghan, on the other hand, didn't like the game of basketball.
Brooke sighed and turned to look to her other side. Huck and Chase were leaning against each other watching the girl's warm-up. Their four kids sat in front of their parents. The two oldest girls, PJ and Key, leaned forward and watched the girls warming up. The youngest girl, BB, was playing with something she brought with her. Their only son, Col, was curled up leaning against Chase's leg.
A buzzer sounded, and the two teams left the court for the locker rooms. The game would start soon. Across the court, Brooke saw several redheads walk into the gym. Huck's sisters were here, and brought their four kids, between them.
Brooke smiled, as she watched Lucas and Ashlyn follow their team into the locker room. Nodding, she felt her heart flutter a bit, from having the whole family, that lived in Tree Hill, together. Too bad, there were several girls, and Keith, were away, scattered across the globe.
"Nana Brooke?" Ellis asked, at her feet.
"Yes, Ellis?" Brooke asked.
"Can I get a snack?" he asked.
Brooke nodded, "Okay, let's see what they have," she said.
Ellis nodded. Brooke got up and led him down the bleacher.
