Chapter 126: River Walk

Friday, January 6th, Night

(Song lyrics in italics)

It was still cold, and the wind coming up the river didn't help. The Coast Guard Cutter was in port and tied up just down the river from where he stood. Also, he could see the cars crossing the nearby bridge, the comings and goings were indifferent to him, and he was to them as he stood there.

Slowly, he sipped his coffee, which was going cold, nothing seemed to stay warm in this weather, from his paper to-go cup. The lights of the battleship were visible down the river as well. They say that the battleship is haunted, and he wondered for a moment why Keni never wanted to go ghost hunting on the ship, Again, though, the ship was indifferent to him and even uncaring in fact that the team he coached just won a one-sided victory, 61-21, holding the opposite team to no points in the fourth quarter. To life, there were other things than basketball or his mere existence.

The melancholic tones of a guitar filled his ears. Turning around, Lucas Scott, saw that a young man was busking, in this cold weather. He smiled and turned back to the uncaring and ancient river. Shaking his head, he listened to the blues and knew it felt just like his mood. He followed it up another sip of his coffee.

I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite

"What is your malfunction?" a husky, raspy, female voice asked him.

"I don't have a malfunction, Brooke," Lucas said.

"Yes, you do, you've been disappearing all the time, and leaving your daughter to raise herself," Brooke said, "Trust me, you need to be engaged with them or they go off the rails, badly."

"Sawyer's got a good head on her shoulders, she'll be fine," Lucas said.

"I thought the same thing about Chase and Izzy, and I almost buried Chase three times, Izzy was an emotional wreck, and I almost saved Trin," Brooke said and came up to stand next to Lucas.

Lucas sipped his coffee, "I have a lot on my mind, Brooke," he said.

"I went looking for you last night, you disappeared, again," Brooke said.

"It was Thursday, you know I always go out on Thursday," Lucas said.

"Oh!" Brooke said, "What do you do every Thursday night, anyway?"

"I visit the past," Lucas said, cryptically, "And before you ask, I've done it for years, ask any of my kids."

"Still, do you know Sawyer banged up her ankle at practice and been cheering on it?" Brooke asked.

"I do, and she seems fine with it," Lucas said, "I had my trainer look at it."

"I saw her and Keni playing Tennis last night, on her bum ankle," Brooke said.

"Have you ever known Sawyer to stop if she put her mind to it?" Lucas asked.

"No, she's too much like her parents, stubborn," Brooke said, "Anyways have you been spending time with our grandchildren? Nomi and Ellis miss spending time with you."

"It's been a busy week, especially since this reunion shit landed in my lap," Lucas said.

"Doesn't matter, you need to be engaged in the here and now," Brooke stated, then snapped her fingers, "Because just like that they are married. You can't keep sneaking off on New Year's Day, you can't keep disappearing after every basketball game, and you need to be involved with your daughter and grandchildren's lives."

I have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
Have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
I got a woman that I'm lovin', boy, but she don't mean a thing

"I am and I will be. I just need time, Brooke," Lucas said.

"It's been four years, Lucas," Brooke said, "Look we all had a bad year that year. No one was left untouched, but time marches on, we can't stop it."

"I know that," Lucas said.

"You're acting like you're trying to hold back time," Brooke said.

"I don't want to forget," Lucas replied.

"If you keep the memories in your heart, they will never be forgotten," Brooke said.

"Easier said than done," Lucas said, "What about the scrapbooks?"

"Life isn't meant to be easy, Lucas," Brooke said, "And for your information, the scrapbooks are because I have a shit memory."

Lucas shook his head, "I don't want to call Kay," he said.

"Why? She's your daughter, and if I recall correctly you two are extremely close," Brooke said.

"We are, but if I tell her about the reunion, she'll come, that's Kay, and it was Kay that makes it possible. But, I'm not sure if she can take being back here," Lucas said.

"If anything has taught us in the last four years, is Kay Scott is as tough or tougher than her namesake," Brooke said.

"The accident was bad, she barely survived and is lucky she still has her arm, never mind her career. I don't know if she could handle coming back," Lucas said.

"Like you, Kay will need to face what happened," Brooke said.

"Not everyone can," Lucas said.

"Are we talking about you or Kay now?" Brooke asked.

"Kay," Lucas said.

"Look, Huck visits Carson all the time, I believe Bobbi-Lee and Kelly do as well. Kay is back on the court, and Angela has Jess," Brooke said.

Lucas nodded and sipped his coffee. Brooke stood there and watched the river.

"We don't have the grandchildren this weekend," Brooke said.

"Izzy's in town?" Lucas asked.

"If you hung around after the game, you'd know that. But yes, I picked her up this morning from the airport," Brooke said.

"Does she have many commitments?" Lucas asked.

My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
And there's one thing certainly1, they have stones all in my pass

Brooke shook her head, "A few minor ones, but she's planning to spend most of her time with Nomi and Ellis," she said.

"I was hoping to take them to the River Court tomorrow," Lucas said.

"I believe tomorrow morning Izzy has a function," Brooke said, "Have no clue what it is."

Lucas laughed, "I wonder if Izzy knows."

Brooke shrugged, "I don't know. Anyways of all my granddaughters, Nomi was the one I least expect to take up basketball."

"It's still too early to be certain," Lucas said, "She might take after her grandma."

"Which one?" Brooke asked.

"Either, both were extraordinary women," Lucas said, and sipped his coffee.

"Awe, Lucas stop trying to suck up," Brooke said.

"It's not sucking up if it's true," Lucas said.

"True or not, Lucas Scott, it's still sucking up," Brooke said.

"Maybe," Lucas said.

"Lucas, you've been strong for so long," Brooke said, "You've held your family together."

"Thank you," Lucas said.

"I think it's time to let them navigate on their own a little, and time for you to take care of yourself, and spend time with your grandchildren and Sawyer," Brooke said.

"Brooke, I'm not sure if I can do that," Lucas said.

Now you tryin' to take my life, and all my lovin' too
You laid a passway for me, now what are you trying to do?
I'm cryin' please, please let us be friends
And when you hear me howlin' in my passway, rider, please open your door and let
me in

"Yes, you can," Brooke said, "Nathan will handle his family, I'll handle mine, and your kids are mostly adults," Brooke said, "Get help and we'll both look after Sawyer."

"Brooke…" Lucas started to say.

"Don't Brooke me, Lucas Scott, think about what I said, and get some help," Brooke said, cutting Lucas off.

"Yes Brooke," Lucas said.

"Good, I know you'd see it my way," Brooke said, and turned to walk away, suddenly she stopped and looked over her shoulder, "Don't stay out late, your grandchildren want to play basketball with their granddad tomorrow."

Lucas nodded, "Yes Brooke," he said.

"I'll see you later," Brooke said and started to walk away. This left Lucas alone, listening to the busker playing the Delta Blues, watching the river and drinking his coffee.

I got three lane's to truck home, boys, please don't block my road
I got three lane's to truck home, boys, please don't block my road
I've been feelin' ashamed 'bout my rider, babe, I'm booked and I got to go