Continuation of scene 2: The Next Morning…
5:00 am. Brooke's alarm clock wakes her up and almost instinctively her hand goes to shut the offending sound off.
Opening her eyes she dropped her phone back on the dresser and sat up a bit.
Deep breaths Brooke.
Wednesday. Shit has been hard this week. It's Sammy's ninth day at Tree Hill.
My baby hates it.
Are we even doing the right thing? Does she hate me?
One meeting at 10:30 am and an interview at 1pm. I should ask Millie to debrief me on those notes. Although work wasn't fazing the woman, not in the way that motherhood currently was.
When will my baby's sadness go away?
Great thoughts to start the day Brooke. Fuck!
It took all the will she could muster to get up from the covers and get ready for the day.
Brooke's first stop: My baby's room.
The woman lightly pushed the girl's door open trying not to wake Sam. Brooke would take advantage of the fact that the child had no walls up in slumber. She just wanted to exist peacefully in her daughter's orbit. She didn't want to argue or scold. She wanted to love on her baby.
Brooke sat on the desk chair facing her snoozing child and let out a sigh, a soft smile played on her lips as she watched her little girl.
She couldn't believe that she could finally be Sam's mama. Even if the girl hated her currently, every day with Sam in her life was a blessing. Sometimes the woman fantasized about the day Sam would call her 'mama.' When talking to others Sam had described Brooke and Lucas as "my mom" and "my dad," but still avoided addressing them as such.
Brooke and Lucas did not feel slighted by it. Sam had come to them extremely traumatized. She was still unlearing so much. Everything would come with time, and at least they knew that Sam was theirs. All three of them knew it. Felt it in their blood and bones.
Brooke's eyes misted over watching the child. Sam's thumb was set loosely in her mouth, and both her blanket and bear had found their way into her arms. Her baby was so small. Fourteen and still so emotionally young. I love you so much. I'm so sorry your life has been so hard. I'm so sorry I've made your life harder.
The small teen shifted a bit restlessy and the woman stilled her thoughts. Her hand moved to brush and sooth her daughter's left arm. "Shhhhhh." Brooke barely whispered, "Shhhhhh. Sleep peanut."
And as if Sam had listened to her mama, she settled and began to softly suckle on her thumb once more. Brooke's heart always melted at the sight.
All Brooke wanted was to do right by her precious baby girl. She waited until the girl fully stilled then stood from the chair and leaned in to kiss Sam's hairline, "Mama loves you." She cooed.
7 am. Sam woke up with a groan and banged on the alarm clock.
"Shut the fuck up." She muttered, dropping her head back onto the pillows. Maybe if she just rested her eyes for a few seconds… "Sammy! I hope you're already up. We have to leave in 30 minutes!"
Fuck, I fell back asleep.
"Sam, if you are awake you gotta say something." Brooke's voice came from behind the door making Sam roll her eyes. God, I can handle getting up and ready on my own!
Sure you can Sam. You would've made it to school on time just fine without your mama's help.
The girl dragged herself from the bed, "I'm up." She said gruffly.
"28 minutes!"
Today is going to suck like every other day this week. Her stomach ached at the thought of being alone again today. God I hope Manny is at school today. God I hope dad doesn't embarrass me with these check ins.
The 14 year old began to hastily get ready making it down the stairs with 8 minutes to spare. Brooke was finishing up her coffee when she saw the girl descend. Sam wore a black and grey baseball tee with dark wash jeans that Brooke had bought her last week.
Awww, they look good on her! My cute peanut!
The woman placed a piece of buttered toast and orange juice on the kitchen island, "Morning Sammy. Eat that quick, okay?"
"Yeah, okay." Sam muttered falling onto the stool.
"Those jeans look really nice on you." Brooke attempted to start a conversation but all Sam gave her was an uninterested nod and a 'thanks.'
My baby is sad.
Brooke moved and placed a kiss on the top of Sam's head, letting her lips linger for a moment. "Love you peanut."
Sam hesitated, her pride and anger still simmering just beneath the surface. She didn't want to give in, to show that vulnerability, but as she looked into her mother's eyes, she saw the unwavering love and concern that just never seemed to leave. She took a deep breath, swallowing her pride for the moment.
Love you too mama. "Love you too." She spoke softly, her voice barely audible but sincere, and Brooke couldn't help but smile. An olive branch perhaps?
The moment was short lived. It was soon time to go. Go straight to Tree Hill High. Sam's personal hell. Suddenly the foul mood that the teen carried had returned.
Once in the car Brooke sat up front while Sam sat in the back not wanting to be near her mother, instead choosing to wallow in her angry thoughts. The teenager heard her phone ping, so she went fishing for it in her bag after sitting down.
"Seatbelt Sam." Brooke reminded when she noticed Sam prioritizing her phone over safety.
Another eye roll. Yeah, I know!
At her mother's behest she buckled in first then went back to grabbing her phone from her bag's front pocket. It was a message from Tamara. A picture of her and Jack. She was blowing a kissy face with the peace sign while Jack was waving and smiling from ear to ear. The text read: Miss you!
Her heart tightened. My friends. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned her head on the seat of the car, looking out the window. I wanna be with my friends.
The teenager was absolutely silent for the rest of the ride, opting to put her headphones in even if no music came through. Meanwhile Brooke stole glances from the rearview mirror.
It seemed Sam's scowl had returned. She yearned so deeply to just magically create friends and memories for Sam at Tree Hill, but she couldn't be there to coddle Sam through school. Her baby had to do it alone, and that killed the mother.
"Sammy, you remember the plan, right?" Brooke's voice broke through Sam's brooding mental state as they pulled into the school.
Of course all she care's about is whether or not I'm gonna fucking skip! It's you and dad's fault I can't see my friends like I used to!
The car came to a stop at the front of the school. Brooke sighed when no answer came. Patience Brooke. Patience. "Alright, little miss silent treatment. Just remember to check in with your dad at lunch. and be on time to all of your classes. Okay?"
Sam made eye contact with her mother and narrowed her eyes. If looks could kill…
"Sammy, just give this place a chance. That's all I'm asking."
Sam wouldn't respond, simply because she wanted to frustrate her mother. She wanted Brooke to feel how she felt. Mad. So she unbuckled her seatbelt and adjusted her bag to leave out. Sam opened the door with an eye roll to rival them all and slid out striding away, her backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Close the door." Brooke muttered when the girl left out and looked as if she'd forgotten, but Brooke realized her daughter was doing it on purpose when Sam continued to walk away!"
"Sama-Samantha! Hey!" She couldn't let this slide. Brooke unclicked her seatbelt to follow her daughter right out. Oh little girl you are out of your mind.
"Come here." Brooke spoke gravely, "Right. Now."
Heads turned. Students paused to watch the unfolding drama, Sam's face flushing with embarrassment. Why did she think flat out defying her mother would work out for her in the end?
She could feel the eyes of her peers on her, the whispers already starting:
'Is that Brooke Davis?'
'Damn so that's the new girl's mom.'
'Somebody's in trouuubbllee.'
Sam finally turned around and walked towards her approaching mother, her head down and cheeks burning.
"You don't want to talk to me, that's perfectly fine," Brooke was unflinchingly firm, but you will listen and do as I say."
Could the Earth just swallow Sam up right now? The molten center of Earth sounded better than this!
"Go and close that door. Now."
Sam took in deep breaths while trying not to blow up or talk back. For a moment. she hesitated. Her pride warring with the urge to just keep walking. But the look in her mother's eyes told her that this wasn't a request.
Sam walked towards the door trying to block out everyone's motherfucking stares and whispers. Brooke stood with her arms across her chest ensuring that Sam did as she was told "And don't you dare slam it." Brooke warned knowing her daughter's next move.
Sam needed to evacuate this embarrassing as fuck situation. Brooke was scolding her as if they were in their kitchen! It felt so wrong to have their home dynamics played out to the whole fucking school! She lightly pushed the car door and pivoted to get the hell out of there.
"It didn't close. Do it right."
Eyes widening, the teenager stopped in her tracks once more. Are you fucking serious, mom!
"It didn't close Sammy." Brooke spoke, her expression softening slightly. She realized that it had now become a bit of a spectacle, and she hated to embarrass her daughter, but Sam needed to realize that Lucas and Brooke had boundaries and this was something they would not put up with.
Just because Sam was angry didn't mean she could go around treating people (her parents) like shit. It was something Brooke and Lucas had been working on with their child for the past four months. They were working on a lot of emotional regulation with her. Things that most 14 years olds had down pat. But they didn't mind it. They loved watching Sam progress, no…blossom. Their baby was getting better with their doting parental care and attention on her. Even Thrice, their social worker, had noted the change in Sam's behavior.
"Whatever you two are doing-" Thrice began in a check-in visit three weeks ago.
Sam had gone to Lucas's car to grab her phone. She wanted to show Thrice some pictures the family had taken on a beach trip, so the social worker took advantage of the alone time with the two parents, "She feels so much less guarded when I talk to her. It's like the glint of childhood is finally back in her eyes." The woman shook her head, as if she was trying to shake off the memory of Sam falling into this pit of melancholic darkness for so long, "I-I missed seeing that."
Brooke and Lucas tightened the hold they had on each other's hands.
"Please just continue what you are doing."
It was then that Sam bolted back in, perching on the couch arm by her mother. She leaned into the woman and Thrice just smiled at the sight. "Okay hold on, let me find them. There's this hilarious picture of Luke that I took."
Thrice leaned back onto the couch. Sam would be okay. Sam would thrive. A happy ending if there ever was one in foster care.
"Now I know where the new freshman got her smart mouth from," came a sophomore girl's whisper and both Brooke and Sam had heard it. Sam's blood boiled.
Brooke saw the flash of emotion hit her peanut's eyes and the woman's primal focus darted to the blonde bimbo of a teen who had offended her little one. "Excuse me?" Brooke's tone venomous. The blonde shrunk away at the fierce green eyes. "S-sorry." The sophomore hurried away.
"Fuck this." Sam muttered. She was going to find that dumb bitch and shove her words right up her ass! Sam rammed her shoulder into the door to close it all the way and moved with haste to follow the girl only to be stopped by her mother.
Brooke had seen the anger in her daughter's expression and to de-escalate she pulled Sam into a quick hug and kissed the top of her head, "Thank you for closing the door honey." Brooke whispered, "Forget what that girl said and try to have a nice day."
Sam couldn't help that for a micro moment her mother's comfort felt nice but she did not lean into the feeling, instead she pulled out of the embrace quickly, "I wanna stay with Lucas for the rest of the week.' She stalked off towards the school building, leaving a stunned Brooke. The mother watched Sam go with a mixture of sadness and a familiar guilt in her heart. I'm so sorry Samantha