"WHOA!" Brooke caught her child that was zooming through the living room, "There is a speed limit in this house, and you've definitely crossed it, little boy."
Brooke had been working in her home office that day. The twins had just started summer and she decided to take every Tuesday and Thursday to work from home during her kids' vacation. It was during that time that she heard one of her kids come in rowdy as ever. She heard the running up and down the stairs. A little bit curious and a little bit nervous that Riley or Carter were up to no good the mother went out to check, which is how she found her little terror on the run.
Carter pouted and wiggled to get away from his mom, "Okay, okay. Sorry. Can you put me down now?"
"And miss a chance to cuddle with you? Oh no way." She hugged the 9 year old boy tight and kissed his cheek causing Carter to let out a giggle that gave away his young age, despite how fast he'd grown between the ages of 8 and 9. Brooke rested him on his hip. It wouldn't be too long before she wouldn't be able to carry him like that any longer.
Both son and mother enjoyed the closeness, even though one half of the equation (Carter) was reluctant to admit it.
"Where were you running to? I'll walk you there."
Carter sighed, but rested his head on his mom's shoulder. It felt nice to be carried. It rarely happened anymore.
"With Riley, outside. We were playing soccer with dad."
"Outside it is, kiddo."
Lucas had just set up a goal post in their backyard because Carter was showing an increasing interest in the game. Although the father was a bit disappointed that soccer trumped basketball in his son's eyes.
Brooke set him down just as they got to the sliding door. The boy happily pushed the door open and ran out. The mother watched as the boy took the ball from Riley who got frustrated and started chasing him to get the ball back, but her brother's skills were too much for her to catch up.
"Carter, let your sister have it. Come on!" Brooke heard Lucas say. He was yet to notice her.
Brooke smiled happily, deciding then to take a break from work to sit on the porch and watch her loves play.
"Fine, fine." Carter stopped running completely and let Riley take it.
"Thank you." Riley said sticking her tongue out at his brother.
"Riles!" Brooke scolded, startling everyone.
The girl in her mesh blue shorts and white t shirt blushed towards her mother, "Sorry." She murmured.
Lucas finally noticed Brooke and smiled from afar.
"Dad you're not gonna play anymore?" Riley asked, catching him walk away.
"I'll be back in a bit, promise. I just want to talk to mommy."
"Come on Riles, keep going!" Carter whined towards his sister.
"I see you came out of your lair."
Brooke rolled her eyes, "Just taking a break. This annual reports meeting has me feeling all kinds of anxious"
Lucas frowned and moved around to massage her wife's back, "I'm sorry babe. I wish I could just take this stress from you." He leant in and kissed her neck, making Brooke moan in pleasure. "God I love you." She whispered to him.
"I love you too babe." He kissed her once more then righted himself to keep giving her neck a massage.
"Has Sam called you?" Brooke asked Lucas.
The man nodded, "Just this morning, asked if we were going to come to that panel at the convention center. The one she organized on the need for better mental health services in foster care."
Brooke turned to him "Did you say yes?"
"Told her we wouldn't miss it."
The mother breathed in contently. The pride she had for Sam grew every day.
…. …. ….
Flashback
It was only Sam's tenth week being with her parents. She'd gotten used to their comings and goings and the small ticks they had that gave away how they were feeling.
It wasn't hard for her anyway. She had to learn to be observant at a young age. She had to learn how to read her foster parents. Sam had lived in a constant state of waiting for the other shoe to drop. A foster father's lip twitching, a mother's three shallow breaths, a quick shake of the head, an exasperated grunt. They were all signs that she'd made a wrong move. That she would surely feel hell inflicted whether that be verbally, emotionally, or physically. She had to learn these things or else she wouldn't have survived. But with Brooke and Lucas, things…things were different.
This pair was different. They only wanted good for her. Like the way that they loved to hear her laugh. Some days Sam thought they lived to see her smile because whenever she did she saw the way both her mother and father would absolutely melt. They even really liked to hug her, and give her kisses and cuddles too. It only took a few weeks of living with them to figure all of this out. But the girl, for the life of her could not figure out why they loved her so much.
Sure they always told her, 'You're our daughter. We love you.' But those just seemed like words. Well, at first they did. Slowly those words solidified themselves in actions.
Like the way Lucas held her hand firm during those weekly visits to Thrice and told her that nothing would ever take her from them again. The way Brooke kissed her to sleep and told her that she was right across the hall. Or the way both of them hugged her so tight sometimes she thought they'd suck the life out of her. And how could she forget all the moments where she was scared and they'd read her so easily and told her that nothing would happen to her because they were right there. No one had ever done that for her.
Samantha Davis was unloveable…up until she met Lucas and Brooke.
Two fast knocks, one slow knock. It was her dad, Lucas.
The girl sat up from the bed and looked expectedly towards the door, "Yeah?"
The man's head popped in, "Hey champ, Brooke's downstairs. You ready to go?"
He looked her over and tried not to smile brightly at how adorable her kid was. Her worn crew neck striped tshirt and faded jean shorts. Clothes that Brooke wished she could throw away because they were so old, but Sam refused to let her. The child's long brunette hair that reminded Lucas so much of Brooke. Everything about his child was the definition of cute.
Sam bit her lip with no answer. She looked at him after she heard him shuffle in.
His eyes lowered and his face relaxed slightly, a small frown forming. He was concerned.
"You alright Sammy?"
The 14 year old shrugged, "I don't-will there be people I don't know there?"
"Probably, but you don't have to talk to them if you don't want to."
The father noticed the unease and discomfort on Sam's face. He sat next to her, but she moved slightly away.
"Jamie really wants you there for his birthday party sweetie." He tried sofly.
Sam laid on the bed and grabbed onto her bear, curling into him, "I don't wanna go. I won't know anyone except you and Brooke."
Lucas looked at the time and then at his kid who was currently hugging tightly onto a worn bear. Brooke was downstairs waiting and he didn't want her to come up here and see that he couldn't manage to get their kid to a birthday party. But it wasn't just about the party. Lucas and Brooke had a conversation with Ms. Thrice who told them the importance of socializing Sam into their social circles, else she'd never acclimate to a life outside Southside. For the past weeks Sam had stayed glued to their side and to her friends' Jack and Tamara. It was time for them to push her a bit.
"You'll know Haley and Nate, and Peyton. That's already a lot of people you know. Champ-"
"No."
Sam didn't want to be judged. She didn't want to hear the questions they'd ask her parents, or the polite responses they would give them. She didn't want to be around adults. Not around rich ones that would look at her as less than. That would pity her. Adults that had the potential of hurting her. She didn't want to be forced to interact with people other than those she knew and trusted. If she could, she would spend the rest of her life close to Brooke and Lucas. Her mama and her daddy.
"It'll be good for you peanut."
"You and Brooke go. I can stay here."
Another knock came to the door. The knocks were softer than before. It was her mom. Brooke.
"Hey you two. What's the hold up?" Brooke slid in not expecting the somberness in front of her.
Lucas looked towards Brooke and gave a shake of his head indicating that things were not going so good.
Sam curled her knees up to her chest. Her parents weren't going to let up, but neither would she.
Brooke walked over to the other side of the bed where Sam was facing because she had turned away from Lucas. The mother took a deep breath knowing that this was not going to be easy. Nothing with Sam every really was. Except for, of course, loving her. That for Brooke came naturally. She knew she'd go to the ends of the earth for the small teenager in front of them.
Carefully she made Sam sit up. The girl looked away but Brooke still managed to brush some of the hair away from her face.
Brooke finally got her to look her in the eyes. Lucas watched Brooke's movements with some level of awe. It seemed their daughter always melted a little bit quicker with Brooke.
"Sammy, remember what Ms. Thrice said about trying to meet new people? I know it may seem a little scary, but you can stick with you dad and me."
"You were excited about it before, champ." Lucas pointed out.
The 14 year old narrowed her eyes, "You and Lucas are always making me do things." She felt herself get angry, "You can't always tell me what to do!
God, Why was she even listening to them again? "I don't want to do this! You can't make me!"
The young teen made a move to get off but her mother put a firm hand on her shoulder, "Hey, you don't need to yell Samantha."
"You guys keep telling me what to do!" She shrugged her mom's hand off, "I don't wanna see all those dumb people!"
Another tantrum. They had asked Thrice about them. She explained that Sam was emotionally volatile, but that it shouldn't deter them from providing structure and consistency when it came to consequences.
Sam got up and quickly slammed her room door. She needed to get away from her annoying parents. If she left now she could make it to Tamara's place before Tamara left for the park.
The teen wasn't really thinking about how she'd get back to Tree Hill or the consequences she'd have with her parents. All she knew was that she felt confined and needed an out.
She made it right to the door before her father's voice made her jolt back slightly.
"Don't you dare leave this house, Samantha!"
Her dad's stern voice still scared her. It wasn't his fault it's just that it reminded her of old foster father's.
They followed you. They care. Her mind thought.
Lucas noticed the visible jump that Sam let out.
Shit. He thought. He took a deep breath and reminded himself to be gentle.
Brooke made it to the door and took hold of the handle. Sam looked up slowly at her mother's now frustrated eyes. Her raised, perfectly manicured eyebrow making it slightly scary.
You idiot, you made mama mad!
"Unless you want to lose your privilege of leaving mine or your father's home without supervision I suggest you sit down on the couch."
Sam's fists scrunched and her eye's pierced at her mom.
"Right now Sam." Came Brooke's steely voice, unfazed by Sam's anger.
FUCK!
Rather reluctantly Sam dragged her feet towards the plush couch and fell onto it, crossing her arms in the process and looking at her two parents with a petulant face.
"Samantha you can't just leave when things don't go your way. You know that." Brooke stood next to Lucas and in front of their daughter. They'd had this conversation before.
Both parents looked at each other, having a silent conversation.
"We're going to give you a few minutes to yourself, alright? But you need to think about why you just got so upset, and why you really don't want to come to Jamie's party. We need a real reason."
Sam hit the couch with her fist, still frustrated, "But I don't wanna timeout!"
"It's not a timeout." Lucas assured her. Although, honestly, it totally was. "We want to give you a chance to get your thoughts together. That's it."
"No! This is stupid!"
"That's it." Brooke heard Lucas mumble to himself. She watched him intently, knowing that Lucas had a way of dealing with her daughter's anger that sometimes she even couldn't do.
Lucas went over and held Sam's shoulders firmly enough to let Sam know he was serious.
"This is stupid! I don't wanna do anything for you and Brooke. It's stupid!"
"Hey, hey!" He squeezed her gently, "Brooke and I are not going to tolerate you being this obstinate." Sam looked away but Lucas moved her chin back to him.
He rose his voice slightly in frustration, "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Sam shrunk at her dad's voice. Fear crossed her face and Lucas immediately saw it. He sighed, knowing he shouldn't have said such a typical line. He shouldn't have yelled.
Shit. You fucked up Lucas.
"I'm not gonna hurt you. Promise." He whispered to ease her back from her fear. She stared at him trying to read the truth in his eyes. She finally nodded, accepting his promise.
"Peanut, you can't keep yelling the way you are. We need you to calm down, okay?" He gave her a moment to process what he said,
"Now, you are going to sit here." She was ready to argue once more, "AND if you decide to get up, I will personally carry you back to this couch and sit you back down as many times as I need to until you finally stay and think about what we're asking you. Is that clear?"
Sam blinked blankly.
"Sam."
"Okay." She finally responded, knowing she had pushed too far. Yet, once again they were giving her consequences that weren't beatings or getting yelled at or pushed into a room. Consequences that required thought and dedication on both parties.
Before Sam knew though Lucas had walked away from her and making his way towards the kitchen with Brooke to give her alone time.
"Wait, where-where are you going?" She turned around from the couch and towards them quickly. Her face giving away more than she wanted it to. A split second fear of abandonment paralyzed her body. Were they leaving her alone?!
Brooke looked at her daughter and paused. How small and underdeveloped she still was. How scared she got when she had no idea where they were. She was 14, but in so many ways she was still a little girl.
"We're going to be right in the kitchen, alright Sam? But you need to be by yourself right now. We're just across from you."
The tough and angry facade melted. The parents saw her eyes soften and her lips form into a pout. But they walked into the kitchen anyway, knowing that Sam had to learn that her tantrums would not give her what she wanted.
Don't cry. Don't cry! But they left you...But they're right across the hall! And I don't wanna go to that stupid party anymore!
Sam felt tears prick her eyes. Why did she get so upset in the first damn place?!
To Sam it felt like ages, but it was about 10 minutes later when Brooke and Lucas walked back into the living room. They found her now at the farthest corner of the couch. Her knees were to her chest and she had her head buried in it.
"Champ, are you ready to talk now?" She heard her dad say.
Sam looked up. Her face a mixture of resignation and frustration.
Her eyes were red. She'd been crying, and it hurt both parents' hearts to see.
Lucas sat on the lazyboy and Brooke sat on the armrest next to him.
Why didn't they sit next to her? Did she make them that mad?
Her lip started to tremble.
"Hey. Hey." Brooke got up and moved to sit next to their child. She would never understand what was going through her daughter's head, but Brooke was keen on when Sam was falling too far into her thoughts.
"It's okay Sammy. Shh." She put an arm around her and Sam took a few deep breaths to calm down, reminding herself not to read into their every move so closely. Reminding herself that parents were supposed to love unconditionally. Whatever that meant.
"You're alright." Brooke cooed.
Sam forced herself to look up, making eye contact with her father whose eyebrows were furrowed in deep concern. "Are-are you guys mad at me?" She managed to say.
"No sweetheart, all we want is to understand what you're thinking and why you're so upset." Lucas told her softly, "You were excited about the party, what made you change your mind?"
Sam sniffled and wiped her nose with a small shrug.
"That's not an answer sweetheart." Brooke held her hand gently.
Sam took a deep breath. Embarrassed, and maybe even a bit fearful of telling them the truth, of baring herself so much, of being that vulnerable.
But she did. She forced herself. "I-um, I'm not like your friends. I'm different and they're just gonna think I'm, you know, that kid you...you saved."
Without saying anything Brooke hooked an arm under Sam's knees and her other arm around her shoulders. She brought her daughter onto her lap and held her tight. She looked to Lucas and motioned him to come sit with them, which he did.
"You are not someone we saved kiddo. You're our daughter." She whispered swaying gently, knowing that their love deprived child basked in affection. Her actions reinforced when the small teen hooked her fingers into her shirt and clung to her.
Lucas leaned in and kissed Sam's head, "If anyone even judges you slightly you don't have to worry, you have two loudmouth parents that can put them in their place."
He smiled triumphantly when he heard Sam chuckle a bit as Brooke rubbed her back. "Nothing anyone says or thinks of you will change that you, Samantha, are 100% our kid. We're proud of you just for being our Sammy."
Sam listened intently to their assurances. She curled in closer to her mom and just nodded as they spoke. The 14 year old wasn't sure if she believed them completely but they were certainly making her feel less anxious than before.
She looked up from her mother's safe bosom and sniffled, wiping her hand over her nose, "If, if, I go, you guys won't leave me alone right?"
"Not for a second, if that's what will make you feel comfortable." Lucas assured her immediately.
And so three hours later Brooke and Lucas were watching Sam with utter pride as she was helping all the little ones climb up the monkey bars and get across them safely.
They were talking with the adults, but looked over at her on occasion. She looked so carefree. The anxiety and frustration of a few hours before was no longer there. Soon, they thought, soon Sam would be able to explore the world without fear. She would grow into a wonderful woman whose past would only help her become more loving and more passionate. Brooke and Lucas they were sure of that. And they would be along for every single step, not wanting to miss any of it.
End of Flashback
…. …. …..
Brooke chuckled to herself as she watched the twins. Riley had the ball and managed to make it past Carter. The little boy's jaw dropped and then he yelled towards his sister, "THAT WAS AWESOME RILEY!"
"Dad, mommy, did you see Riley!?" He asked them forever in love and proud of his "baby sister," like he loved to call her, "She passed me!"
Riley smiled brightly and looked to her parents to see if they had caught it too. She wasn't good at sports the way her brother was, but she could hold her own in soccer since she played it enough with her brother.
"That was great princess!" Brooke beamed.
"Keep going like that and you'll be better than me!" Lucas added.
"Dad!" Riley giggled, "That's not true."
"Go back and play with them Luke." Brooke whispered, noticing how much fun the twins were having and not wanting Lucas to miss out on it. The father sighed and gave her a gentle squeeze to her shoulders before going back down towards the grass where the kids were.
Brooke heard her phone ring and she groaned knowing that this would force her to go back inside. She slipped away from her family and caught the phone on the last ring.
"Hey Millie. What's up?"
"Hey did you check the report I just sent over. Just need you to confirm and I'll send a final copy to Rebecca."
"No. Give me a second and I'll look that over now."
"Awesome, thanks."
The short conversation ended and Brooke looked out longingly towards her rambunctious two and then back to her office. 'Just a few more hours.' She kept telling herself.
… …. ….
"Liz did you send a video to my work email?" Was the way Sam greeted Liz when the blonde opened the door for Sam to her house. She still lived with her mom. It was a large home and Liz didn't see the need to move out since her job as an interior designer was just a ride into downtown.
"It's a video on how to make a michelada!" Liz exclaimed, not seeing the issue with it.
"A miche-what?"
"Remember that drink we had on Manny's birthday last month? Well it's called a Michelada. We can make them now! God they were so good!"
Sam sat down on the girl's couch and shook her head, "You couldn't have sent it to my personal email or something?"
Liz shrugged, "That's the only one generated when I typed in your name. I used my work email to send it too. But you're not understanding...We can make Micheladas now!"
The brunette laughed. Those drinks were pretty damn good, "You're lucky I like them dude."
Liz sat down next to her and raised her eyebrows, "Oh, I know you liked them. You got drunk off that shit."
"I was not drunk!"
"You were so handsy with Jack! And then you started crying telling us all how much we mean to you. You were drunk."
"Was not!"
"You're an emotional drunk. That's okay." Liz poked some more fun.
"And what type of drunk are you?"
"A composed one."
Sam had to scoff, "That-That has to be the biggest lie you've ever told!"
Liz shrugged and sipped the water she had in a mason jar, "I've never told a lie in my life."
"Whatever. Are you ready? Manny's already at the restaurant holding our reservations."
"Let me grab my purse, hold on a sec." She put the jar onto her coffee table and made quick work of getting to her room upstairs and grabbing her things.
"Your mom's not home yet?" Sam asked her as they went out the door.
"She had plans with your mom for some business dinner."
Liz hooked her arm around Sam's, "Come on, before Manny kills us both for being late."
…. …. ….
It was around 5 pm when Sam was headed to her parent's house from spending time with Liz and Manny. She had a day off the next day so she would occasionally take that time to spend with her parents. There was something refreshing and nostalgic about being back together with them. It always reminded her of high school. Everything about her life was still so new and exciting. Her life with Jack in their apartment. Her job. Her work friends. But something was still so grounding about Tree Hill. About Liz, and Manny. About coming home to her mama and her daddy.
"Sam!" Carter yelled, the moment he saw her from the window inside. He ran out the door and right into her big sister's arms, "I didn't know you were coming. Mom and dad didn't tell us!"
"I wanted it to be a surprise that's why they didn't tell you." She smiled and kissed the top of his head. We just started watching the basketball game. Come watch with us!"
"Took you long enough! I've been waiting for hours!" Brooke came out immediately walking over and engulfing Sam in a long hug, "Hi peanut. How are you?"
Sam smiled softly, "I'm good mama."
"Mommy bring her in!" Carter hurried them along, "It's movie night Sammy!"
"Where's Riley?" Sam asked after hugging her father deeply in the living room.
Carter brought in the popcorn and huffed when he heard the question, "She's bein' dumb."
Sam gave him a quizzical look before looking back at her mom and dad. "She's in her room, upset. She's calming down." Brooke clarified, then turning to the boy, "Don't call your sister names Carter."
"Why's she upset?" Sam asked, hating the idea of her baby sister alone and wallowing.
"I'm not sure. She started to get really angry and then rude when we offered to watch a movie with both of them. We sent her up to calm down a few minutes ago, but dad's going to talk to her before we start the movie."
Lucas walked back from the kitchen with two juice boxes, "I should go up now before Carter over here gets upset for not starting the movie sooner." He joked.
"Can I talk to her?" Sam asked feeling badly for little Riley. In some ways they were similar. Sensitive at their core.
Brooke looked to Lucas, then back to Sam, "Be our guest."
After all, the mother knew how well Sam connected with Riley, how much their princess looked up to her big sister.
It was clear the older the twins got that Riley and Sam had similar personalities. Carter on the other hand was much more outgoing like Brooke. It sometimes concerned Brooke that she was so different from her youngest daughter. And unlike Sam, Riley did not need seek her out the way Sam did when she was younger. Moments like this reminded the mother of that.
Sam made her way up the stairs and slowly walked into her baby sister's room. The little girl's nose was buried in a book. She wore black leggings and a jersey that belonged to her brother.
"Riles?" Sam asked tentatively.
Riley looked up and her face transformed into a wide smile when she saw her big sister. She hopped off the bed and rushed to hug her. Sam easily picked Riley up off the ground and held her, spinning her around for a second.
"I missed you." Sam told her, rubbing her back the way Brooke used to do for her when she was upset.
Riley hugged her tighter before walking back to her bed and sitting down with Sam, "I missed you too."
Riley was no fool though. She knew if Sam was up here, then her parents must've said something.
She sighed heavily, "Did mama and daddy tell you to come up here?"
"They told me you got upset and that's why you're up here by yourself. But dad was gonna come up and I said I wanted to talk to you."
That last part made Riley feel kinda fuzzy inside. Sam was the best. "Oh."
"So what's up princess? What happened?"
Riley shrugged, thinking about everything all over again and feeling herself get upset. "It's nothing." She mumbled.
"It's definitely something." Sam raised an eyebrow, "And I'm guessing you're mad at mama or dad? Maybe both of them?"
Riley bit her lip and sighed. "It's dumb."
"I promise you it's not." Sam answered without giving it another thought, "It's never dumb if you're feeling it. Trust me." She spoke from experience.
The little girl thought deeply for a moment. "Well..." She fiddled with the lint on her leggings, "You promise not to think I'm dumb?"
Sam nodded solemnly, "You're one of the smartest 9 year olds I've ever met!" Then held out her pinky, "Pinky promise with a cherry on top."
Riley locked her finger with Sam, having already learned from her older sister that pinky promises were sacred.
"Okay, come on now kid, you can trust me. What's up?"
The small girl leaned her head on her big sister's arm, "I just think that mom and dad think Carter is funner than me and like to do things with him more than me."
Sam frowned. She wondered what would ever make Riley think that. Sam had no doubt in her mind that her parents loved both of the twins to death. But she knew that in some ways Carter was easier to please.
"What happened?"
"The whole day we kept doing things that Carter wanted to do. He's always the first one to say what he wants to do and stuff."
"Do you feel like you don't get a chance to say what you want to do?"
Riley pulled on her shorts, fiddling with them as they talked, "It doesn't bother me always."
"But today it did."
The 9 year old nodded and sniffled, feeling on the brink of tears. Sam put an arm around her and kissed the side of her head. She could see Riley didn't want to be so torn up about it.
"It's hard to feel ignored." Sam assured her softly, "It's okay to be sad about that."
Riley brought her head up, "I like doing the stuff Carter likes doing, but sometimes I just wish...I dunno."
"You wish you guys did more things that are your favorites?"
The smaller girl nodded sadly, "Yeah..to-today when I said that I wanted to go to the museum Carter whined and said it'd be boring and that dad could take me on another day. Mom looked at me and asked if I was okay with that and I said yeah, but I was still mad about it."
The 23 year old sighed, "I'm sorry buddy. That must've made you feel really bad."
"S-sort of." Riley went back to leaning on Sam's arm.
"You know if we talk about it with mom and dad I'm sure they'll make sure to do a better job about it."
Riley crossed and uncrossed her feet, "I don't know...can't you tell them for me?" She looked at Sam hopeful.
The older sister smiled slightly, "I think they'd want to hear it from you."
"But I don't want Carter to feel bad. He's still my brother and he's the best and I love him."
"And he'll still be your brother, he'll still be the best, and you'll still love him just like he'll love you."
"Sammy?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you ever feel like me when you were in foster care?"
Sam felt her blood freeze. She hadn't realized Riley knew about that. It was never really a secret in the house, but they'd never had a conversation about it with the twins either.
The young adult did her best to hide her surprise and anxiousness towards the question, "How'd you know about that?"
"Mommy was reading something on the internet about you to dad last week and it said you spent time in foster care. I didn't know what it was so I googled it."
Sam's heart beat faster and faster. "I didn't understand it though. Google says you get put in a home by social services? What does that mean? I was waiting to ask you."
Samantha didn't know what to say. God, what was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to approach this? How was she supposed to shatter the idea of a safe world to her 9 year old sister?
And how the hell did she never think that the day would come when Carter and Riley would be curious about her past?
She really wished Brooke and Luke were here to explain it for Riley. "Ummm, it's...well, complicated. I promise we'll talk about it at some point, but I kinda just wanna make you feel better right now."
Riley narrowed her eyes. Her sister was definitely deflecting "So you're not gonna tell me."
"I will." Sam assured her, even though her stomach churned at the thought, "Just not now, okay?"
"Fine." Riley grumped crossing her arms across her chest, not so happy with the outcome. She really was curious. Maybe she'd just have to ask her parents.
Sam wrapped an arm around her, "Come on, let's focus on what's got you all sorts of mixed up."
"Please can't you just tell mom and dad for me?" Riley whined.
"Hmmm...what if I explain it a bit for you? Will that help?"
"Yeah...I guess so."
"Come here." Sam said seeing Riley yawn, "I'm tired and I was kinda hoping you could keep me company at least until I fall asleep. We can talk to mom and dad afterwards."
The younger girl nodded and laid with her sister in bed. Brooke used to get Riley to take a nap when she was younger just like that, and Sam had learned the trick of the trade.
Riley snuggled into Sam's side, smiling when her big sister played with her hair like their mom did at bedtime...wait a minute.
"Are you trying to get me to sleep?" The nine year old frowned deeply.
"Just for an hour?" Sam said with a cheeky smile, "For me, please?"
Riley giggled and held her sister tighter, "Okay."
The older girl sent her parents a text, letting him know to start the movie without them. She sent them a brief explanation of what they'd talked about and mentioned that she and Riley were resting.
Maybe it had been a bad idea to put Riley down for a nap so close to bedtime, but Sam would stay awake with her until she got tired, so her parents wouldn't have to deal with it.
But it wasn't even 5 minutes after Sam had sent the text that they heard a knock on the door. Sam smiled, she should've expected that.
Riley's head popped up from the bed.
Another knock. "Riles?"
The little girl looked at Sam with wide eyes when she heard her mom's voice. "I may have texted them."
"Saammmm." Riley whined, "I thought we were gonna tell them later."
"Mama loves you and won't judge you for anything you say. I used to have to tell her a lot of difficult things and she still treated me the same, and I always felt better afterwards."
The girl spoke out a 'come in' after Sam's urging.
Brooke walked in and sat next to her youngest daughter who by now was sat up on her bed. Riley was looking down at her criss crossed legs, slightly guilty for what she was feeling, and slightly upset with her parents.
"Baby." Brooke's hoarse voice came when Riley didn't look up. She pushed some of her daughter's hair back, "I'm sorry princess."
And for a sensitive soul like Riley, it was all she needed to feel her eyes begin to teem with tears.
"S'okay." She mumbled trying to hide her emotions.
"It's not." Brooke answered, "Daddy and I didn't realize-" The mother took a deep breath, her own guilt gnawing at her. It was so hard to strike a balance with the twins sometimes, and with Riley it just seemed so easy, but maybe her complacence didn't equate to her being satisfied.
"You, daddy, and me have some things to talk about, don't we princess?" She finally settled on saying.
Riley nodded and wiped her tears.
Without giving it much thought Brooke picked the 9 year old up in her arms and sat her on her lap so that Riley was straddling her legs.
Brooke looked into her youngest's eyes, her own teeming with tears "I love you just as much as I love your brother. You're my baby. You always will be." And the way Riley held onto her neck and finally let herself cry, pierced the fashion designer's soul.
"Oh bug. Shhhh." She rocked them both, patting her bottom and humming to calm her down, "I got you. Mama's got you."
Riley clung to her mom, basking in how much she loved the sensation.
Recognizing this as a moment between Riley and Brooke, Sam quietly made her way out and downstairs into the living room.
With Sam downstairs, Lucas made his way up towards Brooke and Riley. Carter was a bit upset that his parents had ditched movie night but Sam explained to him that Riley needed her parents a little bit.
"Is Riley okay?" He was set on flying up the stairs, but Sam put her hand on his arm, "Bud, she's fine. But she just needs some time with mom and dad."
"She could've had time if she came down and did movie night with us." He groaned.
The older sister put an arm around him, "Well yeah, but sometimes we all need a little bit more attention. I'm sure if you needed that Riley would understand."
Carter thought about it for a bit and sighed, "Yeah...probably."
"So can we just finish the movie together? It could be you and me time." Sam offered.
This made Carter beam, "Totally!"
…. … ….
Night had come and Brooke and Lucas were in bed fast asleep at an early hour. It'd been an emotional day for them and Riley, and the parents were wiped out. When Sam teased them for going to bed at 10 pm like an "old couple" they could only roll their eyes. But at midnight the parents were awakened once more.
"Mama."
Brooke felt her arm shake gently. A distant voice was waking her out of sleep.
"Hmmmm."
"Mom?"
Another shake, harder now.
"R-riley, sweetie." Brooke moved ready to comfort her child again for what had transpired before.
"No, mama. It's Sam."
That made Brooke's eyes open instantly. "Sammy, sweetheart." She sat up, her eyes still adjusting to the dark. She had been so sure that gentle voice was Riley. "What's wrong kiddo?"
Sam shook her head and bit her lip, unsure of what to say. The question Riley asked her had plagued her and it wasn't letting her sleep. She kept tossing and turning and the only thing she could think of was going to her parents.
But there she was, a big 23 year old girl, waking up her mommy because she was scared of her own thoughts. She suddenly felt timid. She should've been home with Jack. He could've comforted her, right?
Brooke however was not thinking in those terms. All Brooke saw was one of her babies needing her.
"I-ummm…" She fiddled with the hem of the large t shirt she wore to bed.
Brooke had turned her light on in the process, making Lucas stir awake.
"Wh-what's going on?" Came his sleepy mumble. Sam felt herself tense with embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry. Sorry. I'm gonna go back to my room."
"Peanut, don't do that." Brooke told her sincerely.
"What's wrong?" Lucas now asked her, concerned. It had been a while since Sam had done this. Years.
"Can I just, um, can I-"
"Come here. Come lay down." Brooke didn't need her to finish her question. She knew that whatever it was Sam just needed some comfort in that moment.
Sam crawled into the bed and snuggled into her mom's side. Her dad moved closer and kissed her forehead.
"We can talk about it later, champ. Just rest for now." He whispered.
Sam nodded and hugged her mom's side tight.
The 23 year old fell asleep to reassurances that night. Ones that told her 'you're safe.' 'I got you.' and 'we'll get through it.' Ones that rubbed her back and hummed to her.
Sam knew that her parents would help her navigate the difficult conversation she'd have to have with the twins about her past. They would help her, the way they helped her through it all. They wouldn't talk that moment, but having the security that her parents would help her burden that eased her immensely.
That night Sam fell asleep feeling calmer than she'd felt in weeks. Feeling just as loved as her nine year old brother and sister.
Hoped you liked it! Please review! I know I've been awol, lots of life stuff. But yes, I'm still here!