"Hi Nate, how are you?" Brooke asked when she answered her phone.
"I'm good. Are you free to talk and is Lucas with you?" he asked.
"How bad is it, Nate?" she asked, hearing the hitch in his voice.
"I'd rather say it only once," he replied.
"Give me five minutes," Brooke said. She got out her cleaning cart and pretended to get called up to a room. "Come on Jamie, we need to go up."
She knocked at Lucas' door who seemed to be on a call with his editor. Brooke waited impatiently for his call to end while Jamie looked at her funnily, "Why are we up here, mama?"
"I need to talk to your father and Uncle Nathan. You want to watch cartoons for a bit?" She didn't wait for Jamie's response and turned the TV on for him, keeping the volume soft to not disturb Lucas. He was trying to end the call quickly.
"Hey, sorry, what's up?" he asked.
"Nathan called, it sounds bad," Brooke told him and dialled Nathan's cell.
"Hey little brother, what did Lorelai hit you with now?"
"Brooke's sex tape," he said.
"WHAT!?" both of them gawked.
"Wh-wh-what? Wh-what sex tape? What do you mean? H-has she seen a sex tape of me?" Brooke stammered. The club had strict phone laws. She had made sure of it.
"Wait, is this about the sex tape that I made with you in like Sophomore year?" Brooke asked.
"No, not that. I destroyed that tape that very night and we plugged it out before anyone could tape it," Nathan reminded her.
"Then what sex tape, Nathan!" Brooke screamed.
"The one from the time capsule that Rachel had uploaded on the web," Nathan responded.
"Wait, wasn't that taken down? Since Jimmy suicided and Brooke was a minor, didn't that video get pulled off the internet?" Lucas asked.
"That's what I thought, but apparently things on the internet live forever. She was asking me about it and I really didn't know what to say. I'm sorry," he said morosefully.
"No, of course, Nathan. Nobody would know what to do in this situation," Brooke replied, losing hope by the minute to ever get Sam and leave the city.
"Are you sure this adoption agency isn't secretly the FBI? The way they are digging truths, it's scary man," Nathan said.
"Yeah, we know and we have way too many secrets to hide. What am I going to say to Lorelai?" Brooke asked Lucas like a helpless child. Her eyes were watering with tears.
Lucas couldn't help himself. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, "Shh, it's going to be okay. We'll figure it out."
"What do we do? Do we call her and explain ourselves? Do we wait?" Brooke began to mutter as all hope of getting Sam felt bleak. She began blaming herself and her history for it.
"No, let her get back to us. If we call her, it might give her the impression that we are covering something," Lucas advised. "Don't worry, we'll get her to understand. We love Sam and that is more important than anything. Our past mistakes don't define us." Somehow, that made Brooke cry even harder in Lucas' arms who consoled the scared girl.
"Okay, I need to get back down," Brooke said and wiped her eyes.
"Jamie, you want to come with me or watch cartoons?" Brooke asked, going to the couch where Jamie was enchanted by the colours and sound on the screen.
"Cartoons," he answered monosyllabically without moving his attention from the screen.
"Okay, but remember your thirty-minute limit and then you have to do your Practice Sheets with Dad or Grandma, okay?" Brooke instructed.
"Yes," Jamie drawled, his attention still on his cartoons.
"Okay, Jamie is here, I'm heading back down," Brooke replied. "Come with me now and get the names sorted. He is too fixated to even realise that we will be gone and Karen is in the room, right?"
"Yes," Lucas replied.
"Perfect," Brooke said and began to lug her cart outside.
"Luke, I have to take the service elevator. You go ahead to the front desk. You don't need me," she said when they were out in the corridor.
She then began to walk towards the back but saw that Lucas was following her. When she entered the lift, Lucas got inside as well.
"Lucas! This is for the staff," Brooke widened her eyes at him.
"Oops, I got confused," he shrugged his shoulders and made Brooke giggle.
"Do you intend to land me in trouble at every single one of my jobs!" Brooke shook her head.
"It's what I'm here for," he replied, glad that she had regained her smile.
The doors opened to the laundry room and Brooke pushed her cart out. "So this is where you hang out?"
"I don't hang out. I work," Brooke said, picking up laundry bags that had been sent down to wash and iron. There were other housekeepers down there and they were looking at her funny.
"Lucas, I think this is your cue to leave. We aren't supposed to fraternise with guests," Brooke replied, eyeing everyone around her.
"Yes, Sir, the entrance to the reception is right this way. I'll show you," she said in her chirpy professional voice when she was passing Grace.
"That voice is so fake," Lucas remarked.
"Well Sir, it's the only one we are allowed to use while talking to guests," Brooke replied in the same tone.
"I thought we were engaged," Lucas joked, making Brooke jolt her head upwards.
"Shut up and go change the guest names," she said, taking him to the door that led him to the reception.
"Can we go already!" Jamie yelled as he stood by the door, holding a painted rock and a card in his hands.
"Hold your horses. Sam, can you help me zip up?" Brooke asked. Sam helped Brooke with her dress and picked up the present Brooke had in a bag for Lily. It was a dress she had stayed up all night sewing for the girl she had only met the day she was born because it was improper to go without a present for the kid. Brooke had estimated her measurements based on the photos she had seen.
"Can I cut halfway and meet my friends at the mall? It's the weekend," Sam requested.
"Is it okay if we decide when it's time? These people are doing some pretty big obligations on us and if Lorelai digs into my finances, which I am sure she will, it helps that you will have a billionaire step-grandfather who is young enough to be your older brother or teenage dad!" Brooke made a joke. She hadn't told Sam about the time capsule flashing scandal Lorelai had found.
"Damn, what kind of a town is this? High School marriages instead of High School pregnancies since you got pregnant after you graduated. Murderous brothers. The hottest and most popular girl in the school is the one that gets cheated on and not cheated with. And teenage mothers getting married to people close enough to their son's age?" Sam asked.
"Sums home right up!" Brooke laughed.
"Andy was Karen's business teacher at college. Since she got pregnant in high school, she could never go to college. She went later on and came back with more than a degree," Brooke smiled, truly happy for her.
"But then she had Lily with Lucas' uncle whom she was engaged to?" Sam asked, feeling confused.
"Yes, I know it's complicated. She stopped dating Andy who had to return to New Zealand. She got close to Keith who I believe was her one true real genuine deep love. I mean the way that man looked at her-"
"Kinda like the way that Lucas looks at you?" Sam asked, kinking her eyebrows.
"No, exactly the opposite. The way Lucas looked at Peyton even while being with me. Keith looked at her with love, not disgust. Man, I don't know how Karen pulls herself out of bed every day," Brooke replied.
"Are you two going to stand and talk all day or can we go already? Chop Chop!" Jamie yelled in perfect Brooke Davis fashion, making Sam and Brooke bawl with laughter at being reprimanded by a two-year-old.
"Okay Sir, let's go!" she said and grabbed Jamie's hand to hold.
"Hey, come on in," Lucas greeted the trio when they reached the hotel. Andy and Mom took Lily to the hotel arcade because she was driving them mad by asking about Jamie every five minutes. Also, Brooke, you look lovely," he said, making her blush.
"Mom! Can we go to the arcade?" Jamie asked with gleaming eyes as he tugged on to Brooke's dress.
"Yes, we can," Brooke said with a smile.
"Sam, are you up for the arcade or is that too uncool?" Brooke asked.
"It is, but I want to see the infamous Andy and Karen's daughter so my curiosity is getting the better of me," she replied straightforwardly.
"Arcade it is, but umm, I'm no longer a guest so…" Brooke said aloud, making Lucas want to punch the wall of the hotel.
"Okay, let me go down and tell mom and Andy that you can't join us because you're not a guest and then she'll just book another suite right this instant," he suggested.
"Fine, I'll try not to get caught!" Brooke said with an eyeroll.
"Karen's just too difficult to argue with!" Brooke continued raising her hands in mock surrender.
The mock family of four went down while Brooke kept glancing around to hide from the staff and Managers. She didn't want the rest of the staff to get jealous or worse, rat her out to the Managers. Luckily, the housekeepers stayed away from the arcade and reception so there were only the doormen, receptionist, Manager and concierge to get by. Brooke pulled out a pair of old sunglasses, sunglasses she had from her old life, as she liked to think, the ones she had bought without thinking about the price tag while in High School and she put them on despite being indoors. She had let her hair be open so she could use it to cover her face if required. Feeling safety in obscurity, they entered the arcade and Brooke breathed. The desk clerk at the arcade had never met her so he wouldn't be able to tell who she was. Brooke pulled away her sunglasses as Lucas looked around to find his family. He saw them near the air hockey table and smiled, guiding everyone over to them.
Karen was the first to notice the family and she couldn't help but remark how much like a family they all looked together. Jamie was a spitting image of Lucas and Sam's hair colour was exactly the colour of Brooke's chocolate locks. She started wishing that the four would end up becoming a family for real.
"Hey guys!" she greeted and hugged Jamie. Jamie smiled but also shied away when he saw the male and young girl stop playing their game and focus all their attention on him instead.
"Uhh, hi grandma," he greeted politely.
"I would like you to meet my husband, Andy and my daughter, Lily," Karen said.
Lily was a chatterbox. She ran up to Jamie and engulfed him in her arms immediately. "Hi Jamie! I'm Lily! I am so excited to meet you. When my Mama told me that Lukie-Poo had a child, I could not believe it! They told me that we hadn't met because you lived away and it made me very angry. I am so happy that Daddy got me to meet you! Wanna play with me?"
Brooke was impressed by the toddler's energy. She looked at Lucas who was beaming himself. "Lukie-Poo?" she teased him.
"Never call me that. Ever," he warned her.
"Whatever you say, Lukie Poo!" Brooke teased and laughed when she saw his cheeks turn red.
"I made you a present," Jamie said to Lily and handed her the rock that he had painted. "I painted this in art class in my school for you."
"Oh my god! I love it!" Lily smiled and accepted Jamie's present.
"It's Raven's Blue like Daddy's team. It's my favourite colour," Jamie informed her.
"Mine too!" Lilly squealed.
"Hello Jamie," Andy greeted him. "And hi Brooke. It's so good to see you in person."
"You too," Brooke replied shyly.
"I made you a card," Jamie said and handed it to Andy who smiled when he saw it.
"I love it, Jamie. Thank you so much," he smiled.
"And Lily, I made this especially for you. I hope you like it," she smiled and kneeled to give the bag to the three-year-old.
Lily looked at her mom to ask for permission to open the bag. Karen smiled and nodded her head so Lily opened it up and pulled out the dress Brooke had sewn for her.
"Oh my God! Look, Mama! It's the prettiest dress I have ever seen! Thank you so much, Aunt Brooke!" Lily replied, in awe of the dress she was holding. "Can we go back up so I can wear it?" she requested.
"Don't you want to play some games with Jamie first?" Karen asked.
"I want to wear the dress and come back down to play games," Lily replied.
"Lily! Come on!" Karen whined.
"Lukie Poo! Will you let me change into the dress Aunt Brooke got me? Isn't it the prettiest dress in the whole wide world!?" she asked, making puppy dog eyes towards her brother who instantaneously turned to putty.
Brooke was enjoying watching the two interact. Would that be how Lucas would be if she had had a daughter instead of a son?
"Alright, I'll take you up to change and you can put your present that Jamie made for you away as well," he said and put the dress back in the bag to take upstairs with him. "We'll be back in ten minutes." Karen rolled her eyes but said nothing.
"That girl knows how to exploit her older brother and she uses it to her advantage every single time," Karen remarked once Lucas and Lily had left the arcade.
"I think it's actually very sweet. It's like seeing how Lucas would be if we had a daughter," Brooke opened up.
"Who knows? Maybe you two will get together and have a little girl of your own someday," Karen replied, opening up about her thoughts too. Brooke's eyes bulged out when she heard that and so did Sam's!
"That's umm! Karen, uhh, Lucas and I are not going to get together. I know that it will suck for Jamie to have to keep alternating between us, but I am never making that mistake ever again. We will break up for the adoption agency once it doesn't look like we committed fraud and deceived them to get custody," Brooke said, reminding Karen and herself.
"Yeah, sorry," Karen said, not wanting to scare or hurt Brooke. "Jamie, and Sam, why don't the two of you play some games while we wait for Lucas and Lily?"
The two nodded and went to the Air Hockey table. Jamie could barely see over the table as it was too high for him. Lily, being almost a year older, was much taller than Jamie was.
"Can I help you?" Andy asked him. Jamie smiled and nodded his head, allowing Andy to grab him and lift him. Jamie giggled as Sam started up the game and began playing, going easy on her kid brother. She was a little bored because she had to play a challenge-free game for Jamie's benefit and deliberately lose a few rounds to let him win and gain some confidence.
Jamie did a hurray dance when he won the match, jumping up and down in front of Brooke. "Do you want to play a real match?" Andy asked in his New Zealand accent, making Sam stop to gain her bearings. That accent was making her giddy and Andy was good-looking too.
"Uhh, okay!" Sam laughed and they cued up another round of the game. The two went toe to toe, battling it out in the arcade.
"Aunt Brooke! It's perfect! Thank you!" Lily said, running to Brooke and twirling in front of her.
"Oh my God! You look Gorgeous, Princess!" Brooke smiled at the young girl.
"Thank you!" she said, hugging Brooke tightly. Brooke felt herself weaken. She loved kids so much. Their pure innocent hearts could make her burst.
"What's going on out here?" Lucas asked, nudging towards Sam and Andy.
"They're battling it out and I think my teenage daughter has a crush on your hot step-father," Brooke mocked. She had seen Sam's reaction when Sam had heard Andy speak to her.
"What! Huh? No!" Lucas said, upset by what he was hearing.
"Relax, it's the accent. Even my heart races when I hear hot Andy talk in his New Zealand accent. She's not going to do anything. It's just cute and funny seeing her teenage hormonal phase," Brooke replied.
"Hers or yours?" Lucas asked.
"Are you jealous, Scott, that someone else is getting the heartthrob attention from the girls?" Brooke teased.
"Brooke, you used to call Nathan's uncle 'Hot Uncle Cooper' like that was his whole name," Lucas reminded her. Also, Andy wishes," Lucas replied, trying to act cool.
"My my! Hot Uncle Cooper! I wish he would have been into High School Girls. But after Rachel, he would never. But if he did…. Maybe I would've actually gotten over you and never would have agreed to sleep with you at the graduation party because I would be at the racetrack with Hot Uncle Cooper!" she thought wistfully.
"Shut up!" Lucas replied, shaking his head.
"Why don't you and Brooke play some arcade games together? I'll take Jamie and Lily to play some," Karen suggested and walked away with the toddlers.
"I think your mother wants us to get together again," Brooke told him, assuming that Karen had an ulterior motive for suggesting that she play games with Lucas.
"No, I think she is well aware of our history. So you want to see if your basketball skills have improved since Six Flags?" Lucas asked, taking her to the basketball game. Brooke rolled her eyes and followed him with a smile. She got in front of the basketball game and Lucas fired up the machine. She picked up the ball to throw it in and tried several times to dunk the ball, but she was terrible.
"Ugh! How do you do it?" Brooke asked, getting irritated.
"Like this!" Lucas teased and threw the basketball while literally being turned around from the hoop. It went in, making the scoring sound, baffling Brooke.
"I hate you!" she laughed.
"Do you want me to show you how to do it again?" Lucas asked.
Brooke thought about it and relented. "The key is not to think. Right now you're thinking if Jamie is okay. You're thinking if Sam is okay. You're thinking about not getting caught by the staff. You're wondering if Andy likes Jamie and Sam. You're wondering if Lily really loves her dress. You're thinking about whether or not Lily and Jamie will enjoy each other's company. You're thinking if Sam will enjoy Andy's Company too much and how he is family. Wait, no, I'm thinking about that last one, but the rest of them, am I not wrong?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with shooting a stupid basketball through a stupid hoop and how the hell do you know what I'm thinking about?" she asked.
"I know you, Brooke Davis. I always have. It was never difficult for me to see through your tough act facade," he reminded her, making Brooke gasp in shock. He realised that it was getting too intense for her so he dialled it down. For once they were being playful and not having an intense serious conversation. Both of them needed that. "Now the key is to let those thoughts dissipate. Just concentrate on the black box in front of you. Nothing else."
Lucas restarted the game and picked up one basketball and handed it to her. "Are you focusing on the black box?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Are you thinking about anything else?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
Lucas went close to her and adjusted her arms for her and put his knee between her legs to get her to widen her stance, making Brooke weak in the knees, literally.
"Okay, now concentrate and shoot," he guided. Brooke allowed the ball to swish and it hit the rim and went in.
"See it's easy when you're not so occupied by other thoughts," he said, picking the basketballs as they came and dunking them in at racehorse speed. "That's why I love the game. When I'm doing this, everything else just fades away."
"New High Score!" the machine rang when the game ended.
"Of course, you break the High Score in 2 minutes," Brooke laughed.
"I mean, the last one was made by a toddler, I guess," he tried to play it cool.
"Let's get you a toy with those tickets," he said as he collected the tickets and pulled Brooke to the booth where the toys were stacked.
"Oh my God! Look, they have a purple monkey! I remember you telling me that you used to have a purple monkey growing up!" Lucas said and asked the person at the counter for it, giving the tickets he had won for setting the high score.
"How do you remember that?" Brooke asked, flabbergasted that he remembered a passing comment that she must have made when they were together.
"I told you, I know you, Brooke Davis. I did listen to what you had to say when we dated. I found your boldness and confidence contagious and inspiring. It helped me so much because I was just getting my footing in the Varsity team. Nathan's team was devoted to him and they would bully me however he found fit. Your confidence helped me stay strong. That's why it sucks to see this non-impulsive scared version of you. It's like my hero's fallen," Lucas confessed.
"I was only pretending. I was always a scared little girl on the inside," Brooke told him.
"I always knew that and that's what made you so real and loveable. You were scared and you did it anyway. You weren't a 'fake it till you make it' girl. You were a 'faith it till you make it' girl."
"I don't like you guys to see me like this... Vulnerable." she replied.
"That's how I always see you, Brooke, and I think it's kind of beautiful. You know, um... I've been thinking about all the things you've done for... Sam and Jamie and me and... All kinds of people. I know you don't think that you do, but you save people, Brooke Davis. You saved Sam, obviously and you saved Haley when she returned from tour and you saved Nathan by bringing Haley back into his life. You saved Peyton from Psycho Ian and you saved me from Dan in a lot of ways. It's what you do. Thanks for letting me share that with Sam, with Jamie," he said, looking towards his family and how they were all enjoying themselves together.
"Hey, Luke. We've been through a lot... Me and you. I wouldn't have made it through today or a couple other days without you. So, thanks." she said, getting vulnerable by his words.
"You're welcome."
"This is for you," she said and handed the purple monkey to him. "Maybe you can save it for a future daughter that you have. I know for certain that little girls love purple monkeys." She bit her lip as she said that, her brain picturing both, a girl with brunette curls, dimples and his baby blue eyes as well as a girl with wild curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She really couldn't tell how it would go.
Lucas hesitated to grab that purple monkey. What Brooke had said had scared him. Did he want more kids in the future, of course. Every day with Jamie was the best day ever and he had missed so much in the two years that he didn't know about him. Yes, girls were scarier to have than boys, especially if those girls looked anything like Brooke Davis, but he was so deeply in love with Lily. He would love to have a little girl of his own. But with whom?
Lucas sighed and took the purple monkey from Brooke's outstretched arms. The two looked at each other awkwardly, not knowing what they were saying or doing. Only two days ago, Lucas wanted nothing to do with her life and here they were talking about future daughters.
"Lily is an incredible girl. It's amazing to see how she has you wrapped around her pinky finger," Brooke said, trying to break the ice as she saw her and Jamie play whack-a-mole with Karen. "She's adorable. I can see so much of Keith in her although she has Karen's warm brown eyes. But her smile, man, that is pure Keith. Did I ever tell you, I really considered naming Jamie Keith. I was about to do it only, but I didn't want to without your permission. I didn't know for sure how you would feel having to use that name fifty times a day if you and Jamie ever ended up crossing paths. I didn't think that it was right to take such a big decision without asking you first, so I refrained while being very very well aware that I was taking an even bigger decision of keeping your kid from you without consulting you. You can give me all the below-the-belt remarks you must have ready at the tip of your tongue."
"I'm not going to say anything rude, but yes, not letting me know about him was way worse than not consulting me about his name. I guess I would have been fine with Keith too. But, it would feel strange in the beginning, you're right about that. I just really wish that I got to experience it all and be there for him, hold him in my arms when he was born, and experience that tiny little baby expand your heart and your world. But I did experience all of that, only later," he said, trying to make peace with his fate.
"Not that this makes my actions right at all, but trust me, you skipped that hardest stuff. Boy, that kid had some lungs on him. He would cry so loudly when he got hungry. He used to wake up the entire women's shelter in the middle of the night and obviously, I didn't have my own room or a fixed place to stay. The other females would curse in Spanish and all these other languages. Different roommates, so I know slur words in so many Asian and South American languages. It was like a nighttime ritual. My body wasn't making a lot of milk because I wasn't eating well and I had no money for formula. This was before I started at the club so I had no idea how I would repay the hospital. I was struggling to pay for diapers and as I didn't have a home, I didn't have a lot of things for Jamie. I would scoop him and run to the corridor and feed him there, or try to. If I didn't make any milk and had no choice, I would run to the store to buy some formula and feed him but Jamie would be red from crying by then. Once I didn't have a cent to my name, I literally stood outside and begged the store owner to help me with some formula. He called the cops on me. Jamie was shrieking and I was so scared, even I was crying. The cops came and saw my state and they bought some formula for me."
"You and Jamie lived like that?" Lucas asked, feeling horrible for her.
"Yeah, I told you I lived in a women's shelter, remember?" Brooke said, surprised that he had forgotten. He had elaborately explained how he remembered everything with the purple monkey.
"Yeah, but I never imagined it until just now. I can't imagine how hard and scary it must have been! It baffles me how you did that. No wonder the apartment you have and the jobs you have don't seem all that horrible to you," he said his thoughts out loud.
"Yeah. That's the most security I've had in the last three years. I appreciate that heatless cramped apartment and my unmentionable job because they help me give Jamie a, well, not a good life, but a relatively secure life, to a degree. I have a stable place to go to and though food is bare, both my kids don't sleep with empty bellies," she explained.
"I was wrong when I said earlier that it sucks to see this non-impulsive scared version of you. You're stronger than you have ever been," Lucas replied, making Brooke purse her lips in embarrassment.
Brooke and Lucas' attention shifted to Sam and Andy as Sam jumped up gleefully having won against Andy on the dance machine. Andy had his hands on his hips as he was panting a little but his eyes were sparkling watching the young teen celebrate her victory.
"I don't know how to feel about that. That's my step-father and essentially my foster daughter!" Lucas said. Now that Brooke had planted the crush seed in his brains, he couldn't unthink it.
"They're just playing an arcade game together. Andy is happily married to Karen and Sam is a dumb teen. We were dumb teens and I had some stupid crushes when boys gave me attention," Brooke said, raising an eyebrow at Lucas and giving him a smouldering look.
"How did you trust Sam when you took her in?" he asked instead. He was so intrigued, now that he had heard another snippet from her past and couldn't believe what she had put up with. He thought the stripping was the worst of it.
"Oh boy, she did not make it easy. Remember how she didn't come home that one night when you were looking after them. Yeah, that was a pretty recurring thing in our household in the past. She would find every possible way to run away and test my patience. She was so used to people giving up on her that she did whatever it took to speed the process of seeing that frustration and quit. She prided herself in how fast a person quit on her because she believed that that was all she was worth. She stole so much money from me to buy heroin. She will kill me for saying this to you but there's a reason you always find her covered up in full sleeves and jeans and closed shoes. She still has track marks from the IVs she used to inject heroin. They've gotten lighter but she feels ashamed by the scarring. I would make money at the club and deposit it in the bank at the end of the week and before that, all of it would be gone. Once, I almost got in deep trouble with the hospital but I spent extra time at the club, like a lot of it and I made a late payment. I put in a cheque without a date so the cheque bounced and it gave me enough time to make more. She would frustrate me to no end, but I knew where her behaviour was coming from. I know what that abandonment feels like and what it can make you feel and how far it can take you. I wanted to be able to change that for her, so although she made it very very very hard to house her and it took several failed rehab attempts and a million reminders that I would not leave her to get her here. The reason she did get clean was Jamie. She fell in love with him and he would cling on to her. If she did drugs, she would go straight to rehab for 30 days, even if it pulled her behind in school, but her school then was shit anyway and Sam was smart enough to cover ground out there. It was the most painful thing, watching her withdrawal. The shivering and sweating and chills, all at once as her body experienced a complete system breakdown, she would scream in agony begging for a fix, promising that it was only that one time and I had to let her sweat it out and get sober. I'm just glad Jamie doesn't remember any of that. I'm praying that once we're in Tree Hill, he'll forget all about New York and my job too."
Lucas was stunned silent when he heard that. He looked at Sam forlornly. All he wanted to do was hold her and hug her and let her know that he would be there for her too. "She's a fighter, just like her mom."
It was Brooke's turn to be stunned. Yes she mothered Sam, but it was big sister energy because of the age difference. She wasn't all that wiser than Sam.
"Okay, if you're really in Sam's future, which I guess you will since legal work and you won't be biased between her and Jamie. There's one more thing you should know but you can't tell her I told you any of this. There was a reason that Sam ran away to Albany when she did. It's where she was born. It's where her birth mother still lives and works. I had heard about her and I got to see her when I went searching for Sam. She had broken into her file at the social worker's office one day and tracked Rebecca down."
"My God! She has seen her? You know what, I understand this bit too. I knew who Dan was. Everyone around me would whisper about it and think that since I was a kid, I would not understand. Once, I asked my mother if Dan was my father and it broke her heart. She told me no, but I knew," Lucas reminded Brooke. He had a pained expression on his face as if even saying the words was him throwing imaginary punches at himself.
"I'm sorry that you had to go through that," Brooke said, feeling genuine empathy for him.
"Hey, we all had screwed up parental history. I had Dan never claiming me but Nathan had to live with the guy. Peyton's mom dad and dad was away and the whole adoption thing and you had your abandonment. Haley's hippie parents were the best of the lot!" Lucas joked.
"Yeah, Tree Hill sucked in the parents department. Even Tim's step-mother was all sorts of crazy and Rachel's parents were always vacationing at the Italian Riviera while she got expelled from every school she went to. Bevin's parents were great!" Brooke laughed.
"Yeah, and so were Skills'. His father worked so hard in the factory to provide for his family."
"Fine, maybe not every Tree Hiller got it wrong. I mean all said and done, you got Karen and Keith. I'd die for Karen and Keith to be my parents. I got them temporarily and it changed my whole entire life!"
"Yeah, I remember Cinderella learning what a mop was after my mom took her in!" Lucas teased her.
"Hey! Shut up! Yeah fine, I had never done a chore in my life before that or been grounded,"
"Or had someone who cared," Lucas finished her sentence for her.
"Yeah. I'll mop the floor with sponges everyday if it means having Karen for a mom," Brooke smiled, looking towards Karen who was going crazy managing two toddlers.
"You're already hers, especially now that you had her grandson," Lucas said, smiling warmly at her.
"Hey Brooke, umm, Liz just called to ask if I was meeting her," Sam said, walking up to them.
"Oh, yeah, you still want to go?" Brooke asked.
"No, umm, I wanted to stay. I was wondering if maybe I could invite her here and we could hang out at the pool in the afternoon after we grab lunch or whatever?" Brooke asked, directing it more towards Lucas that time.
"Of course, Sam. You can invite your friends over anytime," he smiled. Sam tried to keep her excitement internal and she dialled Liz's cell. Brooke had carried their swimsuits with her, assuming that that could be the plan. Jamie was excited to learn how to swim from his father.
"Tell me you'll stay for pool day," Lucas asked Brooke.
"Yes, I will," she smiled. "Truth be told, I can't wait to see Jamie in the water and learn from you."
The family hung out a little longer at the arcade until they were all hungry. Brooke took them to an obscured Italian Restaurant in a quaint corner of New York for one of the best meals they had ever had.
"Oh it's my favourite family! Hello! Welcome, what are we celebrating today? Did Samantha get another award for her brilliance? Table by the window, eh?" Charles, the restaurant owner and chef greeted them when the family walked in. Brooke worked in the service industry so she made friends with the staff even in restaurants her family liked. Her family loved his Italian and although she only took her kids there on special occasions like birthdays and winning certificates and trophies in school, Charles gave her a discount. He didn't know about Brooke's second job, but he knew that she used to be a waitress and that she was fostering Sam.
"Hi Charles. We are actually going to need a bigger table today. Umm, Jamie's uhh, family is down to see him," Brooke answered with a smile and beckoned at the additional people behind her.
"Oh my God! I am so sorry, mi amor. Best booth of my restaurant for you! Come on, I will prepare a meal that will astound you!" Charles said and took the family to a table.
Karen, Lucas and Andy were a bit surprised by the loud man, but Brooke just shrugged and followed Charles.
"Will Jamie try something new today or does he want the same Pasta?" he asked, eyeing the little boy.
"I love your pasta, Uncle Charles!" Jamie said with a wide smile.
"Oh okay! Pasta for everybody! But you, come with me for a second please," Carles said, beckoning Brooke to the corner. Brooke was confused but she followed him. "When you said Jamie's family… you mean his father?"
"Yeah, the blonde and broody guy. That is Jamie's father and his family. He is so happy knowing them," Brooke replied.
"You know who looks even happier than that sweet son of yours? You. You've got colour in your cheeks and a light in your eyes for the first time since you came to my restaurant," Charles said to her. "Go, sit with your family. I'll get you delicious meals."
Brooke smiled and walked to the table her family was sitting at. She slid in the booth besides Jamie and across from Lucas.
"Hey all good?" he asked, putting his hand on her thigh under the table. Brooke's eyes widened at the sudden touch. She wouldn't lie, the first thought she had was of the unsolicited touches she had to deal with at the club. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before crossing her legs under the table, making Lucas' hand slide down. She was a master at dealing with touches she did not want. Of course, Lucas did not have any bad intentions, she knew that very well, but it had a reminder of a very bad feeling attached to it and Brooke didn't want to have those thoughts running through her brain.
"Yeah, all good," she replied instead with a smile.
The family had their meal and enjoyed every single bite of it. Andy refused to allow Brooke to pay the bill and the kids begged to get ice cream so Jamie, Lily and Sam were each licking a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Sam was a little embarrassed to be classified in the same category as the three-year-olds. She was closer to Brooke and Lucas' age than Jamie's, but when Andy offered her the cone, she found it hard to resist his charms, making Lucas roll his eyes. Brooke slapped his chest to refrain him from saying anything.
Then they returned to the hotel and put Jamie and Lily for a short nap before their pool plan.
"Hey Mr and Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Hargrove," Liz smiled at the familiar faces. Andy looked towards Karen at the mention of a Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler but Karen put her finger to her lip stealthily to ask him to stay mum.
"It's so good to see you again. Why don't you girls use my bedroom to get changed and ready. You two can head up with Brooke and Lucas, wait sorry, with Mike and Norma if you want. Andy and I will join you when the kids wake up," Karen offered though she chastised herself for slipping up the names.
"Oh yeah, you don't like the name Norma, but who's Lucas?" Liz asked, looking from Karen to Sam.
"It's just a nickname for Mike," Sam answered.
"Wait, isn't Mike the nickname? For Michael?" Liz asked, getting even more confused.
"Yeah, it's just another one. His father wanted to name him Mike but Karen always loved the name Lucas, so she would just call him that affectionately. So if you hear them being called Brooke and Lucas, it's all normal," Sam made up on the fly.
"Okay, whatever works, I guess," Liz replied with a laugh and followed Sam into Karen's room.
The girls put on their bathing suits and Sam looked at herself in the mirror. She knew that she had picked it out with Brooke because she did look good in it, but she was so used to wearing shapeless oversized long t-shirts to hide her body and her marks and the damage her heroin addiction had done. She felt a little funny. So Sam put on her suit and wore her t-shirt and jeans over her suit again.
Liz opted for a sarong to cover her bikini and perched her sunglasses over her head.
"Sam, where's your suit?" Brooke asked, the minute she stepped outside with Liz.
"I'm wearing it underneath," she explained.
Lucas emerged from his room at the same time wearing his swim trunks and a basic white t-shirt. He too had his sunglasses in his hands.
"Brooke, why don't you get changed too?" Karen coaxed when Brooke was too busy eyeing Lucas in his attire.
"Huh? Uhh, no. I'm not swimming," she said casually.
"Why? I thought you wanted to swim with Jamie," Karen asked.
"No, I was excited to see Jamie swim with, Luc- uhh, Mike, over here," she replied.
"Why don't you change and then decide when you're there," Andy suggested, making Liz's head spin.
"What accent is that? Who are you? I'm Liz, Samantha's friend," she said, turning towards Andy. Sam rolled her eyes and gave a friendly slap on Liz's shoulder.
"Hey, I'm Andy. I'm Karen's husband and I'm from New Zealand," he smiled and shook Liz's hand.
"Wait, you're Mike's father? You don't look old enough to be his dad, but it explains all those handsome looks," Liz blurted out.
"No, I'm his step-father, although Lucas and I are more like friends," he replied.
"Wait, you called him Lucas too. I thought you wanted to name him Mike or Michael or whatever," Liz said, getting confused again.
"No, his birth father liked Michael. All of us prefer Lucas," Sam explained.
"Ahh, right right."
"So Brooke, you coming?" Sam asked, wanting Liz to get out of there before she asked more questions. This was way too hard. What was she thinking inviting Liz over.
"I, uhh, I don't have a suit," Brooke replied sheepishly.
"Oh don't worry, I'm sure the gift shop must keep some. Why don't you pick one up?" Andy offered.
"No!" Brooke screamed.
"One second," Lucas said and pulled Brooke to the side.
"What's up?" he asked.
"The gift shop is in the lobby where the Manager is. He can't see me shopping at the hotel to use hotel amenities. I'm a maid here, Luke and now I'm not even your stripper hooker guest in their records," she replied, looking down.
"Did you not get a swimsuit this time or do you not own one?" Lucas asked, learning Brooke better.
"Uhh, the latter," she replied. "I just always believed that I would come and watch Jamie learn from you, grab some pictures and add them to the scrapbooks I gave you."
"Fine, but you're coming up with us," he said.
"Yes," she smiled.
"How is it that you get even hotter grandparents? Man, you make me wish I could get adopted. Mike is hot, but New Zealand Andy, my my my. You're going to get the fanciest vacations. My grandparents live in Florida! It's the most boring place on the planet and no, they don't live in Orlando, if you're thinking of Disney World," Liz said to Sam on their way up.
"Liz! Come on!" Sam replied with an eye-roll.
"You tell me New Zealand accent Andy doesn't make you blush," Liz said which instantaneously made Sam's cheeks turn rosy pink. "See! I rest my case."
"Yes, your honour. Now, let's go," Sam laughed as the elevator doors opened.
"Sam, Liz, sunscreen before the pool, okay," Brooke warned the two girls.
"Yes Mom," Sam said in a bored teasing tone.
"Here, I got you girls Jamie's ball. I know it's small, but we can play some pool games," Lucas said to the girls, making Liz blush and giggle.
"Will you come in the pool with us, Mr. Wheeler?" Liz asked.
"Yeah, once Jamie and Lily get here. Also, you can call me Lucas, Liz. I prefer it over Mike. I didn't particularly like my biological dad," he said, making Liz blush again.
"Calm down, Mr. Wheeler or you'll give Peyton some competition," Brooke joked.
Once they were up, Liz immediately ran towards the pool. "Come on Sammy!"
Sam sighed and stripped her pants and t-shirt. Lucas' eyes discreetly checked her arms. He could see the needle marks and his heart hurt seeing those. Her face showed it, but her arms were even more evident. Brooke saw Lucas watching Sam with worry, but she kept quiet. She had had to come to terms with her past and it had been a process. If Lucas was in Sam's life for good, it was better if he began the process early, while Sam didn't know.
Sam touched the water of the pool with the tip of her toe. The water was heated but she looked at it a little unconfidently. Then she realised something and ran towards the chairs Lucas and Brooke were lounging in.
"Uhh, Brooke, I can't go in," Sam said.
"Why honey? Is it your period?" Brooke asked, getting into mom-mode.
"No, uhh, I don't know how to swim. I expected the pool to be shallow enough for me to stand, but it's not. What should I tell Liz?" she asked.
"Lucas can teach you," Brooke said and beckoned Luke to take the reigns.
"Come on, just like the roller-coaster. Together?" Lucas asked her and held out his hand.
"Is it hard? Will I drown? If you let me drown, I swear to God!" Sam began to speak in anxiety.
"I won't let you drown, Champ," he smiled and stood up to pull off his t-shirt. Brooke admired her view and perched her sunglasses to avoid being spotted.
Lucas got into the pool while Liz was already taking a lap. Sam took one step at a time at the shallow end and felt a little fearful. "Here, hold my hand," he said as he took small steps further into the pool close to the ledge. Sam kept quiet and worriedly followed him. "Now, why don't you try to make your body straight and move your hands and legs the way that I show you," he said, demonstrating a stroke for Sam to copy.
"N-N-No-No-No!" Sam shrieked at the thought being horizontal in the water.
"Don't worry! I will hold you. Do I have permission to grab your waist?" he asked. Lucas knew that Sam had bad experiences in foster homes and he had begun to read the material the adoption agency had suggested. It was better to communicate and ask for permission when they physically touched the children to give them a sense of control and let them know so they weren't scared or taken aback. Plus, he knew that Sam had experienced a lot of violence in her past by men. He wanted her to feel safe with him.
Sam nodded her head and Lucas helped her float. However, Sam began to freak out and clutched Lucas instead. "Okay, Okay, don't worry," he said and took Sam over on his shoulders. Then he began to swim in the pool with Sam hanging on his back, clutching his neck to get her used to the water. The teenager first screamt when she felt the water and the movement, holding Lucas' neck tighter than ever, but slowly she got used to it and began to enjoy herself. "That was fun!" she concluded when Lucas stopped. She looked towards Brooke to find her beaming, holding her phone to record her and Lucas. Sam rolled her eyes, but gave a smile to the camera, melting Brooke's heart. It was a secret, but Brooke had scrapbooks for Sam too.
"You're doing great, Champ," Lucas smiled.
"I didn't know that you didn't know how to swim, Sam," Liz mentioned, swimming towards her and Lucas.
"Liz, no foster home is like this. It's a good day if you get one meal, a blanket and a bed to sleep. How would I have been to pools or beaches?" she asked. Liz's face grew solemn instantaneously.
"Hey, I'm sorry that you had such a tough life and I'm so happy that your new parents are giving you all these happy experiences and memories. Also life skills girl! With global warming, the sea levels are rising. We should know how to swim if we want a chance to survive. Now learn quickly so we can play Marco Polo with your Daddy!" Liz winked as she said the last part.
Lucas and Sam rolled their eyes and Liz joined Lucas in coaching Sam on how to swim.
"Mommy!" Jamie screamed when he and Lily came up to the pool with Karen and Andy.
"Oh my! You look so handsome in those swim trunks. Are you excited to go in the pool?" Brooke asked.
"Yes!" he replied.
"Wait, sunscreen!" Brooke instructed.
"Grandma already applied it," Jamie rolled his eyes.
Lucas had seen his family come and had come out of the pool to help Jamie in. Lily had a pool at her house in New Zealand and knew how to swim, so she dove right in, splashing water everywhere, startling Sam and Liz. The girls were impressed at seeing the little girl expertly swim.
"Damn, she's like a mermaid on steroids," Liz said, watching her go.
"That sounds accurate," Sam replied and continued to watch Lily.
"Jamie, are you ready to go in?" Lucas asked. Brooke had ensured that he had floaties on and Lucas held his hand but Jamie did not move.
"Jaim, what's wrong buddy?" Brooke asked.
"I'm scared," Jamie replied.
"Don't worry. You have your floaties on, so you can't drown and besides, your Daddy is going to be in the pool with you," Brooke encouraged.
"Will you come in too?" Jamie asked.
"No, but your daddy is there," Brooke tried to coax him. Jamie's face fell when he heard that. "Come on, doesn't it look fun? Look how much fun Sam and Lily are having."
"No!" Jamie cried. "I am not going in without you!"
"Jamie!" Brooke warned angrily.
"No! I want you to come!" Jamie screamed.
"What have I told you about screaming? We ask what we want politely, remember?" Brooke chastised her son. "I can't come in the pool with you and your father is very excited to teach you. Do you want to miss out on the fun?"
"But I'm scared," he cried and jumped into her arms before breaking into a full blown sob.
Brooke's eyes widened as she held her baby in her arms. "I'm sorry," she mouthed to Lucas and then focused on Jamie.
"Shh shh. It's okay. Calm down. There's nothing to be scared about. Look, it is Sammy's first time in the pool too and she went in without me. You can too," Brooke tried to appease the crying toddler. Jamie cried for a little longer but soon, his tears reduced and he tried to control his hyperventilation.
"Here," Lucas said and dropped a bag near Brooke.
"Huh? What?" Brooke asked, shifting her focus away from Jamie and back at Lucas.
"This is for you. Go change," Lucas said.
Brooke opened the bag and looked at the contents inside. It was a bikini. "Huh? When did you go get this?"
"Just now, when Jamie was crying. I figured it was less heartbreaking to buy you a bathing suit than watch Jamie cry for his mother to be with him in the pool," he answered stoically.
Brooke was officially embarrassed. Her cheeks turned red and she wanted to turn invisible in that moment.
"Weren't you right here?" Brooke asked, not having a clue when he left and returned.
"Nope. You get pretty focused on Jamie when he is around and forget the world around you. I have seen you do that before as well. J. Luke, don't worry, give your mom five minutes to change and then she will come help me teach you how to swim. Are you happy now?" he asked.
"Yes! Thank you Daddy!" Jamie screamed and jumped out of his mother's lap to hug Lucas' legs. Brooke watched it, still trying to swallow her pride and embarrassment.
"How would you know my size?" she asked, looking into the bag again. The bikini was red, typical.
"You haven't changed all that much since High School and I've been to several lingerie stores to shop with you, remember," Lucas whispered in her ear, making her red cheeks get even deeper as she blushed. "Now go change."
Brooke took the bag and walked towards the changing area. The bikini fit, but it was also skimpy. Not as skimpy as what she wore at the club, but skimpy enough. It suited her body well, actually. Years of shopping had given the boy good taste, that was for sure. She walked out put her clothes on the chair she was using.
"Wait, why are you dressed for work? Are you going to work!" Jamie asked worriedly, making both Brooke and Lucas' eyes bulge wide. He was loud enough for everyone to hear. Lucas grabbed Jamie in his arms and took Brooke's hand to get them to the side. They needed to talk to Jamie.
Nobody but Sam understood what Jamie had said or why the family had run to the corner that way, but they kept their questions to themselves.
"Jamie, honey, remember what I had told you. You can never talk about Mommy's work otherwise Mommy will land in a whole lot of trouble," Brooke said to her son. She felt so bad for him, that he had to see that.
"Yeah, but I saw you in those clothes and I thought we were going to your office," Jamie said, not finding any fault of his. "Did I get you in trouble, Mommy?!"
"No, no, my love. Everything is fine. I know, it can be confusing. Just never mention anything about mom working, okay? Ever. Can you do that?" she asked.
"Okay," he replied, grateful that he wasn't in trouble.
"But you aren't going to office, right?" he clarified.
"No honey. I am not working today. This is to come in the pool with you," she smiled at her son.
"So you will come?" he asked, his face cracking into a smile.
"Yes! Come on!" she said and walked back with Jamie. Karen gave her a curious look, but Brooke refused to meet her eyes and focused on the ground in front of her instead. Lucas was the first to enter and then Brooke sat on the ledge, dipping her legs in, so that she could help Jamie in.
"Are you ready, bud?" she asked.
"N-No!" he whined.
"Don't worry dweeb. It's scary in the beginning but it gets fun. See, I'm learning too," Sam said, as she did a funny swim towards her family.
"Okay, I'm going to lower you in, but Daddy is going to catch you. He will not let you go, okay? So you have nothing to worry about," Brooke coached.
"Daddy?" Jamie called unsurely.
"I'm right here and I will hold you. I promise," he said and Brooke helped him in.
Jamie felt scared but his parents were right. His father did not let go of him.
"Mommy! Come here!" he called, still scared of the water.
Brooke slid into the pool and swam to where Lucas and Jamie were bobbing in the water. Jamie smiled when Brooke reached them. "Are you okay, little man?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Okay, are you ready to learn?" Lucas asked.
"I don't know."
"Relax. Your mom and I are both here with you. When we're there with you, nothing can happen to you, okay? We will keep you safe, I promise," Lucas said and his words seemed to affect Brooke more than Jamie. She watched him assure their son and felt the words assuring herself, that was until she reminded herself that the world was out to get her and she could only depend on herself. So, she locked her heart and returned her focus to Jamie and Sam.
"Penelope! What are you doing in the pool!" somebody called out suddenly. Everyone turned around to see a woman holding a pile of pool towels standing and looking angrily at Brooke.
"Now who's Penelope?" Liz asked, still confused by the multiple names. Sam could not keep up with it either and pretended to drown so that Liz would help her instead. All their lies were catching up to them.
Brooke quickly swam out and went towards the girl. Thankfully, it was Marcia, her friend who had got her the job at the hotel in the first place.
"Marcia, hi. This is not what it looks like. I am not using hotel amenities without permission, I was invited by a guest," she said, nodding towards Lucas.
"Wait, didn't you tell me that you quit that job?" Marcia asked, instantly guessing that Brooke was there as a stripper.
Brooke understood her drift of thoughts and let her run with it. "Yeah, I tried, but housekeeping wasn't enough to pay the bills so I began working at the club again."
"But seriously, you started finding clients here again?" she asked. She had met Marcia at the hotel when she had come in several times as the entertainment for the night.
"Hey, whatever pays, am I right?" Brooke replied.
"But wait, isn't that your son, Jamie with the hot guy who hired you?" she asked.
"It's really complicated, Marcia. Trust me. The lesser you know, the better. Just please will you not tell the Manager or Grace or anybody that I am here, please," she requested.
"Fine, your secret is safe with me, but Penelope, you really need to stop getting your son around to see your hook ups. I'm surprised that the guests don't mind and are actually playing with them? How are you trusting a stranger to be with your son? That is actually really messed up."
"Umm, actually I am not here as a stripper today either. Yes, I still work at the club, but I am legitimately off today and no, my son is not with a stranger. He is with his father," Brooke came clean.
"What! No! Shut up! Shut up! Oh my God! They look like two peas in a pod if you slap your dimples on that man. Your baby daddy is one fine looking man! When did this happen! Why didn't you tell me! Wait, hasn't he been living in this hotel? I've seen him around! Does he know you work here? And there?"
"Yes, he does. He doesn't like it, but he has to deal with it. It's all new. He's still wrapping his brains around the fact that he has a father. It's all too overwhelming so please don't ask me to explain everything right now. Just, please don't tell anyone that I'm here," Brooke came clean.
"Is he a drug addict or an alcoholic? Hits women?" Marcia asked.
"What! No!" Brooke replied, shocked to hear her say that.
"Then why aren't you with him, girl? And why did you keep your son away from him?" she asked.
"Because he is madly and deeply in love with my best friend since pre-school," Brooke replied, shutting her up.
"Yikes. You cheated on your best friend?"
"No, they cheated on me, twice and then I didn't cheat but they just broke up and I slept with him and got pregnant but he proposed to her and you can see how complicated it is," Brooke replied.
"Yikes, not even a woman abuser. Damn, where are all these men when I go looking?" Marcia sighed. "Is he really engaged to your best friend?"
"Yes," Brooke lied. She did not want to explain her situation.
"God, how did the best friend not pull your hair out?"
"She doesn't know about Jamie yet," Brooke replied, closing her eyes.
"There's the drama! Okay, I need to take these to wash. You enjoy up here with your two-timing baby daddy. At least you know you're the girl on the side. Eh, they really don't make decent men anymore. See ya," she said and left.
Brooke sighed and returned to the pool. "All okay?"
"Yep. Marcia is a friend. She got me this job here. She won't rat me out," Brooke replied but she struggled to shake off her words, 'At least you know you're the girl on the side.'