Chapter 64: Beaulieu Manor
Monday, January 2nd, Evening
The Galleries were dark as the day had largely passed, and the night was upon them. She walked through the ground floor gallery admiring the works of art that hung on the walls, or the fine accent pieces that were sighted here or there.
As she neared the guest court, Brooke Davis looked out one of the large windows. The once lush grass showed the ravages of the extreme weather. This brought a frown to her face. When she moved back home, she thought she was leaving harsh winters behind. This winter turned out not to be that case.
Biter winters and the last few years could and did make the heart go cold. Brooke had to fight that, she needed to live, but the family, her family was still recovering. It was a devasting time, one thing after another happening to the extended family, and it could have broken people. It might have, still, it was too early, four years is not enough time, to tell.
"What'cha looking at Brooke?" Julian Baker asked, as he walked down the gallery, and stopped near her.
"How the weather is ruining the grass," Brooke said.
Julian walked over to the window and looked out of it. He turned to look at Brooke. "Really? I think it's more than that," he said.
"I have a lot on my mind," Brooke said and leaned on the window sill.
Julian nodded and took a position next to her in the window. He rested his hands on the sill. "What could it be?" he asked.
"Not the smoothest way to ask if I want to talk about it," Brooke said.
"I also know you'd sniff that type of fishing out a mile away," Julian said.
Brooke nodded, "Fair assessment," she said.
"It's said, uneasy is the head that wears the crown, so what is making you uneasy?" Julian asked.
"That bad?" Brooke asked.
"You hide it better than others," Julian said.
"I do neck exercises and have my tiaras specially made," Brooke replied.
Julian laughed, "I can see that," he said.
Brooke smiled, "I try," she said, but the smile soon faded, "I keep finding Sawyer sleeping in Keni's bed."
Julian nodded, "They are rather close," he said, "Have you discussed this with Lucas?"
Brooke shook her head, "No, because he's off brooding, as usual," she said.
Julian nodded, "He's always distant this time of year," he said.
"But it's getting worse," Brooke said.
"I don't think the weather is helping," Julian replied.
"You think," Brooke said.
Julian shrugged, "What's the worst it could be?" he asked.
"I don't know?" Brooke replied, "It just seems like everything is falling apart."
"That does happen," Julian said.
"It's not just Lucas being in his funk, or Sawyer sleeping in Keni's bed, or even Keith being away," Brooke said.
Julian nodded, then turned from the window to look at Brooke, "What is it then?" he asked.
"It's everything, it's nothing, it's worrying about Chase, Izzy, Trin, Tucker, and Keni. It's being worried that I spend more time with PJ, Key, BB, and Col than I do with Wyatt. Maybe it's the simple fact that I've been so strong for so long that I'm breaking down," Brooke said.
"Well?" Julian asked.
"Well? Well? Is that all you have to say?" Brooke asked.
"Yes, because I don't know what to say," Julian said.
Brooke sighed, "That's okay. What is there really to say?" she asked.
"I feel that anything I saw will be wrong," Julian replied.
Brooke nodded, and sighed, "Probably," she said, "Tucker isn't happy."
Julian nodded, "I know, he was looking forward to spending some time with Alix," he said.
Brooke nodded, "But Chris and Kayla got in the way," she said, "In some respects, Peyton as well," Brooke finished, mournfully in tone.
Julian nodded, "Yeah, but he got back at them," he said, "I like Alix, Kat's a good woman and good with her family. I'd expect Alix will be the same way with our son."
"Alix is different from Kat," Brooke said.
"You don't like Alix with Tucker?" Julian asked.
Brooke shook her head, "No, not at all. I want Tucker happy. Something I've struggled with for a long time. I'm good with him and Alix, she's a good woman," Brooke said, "Just she's different from Kat."
"He's rather taken with Alix," Julian said.
"That he is," Brooke agreed with a nod of her head.
"If he's happy with her, I'm happy," Julian said.
"From your lips to her ears," Brooke said.
Julian chuckled, "Have you seen his pitch for this video?" he asked.
"No, I've not," Brooke said.
"Let's just say it fits the song rather well," Julian said.
Brooke nodded, "Well, I can't wait to see the final product," she said.
"Me too," Julian said, "Tucker keeps surprising me with his creative visions."
"That's all thanks to you," Brooke said.
"Bullshit, you are creative," Julian said.
"I was referring to his ability to have creative visions for movies," Brooke said.
Julian nodded, "Well he learned on my sets," he said. He returned to staring out the window, his eyes scanned across the guest court, then he turned back to look at her, "Well Brooke I was right and wrong," he said.
"About what?" Brooke asked, curiously.
"You being a bad mother," Julian said.
Brooke turned to look at Julian and gave him a strange look, "Please enlighten me," she said.
Julian sighed, "When Tucker was born, I was right, you weren't in the right place to be his mother," he said, looking around the guest court again, he sighed, then continued, "But after seeing you with your daughters, I knew I was wrong."
Brooke nodded, "It's good to know," she said.
Julian nodded, "Well, I have to get some sleep, big day tomorrow," he said.
"Yes, it is," Brooke said.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Julian said.
"See you tomorrow," Brooke said.
Julian pushed away from the window and walked down the gallery. Brooke watched, shook her head and headed down the gallery in the opposite direction.