Chapter 183: The River Court
Monday, January 16th, Late Morning
It wasn't usual for him to have the kids and grandkids, so he was a bit overwhelmed. So, he packed them all into his veteran SUV and went to the River Court.
Saying the trip to the River Court was an easy task, would be a lie. Two of the four are teenagers with a day off from school. After two acts of congress, threats of cold water, but it finally came down to pulling one out of bed. She was awake once her butt hit the floor.
At the River Court, Lucas Scott took his two grandkids, Naomi "Nomi" Scott, and her little brother Ellis Scott, to the court. The two of them were out with their basketballs.
Lucas looked over to see his daughter, Sawyer Scott, decided to take to napping on a nearby picnic table. Her best friend, Kendall "Keni" Stafford, was also leaning against the same picnic table, also trying to nap.
Shaking his head, he turned to watch the grandkids. Ellis is working on his dribbling and footwork, which wasn't bad for a six-year-old. Lucas looked over to Nomi, who was shooting. Nodding, Lucas, was glad about how she's progressing with her skills. Whoever would be coaching her, if she stayed playing, would have a good player.
Before Lucas could do anything else, his smartphone rang. He dug through his coat to pull out the smartphone and answered it.
"Hello Candi, you're up early," Lucas said.
"Haven't gone to bed, yet, Dad, just got off shift," Dr. Candace "Candi" Scott, MD, said.
"Well, you should be sleeping and not talking to me," Lucas said.
"Well, Sawyer asked if you called me, and that was two weeks ago," Candi said.
"Yeah," Lucas said, with a sigh, "We need to talk, but when you're awake."
"Well, that's the other thing I needed to do, is ask you something," Candi said.
"Oh yeah, what would that be?" Lucas asked.
"On the twenty-eighth, I'm coming out with a few friends for a visit, could you open the Carriage House up?" Candi asked.
"Who's coming out with you?" Lucas asked.
"Fawn, and my roommate Madyson," Candi said.
"I'll get your apartment opened up for Y'all. Do you need a car and the kitchen stocked?" Lucas said.
"I don't know, can I get back to you?" Candi asked.
"Sure, just don't take too long," Lucas said, and looked over to Nomi, "Nomi, lower your elbow."
"At the River Court with the kids?" Candi asked.
"Yeah," Lucas said.
"Just the little ones?" Candi asked.
"I have all four," Lucas said, "Just no LK."
"So, what is my sister doing?" Candi asked.
"They're teenagers, on a three-day weekend," Lucas said.
"She's up working out?" Candi asked.
"No, Sawyer and Keni are sleeping," Lucas said, "Not everyone is like you."
Candi chuckled, "Well, I'm the exception, I guess," she said.
"You always were Candace Lynn," Lucas said.
"Well, I have to go, Dad," Candi said.
"See you soon, Candi," Lucas said.
"See you soon, Dad," Candi said and hung up.
Lucas sighed and put his smartphone back into his jacket pocket. He turned to see Keni and Sawyer still napping. Shaking his head, Lucas turned back to the grandkids and their basketball drills.
Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and watched the stream of his breath. Before he could do something else, his smartphone rang again. He sighed and reached in his jacket pocket and retrieved his phone again.
"Hey, Brooke," Lucas said.
"Are you looking after the kids?" Brooke asked.
"Yes, Brooke, the grandkids are playing with their basketballs," Lucas said.
"Sawyer and Keni?" Brooke asked.
"Hold on," Lucas said, and took the phone away from his ear, and took a picture. He texted it to Brooke, "I just sent a picture that would explain everything."
"Hold on," Brooke said, then he heard her laughing, "Are Keni and Sawyer sleeping on a picnic table?"
"They're teenagers with a three-day weekend," Lucas said.
"You didn't leave them home, sleeping?" Brooke asked.
"Nope, I dragged Sawyer out of bed, literally," Lucas said.
"So, where are they sleeping now?" Brooke asked.
"The River Court, if you haven't guessed," Lucas said.
"Which bed were they in?" Brooke asked.
"They were in their own," Lucas said.
"They've been sharing a bed every so often," Brooke said.
"You and Peyton did it until you moved in with Rachel," Lucas said.
"Oh, you know about that?" Brooke asked.
"I lived it, and Peyton told me once," Lucas said.
"That's different," Brooke said.
"Brooke, they've always done it. They're very close and always have been," Lucas said.
"I don't know," Brooke said.
"Look, if it's more, I'm cool with it," Lucas said, "Look, I have two daughters that are LGBTQ+."
"It's new to me," Brooke said, "and I'm not sure if Ellie qualifies."
"Well, I believe she does," Lucas said.
"Speaking of the twins," Brooke said.
"What about them?" Lucas asked.
" I heard you have this big thing going down on the thirtieth," Brooke said.
"Yeah, they want to honor my first championship team," Lucas said, "The one I coached."
"How many rings do you have?" Brooke said.
"I believe four, only one as a player," Lucas said.
"So, how many of the Scott Girls are coming back for it?" Brooke asked.
"Well, Ashlyn is here already," Lucas said.
"Is she a Scott girl?" Brooke asked.
"By marriage, so she counts," Lucas said.
"Okay," Brooke said.
"Angela and Kay have committed," Lucas said, "Also, Candi will be home that week."
"How many in each party?" Brooke asked.
"I'm not sure about Kay. Ashlyn lives here," Lucas said.
"I know that," Brooke said.
"Anyway, Angela's group is big," Lucas said.
"No doubt, who's in it?" Brooke asked.
"Herself, Jess, my mom, and Andy," Lucas said.
"Okay, and Candi?" Brooke asked.
"Two of her roommates," Lucas said.
"Okay," Brooke said.
"Brooke, what are you up to?" Lucas asked.
"Nothing," Brooke said.
"Brooke," Lucas said.
"I have all these empty rooms at Beaulieu, so why not put them up in comfort," Brooke said.
"Fine, Brooke," Lucas said.
"Also, Lucas, I want to host a dinner or breakfast for the whole team and their families," Brooke said.
"Brooke, how am I going to sell that?" Lucas asked.
"I'll leave that up to you," Brooke said.
"Brooke," Lucas said.
"Have another meeting, got to go, Lucas, bye," Brooke said and hung up the phone.
Lucas looked at his smartphone. He shook his head and placed his smartphone back in his pocket. Looking up, he saw a limo pull up. Out of the back, Lucas saw his daughter-in-law get out, a tall bald black man followed her.
Representative Isabella "Izzy" Scott, nee Adams, D-NC, walked over to Lucas. Lucas is over a half a foot taller than Izzy.
"I'd figure you'd be out here with the kids," Izzy said.
"It gets them out, and well active, except those two," Lucas said, and gestured to the sleeping Sawyer and Keni.
"Let them be, Uncle Luke," Izzy said.
Lucas nodded and looked at the black man. They smiled at each other and hugged each other in that macho man hug way.
"How are you doing, Skills?" Lucas asked.
"Not bad, Luke," Skills Taylor said.
"What were Y'all up to?" Lucas asked.
"We were at some event for MLK," Izzy said.
"Yeah, and they wheeled out the token, Dawg," Skills said.
"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked.
"Every time something involving the black community, you wheel old Skills out," Skills said, "But when a basketball thing comes up, no invite."
"Skills, I don't make the arrangements," Izzy said.
"Well, Izzy, you know I love you, but you need to clean house," Skills said.
Izzy nodded. Lucas at Skills.
"Serious?" Lucas asked.
Skills nodded. Lucas looked as Izzy walked to talk to her kids. Lucas just nodded.