K Darblyne - Unbroken Season 1

Relieved by the tot’s decision, two pairs of eyes met as a silent prayer of thanksgiving was sent on its way.

Randi stood up and winked at her sister, “We’d better get going before she changes her mind.” She chuckled to herself, “I think you two have better things to be doing right now then taking care of child for the next couple of days.”

“Thanks, Randi.” Brooke nodded at the thought as she stood up. Walking her sister to the door, she held tightly onto Sam’s hand.

“Well, thanks for the day of shopping. Remind me to do the same for you when you have kids.” With the ease of a veteran, the lawyer grabbed the assortment of bags and boxes from the floor and headed out the door that her husband held open. “I’ll call you next week, Brooke, maybe we can have lunch.”

“Hey, Brian.” Brooke waited for the man to turn around. “I think you might need these.” She dropped the keys to the van into his waiting hand.

“Oh yeah,” Brian laughed, “I guess you want your keys back, too.” He reached into his pocket and pulled them out. “Thanks for letting me remember what it felt like before the kids.” He winked at his sister-n-law and tossed her set back.

Brooke stood out on the porch with Sam neatly tucked under her arm as they watched the trio head toward their van. When they were almost to the passenger door, Julie turned around and raced back toward the house. Brooke could feel both of their bodies stiffen.

“Sam…Sam…” little arms reached up for the woman to lift her up.

The blonde exchanged glances with her lover, then reached down to lift the child into her arms. “What’s up, Sweetie?”

“Bye, Sam, I wuv you.”

The young woman bit her lip as the start of a tear formed in her eye, “I love you, too Julie.

“I pwomise to leave Teddy at home next time.”

Sam smiled at the child’s sincerity, “Okay, Sweetums, next time.” Sam winked, then gave Julie a hug. After a few seconds, Sam looked into the youngster’s face, “Whatcha looking at Babe?” Sam turned to see Julie’s outstretched hand toward Brooke, “Oh, your big playmate, huh?” She stepped closer to her lover as Brooke wrapped her arms around them both.

“I wuv you Aunt Bwooke. I sorry I turn dat banket pink. It was Teddy’s fault, he needed a bath.”

“It’s okay, Angel. I love you, too.” Brooke smiled down at her niece as she felt the little arms wrap around her neck in a hug.

“Sam, can you tell da baby bye when she wakes up?” Julie looked back at the blonde.

The woman smiled as she looked up to Brooke then back to Julie and nodded, “Yes, I’ll tell the baby when she wakes up.”

“Julie…” Randi called out. “Time to go.”

“Okay, Mommy.” The tot turned back to her babysitters, “I godda go now. I wuv you.” Julie gave each woman a very wet kiss and hugged each one again before leaving.

“Love you, Pumpkin.” Sam kissed the tyke and placed her feet back on the ground. “You be careful.”

Julie nodded, then took off down the driveway, “Coming, Mommy.”

Sam watched as the child ran toward the van. Both women stood mesmerized as they watched Brian put the child into her car seat and the van slowly pulled away.

Brooke leaned her arm against the doorframe and then put her head against it. Together they each waved as the van drove off.

The young woman tightened her hold on her lover’s waist as they both sighed in unison.

“Well, it’s over.” Brooke wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulder and leaned into her as the taillights of the van disappeared from sight.

“Yep.” Sam looked up into Brooke’s eyes.

“She’s gone.”

“Yeah, the house is quiet again.” Sam watched as Brooke moved away from her, shoving both hands into her front jeans pockets. Then she leaned back against the door.

“Yeah,” Brooke left out a disgusted sigh. “So…”

Sam studied her lover for a moment, then looked deep inside of herself, at her own feelings of loss. It seemed pretty evident as to why. The blonde walked over to Brooke and gave her a little nudge. “So…when do you want to start?”

Blue eyes lifted as Brooke looked into Sam’s face. Seeing the hopeful expression on the woman’s face was all that the musician needed to smile.

“…You give me strength to Crush, crumble anything… Break down any steel door, see through every sting… “

Nimble fingers moved over the keys as Brooke typed out her inquiry. When the sound of the pecking finally stopped, the dark-haired woman sat there, skimming over the content again. Allowing her mind to wander, Brooke was soon immersed in her thoughts about what the future would hold. The musician remained in that dream world for a few moments, until the pain from biting her lower lip brought her back to the screen before her. She read through it very quickly once more, then deciding that she was satisfied with what she had written. The woman nodded, confirming her commitment to her plan. With the stroke of one key, the E-mail was sent off to numerous businesses as blind copies.

Delighted with herself, Brooke pushed the keyboard back under her desk. Moving closer to the screen, she maximized her favorite window and sighed. “Yep, it may not be the whole kit and caboodle but it’s the closest that I’m gonna get. I’ll accept that if everyone else will.” She shook her head, chastising herself. Like I have the deciding vote here. Yeah, right.

The overpowering urge to lay her eyes on the one person in the whole world that could make all her dreams come true forced Brooke from her chair and across the hall to where Sam was napping. The tall woman stood in the doorway for a moment or two while her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit bedroom. The features of her lover were barely visible in the light cast by the lone candle burning on the nightstand, but it was enough for Brooke’s body to start reacting.

Whether it was just her nature to be so intense with her convictions or the pull that the small blonde had over her, it didn’t matter. What did matter was that Brooke knew how deeply she needed Sam’s love. Just thinking that there could ever be a time that they may not be together nearly brought the musician’s world crashing down around her. She could feel her chest tightening, her lungs gasping for air, and the unbearable feeling of emptiness sweeping over her just thinking about it. If at any time in her life she had considered herself as strong, independent, and not needing of anything, it wasn’t now. This long Thanksgiving weekend had proven that to her in more ways than she cared to deal with.

Her mind raced over the last few days, picking out highlights of the events that had taken place.

“I…I thought it would be nice, you know…to have my parents meet your Aunt.” Brooke held on to Sam’s hand, “I figured since all my sisters know, we might as well make it a bit more official and let the families meet.” Brooke let Sam’s hand slip from her own as she hopped up onto the counter, then sat with her arms braced on the edge, looking down at her legs swinging back and forth. The tall woman grew very quiet for a moment, then let her eyes roam around the room. “You know…maybe tell Dad about us.” Blue eyes glanced briefly in Sam’s direction. “What do ya say?”

“I guess I just never thought that we’d be doing this. I mean…” Sam’s smile got bigger, realizing how good it felt to have someone in her life. “It feels kind of nice to be out in the open about our relationship.”

The taller woman drew Sam into an embrace and kissed the top of her blonde head. “Yes, it does.” Brooke laid her cheek against Sam’s head and they stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of love that surrounded them.

“Do you think he’ll still like me…I mean…after he knows?” Sam’s shyness was evident.

“Are you kidding?” Brooke’s face broke into a beaming smile. “He’ll absolutely love you.”

The tall woman stood gazing at Sam and nodded her head as she muttered softly under her breath, “And you were worried. I knew he’d love you.” Brooke smiled as she remembered her father’s concern for her happiness and his round about way of talking to her.

“Your mother seems to think that I need to talk to you, Brooke.” Henry swiveled his chair to face her. “So, how’s life lately?”

“Life…” Brooke smiled, “Life is wonderful.”

“And work…Is your company doing alright?” He asked, studying her closely.

“Work is great. In fact, Peter starts working for me after the first of the month.”

“So, what’s up with you doing all this…” Henry looked for the right word to use, “…stuff,” he coughed, “for C.C.’s roommate?”

Brooke sat up, looking rather perplexed, “Stuff? What stuff? Do you mean the birthday party?”

“Yes, the party at your house, the band coming together, all the running around to take her places. Those things…and well, like today.”

“Today…” Brooke thought for a moment, “Today is not for her, Dad. Today is actually for me.”

“Where are you going here, Brooke? How is today for you?”

“Dad,” Brooke leaned forward in her seat, “I love her and she loves me.”

Brooke’s thoughts fast forwarded to the Thanksgiving dinner and the impression that she believed cemented in everyone’s mind how they would view the newly proclaimed couple from that moment on.

Julie knelt in Sam’s lap and got right up into Brooke’s face, her hands resting on her hips. “Do you like her?”

Brooke spoke without hesitation, “Yes, a lot.”

The tot turned her face toward Sam, and leaned in to touch their foreheads together. “Do you like her?” Julie pointed to her Aunt Brooke.