Back To The Start (One Tree Hill)

Chapter 32

Brooke's POV

Brooke's house

When there was thunder outside, I jumped in alarm and then wrapped my arms around my body. It had been raining outside for hours, and lightning flashed in the sky. I hated thunderstorms! Since I almost died recently, during such a storm, even more so. And the thought that my husband was on a plane right now, on the way back to Tree Hill, didn't make me calmer.

"Could you please lie down again?"

Ignoring my mother-in-law's request, I went to the window and looked out worriedly. "Why isn't he calling? He promised he would call before the takeoff." I looked at her anxiously. "Do you think they could even fly?"

"Stop walking around so hectically and sit down at least!"

I stopped my pacing and went back to the sofa and sat down. I knew she meant it well, but sometimes her clucky behavior just got on my nerves. Sylvia sat down next to me, reaching for my hand.

"Don't worry so much," she said quietly. "They probably are still in the middle of the negotiations and haven't had time to call."

"Or their plane crashed," it slipped out. I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth when I saw Sylvia's horrified expression. I blamed the hormones that I was currently in such a morbid mood. And the weather did the rest. I just hoped that Julian and Paul had been so reasonable to postpone the flight.

"Don't even think that, Brooke!"

I leaned back and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. "It's just that it's not long ago that Chelsea's plane crashed. And it doesn't reassure me that our men are now sitting in such a thing," I confessed.

"You're just over-sensitive right now," Sylvia said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I told Julian before he left that the time now is inconvenient to leave you alone. But he didn't want to listen to me. "

"It's about Justin's future," I defended him. "That's why he flew to L.A."

"And because his dad wanted him by his side when he talked to this TV manager about the series he and Julian are planning," she added, rolling her eyes.

It thundered outside, causing me to jump up again and ran to the window. "I know now how Julian must have felt when I was out there and he didn't know if I was alive," I muttered as I continued to stare into the impenetrable darkness.

"Brooke, get away from the window!" Sylvia had also risen and gently grabbed my arm and pulled me away. "You shouldn't run around at all," she said reprovingly. "I know, I sound like a broken record, but you know what the doctors said."

"Do you think I can lie down and sleep now while I don't know where Julian is?!" I blurted out angrily. "I don't understand that you can be so calm. Aren't you afraid?"

She nodded. "Of course I'm worried. But it's no use going crazy now, if you don't even know what happened," she said calmly. "And I don't think the plane crashed." She sighed softly. "But I also understand why you think that. But you have to remember that you can't compare a Cessna with a Boeing 747. And apart from that, driving is even more dangerous. Many more people are killed in traffic than by plane crashes. But you wouldn't stop driving because of that, right?"

I had to smile involuntarily. I knew she just wanted to help me over my fears, and I had to admit that it even worked. "You're right," I said and went back to the sofa. "They'll call." I had just lay down and had pulled the blanket over me when suddenly the door opened and Julian stood in the frame.

"Speaking of the devil," Sylvia grinned, examining her son from head to toe. His clothes were sodden with rain and water was dripping from his hair.

Nothing could hold me now. I threw back the blanket, jumped up and ran into Julian's arms. "Thank God!" I shouted in relief. "You're alive!" He frowned in confusion before he put his arms around me and kissed me.

At that moment I didn't care if my clothes got soaked. I was just happy to have him back. I don't know how long we had just stood there, hugging and kissing each other, when Sylvia cleared her throat behind us.

"I'll leave you two alone and go to my room," she said and then left.

Julian looked at me worriedly. "Are you all right? The whole time in L.A., I was worried that something might be wrong with you or the babies."

"We're fine." To prove it, I smiled and put a hand on my belly. "Your mother took good care of us." I stroked a damp strand of hair from his forehead. "What do you think about taking off your clothes and then taking a hot shower?" I suggested.

"What are you planning to do with me, Brooke Baker?" He asked, raising his eyebrows with an amused grin.

"Nothing," I replied with a chuckle. "I just don't want you to catch a cold. And when you had a shower and changed your clothes, you have to tell me what the lawyer said."

He looked around. "Is Justin there?"

I shook my head. "Jamie had invited him to an overnight bash today. Haley won't bring him back until tomorrow morning. "

"Then I have to wait, until I can tell him the good news," he said mysteriously.

My heartbeat quickened. "Good news?" I repeated mechanically, then widened my eyes as I realized what he meant by that. "Is that supposed to mean that...?" I couldn't finish my sentence when Julian began to grin broadly.

"We won, Brooke!" He confirmed. "The lawyer is already preparing the papers for the adoption. In a few days Justin will be legally our son."

Suddenly tears ran down my cheeks, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Oh, Julian," I sobbed with happiness, "that's the best news in a long time!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door opening and Sylvia joining us.

"Is there something to celebrate?" She asked, looking at us curiously.

I freed myself from Julian's arms and nodded brightly. "Justin is coming to us," I said happily. "We'll be a real family."

"Well, we have to celebrate that," she suggested and went to the fridge and took out a bottle of grape juice. "Let's clink glasses!" She filled the glasses and then handed them over to us. "To family!" She said solemnly.

I snuggled into Julian's arms. "To family and the future!" I said with a smile, clinking my glass with his.