K Darblyne - Unbroken Season 1

“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.

The dark-haired woman looked down at her plate, not wanting to put Sam in an uncomfortable position when she realized that everyone else’s eyes were riveted on the blonde.

“Well, yes…but…” Sam looked away from Julie and let her gaze fall on the woman beside her. “I more than like her. I love her.”

Hearing the words, Brooke slowly raised her head and looked over to Sam with a smile on her face. “And I love Sam, Julie.”

Sam reached her hand over to Brooke’s and held on to it tightly. “There’s a big difference between liking and loving, Julie. In loving, you do it with your whole body and soul…not just words.”

Brooke quickly fast forwarded to her reply and came away with that same tingling, yet self-satisfying feeling that had enveloped both her body and soul that evening.

“She’s right, Julie. It’s more than just being around someone for a short time. It’s a lifetime commitment. One that you’d willingly make and never look back on with regret.” Brooke’s gaze that had started out on her niece now ended staring into the inviting green eyes of her lover. “And I love Sam with my whole body, heart, and soul. There’s never another that I’d want, or would need to make my world complete.”

The warmth of that moment spread through Brooke’s body again, just like she knew it would every time she bought it back to her mind. There was something special about that brief period of time. Deep in her heart, the dark-haired woman knew that their love had been declared in no uncertain terms to all whom had been present. God, Sam…what I wouldn’t give to be the ice cream in your bowl for the rest of my soul’s lifetimes.

Veiled in the shadows of the doorway, Brooke listened to the rhythm of Sam’s breathing as she slept. It was as soothing to the tall woman’s soul as was the toast that her father had made at the dinner.

In the moment of silence that loomed over the room, Henry rose to the occasion as he cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to himself. “I propose a toast.” He raised his glass, then looked to Terri and Rick. “To new life…” he turned to Brooke and Sam, holding his glass up to them, “…to new love. May our family grow bigger and thankful for the love that a child…” Henry let out a chuckle, then corrected himself, “Well, actually two children have shown us here tonight.”

Feeling the moisture gathering in her eyes, the musician wiped them before the drops could form. God, that meant so much to me. I bet they were all thinking that he was referring to Julie and Terri’s unborn child. Brooke’s mind played back the scene that happened right after everyone started to spread the toast through out the table.

After offering up the toast and listening to the youngest member of the assembled family, Henry raised the wineglass to his own lips and drank a sip before turning to look at his wife. Leaning down, he bestowed a delicate kiss on her cheek. The look of love twinkled in their eyes as they glanced first to each other, then out over the people gathered at the table. As if planned, the couple left their seats and moved around the table, smiling readily at their gathered family members and nodding to friends.

Brooke was the first to feel the touch of her father’s hand on her shoulder and turned to look at the man. He leaned in to her and whispered. “I can see that love you were talking about.” His eyes glanced lovingly toward Sam. “Thank you for sharing it with all of us.”

Before the woman could do anything more than smile subtly and nod, her father’s hand slipped from her shoulder as he continued around the table to where Terri was standing. Brooke watched her father as he duplicated the same touch with his hand on Terri’s shoulder and leaned in to whisper softly so no one else would hear. Again, he didn’t wait for a reply, but continued on back toward his seat. Terri seemed to glow when she leaned in, resting her head on Rick’s shoulder, her hand gently resting on her abdomen.

The rush of warmth that flowed through Brooke’s body was unbelievable as she felt small, delicate fingers lacing into hers. Their shared glance was enough for both as Brooke lightly squeezed Sam’s hand in hers. This Thanksgiving was truly special, and Brooke readily earmarked it for a special place in her memory.

Brooke took in a deep breath and resigned herself to working on things that were closer at hand, in this lifetime to be exact. She took a lingering look at the blonde nestled sweetly on the bed with the afghan thrown over her, then silently closed the door and moved back across the hall to her office.

Settling into her high-backed leather chair, Brooke retrieved the phone number of her long-time friend and set her call in motion. She looked down at her watch with the first sound of ringing. “Hmm…She’s young, she should still be up,” Brooke mumbled when she considered the time. The ringing continued until the phone was picked up.

“Humphreys’ here. Whatcha want?” The woman’s voice sounded distracted.

“Nice to talk to you, too.” Brooke paused for a few seconds before greeting her friend in her usual manner. “What’s up, Janet?”

“Brooke?” The woman sounded surprised, “Hey, don’t tell me that it’s time to celebrate again?” There was the sound of muffled laughter. “How old are we this year?”

“Well, we’re going to be thirty-one, but who’s counting.”

“I am for one, or did you forget that we’re the same age?” Janet paused then sounded a little puzzled. “Hey, wait a minute. We just did that a couple of months ago.” The sound of pages flipping wildly came over the phone. “Yeah, we did,” the woman chuckled, “in June.”

The dark-haired woman joined in the laughter. “And they told me you were losing it,” she teased.

“So why the call?” Janet paused before she did a little teasing of her own. “What’s the matter, no big stars to promote or did you just want to harass someone and my name was next on your list?”