Family first ~ a sequel

Chapter 31

"My parents?" Brooke asked talking to her self "I'm so glad you asked. My parents are the two most supportive people on the planet. Mm. If I could wrap my childhood up in a bow and give it as a gift, I would." Brooke and Julian had a meeting about a potential adoption today, and Brooke desperately wanted everything to work out.

"What, with the mother in prison and the absentee father?" Asked Julian coming up and wrapping his arms around her.

"Grandpa rang me last night, he's not MIA, he's in California." Ellie merely stated like it was nothing.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Asked Brooke

"Well he probably doesn't want to talk to you after the whole no show at the wedding stunt he pulled." Ellie shrugged "but i still don't think you should lie." She adds

"I just want it to be perfect." Brooke sighs

"I know, but just try to relax. It's only our first interview." Julian reminds

"And it could be our only." Brooke says "Do you know how crazy it is that we got a call so soon? We need to prepare."

"We need to prepare to be ourselves?" Julian tells her

"Trust me. I have been through this before." Brooke says

"Yeah, that's true, the last lady that interviewed mum was a bitch." Ellie deadpanned

"Ellie Scott." Scolded Brooke

"She was." Ellie argued

"She might've been, but that doesn't sound very nice coming out a 10 year olds mouth." Brooke tells her, turning back to Julian  "It takes some couples years to adopt. You don't get an opportunity like this every day. It's like all the stars aligned for us."

"You know, maybe we should trust the stars, then." Julian suggested

"Just promise me that you'll follow my lead today." Brooke asked

"Okay. Okay, you're the expert." Julian agreed

"Uh, one questions, if the baby's a boy, since aunt Hales is having a girl, can we swap?"'Ellie asked, Julian and Brooke just looked at her laughing.

***

Hey, aunt Hales is calling you." Ellie said to Quinn as her phone lit up. "Do you want me to get it?" Quinn was over helping Brooke to set up for Haley's baby shower.

"No, don't! Don't answer it." Quinn yelled jumping over the couch and rolling onto the floor to grab it.

"Oh!" Ellie muttered stepping back.

"Oh, she's driving me crazy." Quinn said sitting down on the couch "I need another excuse. Think."

"Um, you could say..." Brooke began

"You're smothering me!" Quinn said into the phone before quickly hanging up

"Really?" Questioned Brooke and Ellie

"Yeah, I'm not...not good at this." Quinn admitted

"No." Brooke agreed, as Julian walked into the living room.

"You ready to go El?" He asked ruffling her hair, Ellie nodded

"All right, we're headed out." Julian tells Brooke, he was taking Ellie to her little league trials. "I told Nathan and Clay I'd help coach Little League." He added

"You're gonna help coach?" Questioned Brooke raising a eye brow.

"Just because my area of expertise is more in the butterfly-catching aspect of the game does not mean I will not be an asset." Julian told her "I'll give them a pep talk during intermission."