Julian's POV
Julian's office
One day later
Only with difficulty I had dragged myself to work this time. But there were decisions to make on how to proceed with the film project. If we wanted to do a TV series from the book, then the script had to be completely rewritten. Something that would take a lot of time and would also require creativity and inventiveness. But right now, my mind was completely occupied with other things, mainly about Brooke's pregnancy and the question what we could do to save our baby this time. What happened 5 years ago couldn't happen again. For the afternoon, we had an appointment with Brooke's gynecologist, and I looked forward to it with an anxious feeling. When the door opened, I looked up. "Hi Mom! What are you doing here?"
"What's that of a greeting?" She frowned. "Don't you want to hug me?"
Slowly I got up and walked around my desk and hugged her briefly. "So, once again...What are you doing here?" I asked her again.
"Haven't your father told you that I was coming to Tree Hill?" She asked irritated.
"Yes, he told me," I said, trying not to show that her presence rather disturbed than pleased me.
"Actually, I wanted to go straight to your house, but your dad said it would be better if I go to your office first." She laughed mockingly. "That's ridiculous! As if I were some acquaintance of yours and not your mother." She looked down at her perfectly painted fingernails. "Brooke surely won't mind if I live at her place for a few days."
It was not a question but a statement, and I wondered how I could gently tell her that it wasn't the right time for a visit. But she didn't even let me finish speaking.
"When I had learned about the little boy and your plans to adopt him, I wanted to go to Tree Hill right away. You can rest assured that I will support you and Brooke in everything," she said determined. "The poor girl! I can imagine what she is going through right now. "
"Since when are you such a Brooke fan?" I blurted out without thinking and got an indignant look from her.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. "Didn't I accept her as a daughter-in-law when you came to us and told us about your rash wedding? Believe me, Julian, every other mother would have reacted quite differently. Especially since I've known her from before and knew what kind of lifestyle she had lived."
My patience was at an end. I clenched my fist and hit it with force on the desk, causing her to flinch. "Oh shut up!" I snapped. "Don't pretend that you did me a favor with accepting Brooke as my wife! And I don't believe a word that you feel pity for her. You don't even know what that word means!" I knew I was doing her wrong, but it was still that I just saw red when she talked bad about my wife. I had gotten so angry that I started to tremble. And when I noticed tears in my eyes I turned away from her.
"Julian..."
When she placed her hand on my shoulder, I couldn't hold back tears any longer. I knew it had nothing to do with my mother, but with Brooke's and our current situation. But she couldn't know about it, and of course she was referring it to herself.
"I'm sorry!" She said in a low voice. "I didn't know that I'm so unwelcome here. I'll just pack my things and leave."
As she turned to go, I reached for her arm. "Mom, wait!" I wiped my eyes and looked at her with a serious expression. It was time she learned the truth. "It has nothing to do with you," I said reluctantly. "Yesterday, Brooke found out that she's pregnant, and..." I couldn't finish my sentence when my mother let out a yell and hugged me.
"Oh Julian! That's wonderful news! No wonder you're so confused, "she said excitedly.
She hugged me tighter, and I felt even worse. Carefully I freed myself from her embrace. "No, it's not wonderful news," I said in a low voice. "Brooke had been pregnant before and had suffered a miscarriage. And there is a high possibility that she will lose this baby now as well." I could tell that my words had really shocked her, because she was staring at me with wide eyes.
"Brooke had been pregnant before?" She stammered, then looked up at me. "When had that been?"
From her expression, I could tell she had guessed the truth.
"5 years ago," I confirmed her suspicions.
When she looked at me, I could see in her eyes what she was feeling right now: Shock, guilt and compassion. She knew now that my first time with Brooke hadn't been without consequences, and she sensed it was her fault that we had been separated at that time. "We'll have an appointment with her gynecologist later," I went on quickly. "Then maybe we'll learn more." I raised my head and looked at her desperately. "She can't lose this baby! She won't be able to cope with another miscarriage... and me neither," I added.
"Julian, I'm so sorry! It must be terrible to live with this uncertainty. Can I do anything to help?"
I shook my head slowly. "Not right now. But do you understand now, why your visit is just a bit inconvenient at the moment?"
"Of course, I understand it. But please, don't send me away, Julian! I don't want to leave you and Brooke alone. I'm staying in the hotel and you can call me anytime if you need my help, if that's okay for you?"
Instead of giving her an answer, I simply put my arms around her. And as she hugged me and stroked my hair, I felt like the little boy again she'd often consoled before she had succumbed to alcohol.
"It's going to be okay," she muttered softly.
I needed to be strong for Brooke, but I knew I could show weakness towards my mother. It wasn't the first time she saw me crying. And so I put my head on her shoulder and cried.
Brooke's POV
Brooke's house
Restless and anxious and with a pounding heart, I sat on the sofa, waiting for my belly to cramp and then watching the blood trickling down my legs as it had happened when I had suffered the miscarriage. Since I knew I was pregnant, I hardly dared to move, afraid to lose this baby as well. Julian had gone to work, and although I had assured him that I was fine, I wished that he was with me now. I looked at the clock. There were still hours until the appointment with my doctor, and I knew that I couldn't sit on the sofa all the time. Carefully, I got up and walked to the phone, with my arms around my belly, to call Haley. Luckily she answered after the first ring.
"Hi Brooke! Everything okay?"
She seemed to suspect why I was calling, and though I had intended to be brave, I suddenly burst into tears.
"Okay, don't move! I'm coming over."
She hung up so fast that I couldn't say anything anymore, but was just staring at the receiver in confusion. It took almost half an hour before she showed up. And again she had Peyton with her.
"Hey sweetie!" Peyton said in greeting and hugged me. "What happened?"
"You did the test, right?" Haley asked.
I nodded. "You were right," I sobbed. "I'm pregnant!"
"Congratulations?" Peyton said uncertainly.
"I assume you told Julian?" Haley asked, frowning.
I nodded. "Immediately after I had taken the test," I confirmed. "And now he also knows the reason why I had the miscarriage back then. I told him everything."
"What are you going to do now?" Peyton asked.
"I have an appointment with my gynecologist this afternoon. Julian believes they might be able to do something to prevent a miscarriage this time, because the medicine is five years further, "I said, looking at them seriously. "I hope so much that he's right."
"And how are you feeling now?" Haley asked worriedly.
"Now that I know I'm pregnant, I feel all the symptoms, too," I said, grimacing. "This morning I felt sick and my breasts hurt. And I'm so tired all the time, though I just got up. And this morning, for the first time, I ate a toast with chocolate cream and gherkins."
"Bah, that's disgusting!" Peyton wrinkled her nose. "I hope I won't eat something like that when I'm pregnant."
Haley laughed. "Everything is completely normal." She became serious again. "Are you calling us after your doctor's appointment?"
I nodded. "I'm glad you're here. I don't know when Julian will be back, but I can't stand being alone."
"It's understandable. This whole situation reminds you of when you had suffered the miscarriage," Haley said sympathetically. "You don't need to be afraid. We are here for you, if you need us."
Peyton nodded in confirmation. "One call, and we're on the spot right now."
"And don't worry about Justin. He can stay with us as long as he wants, "Haley said. "Jamie considers him as a little brother." She grinned. "He told him a bedtime story last night." She sighed softly. "The two are so cute together. It'll break his heart when Justin has to leave."
Justin! I had been so busy with myself that I completely had forgotten about him. "We'll pick him up later after the doctor's visit," I said hastily.
"No, that's okay. He can stay with us for a while. Like I said, Jamie is happy about his 'little brother'." Haley grinned. "And he's only a half year older than Justin."
I nodded and stifled a yawn. "Sorry," I mumbled, holding my hand quickly over my mouth. "I could sleep all the time."
"Then go to bed and sleep," Haley suggested. "Peyton and I stay here for a while, so you're not alone."
I got up and hugged both. "You are really the best friends that anyone could hope to have," I said, deeply touched. I smiled gratefully at the two of them, before I went into the bedroom and lay down on the bed. I had been awake all night brooding, but now I was so tired that it didn't take long to fall asleep.