So the original prompt for this was simply "No, we're not fine". This is actually a scene I have rewritten over 50 times and continue to rewrite for an old story I wrote in 2012. Full disclosure the character of James here is inspired by 1960s Paul McCartney. It's super dramatic, but remember I first wrote this in 2012 - I was fifteen at the time - and I tried staying true to the original idea.
Words: 590
"Brooke!" James chased his wife down the street. "Brooke, wait!"
"No!" She didn't bother looking at him, not stopping for him. I don't want to talk to you now! If you need me, I'll be at my sister's!"
"Brooke, let's talk about this."
"No."
"Everything is going to be fine. We just have to talk. I'll-"
"Are you kidding me?" She stopped and finally turned to look at him. "We're not fine. I don't think we'll ever be fine again!"
"Brooke."
"You just told your ex-wife that you're in love with her." Brooke took a deep breath. "You- you-" She stopped. "What the hell does that say about me? You're only married to me for convenience?"
"I- you- we-" James stumbled on his words, not sure of what to say.
"A good response would have been 'I'm sorry, Brooke' or 'I didn't mean it'. So the past eight years meant nothing? You never really loved me."
"No. That's not true."
"Yes, it is. If you can look me in the eyes right now and tell me you really still love her. That you're still in love with her after all he's put you through. You-" She stopped and broke down.
"Brooke." He reached for her.
"Don't you dare touch me!" She backed away.
"No, you're not. You're not sorry. Why did you marry me if you were still in love with her? Was I just a distraction?" She asked.
"No. I did love you. I loved you."
"Great. Past tense." She shook her head. "Fuck this. I deserve better. Rose always told me I did and I didn't believe her."
"Hey, come on."
"I'm going to move in with my sister. You can keep all the shit, but- this is done. Eight years. This marriage. Done."
"Stop. You're just emotional. You're not thinking straight."
"Fuck you." She looked at him, disgusted. "Do you want to know the worst part of this? I knew you never stopped being in love with her. I always had this sinking feeling in my stomach that stayed for eight fucking years. Eight years! The feeling never went away. I just hoped you'd fall in love with me and love me more, but I was so stupid."
"Just because I-" James took a deep breath. "This doesn't mean I ever loved you any less. Amanda and my marriage was broken. Neither of us were happy. I wasn't happy until I met you."
"Why are you trying to make this work? You just told her that you're still in love with her and you wish you could go back and make things work. That is what you said to her."
"I know, but-"
"But nothing, James. There is no going back from this. I'll call Jack tomorrow and-"
"Don't call Jack. Why are you getting a lawyer involved?"
"Because we're getting a goddamn divorce, James. I can't keep doing this and pretending things are fine. Things have been fucked since you gave her full custody of Melody. Which I still don't understand, but I didn't need to because I was just her step-mom."
"Brooke, stop. Stop talking about divorce and ending things. Let's sit down and talk."
"No, because you obviously want to be with Amanda. And you should be with her. You have my blessing." She nodded. "Hope she makes you happy. Goodbye, James." She started walking again.
"Will you call me when you get to Rose's? Just so I know you made it there safely?" He asked. She didn't stop walking towards the subway station.
Words: 590
"Brooke!" James chased his wife down the street. "Brooke, wait!"
"No!" She didn't bother looking at him, not stopping for him. I don't want to talk to you now! If you need me, I'll be at my sister's!"
"Brooke, let's talk about this."
"No."
"Everything is going to be fine. We just have to talk. I'll-"
"Are you kidding me?" She stopped and finally turned to look at him. "We're not fine. I don't think we'll ever be fine again!"
"Brooke."
"You just told your ex-wife that you're in love with her." Brooke took a deep breath. "You- you-" She stopped. "What the hell does that say about me? You're only married to me for convenience?"
"I- you- we-" James stumbled on his words, not sure of what to say.
"A good response would have been 'I'm sorry, Brooke' or 'I didn't mean it'. So the past eight years meant nothing? You never really loved me."
"No. That's not true."
"Yes, it is. If you can look me in the eyes right now and tell me you really still love her. That you're still in love with her after all he's put you through. You-" She stopped and broke down.
"Brooke." He reached for her.
"Don't you dare touch me!" She backed away.
"No, you're not. You're not sorry. Why did you marry me if you were still in love with her? Was I just a distraction?" She asked.
"No. I did love you. I loved you."
"Great. Past tense." She shook her head. "Fuck this. I deserve better. Rose always told me I did and I didn't believe her."
"Hey, come on."
"I'm going to move in with my sister. You can keep all the shit, but- this is done. Eight years. This marriage. Done."
"Stop. You're just emotional. You're not thinking straight."
"Fuck you." She looked at him, disgusted. "Do you want to know the worst part of this? I knew you never stopped being in love with her. I always had this sinking feeling in my stomach that stayed for eight fucking years. Eight years! The feeling never went away. I just hoped you'd fall in love with me and love me more, but I was so stupid."
"Just because I-" James took a deep breath. "This doesn't mean I ever loved you any less. Amanda and my marriage was broken. Neither of us were happy. I wasn't happy until I met you."
"Why are you trying to make this work? You just told her that you're still in love with her and you wish you could go back and make things work. That is what you said to her."
"I know, but-"
"But nothing, James. There is no going back from this. I'll call Jack tomorrow and-"
"Don't call Jack. Why are you getting a lawyer involved?"
"Because we're getting a goddamn divorce, James. I can't keep doing this and pretending things are fine. Things have been fucked since you gave her full custody of Melody. Which I still don't understand, but I didn't need to because I was just her step-mom."
"Brooke, stop. Stop talking about divorce and ending things. Let's sit down and talk."
"No, because you obviously want to be with Amanda. And you should be with her. You have my blessing." She nodded. "Hope she makes you happy. Goodbye, James." She started walking again.
"Will you call me when you get to Rose's? Just so I know you made it there safely?" He asked. She didn't stop walking towards the subway station.
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