Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Days of Our Lives or any of the components there-in.
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Under a diamond-studded sky of deep purple lay the town of Salem. It was about 8:30 PM on a summer night. The air was fragrant with the smell of romance, a scent which had everyone under it's spell. For some, this spell was merciful and splendid, but for other's it was cruel and relentless. Such was the case of one man.
Brady Black sat in his loft, engaging in his nightly stare-down with the telephone. Thoughts spun around in his head like a mixture in a blender. One of them always came to the forefront: would tonight be the night? He nervously ran a hand through his blonde hair. Could he muster up the courage to call Chloe or should he wait for her to call him? At last he was unable to stand the uncertainty. He picked up the phone and dialed the number.
He waited four long agonizing rings, and finally a voice could be heard on the other end, but it was not the voice he sought. It was a deep male voice that had within it an air of coldness and annoyance. The voice of Dr. Craig Wesley, Chloe's step-father, sounded. "Hello, you've reached the number of Craig and Nancy Wesley. We're unable to come to the phone right now, so please leave your name and number and we'll get back to you as soon as we can."
"Dammit!" said Brady, hanging up. This was just great! She wasn't even home. Or maybe the reason was because she was on her way to his loft. He hoped and prayed for this to be right.
He sat on the couch, thinking of the one little moment that had caused all of this uncertainty.
It was a beautiful day at the beach. Everyone was there. In Brady's mind, everyone included himself, his sister Belle, Belle's boyfriend Shawn, their friend Mimi, Mimi's boyfriend Kevin, Chloe of course, and her boyfriend Philip. He recalled that Shawn and Belle had gone off on their own for something romantic that Brady always laughed at. As childish as their romantic games were, he had to admit that they were cute together. Philip, Mimi and Kevin were in the water at last after about twenty minutes of begging Chloe to go with them. She refused every time they asked. She was occupied by the book she was reading. The Phantom of the Opera had always been one of her favorites. Philip offered to stay there with her, but she practically made him go with Mimi and Kevin. Half because she didn't want him to miss out on the fun, half because she didn't want the distraction. And so, at last, Chloe was alone and in the phantom's clutches.
"Hey, Chloe," said Brady, sauntering up beside her and sitting down on the blanket.
She looked up at him and smiled, closing her book. "Hi, Brady." She brushed a long strand of brown hair away from her eyes and Brady could see them in their full cat-like beauty.
He tried to make conversation. "What are you reading this time?"
She held up the book, knowing it would get a reaction out of him.
"Phantom again?" he asked. "I'd think it would lose it's touch after the first twenty reads."
She laughed. "It's only my third time," she said. "Besides, I don't think I could ever get tired of Erik's dark obsession, or the haunting beauty," she looked at him again and added, "or Raoul's undying love for Christine."
Brady recalled the musical and knew that when he started singing the song "All I Ask Of You" she couldn't help but join in. He began, "No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here, with you, beside you. To guard you and to guide you."
Chloe piped in with her operatic voice. "Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you'll need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you."
Brady began once again. "Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you."
Chloe rang out, "All I want is freedom. A world with no more night and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me."
"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me do to. Christine, that's all I ask of you."
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Say you love me....":
"You know I do."
Then both sang together, "Love me, that's all I ask of you." They seemed entranced in each other's eyes, listening to the orchestra only they could hear. Then at last they both rang out with, "Anywhere you go let me go, too. Love me, that's all I ask of you."
What happened next was totally unplanned. They moved closer to one another. They seemed like two magnets being pulled toward each other. They're lips touched in a kiss. Both knew it was wrong, but neither tried to pull away. At last it ended. Brady looked into Chloe's eyes, and he smiled. She smiled as well, but the smile soon changed to a look of fear. She rose quickly and ran toward the water. Brady watched her go. He made no attempt to chase after her. It had been two weeks since then and he hadn't heard from Chloe at all. He was wondering if he'd ever see her again.
Three swift knocks on the door yanked Brady from his dreamland. He raced to the door and saw something at the foot of it. He bent down a picked up a folded piece of paper. He opened the door, hoping to find Chloe, but saw nothing. She had run away too quickly. He closed the door and sat down with this mysterious piece of paper. He unfolded it, his hands shaking with nervousness. He read silently. When he was done, he looked up and closed his eyes. A tear of sadness rolled down his cheek. He leaned over onto his side and forced himself into a deep sleep. He didn't want to deal with things anymore.
The paper fell to the floor. A pair of watchful eyes witnessed this and the owner of those eyes now walked up to the paper. She bent down and picked up the paper. She read over it, her heart crying out for Brady. The paper read, "Dear Brady, you are one of my dearest friends, and I want things to stay like that. As much as I truly love you, I'm not in love with you. My heart belongs to Philip. I'm sorry I have to hurt you like this. It's very cowardly of me, but I couldn't bring myself to say it to your face. Please understand. Sincerely, Chloe."
Isabella looked at her son as he lay in sleep. She touched his face lightly. She ached to be able to comfort him, but she couldn't. She was no longer of the physical world. The woman looking upon her son was an angel. "My poor son," she said. "If I had it my way, your heart would never be broken."
"Isabella," came a soft English voice from behind her.
Isabella turned and saw the visage of a girl that looked about Brady's age. She was on the beautifully pale side. Her hair was long, black and wavy. Her eyes were a bright blue. "Yes, Sarah?" asked Isabella, recognizing her.
"I seem to have a solution to your son's problems," said Sarah, shyly.
"Yes?" Isabella listened eagerly.
"Well," began Sarah. "It seems as though your son is in need of a friend. I could be that friend."
"But, Sarah, what about the thirty day rule?" asked Isabella. The thirty day rule meant that any angels entering the world of the living had thirty days to stay there.
"I shall try my best to cheer him up in thirty days," she said, determined.
Isabella was relived. "Oh, Sarah!" She hugged the younger angel. "Thank you so much."
"It's no trouble at all," said Sarah with a sweet smile. She walked over to stand over Brady. She looked up at Isabella and smiled before a golden light consumed her completely. The light faded and Sarah was gone.
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NEXT TIME: Belle makes a puzzling discorvery in Brady's CD collection.
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THE MUSIC IN THIS CHAPTER:
"All I Ask Of You"
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stigloe
Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Published by The Really Useful Group Ltd.
From The Phantom of the Opera
(c) 1986 The Really Useful Group Ltd.
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Under a diamond-studded sky of deep purple lay the town of Salem. It was about 8:30 PM on a summer night. The air was fragrant with the smell of romance, a scent which had everyone under it's spell. For some, this spell was merciful and splendid, but for other's it was cruel and relentless. Such was the case of one man.
Brady Black sat in his loft, engaging in his nightly stare-down with the telephone. Thoughts spun around in his head like a mixture in a blender. One of them always came to the forefront: would tonight be the night? He nervously ran a hand through his blonde hair. Could he muster up the courage to call Chloe or should he wait for her to call him? At last he was unable to stand the uncertainty. He picked up the phone and dialed the number.
He waited four long agonizing rings, and finally a voice could be heard on the other end, but it was not the voice he sought. It was a deep male voice that had within it an air of coldness and annoyance. The voice of Dr. Craig Wesley, Chloe's step-father, sounded. "Hello, you've reached the number of Craig and Nancy Wesley. We're unable to come to the phone right now, so please leave your name and number and we'll get back to you as soon as we can."
"Dammit!" said Brady, hanging up. This was just great! She wasn't even home. Or maybe the reason was because she was on her way to his loft. He hoped and prayed for this to be right.
He sat on the couch, thinking of the one little moment that had caused all of this uncertainty.
It was a beautiful day at the beach. Everyone was there. In Brady's mind, everyone included himself, his sister Belle, Belle's boyfriend Shawn, their friend Mimi, Mimi's boyfriend Kevin, Chloe of course, and her boyfriend Philip. He recalled that Shawn and Belle had gone off on their own for something romantic that Brady always laughed at. As childish as their romantic games were, he had to admit that they were cute together. Philip, Mimi and Kevin were in the water at last after about twenty minutes of begging Chloe to go with them. She refused every time they asked. She was occupied by the book she was reading. The Phantom of the Opera had always been one of her favorites. Philip offered to stay there with her, but she practically made him go with Mimi and Kevin. Half because she didn't want him to miss out on the fun, half because she didn't want the distraction. And so, at last, Chloe was alone and in the phantom's clutches.
"Hey, Chloe," said Brady, sauntering up beside her and sitting down on the blanket.
She looked up at him and smiled, closing her book. "Hi, Brady." She brushed a long strand of brown hair away from her eyes and Brady could see them in their full cat-like beauty.
He tried to make conversation. "What are you reading this time?"
She held up the book, knowing it would get a reaction out of him.
"Phantom again?" he asked. "I'd think it would lose it's touch after the first twenty reads."
She laughed. "It's only my third time," she said. "Besides, I don't think I could ever get tired of Erik's dark obsession, or the haunting beauty," she looked at him again and added, "or Raoul's undying love for Christine."
Brady recalled the musical and knew that when he started singing the song "All I Ask Of You" she couldn't help but join in. He began, "No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here, with you, beside you. To guard you and to guide you."
Chloe piped in with her operatic voice. "Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you'll need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you."
Brady began once again. "Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you."
Chloe rang out, "All I want is freedom. A world with no more night and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me."
"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me do to. Christine, that's all I ask of you."
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Say you love me....":
"You know I do."
Then both sang together, "Love me, that's all I ask of you." They seemed entranced in each other's eyes, listening to the orchestra only they could hear. Then at last they both rang out with, "Anywhere you go let me go, too. Love me, that's all I ask of you."
What happened next was totally unplanned. They moved closer to one another. They seemed like two magnets being pulled toward each other. They're lips touched in a kiss. Both knew it was wrong, but neither tried to pull away. At last it ended. Brady looked into Chloe's eyes, and he smiled. She smiled as well, but the smile soon changed to a look of fear. She rose quickly and ran toward the water. Brady watched her go. He made no attempt to chase after her. It had been two weeks since then and he hadn't heard from Chloe at all. He was wondering if he'd ever see her again.
Three swift knocks on the door yanked Brady from his dreamland. He raced to the door and saw something at the foot of it. He bent down a picked up a folded piece of paper. He opened the door, hoping to find Chloe, but saw nothing. She had run away too quickly. He closed the door and sat down with this mysterious piece of paper. He unfolded it, his hands shaking with nervousness. He read silently. When he was done, he looked up and closed his eyes. A tear of sadness rolled down his cheek. He leaned over onto his side and forced himself into a deep sleep. He didn't want to deal with things anymore.
The paper fell to the floor. A pair of watchful eyes witnessed this and the owner of those eyes now walked up to the paper. She bent down and picked up the paper. She read over it, her heart crying out for Brady. The paper read, "Dear Brady, you are one of my dearest friends, and I want things to stay like that. As much as I truly love you, I'm not in love with you. My heart belongs to Philip. I'm sorry I have to hurt you like this. It's very cowardly of me, but I couldn't bring myself to say it to your face. Please understand. Sincerely, Chloe."
Isabella looked at her son as he lay in sleep. She touched his face lightly. She ached to be able to comfort him, but she couldn't. She was no longer of the physical world. The woman looking upon her son was an angel. "My poor son," she said. "If I had it my way, your heart would never be broken."
"Isabella," came a soft English voice from behind her.
Isabella turned and saw the visage of a girl that looked about Brady's age. She was on the beautifully pale side. Her hair was long, black and wavy. Her eyes were a bright blue. "Yes, Sarah?" asked Isabella, recognizing her.
"I seem to have a solution to your son's problems," said Sarah, shyly.
"Yes?" Isabella listened eagerly.
"Well," began Sarah. "It seems as though your son is in need of a friend. I could be that friend."
"But, Sarah, what about the thirty day rule?" asked Isabella. The thirty day rule meant that any angels entering the world of the living had thirty days to stay there.
"I shall try my best to cheer him up in thirty days," she said, determined.
Isabella was relived. "Oh, Sarah!" She hugged the younger angel. "Thank you so much."
"It's no trouble at all," said Sarah with a sweet smile. She walked over to stand over Brady. She looked up at Isabella and smiled before a golden light consumed her completely. The light faded and Sarah was gone.
-----------------------------------------------------
NEXT TIME: Belle makes a puzzling discorvery in Brady's CD collection.
-----------------------------------------------------
THE MUSIC IN THIS CHAPTER:
"All I Ask Of You"
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stigloe
Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Published by The Really Useful Group Ltd.
From The Phantom of the Opera
(c) 1986 The Really Useful Group Ltd.