The Bridge/Ch 11
Betty's eyes grew wide as Daniel continued whispering things in her ear she had only ever heard on the movies (or sometimes in her sister's room).
She had certainly not heard anything like that from Walter. Daniel was also much more aggressive in how his hands seemed to be all over her body, as well.
She felt a bit...overwhelmed. On one hand, she was well aware that her compliment had spurred Daniel on to assume she was ready to (and she personally hated this expression, but 'take things to the next level').
Still, having the city's most notorious 'bachelor of the year' coming on to her was quite another thing.
Especially someone as young and inexperienced as Betty. Not to mention, not used to any men other than Walter necessarily even seeming attracted to her.
His kisses and hands were making her feel like she was on fire right now. But still...she had to stop this, right?
He couldn't actually be thinking they were going to really do something here outside... under the Peter Pan statue? That was just...crazy!
She felt his hands going up under the back of her shirt and starting to unfasten her bra. "God...Betty, I want you so bad, baby..."he whispered in her ear.
She gulped and felt as if her eyes must surely be bugging out like a cartoon character at this point. Daniel Meade...wanted her? Oh my GOD!
She didn't know if she should giggle, jump up and down and start singing the Hallelujah Chorus or just take pictures so she could remember this moment forever and evah!
But Betty was also still far too shy to consider really going through with public sex, so she hesitantly, reluctantly, ever so slowly, pulled away, and whispered, "Daniel...we're outside! We can't do anything out here! We'll get arrested!"
He murmured, "I know, I know. I'll slow down. In a minute, I promise. Sorry, honey, I just got carried away that's all. You're so sexy and your lips are so..."
Betty had often heard (and had even read in Sofia's book) how your words can have power. If that were indeed true, she would come to regret her little declaration later, as she saw a police officer now walking up to them, shaking his head,
"Excuse me! You two need to take that inside somewhere. This is a public park! There could be children here."
Daniel seemed annoyed, and a bit frustrated, "At eleven o'clock? They should be in bed!"
"Apparently, so should you and your girlfriend, mister."
Daniel seemed indignant, "Do you have any idea who I am?"
Betty was extremely embarrassed now, especially since Daniel's 'magic hands' had managed to unhook her bra just prior to the policemen interrupting them.
She was bright red; even in the relative darkness under only the park lights she could feel her cheeks warming, "Daniel! Sh! Don't say anything! Of course, Officer! We'll go now. We're so sorry. It won't happen again, we promise."
The man squinted, looking at Daniel closely, then pointed to him, smiling, "Oh, yeah, I do know who you are! You're that guy whose dead brother just came out as a woman! Then had your old man arrested for murdering his mistress! Whoa! And I thought I had a messed up family!"
Daniel didn't even think twice; he leaped off the bench and tackled the policemen to the ground, while Betty tried to pull him up, "STOP! Daniel, oh my God! Please stop! You're going to get in trouble."
Another older policeman saw what was going on and ran over to pull Daniel off his partner. "Hey, buddy, what the hell's your problem?"
After several hours at the police station, Daniel's mother came. Betty jumped up when she saw the matriarch, "Mrs. Meade! I'm so sorry to bother you, but...Daniel got really upset. He's been arrested for assaulting an officer, I'm afraid.
The uh...young man who was speaking to us was a rookie and he spoke to Daniel about...well your family situation and it just set him off."
Claire nodded wearily and put her arm around Betty, re-assuring her, "It's alright, Betty. I heard the rather animated version from Daniel already when he called.
By the way, I called your sister and let her know that you and Daniel were both tired and had a bit too much to drink when you were visiting me and I advised you to spend the night at the house.
I assured her that there are plenty of guest rooms, so she said she would cover for you with your father, not to worry. Just call her as soon as you woke up in the morning"
"Thank you, Mrs. Meade. I really appreciate all your help." Betty acknowledged gratefully.
"Of course, dear. Don't mention it. Perhaps you should wait here while I go speak to the bailiff about Daniel. I've already checked with our lawyers and explained the situation. Thank goodness, he said that because this is his first offense since he was a minor, the charges have been dropped.
The other officer freely admitted his young partner was also completely out of line in what he said to Daniel to set him off in the first place, so I think we should be fine. My main concern at the moment is avoiding the press. They've been tipped off that something with Daniel and a young woman occurred in the park this evening, so they'll be sure to have his loft staked out."
Betty nodded and waited nervously while Claire went to have Daniel released. In the car on the way to the Meade Mansion, Daniel was suddenly quiet and sullen.
Betty and Claire chatted on, perhaps to fill the silence from Daniel. As they pulled up to the house, Betty's eyes widened, "This is your house? SHUT UP!"
Daniel and Claire both laughed at Betty's expression of disbelief, "WOW! This place is like a castle! Daniel, you actually grew UP here? How are you all so...normal?"
He smiled and took her hand in his, "I'm not. Haven't you heard? I'm completely messed up! So is my whole family. We're all a bunch of freaks."
Claire narrowed her eyes, "Daniel, dear, I know you've had a horrible night, but..."
He put his hand on top of Betty's and squeezed it gently before placing it to his lips and smiling, "No I haven't, Mom. Actually, Betty and I had a fantastic night. She helped me forget all about my crazy, screwed up family. We had the perfect date. Well, at least up until getting arrested for… whatever."
"Public indecency, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. What were you thinking, Daniel? Are you that anxious to join your father in prison?"
Daniel clenched his jaw, "I'm trying to figure out who to get for a lawyer for Dad, to actually get him OUT of jail. Do you have any ideas, or have you been too busy shopping for dresses that make my brother's boobs look good, Mom?"
"Daniel..." Betty didn't want them to start fighting over this. She knew how deep some of Daniel's wounds must run. He had told her of times growing up when his mother had been too far gone from her drinking to be very supportive to him and Alex.
He and his mother had always been close though, In spite of her serious bouts with alcohol; Daniel had taken her 'side' against Bradford given his infidelities and had paid the price for it in many ways with his own relationship with his father. Still, since Bradford's arrest, Daniel had seemed somewhat protective and concerned that the senior Meade was being unfairly accused. "Mom?"
She shook her head, her eyes moist, staring straight ahead, "Your father did NOT kill that woman! He's going to get out." She seemed to be trying to convince herself of that statement as much as anyone else.
Daniel just sighed and looked out the window. That seemed to be all his mother would say. He wasn't even certain if she had gone to visit her husband since his arrest.
After they arrived, Betty continued to be blown away by the opulence of the Meade home. Daniel had never brought a 'girlfriend' there (other than Sofia). The only other women who had graced the mansion were 'friends of the family', often wealthy girls who hadn't been so easily impressed. Her enthusiasm made Daniel smile, in spite of his dour mood about his family situation.
They had had a very late snack with Claire, with Betty chatting happily, somehow keeping the conversation light and amusing, regaling both Claire and Daniel with anecdotes about her own childhood and how crazy Justin would go if he saw this home.
"You must bring him here sometime, Betty. I'd love to meet him. Your nephew sounds adorable!"
Daniel smiled and nodded, "Yeah, he is. He's really smart for his age. He knows more than I do about fashion! He should be running Mode instead of me. Hey, there's an idea!"
Betty cut the conversation short, before Daniel started to get upset again. She jumped up, "Daniel! Can you show me to the guest room, please? Thanks again for letting me spend the night, Mrs. Meade. Dinner was amazing! Good night."
"Goodnight, dear. Thank you for…being my son's friend."
"Girlfriend." Daniel corrected his mother.
Claire smiled graciously and nodded, "Yes, of course. Girlfriend. I'm so pleased Daniel has you in his life, Betty. You seem to be a wonderful influence on him. You're so much nicer than that…Reyes woman. I knew she was up to something."
Daniel rolled his eyes, "Could we please not even mention HER, mother?"
"Sorry, Daniel. I'm just so happy you have Betty now. I'm sorry about the end of your date, darling. But, as they say, the evening isn't over till it's over, right? You can still end your night on a pleasant note, I'd say. Goodnight, you two. Sleep well." She smiled at them both and kissed Daniel on the cheek before leaving.
Daniel sat thoughtfully for a moment, then got up and put his arm out, "Miss Suarez? Would you care to see your room?"
She giggled, taking his arm and walking slowly with him up the stairs and down the long hallway, "Why yes, Mr. Meade. I'd be thrilled and honored to see my uh…guest chamber."
He laughed at her fake English accent, "That was terrible! Of course, I've been there several times and I can never fake their accent, either. I sound more like I have a cold than actually sounding British!"
They walked to the door of the guest room and Daniel stopped, putting his hands up on either side of Betty and looking down at her. Her breath caught, "Daniel, I had a really great time…"
He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, until I practically mauled you in the park and got us arrested for public indecency, you mean?"
She laughed, "Well, it's going to be a date to remember, that's for sure! Besides, they didn't arrest me, just you, remember?"
Daniel raised his eyebrow, "I think that was just because they felt sorry for you for being with the crazy guy."
She shook her head, pulling him down to her level, "You're not crazy, Daniel. You're just going through a really hard time right now. Anybody in your shoes would be upset.
I still can't believe you went to so much trouble to try and make me happy when you've got so much going on in your own life. You're…really an amazing guy, you know that?"
He smirked, "Yeah, thanks, Betty. You remember when you told me that after you got done yelling at me for making you come all the way over to my place on Thanksgiving?
That actually meant a lot to me. I was feeling really insecure then and you helped me have more confidence.
You're always doing that for me. I just thought that if I was able to do the same thing for you, too…maybe well, I don't know what I thought, really. I just wanted to make you smile, that's all."
Betty blushed as he leaned down to kiss her slowly. She slid her arms around his back and deepened the kiss. After several minutes, he backed away, looking down into her eyes, "Oh, God, I uh…better go now."
"Now?" Betty seemed somewhat frustrated, as if she didn't want him to leave. "Really?"
He nodded, "Yeah. I…wow, you don't know how much I want to go in here with you, babe. But, if I don't leave now, I know myself all too well. I'll be pushing you too much. I don't want to do that. Not with you, Betty.
You mean too much to me. I almost blew it earlier tonight. I want to do this right for once in my life. But I want you to know…how happy you make me. You're the only person I can always count on.
I love…well, okay, yeah, you know, right? I guess you could probably tell. There's no sense in me trying to deny it. I do, Betty. I love you. I'm in love with you. I know that now."