Chapter 7 (FINALLY...The Morning After)
[Geez, this one got long... I sure like to make these kids talk, don't I? Maybe I'm a closet Marlena-type. You must talk about your feelings, children...Talk a LOT.]
Belle stood at the door of the Wesley home, waiting for someone to answer the door. She knocked again, just as it opened and Belle came face to face with Nancy Wesley.
"Mrs. Wesley...Hi there. Good morning."
"Good morning, Belle. Come on in."
Belle stepped inside the home, and Nancy continued, "Chloe told me that you were coming and to send you upstairs when you got here. But, since you're here a little early, I wanted to talk to you for a minute."
Belle nodded knowingly, "Sure, Mrs. Wesley. What do you want to know?"
"I know what happened last night. Chloe didn't want to tell us, but your teacher Mr. Woods called here last night to check that she had gotten home safe. He told me what happened at the dance. He said your brother Brady may be a suspect. Is this true?"
"No, not at all. I promise. I know my brother, and we've talked about it. I can promise you that he had NOTHING to do with it. He likes Chloe and wouldn't do something like that to her. He's not like other people. I know he seems like a bad boy, but deep down he cares about people."
"So, do you know who did it, Belle?"
"Actually...yes. " Belle hesitated, because she knew how angry Nancy could get. "Jan Spears was pretty much the mastermind of the whole thing. And, uhm, Mimi. But, Mimi really regrets being a part of it. She even tried to stop Jan from doing it."
"Well, Jan Spears - I'm not surprised. I wouldn't put anything past her. But, Mimi Lockhart? I know that her and Chloe have never gotten along, but I didn't think she would stoop this low. Not after we took her and her family into our home. I can't believe her." Nancy wrung her hands in frustration, and shook her head. "I'll make them pay for this. Nobody hurts Chloe and just gets away with it."
Belle bit her lip nervously, "You're not going to put Mimi in jail, are you?"
Nancy sighed, "Well, that's not really up to me. It's up to the Salem PD. I am going to contact Mickey Horton though. No matter how sorry she is, Belle, Mimi deserves to get punished. Jan too."
Belle half-nodded in agreement, "I know that Mimi is ready for whatever punishment comes her way. She knows she has to deal with her mistakes now. She feels like she deserves whatever happens to her."
"Alright, Belle. Thanks for all your help, and it really means a lot to me the way that you've been friends with Chloe. She needs you now, and I need to go make some phone calls. Go ahead upstairs."
Nancy motioned for Belle to go upstairs, and Belle gave her a quick smile before heading upstairs towards Chloe's room. She knocked softly on the door and waited for Chloe to answer.
"Come on in, Belle."
Belle opened the door slowly and found Chloe resting on her bed writing in her journal.
"Hey....Chloe. How ya holding up?"
Chloe closed the book, and sat up.
"Well, I've had better days. That's for sure. But, you know me. Nothing gets to ol' Chloe Lane. Chloe is strong, and tough, and cold and emotionless."
"Chloeeeeee . . . I know that's not true. Far from it, in fact. I know you play the tough act so well, but that's not always the real Chloe. You can't handle everything by yourself, sometimes you need to let it out Chloe. And, that's what I'm here for. Here to listen."
"So, you still want to be friends with Ghoul Girl?"
"Chloe, don't ever call yourself that again. Ever. And of course I'm your friend. I always will be. I know that what happened tonight wasn't your own doing. So don't be silly. I'm your friend, and you can't get rid of me. I'm like a disease. Trust me, Chloe, people have tried to invent a cure for this funny feeling called Belle, and they just can't seem to shake it."
Chloe flashed a big smile at Belle. "Thanks Belle. You have no idea how much that means to me."
Belle sat down on the bed next to her friend and threw an arm around her, "No, I think I do have an idea. Your friendship means as much to me, Chloe. That's why I'm here."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it...At least I have one friend left."
Belle shook her head in disagreement, "No way, Chloe. It's not just me. Shawn is totally in agreement with me. And, Brady - well he wanted to run over here last night, but decided it might not be for the best because you might be mad at him. There are a lot more people who care about you than you think. Nancy & Craig love you Chloe. My parents and Shawn parents both care about you too. My dad and Hope were so worried about you after what happened last night."
"Yeah, well I guess we can forget about double dates now. No more Phillip & Chloe. I guess it's for the best."
Belle wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion, "Is that how you really feel Chloe? Is it over for good?"
Chloe just shrugged and looked down at her feet, "I don't know Belle, but I guess so. Phillip will never believe that I didn't pose for those pictures. And, even if he does - maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe I don't want him back."
"You don't want him? I thought you two were in love."
"Were. Now, I just don't know. I can't help but feeling that if Phillip really loved me the way he said he did, that he would have known those pictures weren't something I did willingly. That I didn't plan it all. But, he didn't. He never gave me a chance to explain, he just believed what he saw without even having doubts about it. I thought he would know me better than that, Belle. I guess I was wrong about him."
Belle sighed deeply, "I know, Chloe. I can't even make excuses for him either. He just needs to wake up and realize that not everything is about HIM all the time."
"I wish he would. I do care about him, Belle. I just don't know if I want to be with him anymore."
Belle nodded understandingly, "God, Chloe. This is just awful. Shawn is planning on talking to Phillip today, maybe he'll be able to convince him of what the truth is."
"You mean, that Jan and Mimi set the entire thing up. The video camera, the slide show, the website. Everything."
"So, you know?"
"Well, yeah. As soon as I ruled Brady out as the prime suspect, it was pretty clear to me. And, I understand why they did it."
Belle looked on in shock, "You do?"
Chloe nodded, "Oh yeah. Well, Jan just enjoys causing pain to others for her own little twisted reasons. Mimi - I understand Mimi a lot better than she might think. I've tried to be friends with her, and I eventually realized that Mimi's problem isn't with me. It's with her. She's so insecure, that she couldn't stand it that I could just come in and be friends with you, Shawn and Phillip - even though I was 'Ghoul Girl'. It's jealousy, which stems from Mimi's own lack of self esteem."
"Wow. Chloe. You hit that on the head. Have you been listening to your Mom's radio show or something?"
Chloe just laughed, "Nahhh. It was pretty obvious. Don't you think? I don't know why Mimi hates herself so much, she's got a lot going for her."
"Wow, I can't believe you just complimented the person who destroyed your life last night."
"Me either, but I really feel like Mimi's actions had more to do with her own problems, and not me. I'm not ready to forgive and forget or anything, and I may never be, but deep down I really do hope that she gets the help she needs."
Belle nodded, "Me too. I love Mimi. I just hope your mom's lawyer doesn't go too harshly on her."
"Mimi doesn't need jail, she needs a psychiatrist."
"Right, exactly. Listen, I gotta go meet my Mom for lunch. If you need me for anything, just call me, okay?"
"Thanks again, Belle. I think I'm just going to enjoy some quiet reflection time locked up in my little tower here. Oh, and tell Brady that I know he's innocent, if he wants to talk to me - he knows where I am."
Belle smiled at that, and gave her friend a big hug. "Will do. I'm glad you're going to be okay, Chloe. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay, I'll be here. Bye Belle."
Belle smiled one more time, and left the room. As she left the Wesley house, she couldn't help but wonder if Shawn was talking to Phillip yet. If Shawn can get a word in edgewise, that is. Phillip doesn't listen to anyone when he's angry. I hope he cooled off overnight.
[Geez, this one got long... I sure like to make these kids talk, don't I? Maybe I'm a closet Marlena-type. You must talk about your feelings, children...Talk a LOT.]
Belle stood at the door of the Wesley home, waiting for someone to answer the door. She knocked again, just as it opened and Belle came face to face with Nancy Wesley.
"Mrs. Wesley...Hi there. Good morning."
"Good morning, Belle. Come on in."
Belle stepped inside the home, and Nancy continued, "Chloe told me that you were coming and to send you upstairs when you got here. But, since you're here a little early, I wanted to talk to you for a minute."
Belle nodded knowingly, "Sure, Mrs. Wesley. What do you want to know?"
"I know what happened last night. Chloe didn't want to tell us, but your teacher Mr. Woods called here last night to check that she had gotten home safe. He told me what happened at the dance. He said your brother Brady may be a suspect. Is this true?"
"No, not at all. I promise. I know my brother, and we've talked about it. I can promise you that he had NOTHING to do with it. He likes Chloe and wouldn't do something like that to her. He's not like other people. I know he seems like a bad boy, but deep down he cares about people."
"So, do you know who did it, Belle?"
"Actually...yes. " Belle hesitated, because she knew how angry Nancy could get. "Jan Spears was pretty much the mastermind of the whole thing. And, uhm, Mimi. But, Mimi really regrets being a part of it. She even tried to stop Jan from doing it."
"Well, Jan Spears - I'm not surprised. I wouldn't put anything past her. But, Mimi Lockhart? I know that her and Chloe have never gotten along, but I didn't think she would stoop this low. Not after we took her and her family into our home. I can't believe her." Nancy wrung her hands in frustration, and shook her head. "I'll make them pay for this. Nobody hurts Chloe and just gets away with it."
Belle bit her lip nervously, "You're not going to put Mimi in jail, are you?"
Nancy sighed, "Well, that's not really up to me. It's up to the Salem PD. I am going to contact Mickey Horton though. No matter how sorry she is, Belle, Mimi deserves to get punished. Jan too."
Belle half-nodded in agreement, "I know that Mimi is ready for whatever punishment comes her way. She knows she has to deal with her mistakes now. She feels like she deserves whatever happens to her."
"Alright, Belle. Thanks for all your help, and it really means a lot to me the way that you've been friends with Chloe. She needs you now, and I need to go make some phone calls. Go ahead upstairs."
Nancy motioned for Belle to go upstairs, and Belle gave her a quick smile before heading upstairs towards Chloe's room. She knocked softly on the door and waited for Chloe to answer.
"Come on in, Belle."
Belle opened the door slowly and found Chloe resting on her bed writing in her journal.
"Hey....Chloe. How ya holding up?"
Chloe closed the book, and sat up.
"Well, I've had better days. That's for sure. But, you know me. Nothing gets to ol' Chloe Lane. Chloe is strong, and tough, and cold and emotionless."
"Chloeeeeee . . . I know that's not true. Far from it, in fact. I know you play the tough act so well, but that's not always the real Chloe. You can't handle everything by yourself, sometimes you need to let it out Chloe. And, that's what I'm here for. Here to listen."
"So, you still want to be friends with Ghoul Girl?"
"Chloe, don't ever call yourself that again. Ever. And of course I'm your friend. I always will be. I know that what happened tonight wasn't your own doing. So don't be silly. I'm your friend, and you can't get rid of me. I'm like a disease. Trust me, Chloe, people have tried to invent a cure for this funny feeling called Belle, and they just can't seem to shake it."
Chloe flashed a big smile at Belle. "Thanks Belle. You have no idea how much that means to me."
Belle sat down on the bed next to her friend and threw an arm around her, "No, I think I do have an idea. Your friendship means as much to me, Chloe. That's why I'm here."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it...At least I have one friend left."
Belle shook her head in disagreement, "No way, Chloe. It's not just me. Shawn is totally in agreement with me. And, Brady - well he wanted to run over here last night, but decided it might not be for the best because you might be mad at him. There are a lot more people who care about you than you think. Nancy & Craig love you Chloe. My parents and Shawn parents both care about you too. My dad and Hope were so worried about you after what happened last night."
"Yeah, well I guess we can forget about double dates now. No more Phillip & Chloe. I guess it's for the best."
Belle wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion, "Is that how you really feel Chloe? Is it over for good?"
Chloe just shrugged and looked down at her feet, "I don't know Belle, but I guess so. Phillip will never believe that I didn't pose for those pictures. And, even if he does - maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe I don't want him back."
"You don't want him? I thought you two were in love."
"Were. Now, I just don't know. I can't help but feeling that if Phillip really loved me the way he said he did, that he would have known those pictures weren't something I did willingly. That I didn't plan it all. But, he didn't. He never gave me a chance to explain, he just believed what he saw without even having doubts about it. I thought he would know me better than that, Belle. I guess I was wrong about him."
Belle sighed deeply, "I know, Chloe. I can't even make excuses for him either. He just needs to wake up and realize that not everything is about HIM all the time."
"I wish he would. I do care about him, Belle. I just don't know if I want to be with him anymore."
Belle nodded understandingly, "God, Chloe. This is just awful. Shawn is planning on talking to Phillip today, maybe he'll be able to convince him of what the truth is."
"You mean, that Jan and Mimi set the entire thing up. The video camera, the slide show, the website. Everything."
"So, you know?"
"Well, yeah. As soon as I ruled Brady out as the prime suspect, it was pretty clear to me. And, I understand why they did it."
Belle looked on in shock, "You do?"
Chloe nodded, "Oh yeah. Well, Jan just enjoys causing pain to others for her own little twisted reasons. Mimi - I understand Mimi a lot better than she might think. I've tried to be friends with her, and I eventually realized that Mimi's problem isn't with me. It's with her. She's so insecure, that she couldn't stand it that I could just come in and be friends with you, Shawn and Phillip - even though I was 'Ghoul Girl'. It's jealousy, which stems from Mimi's own lack of self esteem."
"Wow. Chloe. You hit that on the head. Have you been listening to your Mom's radio show or something?"
Chloe just laughed, "Nahhh. It was pretty obvious. Don't you think? I don't know why Mimi hates herself so much, she's got a lot going for her."
"Wow, I can't believe you just complimented the person who destroyed your life last night."
"Me either, but I really feel like Mimi's actions had more to do with her own problems, and not me. I'm not ready to forgive and forget or anything, and I may never be, but deep down I really do hope that she gets the help she needs."
Belle nodded, "Me too. I love Mimi. I just hope your mom's lawyer doesn't go too harshly on her."
"Mimi doesn't need jail, she needs a psychiatrist."
"Right, exactly. Listen, I gotta go meet my Mom for lunch. If you need me for anything, just call me, okay?"
"Thanks again, Belle. I think I'm just going to enjoy some quiet reflection time locked up in my little tower here. Oh, and tell Brady that I know he's innocent, if he wants to talk to me - he knows where I am."
Belle smiled at that, and gave her friend a big hug. "Will do. I'm glad you're going to be okay, Chloe. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay, I'll be here. Bye Belle."
Belle smiled one more time, and left the room. As she left the Wesley house, she couldn't help but wonder if Shawn was talking to Phillip yet. If Shawn can get a word in edgewise, that is. Phillip doesn't listen to anyone when he's angry. I hope he cooled off overnight.