Chapter 4-
Chloe walked into her hotel room and sank down onto the bed. She looked at the time and realized she only had about fourty-five minutes until she went to meet Philip. She went into the bathroom and showered, by the time she got out she had thrity more minutes until she had to meet Philip. She rushed through blowdrying her hair, applying her makeup, and dressing, in a pair of black pants and a saphire blue top. She hurridly grabbed her cell phone and purse, put her coat on, and rushed out the door, into her rental car. The car was a red corvette, not really her style, but it was only a rental, and who was she to complain? After all, it got her from point A to point B, and back.
The drive to the docks was one she would never forget. She couldn't remember ever being more nervous in her life. She wondered what she would say, what he would say. She had been shocked when he called her, but thrilled. She had felt their old connection the moment she laid her eyes on him. She couldn't help but feel it. She knew he had felt it, too. Belle had obviously felt the connection, or she wouldn't have reacted the way she had. Chloe pulled into a parking space and walked over by the docks, a little way away from the marina. What if he couldn't find her? She thought, but then she remembered he had her number.
She stood staring out at the water, thinking about what a mess she had made of her life, and how she could fix it, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped back and screamed. "AHHH!" then she turns around,"Oh! God! Philip! You scared me!" She said, finally realizing it was him.
"Were you expecting to meet someone else at the docks at eleven tonight? Because if you are, I would hate to intrude." He teases her, then smiles, with dimples coming into full force.
'Oh God!' She thought, as she groaned when she saw his dimples. They had always caused her to melt, no matter what mood she was in.
"Nope! I don't have plans with anyone else." She answers, her tone just as teasing as his was.
"Well that's a relief to hear. Especially since I was wanting to talk to you."
"Yeah, uh, about what?"
"Are you happy?" Philip blurted the question out. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way, I, well, Chloe, you're important to me. You will always be important to me, and I just want to know if you are happy."
"With what? My career?" She asks, knowing full well that wasn't what he meant.
"No. I know that you are thrilled about your career. It's everything you have ever wanted. Your marriage. That's what I want to know about."
"Excuse me?" Chloe raises an eyebrow.
"I know, I know. It's none of my business. But, in a way, it is. All I want is for you to be happy, that's all I have ever wanted." Philip knows he is sticking his nose in her business, but can't help it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself not knowing.
"How'd you get my number?"
"I asked Shawn for it."
"How'd you get him to give it to you?"
"I asked him if he thought you were happier with Brady than you would be with me."
"I'm not happy with Brady." Chloe says, with not a hint of sadness in her voice, but regret.
"So leave him. Leave your marriage."
"I already have."
"That's great!" Philip is as excited as a kid in a candy store. Chloe was his candy. She was his heart, his soul his love, his everything.
"Yeah, I have been seperated from him, and last week I filed divorce papers." She answers with certainty.
"Does anyone know?"
"Craig knows I am seperated from him. He doesn't know about the divorce. Belle does. I told her today, after I saw you."
"So that's it. Brady's out of your life now. That's great!"
"No Philip. He isn't. At least maybe he isn't out of my life." Chloe is hating herself for what she must do to Philip now, but has to. He has to know.
"What? You are getting divorced! It's that simple!"
Chloe takes a deep breath.
"Philip, I think I'm pregnant."
Philip is shocked. So much had changed in the past twenty minutes that he had spent talking to Chloe. Just when he finds out that she is divorcing Brady he starts thinking of all the good divorce lawyers he knows, and then she goes and drops this bombshell on him. He was just starting to think of ways to win her heart back, too. But unfortunatly, it may be to late for that now.
"Uh, are you sure?"
"No, Philip, I'm not sure. It's a possibility." Actually, she was praying that she was wrong and she wasn't pregnant.
"Do you have an appointment yet?"
"No. I was wanting to put it off for as long as possible. I don't a baby Philip. I want Brady out of my life. For good! I know it sounds horrible, but I can't have a baby now. It's not fair to me! Or to the baby either." Chloe sounded scared. Scared, alone, and vulnerable. Just like when he had first met her. She had came across very strong then, but he soon learned that wasn't the case.
"Does Brady know it's a possibility?"
"No. No one does. Except you. I haven't seen you in years, and then I talk with you for what, thirty minutes, and I'm telling you more than I tell anyone? God, how pathetic of me!"
"It's ok Chloe. Just tell me one thing. If you are pregnant, are you going to go back to Brady?" His heart was in his throat when he asked this question. His fear is apparent in his tone as he asks her this, but he had to know, even if her answer would break his heart all over again.
"No. Never!" She answers, looking him strait in his eyes.
"Are you sure about that?" Philip knows he is testing the waters when he asks this question yet again, but he had to be sure.
"Philip, I would rather be alone and pregnant, then be a single mother, than go back to Brady. I hate him so much. And I don't want to hate him. Do you know why I don't want to hate him? I don't want to feel anything for him. I want to not care one way or the other for him. But no matter what happens, I would never, ever go back to him, not after what he did to me." Every word Chloe had just said was the truth. She was desperatly trying not to cry. She didn't want to lay out all her problems on him. It wasn't fair. He had no doubt moved on with his life. She was just someone that he knew in high school. That's all. But the whole time she tried to think that, she couldn't believe that. She knew she was much more to him, and he was much more to her.
Philip looked at Chloe, with so many emotions going through him at that moment. If Chloe wouldn't go back to Brady, that was wonderful. But if she was pregnant with Bradys child, then Brady would always be in Chloe's life. What if she didn't want Phillip in her life? What if she wanted him in her life, but only as a friend? The what ifs just kept running through his mind.
"Philip." Philips head jerks up towards Chloe when she says his name. Chloe can see the raw emotions in his eyes.
"Yeah Chloe?"
"Does that answer your question? Does that tell you if I'm happy or not?"
"Well, I think the answer brings more questions than the question did. I think you are happy to be free of Brady, yet scared."
"Really, how so?" Chloe asks, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"You're scared that you won't be able to move on if you are pregnant. You are scared that you won't be a good mom alone. You don't give yourself enough credit Chloe."
"Philip, I'm not scared of that. I haven't even begun to think of that. All I can think of is that I DON'T want to have a baby. Not with Brady."
"So, if you are pregnant, then think of it this way. You aren't having a baby WITH Brady. Sure, he's the father, and he has rights, but other than that what is there?"
"There is the fact that if I am pregnant I have a part of Brady growing inside me. That he will forever be tied to my life. FOREVER!"
"Are you willing to let your hatred for Brady overcome your love for the baby? Sure, the kid would have been half made by Brady, but there is half of you in the kid, too. If you are pregnant, then are you going to hate the baby because of Brady? Is that fair?" Philip was stunned by his words. It was always like that with Chloe. When everyone else thought he was shallow, or could only care about business, she caused him to challenge himself. To challenge his emotions.
Chloe stared at Philip. He was right, and she knew it. She stared at his hand as he brought it in front of her, holding it out to her.
"Friends?" He asked.
"Huh?"
"Friends, would you like to be friends? I am guessing divorces are not emotionally easy, and you could use a friend who is not, shall we say, close to him?"
Chloe looked at Philip and held out her own hand. She couldn't help but smile at him as she held out her own hand.
"Friends." She replied, shaking his hand. He puts his arm around her and leads her away from the docks.
"Where are we going?" She asks, as she notices that they are going in the opposite direction of her car.
"We, my friend, are going to go get some home pregnancy tests, so we know for sure."
Chloe walked into her hotel room and sank down onto the bed. She looked at the time and realized she only had about fourty-five minutes until she went to meet Philip. She went into the bathroom and showered, by the time she got out she had thrity more minutes until she had to meet Philip. She rushed through blowdrying her hair, applying her makeup, and dressing, in a pair of black pants and a saphire blue top. She hurridly grabbed her cell phone and purse, put her coat on, and rushed out the door, into her rental car. The car was a red corvette, not really her style, but it was only a rental, and who was she to complain? After all, it got her from point A to point B, and back.
The drive to the docks was one she would never forget. She couldn't remember ever being more nervous in her life. She wondered what she would say, what he would say. She had been shocked when he called her, but thrilled. She had felt their old connection the moment she laid her eyes on him. She couldn't help but feel it. She knew he had felt it, too. Belle had obviously felt the connection, or she wouldn't have reacted the way she had. Chloe pulled into a parking space and walked over by the docks, a little way away from the marina. What if he couldn't find her? She thought, but then she remembered he had her number.
She stood staring out at the water, thinking about what a mess she had made of her life, and how she could fix it, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped back and screamed. "AHHH!" then she turns around,"Oh! God! Philip! You scared me!" She said, finally realizing it was him.
"Were you expecting to meet someone else at the docks at eleven tonight? Because if you are, I would hate to intrude." He teases her, then smiles, with dimples coming into full force.
'Oh God!' She thought, as she groaned when she saw his dimples. They had always caused her to melt, no matter what mood she was in.
"Nope! I don't have plans with anyone else." She answers, her tone just as teasing as his was.
"Well that's a relief to hear. Especially since I was wanting to talk to you."
"Yeah, uh, about what?"
"Are you happy?" Philip blurted the question out. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way, I, well, Chloe, you're important to me. You will always be important to me, and I just want to know if you are happy."
"With what? My career?" She asks, knowing full well that wasn't what he meant.
"No. I know that you are thrilled about your career. It's everything you have ever wanted. Your marriage. That's what I want to know about."
"Excuse me?" Chloe raises an eyebrow.
"I know, I know. It's none of my business. But, in a way, it is. All I want is for you to be happy, that's all I have ever wanted." Philip knows he is sticking his nose in her business, but can't help it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself not knowing.
"How'd you get my number?"
"I asked Shawn for it."
"How'd you get him to give it to you?"
"I asked him if he thought you were happier with Brady than you would be with me."
"I'm not happy with Brady." Chloe says, with not a hint of sadness in her voice, but regret.
"So leave him. Leave your marriage."
"I already have."
"That's great!" Philip is as excited as a kid in a candy store. Chloe was his candy. She was his heart, his soul his love, his everything.
"Yeah, I have been seperated from him, and last week I filed divorce papers." She answers with certainty.
"Does anyone know?"
"Craig knows I am seperated from him. He doesn't know about the divorce. Belle does. I told her today, after I saw you."
"So that's it. Brady's out of your life now. That's great!"
"No Philip. He isn't. At least maybe he isn't out of my life." Chloe is hating herself for what she must do to Philip now, but has to. He has to know.
"What? You are getting divorced! It's that simple!"
Chloe takes a deep breath.
"Philip, I think I'm pregnant."
Philip is shocked. So much had changed in the past twenty minutes that he had spent talking to Chloe. Just when he finds out that she is divorcing Brady he starts thinking of all the good divorce lawyers he knows, and then she goes and drops this bombshell on him. He was just starting to think of ways to win her heart back, too. But unfortunatly, it may be to late for that now.
"Uh, are you sure?"
"No, Philip, I'm not sure. It's a possibility." Actually, she was praying that she was wrong and she wasn't pregnant.
"Do you have an appointment yet?"
"No. I was wanting to put it off for as long as possible. I don't a baby Philip. I want Brady out of my life. For good! I know it sounds horrible, but I can't have a baby now. It's not fair to me! Or to the baby either." Chloe sounded scared. Scared, alone, and vulnerable. Just like when he had first met her. She had came across very strong then, but he soon learned that wasn't the case.
"Does Brady know it's a possibility?"
"No. No one does. Except you. I haven't seen you in years, and then I talk with you for what, thirty minutes, and I'm telling you more than I tell anyone? God, how pathetic of me!"
"It's ok Chloe. Just tell me one thing. If you are pregnant, are you going to go back to Brady?" His heart was in his throat when he asked this question. His fear is apparent in his tone as he asks her this, but he had to know, even if her answer would break his heart all over again.
"No. Never!" She answers, looking him strait in his eyes.
"Are you sure about that?" Philip knows he is testing the waters when he asks this question yet again, but he had to be sure.
"Philip, I would rather be alone and pregnant, then be a single mother, than go back to Brady. I hate him so much. And I don't want to hate him. Do you know why I don't want to hate him? I don't want to feel anything for him. I want to not care one way or the other for him. But no matter what happens, I would never, ever go back to him, not after what he did to me." Every word Chloe had just said was the truth. She was desperatly trying not to cry. She didn't want to lay out all her problems on him. It wasn't fair. He had no doubt moved on with his life. She was just someone that he knew in high school. That's all. But the whole time she tried to think that, she couldn't believe that. She knew she was much more to him, and he was much more to her.
Philip looked at Chloe, with so many emotions going through him at that moment. If Chloe wouldn't go back to Brady, that was wonderful. But if she was pregnant with Bradys child, then Brady would always be in Chloe's life. What if she didn't want Phillip in her life? What if she wanted him in her life, but only as a friend? The what ifs just kept running through his mind.
"Philip." Philips head jerks up towards Chloe when she says his name. Chloe can see the raw emotions in his eyes.
"Yeah Chloe?"
"Does that answer your question? Does that tell you if I'm happy or not?"
"Well, I think the answer brings more questions than the question did. I think you are happy to be free of Brady, yet scared."
"Really, how so?" Chloe asks, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"You're scared that you won't be able to move on if you are pregnant. You are scared that you won't be a good mom alone. You don't give yourself enough credit Chloe."
"Philip, I'm not scared of that. I haven't even begun to think of that. All I can think of is that I DON'T want to have a baby. Not with Brady."
"So, if you are pregnant, then think of it this way. You aren't having a baby WITH Brady. Sure, he's the father, and he has rights, but other than that what is there?"
"There is the fact that if I am pregnant I have a part of Brady growing inside me. That he will forever be tied to my life. FOREVER!"
"Are you willing to let your hatred for Brady overcome your love for the baby? Sure, the kid would have been half made by Brady, but there is half of you in the kid, too. If you are pregnant, then are you going to hate the baby because of Brady? Is that fair?" Philip was stunned by his words. It was always like that with Chloe. When everyone else thought he was shallow, or could only care about business, she caused him to challenge himself. To challenge his emotions.
Chloe stared at Philip. He was right, and she knew it. She stared at his hand as he brought it in front of her, holding it out to her.
"Friends?" He asked.
"Huh?"
"Friends, would you like to be friends? I am guessing divorces are not emotionally easy, and you could use a friend who is not, shall we say, close to him?"
Chloe looked at Philip and held out her own hand. She couldn't help but smile at him as she held out her own hand.
"Friends." She replied, shaking his hand. He puts his arm around her and leads her away from the docks.
"Where are we going?" She asks, as she notices that they are going in the opposite direction of her car.
"We, my friend, are going to go get some home pregnancy tests, so we know for sure."