Chapter 9
Weeks passed. Chloe kept mostly to herself. She didn't feel much like socializing. She lost weight, only eating when it was necessary. Sleep was a rarity also. Everyone was worried about her.
"Chloe, come on. You've got to eat." Belle said to her one day. Chloe shook her head. "I can't Belle. I'm not hungry, ok?"
"Your wasting away!"
Chloe looked at her. "I don't care! Don't you see Belle? This is what I deserve!"
Belle stared back at her friend's pale, sunken face with concern.
"NO! You don't deserve this Chloe! You have to stop blaming yourself. Brady would never want you to suffer like this."
"But it's my fault! I cussed him and I didn't trust him! If I had believed in his love..."
"Chloe you had no way of knowing. That was the only excuse you could think of because you're like the rest of us. You thought he was invincible, that he'd live forever."
"Why Belle? Why did he have to die?"
"It was his time Chloe. Nothing you did caused it and nothing you could have done would have stopped it. You were the best thing that ever happened to my brother. You were his life. I know you will be together again someday."
Chloe sniffled. "I just...I miss him so much. I thought he'd be back. I never really go to say goodbye. When he left...I was so sure I'd see him again."
"Chloe, you had no way of knowing. I miss him too. But you guys were soulmates. Nothing can keep you apart. Not even death. He's watching out for you, Chloe. I know he is. You've just gotta believe that."
"Do you think so? I wish I just had another chance. I dont know. The guilt is just so big."
Belle hugged her. "I know, but it's normal. I love you Chloe. I hate to see you this way."
"I'm sorry. It's just hard."
"Do you think you can get some sleep now?"
"Maybe. Hopefully. I haven't slept in 2 days."
"Try ok? Just think about Brady watching over you."
Soon after, Belle left. It wasn't long before Chloe was asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chloe approached the pier. She was curious as to who was there. A tall guy was standing at the end of the pier. Who was this guy in her spot? She walked closer. She noticed the guy was tall and blond. Like Brady, she thought. As she reached the pier, the guy turned.
"Brady." She said softly. She walked closer. "You've come back to me."
Brady shook his head sadly. She reached out her hand to touch him. She gasped as her hand went right through him.
"Brady?"
Brady reached out a hand and touched her cheek. His palm was warm and solid. "I will always love you, Chloe. Know that. I'm always here when you need me. I promise."
"But I miss you!"
"I miss you too. But don't be upset Chloe. None of this was your fault. I love you."
"I love you too Brady."
"I have to go now."
"No! Not yet! Please! Don't go. "
"I have to. I'll see you again. Whenever you need me Chloe. I'm always here. I promised you once, I'll promise you again. I will never leave you, Chloe." He started to fade. "We'll be together one day. I love you Chloe."
"Brady!"
"Goodbye." He smiled reassuringly.
"Goodbye Brady." She whispered and then he was gone.
Chloe slept peacefully after that
Good Morning, Beautiful
How was your night?
Mine was wonderful with you by my side.
Open my eyes, to see your sweet face
It's a Good Morning Beautiful day.
Chloe awoke to his voice. "Brady?" She called. She half expected to see him laying beside her, propped up on his elbow, watching her. But when she opened her eyes, he wasn't there. She buried her face in the pillow and cried.
Weeks passed. Chloe kept mostly to herself. She didn't feel much like socializing. She lost weight, only eating when it was necessary. Sleep was a rarity also. Everyone was worried about her.
"Chloe, come on. You've got to eat." Belle said to her one day. Chloe shook her head. "I can't Belle. I'm not hungry, ok?"
"Your wasting away!"
Chloe looked at her. "I don't care! Don't you see Belle? This is what I deserve!"
Belle stared back at her friend's pale, sunken face with concern.
"NO! You don't deserve this Chloe! You have to stop blaming yourself. Brady would never want you to suffer like this."
"But it's my fault! I cussed him and I didn't trust him! If I had believed in his love..."
"Chloe you had no way of knowing. That was the only excuse you could think of because you're like the rest of us. You thought he was invincible, that he'd live forever."
"Why Belle? Why did he have to die?"
"It was his time Chloe. Nothing you did caused it and nothing you could have done would have stopped it. You were the best thing that ever happened to my brother. You were his life. I know you will be together again someday."
Chloe sniffled. "I just...I miss him so much. I thought he'd be back. I never really go to say goodbye. When he left...I was so sure I'd see him again."
"Chloe, you had no way of knowing. I miss him too. But you guys were soulmates. Nothing can keep you apart. Not even death. He's watching out for you, Chloe. I know he is. You've just gotta believe that."
"Do you think so? I wish I just had another chance. I dont know. The guilt is just so big."
Belle hugged her. "I know, but it's normal. I love you Chloe. I hate to see you this way."
"I'm sorry. It's just hard."
"Do you think you can get some sleep now?"
"Maybe. Hopefully. I haven't slept in 2 days."
"Try ok? Just think about Brady watching over you."
Soon after, Belle left. It wasn't long before Chloe was asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chloe approached the pier. She was curious as to who was there. A tall guy was standing at the end of the pier. Who was this guy in her spot? She walked closer. She noticed the guy was tall and blond. Like Brady, she thought. As she reached the pier, the guy turned.
"Brady." She said softly. She walked closer. "You've come back to me."
Brady shook his head sadly. She reached out her hand to touch him. She gasped as her hand went right through him.
"Brady?"
Brady reached out a hand and touched her cheek. His palm was warm and solid. "I will always love you, Chloe. Know that. I'm always here when you need me. I promise."
"But I miss you!"
"I miss you too. But don't be upset Chloe. None of this was your fault. I love you."
"I love you too Brady."
"I have to go now."
"No! Not yet! Please! Don't go. "
"I have to. I'll see you again. Whenever you need me Chloe. I'm always here. I promised you once, I'll promise you again. I will never leave you, Chloe." He started to fade. "We'll be together one day. I love you Chloe."
"Brady!"
"Goodbye." He smiled reassuringly.
"Goodbye Brady." She whispered and then he was gone.
Chloe slept peacefully after that
Good Morning, Beautiful
How was your night?
Mine was wonderful with you by my side.
Open my eyes, to see your sweet face
It's a Good Morning Beautiful day.
Chloe awoke to his voice. "Brady?" She called. She half expected to see him laying beside her, propped up on his elbow, watching her. But when she opened her eyes, he wasn't there. She buried her face in the pillow and cried.
