Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 46
"Who was that on the phone, Craig?" Nancy asked as she hung a Christmas ornament on the tree.
"That was Marlena. She's invited us to Christmas dinner tomorrow at the penthouse. Or, if we'd prefer, they can bring the food over here. This is of course if Chloe is up to it. They just don't want us to feel that we're alone this Christmas." Craig said, rubbing his wife's shoulders.
Nancy sighed, "I haven't even thought about Christmas dinner. I'm just not in the mood to cook."
"That's what Marlena figured. Actually, it was Belle's idea. It might do Chloe good, knowing we're all here for her. We could have it here, so she won't be too far from the security of her room." Craig added thoughtfully.
"It would be nice to at least try to celebrate Christmas, even if I don't feel like it."
"So, I'll let Marlena know that we're on?" Craig asked hopefully.
"Yes. Thank her for me, Craig."
"Okay." Craig paused. "We will get through this, Nancy. You'll see. Chloe is tough, strong, stubborn, like her mother. She will pull through, and we'll help her." Craig said, putting as much optimism in his voice as he could.
Nancy nodded, trying to keep her spirits up. This was Christmas after all, a time for miracles.
Brady stood anxiously on the Wesleys' front porch. {I shouldn't be here. Chloe doesn't want to see me.} Brady remembered the last time that they had been together, when she left him in the park. There was so much pain and confusion in her eyes. {How in the world are we going to get through this?} He cleared his mind of his doubts and tried to be positive. {Things will get better, Brady.} {They certainly can't get worse.} he added bitterly.
Nancy answered the door with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Brady, come in. How are you?"
He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. "I've been better."
Nancy nodded sympathetically. They have all been better.
Brady asked nervously, "How's Chloe?"
"Actually, I think she's doing better today. She's been very quiet. She may still be sleeping; she was the last time I checked on her, though that was a couple of hours ago. Do you want me to see if she wants to see you?"
Brady inhaled deeply, "She probably doesn't, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask – at least see how she's doing."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Brady watched Nancy go up the stairs to Chloe's room. He heard her call Chloe's name a couple of times as she went into various rooms. Slowly, a cold chill began to crawl up Brady's spine. He had that feeling again, that Chloe was in danger. He'd felt it at Tuscany when Phillip attacked her, and before when she was attacked on the street. It was that same feeling of cold dread.
The feeling grew when he heard Nancy yell for Craig. Brady took the stairs two at a time and ran into Chloe's room. It was empty save for Nancy, who held a note saying
Gone for a walk – Chloe.
Chloe had left the house? Alone? With a crazed lunatic out there after her?
"I'm going to find her." Brady said. He ran to his jeep and sped off.
Chapter 46
"Who was that on the phone, Craig?" Nancy asked as she hung a Christmas ornament on the tree.
"That was Marlena. She's invited us to Christmas dinner tomorrow at the penthouse. Or, if we'd prefer, they can bring the food over here. This is of course if Chloe is up to it. They just don't want us to feel that we're alone this Christmas." Craig said, rubbing his wife's shoulders.
Nancy sighed, "I haven't even thought about Christmas dinner. I'm just not in the mood to cook."
"That's what Marlena figured. Actually, it was Belle's idea. It might do Chloe good, knowing we're all here for her. We could have it here, so she won't be too far from the security of her room." Craig added thoughtfully.
"It would be nice to at least try to celebrate Christmas, even if I don't feel like it."
"So, I'll let Marlena know that we're on?" Craig asked hopefully.
"Yes. Thank her for me, Craig."
"Okay." Craig paused. "We will get through this, Nancy. You'll see. Chloe is tough, strong, stubborn, like her mother. She will pull through, and we'll help her." Craig said, putting as much optimism in his voice as he could.
Nancy nodded, trying to keep her spirits up. This was Christmas after all, a time for miracles.
Brady stood anxiously on the Wesleys' front porch. {I shouldn't be here. Chloe doesn't want to see me.} Brady remembered the last time that they had been together, when she left him in the park. There was so much pain and confusion in her eyes. {How in the world are we going to get through this?} He cleared his mind of his doubts and tried to be positive. {Things will get better, Brady.} {They certainly can't get worse.} he added bitterly.
Nancy answered the door with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Brady, come in. How are you?"
He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. "I've been better."
Nancy nodded sympathetically. They have all been better.
Brady asked nervously, "How's Chloe?"
"Actually, I think she's doing better today. She's been very quiet. She may still be sleeping; she was the last time I checked on her, though that was a couple of hours ago. Do you want me to see if she wants to see you?"
Brady inhaled deeply, "She probably doesn't, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask – at least see how she's doing."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Brady watched Nancy go up the stairs to Chloe's room. He heard her call Chloe's name a couple of times as she went into various rooms. Slowly, a cold chill began to crawl up Brady's spine. He had that feeling again, that Chloe was in danger. He'd felt it at Tuscany when Phillip attacked her, and before when she was attacked on the street. It was that same feeling of cold dread.
The feeling grew when he heard Nancy yell for Craig. Brady took the stairs two at a time and ran into Chloe's room. It was empty save for Nancy, who held a note saying
Gone for a walk – Chloe.
Chloe had left the house? Alone? With a crazed lunatic out there after her?
"I'm going to find her." Brady said. He ran to his jeep and sped off.