Chloe let out an exasperated sigh as Nancy and Craig went on and on about
reckless drivers and their effects on higher insurance costs. Frankly it
bored her and she was not in the mood to worry about it. She unsnapped the
safety belt and marched into the pub as if on the way to her own execution.
She stood perfectly still as Craig and Nancy bounded into the restaurant.
Her head did not turn from the straight-ahead position it was in. She only
let her eyes drop as she felt him notice her. At a booth in the center of
the pub sat John, Marlena, Brady and Belle. Brady's back had been to her
when she first entered but he noticed the way Belle stopped talking mid-
sentence and held her glass of water in the air poised to take a drink.
Shawn saved the moment for Belle. He emerged from the kitchen area of the
pub just in time to grab Belle's glass before she spilled.
After 30 seconds Chloe could feel her knees weakening from standing so still. She hated this feeling. There was nothing on earth that she would rather do than run to Brady and envelop him in a gigantic hug. Common sense stopped her. She knew that if she approached him and he rejected her that she would literally die. She could not face it if he truly was over her completely. Nancy placed her hand on Chloe's shoulder and led her silently to a corner booth. Craig muttered under his voice, "Well here we go."
As Chloe sat at the Wesley's booth trying not to look Brady, Craig laughed inwardly at the display for him. Chloe held the menu in front of her and averted her eyes should anyone dare to look at her. He wondered just who she thought she was fooling. Brady was not having any easier of a time. He didn't have the luxury of a menu to hide behind; instead he thumbed at the brightly colored table tent advertising the latest drink concoctions that the senior Shawn Brady had invented. His eyes seemed dark and distant like when he had first arrived in Salem. The only time that Craig saw them brighten was when Belle caught his attention.
John saw the same scene playing out before him. He could only hope that Belle's little plan worked out the way she had planned. Noticing that she now held her tiny pink covered cell phone under the table, he new that phase one of the plan was in motion. He only hoped that Nancy Wesley had been able to get into Chloe's purse as they had discussed.
Marlena's pager interrupted the conversation at the table. Not that it had been that interesting to Brady. In one swift motion she handed Brady her credit card and asked him to pay the check, saying that there was an emergency at the hospital. Before Brady could even protest his father and step-mother bolted out the door, reminding Belle of her curfew. Belle smiled at her brother while making an excuse for her and Shawn to abruptly leave. Brady heard something about movie and double feature but it didn't register with him completely until Belle's tiny form was dragging Shawn out the door into the now rainy night.
While he was waiting on the check, a sharp and piercing beep startled him. He watched as Craig and Nancy stared amazed at the tiny pager and made hurried apologies to a stunned Chloe. Maybe if he had not spent the past couple of nights dreaming of Chloe and waking up to chastise himself, he would have realized the irony of it all. Instead he watched as Craig hurried his wife out of the resturant and into a driving rain that was keeping most customers away. Slowly he turned his head and saw the same baffled expression he was wearing on Chloe's face. There was no longer a buffer zone between them. Only the span of a few feet separated them, but who would make the first move.
After 30 seconds Chloe could feel her knees weakening from standing so still. She hated this feeling. There was nothing on earth that she would rather do than run to Brady and envelop him in a gigantic hug. Common sense stopped her. She knew that if she approached him and he rejected her that she would literally die. She could not face it if he truly was over her completely. Nancy placed her hand on Chloe's shoulder and led her silently to a corner booth. Craig muttered under his voice, "Well here we go."
As Chloe sat at the Wesley's booth trying not to look Brady, Craig laughed inwardly at the display for him. Chloe held the menu in front of her and averted her eyes should anyone dare to look at her. He wondered just who she thought she was fooling. Brady was not having any easier of a time. He didn't have the luxury of a menu to hide behind; instead he thumbed at the brightly colored table tent advertising the latest drink concoctions that the senior Shawn Brady had invented. His eyes seemed dark and distant like when he had first arrived in Salem. The only time that Craig saw them brighten was when Belle caught his attention.
John saw the same scene playing out before him. He could only hope that Belle's little plan worked out the way she had planned. Noticing that she now held her tiny pink covered cell phone under the table, he new that phase one of the plan was in motion. He only hoped that Nancy Wesley had been able to get into Chloe's purse as they had discussed.
Marlena's pager interrupted the conversation at the table. Not that it had been that interesting to Brady. In one swift motion she handed Brady her credit card and asked him to pay the check, saying that there was an emergency at the hospital. Before Brady could even protest his father and step-mother bolted out the door, reminding Belle of her curfew. Belle smiled at her brother while making an excuse for her and Shawn to abruptly leave. Brady heard something about movie and double feature but it didn't register with him completely until Belle's tiny form was dragging Shawn out the door into the now rainy night.
While he was waiting on the check, a sharp and piercing beep startled him. He watched as Craig and Nancy stared amazed at the tiny pager and made hurried apologies to a stunned Chloe. Maybe if he had not spent the past couple of nights dreaming of Chloe and waking up to chastise himself, he would have realized the irony of it all. Instead he watched as Craig hurried his wife out of the resturant and into a driving rain that was keeping most customers away. Slowly he turned his head and saw the same baffled expression he was wearing on Chloe's face. There was no longer a buffer zone between them. Only the span of a few feet separated them, but who would make the first move.