A Midnight Snack
Chloe rushed into the bathroom and quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face. She ran a comb through her hair and scrambled to her bedroom. As she applied moisturizer, she searched her makeup case for some lip gloss. She paused and backed away.
Ch: (sitting on her bed) Lip gloss? (sighing) What am I doing?
She got up and closed her makeup case.
Ch: You're not going to a club, Chloe. You're just seeing Brady. (opening her case) You need lip balm!
She searched the case a found a tube. She applied it gingerly.
Ch: (looking in a mirror) After all, your lips are dry. (pressing her lips together) There is a chance that he will sleep through the night. (dropping the balm in the case) Then again, maybe he won't.
She put on her robe and turned off the light. She carefully closed her door, then flung it open, ran to the makeup case, and retrieved the lip balm. She dropped it into her pocket and headed downstairs. Her destination was the kitchen, but she took a detour to the guestroom. She quietly walked down the hallway and pressed her ear to the door. She heard him shifting in the bed, as he snore softly. She contemplated twisting the door knob and taking a peek inside, but she thought better of it.
Ch: (to herself) Chloe, you perv. Don't you dare spy on him. He may be in his boxers… or something.
She slowly backed away from the door and headed to the kitchen. She went to the refrigerator and looked for something to eat, when she heard the unlocking of the back door.
Cr: (surprised) Oh my God, Chloe…
Ch: (standing up) Hey, Craig.
Craig placed the bags on the table and hugged her.
Cr: How are you feeling, kiddo?
Ch: I'm great.
Cr: (letting her go) I'm glad to hear it. We thought…
Ch: (remorseful) I know. It was my fault. I pulled an all-nighter and slept it off, pretty much, all day.
Cr: (looking at her face) Your color is coming back.
Ch: And my knack for causing you distress.
Cr: Don't start that. I bet that Brady is thrilled.
Ch: Actually, he doesn't know yet.
Cr: Wait a minute. How can he not know? His Jeep is still here, meaning…
Ch: He's asleep, Craig. He's staying in the guest room. Didn't Nancy tell you?
Cr: (surprised) No. It must have slipped her mind.
Craig began to unpack the groceries, as Chloe watched him.
Ch: (sheepish) Craig, can I talk to you?
Cr: (looking up) Sure, sweetie. Have a seat.
Craig offered her a chair and he sat across from her.
Cr: (concerned) What's on your mind?
Ch: (nervous) Why are you looking at me like that?
Cr: Because you wanted to talk to me and something in your voice made me think that it was serious.
Ch: (shaking her head) No, Craig. I don't want to talk about anything serious or important. I want to talk about men.
Cr: (making a face) Thanks a lot, Chloe.
Ch: I didn't mean it like that… (sighing) I don't know what I mean anymore.
Cr: (uncomfortable) Shouldn't you be having this conversation with Nancy?
Ch: No, Craig. I mean, my relationship with Nancy is a lot better now, but I don't think that she could handle a conversation about men.
Cr: Nancy lives to talk about men.
Ch: Yeah, but not when they're involved with me. She's so overprotective, Craig, and I don't want her to go ballistic…
Cr: (suspicious) Why would she go ballistic, Chloe? (looking at her) Did something happen that would make us go ballistic?
Ch: Nothing has happened, Craig, at least, nothing that should alarm you or Nancy. It's just that… Craig, isn't it strange that Brady would spend all of this time with me? I mean, when you were twenty, would you have done this?
Cr: In a word… no.
Ch: Really?
Cr: Really. When I was twenty, the last thing I wanted was to be tied down. I made that very clear to everyone.
Ch: There weren't any friends that would move you to stay with them, if they became ill?
Cr: No, not even lifelong friends. As I said, I was a typical 20 year old: selfish, immature, arrogant. I was focusing on my future and nothing, short of my parents becoming ill, would have deviated me from my path. In retrospect, being 'typical' cost me a lot.
Ch: Like what?
Cr: (looking up) Like you. If I wasn't the way I was, I would have known about you sooner. I thought that I was normal and relatively harmless. But for your mother to cover-up your existence to me, well, I must have scared or hurt her, in a way, I never considered. Earlier, I said that there was no one I would have kept vigil for, but that wasn't true. I would have, for Nancy, but I was too fixated on being 'a man'. Biggest mistake of my life.
Ch: (touching his hand) It was her choice, Craig.
Cr: But she was reacting to the man I was, Chloe. (sighing) Anyway, shouldn't you ask Brady why he's doing this?
Ch: I have, but we always get interrupted when he's about to answer.
Cr: He probably thinks it's a silly question.
Ch: It isn't silly…
Cr: Maybe not to you, but to him… Look at Brady's life. His mother died when he was an infant, his kid sister was in a coma, and he was shot. He knows how important support is to recovery. Look at his actions toward Belle. Despite the messy circumstances, Brady supported her 100%, no matter how inconvenient it became and ultimately, it benefited her.
Ch: (sighing) To say the least, Brady is different, but this isn't the same situation. Belle is his sister.
Cr: (quietly) Whom he loves.
Ch: Are you saying that Brady…
Cr: I'm not in a position to speak for Brady. You need to ask him.
Ch: Yeah, right. Like he's going to tell me that…
Cr: Maybe he doesn't have to.
Chloe sat at the table as Craig unpacked the groceries.
Ch: (looking up) Craig, I'll take care of the groceries.
Cr: Are you sure?
Ch: Uh huh.
Cr: (grabbing some nectarines and strawberries) Okay, but don't stay up too late. We have an appointment this morning.
Ch: (turning) My tests came back?
Cr: Yes, they did. And no, I don't know the results.
Ch: (worried) Okay. I'll see you later. (kissing Craig) 'Night, Craig.
Cr: 'Night, kiddo.
Chloe rested her head on the table. She tugged at the plastic grocery bag until the nectarines rolled out of it. She stared at them and pushed them aside. She stared at the bag and noticed that something was still in it. She tugged it until a tomato rolled out. She placed her palm on top of it and rolled it along the table top. She grabbed and smelled it.
Ch: (to herself) B.L.T. nirvana.
She smiled to herself as she stood up. She placed the tomato on the cutting board and the nectarines in the crisper. She searched the fridge and found the leftover chicken, some turkey bacon, and the lettuce. She took them out and placed them on the countertop. She grabbed a plate and a skillet from the dish rack, placing the skillet on the range top and the plate with the chicken. She turned on the range and began to spoon the chicken onto the plate. She placed the chicken in the microwave and waited. She approached the window, looking at the guest room. It remained pitch black and still. The microwave timer sounded, luring her away from the window. She took out the chicken and began to nibble it. She walked to the skillet to check if it was hot. She carefully placed the strips of bacon in it, as she continued to eat her chicken. She looked at the bowl of leftover chicken and placed it in the microwave. She checked on the bacon, flipping it occasionally, but she couldn't keep her mind off the window. She turned around and looked at it.
Ch: (to herself) It's getting hot in here.
She put down her plate, went to the window and cracked it open. A gentle breeze tiptoed into the kitchen.
Ch: (to herself) It's too quiet.
With her eyes still on the guest room, she turned on the radio. When the timer rang, she removed the bowl of chicken and placed it on the table. She went to the range, removed the bacon from the skillet, and placed it on the paper towel. She put more strips in the skillet and turned her attention to the tomato. She carefully sliced it and put it on a plate. She had another bite of her chicken as she eyed the lettuce. She took the lettuce and tore off some leaves. She grabbed a colander and looked at the sink. Cautiously, she walked toward it. She kept her head down to avoid looking out of the window. She twisted the faucet handle and rinsed the lettuce. Keeping her head down, she turned up the volume on the radio. She turned off the water and beat the colander against the sink to shake off the excess water. She placed it in the sink and stood still. She looked at the guest room and noticed a dim light within it. The toast jumped out of the toaster, which she didn't noticed.
Br: Peeping Tom!
Chloe's body stiffened as her eyes looked away from the room to the window pane, which reflected Brady's sleepy face. She turned around and looked at him.
Br: (walking to the toaster) You were so busy spying on me, you forgot the toast. (removing the toast and walking to her) Here you go. Now, you can put your B.L.T. together.
Ch: (taking the toast) Actually, you can have this one. (nervous) I'll make it for you, if you want.
Br: (looking in her eyes) No, I can take care of it. Why don't you have a seat and finish your chicken.
Ch: Okay.
Brady pulled out a chair and she sat down. She discreetly watched Brady, as he removed the bacon from the skillet. She bit her lip to conceal her smile, but she couldn't disguise her eyes. As Brady sat with her, he looked at her.
Br: (with a crooked smile) Why are you so cheerful?
Ch: (eyes sparkling) No reason.