Mimi wasn't really that bad. She was a good cook, always cleaned up after
herself, and never forgot anyone when mailing out Christmas cards. She
never made a lot of noise in the mornings while he was still asleep, and
she always knew when he would need a cup of black coffee in the mornings
and had it for him. Also, she never demanded too much of his attention.
Sighing, Brady raked a hand through his blond hair. This was what happened when you had too much time to think and no booze to distract you. You started thinking that your unbalanced wife was actually a nice person.
Sitting alone on the bottom steps leading from the pier to the parking area, Brady watched joyful couples stroll by with happy smiles gracing their faces. He vaguely remembered what it felt like to be happy and in love, but those days were no more.
Brady felt certain that he would never fall in love with his wife. After all the pain they had caused each other, love just wasn't an option. But, Brady wondered if friendship was a possibility.
He was just so tired of the hate, and he knew Mimi was, too. Brady feared that one day his instinctive cruelty was going to push Mimi to the point of no return. Sure, she usually gave as good as she got, but Brady knew that Mimi was weaker than she would ever let him discover.
Though Mimi believed that he paid absolutely no attention to her actions, she was wrong. Brady had often noticed the way she would stand out on the balcony and gaze at the world below. It was as though Mimi was questioning if she really wanted to be a part of it when she could so easily escape it all.
The one thing Brady knew for sure was that if things didn't change, it wouldn't be long before he was out on that balcony with Mimi. Only, he wouldn't be content to merely ponder the possibility. He would act upon it.
Brady had spent the greater part of his youth despising Marlena. He didn't want to waste his adulthood repeating the pattern with Mimi. Perhaps, with immense effort, he could turn things around and stop the misery.
In all honesty, Brady wasn't even certain that he did hate his wife. At one time, he had wished her dead - maybe even wished the both of them dead. But, he had been given a lot of time to accept the mistakes that had been made. Brady firmly believed that Mimi was sorry for what she had done to him. He supposed that meant he would eventually have to forgive her.
What had really penetrated Brady's icy exterior was Mimi's simple statement that she just wanted to be loved. Maybe someday, when she and Brady were finally free of each other, she could have that. Until that blessed day, Brady contemplated if he could at least eliminate the hate from her life.
He came up with a single answer. Of course he could end the hatred - but would he?
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Jason scrambled for his clothing. Finding his blue jeans hanging from the corner of the coffee table, he hurriedly slipped them on, not bothering to button or zip them as he continued his search. Stumbling upon one of his socks, Jason stuffed into halfway into one of his pockets.
As the person at the door knocked again, Jason felt his shoe painfully hit him in the back of the head. Picking the shoe up from where it had landed on the floor, Jason turned around just in time to catch its counterpart as it was hurled at his chest.
He let out a quiet string of profanities as his simple white shirt followed the shoes and hit his shoulder.
Glancing from the door to Jason, Mimi lowly hissed, "Hurry up! My father-in- law cannot find you standing half-naked in the living room!"
With his shirt and shoes in his arms, Jason dashed into the kitchen. Leaning his sore head against the hard wall, Jason wondered just how things had gotten so out of control so quickly.
(flashback)
Jason had been standing outside the door to Mimi's penthouse a good ten minutes trying to work up the nerve to actually knock or ring the doorbell. After dumping Jan, he had been awake all night trying to think of just the right words to tell Mimi how he felt. Now that he was there, all words had been erased from his mind.
He knew that if he blew this shot, he might never get another. Then, there was that little problem of Mimi having a husband. And, not just any husband. Of all the people in the entire world that Jason's true love could be married to, she had to be married to his boss, Brady Black.
Convincing himself that all he needed to do was knock on the door, wait for it to open, and quickly profess his love, Jason readied himself for an event that would hopefully change his life - and Mimi's.
The moment the door opened and Jason was presented with the marvelous sight of Mimi in nothing but her bathrobe, all thoughts, words, and logical ideas were completely abandoned. There was just something about the sad way that she stared at him in surprise and the water droplets that dripped down her face from her still wet hair that made him want her more than ever.
Without waiting for an invitation, Jason pushed himself into the penthouse. As soon as Mimi shut the door, his lips were on hers. Perhaps it wasn't the most romantic gesture, but it just felt so incredibly right.
Mimi pulled away from Jason and stared at him. There was some emotion playing just under the surface, and Jason was fully aware of its presence. Still, he couldn't quite define what it was because Mimi quickly masked any and all emotions as she grabbed the green shirt he was wearing over his white tee and pulled him back to her and into a hungry kiss.
After that, things had become so intense and thrilling that no amount of touching was enough. Jason's only recognizable thought was to get closer to Mimi. And, it was that very thought that caused him to ultimately be lying naked with Mimi on her and Brady's living room couch when John Black arrived.
Worse, Jason hadn't even gotten around to telling Mimi why he came to see her. Those three little words never quite made it out of his mouth. Despite his efforts, Jason was having the hardest time saying I love you.
(end flashback)
Giving John what she hoped would appear as a carefree smile, Mimi fought through the headache that still plagued her and greeted, "John, hi. I wasn't expecting you to come by this morning."
"I'm sorry for just dropping by unannounced," responded John as he took in Mimi's slightly damp hair and bathrobe. "It looks like I caught you getting out of the shower."
"Yeah, but it's fine. Really. Um, is there something I can help you with?"
John didn't know what exactly had his son's wife looking so nervous, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. There were a lot of things in life that John couldn't understand - Mimi and Brady's marriage was one of them. Over the years, there were times that he had seen them together and been willing to bet his life that they didn't even like each other, much less love one another.
Looking at Mimi anxiously tap her bare foot on the floor, John understood that whatever was happening at the penthouse would only be another thing to add to his list of unsolved mysteries. Of course, John had the feeling that there were a lot of mysteries in Salem better left unsolved. Among them, the real motivation for Brady marrying Mimi.
Answering Mimi, John said, "I was hoping to talk to Brady and see if he was still interested in doing some work for Basic Black."
Taking a nervous peek in the direction of the kitchen, Mimi quickly replied, "Uh, Brady's already left. You could try the club. He might be there."
Allowing Mimi to rush him out, John muttered a quick thank you before the door was shut in his face. He was beginning to be quite grateful that he didn't know what happened inside that penthouse, because he felt certain that whatever it was would only give him a headache.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
It had been one hour since she's gotten rid of John, fifty-seven minutes since she had kicked Jason out without allowing him to say a single word, and forty-two minutes since she had returned downstairs after getting dress.
Curled up in the corner of the couch, Mimi wondered why she continually made the wrong decisions - with the wrong men. If she were asked to name the two most egotistical men that all women should avoid, the answer would be simple. Brady Black and Jason Masters. Knowing that, what did Mimi do? She married one and fell in love with the other.
Mimi used the palms of her hands to wipe away her tears. She kept her hands covering her eyes, hoping that if she didn't look at the living room, she wouldn't be forced to remember what had happened there that morning.
Hearing the front door open, Mimi made no attempt to move or hide her complete despair from Brady. She just sat there and kept her hands pressed against her eyes. If things went as they usually did, he would just ignore her and walk upstairs anyway.
To Mimi's surprise, Brady sat down on the couch right beside her. Keeping her eyes covered, Mimi waited for her husband to begin taunting her. She was waiting in vain.
The feel of something soft touching her nose only heightened Mimi's paranoia. Maybe Brady had found a nice soft material to choke her with. However, that idea was ruled out when Mimi noticed the fragrance accompanying the object. The smell was sweet, soft, and . . . floral?
Moving her hands away from her eyes, Mimi found herself staring at a lovely pink carnation. The shock being easily read on her face, Brady mumbled, "The vendor was having a sale on them." When Mimi only stared at the object, Brady prompted, "Well, do you want it or not?"
Mimi slowly took the flower from Brady's hand and brought it close to her face, enjoying its gentle scent. Turning to Brady, Mimi asked, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, Mimi, I'm feeling fine."
Her eyes darting nervously around the room, Mimi wondered if Brady really was fine. If she didn't know her husband better, she might think he was trying to be nice. Mimi immediately discarded such a thought. Brady was never nice to her.
"Are you sure?"
Laughing his first genuine laugh in a long time, Brady answered, "Yes, I'm sure. I do think that I'm capable of knowing how I feel. But, from the looks of you, you're not okay."
"It's nothing for you to worry about. You hate me, remember?"
"Mimi, I think we need to talk, and I don't mean arguing while we sling insults at each other. It's time that you and I actually had a real conversation."
"Should I pinch myself? Because, this is really starting to sound like a dream. I mean, you haven't said a single cruel thing to me since you walked in that door. And, now, you're acting all rational and wanting to talk. This really has to be a dream - or a delusion."
It was then that Brady realized that he and Mimi had never really talked to one another. They had been married for more than three years, but neither had ever taken the time to start a genuine conversation with the other. Usually, they were both too busy being angry or depressed to worry what the other did.
"It's time the we both face the truth, Mimi. Neither of us are exactly innocent. In fact, we've both done more than a few sinful things. However, we can't change the stuff we've already done, so I suggest that we both just get over ourselves and find some way to stop hating each other. Because, if we can't, neither of us will survive much longer. This marriage is honestly killing us."
Fresh tears filled Mimi's eyes as she replied, "As much as I hate admitting this, you're right. And, you were right earlier this morning when you said that I was the one to blame for this sham of a marriage. No matter how horrible you've been to me, what I did to you was worse. And, I'm sorry."
"So, how about we start over? I'm not saying that we have to love each other like other couples, and we don't even have to like each other. But, I just want this god awful cycle of hate to be over."
"Me, too."
A silence fell over Brady and Mimi as each began to consider the repercussions of their agreement. Neither mistook it for anything more than it was, but both were thankful for it. Mimi wasn't exactly sure why Brady had decided to stop torturing her, but she wasn't going to question it. Instead, she would enjoy the newfound peace.
Stirring Mimi from her thoughts, Brady curiously asked with a smile, "Hey, Meems, why is there a man's shirt hanging from the lamp?"
Mimi blushed as she saw Jason's green shirt hanging over the lamp in the corner of the room. She cursed herself for failing to notice it earlier. Had she not been so busy crying over Jason, she might actually have been more aware of her surroundings.
When Mimi didn't answer him, Brady asked, "Do you want to tell me who that shirt belongs to? Because, I'm fairly certain it isn't mine and it wasn't there when I left."
"It doesn't matter who he is, because I won't be going anywhere near him again. I was so stupid to even . . . well . . . you know . . . with him this morning when he showed up after you left. I was even stupider to think that he actually cared."
"Whoa, let me get this straight. While I was gone, some mystery guy showed up, had a little fun with my wife, then left before I got back home?"
"You left out the part about your father almost catching us together."
"I bet you would have had fun trying to explain that to my dad." Pulling a sock out from between the cushions of the couch, Brady remarked, "I suppose this belongs to your mystery lover, too."
"He's not my lover, at least not anymore. I never want to see him again."
"Why's that?"
Ignoring that fact that Brady's amicable conduct made her feel like she was trapped in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone, Mimi replied, "Because, I thought that he might actually care about me, but I was wrong. I wasn't anything more to him than a warm body on a lonely night." Meeting Brady's confused gaze, Mimi fully explained, "The other night, after we had that fight, he was the person I was with. Then, last night, I overheard him saying some stuff. And, when he showed up here today, instead of being strong enough to tell him to get lost, I just melted into his arms."
"So, you and this guy have been together twice?"
"Yeah."
After reflecting over Mimi's confession for a moment, Brady questioned, "You said that you overhead him saying 'stuff' about you. What kind of stuff?"
"Long story short, he was just using me and never loved me."
"Were those his exact words? Did he actually say, 'I was just using Miriam Lockhart-Black and never loved her?'"
Crossing her arms over her chest, Mimi muttered, "Not exactly."
Brady stood, grabbing the carnation from Mimi's hand, and walked to the balcony doors. Life never ceased to amaze him with its irony. Here he was, well into his adulthood, and he was still reliving his first love.
Twirling the carnation by its stem, Brady recalled the flowers he had sent Chloe during their courtship. She had always adored carnations. Now, he was giving flowers to one of Chloe's enemies and helping her face the same problem Chloe had. Mimi was in love with a man who cared for her but had apparently used her. The same had been true for Chloe.
In his heart, Brady knew that Chloe had loved him. He also knew that it had torn her apart finding out that he had originally returned to Salem just to break her and Philip up for his grandfather. If Chloe had been able to forgive Brady, he had no doubts that they would be living a happy life together. But, she had insisted on keeping the hatred.
Brady really wasn't so different. For years, he had been holding on to his hatred for Mimi simply because it was the only emotion he felt himself capable of after Mimi's betrayals. Now, Mimi was continuing the pattern by forcing herself to try and hate the secret man in her life - just as Chloe had hated Brady.
Seeing how that had all turned out, Brady knew that Mimi would be destroying them all if she carelessly tossed away what might be true love because of a simple mistake. And, if Mimi's lover cared for her as much as Brady adored Chloe, he would probably give his life to erase Mimi's pain.
Turning to face Mimi, Brady stated, "If you ever loved him, give him a second chance. God knows that I wish I could have one with the woman I loved. You've already screwed yourself out of three years of your life by making me miserable, don't be stupid and toss away the chance at happiness. If you ever thought the guy was worth the risk, then go for it. Otherwise, forget he existed and move on. I never want to come home and see you curled up on the couch crying your eyes out over him again."
Brady walked past Mimi and dropped the carnation on her lap. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Brady turned and added, "One more thing. From now on, try and be discreet. My sister and Uncle Phil live next-door and I would really hate trying to explain our policy on extramarital affairs to them. I have the feeling that Belle wouldn't exactly approve of us breaking every single one of our wedding vows."
When she heard Brady shut the door to his study, Mimi stood and walked across the room to retrieve Jason's shirt from the lamp. Placing the soft material against her face, Mimi whispered, "I love you, Jase."
Sighing, Brady raked a hand through his blond hair. This was what happened when you had too much time to think and no booze to distract you. You started thinking that your unbalanced wife was actually a nice person.
Sitting alone on the bottom steps leading from the pier to the parking area, Brady watched joyful couples stroll by with happy smiles gracing their faces. He vaguely remembered what it felt like to be happy and in love, but those days were no more.
Brady felt certain that he would never fall in love with his wife. After all the pain they had caused each other, love just wasn't an option. But, Brady wondered if friendship was a possibility.
He was just so tired of the hate, and he knew Mimi was, too. Brady feared that one day his instinctive cruelty was going to push Mimi to the point of no return. Sure, she usually gave as good as she got, but Brady knew that Mimi was weaker than she would ever let him discover.
Though Mimi believed that he paid absolutely no attention to her actions, she was wrong. Brady had often noticed the way she would stand out on the balcony and gaze at the world below. It was as though Mimi was questioning if she really wanted to be a part of it when she could so easily escape it all.
The one thing Brady knew for sure was that if things didn't change, it wouldn't be long before he was out on that balcony with Mimi. Only, he wouldn't be content to merely ponder the possibility. He would act upon it.
Brady had spent the greater part of his youth despising Marlena. He didn't want to waste his adulthood repeating the pattern with Mimi. Perhaps, with immense effort, he could turn things around and stop the misery.
In all honesty, Brady wasn't even certain that he did hate his wife. At one time, he had wished her dead - maybe even wished the both of them dead. But, he had been given a lot of time to accept the mistakes that had been made. Brady firmly believed that Mimi was sorry for what she had done to him. He supposed that meant he would eventually have to forgive her.
What had really penetrated Brady's icy exterior was Mimi's simple statement that she just wanted to be loved. Maybe someday, when she and Brady were finally free of each other, she could have that. Until that blessed day, Brady contemplated if he could at least eliminate the hate from her life.
He came up with a single answer. Of course he could end the hatred - but would he?
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Jason scrambled for his clothing. Finding his blue jeans hanging from the corner of the coffee table, he hurriedly slipped them on, not bothering to button or zip them as he continued his search. Stumbling upon one of his socks, Jason stuffed into halfway into one of his pockets.
As the person at the door knocked again, Jason felt his shoe painfully hit him in the back of the head. Picking the shoe up from where it had landed on the floor, Jason turned around just in time to catch its counterpart as it was hurled at his chest.
He let out a quiet string of profanities as his simple white shirt followed the shoes and hit his shoulder.
Glancing from the door to Jason, Mimi lowly hissed, "Hurry up! My father-in- law cannot find you standing half-naked in the living room!"
With his shirt and shoes in his arms, Jason dashed into the kitchen. Leaning his sore head against the hard wall, Jason wondered just how things had gotten so out of control so quickly.
(flashback)
Jason had been standing outside the door to Mimi's penthouse a good ten minutes trying to work up the nerve to actually knock or ring the doorbell. After dumping Jan, he had been awake all night trying to think of just the right words to tell Mimi how he felt. Now that he was there, all words had been erased from his mind.
He knew that if he blew this shot, he might never get another. Then, there was that little problem of Mimi having a husband. And, not just any husband. Of all the people in the entire world that Jason's true love could be married to, she had to be married to his boss, Brady Black.
Convincing himself that all he needed to do was knock on the door, wait for it to open, and quickly profess his love, Jason readied himself for an event that would hopefully change his life - and Mimi's.
The moment the door opened and Jason was presented with the marvelous sight of Mimi in nothing but her bathrobe, all thoughts, words, and logical ideas were completely abandoned. There was just something about the sad way that she stared at him in surprise and the water droplets that dripped down her face from her still wet hair that made him want her more than ever.
Without waiting for an invitation, Jason pushed himself into the penthouse. As soon as Mimi shut the door, his lips were on hers. Perhaps it wasn't the most romantic gesture, but it just felt so incredibly right.
Mimi pulled away from Jason and stared at him. There was some emotion playing just under the surface, and Jason was fully aware of its presence. Still, he couldn't quite define what it was because Mimi quickly masked any and all emotions as she grabbed the green shirt he was wearing over his white tee and pulled him back to her and into a hungry kiss.
After that, things had become so intense and thrilling that no amount of touching was enough. Jason's only recognizable thought was to get closer to Mimi. And, it was that very thought that caused him to ultimately be lying naked with Mimi on her and Brady's living room couch when John Black arrived.
Worse, Jason hadn't even gotten around to telling Mimi why he came to see her. Those three little words never quite made it out of his mouth. Despite his efforts, Jason was having the hardest time saying I love you.
(end flashback)
Giving John what she hoped would appear as a carefree smile, Mimi fought through the headache that still plagued her and greeted, "John, hi. I wasn't expecting you to come by this morning."
"I'm sorry for just dropping by unannounced," responded John as he took in Mimi's slightly damp hair and bathrobe. "It looks like I caught you getting out of the shower."
"Yeah, but it's fine. Really. Um, is there something I can help you with?"
John didn't know what exactly had his son's wife looking so nervous, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. There were a lot of things in life that John couldn't understand - Mimi and Brady's marriage was one of them. Over the years, there were times that he had seen them together and been willing to bet his life that they didn't even like each other, much less love one another.
Looking at Mimi anxiously tap her bare foot on the floor, John understood that whatever was happening at the penthouse would only be another thing to add to his list of unsolved mysteries. Of course, John had the feeling that there were a lot of mysteries in Salem better left unsolved. Among them, the real motivation for Brady marrying Mimi.
Answering Mimi, John said, "I was hoping to talk to Brady and see if he was still interested in doing some work for Basic Black."
Taking a nervous peek in the direction of the kitchen, Mimi quickly replied, "Uh, Brady's already left. You could try the club. He might be there."
Allowing Mimi to rush him out, John muttered a quick thank you before the door was shut in his face. He was beginning to be quite grateful that he didn't know what happened inside that penthouse, because he felt certain that whatever it was would only give him a headache.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
It had been one hour since she's gotten rid of John, fifty-seven minutes since she had kicked Jason out without allowing him to say a single word, and forty-two minutes since she had returned downstairs after getting dress.
Curled up in the corner of the couch, Mimi wondered why she continually made the wrong decisions - with the wrong men. If she were asked to name the two most egotistical men that all women should avoid, the answer would be simple. Brady Black and Jason Masters. Knowing that, what did Mimi do? She married one and fell in love with the other.
Mimi used the palms of her hands to wipe away her tears. She kept her hands covering her eyes, hoping that if she didn't look at the living room, she wouldn't be forced to remember what had happened there that morning.
Hearing the front door open, Mimi made no attempt to move or hide her complete despair from Brady. She just sat there and kept her hands pressed against her eyes. If things went as they usually did, he would just ignore her and walk upstairs anyway.
To Mimi's surprise, Brady sat down on the couch right beside her. Keeping her eyes covered, Mimi waited for her husband to begin taunting her. She was waiting in vain.
The feel of something soft touching her nose only heightened Mimi's paranoia. Maybe Brady had found a nice soft material to choke her with. However, that idea was ruled out when Mimi noticed the fragrance accompanying the object. The smell was sweet, soft, and . . . floral?
Moving her hands away from her eyes, Mimi found herself staring at a lovely pink carnation. The shock being easily read on her face, Brady mumbled, "The vendor was having a sale on them." When Mimi only stared at the object, Brady prompted, "Well, do you want it or not?"
Mimi slowly took the flower from Brady's hand and brought it close to her face, enjoying its gentle scent. Turning to Brady, Mimi asked, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, Mimi, I'm feeling fine."
Her eyes darting nervously around the room, Mimi wondered if Brady really was fine. If she didn't know her husband better, she might think he was trying to be nice. Mimi immediately discarded such a thought. Brady was never nice to her.
"Are you sure?"
Laughing his first genuine laugh in a long time, Brady answered, "Yes, I'm sure. I do think that I'm capable of knowing how I feel. But, from the looks of you, you're not okay."
"It's nothing for you to worry about. You hate me, remember?"
"Mimi, I think we need to talk, and I don't mean arguing while we sling insults at each other. It's time that you and I actually had a real conversation."
"Should I pinch myself? Because, this is really starting to sound like a dream. I mean, you haven't said a single cruel thing to me since you walked in that door. And, now, you're acting all rational and wanting to talk. This really has to be a dream - or a delusion."
It was then that Brady realized that he and Mimi had never really talked to one another. They had been married for more than three years, but neither had ever taken the time to start a genuine conversation with the other. Usually, they were both too busy being angry or depressed to worry what the other did.
"It's time the we both face the truth, Mimi. Neither of us are exactly innocent. In fact, we've both done more than a few sinful things. However, we can't change the stuff we've already done, so I suggest that we both just get over ourselves and find some way to stop hating each other. Because, if we can't, neither of us will survive much longer. This marriage is honestly killing us."
Fresh tears filled Mimi's eyes as she replied, "As much as I hate admitting this, you're right. And, you were right earlier this morning when you said that I was the one to blame for this sham of a marriage. No matter how horrible you've been to me, what I did to you was worse. And, I'm sorry."
"So, how about we start over? I'm not saying that we have to love each other like other couples, and we don't even have to like each other. But, I just want this god awful cycle of hate to be over."
"Me, too."
A silence fell over Brady and Mimi as each began to consider the repercussions of their agreement. Neither mistook it for anything more than it was, but both were thankful for it. Mimi wasn't exactly sure why Brady had decided to stop torturing her, but she wasn't going to question it. Instead, she would enjoy the newfound peace.
Stirring Mimi from her thoughts, Brady curiously asked with a smile, "Hey, Meems, why is there a man's shirt hanging from the lamp?"
Mimi blushed as she saw Jason's green shirt hanging over the lamp in the corner of the room. She cursed herself for failing to notice it earlier. Had she not been so busy crying over Jason, she might actually have been more aware of her surroundings.
When Mimi didn't answer him, Brady asked, "Do you want to tell me who that shirt belongs to? Because, I'm fairly certain it isn't mine and it wasn't there when I left."
"It doesn't matter who he is, because I won't be going anywhere near him again. I was so stupid to even . . . well . . . you know . . . with him this morning when he showed up after you left. I was even stupider to think that he actually cared."
"Whoa, let me get this straight. While I was gone, some mystery guy showed up, had a little fun with my wife, then left before I got back home?"
"You left out the part about your father almost catching us together."
"I bet you would have had fun trying to explain that to my dad." Pulling a sock out from between the cushions of the couch, Brady remarked, "I suppose this belongs to your mystery lover, too."
"He's not my lover, at least not anymore. I never want to see him again."
"Why's that?"
Ignoring that fact that Brady's amicable conduct made her feel like she was trapped in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone, Mimi replied, "Because, I thought that he might actually care about me, but I was wrong. I wasn't anything more to him than a warm body on a lonely night." Meeting Brady's confused gaze, Mimi fully explained, "The other night, after we had that fight, he was the person I was with. Then, last night, I overheard him saying some stuff. And, when he showed up here today, instead of being strong enough to tell him to get lost, I just melted into his arms."
"So, you and this guy have been together twice?"
"Yeah."
After reflecting over Mimi's confession for a moment, Brady questioned, "You said that you overhead him saying 'stuff' about you. What kind of stuff?"
"Long story short, he was just using me and never loved me."
"Were those his exact words? Did he actually say, 'I was just using Miriam Lockhart-Black and never loved her?'"
Crossing her arms over her chest, Mimi muttered, "Not exactly."
Brady stood, grabbing the carnation from Mimi's hand, and walked to the balcony doors. Life never ceased to amaze him with its irony. Here he was, well into his adulthood, and he was still reliving his first love.
Twirling the carnation by its stem, Brady recalled the flowers he had sent Chloe during their courtship. She had always adored carnations. Now, he was giving flowers to one of Chloe's enemies and helping her face the same problem Chloe had. Mimi was in love with a man who cared for her but had apparently used her. The same had been true for Chloe.
In his heart, Brady knew that Chloe had loved him. He also knew that it had torn her apart finding out that he had originally returned to Salem just to break her and Philip up for his grandfather. If Chloe had been able to forgive Brady, he had no doubts that they would be living a happy life together. But, she had insisted on keeping the hatred.
Brady really wasn't so different. For years, he had been holding on to his hatred for Mimi simply because it was the only emotion he felt himself capable of after Mimi's betrayals. Now, Mimi was continuing the pattern by forcing herself to try and hate the secret man in her life - just as Chloe had hated Brady.
Seeing how that had all turned out, Brady knew that Mimi would be destroying them all if she carelessly tossed away what might be true love because of a simple mistake. And, if Mimi's lover cared for her as much as Brady adored Chloe, he would probably give his life to erase Mimi's pain.
Turning to face Mimi, Brady stated, "If you ever loved him, give him a second chance. God knows that I wish I could have one with the woman I loved. You've already screwed yourself out of three years of your life by making me miserable, don't be stupid and toss away the chance at happiness. If you ever thought the guy was worth the risk, then go for it. Otherwise, forget he existed and move on. I never want to come home and see you curled up on the couch crying your eyes out over him again."
Brady walked past Mimi and dropped the carnation on her lap. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Brady turned and added, "One more thing. From now on, try and be discreet. My sister and Uncle Phil live next-door and I would really hate trying to explain our policy on extramarital affairs to them. I have the feeling that Belle wouldn't exactly approve of us breaking every single one of our wedding vows."
When she heard Brady shut the door to his study, Mimi stood and walked across the room to retrieve Jason's shirt from the lamp. Placing the soft material against her face, Mimi whispered, "I love you, Jase."
