Disclaimer: The following fiction is loosely based on characters currently owned and operated by the producers and writers of NBC-TV's Days of Our Lives. I claim no affiliation. Gratuitous entertainment purposes only.
Stubborn and Clueless
Chapter Nine
by Fidomom
Belle hurried to her locker at the end of the school day. She put her books away grabbed what was needed to do homework that night and shut her locker door to find a very familiar face behind it.
"Brady! Hi! What are you doing here? Oh is that flower for me?"
"Actually Belle it isn't for you."
Belle frowned,
"For who then?"
She saw Brady's eyes shift to a spot over her shoulder, and he held the flower out in front of him.
"It's for you, Chloe."
Belle's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened in pleased surprise. She turned to look at Chloe who couldn't tear her eyes away from Brady. Belle attempted to bow out of their meeting unnoticed but Brady told her to wait. He fished out the keys to his Jeep and handed them to her,
"I'm parked out front. I shouldn't be too long Tink and I'll give you a lift home, afterwards."
Belle accepted the keys excitedly. Brady cautioned her.
"No funny business lil sis! Don't even think about so much as starting the ignition!"
Belle rolled her eyes at him laughing and left Brady and Chloe to talk. Brady focused his attention back on Chloe who was still looking at him and hadn't accepted the flower.
"Come on Chloe please take it. I saw your video message. I chose not to disregard everything you said. I'm glad you contacted me. I umm I really miss you. I don't want to be shut out of your life. I want you to call me and visit me and spend time with me. To that end I'd like to take you out for dinner at Tuscany, please say yes?"
She still didn't take the flower.
"Brady why didn't you stay after you brought me to the hospital?"
His face registered his shock,
"Who told you I brought you to the hospital? I specifically asked Craig not to tell you!"
"Why didn't you want me to know, Brady?"
"I thought it would upset you. At that point I hadn't decided what to do regarding your video message to me. You took it all back, but I'm hoping you actually meant what you said to me"
"Oh. Craig didn't tell me, Belle did. And Brady? I did mean it. I'm glad you ignored my retraction."
"How the heck did Belle know I brought you in?"
"Jason Masters told her."
"Oh. Him. Yeah well he's not my favorite person but he did a good thing stopping you from hitting the dirt and he compounded that good deed by calling me to take you to the hospital."
"How did he get a hold of you anyway?"
Brady smiled softly,
"You didn't take me off your speed dial."
Chloe blushed slightly, reached out to accept the flower and smelled it. She smiled.
"So you want us to go to Tuscany, huh? When?"
"I know it's really short notice but I was hoping ... tonight? Say 8ish? I hope your question means you're saying yes."
She nodded her head still holding the flower to her nose.
"Okay, Brady I'll go to dinner with you."
He suddenly remembered something,
"Oh! Here's the card that was supposed to be with the flower, in case I couldn't find you here."
Chloe read the card and looked sad. She looked up at Brady offering him a very weak smile that didn't reach her eyes,
"Thanks for the flower Brady it really is beautiful. I'll see you tonight."
Brady couldn't put his finger on it but something was bothering her~Oh, well I'll find out tonight when we talk.~
"Okay then I'll pick you up a little bit early so we can dine at 8, okay?"
She nodded her head and watched him walk away ~Will you ever notice that I'm not a little girl Brady?~. She turned away from his retreating image and tossed both the card and the flower into the trashcan. The words on the card ran through her head in an endless taunt ...'To Chloe A special flower for a very special girl. You told me once that purple orchids were your favorites. I'll call you soon. BVB' Brady had turned around for one last look at Chloe and saw her toss the flower into the trash. He stood there utterly hurt and bewildered ~I don't get it. I know she loves me, I heard her say it with my own two ears so why would she throw away the flower I gave her? Leave it to me to fall in love with the most complicated girl I've ever met! I hope she and I get this all straightened out tonight.~
To be continued ...
Stubborn and Clueless
Chapter Nine
by Fidomom
Belle hurried to her locker at the end of the school day. She put her books away grabbed what was needed to do homework that night and shut her locker door to find a very familiar face behind it.
"Brady! Hi! What are you doing here? Oh is that flower for me?"
"Actually Belle it isn't for you."
Belle frowned,
"For who then?"
She saw Brady's eyes shift to a spot over her shoulder, and he held the flower out in front of him.
"It's for you, Chloe."
Belle's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened in pleased surprise. She turned to look at Chloe who couldn't tear her eyes away from Brady. Belle attempted to bow out of their meeting unnoticed but Brady told her to wait. He fished out the keys to his Jeep and handed them to her,
"I'm parked out front. I shouldn't be too long Tink and I'll give you a lift home, afterwards."
Belle accepted the keys excitedly. Brady cautioned her.
"No funny business lil sis! Don't even think about so much as starting the ignition!"
Belle rolled her eyes at him laughing and left Brady and Chloe to talk. Brady focused his attention back on Chloe who was still looking at him and hadn't accepted the flower.
"Come on Chloe please take it. I saw your video message. I chose not to disregard everything you said. I'm glad you contacted me. I umm I really miss you. I don't want to be shut out of your life. I want you to call me and visit me and spend time with me. To that end I'd like to take you out for dinner at Tuscany, please say yes?"
She still didn't take the flower.
"Brady why didn't you stay after you brought me to the hospital?"
His face registered his shock,
"Who told you I brought you to the hospital? I specifically asked Craig not to tell you!"
"Why didn't you want me to know, Brady?"
"I thought it would upset you. At that point I hadn't decided what to do regarding your video message to me. You took it all back, but I'm hoping you actually meant what you said to me"
"Oh. Craig didn't tell me, Belle did. And Brady? I did mean it. I'm glad you ignored my retraction."
"How the heck did Belle know I brought you in?"
"Jason Masters told her."
"Oh. Him. Yeah well he's not my favorite person but he did a good thing stopping you from hitting the dirt and he compounded that good deed by calling me to take you to the hospital."
"How did he get a hold of you anyway?"
Brady smiled softly,
"You didn't take me off your speed dial."
Chloe blushed slightly, reached out to accept the flower and smelled it. She smiled.
"So you want us to go to Tuscany, huh? When?"
"I know it's really short notice but I was hoping ... tonight? Say 8ish? I hope your question means you're saying yes."
She nodded her head still holding the flower to her nose.
"Okay, Brady I'll go to dinner with you."
He suddenly remembered something,
"Oh! Here's the card that was supposed to be with the flower, in case I couldn't find you here."
Chloe read the card and looked sad. She looked up at Brady offering him a very weak smile that didn't reach her eyes,
"Thanks for the flower Brady it really is beautiful. I'll see you tonight."
Brady couldn't put his finger on it but something was bothering her~Oh, well I'll find out tonight when we talk.~
"Okay then I'll pick you up a little bit early so we can dine at 8, okay?"
She nodded her head and watched him walk away ~Will you ever notice that I'm not a little girl Brady?~. She turned away from his retreating image and tossed both the card and the flower into the trashcan. The words on the card ran through her head in an endless taunt ...'To Chloe A special flower for a very special girl. You told me once that purple orchids were your favorites. I'll call you soon. BVB' Brady had turned around for one last look at Chloe and saw her toss the flower into the trash. He stood there utterly hurt and bewildered ~I don't get it. I know she loves me, I heard her say it with my own two ears so why would she throw away the flower I gave her? Leave it to me to fall in love with the most complicated girl I've ever met! I hope she and I get this all straightened out tonight.~
To be continued ...