Yeah, I'm bad at updating what can I say. Plus yall know how life
gets...anyway BIG thanks to Alisa Neely, the new co-writer. Also thanks to
everyone who asked and emailed about this story. Oh and chapters will be
titled from now on. Enjoy and I disclaim
Unavoidable Attraction Chapter 13 -Talk Between Friends-
by Kristen and Alisa.
It was Monday morning and Chloe was getting ready for work and to take Natalie to school. It had been a stress-full weekend, waiting for her daughter's test results to come back. Natalie did pretty well over the weekend, though. No passing out. Which she had done on Friday afternoon scaring her poor mother half to death.
As Chloe stood putting her makeup on, she couldn't help but remember last Friday night when her boss, Brady Black had dropped by to get a file that she had and ended up staying for dinner. She also remembered the sound of his laughter, as he sat on the couch watching cartoons. Natalie sat with her little head resting on Brady's chest. The sight had warmed her heart and a smile had rose to her face as well. In fact, as she thought of it, it made her smile yet again.
"Mommy, I'm gonna be late!" Natalie scolded as she tugged at her mother's pant leg. Chloe looked down from applying her eyeliner.
"You sure are anxious to get out of here" Chloe said lightly, giving her daughter a wry smile before she turned back to the mirror. "You're sure you feel alright to go to school today?" She asked turning back to her little girl. Natalie shrugged her shoulders dramatically while swinging her tiny pink lunchbox to ease her boredom. Chloe cocked her head to the side and closed the top of the eyeliner. She set it down on the counter and bent down to take a good look at her daughter. "I don't know Nat. You look tired" Chloe said concern showing in her eyes as she wiped remnants of a Pop tart from the young girl's mouth.
"I feel fine" Natalie replied. Chloe raised her eyebrows skeptically and then stood again to look in the mirror. Natalie's tests hadn't come in all weekend and she didn't know what that meant. Mimi had come back into town the day before, and she had told her not to worry. She said it was probably nothing. Chloe also told her about the recent happenings with her and her boss. Mimi was ecstatic to say the least, but reminded her of her daughter, and of Philip.
.:::::::::::.Flashback.:::::::::.
"How come Natalie's tests haven't come back yet? What do you think it means?"
"Chloe, it's probably nothing." Mimi replied reassuringly.
"How am I not to worry, Mimi? My poor little girl passed out at school and the doctors don't know why."
"Chloe, I'm sure that if the results had come back showing anything wrong, that they would have called saying so." Mimi said as she rested a hand on her troubled friend's shoulder.
Chloe sighed, "I know you're right. But, even so." Chloe added still unsure.
"Chloe, you have to think positive thoughts. Otherwise, Nat will pick up on it and get scared. And you don't want that." Mimi said giving her friend a knowing glance.
Chloe nodded "You're right. I don't want her to get scared and worried. It wouldn't do her any good."
Mimi knew that she needed to keep her friend talking and thinking hopefully good thoughts, so she asked.
"So, what else happened while I was gone? Any new gossip I should know about?" Mimi asked brightly hoping to change the mood. She didn't know what made her ask that, but she had seen more than just worry in Chloe's eyes ever since she came over.
"Mommy's boss, Mr. Black came by." The little girl never looked away from the TV as she said this. Mimi looked at Natalie and then turned amused eyes to her friend.
"Did he now?"
Not sure how her friend would take what she was about to tell her, Chloe took a deep breath and started. "The day that Natalie got sick, Brady had taken me to lunch. And it had nothing to do with business either." Chloe couldn't help the sly smile that crept onto her face at the memory.
"If it wasn't a business lunch, then what was it? From the look on your face, it must of been a good lunch." Mimi replied with a suggestive raise of her eyebrows.
Chloe shook her head at crazy friend. "Get your head out of the gutter, Meems. It was a nice lunch. We talked about a lot of things.Natalie, Phillip." Chloe broke her friend's focused gaze at the mention of his hated name.
"What did you tell him about Phillip and your relationship?"
Chloe looked over at Natalie and stood. "Meems, why don't we talk in the kitchen? Besides, I could use some tea." Mimi stood, and followed Chloe into the kitchen. Once both were in the kitchen away from little ears, Chloe put the kettle on for tea and then began.
"I'm sorry, I just don't like talking about Phillip near Natalie. She doesn't remember him that well and I plan on keeping it that way"
"That's alright, Chloe. I totally understand. Just take your time." Chloe puts the tea bags in the cups and takes a deep breath ,then continues. "Any way, when I told Brady that Phillip had been an alcoholic. He got concerned and asked, if he had hurt me, physically"
"What did you say?" Mimi asked quickly, the surprise evident in her voice.
Chloe poured the water in the tea cups and then sat at the kitchen table. "I was completely shocked that he would ask something so private, and I'm sure that he could see what I was feeling at that moment. I couldn't say anything, all I could do was sit there and stare into his eyes."
"And?" Mimi prompted.
Chloe took a sip of her tea and laughed. "Nothing really. We just sat there staring at each other. I swear Mimi, I didn't know whether to scream or faint. I didn't want to talk about Phillip, and I don't like talking about him now. It's just.it's like he won't leave me the hell alone even in death!" Mimi reached across the table, and took a hold of her friends hand. Chloe took a calming breath. She mentally berated herself for getting so caught up in her emotional past.
"Anyway, I couldn't say anything. So I tried to show him, and call me crazy, but as I sat there staring into his eyes ,they seemed to show that he understood what I was trying to say."
Mimi raised an interested eyebrow, and crossed her arms.
"Mommy, can I have some juice please?" Natalie called. Chloe stood from the table and got the juice out. "Just a minute!" Chloe called back.
Once Chloe left the room to deliver the juice, Mimi sat back taking in everything her friend had said. Mimi had a lot of opinions on the situation. She could see Chloe was happy. She hadn't seen her friend like that in a long time, but knew that she had to remind her of something very important. Chloe had a tendency to get carried away with things and over-look the real truth. Chloe returned to the kitchen, a minute or two later and sat back down across from her friend. As she looked at Mimi, Chloe could tell that she had something to say.
"I can tell you want to say something to me, so just say it" Chloe remarked dryly.
"First, how is Natalie?" Mimi asked unsure of where to start. Chloe wasn't stupid, she knew this wasn't what her friend had to say.
"Natalie, is fine. Come on Meems, it's not like you to hold back on me."
"You're right. I do have something to say. Don't get mad just hear me out." She said seriously. "Chloe, you have to remember that you have a 6yr old daughter. Not only that, but you're not any where near past what Phillip put you through. I just don't want to see either you or Natalie to get hurt."
Chloe knew that her friend only meant well and agreed with her, but she shook her head "Meems, you don't have to remind me of what Phillip did to me. I'll never completely forget, and I know better than to let it happen twice." She knew if anything started to happen she would never get in too far over her head. She figured if or when the time came she would deal with it then, but for now, she just wanted to be content with the idea of happiness.
.::::::::::.End of flashback.:::::::::.
Gazing into the mirror in front of her she stood tall and straightened her shoulders. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her new cream silk suit, and then turned her head from side to side, inspecting it for any imperfections. Letting out a breath she smiled. She looked better today then she had in a long while, and she felt good.
"Natalie do you think mommy looks pretty with her hair down?" She inquired as she pushed some loose strands behind her ears. 'I usually wear it in a bun, but maybe it would look better down for a change. I wonder if Brady liked it down.' She blushed at her own thoughts. She felt a smiling face and laughing eyes burning into her side. She looked down at her daughter and sure enough, she looked as though she had just discovered a huge secret.
"What?" Chloe asked innocently.
Natalie gave a little giggle and left the room. "I like it down and hurry up!" She called on her way out.
They both got settled in the car, and made their way toward Natalie's school. Natalie had not missed the look on her mommy's face that morning. She didn't know what her mom had been thinking about, but it really didn't matter. She looked happy. Chloe pulled into the school parking lot and parked.
"You're coming in mommy?" Natalie asked a little confused.
"I want to talk to your teacher. Come on, let's go." Chloe said grabbing a hold of her daughter's hand. They walked hand in hand into the building and into Natalie's classroom. Chloe talked things over with Natalie's teacher, and said she would call sometime during the day to see how Natalie was holding up. Chloe gave Natalie one last hug and kiss and then left to head for work, and to face Brady.
TBC
Will Chloe listen to her friend's advice about getting into a relationship?
Unavoidable Attraction Chapter 13 -Talk Between Friends-
by Kristen and Alisa.
It was Monday morning and Chloe was getting ready for work and to take Natalie to school. It had been a stress-full weekend, waiting for her daughter's test results to come back. Natalie did pretty well over the weekend, though. No passing out. Which she had done on Friday afternoon scaring her poor mother half to death.
As Chloe stood putting her makeup on, she couldn't help but remember last Friday night when her boss, Brady Black had dropped by to get a file that she had and ended up staying for dinner. She also remembered the sound of his laughter, as he sat on the couch watching cartoons. Natalie sat with her little head resting on Brady's chest. The sight had warmed her heart and a smile had rose to her face as well. In fact, as she thought of it, it made her smile yet again.
"Mommy, I'm gonna be late!" Natalie scolded as she tugged at her mother's pant leg. Chloe looked down from applying her eyeliner.
"You sure are anxious to get out of here" Chloe said lightly, giving her daughter a wry smile before she turned back to the mirror. "You're sure you feel alright to go to school today?" She asked turning back to her little girl. Natalie shrugged her shoulders dramatically while swinging her tiny pink lunchbox to ease her boredom. Chloe cocked her head to the side and closed the top of the eyeliner. She set it down on the counter and bent down to take a good look at her daughter. "I don't know Nat. You look tired" Chloe said concern showing in her eyes as she wiped remnants of a Pop tart from the young girl's mouth.
"I feel fine" Natalie replied. Chloe raised her eyebrows skeptically and then stood again to look in the mirror. Natalie's tests hadn't come in all weekend and she didn't know what that meant. Mimi had come back into town the day before, and she had told her not to worry. She said it was probably nothing. Chloe also told her about the recent happenings with her and her boss. Mimi was ecstatic to say the least, but reminded her of her daughter, and of Philip.
.:::::::::::.Flashback.:::::::::.
"How come Natalie's tests haven't come back yet? What do you think it means?"
"Chloe, it's probably nothing." Mimi replied reassuringly.
"How am I not to worry, Mimi? My poor little girl passed out at school and the doctors don't know why."
"Chloe, I'm sure that if the results had come back showing anything wrong, that they would have called saying so." Mimi said as she rested a hand on her troubled friend's shoulder.
Chloe sighed, "I know you're right. But, even so." Chloe added still unsure.
"Chloe, you have to think positive thoughts. Otherwise, Nat will pick up on it and get scared. And you don't want that." Mimi said giving her friend a knowing glance.
Chloe nodded "You're right. I don't want her to get scared and worried. It wouldn't do her any good."
Mimi knew that she needed to keep her friend talking and thinking hopefully good thoughts, so she asked.
"So, what else happened while I was gone? Any new gossip I should know about?" Mimi asked brightly hoping to change the mood. She didn't know what made her ask that, but she had seen more than just worry in Chloe's eyes ever since she came over.
"Mommy's boss, Mr. Black came by." The little girl never looked away from the TV as she said this. Mimi looked at Natalie and then turned amused eyes to her friend.
"Did he now?"
Not sure how her friend would take what she was about to tell her, Chloe took a deep breath and started. "The day that Natalie got sick, Brady had taken me to lunch. And it had nothing to do with business either." Chloe couldn't help the sly smile that crept onto her face at the memory.
"If it wasn't a business lunch, then what was it? From the look on your face, it must of been a good lunch." Mimi replied with a suggestive raise of her eyebrows.
Chloe shook her head at crazy friend. "Get your head out of the gutter, Meems. It was a nice lunch. We talked about a lot of things.Natalie, Phillip." Chloe broke her friend's focused gaze at the mention of his hated name.
"What did you tell him about Phillip and your relationship?"
Chloe looked over at Natalie and stood. "Meems, why don't we talk in the kitchen? Besides, I could use some tea." Mimi stood, and followed Chloe into the kitchen. Once both were in the kitchen away from little ears, Chloe put the kettle on for tea and then began.
"I'm sorry, I just don't like talking about Phillip near Natalie. She doesn't remember him that well and I plan on keeping it that way"
"That's alright, Chloe. I totally understand. Just take your time." Chloe puts the tea bags in the cups and takes a deep breath ,then continues. "Any way, when I told Brady that Phillip had been an alcoholic. He got concerned and asked, if he had hurt me, physically"
"What did you say?" Mimi asked quickly, the surprise evident in her voice.
Chloe poured the water in the tea cups and then sat at the kitchen table. "I was completely shocked that he would ask something so private, and I'm sure that he could see what I was feeling at that moment. I couldn't say anything, all I could do was sit there and stare into his eyes."
"And?" Mimi prompted.
Chloe took a sip of her tea and laughed. "Nothing really. We just sat there staring at each other. I swear Mimi, I didn't know whether to scream or faint. I didn't want to talk about Phillip, and I don't like talking about him now. It's just.it's like he won't leave me the hell alone even in death!" Mimi reached across the table, and took a hold of her friends hand. Chloe took a calming breath. She mentally berated herself for getting so caught up in her emotional past.
"Anyway, I couldn't say anything. So I tried to show him, and call me crazy, but as I sat there staring into his eyes ,they seemed to show that he understood what I was trying to say."
Mimi raised an interested eyebrow, and crossed her arms.
"Mommy, can I have some juice please?" Natalie called. Chloe stood from the table and got the juice out. "Just a minute!" Chloe called back.
Once Chloe left the room to deliver the juice, Mimi sat back taking in everything her friend had said. Mimi had a lot of opinions on the situation. She could see Chloe was happy. She hadn't seen her friend like that in a long time, but knew that she had to remind her of something very important. Chloe had a tendency to get carried away with things and over-look the real truth. Chloe returned to the kitchen, a minute or two later and sat back down across from her friend. As she looked at Mimi, Chloe could tell that she had something to say.
"I can tell you want to say something to me, so just say it" Chloe remarked dryly.
"First, how is Natalie?" Mimi asked unsure of where to start. Chloe wasn't stupid, she knew this wasn't what her friend had to say.
"Natalie, is fine. Come on Meems, it's not like you to hold back on me."
"You're right. I do have something to say. Don't get mad just hear me out." She said seriously. "Chloe, you have to remember that you have a 6yr old daughter. Not only that, but you're not any where near past what Phillip put you through. I just don't want to see either you or Natalie to get hurt."
Chloe knew that her friend only meant well and agreed with her, but she shook her head "Meems, you don't have to remind me of what Phillip did to me. I'll never completely forget, and I know better than to let it happen twice." She knew if anything started to happen she would never get in too far over her head. She figured if or when the time came she would deal with it then, but for now, she just wanted to be content with the idea of happiness.
.::::::::::.End of flashback.:::::::::.
Gazing into the mirror in front of her she stood tall and straightened her shoulders. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her new cream silk suit, and then turned her head from side to side, inspecting it for any imperfections. Letting out a breath she smiled. She looked better today then she had in a long while, and she felt good.
"Natalie do you think mommy looks pretty with her hair down?" She inquired as she pushed some loose strands behind her ears. 'I usually wear it in a bun, but maybe it would look better down for a change. I wonder if Brady liked it down.' She blushed at her own thoughts. She felt a smiling face and laughing eyes burning into her side. She looked down at her daughter and sure enough, she looked as though she had just discovered a huge secret.
"What?" Chloe asked innocently.
Natalie gave a little giggle and left the room. "I like it down and hurry up!" She called on her way out.
They both got settled in the car, and made their way toward Natalie's school. Natalie had not missed the look on her mommy's face that morning. She didn't know what her mom had been thinking about, but it really didn't matter. She looked happy. Chloe pulled into the school parking lot and parked.
"You're coming in mommy?" Natalie asked a little confused.
"I want to talk to your teacher. Come on, let's go." Chloe said grabbing a hold of her daughter's hand. They walked hand in hand into the building and into Natalie's classroom. Chloe talked things over with Natalie's teacher, and said she would call sometime during the day to see how Natalie was holding up. Chloe gave Natalie one last hug and kiss and then left to head for work, and to face Brady.
TBC
Will Chloe listen to her friend's advice about getting into a relationship?