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What About Love?
Chapter 1
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Deer Santa,
My name is Brad.
I am 6 years old.
I don't want muc for Christmas.
The 1 ting I really want, is for my mommy to smile. She doesn't smile muc any more. Not sinc daddy died. I miss her smile.
Please bring it bac.
Mayb you could bring me a new daddy. That might make her happe again.
Thank u,
Brad Cabell
P.s. I would like a robot machine turbo to!
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"Mommy, I am re-ady to g-o." Serena's heart shattered once again at her son's voice. His speech difficulties were so hard to deal with. She bent down and kissed Brad's cheek. She picked him up and set him on a seat in her old broke down truck. After buckling him she shut the door. As they drove she turned on the music and glanced at her son watching a smile appear on his face. Brad loved music. She watched as he swallowed a few times.
"Mom-my. Can I lis-ten to the bee so-ng?" She nodded and Brad pulled a cd out of the case and stuck it in. He nodded his head to the music as he listened, making his light brown hair fall into his eyes covering his glasses. She let out a soft giggle at his joy of the song. Pulling into the parking lot of the Arcade/Cafe Andrew owned, she turned off the ignition. As Serena and Brad entered the Cafe they were greeted by many.
"Hey Serena!"
"Brad! How you doing?"
"Hey, Mrs. Cabell."
"G'Mornin', beautiful" The last remark came from Bobby Burke who had been trying to catch her eye for the past month. Bobby was a tall skinny man with light brown hair and gray eyes. He had a great personality and was a superb guy. But just not for her.
After returning her greetings, she walked up the stairs and entered the arcade. They set off for their daily schedule for any Monday morning. Brad went to the play room and worked on his school work and Serena set of back down the stairs to work.
Her day went smoothly. When she was closing things caught her in a blur. She was wiping the counter as the bell on the door jingled, signaling someone entering. She turned to tell the costumer that they were already closed. At the sight of them she froze. The costumer was a tall, well built man. He had unruly black hair and strikingly blue eyes. But his appearance wasn't what shocked her. It was who he was.
Darien Shields. That's who. Her best friend and the man who had disappeared the day her and Marc were married. Their eyes locked for a moment before she turned away.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't little miss Serena." She faced him again and couldn't help but smile. Walking to him she punched his chest and then pulled him in for a hug. She had been heartbroken when he had left. He chuckled in understanding and hugged her back.
"Where have you been you great brute?" He wiped a piece of blonde hair from her face.
"Away." She rolled her eyes and stepped from his embrace.
"Did you know how worried you had us?" He frowned
"Good to know I've been missed." His icy tone puzzled her. Just as she opened her mouth to ask about it Brad limped down the steps.
"Momm-y, An-dy wa-nts to…" He swallowed a few times. "kno-w if he can at-ke me to the mov-ie whe-n you go the si-ng? Ple-ase Mom! I rea-lly wa-nna go!." Her son's eyes pleaded with her. She could feel Darien's questioning gaze on her back. She bent to Brad's level and hugged him.
"Sure sweetie. Have fun." Brad smiled before limping back upstairs, never taking notice of Darien. She picked up her rag and made to follow Brad, but Darien grabbed her arm.
"Wait. We need to talk." He smiled slightly trying to soften the huskiness of his voice. Serena nodded and motioned to a table. She disappeared behind the counter for a while to get coffee and soon returned. Setting one of the cups in front of Darien she took the seat in the booth across from him. She smiled and folded her arms resting them on the table.
"Okay. Let's talk." She said as coolly as her rapid beating heart would allow.
"Alright." He replied.
"What about?"
"Well, for one, that boy. Tell me about him."
"Brad?" He wants to know about Brad?
"Sure." He said with a one shoulder shrug.
"Well, there is not much to say." Boy was that an understatement.
"Oh, I'm sure there is." He said with a slight meaningful, yet smug, smile making something twist inside her chest. This was her best friend. The person she used to tell everyone to. At that thought, everything came spilling out. She told him how Brad had been beaten by his babysitter and came down with cerebral palsy, and how she now has to take the heart ache of seeing him suffer. Somehow how story continued into Marc's betrayal and the signs she found of his infidelity. Then she finished with telling him about the night Marc was found dead with his lover, Tiffany, on the side of the road.
"We were throwing Brad his 6th birthday party and Marc had called to say he would be late, that he had a business meeting to go to. He never showed up. Around one in the night I was awoke at the sound of a knock. It was the police. They told me that my husband was dead and explained about his wreck. In the end, I never really shed a tear over his death. Only the fact that I had been played a fool. " By the time she was finished she was in tears. Sitting up, she realized Darien had moved to her side of the booth and she had been crying on his shoulder. With an embarrassed glance at his shoulder, she grabbed a napkin she the holder and started to wipe the wet spot. The touch of his hand on hers made her pause. Not wanting to meet his eyes she stared at the table.
"Look at me." She meet his eyes and was surprised to see the emotion in them.
"I'm sorry to have burdened you with my problems. I have to go now." She said in a rush. Pulling her hand, from his she proceeded to climb over him. Half-way to the other side, Darien tugged her back onto his chest. She froze. This was defiantly not a position she had ever been in with him. He brushed some of her shoulder length blonde hair from her face.
"Why are you so embarrassed, Serena?" His breath softly brushed her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "You have many reasons to cry. I don't mind. Even if you us my shoulder to wipe them on." The genuine concern and caring in his voice made tears fill her eyes.
"It has just been so hard lately." She whispered. "Brad is not getting any better and bill's wont pay them self. Mr. Brigg, my landlord, said if I don't pay the rent by Wednesday he will evict me." She said rambling on not realizing what she was saying. He stood her up and then did the same. Grabbing her shoulders her mad her face him.
"Serena, are you saying your broke?" Her eyes widened in realization of what she told him. She shook her head fiercely.
"No. Of course not." She answered denying the truth. When he opened his mouth to protest against her lies, she cut him off. "Would you look at the time? I have to go. See you later." Without thinking she stretched and pecked him on lips in a friendly manner. Or that's how it was meant to be. Yet, those sparks she felt during the brief moment their lips were in contact, were anything but friendly.
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There's Chapter 1! Hope you enjoyed.
See ya!
Ashley
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