I'm so sorry I've taken so long. I've been really busy with school. I
really appreciate your reviews. Thanks a bunch. Hope you enjoy the second
chapter. Please feel free to give me suggestions and ideas on the story
and characters. Thank you and enjoy!!
Chapter 2
"So does Sonny know you have a thing for his married sister?" Brenda asked as they both walked into the penthouse apartment.
"Will you shut up! You don't know what you're talking about, as usual," Jason answered while slamming the door.
"Wow, did I hit a nerve?" She plopped herself on the couch and waited for his response.
"Hit? More like shatter. Always. Every time I talk to you. You know..."
"Are you gonna get my pills or what? I need them if I'm going to listen to you ramble on."
"You just took two pills minutes ago."
"Are you gonna get them or not? You said you would. This is so typical. I should have..."
"OK! Shut up! I'll go get your pills. Just stay here. Don't open the door to anyone. Don't leave the penthouse. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"I'll be back in a few just don't..."
"Open the door to anyone, don't leave the penthouse, blah blah blah..." she said as she shooed him out the door.
"I'm serious Brenda!" he shouted as she slammed the door in his face.
***********************************************************************
It was 7:35 when Brenda woke up. She had fallen asleep on the couch hours before. A knock on the door brought her back to consciousness. Unwillingly she got up from the couch and walked over to the door. Groggy from her slumber, she opened the door without hesitation and found Jax on the other side of it.
"What are you doing here?" she said quickly becoming aware of her surroundings.
"I need to talk to you" he responded.
"So talk."
"Can I come in?"
"Oh, yeah. Come in."
Jax walked in and stood in the middle of the living room with an intense look on his face.
"Whatever it is, you need to hurry up cause Jason should be back any minute and he's gonna be kinda pissed if he sees you here."
"Like he cares Brenda. I know he doesn't care for you. I haven't figured out what his reasons are for marrying you but I will. He's using you Brenda!"
"For what exactly. Not money cause I have none at the moment and he has plenty of it. Power? Nope, he's got that too. Fame? I think we both know he'd rather go unnoticed. What else? What else could he be using me for? What else could he be getting out of this marriage?"
"Sex" he blurted out without thinking.
Her face dropped hearing what Jax thought of her. She couldn't believe what she had heard especially since it couldn't be further from the truth.
"Right. Right" she said quietly. "Cause it can't be love. What else am I good for right? Not love. I'm just sex on a stick. Is that what you think of me?"
"That's not what I meant!"
"What else could you mean? Is it so impossible that he loves me or cares for me or finds pleasure in my company? You think you're the only man that can love me? The only one that will have me?" she said enraged.
"Brenda, he doesn't love you. Do you really want to spend the time you have left with a man that hates you?"
Jason walked off the elevator and found the door to the penthouse wide open and Brenda and Jax standing inside. He walked in the penthouse and slammed the door startling both Brenda and Jax. Neither of them had noticed Jason stepping off of the elevator.
"What are you doing here?" Jason asked Jax.
"He was just leaving," Brenda said wiping tears from her eyes.
"I came to talk some sense into Brenda," Jax responded.
"About what?"
"About staying married to you. Your marriage is a joke."
"You're the joke. What's your problem Jax? You feel like if you would have put off your wedding to Skye one more day you would be free to be with Brenda? Now you can't have her so no one can?"
"Brenda and I are just friends."
"Well I'm not comfortable with you two being 'just friends'. And don't you have a wife of your own to worry about. Go home to her! Don't come back here and stay away from my wife."
"Jax, please just...just go."
"Fine. But I'm not done talking to you about this," he said to Brenda and walked out.
Brenda closed the door and faced Jason.
"What did I tell you? I told you not to open the door to anyone. And what do you do?" Jason said throwing his arms up.
"Okay, okay. Momentary lapse of..."
"Momentary? Try constant..."
"I really don't feel like having yet another thing with you. Did you get my pills or what?"
"Yes, I did. And your welcome. I spoke to a doctor and you're only supposed to take one every eight hours."
Brenda rolled her eyes in response.
"I'm serious Brenda. No more taking pills whenever the mood strikes you or have a little headache. "
"Jason I don't have a little headache. My head is throbbing all the time. The pills are the only thing that make it go away."
"Well then maybe you should see a doctor about it. But you shouldn't abuse your pills. If you do, you will build up an immunity..."
"Is this the doctor in you surfacing?"
"Brenda..."
"Okay, I get it! Can I have my pills now?"
He handed them over to her.
"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go OD on my medication."
"Very funny. I'm very serious about..."
"Oh shut up!!" She shouted walking up the stairs to her room.
When Brenda got to her room she took a pill and laid down. Her head had been throbbing all day and the only way she knew how to escape the pain was to sleep. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
The next day Brenda slept in late. She woke up feeling like a train wreck. If she didn't know better she would have thought she had a hangover. She took a pill from the bottle sitting on her night stand and headed for the bathroom. She took a hot shower hoping to snap out of her zombie-like state. Once she got dressed, she headed downstairs to the kitchen and heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Its Carly," she heard from the other side of the door.
"I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to open the door to anyone," Brenda yelled continuing her way to the kitchen.
"Brenda! Open up!" the voice yelled in unison with the pounding of the door.
Brenda rolled her eyes and turned around towards the door and opened it.
"Can I help you?" Brenda asked.
"Where is Jason?" Carly said pushing the door wide open and walking in.
"I don't know. I just got up and I haven't seen him."
"You just got up?" Carly said looking at her up and down. "Well no wonder you look like hell."
"You know what, I can't deal with this right now. So why don't you..." Her sentence was interrupted by a dizzy spell that made her lose her balance. She held on to the back of the chair near the desk.
"What are you drunk?" Carly asked.
"Would you just leave, please." Brenda tried to walk away from the chair and lost her balance again.
Carly immediately ran to her side and held her arm for support.
"Are you okay?" Carly asked walking her over to the couch. "Here. Sit down."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little dizzy." She held her head in her hands.
"Hey, lay back, close your eyes, and take a deep breath." Carly said helping her lay her head back on the couch.
Brenda did as Carly said and felt instantly better.
"Thank you. I don't know what happened. It felt like the ground disappeared from under me."
"I think maybe you should go see a doctor."
"No, no. And please don't tell Jason anything. The last thing I want is to spend the day at the hospital."
"Well, do you need anything?"
"No thanks. I feel much better."
There was an awkward silence between the two women. They looked at each other neither of them knowing what to say next.
"Well I'm gonna go" Carly said standing up. Brenda attempted to stand. "No, don't get up. I know the way." With a sigh of appreciation, Brenda sat back down.
"I'm just across the hall" Carly said about to close the door.
"Thanks" Brenda responded.
Carly just nodded and closed the door.
***********************************************************************
Jason got home just as the sun was going down. He walked off the elevator expecting the unexpected. With Brenda you never knew. She could be having yet another showdown with her ex or counting her purchases from the day's shopping spree. As he got off the elevator he ran into Carly.
"Hey. Heading out?" Jason asked Carly.
"Yeah. But I wanted to talk to you first" Carly responded.
"What's up?"
"Its about Brenda."
"What did she do now."
"She didn't want me telling you but I think you should know. You being her legal husband and all..."
"Carly, just spill it."
"Okay, well I went to see you today and she answered the door looking horrible and pale and I'm not just saying this cause I can't stand the woman. And she almost fainted."
"What do you mean almost."
"Well if I wouldn't have been there you would have found her laying on the ground. Do you know how sick she is? How much her illness has progressed?"
"No not really. She doesn't talk about it."
"Well I just thought you should know."
"Thanks. I'll see if I can get her to see a doctor."
"Okay," Carly said stepping on the elevator. "Well I gotta go. See you later."
"Later" he waved as the elevator doors closed.
He walked into the penthouse and was surprised to find the lights off and the living room in complete darkness. He flicked the lights on. He walked over to the couch and found Brenda laying there. She looked so peaceful and calm. He hated to wake her up. Not because he didn't wish to disturb her. But because he knew the minute she'd wake up he would be the one disturbed. It would be the end of silence because she never knew when to shut up.
"Brenda," he started quietly. But she didn't respond. "Brenda," he yelled without consideration.
She slowly opened her eyes in response. "Are you kidding me? What is the matter with you? There is a nicer way to wake someone up."
"I tried that," he said taking off his jacket and putting in the closet.
"I'm sure you did," she said sitting up. "Why did you wake me up anyway? Do you need the couch or something?"
"How are you feeling?" he asked walking over to the couch.
"Why?" she responded defensively.
"Can you answer a simple question?"
"Can you? It doesn't get any simpler than 'why.'"
He took a deep breath before answering. "Carly told me about earlier. She said you almost fainted."
She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Haven't you ever heard almost doesn't count?"
"Brenda I think you should see a doctor. I mean we should. Just to see how..."
"We aren't doing anything. I'm fine and I don't want to go see a doctor. Now if you'll excuse..." she started to get up and almost fell forward. Jason ran to her side and sat her back down on the couch.
"You are not fine."
"Yes I am. I just haven't eaten anything all day. Really I'm fine. I'm just a little light headed. Can you get me a glass of water?"
"Sure," he answered and headed towards the kitchen.
"And can you put a slice of lemon in it?" she called out.
"Okay" he said patiently as he took a glass from the cabinet. He was about to turn the faucet on when he heard her again.
"Not from the tap. There's bottled water in the fridge."
"Okay" he called back trying deperately not to loose it. He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of the spring water and poured into the glass. He took a lemon and sliced it in half. He went back into the living room with a glass of water in one hand and half of a lemon in the other.
"What am I supposed to do with this? Make a freaking lemonade?" she said as he handed her the water and the lemon. "Oh, and I thought I asked for the sparkling water," she whined.
"Have you taken your pill today" he said, completely ignoring everything she had just said.
She thought for a moment. "I don't remember."
"What do you mean you don't remember?"
"Just that. I don't remember. I got up, big mouth Carly came over, I fell asleep on the couch and then you came home, woke me up and brought me the wrong water. No, I guess I didn't take it."
Chapter 2
"So does Sonny know you have a thing for his married sister?" Brenda asked as they both walked into the penthouse apartment.
"Will you shut up! You don't know what you're talking about, as usual," Jason answered while slamming the door.
"Wow, did I hit a nerve?" She plopped herself on the couch and waited for his response.
"Hit? More like shatter. Always. Every time I talk to you. You know..."
"Are you gonna get my pills or what? I need them if I'm going to listen to you ramble on."
"You just took two pills minutes ago."
"Are you gonna get them or not? You said you would. This is so typical. I should have..."
"OK! Shut up! I'll go get your pills. Just stay here. Don't open the door to anyone. Don't leave the penthouse. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"I'll be back in a few just don't..."
"Open the door to anyone, don't leave the penthouse, blah blah blah..." she said as she shooed him out the door.
"I'm serious Brenda!" he shouted as she slammed the door in his face.
***********************************************************************
It was 7:35 when Brenda woke up. She had fallen asleep on the couch hours before. A knock on the door brought her back to consciousness. Unwillingly she got up from the couch and walked over to the door. Groggy from her slumber, she opened the door without hesitation and found Jax on the other side of it.
"What are you doing here?" she said quickly becoming aware of her surroundings.
"I need to talk to you" he responded.
"So talk."
"Can I come in?"
"Oh, yeah. Come in."
Jax walked in and stood in the middle of the living room with an intense look on his face.
"Whatever it is, you need to hurry up cause Jason should be back any minute and he's gonna be kinda pissed if he sees you here."
"Like he cares Brenda. I know he doesn't care for you. I haven't figured out what his reasons are for marrying you but I will. He's using you Brenda!"
"For what exactly. Not money cause I have none at the moment and he has plenty of it. Power? Nope, he's got that too. Fame? I think we both know he'd rather go unnoticed. What else? What else could he be using me for? What else could he be getting out of this marriage?"
"Sex" he blurted out without thinking.
Her face dropped hearing what Jax thought of her. She couldn't believe what she had heard especially since it couldn't be further from the truth.
"Right. Right" she said quietly. "Cause it can't be love. What else am I good for right? Not love. I'm just sex on a stick. Is that what you think of me?"
"That's not what I meant!"
"What else could you mean? Is it so impossible that he loves me or cares for me or finds pleasure in my company? You think you're the only man that can love me? The only one that will have me?" she said enraged.
"Brenda, he doesn't love you. Do you really want to spend the time you have left with a man that hates you?"
Jason walked off the elevator and found the door to the penthouse wide open and Brenda and Jax standing inside. He walked in the penthouse and slammed the door startling both Brenda and Jax. Neither of them had noticed Jason stepping off of the elevator.
"What are you doing here?" Jason asked Jax.
"He was just leaving," Brenda said wiping tears from her eyes.
"I came to talk some sense into Brenda," Jax responded.
"About what?"
"About staying married to you. Your marriage is a joke."
"You're the joke. What's your problem Jax? You feel like if you would have put off your wedding to Skye one more day you would be free to be with Brenda? Now you can't have her so no one can?"
"Brenda and I are just friends."
"Well I'm not comfortable with you two being 'just friends'. And don't you have a wife of your own to worry about. Go home to her! Don't come back here and stay away from my wife."
"Jax, please just...just go."
"Fine. But I'm not done talking to you about this," he said to Brenda and walked out.
Brenda closed the door and faced Jason.
"What did I tell you? I told you not to open the door to anyone. And what do you do?" Jason said throwing his arms up.
"Okay, okay. Momentary lapse of..."
"Momentary? Try constant..."
"I really don't feel like having yet another thing with you. Did you get my pills or what?"
"Yes, I did. And your welcome. I spoke to a doctor and you're only supposed to take one every eight hours."
Brenda rolled her eyes in response.
"I'm serious Brenda. No more taking pills whenever the mood strikes you or have a little headache. "
"Jason I don't have a little headache. My head is throbbing all the time. The pills are the only thing that make it go away."
"Well then maybe you should see a doctor about it. But you shouldn't abuse your pills. If you do, you will build up an immunity..."
"Is this the doctor in you surfacing?"
"Brenda..."
"Okay, I get it! Can I have my pills now?"
He handed them over to her.
"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go OD on my medication."
"Very funny. I'm very serious about..."
"Oh shut up!!" She shouted walking up the stairs to her room.
When Brenda got to her room she took a pill and laid down. Her head had been throbbing all day and the only way she knew how to escape the pain was to sleep. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
The next day Brenda slept in late. She woke up feeling like a train wreck. If she didn't know better she would have thought she had a hangover. She took a pill from the bottle sitting on her night stand and headed for the bathroom. She took a hot shower hoping to snap out of her zombie-like state. Once she got dressed, she headed downstairs to the kitchen and heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Its Carly," she heard from the other side of the door.
"I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to open the door to anyone," Brenda yelled continuing her way to the kitchen.
"Brenda! Open up!" the voice yelled in unison with the pounding of the door.
Brenda rolled her eyes and turned around towards the door and opened it.
"Can I help you?" Brenda asked.
"Where is Jason?" Carly said pushing the door wide open and walking in.
"I don't know. I just got up and I haven't seen him."
"You just got up?" Carly said looking at her up and down. "Well no wonder you look like hell."
"You know what, I can't deal with this right now. So why don't you..." Her sentence was interrupted by a dizzy spell that made her lose her balance. She held on to the back of the chair near the desk.
"What are you drunk?" Carly asked.
"Would you just leave, please." Brenda tried to walk away from the chair and lost her balance again.
Carly immediately ran to her side and held her arm for support.
"Are you okay?" Carly asked walking her over to the couch. "Here. Sit down."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little dizzy." She held her head in her hands.
"Hey, lay back, close your eyes, and take a deep breath." Carly said helping her lay her head back on the couch.
Brenda did as Carly said and felt instantly better.
"Thank you. I don't know what happened. It felt like the ground disappeared from under me."
"I think maybe you should go see a doctor."
"No, no. And please don't tell Jason anything. The last thing I want is to spend the day at the hospital."
"Well, do you need anything?"
"No thanks. I feel much better."
There was an awkward silence between the two women. They looked at each other neither of them knowing what to say next.
"Well I'm gonna go" Carly said standing up. Brenda attempted to stand. "No, don't get up. I know the way." With a sigh of appreciation, Brenda sat back down.
"I'm just across the hall" Carly said about to close the door.
"Thanks" Brenda responded.
Carly just nodded and closed the door.
***********************************************************************
Jason got home just as the sun was going down. He walked off the elevator expecting the unexpected. With Brenda you never knew. She could be having yet another showdown with her ex or counting her purchases from the day's shopping spree. As he got off the elevator he ran into Carly.
"Hey. Heading out?" Jason asked Carly.
"Yeah. But I wanted to talk to you first" Carly responded.
"What's up?"
"Its about Brenda."
"What did she do now."
"She didn't want me telling you but I think you should know. You being her legal husband and all..."
"Carly, just spill it."
"Okay, well I went to see you today and she answered the door looking horrible and pale and I'm not just saying this cause I can't stand the woman. And she almost fainted."
"What do you mean almost."
"Well if I wouldn't have been there you would have found her laying on the ground. Do you know how sick she is? How much her illness has progressed?"
"No not really. She doesn't talk about it."
"Well I just thought you should know."
"Thanks. I'll see if I can get her to see a doctor."
"Okay," Carly said stepping on the elevator. "Well I gotta go. See you later."
"Later" he waved as the elevator doors closed.
He walked into the penthouse and was surprised to find the lights off and the living room in complete darkness. He flicked the lights on. He walked over to the couch and found Brenda laying there. She looked so peaceful and calm. He hated to wake her up. Not because he didn't wish to disturb her. But because he knew the minute she'd wake up he would be the one disturbed. It would be the end of silence because she never knew when to shut up.
"Brenda," he started quietly. But she didn't respond. "Brenda," he yelled without consideration.
She slowly opened her eyes in response. "Are you kidding me? What is the matter with you? There is a nicer way to wake someone up."
"I tried that," he said taking off his jacket and putting in the closet.
"I'm sure you did," she said sitting up. "Why did you wake me up anyway? Do you need the couch or something?"
"How are you feeling?" he asked walking over to the couch.
"Why?" she responded defensively.
"Can you answer a simple question?"
"Can you? It doesn't get any simpler than 'why.'"
He took a deep breath before answering. "Carly told me about earlier. She said you almost fainted."
She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Haven't you ever heard almost doesn't count?"
"Brenda I think you should see a doctor. I mean we should. Just to see how..."
"We aren't doing anything. I'm fine and I don't want to go see a doctor. Now if you'll excuse..." she started to get up and almost fell forward. Jason ran to her side and sat her back down on the couch.
"You are not fine."
"Yes I am. I just haven't eaten anything all day. Really I'm fine. I'm just a little light headed. Can you get me a glass of water?"
"Sure," he answered and headed towards the kitchen.
"And can you put a slice of lemon in it?" she called out.
"Okay" he said patiently as he took a glass from the cabinet. He was about to turn the faucet on when he heard her again.
"Not from the tap. There's bottled water in the fridge."
"Okay" he called back trying deperately not to loose it. He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of the spring water and poured into the glass. He took a lemon and sliced it in half. He went back into the living room with a glass of water in one hand and half of a lemon in the other.
"What am I supposed to do with this? Make a freaking lemonade?" she said as he handed her the water and the lemon. "Oh, and I thought I asked for the sparkling water," she whined.
"Have you taken your pill today" he said, completely ignoring everything she had just said.
She thought for a moment. "I don't remember."
"What do you mean you don't remember?"
"Just that. I don't remember. I got up, big mouth Carly came over, I fell asleep on the couch and then you came home, woke me up and brought me the wrong water. No, I guess I didn't take it."