"Belle! I'm home!"
"Hi honey. How was work?" Belle said, carrying baby Claire on her hip down the stairs.
"Great! I just quit my job."
"You did what! Philip…how do you expect us to support ourselves and our little girl?"
"I've got that covered honey. I'm going to work with Max Brady."
"Doing what exactly?"
"He got me sponsored by the same company he is."
"And that means…?"
"I'm going to be a
race car driver."
"What! You could kill yourself! We're
trying to have another baby Philip! What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that I'm tired of being held back. I was thinking I was sick of pretending to be happy. I was thinking I would actually achieve what I want in life; what I've always wanted."
"Philip-" Belle was cut short by the knock on the loft door.
Philip walks over to the door and opens it. Standing outside is Mimi and Shawn.
"Hey guys! You're just in time for the big news!" Philip said, sounding excited.
"Really? What news?" Mimi asked, becoming excited as they walked into the Kiriakis home.
"I quit my job today."
"Okay…is that the exciting part?" Shawn asked.
"No. The exciting part is that I'm going to be racing cars with Max Brady now."
"Yeah. He's going to be a race car driver. We're trying to have another baby, and he wants to kill himself. Sounds fun, huh?"
"I take it you didn't know Philip was quitting," Mimi said.
"No, I didn't. And right now, I don't care," Belle said, setting Claire down in her crib and walking out the door to the roof."
"She'll be okay. It'll just take a little getting used to," Philip said.
11:00 AT NIGHT
AT THE KIRIAKIS APARTMENT
"Sleep good baby. Mommy will see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams," Belle cooed softly to Claire.
"Honey, I'm going to bed okay?" Philip said.
"Okay. I'm going to watch a little TV and I'll be up okay?"
"Okay. I love you, Belle."
"I love you too."
Philip walked up the stairs to their bedroom and closed the door. Belle walked into the living room and turned on the TV. After five minutes of flipping through the channels, she gave up and walked up to the roof.
AT THE BRADY APARTMENT
"I'm heading off to bed honey," Mimi said to Shawn.
"Okay. I'm going to go outside and get a little fresh air and I'll be right there okay?" Shawn replied.
"Are you okay Shawn?" Mimi asked worried.
"Yeah, I just feel a little closterphobic right now. I'll be in soon."
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you too."
Shawn walks outside towards the roof as Mimi heads to their bedroom. Shawn finds walks up to Belle.
ON THE ROOF
"Great minds think alike," Belle said, breaking the ice.
"I had to get outside. I felt so…I don't know how to explain it."
"Trapped?" Belle offered.
"Yes, as bad as that sounds."
"Shawn, do you ever feel like you're pretending?"
"What do you mean?
Pretending how?"
"Like you're whole life is just one big
act. Like you're only pretending to be happy. Like you're only
pretending to be in love?"
"What are you saying Belle?" Shawn asked, his heart beating rapidly, although he didn't know exactly why.
"I would've chosen you," she said blatantly.
"What!" Shawn asked, startled.
"If I wouldn't have been pregnant, I would've chosen you."
"I thought you loved Philip."
"So does he," Belle said. "Wait, I don't mean that. I do love him. He's the father of my baby girl. The only problem is, I'm not in love with him."
"Woah. So you're telling me that you're not in love with your husband and you would've chosen me. Is that what you're saying?"
"I'm just sick of pretending all the time Shawn. I'm sick of pretending I'm happy. The only time I'm truly happy is when I'm with Claire. I know it may sound weird, but I feel a connection to you with her. Maybe it's because of how Zach saved her life or that she's your god-child. I don't know exactly. I just feel connected to you. And I'm happy. But this is just between you and me. Philip nor Mimi can ever know. Okay?"
"You're secret's safe with me," Shawn said, as the two of them sat their, taking in all that was said.
Can
you tell me that I'm not her
Say I'm not the one who completes
your world
Who should share your name
Who should wear your
ring
When I've always been your girl
Can you tell me I'm not
the one
To be the mother of your unborn son
May not have the
tie but there's no denyin that you feel the same
Cause I've always
been your girl
"I better get in," Belle said, standing up. "Please don't ever say anything Shawn. I feel bad that I confessed it all to you. You're the only person who knows anything okay?"
"Okay," Shawn said, watching Belle leave, still stunned by what she had just said.
