Talk A Little, Listen A Lot
Dylan stroked Brenda's naked shoulder, brushing away stray tendrils of glossy black hair. He marvelled at how soft and warm her skin felt under his fingers, and how natural it felt to touch her.
"I guess I owe you some explanations about the way I behaved in London." Dylan knew that he'd treated Brenda badly, he'd tortured himself over the years for the way he'd behaved. She hadn't deserved it.
"There was a time when I had so many questions for you, but now I'm not so sure. I've done okay so far without the answers." Brenda looked up at Dylan through her eyelashes, the nearness to him was almost dizzying, she could smell him and it pulled her straight back to high school. A heady mix of sun and surf, sandalwood, citrus and wax, it made Brenda feel instantly happy, yet full of sorrow at the same time, an ache for the closeness they once shared.
"Does that mean you don't want to talk about it?" Dylan had never imagined that Brenda would be able to just move beyond what had happened in London, he'd had almost no contact with her in the intervening six years, their solicitors had dealt with all the legal issues, the last time he'd heard from Brenda had been a card just after he'd married Kelly, it had been waiting for him when they got back from their honeymoon.
"No, we're both here now, let's try to be adult about it. But not here Dylan, we're being watched, it's making me edgy." Brenda tilted her head towards their friends, Dylan flickered his eyes in Kelly's direction. If looks could kill, I'd be a dead man he thought.
"I see what you mean. Do you want to go up to the roof terrace? I've got a room here tonight, we could go there?" He jangled a key at her.
"I think the roof terrace is a safer option, don't you? I remember the last time we found ourselves alone in a room here." Brenda caught sight of the number on the key. "That room, if I remember rightly."
"Maybe you're right, roof terrace then." Dylan started to steer Brenda away from the bar and towards the elevators, he could feel Kelly's eyes burning holes in his back, and for once he didn't care.
Kelly couldn't contain herself any longer as she watched Dylan slipping away with Brenda.
"What the hell is she playing at?" Kelly hissed at Donna.
"I'm sure it's nothing Kelly, they're just catching up." Donna tried to sound sincere but she didn't really believe there was any truth in what she was saying.
Brenda stepped out onto the roof terrace and breathed in the California smog, lush green plants in terracotta pots gave the terrace the look of a jungle, small tables lit by candles nestled amongst the foliage offering secluded seating.
Dylan pulled out a chair and gestured for Brenda to sit down before taking a seat opposite her.
"So." Dylan didn't know where to start.
"So?" The reality of being alone with Dylan was dawning on Brenda, and it made her nervous.
"I guess I wanted to say sorry, for what happened in London, I was in a bad place and I should never have taken it out on you." Dylan had the decency to look Brenda in the eyes.
"I wanted to be there for you Dylan, I was pleased that you came to me. I was lonely in London until you arrived." Brenda reached out to touch Dylan's hand.
"After Toni died I felt so low, I had to get away from Beverly Hills and away from everything that had happened. Being with you I could forget everything, I felt like we were sixteen again. You brought out the best in me." Dylan smiled at Brenda, a sweet shy smile.
"I know what you mean, you showed me a whole new world and taught me about the person I could be. Looking back maybe we clung to each other too tightly." Brenda had had a lot of time to reflect on her relationship with Dylan, everything between them had always been so intense, so all or nothing, that they'd never taken time to slow down and look at where they were heading.
"I shouldn't have married you." Dylan looked away from Brenda as he spoke.