Chapter 52
Part 2 - 06/21/2024
Part 1 - Added 05/30/2024
Homicidal somnambulism. Not many knows this term, but Faith does. As someone who used to work as a nurse, she seems to know a lot about sleepwalking but as someone who never worked in law enforcement, she's clueless as to how murders are investigated since she seems to believe everything the media says. There is a known case where the husband used sleepwalking as a defense for killing his own wife. But is it possible? Many don't believe that it is since the husband did not have a history of having sleepwalking episodes. But some do because there is also a reported case where the accused did. But a handful of cases is not enough to prove that sleepwalkers can kill. It only proves that the murderers had no other excuse to defend themselves because they got caught. It may not prove that only men are capable but the fact is all the accused are men. So to think that I am capable of this is absolutely absurd!
"Wait here" Amy said since there's no reason for Faith to come with. Coming here was Faith's suggestion but even if she didn't suggest it, she would have since it's the only way to find out the truth. It's 9:30. Lucy is not asleep yet but she is talking to somebody. There's no need to wait for her to finish. Amy knocked on the bedroom door 4 times even though it's not urgent but she doesn't want to wait any longer either since she's tired, frustrated and a little wet from the rain.
"Hey"
There she is, smiling and looking surprised so she must be thinking of one thing. "Let me see." Amy asked, taking note of Lucy's reaction. It is an odd question but she should know what and why.
"It's gross. Could be contagious."
"I don't care." Amy said in frustration which finally got Lucy to do as told, carefully taking the bandage off, but so slowly, it seems like she's doing this on purpose. Is it that painful? "What's that?" It's a patch of white stuff underneath the bandage. Anti-itch stuff for hives? That's possible. Insect stings and bites can cause hives including sun exposure and emotional stress but stress can't be the reason since she doesn't look stressed at all, not now anyways. "If it doesn't get better by tomorrow, go see a doctor." Amy said even though she knows that Lucy won't since Lucy would only see a doctor if it gets to the point where she can't stand it. Faith, on the other hand, would before it gets worse because she's the type that would jump to conclusions.
"She's lying." Faith said in a calm whisper since it's the only way to get her to do the same. The aneurysm is clipped but it could still rebleed, slim but possible. There could be others that are in the process of forming.
"Why?" Amy asked, expecting Faith to give a better response than I don't know. "I know you're worried but nothing happened last night."
"nothing?...If nothing happened, then why was she looking for you this morning? Why was she in a hurry? She gobbled up her breakfast, choked on it, didn't finish it, then drove over the speed limit to get to you. Why?..."
Questions. Questions. Questions. Amy exhaled loudly again while wondering if she should tell Faith about the proposal. Would she stop asking? Amy was about to until she heard the last question asked. (Why did you leave so early?) It wasn't early. It was actually later than usual. The reason is none of her business. But she made a good point. Amy went back up the stairs since she just realized she made the same mistake that Faith did, jumping to conclusion without sufficient evidence. This time, she didn't ask Faith to stay downstairs. This time, she knocked continuously until the door is opened. This time, she can see that Lucy is up to something since she's still holding the phone. Finding out who she's talking to at this hour is not as important as this. "Take off your clothes."
"What?"
"Take…off…your clothes." There's no need to see it anymore since Lucy just asked why instead of making a joke which the normal Lucy would do or happily complied if she has nothing to hide. She's never shy in taking off her clothing. If Faith is the reason, then "turn around." That's not for Faith. Faith didn't. That's for Lucy but she's still standing here, not doing as told and still asking why. Faith can't be right. Can she? "Did I…try to kill you?"
"What?"
That is ridiculous.
"You told her that!"
Lucy is obviously upset with Faith and Faith isn't backing down since she again is talking about the sleepwalker killer to explain how serious the condition can be even if it is just sleepwalking. Wait. What? "You saw me sleepwalking?" She didn't say that. She said she heard from the tv about a sleepwalker killer when she was about to leave and that's how she came up with that.
"I just found out. Will said you saw him last night but you weren't surprised. Did you?"
"Will was here last night?" Lucy asked but didn't get an answer and instead got Amy to grab hold of her collar and looking very mad.
"If you don't tell me right now, I'm going to scream. If my aneurysm burst again, it's going to be your fault!" Amy held on the collar even more firmly after getting the two words that she always hated because it reminds her that she cannot be herself. But this time, it worked. But why does Lucy want Faith to go outside? Faith is reluctant to do so but did after leaving with one last annoying comment(I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth) which didn't change Lucy's mind and instead caused Lucy to lock the door and move far away from it. Why can't Faith know? Why is she still hesitating? What is wrong? The hug came unexpectedly after an apology. A short confession followed which is still unclear. She didn't know what? She should've known what? The third statement was short but was enough to understand what had happened last night even if Lucy didn't continue. She did because she feels guilty. She did to show her innocence. She's apologizing because she knows she shouldn't have kept this to herself. "What the fuck!" Amy interrupted, pushing Lucy away from the hug since she heard enough. She never liked to swear but this time felt the need to.
"I was going to tell you this morning. But you left, then you were, you know, you didn't want to talk. I thought you knew. I thought"
"You thought I knew?" The better question would be: "Why would you think I would want to have sex, in the middle of the night, on Nadia's wedding night, when we haven't been sleeping together!" Amy expected Lucy to say 'calm down' but that didn't happen. What Lucy said instead reminded her of those who blamed the victim and what rapists said to defend themselves. She initiated it. She wanted it. It's not the first time. She didn't say no. In most cases, drugs and alcohol were involved but in this case, it's not so she's making ridiculous excuses for not knowing. Desire for sex doesn't suddenly happen in the middle of the night even if it has been a few months! She should know that especially after what happened the last time yet her horny mind ignored the signs! "What the FUCK!"
"I'm sorry." Lucy followed but can't think of anything else to say to stop Amy from leaving other than "I really didn't know you're-"
"sexomnia!" Faith didn't apologize for eavesdropping since she wasn't. Their conversation could be heard from outside with the door closed and now with the door opened, she can see that the former agent needs more than just two words to calm her down. "ever heard of it?" Faith didn't wait for a response and instead continued to read the definition from the phone. "It's a sleep disorder caused by lack of sleep, stress, recreational drugs, exhaustion, alcohol, you drank yesterday, how much did you drink?" No answer is given but there's no need to stop talking. There's a need to stop looking at the phone since the former agent is heading down the stairs and not listening. "I know how you feel but we need to talk about this. This isn't going to go away. You can't just go back to sleep and pretend it didn't happen. That's not normal!" She's as stubborn as her partner who again is acting like a man because why would she think that suggesting to stay one more night would work. Taking hold of her arm at this moment is definitely a bad idea.
"Don't touch me." Amy pulled her hand back and proceeded to the main door until she realized what else Faith was keeping to herself and why she was so deeply concerned. It also got Lucy's attention because Faith came up with another theory that is so disturbing, it caused Lucy to forget what she was apologizing for earlier because she found another reason to deflect the blame.
"you touched him?" Lucy had more questions if CJ didn't came down asking the same question. How much did she hear? It seems that she heard enough since she's agreeing with Faith which is good. Maybe they can get thru to Amy. But it's not good if they're right. "What the hell happened?" Lucy said to herself after going back to her own room as requested by Faith. "She was flirting with Ethan?" Anthony thought so. Faith and CJ think so too.
"I was not. We were just having fun. Like you." Amy continued to make her point by reminding them how they too were laughing, joking around, hugging, and jumping in excitement when Nadia lost the game of pool.
"There's nothing wrong with that."
"See." At least CJ agrees. Faith is looking like a jealous girlfriend who just found out that she's not the only one who found interest in Will.
"But I didn't touch Will nor do I want to." CJ said, now knowing why Faith didn't want Lucy to be here after getting the death glare from the former agent. There's nothing wrong with looking. Will's muscular chest is attractive. There's nothing wrong with wanting to know how it feels. But for a woman who's married to a woman to have this sudden curiosity, that is strange . There's nothing wrong with having fun with a guy whom she has gone out with several times in the past. That's not flirting but that depends on what was said and if she's interested in Ethan in a sexual way. But to say that this along with some drinks with alcohol from yesterday and no sex for a long time could be the cause of her sexomnia is a far stretch. "So what else happened?" There has to be something else otherwise a lot of people would have this disorder.
"You could've hurt him. Next time could be Nadia or Holly. Is that what you want?"
Me? Hurt Will? Only Faith would think that. No one would think that's possible. But why can't I remember what happened last night? Amy let out a long deep breath to let Faith and CJ know that she's tired of the questions but also knows that this won't stop them from worrying. The only way to do that is to let them know the truth. But the truth is embarrassing, even more embarrassing than admitting to have touched Will's pectoral muscles, biceps and six packs. The truth would scare them but would also satisfy them. So here goes. "I don't want you to have nightmares and do the same thing I did, if I did."
"I've never sleepwalked, not even when I was younger and I have seen people shot and stabbed before. You?" CJ asked.
"Never. And I used to work in ER. So I've seen more gross things than both of you." Faith responded quickly and confidently while wondering why the former agent is still hesitating and why she still thinks that she didn't when she didn't even know what she did last night.
"It was just a dream, just a weird, effing dream" Amy again cursed so that they both know how she feels and because that's what the dream was about. It's Alexis's fault. It would not have happened if she didn't say she saw a couple having sex in another apartment complex when she was at Grace's apartment. It's not unusual. Many forgot to close the curtains or don't realize that others could see with the use of a telescope. What is unusual is that Alexis found out a few days later on the news that a dead body was discovered in that apartment so she thinks that the woman whom she saw having sex with could be the one who set the fire in Grace's apartment building to look for evidence or destroy evidence, in this case, Grace. Maybe the killer noticed Grace's telescope and thought that she saw. That's what Alexis thinks. It's just a guess. But she thinks it's worth looking into. The information she gave was so detailed, it's probably the cause of what happened, if it did happen. CJ obviously believed that it did without having any doubts since she just agreed with Faith's suggestion which is ridiculous since it's the opposite of what she suggested before. "As long as I don't sleep with her, it's not going to happen. Isn't that what you said?"
"That's before I knew you had sex with her, while you're asleep. That's not normal. It could've been Will if he had a lot to drink, if he didn't know it was you, if you had gone into my bedroom, it could've been with me, if she was here last night, it could've been with her, it could've been with anyone if you had gone outside"
Faith must have watched one too many movies like CJ did…Or…she's doing this for Lucy. It didn't seem possible earlier but now, it does. Lucy would say anything and do anything to get what she wants. The proposal didn't work. So she thought of this method. Fear tactic. Faith would too; She's doing it now. She better be careful if she doesn't want anyone else to know what she and Will did. Her overly-concern for Will is showing. "Did she put you up to this?" NNNo? That doesn't sound like a lie. If Lucy didn't, then Faith needs to know this. "She's lying. It didn't happen. Don't you think I would know if I had sex with her?"
"The body and parts of the subconscious mind are active but the conscious mind is not. So you wouldn't unless you woke up in the middle of it, but you didn't." Faith continued with a story that she found online of a woman who had no recollection of moaning sexually, dirty talking, masturbating, taking off her own clothes and arousing her partner to engage in sex in the middle of the night until her partner told her about it the next morning. "It's true. There's also a woman who woke up in the middle of it, it scared the heck out of her, she blamed her husband and it ruined their relationship…"
Faith is not naïve but now seems to be. "Don't believe everything you read online."
"Sssso…you don't plan on sleeping with her…ever?" CJ asked because that's what it sounds like.
CJ knows not to trust everything the media says. She should also know the answer since she has been in on and off relationship so why is she still asking? "I…just…need more time." Amy said once more in frustration since she had enough. It's late. She's tired. There's no need to tell Nadia and Holly. If they want to, it's up to them. But it seems that Faith is not done yet since she just asked a question that is not only offensive, it's a question that she wouldn't know the answer to either. (Do you know who she is?) If I knew, we wouldn't be here now.
"She's the same person she's always been."
This isn't the first time Faith said that about Lucy so why can't she understand Lucy's motive? "That's what I'm saying. She hasn't changed. She would do anything, say anything to get what she wants." Faith can't know everything but there's no need to hide this from her. "Did she tell you how she got me to go out with her?"
Meanwhile
Lucy didn't want to but gave in to Faith's request to go back to her room since it's the only way to keep Amy calm. It's also because she wants to call Will to find out if Faith is lying. Why would Amy touch Will's chest? That makes no sense even if Amy is attracted to men. That's Will. That's wrong. That is disturbing because Faith wasn't lying. Amy did touch Will, just not last night. There was also looking, hugging, and complimenting on his looks which happened before in more than one occasion but Amy isn't the only one. Brie, Brooke, Faith, and Adalyn all did? Female strangers stare and smile when he's shirtless? That's normal. Sometimes men too? That's normal too. No wonder he didn't find Amy's behavior odd until Faith called. And now, he too wants to know if there is something going on between Ethan and Amy. "They're just friends."
"They are now. But maybe not next month so you better do something quick."
That advice is as bad as Faith's. "What can I do?" That's a serious question. Lock her up? That's not going to work. Besides, "I already tried that once. It didn't last." That's not a joke. That is funny though. It's good to hear his laugh but why is he talking about the past again? It's impossible to forget the past but at least, he's not talking about his father. But why is he talking about the megastar? Yes, I know she has a boyfriend. Don't remind me. She did have an album out. So? No, I haven't listened to it, not intentionally just from the radio while driving. Amy would be pissed if she caught me listening to it. Which song? Why is he singing? With the manly deep voice, his singing voice is not bad at all. This one isn't familiar but the bridge is.
"…sometimes giving up is the only way to find it…"
Oh, it came from her. Not Faith. It's becoming clear how big of an impact she has on others. It's why Anthony decided to quit. It's how Will found the courage to make the decision to transition. Now he's ready to live on his own. Whaaat? "Is something wrong?" This call is to find out what happened last night. There's also another reason but she's afraid to ask because Scud could be wrong and asking about it could trigger it. "Hello?" There's noise, static noise, movement noise, and-
"Did she tell you to eff off?"
Huh? How did he know? Amy didn't use those exact words but that is what she wants.
"It's okay, go to sleep."
Oh, he's talking to the dog. Will's voice is faint. The dog's groaning is clear. The next sentence from Will is clear too but what does he mean they're at it again? "no, can't hear it…umm, okay" Listen in to other's conversation is wrong but there must be a reason why Will thinks it's necessary. More sounds from movement can be heard. Brie's voice is becoming clearer and clearer. Is this why he wants to leave? How often do they have arguments? Who lied?
"I trusted you!" Anger cannot be controlled after finding out that she's been lied to. "Which part is true or are they all lies? Are you still looking for the key?" Brie asked. It didn't seem possible before because everyone said the key has the information to cure Brooke. Now it seems like everyone has been been lying especially Adalyn who again has nothing to say as if there's no need to defend herself because she has Brooke to do so in her place. "Wake up! Brooke! You can't trust her!" Brooke was told before but now it's necessary to tell her again what Adalyn is capable of even without Doc here since she's looking like someone who has been brainwashed. "Christian loves you. He risked his life, hee sacrificed everything to be with you. He made sure I was safe when you're sick. He cried, he prayed every day, the grapevines, he planted those all by himself, every single one…for you because he said you wanted to make your own wine someday. That's Christian, love of your life, remember?" It's good to see her nodding but the reminder didn't do a damn thing! She's also taking the blame for everything! "Willll!" Brie called out loudly, then quickly realized she didn't have to after opening the door. How long has he been standing here? "Did you hear?" What does a shrug mean? "She lied to us. She's her, they're not just friends!" Will should understand even if Brooke is standing and Adalyn is sitting on the edge of the bed, both with robes on, but why isn't he shocked? "You knew?" He must to be this calm. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"
"Does it matter?"
Does it matter? "Of course it matters!" Will might not know everything. That's why he said that. He may have just found out recently. "She lied to Christian. She lied to us. She's still after the key!" Will looks very different from Hope but not at this moment. I'm not crazy. It feels like nothing has changed too because Hope does whatever she wants and would leave whenever she wants just like what Will is doing now. At least Will didn't just leave without saying anything. But "What!...why?" Brie continued to follow even though a good reason is given. Brooke is all better. His help is not needed anymore. That may be true but "Where're you going to go?" As obvious as it is, she would like to know if he's leaving because of Faith.
"You don't need to worry about me. I'm not Hope."
"I know that but you can't just" It's difficult to think of a good reason. He's almost all packed. He didn't have much like he never planned on staying just like Hope. "What about Adalyn?"
"What about her?"
"I think she brainwashed her." For someone who couldn't remember who he was, he should know that's not impossible so what's that look for. "She wasn't like this before. She loves Christian, all she talks about is Christian, now all of a sudden, she doesn't? Don't you think that's odd?"
"no"
"Yes it is, you don't know her." Will doesn't. All he knows is what Brooke used to do, what she's been thru, and what she's like now. A few months of living together is not enough to know a person completely. At least he admitted that he doesn't but it seems that he's still not convinced because he's defending Adalyn too. So what if she did risked her life. It could be just for the key. She may not have shown herself to be as conniving as Doc but the fact is "She fooled everyone. She didn't have to lie." Nothing to say? That means he agrees. But why is he patting on the bed?
"Come here"
The signal is understood but why? He's not shifting over. He doesn't need to. Two can fit a full size bed but it wouldn't be as comfortable as having it to himself. He's not thinking of that. Is he? He is different now but the mindset can't easily be changed. Hope has an addiction but Hope never admitted. This Hope doesn't want to talk about the past or his condition so why is he asking about that night now? There's no need to whisper again. The first time is clear. It's just that it's so unexpected and there are other things that are distracting the mind from functioning the way it should. "nnno" A simple no would be enough but a longer no would let him know that he should know the answer.
"why not?"
"She doesn't need to know. So don't." Shoot. Adalyn might already have.
"Now you know why she didn't tell you."
Whaaat? Nnno. That's impossible. Brooke used to work as an escort but she's not a prostitute. Adalyn met Brooke in a hotel when a guy mistook her for a prostitute and kept bothering until Brooke threatened to put a knife into his weenie. She got Brooke a job, working for Christian. That's how they all met. Isn't it? She doesn't look like the type that would hire an escort but she's a lawyer, a damn good liar! But why would Brooke- "Is that what she said? That's how they met?" Brie asked, thinking of asking Brooke herself if it is. It's not. It's a misunderstanding. Will just meant Adalyn has her own reason. It's late. The brain is tired. When it is, it comes up with ridiculous thoughts. Now the mind is thinking of something else. Brie quickly got off the bed before Will's addiction gets triggered. But it seems that Will has more self-control than Hope did. Or maybe he's just tired? He's going to sleep. "umm, it's not that hot. You should put a shirt on." Brie said before closing the door while knowing it would be difficult to get a good night sleep since it happened before numerous times and no matter how many times, it still can't get used to it. The mind just can't stop thinking. When that happens, it needs a drink of wine or a cup of warm milk. But tonight, there's no need for it because Brooke can't sleep either. Discussion is not over. Resolving the issue is the only way to let the mind rest. She's right. But what does she mean she can prove that she's not brainwashed? How? And why is she patting on the bed like Will was?
"c'mon, like what we did before…when you didn't want to go to sleep, remember?"
I wish I could forget. She did say she remembered everything but she also said she never wanted to talk about it again because the past would remind her of how she drugged them and set the house on fire and it would give her nightmares so why is she talking about it now?
"Remember that?"
Telling stories is what she's good at. It's what I like to hear before going to sleep. I remember. But not stories of what I did. "No, how old was I?"
"old enough to understand what you need to do, young enough to crawl thru a small window, maybe 5 or 6"
"Did we get anything for it?" Brie asked, surprised to have made Brooke laugh since that wasn't the intention. She's really curious to know if they got anything from the granny next door for helping her open the door after she accidentally locked herself out.
"That's not why we helped her but yes, we did."
"what?"
"guess"
If this is her way of proving that she's not brainwashed, it still doesn't. "mm bicycle?...a doll, money, candy, clothing?" Those are all good guesses but so, so wrong. A carton of eggs? "That's it? That's so weird."
"Her son owns an egg farm. Fresh eggs cost more."
"Still weird" Brie laughed at her own comment after Brooke did while holding the urge to ask what mom thought of the eggs and if dad knew about it. Normal parents would be upset for going into a neighbor's house without permission but they weren't normal. Did they even care? Do they even know? It seems that Brooke came prepared because she continued with two more stories that could help prove her point…if only I can remember. I stole candy from a convenience store for her because she's afraid to? I helped defend her from an older male bully?
"You were so brave."
"brave, stupid, it's the same" Brie joked, happy to get another laugh from Brooke since it does feel normal but that still doesn't prove anything. A confession of how all those incidents changed her doesn't either. But it's surprising though. I changed her? I gave her the courage? She wanted to be more like me? Oh Brooke. Did I give you the courage to kill them?
"She…reminds me of you. She's so brave, so smart and funny, she made me forget what I did, what it was like..."
Here it comes. It would be difficult to prove that she's not brainwashed without talking about the one who brainwashed her. But doesn't she know that talking about her in a positive way would only show that she is brainwashed? And why are their stories different? Didn't she save Adalyn from the pervert?
"...she interfered, he left the hotel bar so fast, he ran into a waiter, got his pants wet, made a mess, everyone was looking and laughing"
That's funny. Men who had a lot to lose wouldn't want to get caught of hiring a high class escort or breaking the law that could potentially ruin their life. That jerk deserved to be laughed at for thinking that every escort is a prostitute and companionship includes sex. Knowing the law helps. Adalyn would. But "she said you saved her from a pervert."
"I did. She saved the girl I know. She didn't know me then. I never told her. That's how I got her to give me a job. I saved her."
Brooke's face cannot be seen but there was a short laugh. Did she set that up? If she did, then she definitely hasn't been brainwashed. But she's again talking about Adalyn in admiration like what Will did with Faith. "So you've never loved Christian?"
"I did. I didn't realize I love her too. I couldn't tell you…or anyone. I couldn't choose. So she chose for me. She distanced herself."
Taking the blame would only prove how powerful Adalyn is.
"Then when I found out she was going out with a guy, I completely lost it.…"
Is she trying to prove that she has been brainwashed? This is proof that she is. 'Completely lost it' means no longer able to think rationally, no longer have control of the mind. In this case, it means she gave in. What! "wait, are you saying you were with her when it happened? not Christian?" Oh, that witch. Brooke must not know. She needs to know what Adalyn did, in this case, didn't do. "Christian moved out because Doc said you're getting weaker because of him. She didn't move out. She moved in. She was with you, many times." Oh my god. She was brainwashing her.
"What did she say? Did you hear her say anything to me?"
Did she…what? Brie heard but needs a moment to understand…and think back. Did she? It's possible that she didn't since she didn't want anyone to know. She did say don't mention her name because it could remind her of Christian. That made sense. So maybe she didn't? But still. "She should have said something. Christian was blaming himself. He almost vomited in the kitchen sink because he thought he made you sick." Brie continued to describe that day since it's the only way to get her to understand what Christian did for her but it seems that it has the opposite effect. Christian, Christian, Christian. Too many would give others the wrong idea. But in this case, Brooke is not wrong. She doesn't need to know though. "I'm just saying he loves you."
"and I'm saying it's okay. It's over. I would never let anyone come between us. You-"
"stop" Brie had to interrupt and also turned the lights back on since talking in the dark won't be as effective. "You got it all wrong. I don't love him."
"You don't?"
"Nnno, I just think he's nice. That's all." Brie said, now thinking that she should not have turned the lights on since it's easier to tell if someone is telling the truth. But with or without lights, it's difficult to lie to Brooke since she was there. Christian is good looking and was understanding. Listening to him was better than listening to her. Christian didn't kill them. She did. There's no need to remind her of what it was like in those days. All is forgiven. "So? are you going to call him?" It's late but it's not too late to call. She's not calling. She's still resting her head on the pillow. Maybe she's thinking of what to say? Why is she smiling? It's not the first time but it's good to see her smiling again. It may just be a touch of the hand but it somehow brought back moments of familiarity, a warm feeling, with no more emptiness, no more loneliness, a bond that can no longer be broken. It seems that Brooke felt it too. She has decided. Adalyn will move out?
"I didn't ask her to, she chose to…for me…again."
Okay. That's one way to prove me wrong.
"I would never, never let anyone come between us. You…are more important. Okay?"
That's good to hear. Brainwashed ones wouldn't talk this way. But "What about Christian?" She can still make it right. All she has to do is call. It would be awkward but she doesn't need to tell Christian the truth if he doesn't already know. It would be difficult but he's forgiving. He'll be upset but he'll get over it. Being with a woman is different than being with a man. Where is she going? "You going to call him now?" They look nothing alike but why does she look like Will now?
"If you didn't notice, that's her room, not mine. She told me to wait many times. I can't anymore. I waited long enough. So I'm going to finish what I started. If you hear, don't freak out. Put music on. Don't interrupt. Okay?...Good night."
Brie remained unmoved, on the bed, with her mouth slightly opened since this is the first time she heard Brooke talk this way. The door closed even before she has a chance to respond, not that she was thinking of responding. Now thinking back, she can't remember when or if Brooke ever used those three words to express how she feels about Christian but there was no doubt that she did. But just how much? Not as much as she loves Adalyn, it seems, since she said 'I love her' two times today already. And just a moment ago, she made it clear just how much by intentionally saying what she's going to do. She never talks that way about Christian. Never. "What is wrong with her?"
-Next morning-
Brainwashed? Unlikely. Nothing could be heard in the room but enough could be heard outside Adalyn's bedroom to know that Brooke wasn't lying. She fucking loves her. It's wrong to listen in but it's necessary to make sure. Maybe she's being manipulated? Possible. It may seem that Adalyn risked her life to save Brooke but she did it to save herself too. As for sacrifice, it may seem that she did but David isn't a man. Would she have done what I was going to do if she didn't know who David is?...No. She wouldn't. She planned this. She must have found out that Will figured it out. Why else would she suddenly stop hiding her relationship? It was deliberate. So no one would suspect her of hiding anything else. Why wait if she loves Brooke that much? Giving in to Brooke's desire was the only way to convince everyone that her love for Brooke is real. And now she must be happy to know that Will is finally leaving so she can continue with her plan. She's not going to leave. She's not packing. But Will has and he's making sure his instructions will be followed. Is this necessary? Knowing where the guns are kept, the secret compartments, how the surveillance cam works, and what to do if there is an intruder are all necessary but how is knowing how to change the toilet fill valve necessary? "We can just call a plumber."
"If you must, put on a male disguise before letting him in. Check his background. Don't just call anybody."
"I knnnow." Not to sound ungrateful but he's getting annoying. No one is happy. Adalyn is pretending. Hope is following wherever he goes like it knows. "Can I call you?" Will never said where he's going to be and now it's obvious that nothing has changed since that day that Kristin came with his message. He meant what he said. So does that mean he's not living with them? There will be time to ask later after the good bye hugs.
"Thank you for everything."
There's no doubt that Brooke meant it. But did Adalyn? What's with the long hug? Is the kiss on the cheek necessary? Stop touching his chest. Enough already. If strangers saw, they might think they're a couple. Okay. My turn. Brooke got the hint. Adalyn is following. Now that no one else is here except Hope, it's time to ask:
"Why do you think she's still after the key?"
"What?...Oh" He found out. I knew it. She couldn't think of a reason that would allow her to stay so now she's using Will. But Will is not naïve; he has vulnerabilities though, especially with pretty women. "She could be. Doc is. They're close. You told me not to trust anyone. I don't trust her." Brie said, knowing that Will would disagree even if it is a good reason but surprisingly, he has nothing to say. He has a gift too. It's nicely wrapped so that means open it later. His muscular arms are wide opened. It's time for the last hug which lasted longer than expected. That's because Will has more to say. There's no need to ask the questions that she was thinking of. Will would have ignored them. His car can no longer be seen. Tears are now pouring out more than before. She wished she was able to hold it in because it didn't change Will's mind. What it did is prove Brooke wrong.
"Ohh Brie"
The heart is still pounding. Tears are running on its own. Brooke's comforting hug helped. She should now know I'm not that strong even if she has never seen me cry before. "I'm fine." Brie pulled back from the hug and wiped her eyes with the palm of her hands. It's too late to hide it so she didn't bother to make an excuse and went to the exercise room with the punching bag so she can hit it and kick it, again and again. "How could you? After everything I did for you, don't care, don't call me, just leave, ughh!...How could you be so cold? Is it the drugs? Did it change your brain too? Just forget it? How can I just forget? You can, it's not your fuckin first-"
"Brie! You okay?"
Fffuck. The door's closed. I wasn't that loud. It must be made with crappy material like Adalyn's bedroom door. Why are they outside? Brie opened the door, then found 2 confused faces. Brooke's looks more confused than Adalyn's. They won't be after this. "He said, change Hope's name, stop calling it Hope!" Hope is not here. If Hope understands, it would be hurt too. It wasn't a joke. It was spoken with seriousness. Will meant it. He wants to forget the past. He's never coming back. "If it wasn't for me, he would've bled to death a long time ago." They don't know about the night club incident. They don't need to know the details. Brooke should now know when the client/bodyguard relationship started to change. "...there was so much blood, it was so disgusting. I never done it before. It's my first time. Stitch by stitch, I sewed his ugly ass up. Not just his ass. After he came back, he didn't want to talk about it, any of it. And now, can't call him. Don't bother him. Just forget it. He said." Those weren't his exact words but that's what he meant. No tears are coming out this time, just body heat of anger from hitting the punching bag earlier. But it again caused Brooke to do the same as before.
"What can I do?"
Most people would say 'It's going to be okay' but not Brooke. What can she do? Nothing. "Just don't leave me" Getting a promise and firmer hug helped. It shows that she cares, hence not brainwashed and not manipulated. But she sure is keeping a lot to herself. Maybe she doesn't know. Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe she thinks I won't believe her. She will after this. "Don't you ever leave her." Brie said in a command, smiling at Adalyn before pulling her in for a hug without apologizing and without explaining why. It's not to thank her for interrupting earlier to prevent Brooke from knowing. It's because Will provided a good reason to trust her.
Part 2-06/21/2024
Faith and CJ failed but nothing happened so that's good. Nothing happened also means that Amy will continue to sleep alone so that's not good. But Will is back and looking good, so no need to ask if he had any sleeping issues lately since he volunteered to sleep on the couch to make sure Amy doesn't wander off. Faith didn't disagree but that's a terrible idea! "No, I will."
"She's not going to let you."
"Then don't tell her." Lucy again wondered why CJ isn't as sharp as she used to be. It could be because she didn't get enough sleep last night since sleeping on the couch gave her a backache. "Just let me in at 1. You can sleep in Holly's old room." That wasn't the living arrangement but this is better. No one commented but they're all staring especially Will who's looking like he was about to ask why if Nadia didn't call to say lunch is ready. If he was paying attention last night, he should know why he can't stay in Holly's old room even if Amy told him too.
Maybe he knows now? Who invited Ethan here! Nadia said she will make lunch since she lost the bet to Amy so she had to do the cooking for one whole month but she didn't say Ethan would be here. He invited himself? That could be true. He is new here. Staying in Anthony's huge house would be boring. He has no one except Nadia so it does make sense for him to be here. Bryan has a good reason too.
"He seems okay."
And Will is obviously waiting for this moment to say what he noticed about Ethan so far. Lunch is over. Ethan is just here to enjoy the beautiful weather like everybody else and use this opportunity, walking around the neighborhood, to look for a place to live. A house would be too big for one person. A condo would be the best option but there are none near here. A townhouse would be suitable but it would be absurd to suggest to Will to live with Ethan. He doesn't even want to stay in Anthony's house temporarily. He might look like a man now but he's definitely not comfortable living with one. That's understandable. But it doesn't make sense for him to want to change his name again! Lucy realized she misunderstood Will's plan to live alone. "I know how you feel but-"
"Then let me."
Lucy deliberately took a deep breath and exhaled loudly to let him know how she feels. "Where you going to go?" Lucy asked, knowing how ridiculous that question is because the reason for wanting to change his name is because he doesn't want to be found. "Have you thought this thru? There are lots of crazies out there now and if they-argh" Hope looked intimidating with the tattoos. Without the tattoos, Will doesn't but he can be when he wants to. "okay, now put me down before I hurt you." There's no need to get physical. Will did to demonstrate his strength and his ability to take care of himself. But he took the wrong time to do so because Amy saw and is still looking from 30 feet away. Ethan, Faith and strangers are looking too so it's necessary to hold onto Will's arm like a girlfriend would do and pretend to be having fun in case they're thinking of calling the cops. "Don't do that again."
"Sorry"
He knows what he did wrong. But does he know what he's going to do? Money is not an issue. He doesn't need to work if he doesn't want to. But doing nothing would be boring and that's not how to start a new life. Some won't accept his kind either. He should already know how ignorant people can be but does he know what to expect if he applies for a job?
Faith does since she has worked many odd jobs but she's not worried because Will has proven to be able to take care of himself in the past few months. CJ isn't worried either; she's more worried about her future with Bryan. Planning a wedding is a pain. She's been looking at the laptop for hours.
"He can work in a office, big companies not small ones, more diverse, more civilized, more-" Faith paused since CJ just interrupted with an outburst of frustration. Two million for 1200 square feet condo and 2 bedrooms is expensive. The inside is renovated but the building does look weird and old. "Where is this?"
"I'll lend it to you, pay me back whenever, no interest, no deadline, okay?" Lucy interrupted since Will's situation is more important. Problem solved. Gratitude is expected not a glare. "I mean it. Don't worry about it." Who doesn't want free money? CJ might be the only one. It's not just because she has integrity. It's because she believes that it will ruin her relationship with Bryan. They met while working together. They're here because it's part of their job. That's how they got to know each other's personalities. Not having to worry about money can help a lot but it can also change one's personality.
"Don't you dare offer it to him." CJ said.
"Okay. I won't. If you ever need it, just ask. Just don't borrow from banks. They're sharks. We'll come up with an agreement that would benefit both of us. Okay?" Lucy didn't continue to say what she was thinking of since CJ and Faith are looking at each other and CJ was moving her lips as if she just swore with no sound coming out of it. Now Faith is hugging the couch cushion against half of her face. ZJ is staring too. Jesus! Lucy realized why after turning around. It's because Will just came out half naked while towel-drying his wet hair. He not only looks like a guy, he's as insensitive. Is this what he did at Brie's? No wonder he said they all did the same thing that Amy did. "Let's have a chat" A lot has been discussed six hours ago. Nothing can convince him to change his mind. He might not need advice on how to live or help with hair drying but he needs guidance on what he can and cannot do as a man. Getting a suntan is fine. Taking it off because it's dirty is fine. But it depends on the location and who's around. "Don't do that when guys are around, they'll think you're trying to show off and that's not good." That's what he did on the wedding day after he dirtied his shirt. He got Ethan staring at him. Who knows what he was thinking. "Don't do that when women are around, they'll think you're flirting with them and if their boyfriends see them looking at you, you could get in trouble, men get jealous very easily. They don't think, they don't care, they act first, then deal with consequences later. So don't." That's not all he needs to know. "Men love to curse, it makes them feel powerful, some don't, most do, very often…" He needs to do the same even if he doesn't want to. He needs to get familiar with sports too. All it would take is one conversation about sports to know that he's different. "One more thing" Lucy said after shutting off the hair dryer. "Did you get your nails done? Clean is good but looking too good can be a problem. That's going to attract unwanted attention." Okay. Looks like he's not going to take that advice either since he's not going upstairs. It is more comfortable with no shirt on but using a towel for the bottom is sso inappropriate. It got CJ staring again, this time more closely than a moment ago. If Bryan is here, he would have something to say about it. "at 1, don't forget." Lucy reminded her in case she forgets and to interrupt her inappropriate staring at Will's hairless chest.
"She said no." CJ shrugged, then left after letting them both know that Faith is going to sleep in Holly's old room.
1 month later
No explanation was provided by CJ. Amy must have known. No explanation was needed for Will to understand why. He didn't ask why so he must have found out from Faith. But unfortunately not even Faith's words of wisdom or anyone could come up with a good enough reason to persuade him to stay. Now that he's not here and everyone else is, that strange feeling is creeping up again even though he wasn't included in these types of outings for a long time ever since he was living with Brie. It must be this place. It didn't feel like this the last time. But a lot has changed since then. As beautiful as this place is, all the eyes can see is a disguise of…poison and-
"You don't have to be here."
Startled by the comment, Lucy didn't realize what caused Amy to have that pissed-off look again until a few seconds later. It's because she was looking at the bed of flowers with different colors for way too long. It's because everyone else has already moved on to look at the next section. "I want to be here." Lucy said, knowing how unconvincing that sounds since she's not interested in any type of gardening. Amy knows that even if she doesn't know what she was thinking of. In this case, Amy must since she has the same look again as she did that day in the bathroom. She didn't say 'you're ruining it' but she did say 'go wait at the gift shop.' I don't want to go to the gift shop. Saying that would probably get Amy to consider divorce again so it would be better to obey. Have to go anyway. Besides, Amy is right. Everyone else came to have a good time. Families like Scud's came because they've never been to the Butchart Garden before. Couples like Nadia and Holly and CJ and Bryan came because there's no other place that represents love better than a place filled with flowers. Singles like Faith and Ethan tagged along because they have nothing else to do and it's Ethan's first time. It's not Amy's first time so hopefully she's not planning to take a look everywhere this time. The weather is perfect unlike the last time but it would take 3-4 hours. This place is huge. It's so big; it's difficult to find someone. It's also difficult to notice that someone is watching. What the hell. "What you doing here?"
"That's what I was just going to ask you. You following me?"
"Now why would I do that?"
"Because you did that before, remember?"
She's right but what's with the attitude? Is she still be upset about that night? It seems that way until she asked if Anthony is here. He must have made one hell of an impression to get her acting like someone who's looking around to make sure she's not being stalked. Not just Anthony, she's looking around for Will because she thinks Will is still looking after her like before. Why? "He left." She should know that and she should know why Will left so why is she still asking if I know where he is? "I don't know."
"Youu…don't know where he is?"
That is hard to believe but she should know finding someone isn't that easy especially someone who knows more than an average person does. "Look. He wanted to leave a long time ago. He didn't because of your sis." She should know that's the truth. She should also know that she's not going to get a different answer just because she said it's important. Nothing is going to…"Who's that?" Lucy asked after getting the phone shoved into her face.
"You don't know who this izz?"
Oh. The sunlight was making it difficult to see. "What about her?"
"That's what I want to know." Many knows who the megastar is. Many are fans. It was shocking to learn that Hope is one of the obsessed ones. That's what Riley said. It never occurred to her that Will would feel the same way until she learned from Adalyn that she has more than a few occasions caught Will looking at magazines with the megastar in it and listening to her music like a fan would. Adalyn didn't find anything wrong with that. But she probably would if she knows what Hope tried to do when she was in New York.
"That's absurd."
"It is but not impossible. Hope asked about her. Hope tried to look for her in New York. And Will isn't that different. He was searching her online."
"Sso? He likes her music. People do that when they have nothing else to do. He's bored, not crazy. Okay?"
"I didn't say he's crazy. I'm saying he could get hurt. He could be hurt right now." Brie continued to describe that night when Hope didn't realize she got injured without mentioning Noel since the point is: "He would've bled to death if it wasn't for me. He could be bleeding right now." It's not exaggeration. It's possible. But she's right. Will is stronger than Hope ever was. But she's wrong to assume that Will can take care of himself. "I hope you're right." Brie left with words of gratitude, a hug, a warning, and a little reminder.
"Hey" The whisper was necessary so that others can't hear. The hug was for saving her sis. What's with the kiss and the butt grab? Is she trying to get me in trouble again? Amy is not around. Thank goodness. Lucy continued to head to the bathroom to use it, to check for any lipstick mark on the cheek, and to use the phone to see where the megastar is. There is no way but she can't help thinking that it's possible. Will is not obsessed but Will had once said that he wants to apologize to the megastar in person. He's not going to break into her residence. The only way to get close to her would be to get a job as her bodyguard. But that's not going to be easy to do. Not easy doesn't mean not possible. He wouldn't. Would he? Then why was he searching for her? She's not here. Is she? These days, it's difficult to tell which article is the truth. What if she is? Should I? Just to make sure. No calls. No visits. That was Faith's suggestion. Will agreed and also agreed to pick up if it's urgent. So why isn't he picking up? Just wait. Wait…..wait.…wait. Waiting seven minutes now seems like a waste of time. Amy is going to be more pissed than she already is. Fuck it. This is more important. Lucy entered the number for the transportation service until the phone rang. It's not Will. It's Amy and she just asked a question that made her realize that Brie must have found her. "He didn't pick up." More questions were expected but surprisingly Amy didn't ask. What's even more surprising is the command given. Don't leave without me. Leaving was the plan. It is a bad plan since it would take over an hour to go back to Vancouver by helicopter. But Amy agreed so that's unexpected. Getting no push-backs, no questions about the megastar, no 'you're ruining this' made the trip back less frustrating. But the 3 hours of waiting made the mind very nervous. If it wasn't for Amy, she would have broke into Will's townhouse to look for clues. If that had happened, Will wouldn't be as calm as he was. Amy was right. Will had a good reason for not responding. It's because he was on a fishing trip with his neighbor and accidentally dropped his phone in the water. He caught a bucket of fish to prove it.
"Well, that was…weird"
Yes it was. CJ would probably have used the word crazy to describe Lucy if she knew the real reason that caused her to call Will. If she heard what Brie said about Will's obsession with the megastar, would she think that Will went to look for the megastar? Lucy did. Lucy also thought that Brie could be right. Will can take care of himself but accidents can happen. It was also Brie's reminder and warning(If I'm right, it's going to be your fault. Again) that made Lucy make the call. Nothing would've been able to change Lucy's mind so the only way was to go with her and let everyone else know that Lucy wanted to leave because the Garden of flowers reminded her of her ex which is true, just not the entire truth. Any more questions? CJ had only one when she called. Now it seems like she didn't just called to find out if Brooke had something to do with Lucy wanting to leave early since she saw Brooke. She called because she doesn't think it's a coincidence. "If it's not a coincidence, then why follow us there?" Amy asked.
"Out of all the days, it's today. She could've gone anywhere but she picked the same place, the same time? Coincidence? No way. Something's not right."
CJ is smart so she should know that in order to make her point valid, there needs to be a logical reason. "Why would she follow us there?" Amy asked again.
"What did she say?"
"coincidence" CJ doesn't need to know what Brooke said since the conversation wasn't all about Will.
"I think we need to get to the bottom of this. Something's fishy…and it's not the fish."
Is she serious? She's not laughing so she must be. But Faith is laughing in the background and she just said they're not coming back. Is she serious? Staying overnight in Victoria wasn't the plan. It takes 4 hours by car but the helicopter takes only an hour so there's no need to and they've been to Victoria. Ethan hasn't but he wouldn't have suggested this. So "why?" Amy asked Faith since it sounds like it's her idea but she's being confusing again with her words of wisdom. You must be the change you wish to see. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself? "What?"
"What she's saying is…you have the whole place to yourself so do whatever you want. Do whatever makes you happy. Do whatever you….okay, if that's you want, go for it. Do it. Fuck her. You don't have to tell her why. Just don't tell her that we-" CJ didn't continue because an image of a square black object just appeared on her phone with a message (What the fuck is this?) under it.
"What the FUCK is that?" Amy deliberately used that word again since that's what she said a moment ago which caused CJ to go on and on. CJ misunderstood but she should now understand. "Does that look like a tracker? I just found that in my backpack."
"Ohh….still think it's a coincidence?" Probably not. For someone who doesn't like to curse, she's cursing again. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. "It could be a listening device. Wrap it up. Go check her bag." Anyone who just found out they've been tricked wouldn't be able to think straight. She's probably thinking of how she missed it which is not important now.
Don't believe this. Amy hurried down the stairs with the tracker instead of calling Lucy because Lucy is probably not going to believe this since she's always been protective of Adalyn, always sympathize and made excuses for her, never blamed her for what she did. This has just gone too far. Ughhh. Unbelievable. "CJ, I think she's still after the key…..You there?" CJ might not be but Lucy is knocking on the door. Amy realized she's right after Lucy blamed it on Brie. Brie may have failed to put one in her backpack but this can't be her idea. No one is more capable than the one who came up with the plan to escape. It has to be Adalyn's. Only she could thought of this. She didn't show herself because she knew that using Brooke would be more effective. "She told me she loves her not Christian." The apology, the tears, and the self-blame were very convincing. No doubt, Lucy would've believed her too but why isn't she surprised or confused? "you knew?"
"I can explain."
"What the FUCK!"
Lucy knew Amy would be pissed when she finds the tracker but didn't think the situation would be this bad. Now it seems that it would need more than Will's message to make her see that Adalyn has nothing to do with this. "I just found out recently."
"She's lying! This is a listening device. She's still after the key!"
"okay, calm down, breathe, what you doing? don't do that…"
"I guess effing is not happening tonight" CJ said to Faith who was laughing a moment ago but now looking disappointed and exhausted.
Meanwhile
"I'm sorrrry" Brie apologized again after getting another glare which confirmed that the tracker has been found. "I was really worried about you and she won't tell me so-" She knew that Will would figure it out since no reason would be able to explain how she got here. Coincidence is not a reason that would satisfy him. He's not that naïve to think that it is. He doesn't seem to be that upset either unlike Adalyn when she found out the trip to the Butchart Garden was pre-planned. "So how have you been?" Question is ignored but at least he didn't say get out. It is a silly question because it's obvious that he's fine. He's living alone, doing whatever he wants and not wearing whatever he wants. The place looks like it hasn't been touched…except for the kitchen. "What're you doing?" That's another silly question. It's just so shocking since he never cooked and now he's using an oven and wearing an apron over nothing except shorts? This is a moment that needs to be captured because Brooke will never believe this. But it would've been better if the flash is off because now Will noticed. "I was just going to, okay, deleted. See." Brie willingly extended her phone to let him check it before he tells her to get out. He didn't. But he did say not to touch anything. "I won't." Don't touch doesn't mean don't look around. Upstairs will have to wait since that's where he went. It's not a big place but more than enough for 4. There's not much, just the essentials which reminded her of her own situation when she was living by herself. Is this temporary? There's still nothing in the closet. Almost all of the kitchen cabinets and drawers are empty. The big stainless steel frig has more empty space than food which is not surprising because that's how hers used to look too when she first moved in to the condo in New York. How long has he been here?
Apparently, not long enough to fill the frig but long enough to get acquainted with a neighbor to go on a fishing trip with her? It's wrong to think that the neighbor has other intentions other than just trying to be friendly. But what woman would come over to a man's house alone to ask for help with opening a jar of sauce? What's her name? What does she do? Does she live alone? Who else went? How did you manage to lose your phone? And why do I have to hide from her? All of these questions were ignored so it's time to change the topic. "Since when did you learn how to cook? Or have you always known?" Not once did he offer to cook. So maybe he recently learned now that he's living alone. Baked salmon with roasted asparagus and baby potatoes is not a difficult dish to make but this can't be his first time. The time he finished taking a shower was exactly the time it needed to be taken out of the oven. "This is pretty good." Compliments didn't work. Letting him know how much Hope misses him didn't get him to talk either. He's listening though. But how much longer before he had enough. As much as she wants to continue, she decided to wait until she's told to leave which surprisingly doesn't look like it's going to happen. But getting told to clean up after dinner is done is not surprising even though she wasn't expecting it. "I was going to do that anyway! You didn't have to tell me!" Brie said loudly, making sure he heard since he's already gone upstairs. "Just like Hope" ...Except Hope doesn't know how to cook. Hope is more messy.
Hope doesn't spend a lot of time in the bedroom unless she's sleeping. Dishes and pans have been washed. Kitchen has been cleaned and swept. Call has been made to Brooke to let her know what's going on. Brooke is not worried, just nosy, so nosy she wanted to know everything that Will said, everything about the neighbor, how tall, who she looks like, what she does, and how she talks. And now, she's texting inappropriate advice. Don't make the same mistake I did is not inappropriate but the next ones are. She must think she knows more than everybody else now that she found the lohl (love of her life.) "Stop it!" Message sent. Brie blew out a long breath of frustration, then decided to wait for a few more minutes before going upstairs since 30 minutes is long enough to know that he's not coming down. What is he doing? Is he okay? There's noise. That's a relief. It's faint but is more audible than before as she got closer to the bedroom door. Is he…who's he talking to? He's laughing? "You okay in there?" Brie knocked on the bedroom door, prepared to say what's in her mind until the door opened. It's not just because he's topless again and has only a white towel wrapped around his waist. It's because she was given a towel, one of his shirt and shorts to change into. The door closed before she even got a chance to speak. So rude, same as Hope. (sigh) Talk later then. That's the plan until she realized how different Will is when he's alone. He's still talking after she finished taking a shower, dried her hair, walked around the house and looked thru every closet, kitchen, bathroom cabinet for a second time. What are they talking about? This door is thicker. It's difficult to hear. But he must have heard because the door opened so suddenly, there was no time to pretend that she wasn't eavesdropping. "Who was that?" There's no need to pretend since he already knows. But a request is given instead of an answer, a very strange one. But a good reason was given, one that others would find ridiculous if they don't know about his condition since massage is to relieve pain, reduce stress, relax, and ease anxiety by increasing circulation but in his case, he's hoping it can repair the sensory receptacles so he can feel again. "Is this okay?"
"More…more…more"
"Any more, it's going to be black and blue." His back has a lot more muscles now so it would need more pressure. Finger tips won't work. Using knuckles would be more effective. His thighs and calves are thicker now too. Those would need an electric massage gadget. "Feel this?" At least he can feel when his butt is being pressed, just not pain. "So how are you going to do this yourself?" He did say this is Faith's idea and Faith was helping him. Now that he's staying away from everyone, does that include Faith?
"You don't have to worry about me."
"I wish I can. It's hard not to. You did almost die. And I did save your ass…twice." The scar was so deep. No plastic surgery would be able to get rid of it. Yup. It's still there. Looks much better but even more noticeable now with the darker, smaller, very firm… Brie immediately took a step away from the bed after noticing movement on the other end. "I…am so sorry. I just wanted to see, I'm sorry. I'm going to go." No logical explanation would explain why she just pulled down his shorts to take a look at his ass. Forgetting that he's not Hope is not a good reason. Coming here, she had a lot to say but now knowing that he's not as obsessed with the megastar as she thought, it can wait until tomorrow. Brie locks the second bedroom door, then takes the pants to change into until she heard it's raining out. Shoot. It is raining. It's light but driving in the dark and rain is a bad idea. Brie opens the door with the intention to say what she came to say until she got distracted again. "Can you put a shirt on? I can't talk to you like this." This isn't how she imagined having the conversation but being in a bedroom with only empty boxes and her clothing and the door closed now seems to be the only way she can. "Listen. I came here to tell you I understand why you want to leave. I get it. But you're wrong. You'll never be able to forget. I know. I tried. My life sucked too..." He doesn't need to know what Brooke did. He should already know how shitty life must be for anyone to choose to work as an escort. All he needs to know is that she was never able to forget the past with or without Brooke, no matter how long. "…I will always remember what it was like, life wasn't worth living, but now I know, life does get bet better if you surround yourself with the people who loves you. We love you. They love you. You're not going to meet anyone who loves you as much as we do." A response is expected but there's none. Brie opened the door, then realized she should have made sure he's outside first before speaking because he's not outside. He went back to the bedroom to put a shirt on and is now putting the pillow into a pillowcase. "You didn't hear a single word I said, did you?" The bedrooms aren't right next to each other so he might not.
"You don't have to worry about me."
Does that mean he heard? Brie sighed loudly since it again failed to get him to change his mind. This, most likely, will too. "I came here…to tell you…we're planning to move, house is too big, so we're thinking of getting a smaller one, we want you to come with us." The same response is expected but surprisingly, he didn't. But what does he mean by 'what then?' "Then we live, we can go fishing, hiking, biking, you can get a job….I mean, you don't have to, it's up to you" Brie clarified since he might not want to get a job. "You can take classes if you want, it's up to you, you can do whatever, just like before…Okay?" It's obviously not okay. This time, he didn't ask 'then what?' He asked a very specific question, one that made her heart suddenly beat faster. Just like Brooke said, he may already have found someone else. It's not Faith. It's the girl next door, Emily. "Does she know?" He's not answering the question so that could mean no. Not now but she will eventually.
"Should I tell them I'm your bodyguard or housekeeper?"
Them? Not her. That means there will be others if Emily doesn't work out. Understood. But really? That's the reason? Conversation is not over. "You can tell her I'm the one who saved your ass twice. I'm the one who's willing to sacrifice myself to save your ass! I don't want you to be my bodyguard or housekeeper but I do expect you to be here if I needed you! How could you just leave? You ungrateful, selfish, arrogant, insensitive, ego-" Oh shoot. The pillow is firm. It can't hurt anyone especially him but it somehow did with the continuous hit. He can't feel pain but his eyes are as normal as everyone else's. "Let me see" It's not red but tears are coming out of his left eye. No damage can be seen so it's safe to say it's not serious. It must be from the zipper in the pillow. "Close" This isn't the first time she used a tissue to dry those tears but it's the first time with this face, the real beard, this new look which doesn't seem as vulnerable as the last time but it still has that similar look of sadness, loneliness like a stray puppy begging for a hug. Ohh Will. Tears are coming down again. A hug isn't going to make all his problems go away but this could change his mind. "We miss you. We need you. We can't…ah!" It was so unexpected, all she could do is pull back from the hug. "Stop" Never has she seen this side of Hope or Will during the past few months and never has she been tickled by a man or woman. The last time that happened was a very long time ago when she was just a child. It wasn't easy to do the same to Brooke then and now it's impossible to do the same to him not because he's bigger and stronger but because he's not ticklish; He can't feel. But just like the last time with Brooke, grabbing hold of his hair worked…surprisingly.
"okay, let go"
"promise not to do that again" He did without hesitation. He's also looking in the mirror which is weird since he seems to be very concerned about his hair more than Hope ever did, more than he ever did. That's not the only thing. He has facial cleansers and lotions, body oil, and different types of skincare products that most men wouldn't have but women would. Maybe it's another suggestion from Faith to see if it would improve his condition? Being clean is good but there is something wrong with his behavior a moment ago and now too. It's only a loss of few strands of hair, yet he's blaming me if he goes bald. The scratches are unintentional. "Don't do that again and I won't." It's his fault. It seems that he knows since he doesn't seem to be upset. Anyone who's upset wouldn't be smiling. But what's he doing? He's picking up the pillow and the comforter from the floor. Conversation is not over. "sso?" It was obvious before she came but not now. He was laughing a moment ago but not now.
"I do care"
"Then come with us" There's the smile again but the response is as unexpected as what he did a moment ago. The urge to follow disappeared after the door closed. The heart is pounding again but this time it's not because of the girl next door. It's because he noticed just like Brooke did. But he's wrong. I wasn't. I don't. Responding with that won't change his mind. Nothing will. This time, not even Brooke will be able to. She's texting again.
"What can I do?"
Brooke has been a great help. This wasn't her plan but she came up with a lot of good ideas to find Will. This worked because of her. The tracker was her idea. She did what Adalyn refused to do and now she has no idea on how to persuade Will but she has a lot of 'what ifs.'
What if we get a two-family house? That's not going to change his mind.
What if he's already sleeping with Emily? He's not. It has only been less than a month. She doesn't even know what he is. A divorced mother of one won't be interested in him. She only needs his help since she doesn't know how to fix things around the house and has a mother to take care of too. Not a lot of information can be found on the internet but all it needed was a moment to take out the trash. Who knew the elderly would be so friendly, so talkative, so willing to share?
What if it's because of Christian? That's ridiculous! That's what she would've said if Brooke asked this yesterday. Now it seems possible because Will did mention Christian earlier. I'm not Christian. I can never be the man you expect me to be. So maybe Brooke is right. Maybe he thinks I'm in love with Christian. But he's definitely not in love with me. If he is, he wouldn't have left. If he is, he wouldn't have been so friendly with Faith; everyone thought they're dating. If he is, he wouldn't have told Emily I'm his cousin.
"Did you ask?"
"No because I know" Message sent. Brooke's next response is so long, it makes her wonder why she doesn't just call. "Why would he leave then?" Brooke is typing again. The response isn't as long but that's because Brooke sent the messages separately instead of all in one. Each 'what if' is more ridiculous than the previous. "YOU ARE WRONG!" Capitalization should be more effective than multiple exclamation marks. It didn't stop Brooke from giving suggestions though. Now she wants to make a bet, a bet with nothing to gain or lose. It's just to show who's right. There's no harm in asking but it would be awkward regardless of what the answer is. Are you attracted to me? What if he says yes? But attraction is not love. Hope was but only for that night. Will wasn't. But he has changed a lot. Is it because of that night? Hope didn't care nor did she show any awkwardness. But Will did. Maybe that's why? (sigh) "Tomorrow" Brie sent the message since it's night time. Tomorrow morning would be better. Tonight would be difficult to fall asleep. It's not just because it's a different house, different bed or thinking of how to ask the question, what the answer will be, and how to change Will's mind. It's because Brooke sent a picture of a dessert to show what she's eating now. Waiting until tomorrow to find out if that's the same one in the refrigerator won't be too late but there's no need to wait.
Brie got off the bed, then tiptoed down the stairs in case Will is sleeping. Noises can be heard so he's probably not. Lights are off downstairs but the tv is still on. He's not sleeping on the couch so he must be in the bathroom or the kitchen, eating Emily's…? There's no need to check anymore. Brooke is wrong. Will is not in love with me. But Brooke is right. This is the reason he wanted to leave; so he can do anything he wants at any time. This is the reason he came out with the pillow and comforter. It's not because it would be inappropriate to share a bed. It's because he's expecting this. With only the lighting from the tv, it's difficult to see but no lights are needed to know that not all the noises, the grunting, the moaning, the heavy breathing didn't come from the tv. There's no need to move closer to know who those hands behind the couch belong to. They're Emily's, grabbing onto the familiar scarred buttocks between her legs.
