by R. Lorelei
“So what did you say,” Aria got all excited.
“I said he did and that made him mad. So I asked him if he was back together with his ex-wife and he said not YET, but come on, when you say that you are implying you will in the future. So I got upset and took off.”
“So how did it get good?”
I smiled at Aria, “I left the fundraiser and went home. When I got there I took a shower a mulled over what was said in the closet. When I got out guess who was sitting on my ugly gray sectional.”
“Who, Chase?” she looked over at me with anticipation in her eyes.
“Bradley!”
“Fuck off! How did he get in?”
“He broke into his brother’s penthouse.”
Aria shook her head, “That man wants you in a bad way. So what did you do were you scared?”
“Oh Aria, he fucked the bejesus out of me! Then he washed me like I was a frail China doll. He stayed the night and then I woke up to his fingers in me”
“Oh my how sexy is that! I don’t know if I should be hearing this. We have ten minutes to be at our friggin first appointment by the way. Okay, so go on, what happened then?”
“So he makes gentile love to me and he finishes IN me. But I wasn’t on anything because he broke up with me Aria!”
“Then what happened?”
“So, I said to him, ‘You’re trying to make me pregnant,’ and he admitted it. He said, ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures.’”
“So what if you do get pregnant?”
“Well, of course I would keep it, but I won’t be!” I sloughed it off.
We arrived at a townhouse in Grimsby a block away from the hospital. The outside was nothing to write home about. The inside was less impressive than the outside. Aria could tell by my reaction I wasn’t feeling it so we got back into her beamer and went to place number two.
She drove me to a five year old bungalow half a mile from the hospital. It was made of grey stones and the roof was black. It was quite sharp. Inside were three bedrooms a kitchen and living room. The ceiling had to be at least ten feet high giving the illusion that the place was much bigger than it was. The basement was huge and ready for renovation. The backyard had a pool. It had Chanel written all over it.
“Aria, you have to get this place for me! I’m in love with it!”
Aria pulled out her phone and called her office before we decided to head back and have lunch in the loft.
When we got back into the car she asked me about Chase, “What happened at the fundraiser with Chase, you never said.”
“Chase said I went for the wrong brother, and I should have gone for him. I told Chase that now that I was with Bradley even though we were broken up, I would never hurt Bradley by going with Chase. It wasn’t a fair thing to do. Chase completely understood. It was the first time in my life that it sucked badly to do the right thing.
He’s such a devilishly handsome CEO and he was just staring me down with want in his eyes. I also admitted to Chase why I liked Bradley more at first.”
Aria giggled, “If I wasn’t with Nick, I probably would have taken either one of them.” Then she paused for a second and added, “I like clean cut Chase a little more than Bradley. Excuse the pun but I think I would have chased Chase! He’s got such a silly name!”
Aria invited me into her loft where she started making lunch for us. I asked her, “How’s Nick, was he transferred yet?”
“This morning! They needed his bed in the Unit so they downgraded him early. He’s doing well. He had his second C.T. scan and the bleeding in his brain stopped. It’s smaller now. He should be out any day.”
“That is such good news! Have I told you how happy I am for both of you?”
“Only a million times!”
We sat at Aria’s breakfast bar and ate our lunch in companionable silence until I started pestering her, “Call your office, did the seller say yes?”
“Cool it Coco, it’s going to take more time than that! I will text you if you get the place.”
“If? It’s not an option, when I get the place.”
“When you get it.”
Aria went back to work in the afternoon. I kept my phone nearby and checked it every ten-seconds until I saw the blue flashing light. It was an excruciating four hours before I heard back from her. She texted me the good news:
Aria: It’s yours for 425!
Chanel: Thanks!
Aria: When is the closing date?
Chanel: End of THIS month!
I waited for another hour before knocking on Chase’s penthouse door. He answered his door dressed in his suit but his tie was lopsided and I assumed he was just taking it off when he heard the door. “I just got in, could I interest you in a glass of red wine?”
“That would be lovely.”
He led me into his kitchen and pulled the chair out for me, “Please have a seat.” He started getting the wine from a cabinet when he asked, “To what do I owe the honor?”
I smiled sheepishly, “I think you know.”
He groaned his guess, “You’re giving me notice that you’re leaving the hospital?”
“That too,” I confirmed.
“You are breaking the lease on the loft? What’s the hurry, what the hell did my brother do?”
“Chase, it’s not what he did. I just want a new start where nobody knows me and I can make better first and lasting impressions.”
“The ones you’ve made here were fine! You’re being hasty. Like I said, you just chose the wrong brother.” He smiled at his own joke which was alarmingly cute.
“I can’t hold the loft for you until you change your mind but I can always give you a job if you want to come back to the General.”
I took a sip of my wine, it was dry and warmed my throat as it slid down, “I won’t forget that if I want to come back I can, and I’m starting to think you’re right, I did chose the wrong damn brother.” That comment seemed to please him.
“Don’t worry, your loss is Shelly’s gain,” he clipped. “I just asked her out at the fundraiser. She doesn’t hold a candle to you but how long can I wait for something I know is unobtainable?”
“You are charming.” I admitted. He grinned at my comment. We finished our wine and then I handed him my two envelopes. He shook my hand but I could tell he wanted to kiss me. His eyes locked onto mine and then he quickly glanced down to my lips. His restraint was admirable. I wouldn’t have pushed him away!
~42~
The next morning my cell vibrated against the hard kitchen counter making a loud grumble noise. I checked my phone and found a text from Aria:
Aria: I’m going 2 C Nick, do U want 2 come? I thought it would B fun 2 go shopping after.
Chanel: Would love 2.
Aria: 30/60/90?
Chanel: I need 30 to put a face on!
I changed from casual clothes to a tighter fitting pair of jeans and a sweater that accentuated my curves. I looked down quite proudly at myself, I had quite the pair. They were so sensitive lately; Bradley’s little pinches were taking their toll. I styled my hair like I had just walked out of the salon and sprayed Coco Mademoiselle on. I didn’t buy it for the name as one might think; I bought it for the bottle. I always chose the prettiest bottles when I chose my fragrances. Coco Noir looked too much like cologne made for man so I went with the prettier of the two.
I was out the door and knocking on Aria’s right at the thirty minute mark. I stood in her doorway watching her as she too was dressed in jeans and a nice fitted top. She was hustling trying to find her keys, grab her purse, and make sure she had everything she needed.
I started taking my keys out of my pocket when Aria said, “I'll drive, I still haven’t got over the novelty of the beamer yet. I’m going to give my old car to Nick so we can save money for the wedding.”
Aria and I never had a chance to discuss the wedding yet so I initiated the discussion, “Did you guys set a date?”
Aria rolled her eyes at m
e, “I always wanted to get married at the Old Mill because that’s where mom and dad got married, you know keep up family traditions. I called yesterday and the earliest they have is January 2015, unless we take a cancellation for two and a half months from now.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I have until noon today to decide so that’s what I’m seeing Nick about.”
She started telling me how she pictured her wedding. I was half listening to her and half picturing how I would act if I bumped into Bradley today at the hospital. We arrived at the hospital in two shakes of a dog’s tail. We went to my original stomping ground and asked the nursing station where Nick was relocated. They told us he was in room 264. I knew exactly where it was so I led Aria to it.
When we got to Nick’s room he wasn’t there. I peeked back out down the hallway and he was ambulating slowly away from us holding his blue gown closed with one hand to cover his bum and a towel in the other. He was wearing his Jesus sandals, the ones I told him never to wear because he had hairy feet which I thought was too weird to not go covered.
I popped my head back into his room and told Aria, “I see him, he’s on his way to take a shower, do you want to go to Tim’s to kill some time before he gets out?”
She was straightening his bed acting as though she was nervous. “Sure,” she said finishing the bed and then we started walking down the hallway the same way we had come. I was consciously keep an eye out for Bradley. It would have been nice to bump into him. I was hoping this unnecessary trip to Tim’s would have been fruitful with a chance encounter. He had no idea I was there so it would have been a surprise.
We got to the lineup and I felt a touch of disappointment that we didn’t see him in the hallways. Aria nodded to the front of the line and said quietly in my ear, “Which twin is that? Whose the girl?” I hadn’t noticed and she had recognized Bradley just from the back of his head. My heart suddenly felt heavy when I saw Bradley standing with Maggie like it was so normal, a common occurrence. I guess he would be spending more time with her if I wasn’t working here, and it already started.
The server said “Can I help the next person in line?” Bradley and Maggie started walking towards her, which meant they were walking past us. There was nowhere to escape to when Bradley saw me. I looked deliberately at Maggie before making eye contact with him. It was my way of showing him that for me this wasn’t okay.
Maggie was oblivious to the entire interchange but Bradley wasn’t and he stayed back maintaining eye contact with me. The tension was palpable and people started to notice Bradley and me staring at each other.
Aria looked mildly confused with the entire interchange and when he was out of hearing range she asked, “Was she his ex?”
I whispered back, “The one and only.”
“So why are they not acting like it?”
“I couldn’t tell you,” I said quietly to her.
Thank heavens a different server called our turn. We ordered two coffees’ that were made very quickly and we walked past them as they continued to wait for their food to be prepared. Bradley looked as though he was going to grab my wrist, but I wasn’t having it. I made sure the second his hand went towards me I was well away from him. I could barely hold back the tears long enough to walk past him.
When we got back to the ward, I tried to put the prior incident out of my mind and focus on Nick and Aria. Nick was back in his room towel drying his hair. He was wearing his blue hospital gown with no hospital attachments such as intravenous, heart monitors, or breathing devices. His hair had just been gelled so that it was placed perfectly into his usual style.
I gave him a hug and sat in the chair that was by his bed. Aria sat on the other side of him after they got all kissy faced with each other. It was gross and cute at the same time. I hated hearing slobbering kissing sounds unless I was included. Finally they remembered I was in the room with them so they stopped. Nick looked at me, “Did you give Chase notice?”
I noticed the nugget around his neck and thought how much I needed my rock right now, but I didn’t want to distract him too much because they had some serious planning to discuss. “I gave him two letters; I broke the lease and told him I would be practicing in Grimsby.”
Nick’s eyebrows raised and he started absently playing with his spiky hair, “How did he react?”
“He was okay with it. He tried talking me out of it but then he gave up. He said there would always be a job for me. He told me I chose the wrong brother, I should have chosen him.”
He smiled at me, “What I should really be asking is how did Throb take it?”
“I thought he wasn’t taking it well but judging from this morning, maybe I stand to be corrected. Apparently the feelings appear more one sided.”
Nick’s eyes turned dark, “What did Throb do to fuck it up now? I told him you’re in love with him by the way.”
“Yes thanks for that Dickwad. He didn’t do anything really. Aria and I spotted him with Maggie at Tim’s.”
Aria leaned over towards Nick and gushed, “She’s really pretty!
Her comment really pissed me off; Nick paid little attention to it knowing how I felt about Maggie, “Aria!”
She looked at me apologetically, “I’m sorry.” She said turning back to Nick, “She really is though!”
Nick said, “Coco, you’re making too big a deal of it. Throb was just getting food from Tim’s. Just because he stands in line with her there, doesn’t mean he’s banging her or going to remarry her, speaking of which.” Nick turned to Aria, “Did you get a date at The Old Mill?”
“About that,” She started digging in her purse for her phone. “They can’t book us until January 2015 unless we take a cancellation ten weeks from today. We have until noon today to decide.” Nick deliberated quietly.
Nick glanced at me, “What do you think Coco?”
I put my hands up like a gun was being pointed at me, “I wanted nothing to do with this decision.” I thought all of his actions since the accident were rash. If I said two years than that probably would have upset Aria, and if I said two and a half months then that would have pressured Nick.
Nick returned his gaze to Aria, “I don’t want to wait any longer than ten weeks, let’s do it!” Aria squealed with delight and clapped her hands together before she punched the Old Mill’s phone number into her cell.
Aria was talking animatedly on her phone near the window for better reception. Nick studied my face and asked, “What’s wrong?”
I spoke really quietly, “I just hate getting these mixed signals from Bradley. He says he wants me, he even admitted trying to get me pregnant and then I see him with Maggie again.”
Nick’s jaw dropped, “Throb tried to get you pregnant? He admitted it?”
“Yes,” I shook my head and reiterated what he said, ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures.’
Nick pointed at me and whispered, “You’re fucking pregnant! I can tell!”
I squinted my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my abdomen. I whispered in a seething voice, “Nick, you are unfuckingbelievable! How can you tell? I’m not even late Dickass, you’ve surpassed Dickwad!”
He nodded his chin to his chest and mouthed, “Your tits look bigger.” I started laughing! Simple bastard! I took a couple deep breaths and then we heard the hang up noise Aria’s phone makes when she hangs up and then she said rather dramatically, “Done! In ten short weeks I will be Mrs. Aria Ward! Oh.My.God! Chanel we have to start getting ready! Nick, I’ll come and get you when you’re discharged. Chanel lets go, so much to do!”
We said our good-byes and left. Nick and Aria were getting married in ten short weeks. I was starting a new life, and apparently my tits looked larger! Who needed breast augmentation when Bradley could maul them to the point of becoming swollen?
~43~
We left the hospital without further incident. It was sunny out but starting to get cold. We sat in the car while Aria started googling places. Sh
e started rhyming off all the things she needed to do and that’s when I jumped in, “Aria, let’s stay organized. We need to go back to your place or mine and make a list of the things we need to do before the wedding.”
She was gleaming, “Sounds like a plan.” She pulled her beamer into her spot and we took the lift to the eighth floor. I suggested my place because my hunger pangs were getting the better of me and if I didn’t get food fast I was going to start getting bitchy.
I opened the door to let us in and kicked off my shoes to get comfortable. I headed straight for the kitchen where I started digging cabinets trying to figure out what I was going to make us, “Do you want anything specific Aria?”
Aria stayed behind in the living room looking for a piece of paper and a pen she could use to write her list on while I was wrestling up food for both of us, “Make whatever you’ve got, I’m not picky.” I found some leftover chicken breasts I had baked yesterday and threw them together with a salad. I grabbed two bottles of water and now I was set to help Aria with her list.
Aria and I brainstormed.
~To Do~
1. Invites
2. Tuxedo and Dress
3. Bridesmaid Dress and Groom
4. Caterer
5. Flowers and bouquet
6. Salon appointment
7. Cake
8. Honeymoon
9. Rings
10. Old, new, borrowed, blue
11. Limo
12. Seating plan.
If we missed anything we would figure it out as we went along. A part of me envied Aria for getting engaged and married so quickly, it was super romantic.
The next day proved to be a very busy one. Nick called saying that he was being discharged. We had forty-five minutes to pick him up from the hospital, drop him off at home and be at the dress shop for our first attempt at finding a dress.
I didn’t think it was going to happen. We told Nick to make sure he got all his paperwork given to him right away so he wouldn’t slow us down when we went to pick him up. We dropped him off at Aria’s loft like discarded luggage and heavy footed it to the first dress appointment.