Brooke watches Barbara retreat back into the elevator and sighs in relief. She'd seen her in the mirror when she walked up to the desk. Luckily for her she'd seen her first and had been able to position herself on the stool so the man beside her blocked her from view. She was the last person she had wanted to talk to. All she wanted now was some alone time to think about the evening and Oliver's reaction. Although, Brot speaking with the clerk afterwards was curious a small voice gnawed at her.
She had never seen him that angry he was absolutely enraged. She couldn't blame him when she'd heard she'd been angry as hell but his reaction frightened her. The sheer venom in his eyes when he looked at Cassandra had made her blood run cold. It made her wonder how far that kind of anger and hatred had driven him to do in the past even now? Who had he unleashed it on before? But, was she right to think that way. He hadn't actually harmed Cassandra he'd only told the truth about her but with such vehemence. She also had to look at it as a father trying to protect his son. One who is so angry and frustrated that he can't. She could understand that she'd been there.
When Barbara's drunken negligence had caused her Laura's death she had railed to the heavens. There had been moments when she had wanted to do to her what Oliver had done to Cassandra and worse. Maybe that's what really frightened her. God! It had been a long time since she thought of that time. Yet, even now she could still feel the tiniest embers of anger still burn inside her. It hadn't helped seeing Barbara. Seeing her had made it flare even after all these years. So who was she to judge Oliver's anger?
What was Barbara doing here anyway? Last she heard she was in Washington state running Travis' practice. Maybe she'd come to visit Molly? No. From what she had heard that had better be a surprise visit she smirked to herself poor kid. Probably was which was why she would be staying here. But, knowing Barbara and the additional baggage she alway brought with her. It was probably more than just seeing her daughter a lot more. The woman always had an ulterior motive for everything she did nothing with Barbara was ever as it seemed. She thought as she took a sip from her drink. She looked up in the mirror catching Brot pass by the entrance with what looked like a phone book? Who used those things anymore?
Why would Brot be lurking around the lobby thumbing through a phone book? Probably on a stake out she wondered whom? He walked up to the clerk after Barbara had gone upstairs. In fact it had been right after the elevator doors had closed. That could be a coincidence or him just making sure he wasn't overheard. But why would he care if Barbara had overheard him? Why was she even concerned about that in the first place? She had her own problems to deal with whatever Barbara was up to was absolutely none of her business she shrugged finishing her drink then grabbing her purse stepping down from the stool. She walked to the exist into the lobby it was time to go home she thought stopping at the entrance keys in hand then decided a cab would be better. She'd had more than a couple of drinks and driving home wasn't an option. She had also spotted Brot still sitting off in the corner of the lobby. If she hadn't been secretly looking for him she might have missed him completely she thought putting her phone back in her purse. Maybe she could get a look at that phone book and figure out what page he'd furiously scribbled on as he listened on his phone then torn out. She crosses to the desk speaking quickly to the clerk and asking for a cab as she watches Brot from the corner of her eye. He puts the book back on the shelf beneath the payphone then walks back towards her whispering into his phone. She waits for him to get to close to the desk before speaking. She was trying to appear it was a casual meeting since she wasn't sure if he'd seen her or not.
"Hi Brot how are you?" She watches as Brot looks up from his phone surprised to see her.
"I'll meet you outside" He says ending the call and turning towards her. "Hey Brooke how are you?" He asks looking at his watch then towards the door.
"Good, Good just stopped in for a night cap" She smiles and shrugs noting his distraction with the exist. "Excuse me Brooke I'm meeting someone. Good to see you though." He says walking quickly out the door into the night.
That was even stranger. He was definitely on some kind of stake out she thought reaching the row of phone and pulling the book from the stand. She flips through the tattered pages finding where Brot had broken the binding then pulls the few pages from it before walking quickly to the ladies room. She looks around then checks the stalls making sure she was alone before taking a pencil from her purse and rubbing it across the impressions on the page. She takes out her phone and snaps a few photos of them. Then opens her purse shifts the contents then lays the pages carefully inside before existing. She looks around the lobby as she walks through noting another nondescript somebody sitting quietly as she walked out the door to her waiting cab.
* Read Episode Molly, Jack and Barbara 11/01/2016 and Natalia and Brot 11/04/2016
Copyright: Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles 2017
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