Brooke walks from her masterbath into her bedroom and sits in front of her dressing table. She thinks back on the evening's events and smiles at the memory of Oliver and Logan rocking in the chair when she'd come up to get him. She'd stood in the doorway a moment and marveled at the Oliver chatting and laughing with his grandson the image the polar opposite of the cold hate filled man she had seen just a few moments before on her veranda. She removes her earrings placing them in the small crystal dish and watches Oliver in the mirror. She tried to gage his mood then shrugs her shoulders and plunges in.
"This evening ended much better than it started." She says still watching him as she slips out of her heels. Oliver sighs pulling his tie from his neck and tosses it on the back of the chair before sitting down heavily on the side of the bed.
"Thank God for small favors." He grunts then shakes his head. "At least the women in my family use their God given brains!" He grumbles as he bends and removes his shoes then walks across the room to his closet. Brooke ignores his comment and bluster deciding to ease into what she really wanted to discuss.
"Yes. she and JR are absolutely adorable together. I'm so glad they both found each other." Oliver smiles remembering the pleasant evening he'd just spent with his niece and her future husband. It had been nice spending the evening discussing their upcoming nuptials and plans for the future with hope instead of the dread he felt whenever he thought of his son.
"Yes it was a very nice change of pace. We should have them both over more often." He calls over his shoulder. "As you said much better than how the evening started but at least we didn't have to deal with my idiot son and his woman at the end of it." He chuckles bitterly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asks waiting for a venomous tirade but instead his voice sounded frustrated and tinged with sorrow.
"I feel so helpless! It's as if my son is completely blind!"
"Or, blinded by love." She says softly as Oliver's brow furrows followed by a long sigh of exasperation.
"You still haven't considered that possibility have you?" She says then smiles at the the look of shock ,disgust then consideration as he undresses and hangs his suit. She bites her lip then braces herself hoping her next words didn't send him off into a fury.
" As much as I don't like the women that Cassandra has become, I'm very proud of the man Rego is becoming." She says looking up in the mirror as he steps out of the closet back into the room his face a mask of confusion.
"How in the world could a brilliant woman such as yourself be proud of anything my son has done since the moment that women exploded into our lives?" He says crossing the room and standing behind her staring back at her reflection in the mirror.
"I'm not talking about how she seduced Rego that's besides the point. I'm talking about the matured Rego that's taken responsibility for his actions and he's acting like the man I know you raised him to be." She says firmly reaching for her brush and running it quickly through her hair ignoring the look of angry confusion on his face.
"I could be very proud of him if it wasn't this particular issue he's chosen to become noble about." He says walking into the bathroom as he speaks. Brooke continues as if she hadn't heard what he'd said refusing to be distracted by his sarcasm.
" Honey, all I'm saying is despite what you may believe to be true Rego believes this is his child. He's doing everything in his power to protect it from harm. And at this moment Cassandra and her baby are a package deal. I think you should give him some credit for that and maybe cut him just a little slack." She finishes as she rises and begins to remove the pillows from the bed tossing them onto the chaise lounge in the corner just as Oliver comes back in the room tying the strings of his pajama bottoms as he walks.
" I know, I know and your right as always my love." He says coming behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. "It's just that woman is so infuriating with smug smile. And, the way she can never really look you in the eyes. The constant lie on her lips." Brooke nods her head in agreement as she turns to face him.
"I understand exactly what you're saying but when you attack Rego all you're doing is making the bond between them stronger. You may not see but what you're actually doing is creating a challenge and you and I know just how much Rego enjoys a challenge. At the end of whatever game Cassandra playing there are going to be two people hurt your son and an innocent child who may very well be your grandchild." Oliver smiles down at her and holds her close.
"How in the world did I ever get so lucky to find you?" He says kissing her as he pushes her gently back on the bed.
"And one more thing." She says pushing gently against his chest.
"What's that my love?" He whispers as he nuzzles her neck sending a shiver through her. Making her almost forget what she was going to say before she pulls away from him.
" I don't ever want to hear you say the things you said to him today or anything like it ever again. You can't allow your anger at the situation drive your words. To be honest you frightened me." Oliver stops his lovemaking her words freezing him in motion.
"My God Brooke I don't ever want you to be afraid of me. I swear on our Grandson's life I would never intentionally harm you or anyone else in my family." Brooke reaches up and lovingly strokes his cheek.
"I know you wouldn't but sometimes words can hurt worse than physical abuse and physical wounds heal faster." Oliver looks down at her and smiles.
"This is why I love you Brooke English-Sherrigan you protect all your children." Brooke smiles back pulling him closer.
" That's because when I married you Rego, Rebeka and Endre all became my children. Now enough about the kids let's concentrate on us" She says pulling him close pushing the evening's events from her mind and kissing him deeply.
*Copyright Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment