We Ended Up Together (5 page)

Stephaney strolled over to him and sat in the chair across from him. She figured this was the perfect opportunity to suck up to her father.

"Daddy, you'll never believe what I heard Chloe say," Stephaney said, mischievously.

"What, sweetie?" Philip asked peering over the top of his paper.

"She said that she's leaving James," Stephaney tattled, enjoying the rush of getting her sister in trouble.

"What? Why?" Philip asked angrily as he smacked the newspaper onto the table in front of him.

"I don't know. Something about Brad DeMarco," Stephaney answered, shrugging her shoulders. Philip sat there fuming. Why would Chloe even think about such a thing?

Chloe woke up and rubbed the dried up tears that sat on her cheeks. New tears filled her eyes as she remembered what she had happened the previous night. Chloe shook the thoughts from her mind and decided to go skiing.

She quickly dressed and hurried down the stairs. The cabin was quiet; she figured everyone was most likely asleep still.

Chloe scribbled a quick note and stuck it on the kitchen table for her family, explaining where she had gone. She grabbed a pair of skis and poles from the front hall closet and walked out the door to begin her trek through the snow, towards the slopes.

Chloe needed some time alone to think and just clear her mind after the night she had.

Chloe walked down a winding footpath that snaked through the forest. The sun was shining through the snow-covered trees casting shadows across her path. Chloe's ski boots crunched through the glistening snow. Chloe breathed in the fresh pine scent and exhaled seeing her breath swirl through winter air.

She eventually reached the ski lift and hopped on to ride it to the top of the towering peak. She hopped off at the topmost point and soon began her descent. She skied back and forth, her skis crunching and carving the snowy ground. She felt the frigid wind against her face as she went faster and faster.

Skiing always gave Chloe time to think about all of her troubles. This time, she thought about her decision to leave James. A thousand unanswered questions rattled through her mind. Where would she go? How would her parents feel about her choice? What would James say?

Chloe reached the bottom of the hill and immediately headed back to the lift. She repeated this cycle over and over, but she got nowhere near answering her questions. She had found the courage to face her fears, but she was completely alerted by the fear that she didn't think everything through before opening her mouth.

Chloe felt like she needed more time to decide how to handle this situation. She didn't know how to go any further. She was almost certain it was a bad idea to tell Becca about wanting a divorce without knowing what to do about it.

She felt lost.

Then she remembered the email she had sent to her friend the night before. She desperately wanted to know what he thought. Maybe he could help her. She took her skis off and almost ran back towards the cabin.

Chloe walked inside and took off all of her outdoor clothing. She put her skis away before walking further inside. She noticed it was still quiet in the house; her family was probably out skiing.

Chloe longed for a drink of water, so she made her way to the kitchen. Chloe wandered over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. She twisted off the cap and began drinking when a voice from behind her made her jump.

"Chloe, can I talk to you for a minute?" Philip asked, his irate voice breaking the silence. Chloe almost chocked on her water, half from shock and half from his tone. She knew she was in trouble. Chloe twisted the cap back on her water and turned around to timidly face her father.

The look on his face, alone, sent shivers down her spine. He sat at the kitchen table, with his arms crossed. Chloe hadn't even noticed he was there.

"S-sure. What's wrong?" Chloe asked, trying to keep her nerves under control.

"Sit down Chloe," Philip commanded, intensely. Chloe did what her father said and quickly took a seat across from him.

"Why would you ever even consider leaving James?" Philip questioned as he cocked his head and stared at Chloe through his glasses. Chloe couldn't breathe for a few seconds. How did her father find out?

"W-what?" was all Chloe could stammer.

"Do you not appreciate the life we have set you up in?" Philip spat, leaning across the table.

"Of course I do Daddy," Chloe responded hastily, her heart pounding faster with anticipation.

"Then how could you even think about divorcing James? Does he not give you everything you could ever want? Do you know what divorcing him would do to our family's image?" Philip ranted.

"Yes, but-" was all Chloe could utter before her father interrupted her.

"James is better suited for you than Brad DeMarco will ever be!" Philip shouted. Chloe couldn't believe the words that had just come out of her father's mouth. How did he know about that? Did he hear her conversation with Becca? Chloe didn't know what to say.

"Brad DeMarco is-" Chloe was about to argue back, when suddenly they heard the front door open.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" James’ voice echoed through the cabin. He had the worst timing. Chloe closed her mouth losing her nerve to argue with her father while her husband was there. Philip immediately pushed away from the table and stood up.

"Yes, in here!" Philip called. Chloe sat there watching, her anger just swirling in her head. James walked into the kitchen and as soon as Philip saw him he pulled him into a hug. When they stopped, he talked to James as if everything were normal.

Brad sat at his desk in his bedroom. He tapped his fingers on the table, impatiently, as he waited for his email to load. When he saw he had a new message from his friend a smile spread across his face.

Brad opened the email and read it to himself.

I need you to be completely honest with me. Is my life strange? I've been talking to you for quite some time now about this life where I have to live up to everyone else's standards. I'm in a loveless marriage and I'm too much of a coward to get out of it. I just can't imagine why you talk to me, but I need you now more than ever.

I just can't do this anymore. Why am I doing this to myself? I can't live like this any longer. I don't fit in to this lifestyle my parents have given me. I think I have finally decided to leave James. I just don't know how.

Brad read the message once, twice, three times before he thought of how to respond.

Her words held so much pain and helplessness. When he noticed she had sent it at 2:26am in the morning, he knew she desperately needed his help. He answered her back the best he could.

Honestly, your life isn't strange. Sure it's different than most people, but it's not strange. I think no matter what kind of life you live sometimes you don't feel like you fit in.

I've been waiting so long for you to finally realize these things you're telling me. I've tried so hard to make you understand that being with James is not right for you, and it pains me to know how unhappy you are with him.

I know you can do this. I know you can leave him and make a better life for yourself, even if you don't know where you're going. Right now you have no fear pushing you to find a life that makes you happy, which is why you need to leave.

You gave me the advice to leave Kathy. Now I want you to take my advice, you won't regret it. I'm proud of you and I'm so glad you're doing this. I'm here for you. Don't look back and don't second guess yourself. You can be whoever you want to be.

At that moment, Brad heard Jake's whimpers from the next room. He had him for the weekend again. Brad quickly skimmed back over the message before he hit send, hoping he was at least the slightest bit helpful towards his friend.

Brad got up from his desk to comfort his son. He walked into Jake's bedroom and saw him standing up with tears streaming down his face. Jake pouted as Brad picked him up out of his crib. He hugged him close and then sat him on his hip.

"Do you want to go visit Aunt Vanessa?" Brad asked as he rubbed Jake's back to comfort nodded his head and sniffled softly.

Brad pushed Jake's stroller down the street to Vanessa's apartment. Luckily it was Vanessa's day off of work, and Brad knew how much she loved spending time with her nephew.

"Hi Jake!" Vanessa greeted looking down at her nephew. Jake smiled at her and raised his arms for her to pick him up. Vanessa unbuckled him and picked him up out of the stroller. "How are you Jake? It's been a long time since I last saw you, hasn't it?" Vanessa said to Jake in a sweet voice.

Vanessa gave Brad a smile before she carried Jake into the apartment. Brad followed and parked the stroller against one of the walls. Vanessa placed Jake on the floor so he could play with his toys. A few silent minutes passed.

"You've been quiet," Vanessa stated as she turned to Brad who was just watching Jake play on the carpet. "Brad?" Vanessa asked when Brad didn't look at her. He was blankly staring into space.

"Oh, um what?" Brad responded as he broke free of his trance and looked at his sister.

"Is something wrong?" Vanessa asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Brad denied, trying to sound convincing. Brad had so much clouding his mind. He thought of his friend he had emailed. He hoped she would take his advice.

"Why are you acting so strange?" Vanessa asked she watched her brother distractedly look at Jake again. Brad considered telling her about the person he'd been emailing, but thought of a less complicated story to share with her. He faced Vanessa again, who now had her hands on her hips.

"Actually I've been meaning to tell you that I ran into Chloe the other day," Brad explained. Vanessa furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Chloe who? Chloe Etienne?" Vanessa questioned. Brad smiled at her and nodded.

"Yeah, Chloe Etienne, well actually now she's Chloe Schwizter," Brad clarified. His smile disappeared as he mentioned that.

"That's incredible!" Vanessa all but shouted. Brad nodded and then let out a sigh.

"I told her to call you," Brad admitted. Vanessa's smile faded as she realized that since she hadn't gotten a call, Chloe probably didn't want to see her again.

Vanessa watched as Brad walked away from where they were standing to go grab a drink from the fridge. When he returned to where she stood, he opened the bottle of juice and took a sip.

Vanessa began to think of Chloe. They were best friends in high school and a little in college, but then something changed. Chloe stopped hanging out with her as often, and soon they drifted apart.

Brad avoided her eyes. She remembered how her brother felt about Chloe in high school. He had a huge crush on her back then, he had always tried to hide it from her but she had found out.

"You still love her, don't you?" Vanessa burst out. Brad swallowed his drink, scrunching his face in protest.

"Wh-what? No," Brad sputtered, shaking his head. Vanessa saw right through him.

"Yes you do," Vanessa said with a genuine smile.

Brad reflected about Chloe. She was his first real crush; he loved her since the ninth grade. She was always so beautiful, and although she was shallow on the outside, Brad knew that she had a big heart on the inside. Chloe had convinced him that when she stayed friends with Vanessa through high school, even if Vanessa wasn't as cool or as popular as she was.

Lately Brad had been thinking about her a lot. He reminisced about the last time he saw her. There was something about her that just captivated him. Her smile, her laugh, her voice, he couldn't get her off his mind.

"I don't know, I guess I do still like her," Brad said with an embarrassed smile. "But it doesn't matter how I feel, she's married," Brad explained, frustrated, as he realized the truth behind this fact. He could never be with her, even if he did see her again.

"Have you been dating at all since you left Kathy?" Vanessa inquired. Brad shook his head.

"No but I have been talking to this girl over the Internet," Brad admitted.

"Brad that's dangerous," Vanessa commented.

"How exactly?" Brad questioned, he took another sip of his drink.

"You don't know who this person is. They're a stranger," Vanessa said loudly, trying to come up with a valid point.

"But I do know her. I know she's in a horrible marriage and living a horrible lifestyle. I know she needs someone to talk to, and that she's lovely and kind. She gave me the push to divorce Kathy, and I want to do the same for her. She deserves someone better than who she's with. She deserves to feel happy with her life. She's helped me so much, and I want to return the favor," Brad explained. Vanessa noticed the look on his face.

"I think you like her too," Vanessa said. Brad had never really thought of it like that before. This person had always been just a friend. Someone he could trust with his secrets, someone to talk to. Then again he knew this person so well, and she was so nice.

"I guess I could. But, again, she's married," Brad sighed.

"You did say that she's in a horrible marriage. Maybe when she divorces the guy she'll want to meet you," Vanessa reasoned. In her head she was practically planning out the perfect way for them to get together.

Brad thought about it for a moment. He could be the shoulder for her to cry on. Then he immediately changed his mind. He needed to be a friend for her to trust and rely on for help, not a guy to hit on her when she divorced her husband.

"I couldn't do that to her," Brad explained. "Why is it that I keep falling for the women I can't have? I keep looking for love in all of the wrong places," Brad wined. "I have just been feeling so lonely," Brad wined, once again.

"Why don't you stay with me? Isn't it strange that we both live by ourselves down the street from each other? Why don't you move here, that way you'll be with me," Vanessa suggested.