Post by Chrissy on Feb 27, 2004 12:35:54 GMT -5
Chapter 10
The next morning Belle walked into her office with a small brown box. She smiled as she sat it down on the desk, opened it and pulled out the contents. She set one of the picture frames on her desk and the other on her bookcase. She then placed small, stuffed bear next to the frame on her desk that held a picture of Shawn’s smiling face. Once she was satisfied she set the box aside and pulled out her sketches as well as her day planner. As she went through it to see what was on her agenda for the day she was interrupted by her intercom.
“Miss Black, you have some visitors. They wish to speak to you immediately.” Came the somewhat frazzled voice of her secretary.
“Send them in Amy.” She sat back in her chair and prepared herself for what, or rather who, she knew was coming.
Her door swung open as Brady, Eric and Rex barged into the office. Before they could say a word Belle raised her hand in the air to quiet them. “Before you three stooges start on your tirade would you mind closing the door. I don’t think the entire office wants to hear your bitching and moaning.”
Rex closed the door just as Brady started in. “Belle are you nuts?! What has gotten into you?”
Belle raised her eyebrow at Brady’s tone. “No Brady, last time I checked I was perfectly sane. I wish I could say the same for you three. Dad told me about how you all came to him. Oh, and just so you know, no matter how many urgent e-mails you send him, that so-called scumbag is not going to be run out of town.” She looked at them in turn as she repeated what each had said or done.
Rex started in next. “Belle how can you do this? Do you honestly think he’s changed?”
“Yes, I do.” She said without a moment’s hesitation. “What I’d like to know is why you three can’t trust my judgment. I believe he is truly sorry for what he did and that he does still love me. And I know I still love him.”
Eric couldn’t take it anymore. “How do you know this isn’t just some ploy to get in your pants Belle?”
Belle’s eyes went wide and her face turned red as the anger in her grew more and more intense. “Eric Roman Brady how dare you?!” She hissed through gritted teeth. “I love him and let me make this clear to all three of you morons. I love all of you because you are my brothers but I love Shawn too. As much as I want you to understand that and be happy for me, I do not need your approval. And for your information you indignant asshole, Shawn and I haven’t slept together and even if we do, it is in no way any of your business. My personal life is my business so stay out of it. I don’t ask what you three do with your fiancées so I expect the same respect that I show you.” She looked at the stunned faces in front of her and knew she had made her point. She grabbed her briefcase, placed her drawings inside before grabbing her cell phone and heading for the door. Before she left she stood in front of the three men. “If you’ll excuse me I have a meeting in five minutes. I trust you can find your way out. I’ll see you later.” With that she stormed past them and out the door, slamming it behind her.
Brady ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Well that didn’t exactly go how I had planned.”
“Well what did you expect son?” The three turned around to see John Black standing there giving them a look of shame.
Rex was shocked. “Don’t tell me you actually approve of this John.”
“I don’t approve of what he did to her by any means. However, what is there for me not to approve of now? Isabella’s happiness? Did any of you bother to look at her face before you started in on her? Because if you had you would have seen how truly happy she is for the first time in a long time. What is wrong with your sister being happy?” He asked in a tone that dared any of them to speak up.
Brady took the challenge. “She’s happy with the man that almost killed her. Can you honestly tell me you don’t he’ll hurt her again?”
“Yes I can son. I believe in Belle’s judgment and I think she knows what she’s doing.” Rex, Eric and Brady still stood with their arms crossed and scowls across their faces. “Guys, I know you’re scared he’ll hurt her but you need to focus more on her happiness. How long has it been since any of you have seen her this happy?”
The three still stood there with their arms crossed but now had their heads hung and they were looking at the ground like a group of ashamed children. John shook his head and took a photo off of Belle’s bookshelf. “You are three of the most important men in her life. You’re her big brothers and you always will be. But you have to let her live her life. You can either be there for her now or you can lose her. Do you really want to lose the bond you have? Because I would hate to see this break up.” He showed them the picture he was holding. It was the three of them standing in a line in front of a black backdrop, holding Belle as she lay on her side. All four had huge smiles on their faces, it was the picture that had been taken for an article written about Belle when she had become the head of the fashion department for Basic Black.
They knew John was right and grins slowly spread on their faces as they remembered that day. They didn’t want to lose Belle so they knew what they had to do. “Ok I’ll be the first to say it, we’ve been acting like idiots.” Eric relented.
Rex sighed. “Yea, I trust her judgment. I don’t know about you guys but I’m outta here. The florist if only open until one today and I think I’m gonna have to place a pretty big order to get myself out of this mess. Later guys.” He ran out the door.
“What a kiss up!” Eric laughed as he grabbed his car keys. “Besides, everyone knows Belle likes her Godiva more than anything. Which reminds me, they’re open now. See ya later.” And just like Rex he was off.
Brady rolled his eyes and laughed. “Thanks for talking sense into us dad.”
“Anytime son.” He looked as his son checked his watch. “So which are you going for, flowers or candy?” He asked knowingly.
Brady chuckled. “Neither, the mall is open by now. I’m gonna go buy a few gift certificates. Bye dad.”
“Bye Brady!” John laughed as he sat alone in Belle’s office. He placed the photo back where it belonged. “Thank God they finally came to their senses. Shawn better not screw up though. I don’t know if I can pull that off again.” He walked out of the office and shut the door, silently praying his daughter would finally be happy forever.
The next morning Belle walked into her office with a small brown box. She smiled as she sat it down on the desk, opened it and pulled out the contents. She set one of the picture frames on her desk and the other on her bookcase. She then placed small, stuffed bear next to the frame on her desk that held a picture of Shawn’s smiling face. Once she was satisfied she set the box aside and pulled out her sketches as well as her day planner. As she went through it to see what was on her agenda for the day she was interrupted by her intercom.
“Miss Black, you have some visitors. They wish to speak to you immediately.” Came the somewhat frazzled voice of her secretary.
“Send them in Amy.” She sat back in her chair and prepared herself for what, or rather who, she knew was coming.
Her door swung open as Brady, Eric and Rex barged into the office. Before they could say a word Belle raised her hand in the air to quiet them. “Before you three stooges start on your tirade would you mind closing the door. I don’t think the entire office wants to hear your bitching and moaning.”
Rex closed the door just as Brady started in. “Belle are you nuts?! What has gotten into you?”
Belle raised her eyebrow at Brady’s tone. “No Brady, last time I checked I was perfectly sane. I wish I could say the same for you three. Dad told me about how you all came to him. Oh, and just so you know, no matter how many urgent e-mails you send him, that so-called scumbag is not going to be run out of town.” She looked at them in turn as she repeated what each had said or done.
Rex started in next. “Belle how can you do this? Do you honestly think he’s changed?”
“Yes, I do.” She said without a moment’s hesitation. “What I’d like to know is why you three can’t trust my judgment. I believe he is truly sorry for what he did and that he does still love me. And I know I still love him.”
Eric couldn’t take it anymore. “How do you know this isn’t just some ploy to get in your pants Belle?”
Belle’s eyes went wide and her face turned red as the anger in her grew more and more intense. “Eric Roman Brady how dare you?!” She hissed through gritted teeth. “I love him and let me make this clear to all three of you morons. I love all of you because you are my brothers but I love Shawn too. As much as I want you to understand that and be happy for me, I do not need your approval. And for your information you indignant asshole, Shawn and I haven’t slept together and even if we do, it is in no way any of your business. My personal life is my business so stay out of it. I don’t ask what you three do with your fiancées so I expect the same respect that I show you.” She looked at the stunned faces in front of her and knew she had made her point. She grabbed her briefcase, placed her drawings inside before grabbing her cell phone and heading for the door. Before she left she stood in front of the three men. “If you’ll excuse me I have a meeting in five minutes. I trust you can find your way out. I’ll see you later.” With that she stormed past them and out the door, slamming it behind her.
Brady ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Well that didn’t exactly go how I had planned.”
“Well what did you expect son?” The three turned around to see John Black standing there giving them a look of shame.
Rex was shocked. “Don’t tell me you actually approve of this John.”
“I don’t approve of what he did to her by any means. However, what is there for me not to approve of now? Isabella’s happiness? Did any of you bother to look at her face before you started in on her? Because if you had you would have seen how truly happy she is for the first time in a long time. What is wrong with your sister being happy?” He asked in a tone that dared any of them to speak up.
Brady took the challenge. “She’s happy with the man that almost killed her. Can you honestly tell me you don’t he’ll hurt her again?”
“Yes I can son. I believe in Belle’s judgment and I think she knows what she’s doing.” Rex, Eric and Brady still stood with their arms crossed and scowls across their faces. “Guys, I know you’re scared he’ll hurt her but you need to focus more on her happiness. How long has it been since any of you have seen her this happy?”
The three still stood there with their arms crossed but now had their heads hung and they were looking at the ground like a group of ashamed children. John shook his head and took a photo off of Belle’s bookshelf. “You are three of the most important men in her life. You’re her big brothers and you always will be. But you have to let her live her life. You can either be there for her now or you can lose her. Do you really want to lose the bond you have? Because I would hate to see this break up.” He showed them the picture he was holding. It was the three of them standing in a line in front of a black backdrop, holding Belle as she lay on her side. All four had huge smiles on their faces, it was the picture that had been taken for an article written about Belle when she had become the head of the fashion department for Basic Black.
They knew John was right and grins slowly spread on their faces as they remembered that day. They didn’t want to lose Belle so they knew what they had to do. “Ok I’ll be the first to say it, we’ve been acting like idiots.” Eric relented.
Rex sighed. “Yea, I trust her judgment. I don’t know about you guys but I’m outta here. The florist if only open until one today and I think I’m gonna have to place a pretty big order to get myself out of this mess. Later guys.” He ran out the door.
“What a kiss up!” Eric laughed as he grabbed his car keys. “Besides, everyone knows Belle likes her Godiva more than anything. Which reminds me, they’re open now. See ya later.” And just like Rex he was off.
Brady rolled his eyes and laughed. “Thanks for talking sense into us dad.”
“Anytime son.” He looked as his son checked his watch. “So which are you going for, flowers or candy?” He asked knowingly.
Brady chuckled. “Neither, the mall is open by now. I’m gonna go buy a few gift certificates. Bye dad.”
“Bye Brady!” John laughed as he sat alone in Belle’s office. He placed the photo back where it belonged. “Thank God they finally came to their senses. Shawn better not screw up though. I don’t know if I can pull that off again.” He walked out of the office and shut the door, silently praying his daughter would finally be happy forever.
