Aaron:

I had to admit that she was nice. As in really nice. Nick and Lauren told me that their friend, Bridget, was single. Last week Lauren showed me some party pics, from her and Bridget. I didn’t understand why a girl, with her looks, is still single. I mean, guys would probably stand in line for her.  Lauren also told me earlier that Bridget really wasn’t looking for a relationship but hey, I’m not going to give up only because she thinks she doesn’t want romance.

I gave her a long look in the eye, while she was talking to me. I noticed that she was getting a little red on her cheeks. She had beautiful long dark blond hair, blue eyes that sometimes had a green shade. She was slim. Not model – like slim but nice girl next door slim with some feminine curves here and there without her looking fat. I like girls who look like that. It’s natural. Nick and I both have  the same taste when it comes to girls. Take Lauren for example. She has a great healthy figure without being very skinny.  Of course she does the body building thing etcetera but she has a healthy look. And the same goes for Bridget. While talking I noticed that Bridget was flirting with me, by the look and smile she gave me. I also saw the approving look Nick and Lauren gave her and her reaction to that. We’d see what the night would bring.

“Guys, dinner is ready” Nick called out from the kitchen. Bridget and I both stood up and walked into the dining room. The table was ready and I hold her chair so that she could sit down. “Thanks Aaron, how thoughtful” she said with her sweet voice. “You’re welcome. But I think every guy would’ve done that for you” I said with a smile. “Not every guy, believe me” she said. “Do you wanna talk about him” I asked. “No, I don’t” she said. “Ok” I said. There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds.  “So do you live close by?” I asked. “It’s a ten minute drive from here” and she explained where she lived.  “That’s a nice neighborhood to live. Some friends of mine live there also” I said. “And where do you live?” she asked me. “Well, I have my own apartment downtown since a couple of weeks and I have an apartment in New York” I said. “Ah yes, because you’re playing in “The Fantasticks. Nick told me about it” she said smiling. “Have you two been gossiping about me” Aaron said teasingly. “Haha, well only good things Aaron. Don’t worry” and she smiled back at me. She had a beautiful smile. I gave her a blink. Then the door of the dining room went open and Lauren and Nick came in with bowls of food. 

Bridget:

It was real tasty. They served several kinds of fish, rice, vegetables and soya sauce for dinner. It was yummy. “Nice job guys, this stuff tastes really good” she said. “Thank you” Nick said. During dinner we talked about all kinds of things. Lauren asked me if  I’d brought my sleeping stuff. I did. It was still in my car. Aaron stayed over also. Of course in another room (LOL). After dinner we both helped Nick and Lauren in the kitchen cleaning up. Aaron did the washing and I did the drying. Nick and Lauren where busy with making snacks for the night and me and Aaron had fun as he tried to spray water on me with the washing - up brush. “Oh for God sake, guys please. The guests are arriving in half an hour” Nick whined. “Come on bro’, don’t be so harsh on us. I remember a time that you where young also and…” Aaron said quasi serious. “What do you mean about ‘the time I was young also’?” Nick replied. “Ow come on honey, he’s just mocking you” Lauren smiled. Nick softly slapped the back of Aarons head.
After we were finished  with doing the dishes we went back to the living room. Lauren served us coffee and the conversation continued.

 The doorbell ranged. Nick went to the door and let the guests in. And if I wasn’t mistaken, I heard Brian and Leighanne’s voice down the hall. The door of the living room went open and they walked inside the room. I was happy that they could come over tonight. I haven’t seen them in a while. We sometimes called but not on a regular basis. They first congratulated Lauren and Aaron and then walked up to me. Brian gave me a hug. “Hi Bridget, it’s been a long time” he smiled. “Yes indeed, it’s been a while” I smiled back. Leighanne gave me a hug also. “Hi hun, you look good” she said cheerful. “Thank you, both” I said grateful. “It’s been a rough year for me but the last couple of months it’s like I’m facing light again. I don’t know how to describe it but I feel a lot more positive and balanced then when it all happened with Jake” I explained. I noticed Aaron looking at me. I felt flattered. “I’m happy you’re getting back on your feet again. Have you heard anything from Jake lately?” Brian asked. “No” I sighed. “And frankly, I’m happy for it too. I’ve heard he is dating other girls and enjoying his life as a single man. His relationship with Brooke didn’t work out but I don’t know the story about that” I said.  “But there is one thing you guys should know” I said and I turned  red. “And that is…” Brian asked. “I’ve started smoking again” I said ashamed. “Aaah noo, Bridget” Leighanne said. “ What a shame, how long were you smoke free?” she asked. “About 3 years” I sighed. “We don’t judge you girl, and I understand the mess you’ve been in. And if smoking, in what way,  might help you get through that difficult time than maybe it’s worth it in the end” she said. “Thanks Leighanne. I’ve decided that within the next 6 months I’m going to stop” I said.   “ Good for you”  Brian said. “Maybe you can talk AJ in to it as well ” he said while giving me a blink. Leighanne stood up from the couch. “I’m going to Lauren for a sec” . “Ok babe” Brian said. “Speaking of AJ , Is he coming tonight?”  I asked. “ I don’t know”  Brian said. “ Nick” Brian raised his voice a little so that Nick would notice him “Are AJ and Rochelle also coming tonight?” Nick nodded yes. Brian smiled. “He and Rochelle are a great couple” he said. “ Yeah they are”  I said. “AJ really changed in a positive way, because of her. I’m so happy for the both of them” I said. “ Yes, me too” Brian said. “How are you doing physically now? Leighanne told me you had been hospitalized, right after Jake decided to leave. What happened, or don’t you wanna talk about it?” Brian asked with a soft voice. “To tell you the truth, besides Lauren and Nick and my family, you are the first to know” I said with a soft voice. “Would you mind going outside?” I asked. “Sure” he said. We both stood up and went outside. I noticed Aaron following me with his eyes, while talking to Leighanne, Nick and Lauren. After we got outside I lighted a cigarette. “Jake didn’t leave me, Brian. I kicked him out.” I said. And I saw Brian looking shocked. So I started telling him “The week before it all happened I found out that I was 8 weeks pregnant”. “ Wow, I didn’t knew that” Brian said. “The Wednesday after I found out of the pregnancy I got a call on my house phone. It was a girl and she asked for Jake. So I asked her who she was. She said that she wouldn’t tell me and that Jake was the one who’d tell me. And then she hung up. In the mean time I inhaled the smoke of my cigarette and blew it out. Jake came home from work and I confronted him with this strange phone call. He got angry and screamed he was sick and tired of our relationship. This came as a shock to me because everything seemed to be ok like it always was. There was no sign of him feeling unhappy in our relationship. 

“He told me that he’d fell in love with Brooke. He’d been meaning to tell me but then it became clear that I was pregnant. And he didn’t knew what to do. But the bottom line was that he didn’t love me as much as he used to. That’s where it basically came down to.”Brian looked at me, still shocked. “Wow, I’d never imagined this would happen. I mean you and Jake seemed the perfect couple” he said. “Well, I thought so myself but what a fool I’ve been. And after that whole charade I kicked him out. I got furious and literally kicked and punched him out of my house”. I sighed. I felt a lump in my throat and I felt that I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. My eyes got wet and a tear rolled down my cheek.  With a skipping voice I continued my story “After that, I run up the stairs and I tripped over a shoe, halfway up the stairs. And I fell down 8 steps to the ground. And..” I stopped for the  second time because the tears where pouring down my face. Brian walked up to me and gave me a real big hug. I let my tears came out while my head was leaning on his shoulder. God, these feelings had been inside me for so lang. I couldn’t control myself any longer. I broke down to tears even more. “It’s okay, honey”. He said and caressed my back. He looked at me with such compassion in his eyes. “It’s killing me to see you like this, sweetheart. But I also believe that it’s really good for you to get your emotions out in the open”. He planted a kiss on my forehead. I took a real deep breath and gave him a sad smile. “Thanks. I guess you’re right. Well, after the fall, I immediately had really unbearable  cramps and I knew that it wasn’t good. I had my cell in the pocket of my jeans and called Jake. He basically said that it was my problem now. He wasn’t coming over to help me and he said that it was my own fault I fell down. The last thing he said was that if I’d lose the baby, that it would probably be the best for both of us”. I said, and the tears came running down my face again. “You’ve got to be kidding me” Brian said a little pissed off. “Seriously, what an ass. Oh my lord. What a moron. I swear, if I ever get him in front of my car I will kick in the accelerator and make sure he gets hit”. Brian now became really angry. “It’s usually not my style, doing things like that, but this is insane. How could he?” he raised his voice a little. “Yeah I know. And well, after that I called 911 and my mom and within 20 minutes I was the hospital having my miscarriage” I said. Brian sighed. “I still can’t believe it” he said. “But, honestly, I’m done talking about him for tonight. Sorry that I’ve put you up with this mess” I apologized. “No really, it’s nothing compared to what you must’ve been through” he said. “You know what, we are going back inside and then I’ll ask Lauren to give you a nice glass of red wine and then we are going to have fun all night. It’s time to get this mess out of your head” and he gave me a crazy mouth.  I giggled and took a deep breath. “You’re a clown, you know that?” I said. “Yep, my wife calls me that all the time haha” he said. He took my hands pulled me up so that I had to stand up from the wooden bench and made us rotate in circles. We rotated faster and faster and I giggled louder and louder. After we stopped I couldn’t stop giggling right away. Brian laughed also. “Come. We’re going inside” he said. And we walked inside the house again.

I saw Lauren looking worried at me. “Lauren, I think Bridget would like to have a glass of red wine now” he smiled. “Ow does she? “ she smiled. She turned her head towards me “Bridge, come with me then you get to pick your wine” she smiled. I gave Brian a cheerful look and he gave me a funny face again.
 
I followed Lauren to the kitchen. “Are you alright?” she asked, and gave me the same worried look as she did when I got back into the house. “Yeah, I am. Thank you” I said. “I just wanted to make sure. You looked sad when the two of you returned” she said. “Well, I can explain that. I told Brian what happened between me and Jake and also about the miscarriage. And while telling him about it I cried. I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. And he comforted me a little. He is such a wonderful guy” I said. “Yeah he is” Lauren smiled. “Brian is such a sweet man. He’s really a man of honor”. We heard footsteps and a cough behind us and there were both Nick and Brian. “Why don’t you ever talk about me like that” Nick said quasi resentful. Brian poked Nick in his shoulder “I’m  sorry bro’, I can’t help it, I’m perfect” he said pretending to be self taken. Nick frowned his eyes. “Yeah right, mister holy something. Mister perfect never gets cranky when he’s hungry and there is no food around, is he” he said sarcastic. Brian gave him a surprised look “Me” he said with a squeaky voice “Nah.. I don’t know what you’re talking about” he said denying. “I think you are mistaken me for AJ. I’m always nice for everybody” and he gave him a funny face. “You know what, I’m going to give you something to drink, than you’ll shut up for a second” he grinned. “You do that, I’d like a Bacardi Coke” Brian said. “Ah, you don’t have to drive back tonight hey” Nick said. “Nope, I’ve heard Hotel Carter has great beds and awesome luxurious breakfast tomorrow morning”. “Well, we do have for Bridget, Aaron and Leighanne, but I promise you, if you continue this attitude, tomorrow morning when you are still sleeping,  I’ll poor a bucket of ice cold water all over you for breakfast” Nick laughed. “Now honey, don’t be so hard on Brian. He was really sweet to Bridget outside” Lauren said with a sweet voice. “Yeah, I was” Brian said “Besides, I thought we were best friends, you know you’re like the donkey from the movie “Shrek”. I couldn’t help but giggle. They acted like teenagers, goofing around. “Are you making fun of me, Bridget?” Nick asked me teasingly. “No” I said laughing. “Lauren, you know what, I want a Bacardi Coke too. I sure can use something strong after this theater” I said. “Okay,  Bacardi Coke’s coming up” Lauren said. She hugged Nick and kissed him. “I love you sweetie” she said. “I love you to babe” Nick answered and wrapped his arms around her. “Now, if you two don’t mind me and Lauren are going to make out now and we’d like some privacy” he said and  waved us goodbye with his hands. “Oh really, you two horndogs can’t wait until after the party hey” Brian grinned. He wrapped his arm around me and said “Come on sweetheart, let’s leave this soggy couple, so they can make out” he said with a funny face.

We walked outside the kitchen into the living room and Aaron smiled at me “Hey gorgeous, where have you been” he asked teasingly.  I smiled. “In the kitchen” I said “Listen, I’m going to get my stuff out of my car”. “I’ll help” he said. “No, you don’t have to do that” I said. “No, really I want to” he said. “Ow come on Bridget, he wants to be your prince charming tonight, so allow him to help you” Brian said cheerful. I blushed. “If you insist” I mumbled. He gave me another dazzling smile. He followed me outside. I stopped and lighted a cigarette. “Do you have on for me too, I left mines inside?” Aaron asked. “Do you smoke?” I asked surprised. “Yeah, I do. I don’t smoke much, maybe five or six cigarettes a day but I do”.  I gave him a cigarette and, while smoking, we chit-chatted about all sorts of things. After that he walked me to my car and carried my bag inside the house, upstairs, into my guestroom. “Hey, your room is next to mine” he cheered. “Oh really? No noise making tonight okay” I said teasingly, pretending to warn him. “Well, maybe I’m going to make noise with you tonight” and he gave me a blink and a naughty look. I blushed and pretend I didn’t hear that comment. He smiled. He saw me blushing. God, why was he so attractive, I thought. I turned around to walk down the stairs. I felt his hand pinching my bum, softly. “Nice view” he said. My cheeks got a deeper shade of red. I turned my head behind and he smiled. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it” he said innocent. “Naughty boy”  I giggled. “Can you blame me?” he asked. I giggled again. We walked downstairs together and he friendly wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we came into the living room. “Ah look sweetie, your little brother with Bridget. How cute” Lauren squeaked. I turned red again and Aaron said proud “At this moment, she isn’t mine yet but the night is young”. Nick laughed “hear him talking, mister Don Juan. You’re lucky if she doesn’t slap you in your face by the end of the night. Threat her with some respect will ya. She doesn’t need another moron ruining her life. So you’d better be good to her. And remember your manners, mom didn’t raise us like players” he said patronizing. “Chill out man. Easy, I was just joking” and he retrieved his arm from my shoulder. “Gee, loosen up will ya, mister Serious” Aaron said annoyed. The doorbell ranged again. Nick walked up to the door and I found myself a nice place to sit near the pool in the garden. Lauren had made me my Bacardi Coke and Leighanne followed me to the pool also. “How is Baylee doing?” I asked. “Oh he’s fine. He’s growing so fast right now. Wait, I’ll show you some pictures I made last week” Leighanne said. “Ah, he’s so cute” I said.  “I know” she sighed.