Always-10
by Stefanie
Hi Guys! Well, here's chapter 10.
I hope you guys enjoy this....I'm SO excited about the upcoming Nurses Ball chapters!!!! I can't wait to hear your responses to them! Remember: Feedback is ALWAYS welcome!!!! Stefanie ************************************************************************************************** "Always"
Chapter 10 *************
WYNDHAM'S DEPARTMENT STORE
"Okay Bren, we're on a mission now. You go ahead and get in the dressing room and I'll start getting you dresses, 'kay?"
"Yeah....alright" she said in a daze.
"Hey....are you okay?" Lois asked, clearly worried about her best friend.
"Sure, I'm fine. Just thinking, that's all...." she smiled, trying to reassure Lois.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not right now...maybe later. We've gotta find a dress, right?"
"Right. I'll be back with some dresses in a minute."
"Okay"
Brenda had been lost in thought since she made her stunning revelation. She'd wondered if Jax had any idea about the way she felt, or if he felt the same way, or if he would stop seeing her once he found out that she was in love with him.
"Bren.....earth to Brenda!!!" Lois laughed.
"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Lo."
"Thinking?"
"Yeah"
"You know I'm here for you, Bren." she said, handing her a load of dresses.
"I know, and I love you for it" she said, starting to try on one of the dresses.
"Awww....I love you too Bren. Now, what's bothering you?"
"It's just....well, you were right Lo" she said.
"That's nice to hear" she laughed. "Now, what exactly was I right about?"
"I'm in love with Jax" Brenda smiled, coming out of the dressing room.
"Oh Bren! That's wonderful!....Isn't it?" Lois smiled.
"Yeah....it's great...for me"
"I'm not following you"
"Well...I'm in love with him, but how does he feel about me? Like I said earlier, we have fun together...but I don't know if it's anything more than that to him."
"Oh sweetie," she said as she reached to hug Brenda. "If he doesn't feel the same way as you do...and I'm NOT saying that he doesn't...than he's a fool!"
"Thanks Lo"
"Hey, I'm not saying anything that isn't true. Besides, I think he does love you!"
"Really?!" Brenda giggled. "Why do you think that?"
"Well....just look at you two! You're practically giddy when you're together...and the way you look at each other....it's SO obvious!"
"How do we look at each other?"
"You look at Jax like....like....well, I don't know! Your eyes shine, and your smile is just contagious when you're around him. I've never heard you laugh more...truthfully, Bren, I don't think I've ever seen you so happy." Lois laughed.
"That's because I've never felt this happy. Jax makes me feel special...I've never felt that way before."
"Oh, Bren. When he looks at you, his eyes dance and he stares at you in awe. And when he smiles at you, his dimples get bigger and his cheeks blush....it's like you guys were made for each other!'
"So, you think he loves me?"
"I think so"
"But what if he doesn't?"
"Then we'll have to make him see what he's missing" she smirked.
"Aha...why Lois Cerullo-Ashton, I like your style."
"Thank you....thank you..." she said, taking a bow.
"So....what's the plan?"
"First we get you an awesome dress...."
"Okay, let's get started. How about this one?" she asked, modeling a long spaghetti strap rose-colored gown with a semi-low back.
"No.....I'm not feelin' it" Lois frowned.
"Okay....let me get another"
Brenda tried on six different dresses before they decided on the perfect dress.
"That's it!!! It's perfect!" Lois cried, rushing over to hug Brenda.
"You think?"
"Definitely....and you can wear my diamond necklace with it...oooh!! Jax is going to be putty in your hands!"
"Good....then we'll have him exactly where we want him" Brenda smiled.
"Now, about part two of the plan..." Lois grinned. **************************************************************************************************
THE GATEHOUSE
KNOCK....KNOCK....
"Coming" Ned called, answering the door. "Hey Jax, what's up?"
"Ned....I need to talk to you" he said, walking slowly into the house.
"Sure....what's going on?" he asked, looking a little worried.
"I need your help"
"What do you want me to do?" "I want you to answer a question for me"
"Sure"
"Do you think Brenda loves me?"
"Whoa!!!! Where'd that come from?!" Ned asked, a shocked expression on his face.
"Just, please answer the question."
"Okay...I think she loves you. I mean, she acts like she loves you..."
"How so?...What do you mean?"
"Well...whenever she looks at you she has this dreamy look on her face. ...And she smiles and laughs all the time now. She looks really happy whenever you're around."
"Really? You're not just saying that are you?"
"No way! Jax, you've known me for how many years? Now have I ever lied to you?"
"No"
"That's right....why would I start now?"
"Good point...but do you really think she loves me?"
"Yes!!! Geez...why do you---....wait....are you trying to tell me something here?"
"What?"
"You're finally admitting that you love her, huh? And you're scared that she might not love you back....."
"What if she doesn't?"
"There's only one way to find out, Jax. You have to tell her how you feel."
"I can't do that"
"Why?"
"Because if I find out she doesn't feel the same way about me I don't know if I could take it." he whispered.
"But what if she tells you that she loves you too?" Ned pleaded.
"But what if she doesn't?"
"But what if she does?!"
"I don't know, Ned. I need to get away for a while." he said, getting up from his seat and walking to the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"For a drive...I'll call ya later"
"Be careful Jax" Ned called out, worried about what his friend would do. **************************************************************************************************
JAX'S CAR
Jax had been driving around for hours thinking about what he should do.
"Should I tell her? Or should I just wait and see how she feels about me first?" he thought.
Finally, he got so sick of hearing himself think that he decided to turn on the radio. The sounds of a soft country ballad filled the car.
Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She's lost in peaceful dreams so I turn out the lights
And lay there in the dark
And a thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel about her
In my heart
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face this world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
The song brought back thoughts of Brenda. Her smile....her laugh.....her
eyes....the way she did a little dance when she got excited....
"I love her...." he whispered. "But what if she doesn't feel the same way?"
'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them
Now I live with the regret that my true feelings for them
Never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance where there's no second chance
To tell her how I feel
"Cause if tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face this world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes
By the end of the song, Jax had decided that he was going to tell Brenda
how much he loved her, even if she didn't return his feelings. He got out
his cell phone and started dialing.
"Ned?"
"Jax! Where are you?!"
"I'm driving to the penthouse. Listen, I've decided that I'm going to tell her how much I love her....even if I have to make a fool of myself."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I have a plan....I'll call you back as soon as I get to the penthouse, okay?"
"Alright....Jax, I hope you know what you're doing."
"Trust me...Brenda's in for a big surprise..." he said, hanging up the phone and concentrating on his plan to sweep Brenda off of her feet.
TBC.... Song Credits: "If Tomorrow Never Comes" Performed by Garth Brooks