WIDOWer Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Friday evening, following two weeks of unanswered calls, texts and drop byes, Bria pulls back up to her condo after four o’clock and finds Julie walking up to her door while Warren sits in the car.

After taking a deep breath, Bria gets out of the car. When Julie sees her, she comes running over to her.

“Aunt Renee! There you are!” she states wrapping her in a big hug

“Hey Julie. What are you doing here?” Bria asks

“I missed you and I was worried about you. Daddy said you weren’t answering any calls or texts.”

“I’m sorry. I miss you too”

“You wanna come inside?”

“Dad and I are going to get pizza and ice cream. You should come with us!”

Bria sighs then after glancing at Warren, who’s sitting watching them, she says

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, but you are more than welcome to call me anytime.”

Watching as the expression on her face, turns sad Bria adds

“If you want and your dad is ok with it, we can hang out tomorrow or Sunday”

“Ok, I’ll be with Grandma Lisa this weekend cause Daddy is going to be out of town again. But I’ll see what he says”

Julie gives Bria a long tight hug and says

“I love you!”

When she finally pulls away, Bria whispers

“I love you too sweetie!”

As the words ‘I love you’ tug at her heart strings, Bria takes a deep breath and fights to hold her composure. The past two weeks had been the worst. Once she’d found out that Warren was Julie’s dad, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before they broke up, she’d only hoped it would have been before Julie found out they were dating.

Now that this pregnancy had just muddled things up even more, and still coming to terms with it, Bria chooses not to search for a job right away, thankful to have a hefty savings account to fall back on. That being the only positive thing to come from her life with Jaylen.

Feeling like a complete fool for getting involved with Warren in the first place, only to find out that he’s been the reason for her life completely unravelling, Bria purposes in her mind that their relationship is over, and they’d just have to figure out a way to co-parent. After everything Susan was going through, Bria hadn’t been able to sit down and actually talk to her since calling it quits with Warren.

Drawn out of her thoughts by her phone ringing, Bria checks the ID and sees that its Warren. When she ignores the call, she gets a text message.

It’s Julie

Then her phone rings again. Answering it, Bria says

“Hello”

“Hey Renee, I’m going to be in Atlanta with Grandma Lisa this weekend, so we’ll have to plan something for another time. Sorry” Julie mutters in a sad tone

“Ok, that’s fine. You are more than welcome to call me over the weekend if you like. Have fun!”

“Ok, Bye!” she states then the line goes dead

You need to talk to Julie.

I won’t lie to her about why I’m not around!

Bria sends Warren a quick text and when she puts the phone down, it rings again.

“Hey Ma!” she says answering the call

“Hey, Nee! How are you?”

“Ok, just got home from the doctor. How are you and dad?”

“Your father is good. I’ve been busy planning the annual Christmas party for Omni next weekend. I’m exhausted, you should come have a spa day with your favorite mom!” Grace states

“I would love to and that sounds like exactly what I need, but I don’t feel like driving that far.”

“Why don’t you just ride with Warren? He’s coming to town this weekend, isn’t he?”

Surprised, Bria asks

“What are you talking about?”

“Warren is coming to Jacksonville this weekend, just ride with him and you don’t have to drive.”

“How do you know that?” she asks

“He, told Ed, he might swing by and play golf with him, while he’s in town.” Grace replies

“I’ll think about it Ma. I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later.”

Annoyed by the fact that Warren is still in contact with her father, even though, she’d avoided telling her parents about their breakup. Bria calls Susan, and they go out to dinner.

They meet at a bustling steak house and to their surprise they are escorted right in. Over dinner they discuss the men in their lives, although Bria still holds a grudge with Jay for cheating on Sue, she’s happy to see her best friend in better spirits.

Susan is adamant that Bria overreacted to the news about Warren’s dealings with Dillon and advises her to talk things out with him, if not for them, for Julie.

“I think it’s sweet that he felt the need to do anything at all. Plus, you don’t even like Dillon anyway, he did you a favor” Susan states as Bria sits glowering at her

“Notwithstanding how terribly it all went down, it is the thought that counts.”

“Stop talking Sue!” Bria whispers drinking a sip of water

“Just talk to him, please!”

“Ok, I’m done!” Sue adds putting up her hands when Bria just continues to sit staring at her

“Since you’re not working, I’d love for you to do some consulting at the shops.”

“I can’t be around the fumes for too long a period of time but, we’ll see.”

“How are things going with you, Jay and counseling?” Bria asks not wanting to seem too unsympathetic to Susan still dealing with her own issues.

Sue sits moving food around on her plate with her fork, not responding for a moment, then looking up at Bria with tears pooling in her eyes, she whispers

“Terrible!”

“I hate him, and I hate his tramp”

Breaking eye contact as the server arrives, she asks him

“Can I please have another dirty lemonade”

When he leaves the table to grab her drink, she watches him with her eyes but, continues

“I don’t think I’m up for this”

“Up for what?” Bria asks

“Any of this sh*t! I mean, don’t get me wrong. I don’t blame the baby, he…” she pauses finally looking at Bria

“Yeah, the tramp is having a boy! And she wants to name him after Jacob” she laughs

“I’m his wife, but I am no longer the most important person in his life. You know he goes to doctors’ appointments with her. Like literally, they’re gonna be a family!”

“I can’t compete with that, nor should I have to!” Susan adds as the server returns with her drink

Bria just sits watching her briefly. She knew that things were complicated for Sue, but her heart broke at the reality that her best friend, who was more like a sister to her had been forced into. Still full of unresolved rage from her own heartbreak, she purposes in her mind that whatever it took she’d help her friend find closure.

“Sue, I can’t imagine what you’re going through. I am so sorry!” Bria whispers

Later that night, full, determined, and satisfied, Bria arrives back home to find Warren’s car in her driveway and him, leaning against the wall next to her front door.

Walking up to the door, Bria says

“I told you I didn’t want to see you again!”

Not looking at him, she unlocks, then opens the door. When she walks inside, he stands in front of the door and asks

“Can we talk?”

When she starts to close the door, he says

“Bria Please!”

Finally looking at him, she can see the misery all over his face. Now, wanting so desperately to embrace him, she leaves the door cracked and turns then walks into her bedroom.

Once she takes off her shoes and earrings, Bria walks back into the living room. Warren is just standing near the bar. Sitting down on the couch, Bria says

“You wanted to talk. I’m listening!”

“I’m sorry for everything that happened with Dillon. I knew that after everything that had happened, you wouldn’t forgive me, if you knew I had anything to do with it. So, I didn’t say anything”

Bria takes a deep breath then rolls her eyes

“It was only supposed to be an email to a few of his co-workers. Something to get him in trouble with HR without you being involved”

Eying him inquisitively, Bria asks

“Why not just show me what was in the bag and let me handle it myself? Or respect my decision and just throw the d*mn bag in the trash!”

“This all stemmed from you not doing one simple thing that I asked, simply putting the bag in the trash and leaving it there!”

“I’m sorry. At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Even after that, you just continued to compound your mistake. After the email went out and Dillon accused me of sending it, why not just come clean? After Scope went out of business and I lost my job, why not just tell me what you’d done?”

“And on what planet is it ok for you to have someone brutally attacked and threatened?” Bria adds

Warren closes his eyes, then shakes his head in anguish as if she’d punched him in the stomach

“When the full magnitude of what you’d caused sunk in. I couldn’t stand to look at you. You cause thirty-seven people to lose their jobs, including me. For what, to send a message?” Bria sits shaking her head no longer looking in his direction

“That was never my intention. I never meant for any of this to affect your company or for him to end up in the hospital. I told you, it just got taken too far. I…” he begins, but she cuts him off

“How did you send the email from Dillon’s phone?” Bria asks

“I didn’t send the email”

“You know what I mean!” she snaps

“And who were the guys that attacked him?” she asks

“I have no idea!” Warren replies shaking his head

Bria smiles up at him then whispers

“You have no idea!”

“Well, who knows?” she asks eyeing him

Unsure where she’s going with all this and unwilling to start naming and involving other people, Warren says

“Look, I just came to apologize and see if there is anything I can do to show you that I’m sorry and I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“I realize how things may seem, but I’m still in love with you. I don’t want this to cost us our relationship. I miss you!”

“I’m not the only one you owe an apology, there are thirty-six other people and most of all Dillon!”

“And most certainly your daughter. You owe her an apology and an explanation because despite how it may look, I broke up with you, not her!”

Standing up from the couch, Bria walks over to the door and when she grabs the doorknob, Warren asks

“So, that’s it?”

“You have something else you want to say?” she asks

Standing there, searching her eyes, he takes her hand then asks

“Do you still love me?”

“It’s late and I’m tired. Good night!” she states finally then opens the door

Gently placing his hand on her belly then leaning in to kiss her cheek, Warren whispers

“I love you, good night!”

The following morning, Warren pulls into the parking lot of Ed’s country club. Before getting out of the car, he attempts to call Bria. When her voicemail picks up, he leaves a quick voicemail.

“Hey Bria, it’s Warren. Call me, please.”

Warren spends the day with Edward and confides in him. Telling him everything that went down with Dillon and the fact that he never intended for things to go as far as they did. And that he wasn’t the one to actually arrange any of the actions against him, but that he and Bria hadn’t been together since she found out.

Ed, amazed by the fact that Warren had taken the time to come and explain the situation especially since Bria hadn’t said a word. Gives him the only advice he has concerning Bria. That is to give her space, as much as she needs, for as long as she needs. When she’s calmed down and is ready to move forward, she will show it. With a raised eyebrow, he says

“The hardest part in all of that is Renee is the most stubborn woman I’ve ever known. And boy can she hold a grudge. She still hates Jaylen to this day, and he’s been dead for more than three years.”

“Lucky man!” Warren whispers then laughs

“Don’t sweat it. I’ve seen how fond Nee is of you.”

“Trust me. Just give her some space, don’t call, or text her and she’ll reach out!” Ed states

Following their game, Warren, and Ed grab lunch at the club house. Before leaving, Warren shares his thoughts on asking Bria to marry him and asks Ed for his blessing, presuming she excepts.

After receiving Ed’s blessing and heeding to his advice, Warren goes ring shopping and stops by the 981 Jacksonville property to check in on the progress. Then heading back to Tallahassee before the evening rush begins, he uses the car ride to reflect on the past six months.

In the weeks prior to meeting Bria at the lounge, Warren had done a lot of reflecting on the love he and Mia had been fortunate enough to share.

Responsible for everything that had happened with Dillon and Scope closing, Warren couldn’t help but regret the moment he’d opened that gift bag. Because everything that had followed that moment seemed to jeopardize the love, he, and Bria now share. A love that exceeded his expectations for what life could offer him after losing Mia.

That night Warren laid in bed examining the engagement ring he’d purchased earlier that day. The only option he had left was to heed the advice of the one man who knew Bria best and just give her some space. The thought of her one day excepting his proposal was the only thing keeping him from calling or texting her.

Monday morning, Bria is surprised to wake up to a deposit alert on her phone. Not having been at 981 for nearly a month, she hadn’t been expecting another paycheck.

It’s a little after eleven when Bria arrives at 981.

Warren is sitting at his desk when her and Bruce walk up the hall.

“Boss, here’s the list you wanted” Bruce states placing a small stack of papers on his desk

“Thank you!” he replies watching Bria as she sits down across from him

When Bruce closes the door behind him, Bria says

“You haven’t called or texted me”

Warren just sits there looking at her but doesn’t reply with his heartrate increasing by the nanosecond, enthusiasm now coursing through his veins at her presence.

“You went and played golf and had lunch with my dad.” she adds

But still, he doesn’t respond

“I got a deposit this morning, and I haven’t been here in weeks!” she states with a raised eyebrow, willing him to respond

The two of them sit in silence for a moment, then Warren’s phone rings and he answers the call.

“Hey, Trent”

“No, I won’t be back until after the New Year. What’s up?”

“Ok, email me the details and draft. I’ll let you know.”

When he ends the call, he and Bria just sit looking at each other, until finally he says

“You wouldn’t respond, so I stopped. And yes, I saw your father.”

Before Bria can respond, there is a knock at the door. When Warren gets up and opens the door, it’s Bruce again.

After he steps out of the office for a few minutes, Bria stands up and just as she reaches for the doorknob, Warren walks back in.

“Are you leaving?” he asks

Recognizing that intoxicatingly subtle hint of peach in his cologne, she steps back then whispers

“Yeah, I see you’re busy…”

“It’s really good to see you.”

“I’m glad you stopped by!” he continues stepping closer to her

“I umm…” she begins but is distracted when her eyes wonder from his eyes, down to his lips

Pulling her to him, Warren closes the distance between them and suddenly nothing else matters.

Bria is exactly where she belonged, in the arms of the man she’d almost instantly fallen deeply in love with. Their kiss is breathtakingly slow and seductive, exactly what Bria had been longing for, for weeks.

Slightly disoriented, she pulls back then whispers

“I should go!”

Taking her hand, Warren says

“Babe, I miss you. I miss us!”

“Will you have dinner with me tonight?”