Bradley Ch. 2

Chapter 2: In order to keep up with the story line, please read Ch. 1. It is simply titled "Bradley". This is the second chapter, Bradley's character is more defined, and his dilemma is further proliferated. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please vote, or e-mail me to tell me what you think...good or bad. I would love to hear from my readers. Look for Chapter 3 soon.

After buying his dinner, Bradley continued down the street toward the coffee shop he regularly stopped at. When Bradley pushed open the glass door, the small "Open" sign bounced slightly on the glass, and Bradley received the inviting smell of roasting coffee beans. He took a deep breath, and his bright blue eyes lightened, looking around for Tony. As soon as Bradley stepped into the coffee shop, his headache returned, pain panging in his head as he crossed the floor over to the bar. Tony had his hands on the wide bar, and was looking at Bradley with concerned eyes.

"Are you all right young man? You don't look well." He asked. Bradley gave a small nod, and set his bag of Mexican food onto the bar, taking a seat on a stool in front of Tony.

"I'm all right," Bradley replied. "I just have a terrible headache today." Bradley touched his head, and looked up at Tony. "How's your wife, is she okay?" Tony smiled happily at Bradley, and nodded his head.

"Couldn't be better Bradley." He got a twinkle in his clouded, old eyes, and leaned toward Bradley. Bradley tilted his head toward Tony, expecting to hear a great secret. He could smell Tony's aftershave, a very vintage, musk scent like his grandfather used to wear. Tony spoke to him softly, his warm breath whispering over Bradley's cheek. "Speaking of wives, you might want to check out the young lady across the way there." Tony nodded his head to indicate the person he was referring to, and gave a wink before turning around to make Bradley's usual order.

When Bradley turned his head, his headache pounded again. It was Jennie, the girl he had met on the train. Bradley stopped himself for a moment and looked at her. She was sitting at a table across the small shop, leaning over a steaming cup of coffee. Her eyes were red and puffy, showing she had been crying for some time. Bradley tilted his head in sympathy, and slipped from his stool, walking over to her slowly.

"Jennie?" He approached her slowly, speaking softly. Images flashed through Bradley's mind again, and his head pounded. He winced slightly, forcing himself to keep his eyes open.

Jennie was standing at a doorway, peering through a small crack in the door. Moans and soft whimpers came from beyond the doorway. Her eyes showed how much her heart wished to fall through her stomach, and her pulse raced with emotions, she felt nauseous. She felt like her world was crumbling around her, and someone was holding her down so she couldn't move.

Then Jennie was standing in a living room, screaming insults back at her boyfriend through a choked breath, her soft brown eyes streamed tears, and her hands trembled slightly. Bradley then saw Jennie's boyfriend yelling back, and gathering some things before slamming the door on his way out, away from where Jennie was. For a moment she stood there alone in the room, echoes of screams resonating through her head as she slowly slunk against the wall, sliding to the floor slowly to cry alone, in the silence.

She looked up from he cup of coffee to see Bradley, and forced a smile across her lips. "Hi." She thought for a moment, trying to make herself say something more. Bradley sensed her desperation, and smiled at her.

"You look like you're in a lost world of confusion." He touched her hand softly, and gave a sympathetic smile, his blue eyes fixing on hers. Jennie gave a nod, her soft, dark hair slipping over her shoulders, hanging around her cheeks.

"I feel like it... My boyfriend l-left me today." Her lip started to quiver slightly, and she closed her eyes, putting all her effort into keeping herself from crying. Bradley squeezed her hand and tried to act as surprised as he could.

"I'm sorry Jennie, I'm so sorry. When we talked the other day you seemed happy about it, like everything was go-" Bradley almost choked on his words, his mouth stood agape for a moment and a barrage of images flashed through his mind. Images of her boyfriend cheating on her, but with different girls. Dozens of women passed over Bradley's eyes, and he saw ties from all of them to Jennie's boyfriend. He swallowed hard and finished his sentence, his head throbbing. "Um, like everything was going well for you. What happened?" He asked.

She looked at him, as if to ask if he was okay, but lowered her head a little and spoke softer. "I um...caught him cheating on me." She squeezed her eyes softly, a pang of fear and burn of torment rushed over her face, and she flushed. "And the worst part is I don't think it is the first time." Her voice was cracking, Bradley frowned, clenching his jaw. His eyebrows drew up toward the top of his forehead, and his held her hand in his softly.

"I'm sorry Jennie. Don't be afraid to cry; I won't hate you for it." She gave a small smile, but a tear rolled down her cheek. She sniffled softly, and wiped her eyes, immediately replacing her hand inside Bradley's. Bradley looked down at this, and his eyes brightened slightly. He was glad she actually desired to have him touch her, especially after being so invaded.

"I- I just," she stammered. Bradley squeezed her hand again and shook his head.

"It's all right. Let's not talk about it, okay? What's happened, has happened. You'll feel better, I promise you." Bradley reached up, and touched her cheek softly. Jennie's cheek warmed, and she nuzzled her head toward his palm. She felt a warmth wash through her slowly, and she closed her eyes again, letting out a long sigh. "Soon enough you'll realize he wasn't worth it, and that you are much better off with someone else." Bradley smiled at her reaction, and blinked softly, his headache receding finally. Jennie took a deep breath, and color returned to her eyes, as if Bradley had filled her with a vibrance she had been stripped of. She opened her eyes slowly, and smiled at Bradley.

"Thank you." She whispered, taking his hand from her cheek, and holding it in hers softly.

Bradley was happy that he had his chance to be near Jennie, and learn everything about her, spend time with her. But at the same time, he felt bad for her because of how she had been hurt. He knew she would soon forget about her ex-boyfriend.

They left the coffee shop together, and walked to Bradley's apartment, which was a few blocks away. While they were walking, Jennie brought up her ex-boyfriend to Bradley. She told him she needed to talk about it, and Bradley decided he should just listen. Even though he knew what she looked like, Bradley found out the girl that was with Jennie's boyfriend worked with her. She had seen Jennie's boyfriend come and see Jennie at work a few times. Jennie did not know how they came to be in bed together, but she suspected it was her boyfriend's fault more than it was her co-worker's. Surprisingly to Bradley, Jennie kept herself composed the entire time she talked about them, as if she had already become numb to the pain she got from the images of it in her memory, but Bradley knew she still hurt, and was only letting the pain go slowly.

Bradley's apartment was apart of a very small complex. The apartment complex was only four apartments large. Of course all four of them were full. Bradley's father had found it for him before he offered Bradley his new job. It was large, but nothing to rave over. It had a small veranda that led to a balcony that over-looked the street below. On many summer evenings, Bradley would sit up on his balcony alone and watch the street. Jennie was impressed with his apartment and furniture. She told Bradley he had good taste.

"Want to go out on the balcony?" Bradley asked, grabbing a blanket from his hall closet. Jennie gave a smile.

"That would be nice." She took his hand and walked through the veranda, and up onto the balcony, gasping slightly. "It's so beautiful up here."

"I come up here a lot at night and watch the street. Not much happens. But it's nice to be in the open, especially in the summer." Jennie sat on the bench that was next to the railing, and Bradley sat next to her, pulling the blanket over them. "Tell me about yourself Jennie." Bradley turned his head, looking at her. His soft blue eyes washing over her face. Jennie turned her head and smiled at him, her blue eyes looking his over, noticing his black hair blow in the breeze. She stared at him for a moment, but then turned her head and looked back at out to the street and told him whatever he wanted to know.

Jennie grew up in Nebraska, she had two sisters, and her mother had died when she was seven. Her father did the best he possibly could, and Jennie helped him by being the best she could. Her sisters were a different story. One of them became a porno star and moved to California, and the other has already done prison time, and disappeared a few years before Jennie went to New York for college. During college Jennie was apart of the Key club, and also apart of the current event club. Jennie majored in nursing, and works at St. James Hospital in internal medicine. She interned at St. James a year before she graduated. She has been with her boyfriend, now her ex-boyfriend, for two and a half years. She used to have a cat, until she met her boyfriend and had to get rid of it because he was allergic. They met in college, and decided to get an apartment together. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Jennie had her doubts to how long it would last.

Bradley pulled her across the bench against him, and let her rest against his chest. He yawned and listened to the whirr of the air conditioners atop the neighboring buildings, and watched the sky. Jennie looked up at him and smirked, looking over his face. "So tell me some about you now." She said. After thinking for a moment, Bradley began telling her about how he grew up.

--

Three weeks later, on an early Saturday morning in the beginning weeks of April, Bradley awoke on his bed with his arm draped over Jennie's soft shoulders. He took in a deep breath, turned to his back and stared at his ceiling for a moment, then turned his eyes to his left out his apartment window. The sun was bright, and was cascading a trickling stream of light through the window, across the floor, and up the side of Bradley's bed. He lowered his eyes to Jennie, and laughed softly, seeing she was looking right back at him.

"How long have you been watching me?" He asked, smiling back at her bright eyes. She kissed his chest, and looked back up at him.

"All morning. It's nice to watch you sleep. You look like a baby." She rubbed her fingertips on his chest while she looked his face over.

"I think everyone does when they sleep." He replied. He leaned his head down to kiss hers, then looked over at the alarm clock. The red digits on the clock read 8:27. There were less than four hours until their flight. He rubbed her back softly. "We need to start getting ready, baby. Our plane leaves in about three and a half-hours." Jennie just nodded, and slowly pulled her naked body from his sheets, making her way to the bathroom.

"You get our things packed," she said, "and I'll make breakfast after my shower." Jennie closed the door softly, and started the water for her shower.

"Deal." Bradley said over the water. He lay in bed for another twenty minutes, listening to the water run in the bathroom while he watched his window. Everything seemed so much more beautiful now compared to before he met Jennie. Everything seemed to make sense, to fit in life's own serene way. He could see a spring butterfly on the potted flowers that were perched on his window seal, he noticed smaller things of beauty, no longer needing to be slapped in the face by it.

When Jennie got out of the bathroom, the bags were completely packed, and Bradley had eggs and bacon cooking on the stove. "Baby, I just packed your spring stuff. I put your skirts and shorts in the smaller bag, and t-shirts and all your nice clothes in the big bag. You still have to pack all your bathroom stuff, and pick out what you want to wear on the plane." She made her way to the kitchen, and replied by slipping her slender hands over his shoulders, kissing the back of his neck.

"You're amazing," she said. He smiled to himself, stirring the bacon on the stove. Jennie made her way back to the bedroom to pack the rest of her things, and Bradley finished cooking breakfast.

After they had eaten, Bradley called for a cab outside. Jennie rushed around, trying to make sure she had everything she would need, while Bradley carried their bags down to the street. The short, portly cab driver packed them into the trunk, and Bradley ran back upstairs to help Jennie. They arrived at airport at 11:20, and went through a hectic security check. Bradley had to walk through the metal detector three times, and his bathroom bag was searched. The security clerk reported she would need to take his nail clippers.

"Thank God. Thank God for that, I would hate to have to clip someone to death on the plane." He said. Jennie smacked his arm. After they checked in, Jennie and Bradley sat in the terminal waiting area, staring out the large paned windows at the runways. Jennie held his hand softly, nuzzling her head against his shoulder. Bradley stared tiredly, his soft blue eyes watching the scurrying people on the plane loading area.

"What do you think California will be like?" She asked him. Bradley blinked and looked down at her, stroking her hand with his thumb.

"I don't know. Probably like New York, except it's sunnier, and hotter. I think you'll like it." He said.

"I know I will babe." She kissed his arm. The intercom sounded, and their plane was called. They gathered themselves, and their baggage up, walking down the large terminal toward their passenger loading area.

On the plane, Jennie sat next to the window. She had a small bag with her. In it were books to read, cosmetics, lotion, everything any person would ever need to make a comfortable flight anywhere. In half an hour, Bradley was asleep. He propped his pillow against Jennie's arm, and slept soundly, his arm hugging around her waist.

When they arrived in California, they were shuttled from the airport to their hotel room called "The Inn at Newport Beach". It overlooked the ocean, sharing a property with the very beach. It was a large hotel with fourteen floors. Bradley carried their bags up to room 819, and Jennie opened the door for him. She giggled and ran inside, looking around. It was a basic hotel room, one bed, large TV, a desk, and a small balcony that had a wide view of the ocean. Jennie jumped on the bed giggling again, and spread her arms out letting out a long sigh.

"Vacation." She smiled, closing her eyes. "Should we do it right now, or just wait until tonight?" Her eyes popped open and she grinned at Bradley. Bradley just laughed and shook his head, setting the bags down next to the closet. He walked over to the bed, leaning down and kissing her lips softly.

"Six days on the beach. I'm going to cherish every moment here." He said. She grinned up at him, touching his lips softly, and pulled on his neck, laying him down on top of her.

--

When Jennie awoke in the morning, the comforter was off the bed on the floor, and the bed sheets were wrapped and tangled. She took a deep breath, sliding her hand over to Bradley's side of the bed. He head shot up when she didn't feel him there, and relaxed when she noticed him sitting out on the balcony. He was sitting on the ground, his knees pressed to his chest, his arms wrapped around his knees. Jennie got up slowly, wrapping a sheet over her naked body. She made her way to the sliding door and opened it, looking down at Bradley.

"Morning. How long have you been awake baby?" She asked. Bradley gave a shrug.

"Since just after sunrise. I just came out to watch the ocean." Jennie sat next to him, wrapping her sheet around him as well. She smiled and leaned over to him, kissing his cheek softly. "I love the ocean. I love the beach. I love it here." He continued. "I think I am going to move here." Jennie gave a small laugh.

"Is that so? When is this going to take place?" She asked. Bradley brought a hand up, rubbing the scruff on his cheek.

"Soon. As soon as I can." He sniffed slightly, turning his head to look at her. She was still smiling humorously, but stopped when she saw he was serious.

"You're serious. Why all of the sudden?" She asked. Bradley just nodded. Jennie rubbed his arm, stroking it gently. She laid her head on his shoulder, watching the beach with him.

"It's so much different here than in New York. I mean, I like New York too...I grew up there. But I love this place. I love everything about it. The smell of the beach. The way people dress, they wear sandals and board shorts all the time. The sea food is great-"

"You can get great sea food in New York." Jennie interjected.

"I know." Bradley replied. "I just love it here Jen. I think this is where I want to live my life." He looked at her, and then back to the ocean.

"Well," she said, "just don't make any rash decisions, okay?" She looked at concernedly at him. He just nodded again, and let his eyes fix on the ocean.

--

Jennie arched her back slightly, pressing her fingernails into the flesh of Bradley's back. She moaned out loud, crying out Bradley's name. His face was between her legs, his hands gripping her thighs. She was sitting against the headboard of the bed in their hotel room, her legs spread wide for him. Jennie brought a hand up from Bradley's head, touching her lips as she began to tremble, an orgasm taking her whole body over. She screamed out slightly, yelping with pleasure as Bradley's tongue continued to work on her.

When she had come down, Bradley took her by her hips, and slid her on top of him so she was straddling his hips. Jennie purred as she took him in her hand, and led him into her slowly, sinking down onto his hips with a soft grunt. She slowly began to work her hips on him, her hands rubbing and groping at his well rounded chest. Bradley helped her along with a hand on her right hip, his other hand preoccupied with rubbing her soft milky breast. Jennie slowly worked herself into a frenzy, and began bouncing up and down on Bradley, slamming her hips down onto his roughly. Bradley reached both hands to her breasts, and held them in his palms while she went crazy on top of him.

Then Bradley cradled his arms around her, rolling her underneath him. They lay slightly diagonally on the bed, and Jennie's head hung off of the side. She arched her neck up, watching him while he threw his hips into her. She moaned and grunted deeply along with him. Bradley planted his hand on the edge of the bed, thrusting his hips into her fervently, growing more urgent. Jennie also grew more urgent with her moans as a second orgasm began to take her. Bradley lowered his head into Jennie's neck, biting her skin softly as he began to come with her, his hands shaking as he gripped the bed tightly. She reached a hand up and slid her fingers into his hair, tugging on it lightly, and her legs wrapped around his hips as he continued to thrust into her.

For a long moment they laid together, Bradley still on top of her. Jennie's arms slipped around Bradley's neck, and she kissed his neck softly. Bradley panted, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

"I love you, Jennie." He said in a whisper, his soft breath brushing over her ear. She smiled happily, hugging him tightly, but found she could not say it back to him; at least not yet.

--

Reluctantly, Bradley got back on the plane with Jennie to fly back to New York. When they arrived, and had unpacked, Bradley left Jennie at their apartment to visit his parents. He walked the fourteen blocks to their house so he could think about everything that had gone on. He had an amazing trip with Jennie, they saw all Newport Breach had to offer, and had made love a dozen times or more. He even told her he loved her, which he did. Bradley believed he loved her with all his heart. She meant everything to him now. He thought about marriage, and even about children with her, but decided to leave that alone for the time being, and to just work on the love thing. Without seeing it coming, his girlfriend from college slipped into his thoughts, and Jennie was lost. Bradley began to remember how much he loved Carol, and how much she meant to him. Then she left with the man she had met while Bradley and her were dating. She had told him that the man she meant was perfect for her, and she could not describe how it felt. Bradley could never describe how he felt either. He hurt for what felt like an eternity in his spiritual cell. He let his thoughts move back to Jennie, deciding to leave Carol behind, although he hoped what had happened with her, never happens with Jennie.