Don't Walk Away
Chapter
Thirty-Five
(Days later - Venice, Italy)
Chloe rolled over in the large bed she shared with her husband. The bed seemed
almost too large as she searched for him with her hands. She moved over and
found him lying on his side. Chloe moved beside him and wrapped her arm around
his bare chest, pulling herself close to his peaceful sleeping form.
It was still dark outside, and Chloe wasn't even aware of exactly what time it
was. She certainly didn't know why she had woken up in the middle night. But,
she didn't mind, any excuse to watch her husband sleep was just fine with her.
Chloe let her gaze shift towards the balcony attached to their room. The one
with the beautiful view of all that Venice had to offer. The doors were open and
a soft, cool breeze was blowing the curtains that had been pulled aside. Chloe
stared at it in surprise, she didn't remember leaving the doors open before they
had retired for the evening. In fact, she quite clearly remembered shutting them
herself.
She yawned and rubbed her tired eyes, thinking that maybe Brady had gotten up in
the middle of the night and opened them without waking her. The weather was
perfect outside, and maybe he wanted a little fresh air while he slept.
The breeze got colder suddenly and Chloe sat up in bed, staring out at the
balcony. That's when she noticed something else. There was someone standing on
their balcony, but for some reason it didn't frighten her to see a stranger out
there. Chloe slid out from underneath her covers and grabbed her robe off the
chair, wrapping it around herself for warmth. She walked closer to the wide open
doors and watched the figure quietly.
The stranger was facing away from her, staring out into the night sky of Venice.
It was clearly a woman, dressed in a gauzy white gown that almost glowed
underneath the moonlight. She had a head full of dark curls, and a petite
figure.
Chloe moved closer, standing in the doorway just feet from the woman in white.
She barely spoke above a whisper, trying to get the woman's attention.
"Hello..."
The woman turned, and Chloe felt her breath catch in her throat. She was a
beautiful woman with a smile that Chloe had seen many times on the face of her
husband. Chloe had only seen her in pictures, but knew instantly that it was
her.
"Chloe... It's good to meet you."
Chloe gasped softly and attempted to reply. "Isabella? You...
You're..."
Isabella nodded in understanding, stopping Chloe from continuing her stammering.
"I know, I know. I wanted to meet the woman that makes my son so
happy."
"I... I can't believe it's really you. I have heard so much about you, and
now you're here, right in front of me."
"I know it seems kind of crazy, but I had to come see you. I have a few
things that I need to tell you."
Chloe's smile faded and she looked at Isabella in confusion. "Bad
things?"
Isabella shook her head and grabbed Chloe's hand, squeezing it gently. "Not
necessarily bad. Just some things you need to know. You know, life sometimes
throws you curve balls. And, when you least expect it... things happen that
change your life... sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse."
"But, so much has happened already... I don't want things to change
anymore, I like the way things are now."
"You can't stop the inevitable. You just have to accept it. And, I know how
strong you are... how strong the both of you are. You've dealt with so many
things already, and you will face many more obstacles in the future. Only you
can determine how you come through them."
Chloe sighed softly and looked downwards. "Are you trying to tell me that
something bad is going to happen? Is this a warning?"
Isabella smiled and stroked her hair in a motherly way. "No, it's not a
warning. It's a reminder. Always expect the unexpected. But, most of all live
for today, not for whatever tomorrow may bring. Don't worry about the
future."
"It's hard not to worry. Especially when you say things like that."
"I'm sorry, Chloe. My intentions weren't to scare you. I came here to tell
you how happy I am that my son found a woman like you to spend his life
with."
Chloe looked back up at her and smiled shyly. "You are? You know, maybe it
sounds silly, but I was thinking about you the other night, wondering if you
would like me. Wondering if you were proud of your son... as proud of him as I
am."
She nodded in agreement with her. "I am very proud of my baby boy. He
hasn't always had it easy, but he gives me so much to be proud of. I still can't
believe that I created someone so amazing. And you... All I ever wanted for my
son was for him to be happy. And, nothing has ever made him happier than you.
You everything I could have ever wished for in a daughter in law."
"Thank you... I love Brady so much. More than I ever imagined it was
possible to love another person. And, I swear to you that I will do everything I
can to make him happy... to take care of him."
"I know you will. You have a beautiful heart, and it fits perfectly with my
son's heart. You two will always love each other and take care of each other.
And... you're going to be great parents."
Chloe smiled hopefully. "I really hope that I am. I love this baby so much
already..."
Isabella nodded and finished her sentence for her. "And the moment you hold
your child in your arms for the first time, you'll love it even more. Your love
will grow with every single day. Don't every worry about your parenting skills,
because your love for the child you are carrying will take care of
everything."
"I... I won't worry. I know Brady's going to be a great father, and he'll
take care of us both, even when I'm not so sure I can take care of things
myself. He's always been there for me."
"And he always will be. Never doubt his loyalty or his love."
Chloe nodded and smiled widely. "I don't... I never have."
Isabella hugged her tightly, and Chloe didn't know why, but she felt so
comfortable with her, like she had known her all of her life. "Please
remember what I said before. Don't worry about what the future brings, live
every day to it's fullest. And, no matter what comes your way, be strong and
hold on... the two of you together can beat anything that stands in your
way."
Chloe nodded as Isabella let go of her. "I'll remember, I will."
"Good... And please, tell my grandson or granddaughter how much their
grandmother loves them. I will always be there, watching the three of you.
Always."
Isabella took a few steps back and smiled at her daughter-in-law one last night.
Chloe stared in amazement as the light around her began to shimmer, and she
slowly faded away into the night sky.
She stayed out on the balcony for a short while, admiring the view of the town
laid out in front of her. Chloe let Isabella's words sink in, and although she
knew that she and Brady were strong, she still prayed not to be given more than
they could handle.
Chloe tried to push her worries away, and focus on the present. She had never
believed in soulmates before she fell in love with Brady, and now she was
married to hers. Not only that, they were expecting another addition to their
family in just a matter of months. There were so many things to be happy about
in her life that she promised not to focus on the inevitability of more hard
times to come.
She turned around and walked back into the room, closing the balcony doors
behind her. She heard the doors click shut, and that's when she woke up with a
start. Chloe found herself back in her bed, wrapped in her covers. Brady was
sleeping peacefully next to her with a slight smile on his face. She shivered
slightly and snuggled closer to her husband, trying to steal a bit of his
warmth.
She sighed sadly, wondering what could have caused her to dream about Brady's
mother, a woman she had never met and only knew from pictures and stories. It
seemed so real, and Chloe could still see her face in her mind. She turned her
gaze away from Brady and looked towards the balcony. Somehow, the doors were
open once more.
Chloe gazed at them in confusion, trying to differentiate between her reality
and dreams. Yes, it had just been a dream... but it was much more meaningful
than her normal dreams were. Chloe hadn't dreamt like that since she had dreamt
of Brady while he was comatose. She shook her head in confusion and laid her
head back on her pillow, trying not to wonder about it anymore than she had to,
letting sleep capture her once more.