MIRACLES

CHAPTER 3

Once a week Jax would find himself at the front door of the Quartermaine gatehouse usually carrying a small toy for his goddaughter Brooke. Today was no different as he held a large teddy bear that he had purchased on his last business trip under his arm.

After a few short knocks Jax reached for the doorknob and was surprised to find it unlocked.
“Lois? Anyone home?” he called out.
Jax surveyed the room finding its usual mess and he wondered where everyone was. He had never known Lois not to be at home, especially lately. Concerned he quickly traveled the familiar steps up to Brooke’s room to see if anyone was there.

Brenda froze at the mere mention of Jax’s name; she wasn’t ready to deal with him so soon. She could feel his eyes on her as he stared from the doorway and she searched for the courage to turn and face him. Her mind wandered to Brooke and her face only few moments ago when she had seen him; she was so happy, and obviously totally in love with him and it reminder her of her own face many years ago. Looking at her goddaughter Brenda smiled and thought of how Brooke had already told her what to do.
“Brenda!”
“Hello Jax” she said smiling as she turned to greet him.
“I didn’t realize you where in town; I was looking for Lois.”
“She’s talking a walk in the garden. She should be back shortly did you want me to give her something” she said taking notice of the small teddy bear in his hand.
“Oh no this for Brooke; I stopped by to give it to her.”
Brenda watched as Jax’s glance slowly shifted from her to rest on Brooke’s limp figure.
“How is she today?”
“Lois says she’s fine, just having a battle with her medication, but nothing to worry about.”
“Well then maybe I should come back later when she’s rested.” He said as made his way to the door.
“Jax! Please stay… I think she would really like to see you.”
“Brenda I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“For us or her? Because she actually said you name a few minutes ago and those were the first words I’ve heard her utter in an hour.”
“Well then I’ll stay a moment,” he said as made his way to Brooke’s side.
He then quietly placed the small teddy bear he had tucked under is arm beside her.
“This one is from Japan little one; now your collection is almost complete”
“Collection?” she asked amusingly.
“Yes, she’s collecting bears from around the world and every time I go on business trips I make sure to bring her one. It’s a game we play with one another, she doesn’t believe I can every bear in the world for her”
“And can you?”
“Easily, but then I think she tries to make it harder on me by making request for rare ones that aren’t easy to find. She actually had me wandering the streets of Hong Kong for two hours once looking for a specific one.”
“Ha! Well why didn’t you just send someone else out to find it?”
“Ah but that’s one of the rules. I have to personally find it and buy it.”
“It sounds like her; you’d never know she’s one of the riches girls in the world.”
“No she’s definitely one of a kind,” he said as their eyes locked on to one another.
They stared at eachother for a few short moments before Jax abruptly looked away and back to Brooke. The break was more painful to Brenda than she cared to admit but she tried to seem unaffected.
“So how many do you have left?”
“See for yourself” he said as pointed to the far corner of the room where about two dozen small bears laid.
“I didn’t realize you both were so close.”
“I’m not surprised.”
The statement knocked her right off her feet and made her question what she had done to deserve such cruel response.
“What is that supposed to mean” she annoyingly
“Nothing, I should go. Please tell Lois I stopped by. I’ll see you tomorrow little one” he whispered as he knelt down and tenderly kissed Brooke on the forehead.
“Maybe we should talk Jax becau—“
“Listen Brenda, this isn’t the time or the place,” he said as he briskly moved past her and walked out of the room.
Brenda was in utter shock, on what had gone wrong in matter of seconds that had caused him to lash out of her. As she heard his steps reach the bottom of the stairs she knew she couldn’t let him leave. They had to talk and she wasn’t going to take no for an answer this time.
“Jax!!!” she yelled as she ran quickly down the stairs practically knocking over Lois as she was coming up.
“Brenda what’s going on?”
“Did you just see Jax? I need to catch him!”
“Brenda maybe you should just lea-“
But Brenda was already running past her to the front door, just in time to see Jax’s limo pull away.
“Damn it!” she screamed barely taking notice of the figure that stood beside her.
“Brenda, what’s going on?”
“Ned!!” she screamed as she wrapped her arms around him “ I didn’t even see you!!”
“Hi sweetie, its good to see you too. We missed you around here.”
“Oh I missed you too”
“Well let’s get you inside, maybe have some of cook’s famous dinner.”
“That sounds great,” she said as she took another glance at the driveway.
“Brenda? Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Ned, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“Its just that you look like you lost something.”
“I did,” she said as she looked out one last time.