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Chapter 26

It had taken Soozie about thirty minutes to recompose herself after Bryant’s ugly words. She had expected Bryant to be angry when he found out about Tori’s antics, but Soozie never expected Bryant to be upset at her. When Bryant pulled Soozie to his chest and growled at her as he did, she literally didn’t know how to handle it and ran off. Now she didn’t know how to go back inside.

Milling about the vast property of the old Inn, Soozie found herself with a myriad of emotions and thoughts. Did she walk back inside as if nothing happened and if so, how did she act now that she knew Bryant held her solely responsible for today’s mishap in the beauty shop? Should she go inside and confront Bryant and tell him she felt he was being ridiculous, and if she did, did she even pretend not to be as mad as she now was? Soozie didn’t know any of the answers to her numerous questions. Soozie honestly wanted to go home, but of course she didn’t know where home was either.

Without realizing it Soozie began talking aloud to herself as she strolled past the old rail cars. “Maybe if he hadn’t had such an odd relationship with Tori, I wouldn’t have been caught in the middle. Did he ever think of that?”

“Probably not.” A voice softly stated from behind her.

Soozie turned around to see Bryant standing about seven feet away from her. Instantly Soozie’s anger roared to life. She wanted to bite his head off as he had done to her. She also felt heartbroken that her only friend was the person she was so angry with.

“Please,” Bryant said as soon as he noted the look in her eye, “let me speak?”

Unable to think of anything to say without snapping, Soozie shrugged her shoulders and pulled her warp tighter around her as she nodded. Don’t look at him, you’ll only explode, Soozie thought as Bryant stepped a little closer. Glaring down at his shoes, Soozie waited for whatever Bryant had to say. It wouldn’t matter to her, but she’d listen nonetheless.

“I owe you an apology Sooz. I was….completely out of line.”

Soozie glanced up but said not a word. Seeing the apologetic look he had, and not wanting to let go of her own anger, Soozie went right back to glaring at Bryant’s shoes.

Out of line, Soozie thought. Buddy you weren’t out of line, you crossed one.

Bryant came within a foot of Soozie and stopped. “I don’t even know how to explain.” He admitted with a heavy exhale.

Soozie glared up at him for a split second and returned her eyes to his shoes. Every word Bryant spoke only infuriated her more. For the first time since being found on the cliff, Soozie was angry and didn’t honestly know how she’d cope with it, so she remained deadly silent.

“Tori came over to me while you were waiting to dance with Brad.” Bryant began quietly. “You know I’ve had troubles convincing Tori that I am not interested in her romantically, but what you didn’t know is that it had grown into an almost war-like state between us.” Bryant paused for a moment and then shuffled his feet. “I don’t think I knew that.” He admitted in defeat.

Don’t fall for the tone in his voice. He jumped on you. You don’t have to feel anything but anger for this jerk, Soozie thought. Her eyes wanted to look up and reassure the dejected sounding man before her. Don’t fall for his pitiful sounding voice, she reprimanded herself.

Bryant cleared his throat and shifted his hands to his pants pockets. “Sooz,” He begged.

Soozie was done with the emotional guilt trip she suddenly felt being placed upon her. “Bryant we should get back inside before anyone misses us.” She coldly suggested.

“No wait, please.” Bryant begged. When he saw Sooz hadn’t moved, he continued; “I need to explain what…why I acted…” Bryant grew frustrated as he spoke because he knew; there really wasn’t any good excuse for his actions. Sooz hadn’t been pregnant, Tori had lied, but after cooling down and listening to his nephew, Bryant knew that even if Sooz had been, Bryant had no right to act as he had done. Of course trying to explain that wasn’t nearly as easy as Drake had made it sound like it’d be.

Soozie kept her glare on his feet or the sidewalk beneath them. When she didn’t move to head back inside, Bryant cleared his throat again. “I did not know Tori would be here tonight. So her appearance surprised me. But when Tori told me she knew why you had stayed with Jade and the other girls, well I flipped.”

Sooz’s only reply was a soft, angry. “Hmmm”

“You don’t understand Sooz; Tori didn’t tell me she cut your hair. I had no idea that your haircut was anything but planned.”

Soozie looked up at Bryant and raised one eyebrow. She didn’t have to ask aloud what Tori said, she knew Bryant understood the gesture.

“Tori told me you sat in the salon today crying your eyes out because you found out you were pregnant.” Bryant blurted out quickly.

Soozie’s eyes flew open as she heard his words. Instantly she began shaking her head. The anger that had been in Soozie’s eyes only moments before, had now turned to something completely different; shock and disbelief.

“I know; it’s outrageous and not true. I know that now. The kids slapped me around a bit after you ran off. But at the time Sooz, I….”

“SHUT UP” Soozie suddenly growled. Soozie’s hand flew up and she held it so her palm was towards Bryant’s face. “Why” She demanded angrily.

“Sooz I don’t know why. She was trying to cause…”

“No Bry….why are you telling me this?” Soozie interrupted him.

Bryant inhaled sharply. He opened his mouth. He tried to reply. However, every word that flitted to Bryant’s mind suddenly flitted back away, leaving him speechless and shaking his head.

“Yes, she is a horrid, wretched woman. Yes she lied, obviously, but why Bryant…why are you telling me this now,” Sooz again demanded. Before Bryant could attempt to reply, Soozie continued on. “So when you pulled me against you and hissed, ‘Well if you didn’t want to deal with it Sooz, you should have never put yourself in that position in the first place!’ you were insinuating I was some kind of…..whore!”

“NO, Sooz, please….”

“Shut up Bryant. Just shut up…..I have amnesia but I am not stupid. That is exactly what you were implying. You thought I was pregnant and hiding it from you. You thought that when I admitted I didn’t know how to cope with it, I meant cope with being pregnant. That is EXACTLY what you were implying Bryant…so don’t tell me otherwise.”

Tears flooded Soozie’s eyes. They were hot, angry tears, but tears nonetheless. Bryant instantly reached out for her arm.

“Get away from me!” Soozie yelled as she yanked her arm back and stepped back three paces. “Don’t touch me.”

“Sooz, please….”

“NO,” She cried loudly. Finally, raising her eyes to Bryant’s Soozie made eye contact. “You were my friend, my only friend…and you heard a rumor, one from a vicious woman and you thought it the truth and thought me a whore. Get away from me. Get away!”

“I am your friend!” Bryant cried. Soozie turned and this time Bryant didn’t give her the chance to run away. Expertly he reached out and gently caught Sooz by the elbow.

“Don’t you see, I wasn’t upset that you didn’t tell me, or that you might be pregnant; I was upset because if you were, it meant you belonged to another man Sooz!”

Soozie had been fighting Bryant’s hold on her until she heard his last words. As her arm went limp, Bryant’s tone softened. “That’s what bothered me. All of a sudden I had to face the fact that you weren’t my Sooz…and…” Bryant gulped for air. “I can’t.”

Soozie’s breath instantly sucked inward and froze. Somehow she became aware of Bryant’s hand letting go of her elbow and reached for the small of her back. It barely registered in her mind that he was pulling her body against his once more because all Soozie could focus on was the depths of Bryant’s eyes. He held her completely captivated with his words, his passion and his stunning admissions.

“If you were pregnant that meant some man was waiting for you somewhere and you wouldn’t stay with me Sooz.”

Bryant reached up and gently ran his thumb down her jaw line. Soozie suddenly felt as if she’d pass out from the dizziness that hit her. Soozie watched his eyes follow his thumb. She felt the warmth he radiated against her heaving chest. She could hear his words and yet she was completely paralyzed by them.

“I didn’t want to lose you Sooz.” He whispered.

Soozie couldn’t see through her tears. “I…”

“Shhh, you don’t have to say anything to that.” Bryant whispered as he pulled her tightly into his arms. It was automatic, Bryant’s arms wrapped tenderly around her waist as he held her closely against his chest. She laid her head against him and held onto him just as tightly. She felt the long, tender kiss Bryant placed upon her head. “I only wanted you to know,” he whispered painfully.

Oh God, She thought; Oh dear God.

 

 

 

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