Falling For Charlie

Part 16- Doubts

Matthew looked at Kendra across the room watching the flames reflect in her eyes from the fire burning bright in the center of their bedroom. Kendra had been quiet all evening, now she was under the covers reading her favorite book, a fairy tale, Kendra always searching for that happy ending. Matthew reaches over caressing Kendra's ticklish spot on her wrist, watching as she tries to hide a smile but a giggle escapes from her lips. A breathy little gasp of air that gets Matthew's heart to pump faster.

Kendra puts her book down and softly pushes Matthew's teasing hands away. "Stop, you little troublemaker." Kendra says playfully, but she really was not in the mood for it, she had a long day with clients like the past two days before it, ever since Mary Anne up and left all the responsibilities of their company upon her tired shoulders. She hadn't returned her calls all day today and Kendra was worried. Not to mention Mary Anne was keeping something from her, she could tell she wasn't getting the whole truth, and that hurt her feelings a bit. Kendra was an open book to Mary Anne and she always thought that she was as well but since Charlie had been working for them Mary Anne has became more closed off and mysterious. Kendra frowned lost in her thoughts.

Matthew sighed knowing by the look on Kendra's face what she was thinking of "She is a big girl Kendra, it's not your place to protect her, you are not kids anymore."

Kendra rolls her eyes "I just wish that she would tell me what is going on."

Matthew snorts "She did, KeKe,  that woman Briana got attacked. Your overactive imagination has you believing there is some other thing going on."

Kendra gave him a hard look "I am not imagining it, there is something else and its big...I know her, she talked to me like she was reading it from a teleprompter, then dropped me like a hot chicken wing." Kendra's frown deepened, her cheeks pressing down in two big lines. 

"Now, you made me hungry." Matthew smiled. "Listen baby, don't meddle, it's not a good idea." saying the words that he knew was useless but he had to voice it anyways.

Kendra ignoring her wise husband's advice perks up "Your off work tomorrow right and have some vacation time left?"

Matthew closed his eyes sighing deeply "Yes, oh no."

Kendra smiled and got up to pack a small bag for them both. There was only one way for Kendra to make sure Mary Anne was really okay and that was to see it for herself. She wrote a note to herself to call Stacy the very capable intern in the morning and tell her to hold down things at the firm for a few days.

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Briana followed the doctor's finger only slightly distracted by her headache. She could not remember much only walking slowly down the pathway admiring all the pretty trees lined up in the park and smelling the fresh air that was cool but not cold. Feeling peace and then she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck before everything went black, only waking up to a frantic voice and those caring eyes that seemed worried about her. That should of been Briana's first clue that she had a concussion, imagining things. Like her seeing worry in Daniel eyes, actually believing he cared if she was okay or not, he was suppose to be a jerk from all the things Charlie had told her. What was he Jekyll and Hyde now??

"Very good, now lets see what your scans show and you may get to go home today." The doctor looked over her charts on his laptop biting his lip in concentration.

Home Briana thought to herself, that sounded good. Ignoring the image of Daniel and her heart feeling that odd little twinge of warmth. Nope not gonna happen Briana told herself. She had enough jerks in her lifetime, too many and those days were over for her. She had to focus on her club and Charlie, that was her priority not having odd fantasies of Charlie's brother.

Briana's favorite nurse Julie, a fun loving, flirty red headed beauty walked in carrying a lovely bouquet of multi colored roses with baby breaths in them.

"Are those mine?" Briana asked smiling.

"Yes, they are my dear, your handsome boyfriend sent them for you this morning. He was so cute worried about you like that when they brought you in here." Julie's eyes twinkled up at Briana.

Briana never blushed which is why when her cheeks felt warm she touched them in disbelief. Oooh they were from Daniel.

"He is not my boyfriend, just my friend's brother." Briana said firmly.

"Oh, I misunderstood then." Julie said smiling sweeter than before and placing the flowers on the table next to Briana's bed. Julie started whistling a little romantic ditty Briana knew but could not place before she left Briana's room.

Briana hankered down under the cover embarrased she had blushed and she knew it made it seemed like she had a crush, but darn it well she didn't. Did she? No, it was just the hero complex, Daniel had found her and got her to safety so that is all it was, she was grateful. Yes that was all she told herself sternly.

The doctor flipped through pages on the laptop and looked at Briana "Well you are all set young lady, you can be released this evening. Take your meds and make an appointment with me in two days."

"ooh but I don't live in New Jersey, I have to be headed back home." Briana said looking up at the doctor.

"Driving home?" The Doctor asked Briana.

"Yes, it's not that far away only a couple hours drive." Briana said needing to escape back to her club, where work will make her forget all about her stupid feelings over Daniel.

"I would strongly recommend you don't do that yet, your concussion is gone now but you still have that arm that is sprained and those ribs are healing nicely but your body still needs to recover, you still won't be fit for a car ride for another couple of days." The doctor said closing his laptop and patting Briana's feet as he left her room "make an appointment at the front desk before you leave honey."

Briana felt her sore ribs which had been hit by what she did not know, wondering why someone would randomly beat her up. sighing, also wondering why she was a little happy not to be going home for a few days. Then she had that image of those caring eyes hopefully watching her eyes open up again. Groaning she got up and started to get dressed but not before taking out a yellow rose from the bouquet and smelling it's sweet fragrance.