Hardest to Love | Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

𝟐𝟑 - 𝐔𝐒

"Well, you're awfully quiet today, Row Boat." My Father walks around me, grabbing a few documents from the table. I'm standing near him with my chin resting over my hand as I cross my arms over my chest. He looks up at me from the papers. "Just thinking."

"Thinking about what? Something bothering you, hun?" He walks over to me, massaging my shoulder. I open my mouth to speak, staring off at the window in front of me. "How fast did you fall in love with Mom?" Narrowing my eyes, I shift my head up to look at him. He raises his eyebrows. "Well, the moment I laid my eyes on her, that's when I knew she was the one. But to answer your questions properly, I realized I really loved your Mother when we had this whole conversation about random things. We couldn't stop talking hours on end."

I grow a little smile on the corner of my lips. "She was beautiful, wasn't she?" Asking, the two of us start to walk out the room. "She was more than beautiful — and I'm glad you took after her looks or else you would've looked like me." He makes me chuckle. My Father squeezes my cheek, walking next to me. I tell him to stop, he does that all the time and I'm thirty years old. But it never gets old.

"Ho — how 'bout when you proposed to her, how long have you two been together?" I calm myself down. He looks forward as we walk through the hallway. "Five or six months. I couldn't wait any longer, she was born to be Mrs. Mitchell, my Mrs. Mitchell." I sigh in awe from his answer, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Why are you so curious all of a sudden? Have you met someone new already?"

The two of us stop in front of a window that viewed the taxiway filled with fighter pilots. They scatter behind their jets, hiding themselves from the California heat. "I don't know, it's just the thought of your relationship with Mom popped up." I place my hands behind my back, slipping them inside my back pockets. He takes a good look at my face, tiling his head. "What?" My face grows a little red.

"Ahh, you see — right there — your cheeks are turning red." He motions his index finger in circles at me. I let out a laugh, pushing it down. "You've got me all wrong. There's no one." My Father shakes his head, narrowing his eyes down at me. "I know my daughter, there's definitely a spark there. The same spark I had when I met your Mother. C'mon over here." He grunts, he picks me up by the waist, ticking my side.

I squeak and let out hard laughs. Fighting to get down, I remember when he used to do this to me when I was younger. My Father did this when he knew I was lying about something. It always worked out and I always ended up telling him. My body rests over his right shoulder, he spins us around. "Dad — stop!" I happily complain.

Bradley hangs his aviator sunglasses over the neckline of his black shirt. He looks up to find me playing around my with Father through the window above. He sees that I'm laughing with my Father as he spins me around. A little smile spreads over his face, watching.

Natasha notices him from her jet, she goes and walks over to him with her arms crossed. "She has a strong bond with him, you know? It's never gonna break." She states, Bradley turns his head down to find her walking over to him. "What?" He squints his eyes from the sun. "Make up with Pete, will you? It's what's stopping you from getting to her." Bradley let's out an awkward scoff, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "I don't know what you're talking about, Nat."

"Oh, come on." She throws her head back. "This feud between you and her old man, it's gotta stop. I know you have a thing for her, I'm her best friend if you need to be reminded again." Bradley pursed his lips and looks back up at the window. "I know you're a good man, Brad. Ro needs someone like that besides her Dad. But you need to fix your attitude when it comes to flying with him." He feels her hand on his shoulder.

"Just think about it, Brad." She pats his back before walking away. Bradley clenches his jaws when he moves his head back at the window.

"Okay, fine. Maybe there's someone." I confess, feeling out of breath. My Father finally sets me down. He twitches his eyebrows up and down. "Who is it? Don't be scared, I won't hurt them." He puts his hands up in defense making me chuckle. "I don't know yet, I'm still trying to figure it out."