The next day Jan’s speculative face said it all.

"You expect me to believe that you’re such a good citizen you’re willing to take over for it?"

"Exactly," Brady said as if it was the most casual decision in the world. He had to keep on sucking up; it was coming along pretty well. In the last half-hour he was talking to Miss Spears it was apparent she was so narcissistic that she probably had a few self-esteem issues.

"Why?"

"Why not? Jan," he said softly as he took her hand. "I . . . I can’t lie, I’ve waited for this opportunity. When Jason left the picture I had to try. I’ve watched you for so long and I never thought that we could be . . . Please understand what I’m saying."

Falsely sincere eyes made her believe him but she raised her eyebrow anyway. "You expect me to fall for that?"

"Believe this."

The words were spoken quietly and a gentle kiss followed. The whole scene was quite trite and over used but she fell for it in all its predictable glory. When they pulled apart Jan was breathless and she smiled her snake grin.

"We just have to keep this quiet for a while or everything will be ruined," Brady said and he hoped she would keep her big mouth shut until he was ready to announce his ‘bundle of joy’.

"You are a charmer, Brady Black." Her hands slid up to his shoulders and she pushed him back into the couch. "Let’s see if my new betrothed likes my charming skills."

She slipped down his legs with a coy look, not caring in the least that Brady was still engaged to her one and only friend, Mimi. He was hers now. She was on her knees in front of him as he sat a bit shock and maybe a little excited. They could get caught pretty easily, they were in her cream and pastel living room he was getting sick of and though it’s double doors was shut it wasn’t positive that someone wouldn’t walk in.

Jan opened his belt and pants with well practiced movements, taking out his length with teasing touches.

"Mmm, big boy and not even done. Let’s see if we can bring it to full attention, shall we?" Jan winked before she leaned over and took him in her mouth. Brady arched up on the couch and panted. He caught his breath and tried to clear his head.

It took a moment but he managed to push her away with a mostly gentle shove. She sat back on her haunches and looked at him expectantly.

He wasn’t comfortable doing this with her, in this situation, in her situation, it was just a bad situation – but wasn’t everything lately?

Seeing his hesitation and the way his eyes darted over her she sighed with aggravation and rolled her eyes.

"Geez, is it the baby thing? It wasn’t like I was going to swallow," she told his as she stood and turned her back on him in hostility. Brady watched her with curious eyes and wondered if the whole plan was a bad idea. But this was his only chance, then again he could have originally have been stuck with Jan instead of Mimi. Much worse. He shook his head and got himself together before approaching her angry form.

"I’m sorry," he said not meaning a word of it.

"Whatever."

"Jan, please," he said laying hands on her shoulders.

"Fine," she sighed, leaning into him. "Just hurry up and dump the freak so we can be together."

"Soon," Brady agreed happy her back was to him and she didn’t see his disgusted look.

"Brady?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I get her ring too?"

~*~

"I can’t believe you," John Black said sadly. He sat next to Victor on the couch as they stared at the young man who seemed very apologetic. "I made a good match for you Brady and you go and get this girl . . ."

John stood, unable to even talk to his son. Upstairs Mimi sat next to the opened door of Belle’s room and listened. Her ‘beloved’ had gotten her up there minutes before the conversation started and since her best friend wasn’t going to be home all day she was thoroughly enjoying her uninterrupted spying time. It seemed yesterday was a success – so good Brady didn’t bother with details even though she pressed him – he just said that Jan had agreed to the new engagement and that was the end of it. Hopefully today would follow suit.

"This is not a problem," Victor declared.

"Not a problem?" John argued.

"Not a problem?" Brady echoed.

"No, from what I heard this girl has been around the block once or twice," he said, looking to his grandson for confirmation. Brady just sat there; he hadn’t expected his grandfather to know anything about Jan, let alone her whoring tendencies. Mimi blanched at his comment.

Phillip, that damn talkative idiot. They hadn’t considered that one.

"No," Brady answered snapping out of it. "She isn’t."

"Come now, son," Victor urged and Mimi made a fist in anticipation while she silently hoped Brady would answer the question correctly.

"No, she isn’t."

So firm and noble. Good one, love.

"Let’s see about it then," Victor answered perfectly at ease. He pulled out his cell phone and whoever was on the other end seemed to be getting instructions to investigate Janet Spears.

Damn.

Mimi’s mouth made a firm line and she wanted to go down there herself and tell them what a lovely person Jan was. So sweet, so kind, so . . . well, something else that was a blatant lie.

"You are not having my son turn his back on his responsibilities," John interrupted and both Brady and Mimi internally yelled a whoop of joy.

"I’m not telling him to turn his back I’m simply protecting my family from a scam that this girl could be running," Victor interjected. There was a tinge of controlled anger in his words.

"He admitted being with her."

"And I’m sure half of Salem might say the same."

Mimi winced at the words. Good one Grampa Kirakis.

"I AM taking responsibly for my child," Brady interrupted.

"Once we find out it is yours," Victor said in a voice that seemed more like an order.

Brady looked to his father and those strong beliefs that he was counting on.

It didn’t help.

John had quietly considered the situation and said the one thing Brady wished he wouldn’t.

"Your grandfather is right. Until we find out more your current engagement is still on, we don’t want to upset Mimi if there isn’t a reason to."

No, upset away, she wouldn’t mind a bit. Mimi hit the carpeted floor with her fist and silently let out a yell.

"I don’t care what you say, I’m taking care of Jan and our baby and that’s final!" Brady argued.

"Do not disrespect me! You will follow my orders, Brady."

"I’m not your solder!" he responded standing from his chair with force.

"Brady--"

"I don’t want to hear it. I know what I have to do!" Brady turned and left with a slam of the door. Mimi silently cheered him on and hoped it would turn the tide until she realized.

He had left her stranded.

Dumbass.

~*~

She spent an hour in Belle’s room reading back issues of ‘Teen’ before Brady made her jump a mile by calling out her name in a harsh whisper.

"You scared--"

"Less talk, more move," Brady ordered. Mimi grabbed her bag and followed him, staying close to as they made it to the stairs. "My father’s in the kitchen, hurry up."

"Your grandfather left a few minutes after you," Mimi responded quietly.

Brady just nodded and they carefully left the Evans-Black penthouse.

"So?" Mimi asked once they were in the hall.

"So what?"

"Sew buttons! What do you think?"

"I don’t know. Jan doesn’t have an angelic reputation and my grandfather will be able to pull that up in a second."

"He was here a lot of seconds after you left and he didn’t so just quit being so negative," she complained, silently hoping she was right. Unfortunately Kirakis was a powerful and she had her doubts. She added softly, "It has to work."

Brady stared at her for a moment and saw a frailness he didn’t see before. His mind suddenly went back to a summer day years ago.

He had been ten and she couldn’t have been more than eight, he was angry with her that summer and it seemed like he was always angry now that he looked back. That day they had been at a lake or something, he couldn’t remember it clearly but he did recall that his father, Marlena, Belle and Mimi had went off on a day trip, dragging him along for the ‘fun’. He fought it all the way, especially not wanting to be around two ‘babies’ and the Marlena monster. It had been about a year since the older woman had dropped the bomb that she wasn’t his real mother.

Over cookies and milk.

For a psychiatrist she was a moron.

I’m not your real mother but look, cookies, doesn’t that make everything better? Oh course she broke it in a much ‘gentle’ fashion. Bitch.

But that day the evil stepmother hadn’t spoken to him much and he didn’t care, he went down to the dock and Mimi had followed to try to get him to play with her. Brady knew she had a crush on him that made him want to be around her even less, he had even scanned the area hoping to find Belle to push her off on.

The little girl had smiled at him, sitting on the warm wooden planks next to him and kicking her feet. His sour look told her to go away but she didn’t listen – not that she ever did – and she began to talk about something he couldn’t remember now. He yelled at her then, telling her to get away and how he couldn’t stand her.

That’s when he pushed her in the water.

It wasn’t that deep off the short dock, maybe three feet, but she couldn’t swim. She cried and yelled, shocking him since he hadn’t known. As soon as he realized Mimi also found out the shallowness of the water and stood on her feet. She was shaking from fear and crying but it seemed like she didn’t want him to see her like that so she moved to the bank as fast as she could hiccuping with sobs.

She never sat next to him again and he saw that same look on her face now. It was so amazing in its appearance, she had seemed so poised before so . . . no, not grown up, Mimi couldn’t be grown up.

He shook his head and did what he thought he should have done before. He moved to her and enveloped her in his arms. He was surprised that she excepted them willingly and clutched his shirt as tears slowly came to her.

Mimi was in a tough place, she didn’t want to marry Brady, she didn’t want to marry anyone at this point, but she didn’t want to hurt her mother and father who just wanted the best for her.

She was stuck between a rock and a steel reinforced wall with accompanying cement floor and titanium ceiling. Basically she was screwed.

"Shh," Brady soothed. She was Mimi after all, little Mimi he had known forever.

She cried on him until she felt tired and standing wasn’t a comfortable position anymore. Brady offered to walk her home and she agreed without smartass commentary or depressed, pitiful nods. Her ‘yes’ was centered and that was good enough at the moment.

~*~

"Mimi, come here, dear. You have to see this," her mother smiled. She motioned her daughter over to the dining table and showed her a particular photo among the mass of others. Mimi looked down with slightly red eyes. After her nap she had felt better and the crying earlier seemed silly, especially in front of her ‘love’. He’d have a field day with his damn comments next time that he saw her.

Mimi looked at the picture and, in spite of her thoughts, gave a little smile. It was Brady and her; she had to be no more than seven and was obviously very annoyed in the photo. A blonde hair, blue eyed boy stared at the camera with an indigent glare and his arms folded over his chest. Behind him a brown hair girl didn’t think much of his attitude and she stuck her tongue at the boy to show it – behind his back of course.

"I remember that," Mimi said with a small laugh.

"We should use this for the wedding instead of the traditional wedding picture. What do you think?" Mrs. Lockhardt didn’t notice Mimi’s face had fallen until she turned to the girl over her shoulder.

"Mimi? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Mimi quickly put in. "I’m just . . ."

"Little nervous?" her mother asked with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, a little."

"I was the same way with your father. Didn’t know what to do with myself. He gave me a flower everyday for four months until we were married. Did I ever tell you that?"

Mimi nodded, and watched the fond look on her mother’s face.

"He couldn’t afford a flower shop so he would pick wild flowers or really any he could get and deliver them himself."

Why couldn’t she get that? She gets Mr. Jerk himself . . . even though he was nice earlier . . .

She didn’t want to think of it.

to be continued…