Rumor Has It

Part 12

The whole dinner left Bradley with mixed feelings. He was brimming with energy about his own ideas, but Stefani had blocked off every inquiry about her work, no matter how he had put it.

He assumed that she was very private about her own projects and didn't trust him in that way. Or maybe there was nobody she trusted with it, for that matter.

It was always easy to circle back to the kids and she would light up again to tell him stories she probably was not able to tell anyone else. He found himself hung up on how gorgeous she looked when she was excited about something and it made him smile as well.

But he didn't manage to ask her if she would even consider being part of their film. Bradley kept hearing Todd's voice, reminding him that they didn't have a budget or a solid plan and if he had learned one thing about how Stefani worked, it was that she was planning things years in advance. 

She seemed to work so much it seemed impossible to fit everything into only one life. He really wasn't used to keeping up much with music at all and before his divorce, Irina had usually been the one more interested. Now he felt like he should be, if only to understand Stefani's life better and then, maybe next time he'd be asking the right questions.

She breathed out a curse when there was an obvious small wave of flashes going off as they left the restaurant. Bradley had no idea how any paparazzi could have known they would be here but it was difficult not to feel upset at the scene and at how rigid she suddenly went beside him.

"Just walk." Stefani mumbled and promptly started marching towards the car. He was tempted to put his arm around her to shield her off but quickly abandoned the idea or they would only feed the busy rumor mills by touching at all.

The way to the parking spot was short but he was shocked at how close they would come into their space. Someone was right beside him suddenly, asking if his plan was to swoop in to save her faltering career and he failed to even wrap his head around this idea, channeling every bit of discipline he had left in him.

He thanked God they didn't have Lea with them in this situation and he couldn't imagine getting her involved in a life like this. Having intrusive people taking photos from a distance was one thing. He was used to film sets being watched and pictures of him in costume finding their way online but nobody took a huge interest in where he went for dinner or what he was doing on his own time.

The car door shut with a thud and suddenly all the noises had quieted down. They sat in silence for a moment and he felt the need to fill it. Bradley turned on the radio and was able to take a deep breath when Blue Moon started playing. Stefani bit her lip as if to hold back a comment and only took the sunglasses off when he pulled out of the parking space.

"They're not going to follow us, are they?" He asked, turning around to look out the rear window.

"No. Maybe I should've taken my own car or we should've met here. Sorry, I didn't think of it." She said and ran her hand over her forehead, rubbing her temples.

"Don't worry." He put on a light-hearted tone. "We agreed not to care if they talk, so just let them talk. Everyone knows whatever they write is a joke and most of it is made up anyway."

Maybe they should have taken someone from her security with them and he did not like that thought at all either, someone else shadowing them the entire time. But if any of them had gotten too close, there wouldn't have been much he'd be able to do. This was a different level of fame and it did not look like one he wanted for himself.

*

Bradley had enjoyed the quiet week but by the time Irina was going to bring Lea back, he was already missing the girl too. He had managed to meet with Todd again and brought a few first things down on paper, so it wasn't only daydreaming anymore. They had agreed to put together a first draft for a script and that gave him a concrete task to work on. It only made it feel more real.

On Sunday evening, he was in his office working on just that when he heard the doorbell. They were really on time.

"Hi Daddy!"

Lea jumped into his arms immediately. He gently pried this daughter of him, kissing her cheek. He smiled softly at her while she was proudly showing off the elaborate braid her mother had put her hair in. She was about to tell him something more, but Charlie had picked up on the commotion. The excitement was contagious to him and the dog was already jumping on her when she had barely stepped into the house. She immediately dropped her backpack on the floor and ran off with him, as if she had lost interest in Bradley already. He was used to it.

"Did you have a good week with her?" He asked his ex-wife, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Yes, it was great to have her around again." Irina looked worried when she came closer, her car keys jingling in her hand and ready to go.

"I saw you went out with her again."

"Are you checking up on me?" He asked in an irritated, quiet tone. "We can both do what we want in our private lives. You can't drag Lea into this now, she wasn't even here."

His ex-wife crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed in annoyance.

"She's not good company. And into drugs or something as well, who knows." She scolded, anger dripping from every syllable.

"You're making it sound like I'm making friends at a crack den instead of a mansion in Malibu."

"Who knows what's going on in the back? How much do you really know about her? I've heard so much about those...those antics for attention."

Bradley sighed and shook his head, trying to hide the amused smile threatening to form on his face.

"Why are you so upset about this? I'm keeping Lea safe and I'm talking to Ste...Gaga about work. You have hundreds of contacts for your jobs, too."

She looked down at the ground as she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Sorry. I only care about Lea." She said weakly. "And about you."

That soft voice was one he hadn't heard in a long time, it held a sort of sadness and resignation mixed within. It was a memory he had almost left behind.

"Is everything alright? Did anything happen during the week?" Bradley asked, looking over at Lea who was thankfully still out of earshot and following Charlie outside into the garden.

"No." Irina shook her head, her shoulders falling low. "Everything went well. She insists mermaids are real at the moment. Just so you know. And she even ate peas, I don't know how you did that. The last time she was with me she wouldn't eat anything but chicken nuggets."

"Me neither." He admitted and gestured towards the car. "Let's get her things from the car together. Do you want anything to drink before you go?"

He thought the good-bye between her and Lea would be a little easier if it wasn't so abrupt and extending a peace offering seemed like the only right thing to do. It would without a doubt be better than fighting and one of them leaving in a huff as per usual.