Rumor Has It

Part 33

A few members of Stefani's team stuck around for the pizza they got for dinner and the atmosphere was loose, busy and calming instead of the stress it always posed when he was invited to casual dinners with friends where he didn't know everyone. The fact that he was himself, with his name and his recognizable face, didn't draw any particular attention, no matter if he'd seen people before or not.

Stefani didn't easily let people into this bubble and her putting trust in him meant that nobody batted an eye at Bradley being just another part of this circle.

Lea was turning into her usual whirlwind self when there were a lot of people around. Bradley didn't know why he had even considered asking about games or toys when they could literally occupy themselves by running circles around the couch. Hopefully this meant that the kids would both be tired enough to sleep tonight.

It was late when Ashley said her goodbye, the last person to stick around even though it was her evening off. She had offered twice to drop him off at home, assuming he was there for convenience. Stefani waved her idea off and from then on, it was clear that there were more people than he thought looking out for her and they didn't only do it as their jobs.

Ashley dragged her up the stairs when he was busy with a crying Lea after a finger had inevitably gotten stuck in a door. But whatever their talk had included, it didn't have much of an effect on Stefani. Had he done or said anything that would make Ashley uncomfortable? He couldn't recall, they were always friendly and civil with each other, but she barely looked at him before she left the house today. Although everyone had been very welcoming, Bradley was left feeling like he needed to prove himself. Prove that he wasn't going to be the same as whoever was there before him.

*

Lea yawned loudly when she got comfortable on the couch next to him and they drew up an episode of Arthur as a compromise to the horror movie Emily had seen an ad for.

"This is half an hour, then you two are getting ready for bed, okay?"

The mumbles he got in return weren't even close to "okay". Stefani was half-dozing and looking unusually pale, as if something had completely knocked the wind out of her after dinner, and she was not going to be the one supporting him in the opposition right now.

"Are you alright?"

She pulled a blanket tighter around herself and blinked up at him. "Yeah. Sorry."

As soon as Bradley leaned back beside her, Emily climbed in between them and pulled Stefani's arm around herself. She kept watching him every time he moved, a disapproving stare whenever he accidentally touched her mother, even when it was only a brush against her shoulder. This kid absolutely suspected that something had changed or she was aware that it could.

They hushed whispers to themselves continuously, throughout the entire show and Bradley tried his best not to listen too hard for what they were saying.

"One more thing...Mom, I have a secret."

Small fingers tugged on her hair and Stefani swallowed a curse that almost escaped before she broke into a laugh. "Ow, honey, no...hands, gentle hands...oh God, I haven't had to say that in years."

He had seen her smile on stage, after hugging her friends and after kissing him, but she had never glowed like this when her daughter had whispered some secret right into her ear, like the fatigue was swept away for a little.

But when getting the kids ready for bed, Emily was buzzing with even more energy than normal and Bradley couldn't see her settling back down at all. "Mom, is Angie coming tomorrow? I need to show her something."