The Marriage Contest

Chapter 19: Strangers opinions.

Song for the chapter: "Clarity" by Zedd ft. Foxes.

A/N: This chapter is unedited. If you find any mistakes, please point them out for me and I'll go back to change it when I get a chance to. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

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It was late when Vanessa arrived at the front door of the Brady mansion. The dark blue eyes and graying hair of Harold Brady was first to greet Vanessa and his confusion was obvious. "Vanessa." He spoke softly; the word coming out as a question. "What are you doing here so late? AJ is alright if that's what you're worried about."

She nodded and smiled at her father. "I know he's okay with you and mom. I'm here for myself."

Harold opened the door and allowed Vanessa to walk through. "What's on your mind sweetie?"

Vanessa let Harold show her towards the sitting room and let her take a seat on the sofa. She sighed and fell on the cushion, letting her head fall on the fluffy pillow. She closed her eyes and just lay there, existing. "Vanessa." She hummed at her fathers' words but said nothing. "Talk to me. Did Jonah do something to you?"

She could hear the concern in her fathers' words and it forced a lump to weigh heavily in her throat. Tears pushed against her closed eyelids and as hard as she squished her eyes closed, it wasn't strong enough to stop a tear from falling down her left cheek. A shuddering breath slipped past her lips and Harold moved quickly to wrap her in his arms.

The barrier broke and soon Vanessa was sobbing loudly in her daddy's arms. "Ssh," Harold cooed. "What did Jonah do? Did he hurt you? I'll kill him, TV show or not."

A chuckle slipped between her sobs and Vanessa shook her head. "He didn't hurt me. He's done nothing wrong."

"Then what's the problem?" Harold asked.

Vanessa moved out of her father's arms and looked at him through her blurry vision. "He's too good to be true."

"No such thing." Harold smiled.

She nodded, "There is. He's so sweet dad. No matter how hard I push him away, he stays by me and he pushes back with kindness."

"I think you're missing a piece in this story Nessa. Why is it such a bad thing that Jonah is a good guy?"

"I don't know!" She wailed in frustration, throwing her arms up and her head back. "I've never met someone like him and it scares me. I don't know what to think of him."

Harold smiled sympathetically at Vanessa and continued to run his hand up and down her back. "What exactly are you feeling right now sweetie?"

Vanessa groaned and buried her head in her hands. "I don't know. I feel like I'm the worst person to live for doing what I've been doing to Jonah. I keep pushing him away and I can't stop. I can see it hurts him." Vanessa turned around in her seat and faced her father. "Do you know he said he feels he's falling in love with me? He told me before we went on our family day today. I was happy when I heard the words but I was terrified. All I kept thinking was that we were moving too fast and then Cole shows up today and now I'm not sure what I feel anymore. It's all too much daddy. I can't handle it anymore."

She broke into tears and Harold grabbed her quickly. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her until she cried herself to sleep. When her body has stopped shaking and her tears had dried to crusts, Harold moved his daughter so that she lay comfortable on the sofa. He left to find a blanket and then tucked her small frame in, something he hadn't done in years.

With a gentle kiss to her forehead, Harold left Vanessa alone to sleep.

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