Baby Fat

forty-eight

Bradley shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't be reading the messages between Ophelia and his father. In fact, Bradley knows this.

Yet, his conscious isn't enough to stop him from reading the texts between the two. Sure, he feels bad about it. It should never make anyone feel good to read their fathers lovey-dovey texts with their mistress. It makes Bradley feel overwhelming nauseated.

It's not his fault that his father practically threatened him about the affair. It's definitely not his fault that he can't trust anybody because all people do is lie. So, why he feels so sickened by betraying his father's trust is a mystery to all. By now, Bradley should be able to be a crazy, psycho liar with no feelings whatsoever. But, shit never works out in his favor.

Searching his father's phone makes me feel dirty. But, his father is never going to tell him the truth. Graham is a master at deceit.

Growing up, Bradley had to realize two things. One, his mother was a grade A bitch. And Two, his father is right behind her. Graham likes to act like an angel. Nothing about him is anywhere near an angel.

To the cameras, Graham could've killed a guy but still been a god. The public saw him and Cassandra as this power couple. They had two children that they loved more than anything. The stories they told they told. They spun a web full of lies so extravagant, anyone who tried to get to the center would get stuck on the first layer.

Bradley could spend hours going through the texts and emails between Graham and Ophelia. Yet, it would be pointless. What is he trying to prove? That they've had an affair? That's already been discovered.

His father's texts indicate that he knows Ophelia is engaged, but he doesn't care. He still sleeps with her anyway. Not that he could say anything about it. It's like the pot calling the kettle black.

Then, Bradley remembers that Ophelia is pregnant. His father doesn't know. He definitely doesn't know. The last texts between the two are from a week ago. There's nothing indicating that he knows.

If the baby is his, would she tell him? Why would she? She's got Corrie's father wrapped around her finger. She's got one of the richest music producers so in love with her that he's willing to drop kick his own son out of the house rather than believe that she could cheat.

She's basically one the lottery. She's got two men sitting on different shoulders. One man is more than ready to get married. The other one is married and full of pride. However, both have money and both are desperate.

For a moment, Bradley's not sure if he wants to know anymore about them. His father's cheating on his mother. Enough said. His mother is cheating on his father. More than enough said.

And then Bradley's not sure why he's even mad at either one of them. It's not like he placed his parents relationship on a pedestal. He knew from a young age that his parents relationship wasn't like the other kid's. His parents could spend months only talking to one another when it was about business. "I love you" and pet names weren't said very often.

Plus, Bradley knows that they aren't good people. Their affairs just furthermore prove that.

For a few minutes, Bradley just holds Graham's phone in the middle of the kitchen in complete silence. He doesn't read anything, search for anything. He just holds the phone, realizing that his father left everything in plain sight. Almost like he didn't care if he got caught.

It takes Bradley a little while to figure out what he wants to know. The answers to all his questions were literally right in his hand. But, there's always bliss in ignorance, right?

He already knows that Graham's a cheating asshole. He already knows that Ophelia is pregnant and it could be his father's child. He already knows that Graham doesn't know. What more is there to find out? What does it matter if Ophelia was with Graham before she got engaged?

Would that change anything? No. It's not like Corrie's father would come running to Corrie and apologize for kicking him out. It's not like Graham would stop. Because he clearly doesn't care.

There's no point in finding out all this information with no endgame in mind. He still doesn't know if he wants to tell his mother that he knows about her affair. He should. He knows good and well he should.

Bradley forces himself to put the phone back where he found it. His hand visibly shakes while doing so.

It hurts. It hurts knowing that he could put his mind at ease. But, even if he did know all the answers, his pain would still be there. Answers don't always make people feel the way they want.

He wants to feel happy. He wants to feel less like a burden. But, knowing all about his fathers affair won't do that. He'll be stuck with all of that, no matter what he knows.

Bradley takes a deep breath. He looks around his kitchen and then back at his father's phone.

He has to physically move his body away from the kitchen counter. He moves by one of the many windows in his home.

He stares at the snow on the ground. He frowns deeply at the sight. He's tired of the gloom in Michigan. He misses Santa Monica more than he should. He misses France.

Coming home wasn't what he wanted. He doesn't even really remember why he came back. Oh, yeah, school. He's kept his grades up. From the far distance, everything looks fine. Up close, everyone can see the cracks.

Truthfully, Bradley could've spent years in France. His problems were literally miles away. He felt so loved. By everyone. People praised him for doing practically nothing, just being the child of Cassandra and Graham.

Bradley would do anything to feel that. Which makes him realize that he really couldn't blame Cassandra for her addiction to the fame. It's like a high. Everyone wants to know you, everyone wants to be you. It should be illegal, fame that is. The extreme lows that come with fame outweigh the highs.

But, Bradley knows that it's better than any narcotic. Feeling loved like that in big doses is far stronger than any kind drug that exists out there.

Because love is a lot more dangerous than drugs, isn't it?

__________

☒ - unedited

Questions of the chapter: Is being loved like a drug? Do you think Graham knows about the baby? Who's baby is it? Who's do you want it to be?

Please tell me if you see any mistakes, I'm the queen of typos.

I could really use some comments and votes if you guys wouldn't mind. Thank you! Predict what you think will happen!

Life update:
- inspiration still hasn't struck for this story. many are in the works, however.
- next update will hopefully be soon.

Notes:
- it's been rough lately, but i really do love everyone who still reads this story.

Thank you.

— dreamfloats