Maybe It's Time

JUNE, 2003 - PART TWO

Hello guys! First of all, sorry I didn't update. End of the year, things are crazy here. I didn't even had time to answer all the comments. By the way, thank you so much for being so sweet, for all the views, comments and likes.

It is short and it is not the best chapter, and I am already working on the next. I promise I will try to update before January. Merry Christmas to you all. XX

Stefani's POV

My first time with Brad was great, but the second was even better. It was impossible not falling for him everyday. In the next morning, we finally had the chance to talk. I am always the one who get to sleep right after sex.

We decided he would talk to my parents and we would make it all oficial, although he was concerned. Bradley wanted to believe my parents would think he was not enough for me. That was not true. Mom was being all protective, while dad was cool about it. Mom and dad had a different relationship. In a time men used to give the final word, they always took all the decisions together, specially about me and Natali. My mom was very strict to Natali and I, specially to me who was the older one.

My father used to be the cool dad. All my friends liked him. Every time dad took Brad to teach him how to play baseball, he took me with them. Later he did the same with Nat. Not that my mom was the the worst, she was a lovely person. She just wanted to protect us against everything.

When I got home, they were still sleeping. I wanted to spend more time with Brad but I didn't want my parents to know I left that night. I took a quick shower and it was impossible not thinking about the last night. It was like I needed to do that again, feeling myself in his arms, touching his skin.

I walked back to my room and sit on my desk to check my emails. I was singing a random song when I heard footsteps. I stopped everything when I saw mom walking inside my room.

"Good morning, honey"

"Hey, mom!"

"How are you doing?"

"I am fine".

"After running away in the middle of the night..." I blushed, waiting for the worst. "I bet you are".

"Sorry, mom!"

"I am not mad at you, don't worry!"

"No?"

"Oh no, Stef. I was your age once... I know the feeling. All the hormones, the passion... I won't judge you or anything".

"Why did you change your mind?"

"Because all I want is you to be happy. It seems you really like him". She shrugged. "I actually approve it. I just hope it won't hurt you if something happen later... You know what I mean...Oh my God, my baby is not a baby anymore". She hugged me tight and kissed my cheek.

"Stop that, mom... Jesus! By the way..." I walked away from her. "He is coming tonight, ok?"

"Sure, no problem! Finally you decided to tell us what we already knew". Her laugh was sarcastic.

"Are we that predictable?"

"Oh no, Stefani! You were going out in the middle of the night every weekend. You really thought I'd not notice? I said nothing because I didn't want to start arguments and be the bitchy mom..." She made a pause. "Let me ask... You taking care of yourself, right?"

"I am, mom. I'm on pills. But... We didn't do anything in the past months". She looked at me surprised but didn't say a word about it.

"Well, keep taking care of yourself".

"I will, mom..."

Mom left me alone and I could not believe she was fine about all that story. At least it would not be so awkward during the dinner. Actually, it was not awkward at all. Maybe in the first 10 minutes. Bradley was family. We had fun, talked all night long. Mom and dad didn't even make embarrassing comments.

Bradley's POV

When I went to Stefani's house I was really nervous. I wanted to vomit in the moment I knocked on their door. They were both fine and sweet to me. Cynthia treated me exactly in the way she always did. Joe was being really nice as well, specially after drinking wine.

After some glasses of wine, Joe decided that he wanted to listen to an album he had on his office. Cynthia asked Stefani to go with him, since he was high and he would never find it alone. Natali was already in bed, so I stayed alone with my mother-in-law. She looked at me and smiled. I was not sure if it was a sincere smile. For the first time in the night I thought I was going to be killed. It was even comic.

"So..." She took a sip of that red wine. I was just drinking some water. "How's everything in New York?"

"Awesome. I love it there!"

"Stefani is planning to go there... You know that".

"I do. I think it would be good for her".

"If she ever goes... Please, take care of her".

"Of course I will do it".

"Stefani can be persuaded easily. I don't want her to get in any trouble. Specially in a big city like that. The career she wants for her life also might attract wrong people to her life".

"I won't let anyone do anything to her. She is a smart girl".

"I know she is... But she is also very sensitive and sometimes she doesn't see the danger". She looked me right in the eye. "You are an older boy, Bradley. You know more about life. If I ever see Stefani crying because you did something wrong to her... You can be sure you'll have an enemy for the rest of your life".

"I will never do anything bad to her. Stefani is really important to me. She is a special person".
"Yeah, I know that". She nodded in agreement but we got interrupted by Joe. He was singing happily and didn't notice things were awkward between me and Cynthia. Stefani came right behind him. They didn't find the album. Stefani also didn't notice anything.

I ended up sleeping there. Nothing happened that night, although Stefani tried. I was not really comfortable doing that while her parents were there and still awake. I would feel like Cynthia would be watching us.

In that night, Stefani decided to sing one of her songs to me. It was nice to listen to her. I felt peaceful. She could not look at me while doing it. Stefani was still to shy and insecure. Later, I tried to sleep at the same time as Stefani, but I got thinking about what Cynthia told me earlier while I watched Stefani sleeping. She looked even prettier that night. Nothing would happen to her, not while I was there for her.