He was always incredibly proud of her. It went without saying. She was easily the most talented person he'd ever met, the kindest, the most passionate. The bravest. There were times he was in such awe of her, that he could hardly believe that his girlfriend was one of the most influential and acclaimed people in the world.
Although now he could fully comprehend everything that came with being Lady Gaga, all of the pressures and the demands, to him, she was Stefani. Stefani, who made cookies with Lea, who liked to surprise him with his favorite meal, who cried over commercials. It wasn't a naviety on his part but rather the simple thought; to the world, she might've been larger than life, an almost surreal entity, but to him, she was just the love of his life.
If there was more good to take out of losing their baby, it also had to include how gracefully she navigated everything. As with him, therapy was a big part of it and she refused to shy away from speaking about the experience to friends, to their families. They'd even toyed with the notion of going public, knowing early miscarriage carried an enormous stigma for so many people. In the end, it was decided that for the time being, to keep their loss within their own personal circle, to keep it close.
It was healing to be able to speak freely, to lay emotions out on the table, for the both of them, and he watched her make her way through rehearsals, sometimes in tears, unapologetically take a few minutes, and come back with the grit and the fire of a prizefighter.
"That's our girl," Bo jutted her head toward the stage, a fleeting hand on his back as they watched dress rehearsal for The Grammys on a chilly Saturday afternoon. "She's always been a fighter. As long as I've known her."
"She's amazing," Bradley agreed quietly, leaning foward in his seat. "I love watching her do what she loves the most."
"Me too. And don't get me wrong, she loves making music and performing but when it comes down to it, she loves you and your daughter the most. I haven't seen her this happy in a really long time. Even after losing Cara, I don't have to worry about her as much. I'll always worry because I love her to death but I know that she has you and you'll get through it together."
Bo's words were matter of fact but he heard the relief in them, the warmth.
"Thank you for being there for her, too," he made sure to tell her. "You're an incredible friend to her. And the way you've stepped in to help us with the restaurant..." He trailed off, his voice betraying emotion, "I don't know where we'd be without you, honestly. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know."
Bo smiled, squeezing the cap of his shoulder gently. "Just do me a favor and enjoy it, okay? Everyone wants their place to be a successful five star and I get that but it's nothing if you don't love what you're doing. This is your dream, Bradley. Take a step back and just...enjoy it."
He knew she was right, though it was difficult to relax when there was still so much to be done. The weekend was all about Stefani and he planned to spoil her as she deserved.
After the rehearsal, they'd gone home so that she could shower and while she was doing just that, he was waiting on their bed, having packed a small bag.
"Hey," she greeted, towel drying her hair. "You holding up okay? I know it probably wasn't your idea of a good time spending your day watching me rehearse."
Bradley took her hand, leading her to sit. "Are you kidding me? Watching you up there was incredible. Always is."
Her relief was evident as she sat next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It felt good to focus on something else. And then the guilt came...I know how stupid it sounds but when I don't think of her, when I'm busy or whatever, I don't know..." she glanced down at her hands, "it's like I've forgotten about her."
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FanfictionBradley is a highly regarded (and grossly underappreciated) chef at one of Los Angeles's hottest restaurants and a single father, just trying to give his daughter everything. Lady Gaga seemingly has it all, except the love she so desperately wants...