Just Bent

Hadley checked in the mirror again as she glanced over her outfit. In a soft yellow sundress and brown, strappy, leather wedges, she’d be a little bit taller than her regular five-foot-six. Her long dark hair had a soft wave to it and she had brushed a bit of pastel pink lipstick on.

Claude was taking her out in their first date that night and it was going to be a warm evening in Philadelphia. She wasn’t sure of his plans for the evening, but she was excited. It had been three days since their night in the hot tub and thinking back on the way she kissed Claude, her cheeks blushed red. She was by no means a forward woman, but something came over her when he confessed his feelings for her that night in the Jacuzzi.

Her intercom buzzed and the interjection of noise made her practically jump out of her skin. She spritzed her perfume before opening up her front door to Claude who looked like an ad for a gym in dark denim and a charcoal colored v-neck, a silver watch on his wrist.

“Hadley,” he smiled, “these are for you.” He revealed a bouquet of pink roses from behind his back.

“Oh Claude, these are beautiful.” She gushed, bringing the bouquet up to her nose and inhaling deeply. Pink roses were her favorite flower. “Let me put these in a vase.” She turned, walking back into the kitchen and reaching for the one vase she owned above her fridge. He watched her quickly fill the crystal container with water before taking the flowers out of the wrapping and placing them in the water. “All ready?” She asked, turning back to face him.

“Yes, you look beautiful.” He said, taking her hand in his and taking a look at her.

“Thanks, Claude, you look pretty nice yourself.” She said. Claude was pretty convinced he looked like garbage next to her. He hoped the heat that crawled up his neck wasn’t visible. He held her hand down through the elevator and out the front door to wait his Camaro was waiting. He held her door open, eyes traveling up her smooth, tan legs to where they disappeared up her yellow skirt.

“Where are we going?” She asked, crossing her legs as he pulled away from the curb. Claude gripped the steering wheel a little tighter when her perfume wafted and curled around him.

“There’s this awesome pizza and pasta place a few blocks away from Danny’s house just outside of Exton.” Claude explained, “then I have another place lined up for dessert.” He added.

“Oh, pizza sounds so good.” She smiled. Hadley had been having a lazy Saturday, hanging out in her sweatpants and eating Luna bars and applesauce all day while watching the first season of Parks and Recreation. The first time she had gotten out of bed all day was to shower for their date that night.

They rolled up to the restaurant and Hadley had to keep herself from skipping inside. She and Claude stood at the front counter, scanning over their options and Hadley ignored the vibrating iPhone in her little white wristlet.

“Let’s build one.” She instigated. “Starting with… sausage.”

“And pepperoni.” He added.

“And onions.” Claude looked down at his date with a crinkle of his nose.

“What?” Her big brown eyes looked up at him innocently.

“So I will not be kissing you goodnight later.” He pointed out, grinning as she bumped into him with her shoulder.

“I have gum in my purse.” She grinned, not breaking her stare at the board as she could feel his eyes on her. They ordered their pizza and sat down at a booth near the front window, watching as people walked by. The pizza place was nestled between a few small shops that drew in a few stragglers that night.

“So how’s work?” Claude asked. Hadley took a long drink of her Sprite.

“I’m kind of mixed up right now.” She sighed, “I thought maybe I’d look somewhere else to work, but I picked up some information about a certificate program for social work that they offer at Temple and I think about it just about every night before I fall asleep.” She finished.

“That sounds great, Had, you should check it out.” Claude was surprised at her admission. To be frank, he wasn’t even sure exactly what she studied at school in Pitt, but he knew that social work would be a good fit for her. He also worried about the kind of people she could be in contact with in a career like social work. “What kind of department would you be interested in?” He asked.

“I’m not sure, I think maybe children’s social work or become like an advocate for a high school or something. I want to help out kids that may not think they’re able to ask for help.” She blushed, “become the person I needed when I was in their shoes.” She explained. Claude took her hand across the tabletop and gave her a warm smile.

“I think you would be excellent at that, Hadley.” He encouraged.

“It’s just, the certificate program leads into a masters and that’s such a long commitment and so much money, plus I’d have to be working full time, so it would take me twice as long to finish and I just… I just don’t have the option to take out that much money in loans. I’m even the co-signer on Danny’s loans, so I’m paying mine back right now and taking out more for him. I think the realistic route for me is to find a new job, more in my field of study with my degree, then maybe I can get my masters a few years down the road.” She finished. Claude was exhausted just thinking about it.

“I really missed out by skipping out on college.” He grinned, making her giggle.

“Oh yes, you totally missed out.” She rolled her eyes. “All the parties and football games and concerts…” She trailed. “Wow, I never should have graduated.” She pouted.

“You went to parties?” Claude raised an eyebrow.

“Well, if you were going to talk to my roommates, you would know that I had a nickname in college – I was a pretty hard partier when I wanted to be.” She grinned as a young teen set their pizza down in front of them.

“And what your nickname?” Claude asked, very intrigued at that point.

“Oh Claude, I can’t give away all my secrets on the first date.” She laughed, taking a slice of pizza in hand. “Always keep ‘em wanting more.”

- - -

“What are we doing at Danny’s house?” Hadley asked as Claude’s Camaro pulled up to a stop in front of the home she had been to a few times before. Danny had asked her a few times to watch his three sons on occasion over long weekends.

“Dessert of course.” Claude grinned, walking around to the side of the car and opening her door for her. Hadley followed him into the house, giggling upon seeing Danny as he revealed a sundae bar to her like a new car on Wheel of Fortune.

“Welcome, love birds.” Danny greeted. Hadley laughed as he hugged her tightly. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather ditch the Ginger and date me? I will take you to romantic destinations like high school soccer games and the exquisite city of Columbus, Ohio.” Danny purred, laying his accent on thick. Claude rolled his eyes as he scooped two bowls of vanilla in time for a small herd of feet to come thundering down the stairs.

“Claude!” Cameron Briere was a blur as he jumped on the Flyer’s captain.

“K cool, thanks, Cam.” Hadley feigned annoyance, breaking her veil with a giggle as the youngest Briere gave her a hug as well.

“How’s your da-ate?” Cameron teased, causing Claude to reach over and ruffle his hair.

“Meh.” Hadley shrugged her shoulders as she loaded up her ice cream with peanuts, marachino cherries and whip cream. She looked up to Claude who was watching her intently and she couldn’t help but grin at his expression.

“I mean you are on a date in our kitchen.” Carson pointed out, drenching his bowl in butterscotch sauce.

“Well where would you take a date, huh?” Hadley asked as she pulled out an island chair beside Claude and stuck her spoon into her bowl of ice cream.

“Laser tag, sushi, probably a movie, too.” Carson explained. Cameron crinkled his nose with a giggle at his older brother.

“So it’s going to be like a 10 hour date, then?” Claude asked.

“Well obviously if I like the girl, I’m going to want to spend a lot of my time with her.” He said in a matter-of-fact way.

“You’d be a good date, Carson.” Hadley smiled. “How about you Cam?” She asked as Caelan looked into the kitchen from the archway next to his father who hadn’t decided on whether or not he wanted a sundae as well.

“I would make her take me to Six Flags.” He grinned.

“She’s a date, Cam, not your Mom.” Claude laughed.

“So? She better like rollercoasters if she’s going to be my girlfriend.” He informed. “We’d go to Six Flags and then go down to au bon pain and get some dessert and hot chocolate.” He grinned. “Is Hadley going to be your girlfriend?” He asked, taking a big bite of ice cream. Claude blushed and looked over at his date as she popped a cherry into her mouth.

“No way, boys have cooties.” She shook her head. Claude rolled his eyes as all of the Briere men laughed at her response.

“I have The Mist and Trouble With the Curve,” Danny held up two Redbox rentals in his hand.

“Danny, let me make you a sundae.” She smiled, scooping out another bowl of vanilla.

“I’ll set up the movie.” Claude took the two movies from his teammate before disappearing to the family room. The older Frenchman approached his teammate’s date.

“So how’s it going?” He asked with a secret smile as she spooned peanuts over his ice cream and he picked up the chocolate sauce.

“He’s pretty charming, but that was to be expected.” Hadley smiled. “But we’ve had fun, it’s nice to kind of get him away from Brayden and Sean and all of them for once.” She explained.

“He’s been asking me about tonight for a while now, take it easy on the boy, huh?” He asked. “He cares about you a lot, you know.” He added.

“He’s a really sweet guy, I think a lot of people would be surprised by that.” She whispered as she could see a few of Danny’s sons roughhousing with him on the couch.

“I think people mistake his quietness for being… what’s the word…” He trailed.

“Like he’s too good?” She suggested, to which Danny nodded.

“They think that someone of his status and caliber in the city could be shy or quiet.” He added.

“Which is silly if they’ve ever met you.” She grinned, tucking a curl of black hair behind his ear. The older teammate blushed, knowing that he himself was a very quiet guy. “But you’re right, Claude is too sweet, maybe for his own good.” She added. “He’s been a perfect gentleman.” She finished.

“Would you like some ice cream with those cherries?” He asked, watching as she unloaded almost the rest of the little glass jar into her bowl. She giggled and handed him his completed sundae before following him into the family room.

Hadley piled into the couch next to Claude where the opening credits for The Mist played. Cameron sat beside her, facing she and Claude as he rest his feet on her lap. She tossed a blanket over them and leaned her head against Claude’s shoulder. The redhead looked down at his date and smiled as she absentmindedly stroked her hand over Cameron’s feet.

Hadley had always been taking care of someone else. It was time someone finally took care of her.