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| Scene Title | This Time It's Really Over |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Sometimes even the past needs to be released no matter how present it can feel. |
| Date | December 20, 2010 |
Just Outside Brooklyn
“Brad— soooo our sources tell us you rented the private room tonight~” Regina Phlanage virtually sings. The bubbly blonde tabloid ‘reporter’ traipses after a suited Bradley Cooper with her camera man in tow. “Who’s the girl? You know all of those ladies out there are desperate for some of that grand ‘ole heartbreaker spirit~ We misssssed you~”
Russo smoothes his Davignon suit jacket and merely shakes his head, “I don’t think I’m much of a heartbreaker,” he winks as he speed walks towards the restaurant, but not quite fast enough to put distance between him and the reporter.
“Oooooo! So there is a lady~ Is it your lovely producer Kristen Reynolds?” Regina picks up the pace to catch the host before he disappears in the French Bistro.
“Hey, hey, hey— “ Brad actually turns to face the reporter and her cameraman now. “K is a wonderful woman and she’ll end up with a much stronger, kinder, wiser, tempered, smarter, feministic man than I.” That said, he gives the pair a slight nod of his head, a pseudo-bow before he cuts back into the restaurant.
Four and a Half Years Ago
Even with open eyes, Brad can’t see a thing thanks to the dark black blindfold tied tightly around them. The large toothy grin, complete with deeply cratered dimples, can’t be removed from his face, even if he wanted it to be. “Where are we?” he asks the woman leading him around.
“Somewhere awesome~” the female voice virtually sings as she tugs on his hand, laying it on the chair he’s apparently to sit on. “Sit~ Pleeeeease~” And after he complies the blindfold is removed.
Nearly immediately, Brad opens those pale blue eyes and allows them to scan the small private room his redheaded girlfriend had reserved for the pair of them at Le Petit—a small, under-regarded French Bistro just outside Brooklyn. The walls are stained darkly, and complete with mahogany paneling that reflects the light from each surface to the next. The table is small, built for two.
Russo opens his mouth to speak only to shut it again which brings a delighted squeal to Karolina’s lips. “Eeeeee! I knew you’d like it! You’re so snotty sometimes, Bradley~ And when I told them I was with you they even let me in— nothing like dining with the riffraff~.” She grins brightly as she shuffles into her seat.
In a lot of ways, the couple is quite underdressed for this place: both in jeans and t-shirts. Both with their elbows on the table. She’d said they were going on a hike. As usual, Karolina had lied.
And then, in that moment, unexpectedly, Brad reaches out to grasp her hand, his eyes searching hers for any sign, any indication that this is a bad idea, and he manages the words, “Lina… will you marry me?” There had been no plan, no grand thought, just the reality of a perfect moment, content and untouched in so many ways. This isn’t what he’d planned, it’s not what he’d put work into, but sometimes a person can’t choose a moment; a moment chooses a person. And this moment chose Karolina Wills an opportunity to become Missus Bradley Russo.
Four and a half years later
The bistro hadn’t changed much since then. Though the merriment and joy of the place had become worn with use. Extraordinarily it still exists as a whole complete self, an entity apart within Brad’s memory, something akin to the woman he’d ask to marry him here: his Lina. His person. And, in essence, in this place he sits alone, staring at the picture of his beautiful redheaded now-dead bride-to-be leaning against the water glass.
“I promised you something,” Brad whispers quietly to the picture before his head shakes. “No. I promised you everything. And now you’re gone. I know you asked me— I remember what you asked me. It’s not fair. You knew then, didn’t you? You always knew. You always saw through the little facades and stories I’d tell and realize it had always been the timing with us. That somehow we couldn’t get our shit together at the same place or same time. We missed each other.” Murmuring he quips back to the photo, “We’re still missing each other.”
Swallowing hard he shakes his head, “You shouldn’t have asked me that. If you’d known you’d die so soon after you’d asked you never would’ve asked me that. As much as I love you, you can be a real bitch sometimes, Lina.” He sighs heavily, “You knew I’d been teasing about Martin. It was a joke. A game. If I died, there’s no way I would’ve had an issue with you pairing off with your forever best friend. And you knew that.”
His eyes close as his fingers reach out to grasp the water glass in front of him, the memory becoming more salient.
Four Years and Eight Months Ago
“Soooo~ I have Robert Downey Junior, Daniel Radcliffe— when he comes of age… just you wait, he’ll be a total hottie, and Leslie Nielsen on my list— “ Karolina lays on the couch, her legs askance to Brad’s lap as she reads through her list of ‘wants’.
“Ew. Seriously? Leslie Nielsen? That’s… officially the wedding’s off!” Brad teases as he reaches out and bops her nose. “That’s just gross, Lina. Don’t… ew. I can’t believe you’d want to… just ew.” He shakes his head as he flips his list over. “So… my ‘do not wants’ for you are… Martin. Although I’m pretty sure he’s gay.” His nose wrinkles in a cutesy way. “Leslie Neilsen because… ew. And… I think that’s all.” He shoots her a half-smile, “Who did you write down for me?”
Lina bats her red eyelashes expectantly like somehow the action will sweeten her words. “Oh! I only have one! If I die… you may certainly NOT have a relationship with Kristen Reynolds.” Her eyes narrow expectantly with some vague accusation that never really gets made. Until Russo asserted its existence.
The fight lasted an hour. It never got resolved.
Four Years and Eight Months Later
“You had a problem with any woman who looked at my sideways. Lina, my dear, you have, essentially, screwed me over for life. In more ways than one. I can’t even imagine— “ he holds out a hand. “You would hate this plan. I know you’d hate this plan.”
Again the water glass is brought to his lips, that fluid allowed to linger in the cavern of his mouth. “They asked about you today. Mind, they didn’t know they were asking about you. But you never liked the attention, did you?”
He finally sets the water glass back down on the table. “What you did was mean. It was heartless. I think of those words any time we have a moment.” Clearing his throat though, his eyebrows knit together, “I… I can’t do this anymore. You and I. K knows I can’t. She called me out and not because she’s jealous or anything… but because she actually cares about me.”
Russo presses his lips together into a solid line, the breath in his lungs released slowly such that it doesn’t make a sound.
“I’m breaking up with you. I love you. I always will. But now? Now we’re over. You don’t get to run my life anymore. I hope heaven treats you well.”
- Awesome Pic above was made by Delia! <3 <3