Halo Two - Five Ch. 01

We had been back on the machines a good ten minutes when she started again.

"See. If you had said "ass" then we wouldn't be gossip material for the gym instructors for the day."

"This is me not listening to you, Brooke."

She had one of those pregnant pause moments before her hand went to the front of the treadmill and her speed lowered to a walk.

"My name is Brooke, and yet when you say it it doesn't sound like my name."

I slowed my machine down and then off. My hand went to hers and she stepped off hers as well. One of the gym personnel came over to see if we needed anything, so I pointed to the sauna and asked if it could be "out of use" for half an hour. She tried to hide a smirk, but I just couldn't be bothered to set her straight.

One of the other gym people met us halfway there, handed us towels and placed the "Out of Order" sign on the door. I opened it and pushed Brooke in.

"Strip and go sit over there."

She did that O thing with her mouth once again. I just looked at her for a moment before saying, "Really? You were buck naked in my room all night, and NOW you're freaking out?"

She had already kicked off her sneakers, and her socks were next. I matched her as best I could, but still found my eyes wandering over that body of hers. Even I had to admit to wondering if there was a female version of the word "buff." I had been so out of practice with women since my wife had died, yet here I was ordering a naked one around. Brooke grabbed her towel and sat with her legs up on the seat, looking at me. Thank goodness she had her legs crossed so I could concentrate on her face.

"Now, let's get something straight. Your name is Brooke Madison Armstrong. That is the core you; that is who you grew up as, and still are now. That changed for a brief day when you had to be Kitten. Again, HAD to be."

She seemed to take in everything I said, but I could see that one question hovering behind her eyes would soon come out.

"So why are we naked?"

I didn't get a chance to hide my smile, and thankfully she joined in.

"Because you seem to pay attention better this way."

My hand went out to her and she watched it for a moment before she shook it.

"My name is Rick Chalmers, father of two daughters, and I'm pleased to meet you."

A thoughtful crease came to her brow, but she shook hands with me anyway.

"I am Halo Two-Five out there, Brooke. It doesn't interfere with my family because I won't allow my daughters to know what I do. At some point in their lives they will realize something is missing, like a nine to five job, and until then I will be Halo Two-Five. Once that realization comes to them, and they find the courage to ask me, my life changes and Halo will cease to exist."

Brooke still seemed to be thinking about what I had said. It was perhaps time to try again.

"I'm going to try and arrange something for this week. I want you to meet some people. Be honest with them, and they will be with you."

"Something along the lines of what you set up before I went all bitch on you back at the ranch house?"

She caught me smiling again, and I nodded my head, then stood and held out my hand. It confused her for a moment, but she grasped it and I helped her off the seat. It wasn't a race getting dressed again. The gym assistant got her towels back and Brooke and I went to our room. Even after we showered and started to dress again I still had to broach a subject with her, and wasn't sure how to start.

"Brooke... I..."

When she looked up at me she knew. I don't know how, but she did.

"It's OK. You're here with family, and I'm still the damaged woman."

She was smiling when she said that, so I wasn't going to take her to task over it. But she was right about her being here complicating my life. How was I going to explain who she was? The questions from Max and Beth would have brought both my lives once again into the spotlight. I met my girls for breakfast, and spotted Brooke about half an hour later sitting alone at a corner table.

When I suggested a picnic at one of the parks, both my girls inhaled what was left of breakfast, and their grandparents went off to get them ready while I went to talk to the hotel management. Thankfully they got a basket together for us while I made a phone call to Brooke's mother.

She answered on the third ring. "Good morning, Mr. Chalmers. I trust my little surprise went well last night? I'm told that you even shared a moment in the sauna this morning as well."

The pause allowed her to laugh at my hesitation. For the next ten minutes we talked, and I refused to grab hold of the bait she would drop into the conversation as we did. Finally admitting defeat, the mother in her came out and she listened to what I wanted her to arrange for me. Although she could see the benefit, she had to admit that it would take a couple of days to organize, even for her.

"And just how am I supposed to keep your daughter at arm's length for that long?"

That laugh of hers filled my ear. "I'm told the distance between your beds is three feet, Mr. Chalmers. Perhaps if you both wore pajamas at night those three feet might even remain enough."

The click on my phone seemed to be the end of that conversation. The urge to look around to see what hotel camera she was watching me on was almost overwhelming. Yet the strangest thing was that I still liked her, despite anything said in any of our conversations. She would often prove to me she knew more than she ever let on, but she was never judgmental about it.