Chapter 53

The next morning, Jane heads out to the spa to get her hair and makeup done. She wants to look as beautiful as she can when she arrives in Iceland to see Brad.

A limo arrives to pick her up. Inside there is a bottle of white wine from Bali and a fresh bouquet of roses.

They drive to his private jet. Around them is a group of activists protesting against him. They carry placards saying, ‘You can’t escape child support,’ ‘You have no excuses, Brad. Pay up,’ and ‘Even billionaires have to follow the rules.’

Jane is horrified. She knows in her heart that Brad is innocent and she wishes she could march right up to everyone, tell them the truth, and make them stop. He doesn’t deserve this.

She feels so sorry for Brad and the terrible way he is being attacked. She gets out of the limo and everyone starts yelling at her, thinking Brad is in there with her.

“Get out while you can, sister!”

“Don’t let him knock you up.”

“Stop hiding him out.”

All their jeers come her way without letting up. Jane tries to hold her head up high and not expose herself or take in the aggressive attacks. She puts her sunglasses on, trying to pretend she doesn’t care. A few bodyguards are there to walk her up the red carpet to the jet. Behind her, the driver brings her bags for her.

When she gets onto the plane, one of the bodyguards asks if she is okay and if he can get anything for her. He can see she is rattled and anxious.

“I’ll be fine, but thank you,” Jane replies, taking off her sunglasses.

The bodyguard is stunned at how beautiful she is. He sees why Mr. Halliwell has fallen head over heels for her.

“You look beautiful, ma’am, if I may say so,” he acknowledges politely.

“Why, thank you, sir,” she smiles. She looks out the window at everyone who thinks Brad is a horrible man. A week ago, she would have agreed with them, doubted him, even been afraid of him. But now, she has realized she is deeply in love with him, and it hurts her to see how misunderstood he is and how lonely he has been.

Nobody understands his pain, how much he wants to be a regular guy, or the pressures he faces on a daily basis. Jane wants to be that one shining light in his life, the one who can make it easier and better for him. She wants to be the woman of his dreams and the woman who stands beside him, no matter what.

Inside the plane there is a big screen T.V. Midway through the flight, it comes on and there is Brad’s face before her. He starts to speak.

“Jane, I’m so pleased to hear you are coming to Iceland. I have been so lonely without you and can’t wait to see you. I want you to know how precious you are to me, and I want to thank you for not leaving me during this time of crisis.

“You are so beautiful, and I think of you all the time. I can’t wait to hold you again and make sweet love to you. Have a wonderful trip and know that I’m counting down the minutes until I can see you.”

Jane is in tears and wishes she could just go up to him and hug and kiss him right now. She can see in his face that this whole ordeal has taken a toll on him. It’s been absolutely dreadful.

She wishes she could say back to him, ‘Oh Brad, don’t worry. I love you so much. You are the man of my dreams and I am the woman of yours. We will never be separated like this again. I am so sorry you are alone like this. You don’t deserve it. I am counting down the minutes, too. I’m coming to see you, my dear.’

Jane has never felt this strongly before. It’s as if her chest could explode with the amount of love and yearning she feels. This separation seems too much to bear.

She cuddles up in a blanket on the chair and tries to soothe herself to sleep. She wishes Brad were right there beside her to hold her body and rub her feet. The light rocking of the plane eventually lulls her to sleep.

Jane wakes up when the plane starts to descend. She has been asleep for about five hours and wakes up groggy. She can see the island in the distance.

She is captivated already by the country. She wishes her mother could see the places she’s been to.

Maybe then, her mother would feel more at ease with Jane going on adventures and living in New York. She has never travelled out of the country before and just doesn’t understand the joy of it.

When the plane lands, there is a red carpet laid out for Jane on the tarmac. The pilot brings her baggage down the stairs behind her, There is a limo waiting, and out steps Brad in a white, three-piece suit, looking more handsome than ever. He puts his hand on his chest, as if his breath is taken away.

Jane tries to walk down the stairs as fast as she can without tripping. At the bottom of the stairs she takes her heels off and runs toward Brad, leaping into his arms. He lifts her up and kisses her, embracing her for a long time. He doesn’t want to let her go.

“Jane, I can’t even tell you…” Brad starts.

“Shhhh… it’s okay, I get it. There’s no need to explain,” she says. “I was the one who got scared and ran away.”

Tears well up in Brad’s eyes.

“Oh, Jane, you had every right to be scared. I get it. You had no idea what to think. I’ve just missed you, that’s all. Thank you for coming.” He grabs her and holds her tight. “You look so beautiful! I love this outfit you’re wearing. Could there possibly be something equally enticing underneath?”

Jane smiles, “I can see you are back to normal, my dear. Well, you’ll have to wait and see, won’t you?”