Joe swept his shaggy hair out of his eyes, blinking miserably behind his thick spectacles.
"Mimi..."
"I'm sorry Joe! I'm sorry!"
There was a hysterical note in his wife's voice. Normally when that tone crept in Joe would hug her firmly, reassure her. But he didn't move.

"You said never again. It was just a fling, a once-off. You said it was over," Joe looked her in the eye. "You said you loved me."
"I do love you, Joe," Mimi protested, wringing her hands.
Joe shook his head. "I'm sorry. I want to believe you. But I can't." He clutched his temples and rocked to and fro. "Please, just go."
"Joe, no..."
"Take my car, take all the money you want. Just leave. Now."

Frightened by the anger in his voice, Mimi paused only to grab her old hat before leaving. Usually the thought of going on a trip without at least two suitcases of clothes would send her into a pink fit. She left the front door on the latch, knowing Joe would later double-lock it and activate the security system. Ignoring the sensible dark-blue hatchback which sat perfectly parallel to the house, she climbed into her darling gas-guzzling Beetle and drove off into the night.

* * *

Joe rarely experienced anger. Panic, fear, confusion, yes. But he had never been subject to the rages that took over Tai, say, or Matt. Everyone always told him how sensible and dependable he was. In the old days, he had even carried the crest of Reliability. Reliability! It was relying on Joe's tolerance and his love for Mimi that had led his wife to her affair with Dr Hong, his tall, black-haired junior partner. Three times she had gone off with someone else and each time she had come running back to him, swearing it had been a mistake and he was the only one for her. Now he'd had enough. Tai would have been amazed to see good old reliable Joe ripping through Mimi's wardrobe, consigning her clothes and jewellery to black rubbish bags.

Pink frilly dresses like a little girl's dream. Long, flowing gowns. Silk stockings, tiny pointed shoes in a jumble on the floor. Joe's clothes were pushed up to the far end of the wardrobe, as though the sober suits in dark, practical colours were trying to get away from the riot of satin and lace.

There were so many contrasts between Joe and Mimi it was a wonder they shared any common ground at all. When they went out to dinner or the theatre (when Joe's schedule permitted it) they looked like the original odd couple: Mimi sweeping along like a film star while Joe shuffled in her wake, pawing at his formal suit. Yet it worked. Joe calmed Mimi down and Mimi lightened Joe up. Plus they were in love, and they were far from being the unlikeliest people ever to fall for each other.

Had Mimi worn any of these dresses more than twice? Joe wondered. With his retentive mind and eye for detail, as he picked up each item of clothing a memory of its debut came back to him. First night...premiere...fashion shoot...good grief, senior prom...

Midnight saw Joe asleep on the floor, holding a black velvet evening gown to himself like a comfort blanket.

* * *

Perched on the edge of her motel-room bed, whose covers she had shaken fastidiously as soon as she arrived, Mimi dialled Matt's number. Though they hadn't seen each other for a couple of years, one of them phoned the other at least once a month and they always picked up right where they'd left off.

"Hello?" Matt sounded sleepy; it was later than Mimi had realised.
"Oh Matt! Joe found out about me and Michael. He threw me out," she blurted.
There was a long sigh and a pause at the other end.
"I'm so sorry, Mimi. Is there anything I can do?"
"Just...just talk to me." Mimi sniffled.
"Mimi...I said Joe wouldn't put up with your affairs forever. You can't just use him as a cushion to fall back on when your exciting flings go wrong. I know he's steady and dependable, but the man's not a total doormat."
"I know...I don't think he'll take me back, this time."

Matt cleared his throat. "Do you want him back? If you've been unhappy enough to have an affair, maybe - "
"Yes!" Mimi interrupted. "I was just bored...I was a silly, spoilt brat wanting the best of both worlds. Security and romance. But now I just want Joe, I swear."
Silence from Matt.
"You don't believe me either, do you?" Mimi accused.
"It's just I've heard you say that before."

Matt sighed again. All the Digi-Destined had been surprised when pretty, glamorous Mimi started going out with Joe; Joe himself most of all. But Matt had seen it coming. He was closer to Mimi than anyone else in the group, and knew that she went much deeper than the others suspected. Deep enough to see beyond Joe's gawky, geeky appearance to the kind, loving man within. Lately, though, with her wild flings and constant lies to Joe, he had begun to worry about both his friends. He hoped desperately that the couple would make it through this. But maybe their love had run its course.

"Matt?"
"Still here," he said as cheerfully as he could. "Where are you, anyway?"
"At a motel."
"Well, get some rest. It's late. You can call me anytime, though."

Mimi didn't think she could bear Matt to hang up. The loneliness would start to get to her once the other human voice was gone.
"Matt - when we were kids, did you ever think about you and me getting together?" she asked suddenly.
"Sure! I was a horny teenager, what else did I have to think about?"
"I wonder why it didn't happen." Mimi said rather wistfully.
"Because we didn't want to spoil a great friendship."
"I love you, Matt."
"I love you too, Mimi. Goodnight."

Mimi listened to the dialtone until the phone wailed to be put down.