"Are you sure you know where you're going?" the woman asked as she stared out the window at passing farms.
"Yes Cathy for the 3rd time, yes" the young driver snapped at her. Cathy's face scrunched and she went back to staring out the window. Dark clouds covered the sky and the smell of rain was damp in the air.
"Matt?" the young man turned his head slightly "I'm sorry." she didn't know why she was saying sorry she didn't do anything wrong, but it really didn't matter.
"Its ok baby." they pulled down a long dirt drive way in to a lot next to a summer home. The home stood tall and shadowed against the trees that have over grown the yard.
"I'm nervous." Cathy fumbled with her jacket buttons as she unbuckled.
"It's just a few friends." She opened the door and got out. She held her bag to her chest and turned her back to the house. "They won't hate you. They will love you for the wonderful talented charming person you are...god who am I kidding..." whisper to herself.
The sound of the old screen door was the first thing she heard then the voice. "Matt!"
"J."
"I see you brought your girl- Cathy?" She turned around and was staring in to familiar eyes.
"oh my god" she whispered under her breath." Jamie" "do I hug him? Do I touch him? Do I even speak to him this cant be happening. This can't be happening." they hugged in an awkward manner. The way an ex would hug their ex. the way Jamie hug Cathy after they divorced.
"You know each other?" Matt asked moving closer to Cathy.
"Yeah." Cathy answered
"How long?"
"5 years" they answered together. The screen door creaked open again and a woman stepped out. "Oh god oh god oh god."
"Elise you know Matt and this is Cathy. You remember Cathy right." He tried so hard not to sound rude or weird it just came out that way.
"Of course. Well come in please you're rooms the one on the left. I bought dinner. It's nothing special. make yourselves at home."
Cathy rushed passed every one in to the house and found her room. She slumped down on the bed and tried so hard not to cry.
"Cathy? Are you alright?" Matt stood in the door looking down at her.
"this is a nightmare" She buried her face in her hands.
"Why. It's just J and his wife."
"I can't believe you never told me that J stood for Jamie!"
"I never thought it was important..."
"That is Jamie as in my ex husband Jamie."
"Oh." He sat down next to her and patted her shoulder. "It will be fine."
"And Elise is the woman he left me for!"
"Ok so it will be ok"
Elise yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "Dinner is ready!"
Matt got up and walked to the door. "Are you coming?" Cathy nodded and got up with him and walked down to the kitchen. She looked around the table and sat down in the chair furthest away from Jamie. Elise served the fried chicken and mashed potatoes chatting randomly about the house and the trip up there. Finally she sat down and they started to eat in silence. The sweet silence was ended with a loud clap of thunder and the tinning to rain.
"Ohh a storm how LOVELY." Cathy mumbled. And the silence continued until Elise's cell phone chimed in.
"It's the office. I have to take It." she got up from the table and entered the room leaving the three of them alone with the silence and the awkwardness.
"So how did you and Cathy meet?" Jamie asked staring Matt down.
"At one of her temp jobs."
"You still temp?" Jamie turned to Cathy with a weird look she couldn't place.
"No I'm in a steady show now. It's off Broadway but it's steady for now at least."
"Well I guess you're doing what you always wanted to do right."
"I guess." Elise reentered the room with a disappointed look on her face.
"The stormed surged the network we lost almost everything. I have to leave I should be back before tomorrow night. I promise. I love you hunny." she kissed Jamie's cheek and left the three alone again but for a longer period of time. "OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!" her mind screamed. And like clock work Matt's phone rang.
"It's my sister I have to take this." She nodded and thought about the weird turn of events.
Now she was along in the same room as her ex. She hadn't been in the same room with him since they signed the papers.
"How long has it been Cathy? 2 years?"
"2 years 3 months 4 day 5 hours and 28 minutes since you signed the papers and walked out of my life."
"You've been counting?"
"Yeah I guess I have. How are you and Elise? Thinking about kids?"
"No she doesn't want any." He shrugged his shoulders and Matt walked in cutting the conversation.
"I have to leave. My dad's in the hospital."
"Do you want me to come? Are you going to be ok? I'll come."
"No Cathy right now would be a bad time to do introductions. Love ya." He kissed her softly and Jamie winced. They were alone again for the first time in two years. Cathy's eyes fell to the floor and left the table. She darted outside and stood in the open drive way out at the sky.
