March 26
Lulu was sitting in living room waiting on Maxie Jones to arrive for their 12:30 luncheon but of course she was late.
"Mrs. Zacharra , Miss Jones has arrived." Announced Bernard the butler
"Thanks Mr. B, but you know your suppose to call me Maxie."
"Maxie it's about time you got here." Lulu said.
"Yeah well my world doesn't exactly revolve around you. So what's so important that I had to rearrange my schedule to fit you in."
"Well we haven't seen each other in months and this mansion is starting to annoy me."
"You are free to leave."
"I just… no, I go to the park sometimes but… no I'm not ready yet."
"Lulu, honey, it's been nearly three years since you left Shady Brook. Logan is gone. You have a beautiful family. You can't stay locked away from the world. You will never let go of the past, if you don't leave it in the past."
"Now you sound like Lainey."
"She's your doctor, listen to her."
"Well I didn't call you here for a therapy session."
"What's wrong? My goddaughter's okay?"
"Yeah Rubi's doing much better. Johnny took her to the zoo."
Maxie smiled at that Johnny was a great father had been from the beginning.
"I think Johnny's having an affair."
Maxie went into a coughing fit. Holy shit, did she know about Johnny and me?
"Why…why would you think that?"
"Well. If I tell you this you have to promise not to judge."
"Yeah whatever just spill"
"Johnny and I haven't… you know, in a long time."
"No I don't know"
"We haven't …" Lulu looked embarrassed so it could only be one thing.
"You and Johnny aren't having sex!" Maxie was shocked to say the least. "Anyway just because he hasn't had any in few weeks wouldn't push him into the arms of another woman. Johnny is much stronger than that."
"We haven't slept together since before we got married when we were on the run."
"Huh!!?"
"I just didn't feel like it at the time. Now he doesn't seem to notice me. I think he doesn't want me anymore. He probably thinks I'm some crazy loon and it disgusts him. I mean I know I was in Shadybrook when we married but … I don't know."
"That's like almost 4 years. How do you deal with it?"
"It hasn't been an issue for me but lately Johnny's been away on business more than usual, we haven't shared a bed since shortly after I moved in and … I don't know. A couple of weeks ago Rubi woke up crying turned out she had a fever. I called Johnny, he came home… and he doesn't care about me. Rubi is the only reason he hasn't left."
"Lulu I'm sure he still loves you."
"No, you don't get it. He hasn't kissed me in months. No lustful affection toward me at all. And sometimes he looks like he hates… hates me."
Maxie watched as the woman before her started to cry part of her wanted to reassure her that she wasn't loosing her husband while another part of her was cheering.
"Lulu, why call me?"
Wiping her face she answered "Maxie you've been apart of my life for the longest. You are the closest thing to a best friend I have. Spinelli visits but even he feels sorry for me. You never seem to pity me."
"Um, I'm not sure what to say."
"I just wondered if maybe you could investigate for me. I mean if he's in town, is he with anyone? Or maybe you can talk to him and see if he still has feelings for me."
"I don't know…"
"MOMMY! MOMMY! look what daddy got me."
Rubi raced into the living room at full speed followed closely by her father.
"Hey sweetie"
"See look it's a giraffe."
"How's my favorite jewel?"
"Hi aunt Maxie, do you see what my daddy bought me?"
"Yeah, did you see any giraffes at the zoo?"
"Uh huh their like as tall as giants"
"Hey Lulu, Maxie"
"Hey" they said in unison.
Maxie tried her best to pay attention to the scene playing out before her but it was difficult. She hadn't seen Johnny in weeks and he was perfect. That gorgeously devilish grin and the light that his daughter always brought to his eyes he was …
"What brings you by Maxie?"
"Ah… just catching up with Lulu"
"Yeah I haven't seen Maxie and months I thought that she could come by and we would catch up"
The fact that lulu couldn't lie was always evident. Johnny and Rubi joined us for lunch and then I left. How was I ever going to get through this? What a whore I am to sleep with the husband of a woman who considered me her best friend.
That night I was curled up on my couch reading the latest issue of Cosmo while drinking an apple martini. This was my escape the only thing that cheered me up, other than a good scandal rag, when I am feeling down. I've always been big bad Maxie even if I always owned up to my mistakes I was always in the wrong but now, with Johnny. It's not my fault that my heart tripped me up. It's not my fault at all, he came to me. How was I suppose to know that he and his wife had separate rooms. If she had been doing him on the regular he wouldn't have come to me to begin with. But … why do I feel so guilty? I've always been called a slut, so why does this make me feel so … so… dirty?
On the verge of tears I was glad when someone knocked at my door. Checking my reflection in the mirror I went to see who it was.
"We need to talk."
"Johnny … what are you doing here."
Stepping into her apartment, he went straight to the wet bar for a drink.
"We didn't have anything scheduled for tonight."
"What were you doing at my house and why were you talking to Lulu?"
"What does it matter?"
"Did you go to tell her about us?"
"No. Why would I "
"Don't lie to me Maxie."
"What makes you th…"
"She was different like she had something to say to me that she… I don't know."
"So you are going to blame me for what your precious lulu is feeling?" Maxie felt the anger start to swell right along side of the hurt and disappointment.
"Just… don't lie to me tell me why you were there? I'm not blaming you I just want answers."
"Well Lulu called me said she wanted to do lunch, I tried to get out of it. Then she sounded like it was important. I thought maybe she knew about us or something. Hell she thinks you're having an affair which you are."
"Why would sh…"
"Let me finish. She thinks that because you never consummated your marriage. How could you let me think that I was sharing you with that shrew this whole time. I can't believe that you."
"How do you know that "
"How else? she told me. What in the hell were you doing before you sought me out. Or should I say who. Because there is no way you lasted nearly 4 years. I just don't believe it."
"Just tell me why she called Maxie."
"She called because her husband isn't taking care of her needs and she wants me to find out who you're having an affair with. Crazy, right?"
"She asked you to…"
"Yeah, unbelievable right. How am I going to get out of this." After a few moments of silence she knew exactly what she had to do. Love him she might. But she just couldn't destroy what he worked so hard to keep together. Love or not Johnny deserved better than her. Living in PC she would always be the whore she couldn't be the one to break Lulu. "… I can't do this anymore. I love you but …but she thinks I'm her BFF Johnny. How can I hurt her like that. She made me her daughter's godmother all those years ago I never thought she even liked me."
"Maxie there's no need for us to end things"
"Oh yes there is. You have to go back to your wife. Reconcile. You have to…. Have to have se… sleep with her, be with her like you're husband and wife. I'm not strong enough to handle the repercussions. Hell Lulu's not strong enough."
"Maxie." Johnny pleaded seeing her pain.
Maxie couldn't stop the tears that started to fall. She didn't push Johnny away when he held her. He made her promises, he asked her to reconsider, but she stood by her words. I will not be the one to break Lulu. I can't be the other woman.
