"Who's in- is that Eddie?" Before Stacy could answer her, Janet was already stumbling off the porch sprinting towards his truck. Hoping to not get in the middle of anything, Stacy took her time to get to there. Janet sprung the door open and he jolted up-right in his seat.

"J! What are you doing here?"

She quickly snapped back, "I live here Eddie."

"What- but no, no silly… Stacy said she'd take me home!"

Janet let out a long breath, took his left arm and made sure he didn't fall on the concrete as he got out of the truck. "You are home."

He looked down at her, because it was so dark he could not see her face too well, but he noticed she was upset. "J, I just wanted… about before, I didn't mean-"

"Why don't we all go inside and I'll help you too sober up." Neither of them saw Stacy walk behind them they were so focused on each other at the moment. But in all honesty, they were glad she came when she did; neither of them knew what to say just yet. Stacy got Eddie's right side and Janet was on his left and together, (although it was mostly Stacy seeing as Janet could barely walk straight herself) Eddie's only two former lovers helped him into the house.

"Well, isn't this nice… it's every guy's fantasy to be in between two lovely ladies."

In unison they smirked back, "Shut up."


The girls plopped him on the couch to cool off for a little bit and they headed to the kitchen. It was still in disarray from dinner that night, but Janet had no desire to clean up now. Stacy found Janet's house comforting in a sort of humble way. And despite the circumstances, there was no awkwardness between the two; Stacy slowly (and carefully choosing her words to make sure a tipsy Janet understood) began to explain everything.

How she found Eddie drinking alone in the park and could tell he was frustrated more than anything because of the nights previous events. How she wanted to call Janet for help but he was being his stubborn self and would not let her call anyone. And then their kiss… how it was nothing. Meant nothing, felt like nothing, so totally wrong. Yet was right, because that's when he fell deeper into his depression over Janet. He missed her even more after their kiss and was probably wishing the whole time for her lips to be Janet's.

The whole time Stacy was explaining, Janet just sat there staring at her, half listening half thinking about what Eddie was doing in the other room. Which probably was sleeping on the couch. But she hoped he was thinking about her, or about maybe what happens next… A drunken Eddie does not act so smart, but he did ponder over things a lot.

Then Stacy continued on about how she tricked Eddie to leave their bench to drive him here-

"Wait, bench?"

"Yeah, you know. Eddie and your bench, in the park… he was actually kind of mad that I didn't know it was 'your bench,' like everyone knows it is Janet and Eddie's special bench in the park. I mean hello Stacy, newsflash!"

She faintly smiled, "Yeah well. Used to be."

"See, I don't get it. How is it that I can tell how much you need each other, but you guys don't. I mean I've only been here two days and all I hear about is how strong you guys have been going now, for months! How can you just, let him go like that? Without a fight?"

"You tell me Stay. You did it too."

"Okay, not the same thing!"

"Isn't it? You guys were going strong for a couple years! Yet I didn't see you trailing back here to try to reason with him."

"Because he didn't love me the way he loves you. Don't you see Janet? He is miserable without you! Look what he did to himself within two hours…" Stacy pointed out the kitchen door to the direction of the living room where he was lying on the couch. Hewas rubbing his head and muttering some things to himself, clearly uncomfortable in his state of mind. Janet wanted nothing more to go over there and relax him, but she was the reason he was so miserable in the first place.

"Look, I really appreciate you helping him tonight Stacy, and me, but I don't think there is anything else to discuss right now. I know I am tipsy, and Eddie, well he is just flat out drunk. Anything I say to him now, his first instinct will to be throw a hissy fit and then he will want to have sex with me; either way, we will regret it tomorrow."

"Just like you regret saying you don't truly love him?"

Janet was caught off guard; she did not really know Stacy, even in high school she never talked to her. Why was she all in her business now? Why did she say that? And why was she so right?! "I, uh- think Eddie got the wrong impression about what I was trying to say before."

"Which was…"

"Which was, that I want us- to be together… forever. Wait, why am I telling you this of all people?!"

"Because I know Eddie, well used to know Eddie, and he used to trust me. And I owe this to him. He got his world turned upside down once before, so as long as I can help it, I am not going to let him wallow away his dreams because of some stupid miscommunication."

"Guess I don't have a choice then hu."

"Nope. Not really!" Both the girls giggled a little, but Janet's eyes trailed off into the living room once again. Stacy noticed her new interest and quietly said, "Look Janet, don't take this the wrong way, but from what I heard, I think maybe you are scared. You are afraid of taking a chance, a huge risk at that, to just go for it. Go for the happiness, the engagement, the marriage, the kids, the house, the whole future thing... you are scared of it all! I can't say I blame you, I mean Eddie does have a reputation… but he has been solid with you for a long time now. He's not going anywhere. He worships the ground you walk on and lets a girl know, who's bench that is exactly when she guesses wrong!"

Janet laughed again and began to calm down herself now, she knew what Stacy was saying was true. She just didn't know how to deal with it all. She did love him, an awful lot, but how to fix this, she wasn't sure. Stacy noticed Janet's eyes looked a little warmer as she was giving her speech, so she went on.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, you have to give love a chance. Because if you don't, you will always wonder if it could have worked out." She gave Janet a hopeful smile, reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

Janet nodded in response saying, "Yeah I get it. Just don't think he will. I really hurt him… I didn't mean to! The whole point of bringing up the conversation was to say- what I wanted to say was, that I want to grow old with him. I want us to be the old couple in the window shop 50 years from now with our original wedding bands on. I want a future with him someday! He just heard me saying I want true love someday, not now, with him."

The girls surprisingly heard a low, crackly voice join them in the kitchen, "There's that damn word again. Someday…"