May 2011 – 5:30 PM – Jay's house

"Are you staying for dinner at least?" he asked her from the couch he perched upon. He watched her, his hands clasped tightly together. She stood with her back to the kitchen counter, a glass of red wine in hand, and he kept a constant eye on her every move as she sighed deeply. He showed her a few hours ago that Denise did indeed move out, and the makings of their permanent separation was in effect.

"You know I have to be home soon. Jeff comes back with Shawn."

"You told me they won't be back until tomorrow."

"They'll be back tomorrow morning," she said taking a sip from the glass and setting it down on the counter top. "I have to clean the house."

"That won't take you much time. You're the fastest person I know when it comes to cleaning."

"What, Jay? What is it? Why do you want to keep me here?" She approached the couch across from him and leaned on the back.

"What, now that Jeff has you playing wife again, you can't stay here anymore?"

"I am his wife, Jay. I have a son to raise and household to keep together. What do you want me to do?"

He nearly jumped up off the couch, the mere thought of Jeff angering him now. "I want you to stop fucking pretending that I don't mean shit to you. I'm going through something here, and I'd like some friendly support. I thought Jeff would release his grip on you for just a slight second for that."

"Jeff doesn't have a grip on me," she said, turning to follow him back into the kitchen.

"Seems like he does. He tells you to jump, and you ask how goddamn high. When did you become like that? You were never like that."

"Since I wanted to keep my marriage together." She watched his head dip as he tried to busy himself with random items on the counter. She grabbed up her wine glass, taking a generous sip. "Sometimes, I hate it that you know me so well."

"What? That I know there's a part of you that wants to tell Jeff to fuck off? That as long as he's taking care of Shawn now, you have no actual use for him yourself?"

"That's not what - "

"Then what? Because you've been sneaking around, behind his back for weeks now. I know he told you not to talk to me again. Why else would you even have to wait until he's gone back to Matt's to come over?"

She all but slammed the wine glass down on the granite counter top. "You know what? You're absolutely fucking right. Absolutely right, Jay, and you know why I'm even risking that? Is because I thought you were a friend to me. And regardless of anything going on in my life, I was trying my best to lend a shoulder to you. But you're so wrapped up in what could have fucking been, that you don't even see that."

Grabbing her hoodie and slinging it over her forearm, she headed for the front door, Jay tailing right behind her.

"Wait a minute. Viv!" he said, as he closed the door a moment after she'd opened it. "I'm sorry." His hand remained near the top of the door as he bowed his head, taking deep breaths. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "But you know how I feel about you."

She looked at him, trying her best to make sense of the thoughts that were churning through his head. She knew him better than anyone, even his soon-to-be ex-wife. She hated that even during all her years with Jeff, she found him attractive. It was this attraction that created their friendship for each other. It wasn't anything strange to them to be touchy and close to each other, and after all these years, everyone had gotten used to it. Everyone but Jeff. But she'd given him a reason to no longer trust Jay around her.

"Will you please stay the night?" He looked up at her, his forehead wrinkling as his eyebrows shot up with anticipation. "Hmm?"

She thought for a moment, her head slowly nodding. "Okay, fine. I will stay." She pointed a finger in his face. "But I want you to wake me up early. I need to be at the airport to get Shawn by eight o'clock."

"Will do. Now, can we eat dinner now?"

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she stood up to go into the kitchen and fix their plates.

"""""

Vivian couldn't sleep that night. She occasionally nodded off for five or ten minute fits, and the broken sleep was even worse than not sleeping at all. Truth was, every time she'd close her eyes, she'd imagine Christian on top of her, in between her most private area. She imagined him ever so sweetly making love to her, just like she knew he would. Laying on her back, she placed her hands over her face, closing her eyes tightly. She felt like she wanted to scream.

And just like he knew, Christian was right on cue as she heard the door open. She saw him poke his head through the small space, then he slid into the room.

"Your phone was in the kitchen," he said, seeing she wasn't sleeping. "I heard it rattling on the counter." He approached her bedside to hand her the phone.

"Thanks," she said, checking it. It was a text from Jeff. She replied, then set the phone down on the night stand.

"You couldn't sleep either?" he asked, stopping at the foot of the bed.

She shook her head. "Can't stop thinking for a minute to sleep."

"What, uh, whatcha thinking about?"

Looking up him sharply, a smirk bringing the corner of her lips up. "If you must know, I keep thinking about our night together." She waited for him to go around the other side of the bed and lay down on top of the comforter. "I can't get it out of my mind. I have no idea why."

"I was so good," he joked, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes as he looked at her.

"Jay..." She turned to her side to face him. "Remember Seattle? The needle point building?"

"Yeah... Best twenty-five dollar burger I ever had."

A little laughter escaped her. "I remember you refused for me to pay for my own food."

He loved the wide smile on her face as he looked down at her. "Nah, you don't pay for your own dinner as long as I'm around. That wouldn't have been polite at all."

"You've always been so sweet to me, Jay," she said, her eyes closing slightly. "So very sweet."

He watched her drift off to sleep, then slid down into the bed more. Even though he stayed on top of the comforter that covered her, he still loved being so close to her. He lifted his hand so his fingers could softly trace the side of her face. He loved the last vision of his night being her soft, curvy frame sleeping next to him.

"""""

With a slight startle, she woke up the next morning. Checking her phone for the time, she noted she had a little under an hour before she had to pick up her son from the airport. Groaning, she turned over, seeing Jay had slept along side with her. Throwing the warm comforter off her, she went into the bathroom with a change of clothes. Emerging from the bathroom a few minutes later, teeth brushed and her hair twisted up into a loose bun, she saw that Christian was also now awake.

"Morning," he said with a little smile on his face.

"I think you getting a little to used to me staying over."

"After ten years, you think so?" He heard the small laugh come from her mouth, then she disappeared out of the bedroom. Sighing, his smile faded as he heavily laid his head back into the pillow. After a few minutes, he heard her phone go off. Reaching over the side of the bed she slept in, he looked at it. It was a message from Denise.

Viv, I really need some intelligent thoughts right now. Can we talk?

He pressed the button on the top to lock the phone again and collapsed face first into the bed. It didn't help that the bed was soaked in Vivian's scent. And it didn't help any more that his ex was texting the woman that he was in love with.

"""""

May 2011 – 10:46 AM – Vivian's house

"Viv, what are you doing?"

"I'm reading a book," she replied quickly as she looked up at him.

"I was calling you for something."

"What?"

"Doesn't matter now. Where's your phone at?"

She looked around the office, before stopping her gaze at the desk. Poking her lips out, she replied. "I don't even know. I had it yesterday."

"Well find it. Do you need anything from the store?"

She shook her head, slightly taken back by his abrupt attitude. He'd never been that way to her. "Something wrong?"

He stopped in his tracks on the way out of the room. "No."

She waited to hear the front door close before she swung her legs over the edge of the couch she was laying on. Taking the house phone from the desk, she dialed a number.

"Jay? Did I leave my phone there?"

"Yeah, on the night stand. I put it up in the kitchen. It's been going off like crazy."

"Mmm," she absently said, wondering why Jeff even bothered trying to contact her on her cell phone when he was in the same house. "Bring it to the end of your driveway."

He agreed, and she placed the phone back into the charging cradle. Quickly, she scurried to change into some jean shorts and a tank top to get her phone.

"You have a message from Denise," Jay told her as she approached him at the end of his driveway.

"Really? Denise?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Something about she needed to talk to you." He crossed his arms after handing her the phone, looking on as she checked it.

"I wonder what about. You didn't tell her anything, did you?"

"No," he shook his head. "Not a thing. She's always liked you. It's not strange."

"Oh God, I feel so bad."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I've taken you from her all these years."

"Don't be ridiculous, Viv. We've somehow managed to just stay friends after me and Denise were married." He licked his lips and bowed his head. "Would you have?"

"Would I have what?" she asked after a moment, tucking her phone into her pocket. He only raised his eyebrows at her. "Jay, I honestly don't know. You two ask me that like it's an easy answer." She silenced herself as she saw Jeff's car come up into the driveway. Looking at Christian sideways, she thanked him for her phone and made her way back to her front door.