Two Quarterbacks Part I
"Hi, Dave, how are you doing?" Ana says smiling at the bartender as she takes a seat at the bar in Society. She had just come from Hamilton-Winters and had wanted to have a drink and wind down a little before she headed home. Her and Fen had finished discussing the set list and went over some more details for the joint album release party. They had gotten their work done for the day, but Ana had felt there was still tension and unresolved things that were left unsaid from the drama that had happened earlier regarding Fen and Kyle. She just wanted to take a moment to relax a bit after all of that had happened before she went home.
"I am doing fine, Dave." Ana says. "How are you doing?" She asks him.
"I am doing well Ms. Hamilton. Thank you for asking." Dave responds warmly.
Ana nods and her and Dave make a little small talk. She then orders herself a drink. She takes a sip and closes her eyes for a moment thinking about the day's events, including walking in on Fen and Kyle's tense argument and her and Fen having their own intense discussion.
"Hey, girl. What are you up to?" Ana hears a familiar voice and looks up seeing Summer smiling at her. Ana gives her a smile. "Hey Summer, how are you doing?" She asks with a bit of weariness in her voice.
"I'm fine." Summers says taking the seat beside her. She greets Dave and orders herself a drink. "You look like you are a bit weary." She observes looking at Ana. "Tough day at work?" She asks.
"A Busy day. A kind of intense day." Ana informs her truthfully. "I am preparing for this joint album release party that is coming up in a few days and we have been grinding to get it done. And…." Ana's voice trails off thinking again about Fen and Kyle and what had transpired that day at Hamilton-Winters.
"And what?" Summer asks. "Seems like something else is bothering you. Spill." Summer pushes. She smirks.
Ana hesitates for a moment, about telling Summer what had happened, but she decides to go ahead and tell her. Ana had wanted to bounce off her frustration on someone and Summer was offering to listen.
"It's just…" Ana begins.
"Yeah?" Summer probes.
"Today I overhead Fen and Kyle getting into it at Hamilton-Winters." Ana admits to Summer.
Summer raises her eyebrows. "Okay and…?"
"It was intense." Ana reports. She sighs and looks at Summer. "You know that Kyle and I are dating..."
Summer nods and smiles. "And how's that going?" She asks.
Ana smiles back. "It's going good. I have been enjoying getting to know him and spend more time with him. He's a good guy."
Summer nods again. "I could have told you that."
"Yeah, he's terrific. But..." A serious look comes across Ana's face.
"But what?" Summer probes. "You guys are having an issue or something?" She asks curiously.
Ana makes a face. "Yeah, sort of." She sighs again.
"Okay…" Summer gives her an inquiring look. Ana then gives Summer a look. "Well, it's Fen." Ana informs her.
Summer eyes widen a bit. "Fen?" She asks.
"Yes, Fen." Ana repeats. She then pauses for a moment and continues. "Fen really doesn't like Kyle and they have been clashing. Sometimes when Kyle will come and pick me up from work to go to lunch Fen will give him some attitude." She informs Summer.
Summer lets out a laugh. "Well, Yeah." She gives Ana a knowing look. "Like you said those two really are not fond of each other."
Ana nods. "Yeah, but things have gotten really intense like today in my office." She pauses remembering that moment. "I had stepped out for a few minutes and when I came back, those two…" She lets out a breath.
"They were in each other's faces, and doing some name calling. And… it sounded like Fen wanted Kyle to stay away from me." Ana shakes her head looking at Summer. "The conflict between those two got to an ugly level today and it was concerning." She states a bit worried.
Summer frowns. "Hmmm…., why do you think that things got that out of hand?" She asks Ana.
Ana shakes her head. "I don't know." She looks down for a moment thinking some more. "I asked them both about what had happened…"
"And what did they say?" Summer asks.
"Kyle said that him and Fen just got into it, because they don't like each other, and Fen basically said the same thing." Ana informs her.
"Okay, and…"
"I think it was more than that. There is something more going on there." Ana speculates. "And I would like to get to the bottom of it, before it escalates." She pauses. "Kyle and I are dating, and Fen is my best friend."
Summer smirks. "And here I was thinking he is my best friend." She teases Ana.
Ana smiles at her. "He can be both our best friend." She says lightheartedly. "But the bottom line is that both men are important to me, and they are really at odds with each other to the point to where it's spilling over in public. And I want it to stop or at least simmer down." Ana expresses in a serious manner.
Summer nods again. "Un-huh." She purses her lips thinking for a moment. "And you say they didn't give you any reason as to why they don't like each other?"
Ana shrugs. "Well, Fen did mention that they have largely fought in the past because they like the same women, but I don't see how that would apply now."
Summer eyes widen a bit and she smiles, giving Ana a knowing look. A realization had hit her.
Ana notices and wonders what Summer is thinking. "Why do you look like that?" She asks. "What do you think is the main problem between Fen and Kyle?" Ana inquires.
"Well…" Summer says leaning forward. "You just said it, they like the same women." She states directly.
A confused look comes over's Ana's face. "Okay, but they should be over that by now. I mean Kyle and Lola have broken up and you're married. So, they shouldn't be fighting over that."
Summer shakes her head. "You really don't see it, do you?" She asks a bit amused by Ana's obliviousness.
"See what Summer?" Ana asks still confused.
Summer makes a face and then smiles at her. "Ana they're fighting over you." She gestures towards Ana. "They both want you." Summer informs her astutely.
A surprised feeling washes over Ana. "They both want me?" She asks pondering Summer's claim.
"Girl, yes. Why do you sound surprised?" Summer says shaking her head. "You and Kyle are now dating, and I've said from jumpstart that Fen has feelings for you." Summer makes a gesture towards Ana with her hand. "That's what it is." She smiles at Ana. "You have two men that want you. Isn't that great?" She laughs and takes a sip of her drink.
"I mean… uh… yeah." Ana was unsure of what to say. She becomes quiet for a moment thinking about Summer's claim. She wasn't sure if that was true or not because Fen hadn't hinted that he had feelings for her. She wasn't sure if she could believe Summer's theory.
"Summer, Fen has never expressed having romantic feelings for me…" Ana begins.
"That doesn't mean they aren't there." Summer interjects. "And I still say you should have confronted him about that kiss with Lola and maybe you could have gotten to the truth earlier."
Ana sighs. "Well, I did end up talking with him about that kiss today." She confesses.
A surprised look comes across Summer's face. "Oh, you did, and what did he say?" She inquires.
"He said... he said that it meant nothing." Ana gives Summer a look. "He said that Lola was the one that initiated the kiss, because…. she was upset that you and Kyle were hanging around each other during opening night." Ana reveals.
Summer makes a face and shakes her head. "I knew it! I told you girl!" She exclaims. "I knew Lola tried to push up on him." Summer nods. "Good for him for refusing her." She then gives Ana another look.
"And did you guys talk about how that made you feel?" She asks curiously.
Ana sighs. "Not really. I mean he asked why I didn't ask him about the kiss the night it happened. He said he would have cleared it up quickly." Ana admits. Summer then gives her an "I told you so" look.
"Un-huh." Summer says. "And what did you tell him?" She probes.
"I told him that I thought he wanted Lola and that's why I didn't ask him about the kiss." Ana informs her.
"And you didn't ask him to explain his feelings for you?" Summer asks then pauses and shakes her head.
"Of course, you didn't. If you had, you would have realized sooner that him, and Kyle are fighting over you." She shakes her head and gives Ana a serious look. "You've got to find out about Fen's feelings for you. If he has feelings for you then you have to find out. So, you can make a decision on which man you really want to be with." She advises.
"I'm dating Kyle." Ana states in a matter of fact manner.
Summer raises an eyebrow. "For now." Summer folds her hands on her lap for a moment and looks directly at Ana. "That might change if Fen tells you how he really feels about you. But you won't know how exactly you might feel until he does that. So, you've got to get him to do that."
Ana shakes her head. "Oh, Summer I can't make Fen declare any feelings he might have for me!" She exclaims a bit frustrated.
Summer crosses her arms and looks at Ana. "Sure, you can, ask him how he feels." She advises.
Ana frowns heavily and shakes her head. "Summer no, I'm not going to do that. What if he denies having feelings for me?" Ana wonders. "That would be embarrassing for me. And a bit unnecessary especially since I'm dating a guy, Kyle that I know does like me. Kyle is open with his feelings." Ana states firmly.
"I don't think that's going to happen." Summer predicts.
"It could." Ana says. "And I don't want to deal with that."
Summer leans back a bit and gives Ana a look. She throws up her hands. "Okay, it's your decision."
Ana nods. "Yes, it's my decision."
"Right, you can decide not to find out about Fen's feelings for you and just have Two quarterbacks. And escalating conflict as both of them continue to fight for the place as the ultimate man in your life." Summer states, frowning.
Ana makes a face. "Two quarterbacks?" She asks confused.
Summer nods. "Yeah, Ana…." Summer pauses for a moment and puts her hands together. "You know that my husband Lincoln is an ex NFL player, right?"
Ana nods. "I do. I actually remember watching him and his brother play in some games a few years ago." Ana tells her.
Summer smiles. "Okay. Well… there is a saying related to football that says that if a team has Two quarterbacks, they really don't have any quarterbacks."
"Okay…" Ana says trying to follow Summer's thought process. "And this applies to Fen and Kyle how?" She asks.
"Well…" Summer starts to explain. "A quarterback is usually considered the most important player on the team. The leader. And is often an alpha..." Summer informs her.
Ana nods. "Okay?"
"And sometimes it's not always clear cut for a team who they should have as their main quarterback and there is a competition." Summer continues explaining. "And sometimes that competition can be good. But sometimes if it goes on too long, it can cause problems for the team, especially when a coach may kind of bounce back and forth between playing QB's to find the right guy."
Ana makes a face listening. "Okay…"
"And if the coach takes too long to make a decision it can disrupt the rhythm of the team. And players may not be sure who the leader is, or it causes divisiveness..." Summer shakes her head. "A decision needs to be made regarding picking one guy for the benefit of the team."
Ana gives Summer a smile. "Okay, I think I know where you are going here." She says.
"Good, because Ana as the saying goes if a Team has Two quarterbacks, you really don't any quarterback." She gives Ana a serious look. "Find out how Fen feels and then finally choose your quarterback."
Ana laughs at Summer's advice. "That's an interesting analogy."
Summer smirks. "But it applies to your situation. You don't want to have unresolved feelings in the air, and then you're not sure which man you really want to be with. If you don't have all the information that you need to know like finding out about Fen's feelings, you won't be able to truly choose a man." Summer puts her hands together. "And it's just going to cause more conflict for you and more conflict between Fen and Kyle."
Ana nods, finding herself amused by Summer's analogy. "Okay, that's uh something to ponder."
Summer takes a sip of her drink. "Think about it girl." She smiles. "I learned about it from my husband."
"And how's he doing?" Ana asks.
Summer smiles brightly. "He's coming home in a couple of days."
"I would like to meet him." Ana says smiling at Summer.
"I can arrange that." Summer says returning her smile. "Whenever we bump into you I can introduce you. I am also bringing him to the album release party."
Ana nods. "Cool."
The two ladies talk some more and Summer looks down at her cell phone for a minute. "It looks like I just got a new text from him." She says smiling at Ana. They talk a little more and then a few minutes later a tall, handsome, blonde and muscular man in his early 30's with a beard comes in. He comes stand behind Summer. He flashes Ana a smile and then puts his hands over Summer's eyes.
"Guess who?" He asks teasingly.
"Lincoln!" Summer exclaims happily. He removes his hands from her eyes and she turns around and looks up at him surprised, but also beams at the sight of him.
"I'm home baby." He says smiling down at her.
