Title: The More Things Change
Author: Michelle
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: See Part 1
Part 57: Setting Things Straight
Bailey chose that moment to stick her head in her husband's office door. "Lunch?"
Chance looked up and smiled. Seeing Bailey was just what he needed. "That sounds like a great idea." On the way to the cafeteria, Chance told her about his conversations with Joshua and Stiles.
"Where did he get that idea? That doesn't sound like Terri. She told me that she broke up with Matt while Stiles was at the conference. Chance, she loves Stiles; she said she told him that. She finally slept with him for crying out loud!"
"Yeah, after 11 months," Chance interjected sarcastically.
"Stop it! I can't believe she turned around and slept with Matt after that." More under her breath than to Chance, she added, "And if he slept with her I'll choke him! And Stiles, I'll choke him too. What was he thinking bringing home some bimbo?"
Chance happily ignored Bailey's question about why Stiles thought that Matt and Terri were sleeping together. He didn't want to be the one to tell her about her brother's latest attempt to drive Stiles out of Terri's life. He thought it best that she hear the details from Matt or Terri.
"What was he thinking? Come on Bailey, you know what he's been through the past year. First, he practically has to beg his own wife to spend time with him. Then, instead of getting to know him again, she starts dating—not just anybody--his boss! When he finally thinks she's going to dump the guy he finds out she's crawled into his bed—right after she slept with him and said she wanted to work on their marriage. Between all that and what happened in Iraq can you blame him for not wanting to be alone?"
Bailey kept trying to interrupt Chance's speech, but he wouldn't let her. He hadn't been a very good friend the past few months; he thought it was high time he defended Stiles.
When he finally stopped, Bailey was ready to jump in with her list of questions and accusations, chief of which was what got into Stiles' head to make him think Terri would come home and not break up with Matt, but jump in his bed. She didn't get a chance; just as Chance finished talking, Matt walked up to their table.
"Hey, how're my favorite sister and brother-in-law?"
Both of them frowned. Chance didn't say anything, but Bailey did. "Walk with me."
"What?"
"Now!" Matt looked at Chance for some clue what she might want. Chance just shrugged.
Bailey got him in a corner in the hall and whispered loudly, "You slept with Terri?" then smacked his arm. "What on earth is wrong with you? I warned you. I am so angry with you I could..."
"Wait, wait, wait. Who told you that?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes it matters, because it's not true." Matt shrugged then added, "I mean, it's not that I didn't want to or try, but she…"
"You didn't?"
Matt got nervous, but did a superb job of hiding it. When he let Stiles leave the house that day, he didn't know what he thought, though he had an idea. At the time, he considered Stiles' unexpected appearance a bonus. That was then.
"No."
"Are you telling me the truth?"
"Yes!"
"Then why does Stiles think you did?"
"I don't know, okay? Now tell me who told you."
"Never mind; I just hope you get this cleared up before Stiles finds you."
Matt stood there for a minute thinking. He heard Terri say Stiles was with another woman and now he knew what happened. He figured that as far as Stiles was concerned, their marriage was over. He also knew that after Jeff, Terri wouldn't forgive him. A smile suddenly appeared across his face. Less than 30 seconds later, it disappeared. Things could get out of control fast. Stiles apparently hadn't told Terri that he'd seen Matt that day. Matt needed to make sure Stiles didn't, at least not before he saw her again. If that didn't work, he needed some good spin to get back in Terri's good graces. He had to rely on Terri being unforgiving.
Bailey walked back into the cafeteria to her table. Lex had joined Chance. "Honey, I'm sorry, I've got to find Terri. Lex, is she in OTS?"
"Yeah; she's not in a very good mood though. Something must have happened last night, but she isn't talking."
"Thanks." Bailey kissed Chance on the cheek, grabbed her food and headed to OTS.
She found Terri sitting at her computer staring into space. "Want to talk about it?"
Terri gave her best friend the best smile she could muster, which wasn't much. "Not really."
The two of them sat in silence for several minutes until Terri finally spoke.
"I lit candles, I bought those horribly expensive rosepetals and tossed them on the stairs, I poured myself into the silk gown mom bought me and he didn't even come home."
"What happened?"
"Well he came home, but not alone! I fell asleep waiting for him. When I woke up, I heard voices downstairs. He was with some blonde thing—in my house! They were all over each other!" Terri was trying very hard not to cry.
"Oh dear. I'm sorry honey. What did he say when you talked to him?"
"I didn't talk to him. What could he say, 'I was just released from Iraqi terrorists, I ignored the fact that my wife was worried to death and brought home a hooker'?"
Bailey didn't know what to say so she sat silently and waited for Terri to continue.
"I went back to our room and threw up. Then, I packed his stuff. He was still on the couch this morning. There were beer cans everywhere. Do you know he had the nerve to be holding our wedding picture! Bay, I just don't understand why he would do this, especially now. For a year he kept telling me he loved me and wanted me back. I told him I loved him before he left and again while he was gone. I told him I remembered everything."
"He thinks you slept with Matt." Bailey said matter-of-factly.
"What? He told you that?"
"No, he told Chance a little while ago."
"Bailey, I didn't sleep with him! I broke it off weeks ago. I told you that. I told him that. Where did he get that idea?"
"I'm not sure, but that's what he told Chance and wherever he got the idea, apparently, he's convinced that it happened. Terri talk to him."
"He cheated on me Bay. You know I can't forgive him—not for that."
"He loves you. He was hurt by what he thought happened. Now it all makes sense."
"If he loved me, he would have asked me about it!" Terri suddenly realized what Bailey had said. "Now what makes sense?"
"He told Chance he didn't care if he came home from Iraq; he said no else would care either. He told the kidnappers the same thing."
"So to solve his problem he sleeps with some bimbo instead of just asking me what happened? I thought he'd grown up a little the past couple of years. I guess I was wrong about that too."
Bailey sighed. She didn't know what to make of what was going on. "Terri, you know he tried to talk to you before he left. He had to…"
"Bay, I know you're trying to help, but I've got work to do and I just don't feel like talking about this anymore."
Bailey hated seeing Terri like this, especially after all of the progress she and Stiles seemed to have made. "Alright, but call me later okay?"
Terri nodded and smiled at her friend. Bailey opened the door from OTS and practically ran into Matt.
"She's already upset, don't make things worse."
"Why are you always on my case? I'm going to see Joshua. Is that alright with you, mother?" Matt had had enough of his little sister's needling. If he wanted to talk to Terri it was none of her business.
Bailey didn't answer him verbally. Instead she gave him "the look." Just like their mother, Bailey had the gift of nonverbal communication with the men in her family. They knew when they got "the look" that they were in serious trouble.
