Clay spreads the butter on to his toast. He smiles as he turns around watching as she pours some of the coffee from the jug into her cup. His eyes wander all over her body as she stands there. Dressed only in one of his grey tee shirts, her pert round ass just peaking out from under the hem as she moves.
Still smiling he can't resist it and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing gently against her neck as his hands works their way down her back to the curves of her butt. He kneads at it softly which makes her smile
"Clay careful, you'll spill my coffee"
Mmmm! He groans pushing himself against her "I don't care. You are beautiful, do you know that"
"Okay, I'll let you off" placing the cup down she turns back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, placing her lips against his as they kiss. She smiles, looking him in the eyes while she strokes her hand gently against his face.
"So... what'd ya wanna do today?"he can't stop staring or feeling her warm flesh beneath the tee shirt.
" I don't know. We need to do some laundry, I know exciting,right." she laughs " and um... I did say we'd take Alex for some lunch. I thought it might be good for you two to get to know each other a bit better. I... I also wanted to go and speak with the guy, Tony...something, at the gym. One of the other mothers there, in the baby class, she recommended him. She said she used him when she had her first baby, to help get her fitness and figure back. So I thought if I'm seriously gonna think about going back to work then I need to get a plan in place"
Mmmm hmm! Clay partially dismisses the comment as he turns away, picking up the slice of toast and eating it "So um... just out of curiosity, what does Alex think about you going back to the navy? Does he have an opinion on it?"
"Not really" she shrugs "All he said was that I should do it, if it's what I want"
"Oh okay, so, he was for it then? " he frowns at her as he takes a bite from the buttered bread. She doesn't answer but wonders what he's trying to get at with the question. She frowns then, using her thumb, wipes the greasy butter from his lip and kisses him again.
He smiles, stroking her hair back from her shoulder he looks her deep in the eyes. "Look, do you mind if I um...if I give the lunch a miss? I'm not sure about it and I need to go to the base and get something I left behind, but hey... you can still go. How about, you feed Casey then leave another bottle, just in case, then I could have him while you go. You could grab some time to yourself "
"Really?" She looks at him frowning "And you're happy to do that?"
"Yeah..." he shrugs "yeah sure. I mean I can take him to the base with me, I only need to grab a couple of things from my cage. I might even get Sonny to come over, keep me company"
"Okay" She smiles. Biting her lip nervously she wonders if to take advantage of his seemingly good mood this morning and broach the subject about going back to the UK again
"So um... I was thinking, about what Alex said, you know about clearing my flat out and going back with him. I mean, I'm not sure about going so soon but it might be a good idea to have someone with me. The only problem is, we ...we do need to get Casey a passport. I um...I looked into it and it's easier if you do it. There's an office here in Virginia Beach, but that takes around two to three weeks, but from what I read, online, there's an expedited service and it can come in twenty-four to forty eight hours"
"Wow!" he frowns as he looks at her "You've already looked into this? But why the rush?"
"No reason. I..I just wasn't sure what we had to do and when Alex said he'd help me with the airport, well I looked it up"
"Yeah, well Alex seems to have a lot to say. You always listen to him?" Clay's tone changes at the mention of Alex's name
"No, but..." she sighs "Clay, what's wrong? " she frowns at him "Look, why can't you just try and get along with him, he's not going to be here long. Just make an effort, for me?"
He takes a deep breath in as he looks at her "I'm sorry but...I just don't like him. If I'm honest I think he's cocky and arrogant, full of himself, and he's too much all over you"
"Clay don't be ridiculous" she frowns "He's not too much, we're friends that's all. Clay, please... just try. He's my best friend and he's always been there for me, since we were kids"
"And you've never been tempted, for more with him, than just friends?"
"More?" she frowns "No...no not really. Oh, we um... we kissed once but it was a long time ago" she swallows her lie "But it wasn't to be, we decided friends was better. That's not the point though. Clay, there's nothing between us in that way"
"So, why's he your best friend?"
"Why? What? Are you serious. I don't know, I guess when my parents died he was just...well there. His family lived next door to my Aunt and we both shared a love of the military. We used to talk about it for hours. Clay please come to the lunch. Then you'll see, he's not a bad guy. Just try... for me. You were tired last night and I'm sure if you got to know him, then you'd get on. You're both very similar" she laughs
"I don't want to get to know him" he answers bluntly, anxiously biting his lip while he watches her "He wants you, that much is obvious. He wants this, what we've got, he wants it. He told me"
"He told you... told you what?" she laughs "Yeah, he wants a family, he told me that. That's why he's changing career, he doesn't want it with me though. He knows I'm with you" she places her against his cheek reassuring him "He was the one told me to get in contact with you, about Casey. He wouldn't do that if he wanted me, would he?"
"Look I'd rather you didn't go back with him that's all and.." taking hold of her hand that's on his cheek "Kelsey, I... I want you to ask him to leave. He ...he said he'd go, if you asked him. So, I want you to ask him. It's not like we need him here anymore"
"What!?" she takes a step back, moving away she looks at him confused "Clay you're not serious? What when he's been helping me, while you were away, now you want me to ask him to go?"
"Yeah .. yeah I am. I mean it was good of him, that he helped, brought your stuff over, but I'm here now and that's my job to look after you both. I promise, I'm gonna step up and do my bit, with Casey. I'll be here to help you and I'm gonna start to listen. Look, I know I've been a bit full on, about the baby stuff but.. I got this and we really don't need him. So, will you tell him, today, to go?"
"Seriously?" she bites her lip, her eyes already welling with tears "You seriously want me to do this? Clay, I don't understand. What did he do? Did he say something?" she frowns
"No, no nothing, it's just ..." he sighs "look if you wanna know, I just don't trust him. I can't help it, but he makes me uncomfortable around you and Casey"
"Uncomfortable? " she still frowning as she takes a breath, trying to understand"No, no I'm not going to ask him to leave. Clay, just get to know him, make an effort with him. I know you can get on if you would just try"
"I can't!" he's staring at her " I'm sorry but he has to go!"
"Clay... please! I feel like you're making me choose here"
"Yeah, well sorry but maybe I am."
She wipes a tear from her cheek as she frowns. She unsure why he's being so stubborn about this "Clay don't. We just ... well last night. it was great. Don't spoil it"
"Sorry, I didn't want it to come to this but need to protect us... and I need to protect my son"
"Protect your son? What from Alex. He loves that boy. This is madness." She stares at him in disbelief "What you think he's trying to steal your son because he offered to carry some bags at the airport. Oh, jeez Clay, grow up! You know men and women can be friends without sex, you know that right?" the tears flow down her cheeks and she wipes her nose on her hand "Clay..."
"I'm sorry I know it sounds ridiculous but I can't help it. I'm... I'm worried. He takes you thousands of miles away and...well you won't come back. That he'll offer you more than I can and I won't see my son again, and I can't risk that"
"Clay, c'mon..." she puts her hands to his cheeks looking him directly in the eyes, then places her lips against his she kisses him "..it's not like that. I told you, there isn't anything between us, not like that. Clay it's you I want, you and Casey...here. I just need to sort things out over there. My flat and job stuff" She kisses him again "that's all. Of course, I'm gonna come back and anyway..." She wipes her face turning around and pouring more coffee "there's no guarantee, that even if I ask him, he'll leave. Not if him and Mandy are ... well you know. I mean I can't force him to go."
"No but you can tell him we don't want him here. That you don't need him around. I don't really see what the problem is. If you really do care about us then you'd do this."
She takes a breath "Okay..." she nods "Okay, so that's what you want? Okay fine!" she wipes the tears off her cheeks "Then I'll tell him to go." she looks at her watch "Look, I'm gonna get dressed, Casey will be waking up soon"
Oh shit! Clay sighs running his fingers through his curls wondering if he's done the right thing or if its a step too far making her choose like that.
o-o-o-o-o
She stands in the bedroom doing up the clip on her bra, sobbing quietly to herself. Whilst she knows Clay's probably right, Alex should go home. The thought of not seeing him, him not being here with her. It hurts.
She looks up as Casey starts to cry "Hey baby!... Shhh!" she smiles picking him up in her arms and rocking him side to side "Let's get you dressed, yeah"
o-o-o-o-o-o
"Hey Sonny..." Clay's on the phone " so you wanna come hang out for a while. Kelsey's going out and I um... I have a few errands I need to run but thought we might talk." he leaves the message and hangs up as Kelsey appears in the doorway after she finishes feeding Casey.
Clay's sat on the couch, the TV is on but he's working on the laptop. She passes the sleeping baby to his arms and sits herself beside him.
"So, what're you doing?" she frowns looking at the computer screen "What's that?"
"Oh um... I was um... looking at apartments. You know, a two bedroom. I think we can afford one, especially if you do go back to work"
"Really?" she smiles apprehensively " So what brought this on?"
"I don't know, but this one isn't gonna be big enough right? I mean, he's gonna grow fast, he needs a room and we're gonna need some .. some privacy for more Mummy and daddy time" He smiles leaning over caressing her neck "So figured, we need to start planning, for the future"
"Yeah!" she nods taking hold of his arm and leaning against him. "Yeah, I suppose. Look, we don't have to rush things though. And um.. you know I was thinking, you're right. I will ask Alex to go. He doesn't need to be here now"
"Really?" Clay smiles putting Casey into his baby seat on the floor "You mean that?" he has a broad grin on his face and leans in and kisses her, stroking his hand up her thigh.
"Yeah really! And you can stop that right now!" she smiles removing his hand "I told you, you have to wait!"
"I know" he smiles as he kisses her again " Look, Sonny's gonna come over" he leans forward stroking Casey's chin "I...I thought I might go put that passport application in. If it's gonna take a few weeks"
"Okay.." she frown "Yeah, I guess there's no hurry "
He stroked her face and leans her back against the couch stroking her hair kissing her lips "Kelsey, everything's gonna be fine. We've got this right!"
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"So, what are you having to eat?" She smiles across the table seeing Alex chatting to the waitress "Hey Alex focus! Food!" She laughs kicking him under the table "Concentrate... on the menu!"
" I was concentrating. On you!"
"Alex stop it. What food are you having?"
"Oooo let me see, I think I'll steak sandwich grill. You know it's a shame Clay didn't wanna come, I thought we were just getting along so well"
Hmmm! She smiles awkwardly "Yeah, me too. But he was tired after the op you know, and Casey had us up all night. But it's good that he wanted to have Casey while I came and he's embracing the bottle idea a bit more now so ... things are looking good!"
"Okay what is it?" he frowns at her
"What? Nothing." she frowns drinking her water.
"I said what is it? C'mon Kelsey. I can hear from your voice, you're on pins. So spill it!"
She sighs and drinks some more water looking at him as she bites her lip nervously "Alex..." she stares at him "You need to go home. This .. this is not going to work out with you being here" She anxiously sips at the water again.
He stares nodding at her "This him? Clay, he asked you to do this?"
"It doesn't matter.." she sighs "he's right. I can't have you here around us ...Alex you know why. I wish you hadn't said the things you did. Did what you did the other day"
"What I did! Yeah right, well I didn't see you resist much"
"Alex don't. Okay maybe some of it was my fault but that's why you can't be here. You're a distraction and I don't need it. I was weak, low. Hell..." she laughs "I don't know which day of the week it is at the moment. I can't stop crying over the stupidest things. I just ... I'm sorry" She puts her hand across the table, taking his in hers "I love you so much Alex. I always will and you know that, but I can't have you come between me and Clay. We have Casey now, and I have to think about him. I have to grow up. This thing that we do it has potential to hurt people now and I can't do that."
"So, what about you? About what you want, or doesn't that not matter to Clay"
"Alex..." she sighs "It's not about what I want. Oh god, we both know we don't want to be together. It's just a stupid game we play when we can't have each other. It was fine before, when things didn't matter but they do now. Casey .. his needs and wants come first"
"Really and so that's why you're gonna go back in the Navy, right? Because you're putting his needs first"
"Alex!" she looks at him angrily "I don't know yet if I am going back"
"But you made an appointment see your CO?!"
"What? How... how the hell did you know that?" she frowns
"I spoke to him. I know him. Your CO we're old friends"
"Have you been checking up on me?" she frowns staring at him across the table "What the hell! No...no, this has to stop! Alex, you need to go home!"
"Is that Clay telling me..." he laughs " or you?"
"It's me! It's me telling you, go home Alex! You know what..." she sighs ".. I don't want lunch now. I need to go" She gets up taking her bag and jacket from the chair "Casey will need feeding soon, I need to get back. I shouldn't have come"
"Kelsey c'mon, stay for lunch. Look I'm sorry but... he sighs " you want me Kelsey, I know you do. This won't be enough. He won't be enough.
"Shut your mouth! I don't wanna hear it. Clay's everything. He's kind, sensitive and he's great dad for Casey"
"Really .. we'll see. All those long lonely nights when he's away. Basically you'll be a single parent. You'll be looking for more and then you'll come back."
"Oh, Alex get over yourself. You know your ego sometimes". She sighs "What you think you click your fingers and I'll come running. I won't. I'm happy here. It's where I want to be"
"You were jealous though weren't you? I saw it with Amy... and definitely with Mandy" he smiles "You hated the thought of me bedding Mandy"
"Did you?" she frowns "Did you sleep with her?"
"Yeah... yeah I did. You know, I wasn't going to but then I thought about you being with Clay and I thought why the hell not" He looks at her as she frowns at him "But you know what ... the whole time I was fucking her I keep imaging it's you"
"Alex..stop it! Just stop it! Jesus Christ listen to yourself. It's not gonna happen" she sighs "I'm going"
"You know Kelsey, he's not gonna let you go back to the navy and he's already cutting you off from things. Making me go back that's just the start"
"No...no I'll have you know he said we could talk through a family care plan and he's looking at a bigger flat. He's making a future which includes me going back to the Navy!"
"So, was I ... I was making plans. The recruitment training job. I was doing that for you. So, I could be home so you could go back to the ship if you wanted"
She bites her lip "I never asked you to do that Alex"
"Kelsey we spent nearly six months together. I felt like Casey.. like it was my baby. I thought we were gonna be together "
"Alex, you knew ... you knew how I felt about Clay. That I wanted to see him" She frowns at him trying to work him out "Why didn't you say all this before? Why wait until now... I'll tell you why the same reason when you got married and I couldn't bear it. You don't want me making a life without you. We need to grow up Alex, we can't do this"
She puts her jacket on and leaves the table "I'm sorry ... but really you need to go home. I can't see you anymore" she grinds he teeth tears rolling down her face "Sorry I need to go!"
"Hey, you don't mean this. Kelsey...please! Okay, I'll back off, just ... just don't cut me out" He wraps his arms around her
"I'm sorry Alex" she pushes his arms from her waist "I can't do this and I can't watch you tear Clay apart when I know it won't work between us. Thank you for what you did but it really is time you went home."
"This was my life! It's him that's taken it. It wasn't his" he sighs rubbing his head " He was just a fuckin' sperm donor"
"Alex stop!" she looks at him furiously "Stop it, right now!" She looks around the restaurant trying not to make a scene "Look, don't do this!"
She wipe the tears from her face as he grabs at her head kissing her "Kelsey please!"
"No!" she pulls away from "No, Alex go home. I'm sorry!" With that she looks at him one more time and then she's gone.
Out in the street her emotions bubble over and she stands waiting for a cab sobbing into her hand.
