Layla watched as Sarah and Diana left for lunch and with Dustin at a client's installing their new solar system Layla stood up and walked over and sat down beside Walter's desk.

Walter looked up from his computer and smiled. "What's up?"

"I'm concerned about Sarah. She's been coming in late, Friday last week and three days this week, Monday, Wednesday and today. I wanted to make sure that she hadn't scheduled it with you and you forgot to tell me before I speak with her about it." Layla told him.

Walter nodded. "That was my fault. I forgot to tell you last week. Sarah talked to me after one of Paige's appointments. She wanted to start working with me to see if she could help me." He looked back at his computer screen.

Layla smiled. "That's great, not great you didn't tell me, but for you agreeing to let her try to help you. How are things going?"

Walter looked back up. "Difficult. While telling the truth is my default position, speaking about things like she wants is very hard."

Layla nodded. "Yea, you are a pretty private person when it comes to feelings. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Walter shook his head. "Well not that I know of. She certainly hasn't pulled any punches in our sessions so far."

Layla nodded. "Good, I'm glad. She'll have to be tough with you. So I won't have to worry about her being late those days then. And I am really proud of you for doing this with her." She laid her hand on his arm.

Walter gave her a brief smile as he went back to his laptop. "Oh, remind everyone that they have tomorrow off for me." Walter told her as he began typing.

Layla frowned. "Wait, when did you tell us we have tomorrow off? And not that I am complaining but why?"

Walter looked up as he shook his head. "I guess I forgot to tell you about that too. Last week Paige made the offer to let Ralph come over for a few hours on Saturdays that our schedules match up."

Layla's mouth dropped open. "Well dang it Walter. How did you both hide that from me? I'll have to give Paige an earful later when we talk tonight. I can't believe she didn't tell me."

Walter frowned. "You're t-talking with P-Paige?"

Layla laughed as she nodded. "That's what friends do Walter. We talk a couple of times a week. Her and Ralph have come over to our house a few times for dinner. I didn't tell you?"

Walter shook his head. "W-What do you talk about?"

Layla grinned. "Sorry, I can't break her confidence. Just like I can't tell her what we talk about."

Walter nodded slowly.

"I'm so glad you are getting to spend time with Ralph tomorrow. I might come in for a few hours in the morning, I was planning on doing accounts receivable if that is okay?" Layla inquired.

Walter looked over and nodded. "If you need too that's fine. Paige will drop Ralph off around 11."

Layla smiled. "Have a good time with him."

Walter nodded. "Thanks."

"Paige! Girl, why didn't you tell me you were dropping Ralph off to spend time with Walter tomorrow?" Layla exclaimed over the phone as soon as she got through the door of their home.

Paige laughed. "Hello to you too Layla, Walter must have told you then huh?"

Layla laughed. "Yea, I was talking with him during lunch today and he told me to remind everyone that they had tomorrow off. It really surprised me because he never told us we had it off. Then he told me why. It made me so happy."

Paige smiled. "Sorry, I just didn't think about it. I've got a long way to go still but Sarah has helped me a lot already. And I can see and understand better how much I have hurt both of them by cutting everything off with Walter. Hopefully this will give them a chance to renew their friendship. Ralph was so mad at Walter at first. I didn't help the situation by not correcting him. It was my choice to walk away from Walter and close that door."

Layla nodded. "What are your plans since you will be single for a few hours?"

Paige laughed. "I don't really feel single though. I still feel torn in two. The only time I feel whole is when I'm near Walter. When I'm right there with Walter, I'm not feeling the anger or pain right away. But when he says or does something wrong I really have to choke back anger. Like last week, when we talked it was so pathetic on my part. I felt like I was back in seventh grade. Getting all tongue tied around the kid I had a crush on."

Layla grinned. "Oh really, that sounds promising Paige."

Paige laughed. "Don't start." Paige grew a bit serious and sighed. "I had been hoping Walter was getting better or something but he still seemed so troubled. He couldn't even tell I wanted to talk with him. And it seemed like he couldn't wait for me to leave. But he couldn't see that I was enjoying just standing there talking with him and when he kind of dismissed me like I didn't want to be there talking to him my anger really spiked. I did my best but I might have been just a tad emotive about it when I asked if he couldn't tell I didn't mind talking to him."

Layla smiled. "Nope, I can answer that right now. He'd have stood there until his knees gave out talking to you. He just doesn't know how far you've come in working through what happened. So he thought you'd probably want to get out of there and away from him. That's been his normal experience in previous relationships."

"I didn't consider that. And you are right, he doesn't know since we haven't really talked about it." Paige acknowledged.

"Okay, well Terry is pushing for me to go change so we can go out and eat. I'll see you tomorrow when you drop Ralph off. Have a good evening." Layla smiled at Terry.

Paige nodded. "See you then and have a good time out, bye."

Walter sat at his desk nervous, he'd checked the time on his watch, phone, laptop and the atomic world clock several times. The closer it got to 11 the more nervous he became.

Layla sat at her desk smiling as she went through the company's accounts receivable. "I can feel your anxiety all the way over here Walter. Relax, Paige said she'd bring him by and she will."

A million things had already run through Walter's mind as to why Ralph wouldn't be showing up. Chief among them that Paige had only said it to get his hopes up and then not bring Ralph by, crushing him in disappointment. Walter barely heard Layla's statement and it took him an extra three minutes before he processed that she said something. "W-What?"

Layla smiled as she shook her head. "Paige said she'd bring him over and she will. Try and relax."

Walter nodded but his stomach refused to agree and continued to twist and grumble. Walter let out his breath trying to regain some semblance of his normal stoic exterior.

Time crept slowly as Walter watched the minutes on his watch slowly pass and when he saw it was now a quarter after 11 he sighed. He knew it was too good to be true. He wouldn't have thought Paige capable of being that mean as to purposely getting his hopes up and then dash them to pieces. He sighed again as he pushed back against his chair and came out from under his desk. He looked over at Layla. "Well I guess something else came up. I'm going up to the loft."

Layla looked up puzzled and down at her watch. "Walter, it is only a quarter after. There are plenty of reasons they aren't here yet. If they weren't coming Paige would have called. Just sit down and wait a bit longer."

Walter paused before he shrugged and started to sit down when the door flew open and Ralph came running in. "Walter!" Ralph shouted in excitement.

Walter straightened up instantly and his smile stretched across his face. "Hey Buddy."

Ralph flew into his arms and the two geniuses just stood there for several minutes hugging each other.

Layla just smiled with tears glistening in her eyes as she watched. When the Garage door opened again and Paige walked in. Layla stood up and moved out and hugged Paige with a big smile. "You look a little frazzled, is everything okay?"

Paige sighed and shook her head. "First my Mom called at the last minute and then we had a flat tire down the street. I've got to call AAA to get someone out here to fix it for me."

Layla smiled. "Terry should be here shortly, if you don't mind waiting he can change it for you."

Walter looked up and over at Paige. "I can go change it for you Paige."

Paige smiled at them both. "No Walter, this is your time to spend with Ralph. You don't need to do that. If Terry is willing to change the tire then that will be fine after all it will probably take AAA a half hour at least just to get here. And if not AAA can do it, Ralph has been waiting for this since last week."

Layla picked up her phone and called Terry. "Hey Babe, are you almost here? Do you mind changing a tire for Paige? Yea, she had a flat up the street. No, her and Ralph are fine and safe. Yes dear I'm sure. Because they are both right here in front of me. Thank you, we'll see you shortly." Layla laughed and shook her head.

Walter had leaned over and whispered. "If your Mom is up to it, would you like for the three of us to go get lunch?"

Ralph smiled. "Can we go to that taco stand down by Redondo Beach?"

Walter nodded. "If that is what you want buddy."

Ralph ran the short distance to his Mom. "Mom, Walter and I are going to the taco stand down by Redondo Beach. We'd like you to come with us."

Paige smiled at Ralph as she touched his cheek. "I don't want to intrude upon your time together Ralph. But, thank you for offering."

Walter shook his head as he walked slowly over. "I-It wouldn't be an intrusion."

Paige looked up in surprise at Walter. She bit her lip as she looked to Layla and Layla just grinned and nodded.

"Well, if you both don't mind. Tacos sound good. And it is a pretty day out to visit at the beach. Oh, but what do I do about my car?" Paige worried.

Layla grinned. "Easy, leave me your keys, I'll go with Terry and I'll drive it to the Garage after he changes the tire and I'll put the keys on my desk and lock the door."

Paige smiled and nodded as she reached out and hugged Layla before giving her the keys.

Walter and Paige sat quietly in the front seat of Walter's car as he drove across town. Even Ralph was picking up the tension in front of him. He kept trying to think or see something he could bring up to cut through it.

Walter swallowed. "I-I'm really glad you agreed to come with us P-Paige."

Paige looked over surprised and nodded. "I'm really g-glad you asked me. W-we've really spent too much time apart."

Walter's mouth opened to clarify the fact that the time apart had been her choice. But suddenly he saw Sarah sitting on the dash of his car. "Remember Walter. Not ever situation calls for the complete truth. There's nothing wrong with leaving it incomplete when both parties really know the truth. You have to ask yourself. Will the end result of the complete truth bring happiness or just further strain the situation."

Walter's mouth snapped shut as his head nodded. "T-that's true Paige. We have spent far too much time apart."

Paige looked over at Walter in surprise. She was sure he'd have corrected her that it was her choice to stay away. She blinked several times as tears filled her eyes. Her hand involuntarily reached out and touched his right arm briefly.

Walter smiled at her as he made a mental note to speak with Sarah about that.

"That looks like a good spot coming up to park Walter." Paige pointed out.

Walter nodded and began slowing down the car as he put on his turn signal to alert the car behind him.

Monday morning Layla came bounding through the Garage door almost an hour early. She'd have come through two hours early if she could have gotten Terry to agree to bring her. She didn't see Walter at his desk but smelled coffee and she nearly ran over to her desk and back into the kitchen. Walter looked up surprised.

"Layla? Is something wrong?" Walter worried.

Layla shook her head as she quickly sat down across from him. "How did your date go?"

Walter's brow furrowed as he looked at her. "What date?"

Layla rolled her eyes as she nearly snorted. "I'm talking about your date with Paige silly."

Walter sat his cup down. "I didn't have a date with Paige. I took them to get tacos and spent time at the beach."

Layla shook her head. "Okay, split hairs if you want. How did it go?"

Walter smiled. "It was the best Saturday I've had in a very long time."

Layla's mouth dropped opened. "Are you kidding me? That's all you are going to give me?"

Walter smiled. "Well you said you wouldn't discuss what she talks to you about or what I talk about. So how is this different?"

Layla sat there just staring. "Fine, how did you and Paige get along?"

Walter laughed. "Pretty good I think. Some of Sarah's recommendations came in handy. I think Paige might have been surprised I didn't correct her about something. Sarah told me I need to consider if the partial truth was enough or if telling the complete truth would just cause problems."

Layla grinned as she reached over and took his hand in hers. "I'm really proud of you Walter."

Walter grinned. "I was pretty proud of myself as well. Oh, speaking about relationships. I'd appreciate it if you would call the landlord and tell him I would appreciate it if they could put in some more insulation."

Layla frowned. "How do relationships and insulation come together?"

Walter blushed a little. "Umm, well, Florence was entertaining someone over the weekend and let's just say I'd appreciate never hearing those sounds again. Not that my eidetic memory will let me forget."

Layla stared at him for a moment and began laughing. "Sylvester, you sly dog you."

Walter frowned. "What does Sylvester have to do with that?"

Layla continued laughing. "Walter, Florence and Sylvester are dating."

Walter looked like he was about to get sick. "I-I really didn't need to know that was Sylvester I heard with her."

Greetings! Hoping this finds you all well and enjoying this Holiday filled season!

To the Adventure! -Tim