Third destination

"He is scum" Eric said to Stephanie as they walked holding hands.

"Yes, he is" She agreed.

"She told you her name" He guessed as he looked at her with a small smile.

"She did and…I felt it in my heart" She admitted.

"I did too" He shared honestly.

"I think of her a lot more as of late" She shared as she squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure you do" He said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her close.

"Sometimes I think about how she would look. My hair or yours, my eyes or yours…" She smiled sadly.

"I think she would have your hair and your eyes. She would be your twin" He said certain.

"Two of me, oh boy" She laughed.

"Yeah, poor me" He laughed.

"Oh Eric…we are lucky to have such wonderful children" She said sentimentally.

"Yes, we are. We make beautiful children" He teased.

"I can't disagree" She smiled.

He laughed making her laugh.

"I wonder where Angela is" She asked as she looked around?

"The poor thing is probably embarrassed and decided to stay on the bus" He said shaking his head.

"There she is" She said, and he knew what she wanted part of him wanted the same thing.

Eric led Stephanie toward Angela and once they were beside her said, "care to join us. We are thinking about going into the cave."

"Really" Angela smiled her interest peaked.

"Yes, join us" Stephanie smiled.

"Why not" Angela agreed as the three of them walked off together.

Once inside the cave they talked and laughed, took pictures, and enjoyed the history of the cave. Their lovely time unfortunately ruined when her husband appeared.

"There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere" He spat upset.

"Have you really? Well, you were not looking hard enough since I have been here the whole time" She spat back.

Eric and Stephanie looked at one another but remained silent.

"Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time" He snapped nastily?

"That's enough" Eric intervened shocking Angela. Stephanie held her breath as she knew things were about to get bad.

"Mind your business old man" He hissed as he grabbed Angela trying to drag her along as he walked away.

"Stop it Jake" Angela yelled as she tried to yank her arm away from him.

"Let her go" Eric rose his voice as he pulled Jake hand off Angela arm.

Jake postured but Eric did not back down.

"Eric…let's go" Stephanie said wanting to diffuse the situation.

"Listen to your wife Eric" Jake threatened invading Eric personal space.

"Leave him alone Jake" Angela said angrily. She felt awful that her husband was treating Eric so badly when the man had been nothing but kind to her since they met.

"Eric…" Stephanie grabbed at his hand.

Eric glared at Jake angrily. He did not back down.

Realizing he was not intimidating him Jake walked away mumbling under his breath.

"I'm so sorry" Angela apologized, feeling awful for the way they were both treated.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for" Eric said calming down finally.

"Are you alright" Stephanie asked Angela?

"I'm fine. He…well…let us forget him and see the other side of the cave" Angela suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Eric said as he took Stephanie hand.

Stephanie squeezed it tight.

Angela led the way as they walked to the other side of the cave. The three of them did not notice Jake glaring at them.

"That was great" Eric commented as they walked out of the second cave.

"Sure was" Angela smiled.

"I could have done without the steep steps" Stephanie shared honestly.

"That was hard, but you had me to hold onto" Eric smiled flirtatiously at her.

"Right" Stephanie chuckled deciding not to comment on his wandering hands when Angela was not looking.

Eric chuckled as well as he knew what she was thinking.

Once outside the two women visited the restroom while Eric waited outside.

"Tell me why you care so much about my wife" Jake confronted him?

Eric glared at him and stated, "she's a nice girl who deserves to be treated with respect."

"You like young, nice girl's old man" He asked with a smile?

"I'm happily married. Too bad Angela isn't" Eric snapped back refusing to take his sly comments.

"You don't know anything about our marriage" Jake snapped upset.

"I don't have to know anything. I have two eyes and ears. It is obvious that you would rather be elsewhere" Eric challenged him.

Jake did not reply. He stared at Eric hatefully.

The two women came out and walked quickly to the two men.

"Everything alright" Angela asked Eric?

"Yeah" Eric lied.

Jake watched him curiously wondering why he did not say the truth.

Angela looked at Stephanie skeptically.

"Shall we head back to the bus" Stephanie asked as she took Eric hand in her hand?

"Sure" Eric replied as he and Stephanie began to walk. He looked back at Angela who nodded. She was okay and obviously wanted a word with her husband alone.

"Look Angela, I…" Jake tried to talk but Angela stopped him.

"When we get back to the hotel you are getting your own room. And, when we get home, I am filing for divorce. We are over Jake. I mean it. The way you treated me, them…they were nice to me when you were off doing, I do not know what with God knows who! I am done Jake do you hear me? I'm done" Angela said angrily as she walked away and left him standing in shock.

Late evening….

Once at the hotel the bus unloaded, and everyone began to walk inside. Eric and Stephanie made sure Angela was inside before they parted ways and headed to their hotel rooms.

"Are you sure everything was alright with Jake back there" Stephanie asked once they were inside the room?

"He is nothing but a cheating, disgusting poor excuse of a man" Eric said making Stephanie look at him strangely.

"What" He asked still bothered as he thought of the comments Jake made to him?

"What did he say to you" She asked concerned?

"Nothing worth repeating" He replied.

"Well, I am glad that we kept her company. How sad it would be for her if she had no one" She said sympathetic.

"I am glad that you cared enough to interfere" He teased with a smile.

"I am glad you came around" She teased back.

"You are amazing, did you know that" He asked seriously?

"That is not what you were saying when I first suggested we keep an eye on her" She said feeling embarrassed by his compliment.

"Yes but, it is true. You are amazing. That big heart of yours gets me every time" He smiled.

"Really? Will it get you to call downstairs and ask what room Angela is in" She asked?

"Stephanie…" He eyed her.

"I just want to make sure she is okay" She reasoned.

"That is going too far. We need to respect her privacy" He said not willing to go that far.

"I just…" She tried to explain.

"She is not our daughter sweetheart" He said as tenderly as he could as he approached her pulling her into his arms.

"I know…" She sighed.

"We can't go to her room not even to check on her if she does not invite us" He said as held her in a hug.

"You are right" She gave in as she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent.

"I like the sound of that" He teased.

"Don't get used to it" She teased back.

They both laughed.

Stephanie got ready for bed first and against his better judgement Eric called downstairs and inquired about Angela. He did not ask for her room number, but the clerk was more than happy to tell him the gossip. Angela kicked her husband out of the room.

Eric got ready for bed as Stephanie got comfortable and put on her reading glasses as she began to read some emails from the charity. Once Eric came out and joined her, she put her glasses and phone down.

"I think I've earned a kiss for all my hard work" He said making her look at him in surprise.

"What hard work" She smiled?

"I called. Angela kicked him out of the room" He smiled back.

Stephanie laughed making Eric laugh.

"Good for her" She replied.

"I guess she had enough" He replied.

"Thank you" She said as she reached out and cupped his face with her hand.

"For what" He asked?

"For being so kind to her" She said sincerely.

"She made it easy. And being in your good graces helps me" He smiled.

"Yes, you are most definitely in my good graces" She smiled.

"How about that kiss" He flirted?

Stephanie laughed as she leaned in and kissed him.

Eric deepened the kiss.

Stephanie enjoyed the kiss for a few moments before pulling back, her cheeks lightly pink.

"I love you, Stephanie. I hope that if you still have doubts about how I feel…" He tried to speak but she stopped him with her hand softly touching his lips.

"I don't" She reassured him.

He smiled at her. "I am really sorry…" He tried to explain, his eyes tearing.

"Don't. That's the past" She replied as she shook her head for him to stop apologizing.

"Do you forgive me" He asked in a low voice?

"Yes…I forgive you" She whispered honestly.

Eric pulled her close so he could hold her, and she could place her head and hand over his heart like she always has.

Stephanie happily did as he wanted since she did love it when she could hear his heart beating.

In that position they both fell asleep.