Faith rolled over in her bed. The other half was empty. She listened. The apartment was empty too. Thank God. She couldn't have faced Fred after last night. She didn't know why she had gone to the bar. She couldn't have explained it to herself, let alone anyone else. And then afterwards; oh afterwards.
She hadn't slept with Sully, but it had been damn close. They had drunk, and talked, and kissed, but they couldn't have made love, not with Tatiana and Fred both in the room with them. Not physically of course, but they were there everywhere, in their unspoken thought and the rings they both wore. They were still both married, dammit. What the hell were they playing at?
She rolled out of bed. Her head ached and her body felt tired. She turned on the stereo to drown out the thought in her head. Your Cheatin Heart came wailing out of the speakers, filling the room. Damn Fred and his crap taste in music! She fumbled for the remote and quickly shut it off. She tried the Tv. A talk show came on. The volume was off, but the words scrolling across the screen read: Tom, 37, Just found out his wife loves another man. A man, Tom obviously, sat, with his head in his hands, his head shaking. She switched the Tv off. Silence would be much better company.
She headed for the shower. As she showered, she knew this couldn't continue. She was married to Fred, she had had his children. Sully was married to Tatiana. It had to stop. She got out of the shower and dressed. She made herself a coffee, and sat down to drink it. She glanced up at the clock. Shit! Now she was going to be late for work. She drank the rest of the coffee and put the cup in the sink. She grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
The heat hit her as soon as she left the building. It was going to be another long watch.
As usual, because she was running late, everything went slower. There was a delay on the subway and the train seemed to crawl through the tunnels. The sidewalks were packed with people, enjoying the afternoon sunshine, making it impossible to walk quickly. By the time she got to work, she'd missed roll call. At least she'd avoided Sully though.
Bosco was waiting for her.
He looked up at her with knowing eyes.
He knew.
Shit, Bosco knew.
She hadn't slept with Sully, but it had been damn close. They had drunk, and talked, and kissed, but they couldn't have made love, not with Tatiana and Fred both in the room with them. Not physically of course, but they were there everywhere, in their unspoken thought and the rings they both wore. They were still both married, dammit. What the hell were they playing at?
She rolled out of bed. Her head ached and her body felt tired. She turned on the stereo to drown out the thought in her head. Your Cheatin Heart came wailing out of the speakers, filling the room. Damn Fred and his crap taste in music! She fumbled for the remote and quickly shut it off. She tried the Tv. A talk show came on. The volume was off, but the words scrolling across the screen read: Tom, 37, Just found out his wife loves another man. A man, Tom obviously, sat, with his head in his hands, his head shaking. She switched the Tv off. Silence would be much better company.
She headed for the shower. As she showered, she knew this couldn't continue. She was married to Fred, she had had his children. Sully was married to Tatiana. It had to stop. She got out of the shower and dressed. She made herself a coffee, and sat down to drink it. She glanced up at the clock. Shit! Now she was going to be late for work. She drank the rest of the coffee and put the cup in the sink. She grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
The heat hit her as soon as she left the building. It was going to be another long watch.
As usual, because she was running late, everything went slower. There was a delay on the subway and the train seemed to crawl through the tunnels. The sidewalks were packed with people, enjoying the afternoon sunshine, making it impossible to walk quickly. By the time she got to work, she'd missed roll call. At least she'd avoided Sully though.
Bosco was waiting for her.
He looked up at her with knowing eyes.
He knew.
Shit, Bosco knew.