~Monique~

            Methodically, Monique went through her spacious cold metal kitchen, throwing a way a week old pizza box here and there and simultaneously cursing herself for not having Glenda, the stout Polish cleaning women come back. The living room and guest bedroom had already seen the fury of a woman on a mission to clean; the dining room remained, as always, untouched, she never used it anyway. A sturdy black trash bag sat on the imported Caribbean style hardwood flooring in the foyer, a monument to all that was spotless yet something was missing. She stopped in the middle of the front entrance and looked around, nothing seemed out of place, everything was where she had always had it. Vintage Chinese vase, French chandelier and the only original swinging Elvis clock in New York. Then she remembered. Quickly Monique pushed her way into the clutter filled closet, kicking away old boxes and useless long forgotten junk until she reached a particular box with big black lettering that read, "Scott's Old Stuff." Sticking out from the top was a raggedy looking bear; slowly she pulled it out of the box and held it to her chest.

            "Mr. Fluffums where have you been all my life." She chuckled to the air and had halfway removed herself from the closet when the intercom rang.

            "Ms. Garret! You have a visitor, says his name is Scott Barringer, looks like an attorney to me. Probably selling bonds or something, should I send him away?"

            Monique ran to the intercom with Mr. Fluffums in one arm, she pressed the button on it.

            "No, let him in, Jerry, he's okay."

            "But he isn't on the list."

            "Don't worry, he's with me."

"I don't know." Jerry voice was hesitant. He was trained to prevent any press, stalkers or any other unwelcome intruders from entering the complex and he took it very seriously.

"Look at him, come on don't you think I could take him."

            There was a silence on the other end in which she assumed Jerry was surveying him. She could just imagine Scott's face during the whole exchange, a discretely hidden annoyance and slightly amused, but not quite, she'd hear about it if he ever got up.

            "Yeah, you could kick his butt. I'll send him right up."

            Monique threw Mr. Fluffums onto the Italian leather couch and dragged the trash bag into another closet in the kitchen until the trash men came to get it. A few moments later the door bell to her apartment rang, she brushed back her hair to make sure no unruly curls had escaped, adjusted her sleek black Versace dress and then opened the door. Scott stood there looking disgruntled mostly likely because Jerry had taken it upon himself to follow him up. He was dressed casually in a pair of khakis and a polo, she had dubbed it lawyer-wear while he was in law school and insisted on wearing something like it every day. He was still rakishly handsome, this time a little older and his features emulated a quiet wisdom and asserted power.

            "Monique."

            "Scott."

            Formalities really weren't necessary because his blue eyes, as always, said everything. He was happy to see her, he missed her, it had been too long, and there was something they needed to talk about. They stood staring at each other until Jerry coughed to get their attention.

            "Here are your bags, Mr. Barringer. I'll bring them inside."

            "Just put them in the guest bedroom, Jerry. Down the hall and to your right."

            Monique opened the door wider so he could get through and immediately Scott grabbed her in a hug. He smelled like a strong musk and felt warm.

            "How have you been?"

            "Great, I'm sure you've seen all about it on television. It seems like lately they're obsessed with me, I can't get away." She said, steering them to the couch in the living room. He laughed in his deep voice.

            "I love how you changed your last name, very hip. Actually, I try not to watch you on T.V., I can't stand it, makes you sound so…aloof."

            "I know what you mean. How's the practice?"

            "Well, it turns out that they are so impressed with me that I'm being promoted to partner."
            "Congratulations." The words came out truly sincere, Monique had always been so proud of him. He was about to open his mouth again when Jerry came out of the guest room.

            "So you're a lawyer, I knew it, I smelled it on you."

            Scott's eyes widened but once again he was cut short by Jerry's jersey accented voice.

            "Look, I got this friend, yeah, this friend, his names…uh…Larry, that's right, Larry Barber, and he seemed to have gotten himself in a little tiny bit 'a trouble with the cops. One night at a bar, got a little tipsy, exchanged a few choice words of the four letter type with this jerk of a biker type, things got a little out of hand and the next thing he knows, wham! In the slammer. No fault of his own of course, cops are always spoilin' for a fight, ya know."

            "I…" Scott started.

            "So now this guy wants him to pay the medical bills for a broken nose and jaw. Well I'm like…I mean he's like, ain't no way I'm payin' for that. You wanna talk you pay the price, ya know! He wants to take it to court and he don't wanna go to court, I've seen that Judge Judy and she ain't no Martha Stewart if you know what I mean."

            Monique could barely hold in her laughter, she got up and took Jerry by the arm.

            "Come on, Jer, I haven't seen Scott here for three years, I'm sure he'd love to get you…I mean your friend, off the hook but he'll be here all week. You can tell him all about it later."

            Jerry thankfully allowed himself to be led out of the apartment.

            "Sure thing, sweetheart, you and the lawyer have a good visit. I'll make sure the new punk of a valet doesn't key his car."

            When he had been successfully removed Scott and Monique looked at each other and then began laughing hysterically until their sides hurt and they were gasping for air. Monique plopped down on the couch beside Scott after the episode had ended.

            "He's one of a kind that, Jerry."

            "You are very correct."

            They sat in the quiet of the room for a while, contemplating, and each thinking their own thoughts until Scott broke the silence. He was very sober looking and Monique immediately wondered what had brought on the sudden change in his demeanor.

            "I have something to tell you."

            Mo turned to face him. "I hope it's good news."

            "I hope you think so."

            He cleared his throat and looked straight into her eyes.

            "Mo, I'm getting married."

            The smile quickly faded from her face as she digested the words he said.

            "Excuse me? I thought you just said you were getting married."

            "I did."

            She sat there for a moment and then quickly jumped up from the couch. Stunned Scott watched her pace furiously and run her hands through her hair.

            "What are you crazy! You can't get married! What are you thinking!"

            "Why not?"

            "Because!" She calmed for a second and glanced at him quizzically. "Unless your marrying Shelby."

            Scott got up and began walking to the kitchen.

            "You know that was over a long time ago."

            "She was the love of your life."

            He whirled around angrily.

            "Exactly, Monique, the operative word here is was!"

            All she could do was stare at him, he was breathing heavily, obviously angry but suddenly his features softened and pain covered his expression.

            "She left me. Left me without so much as a goodbye. Can you imagine how much it hurt to come home and see her stuff gone and no trace of her, the women I loved with every fiber of my being. I trusted her, Mo, I gave her everything she ever asked, but I guess it wasn't enough."

            Defeated, Scott sat down on a bar stool and let his mind wander off into space. Monique watched his every movement and then knelt down beside him, resting a hand on his knee.

            "I had no idea, I thought you guys just broke up."

            "There are some things to painful to say, even to think about."

            "Can you tell me one thing, Scott." She said tentatively. "Do you love her, your fiancé."

            He averted his strong gaze and then stood up. He kissed her softly on top of her head.

            "Sometimes there are things more important than love. I'll probably never fall in love with a woman like I did Shelby but at least I can trust her. Look, It's been a long day I'll see you in the morning, Mo."

            Her eyes followed his muscular body to the guest room; the last time he had been here had been with Shelby. They were so happy, so in love, she had even scolded them for their public displays of affection. A single tear fell at the remembrance; there were some things that even time could never destroy, she was sure of it.

            "There is no way I'm letting you ruin your life, Scott. No way." Monique whispered to the air and then went to her room to dig up her address book.