The Tribulations of Honesty

Part 1

Archie was half asleep on the lounge when his wife's voice broke through his slumbering thoughts
" Arch" She whispered as she lounged in his arms
" Uh huh" he acknowledged, kissing her lightly on her hair
" You know how you were worried about me having feelings for Paul"
" Yeh" Archie answered cautiously
" Well I kind of did for a while" Lexie replied softly
Archie was suddenly wide-awake
" What?!" he repeated, hoping that his ears had deceived him
" I think it was just the attention he gave me, and the comfort that I longed for from time to time." Lexie deliberated, turning to search her husband's eyes
Archie visibly withdrew from her, dropping his arms from around her and moved to stand up. The look in his eyes sent shards of pain through Lexie's heart. Archie felt like he was going to be sick, he could suddenly see his world falling down around him right before his eyes.
The thought of Lexie having feelings for another man, being with another man- let alone his half-brother sent him reeling, as he stared at the woman he had thought he known everything about and seemed to not be able to focus on her.
" Arch…" Her voice drifted past him as she moved to hold him, but he shied away from her touch
" Did he reciprocate these feelings?" he heard himself ask, not wanting to know the answer
" I think so, yes" Lexie replied softly
" Did anything come of it?" Archie asked, his voice dangerously even
" No! Of course not Archie!" Lexie defended
Archie nodded, not sure what to believe anymore. Gradually he turned and grabbed his coat from the hanger by the door
" Archie" Lexie called desperately, trying to stop him, but he caught her with a disappointed glare
" What happened to your 'I give you my heart, my soul and my life' Alexandra?" he asked disheartened and clearly shaken up. Lexie stared back at him helplessly, as he nodded and turned on his heel
" Where are you going?" Lexie called after him
" Out" Archie informed curtly
Lexie didn't try to stop him; she knew it was of no use. Instead she collapsed back on the lounge they had not so long ago been cuddling happily on and buried her head in her hands.

It was 2am when Lexie heard Archie's keys turn in the lock, followed by his footsteps on the stairs, stopping to check in on Melanie and then on until he reached their bedroom. She rolled over so he wouldn't be able to tell that she wasn't asleep and tried to keep her breathing regular.
She half expected him to grab his pillow and take it downstairs to the lounge, but instead he climbed in next to her. She could smell alcohol on his breath, but she didn't think he was drunk.
She wanted to reach out to him and for him to hold her and let her know that he was hers. 'But that was just it wasn't it' Lexie realised, 'All these years she had been his, all his. And now suddenly this erupts from nowhere and it would seem that she wasn't. She'd had feelings for someone else.'
" I know you're awake" Archie's voice broke through the darkness
Lexie rolled over and found herself caught in his gaze
" Lex what's going on?" He asked simply
" We always said that we wanted our marriage to be honest," Lexie whispered
" And this is honest? Telling me now out of the blue that you and Paul had feelings for each other seems honest?"
" Yes" Lexie hesitated
Archie shook his head
" Archie talk to me" Lexie pleaded
" What's there to say?" Archie replied, his silence torturing her more then any yelling could
" Arch.."
" When was this Lex? Last time we were there we fought about this and you promised me that my suspicions were without cause. We're you lying to me?"
" No" Lexie cried, " No Arch I promise you I wasn't."
He raised his eyebrows in the half-light and waited for her to continue
" It was when you were in Nepal, and maybe a bit later as well."
Archie's face remained blank as he took in the information
" Why?" He asked simply
And that was the one question she couldn't answer.
Why had she been attracted to Paul even though she'd been in love with Archie for so long?
How could she have even thought of anyone else when her husband was away?
Yet deep down she knew the answer.
She had been lonely, she had needed comfort and she feared all the change that was taking place around her. Archie didn't want to stay; he had got sick and tired of Glenbogle…what if he got sick and tired of her one day too.
" You told me you'd never leave me" Archie interrupted her thoughts
" So did you" Lexie echoed, " But you did."