Tribulations of Honesty – Part 4

Not long after Lexie shoved the menu designs back into the desk draw and with a sigh and a rumbling tummy returned to the kitchen. The smells were glorious; she spotted Archie to the side and walked up behind him.
" Hmmm" she smiled, " Something smells nice."
Archie spun around at her voice
" It's just some pasta. I thought it would help keep your strength up"
She gave him a winning smile and slipped her arms around his waist. Archie motioned for Jack to hand him a bowl, which he filled with the steaming pasta. He turned in her arms and handed it to her, before moving from her grasp without a word and deftly walking to the other side of the kitchen.
Lexie blinked and glanced around bewildered, before grabbing a drink from the fridge and heading back to the office.
Teena was at the door within minutes
" Lex" She whispered, peering round the door, " Lexie, what's going on?"
" Nothing" Lexie muttered
Teena shut the door behind her and pulled a chair over next to Lexie's
" That's not nothing- you two are generally all over each other."
" Yeah, well obviously not today." Lexie informed, pushing aside the pasta, which suddenly was anything but appetising
" It can't be as bad as you think." Teena rationalised, picking at the pasta herself
" Oh I think it is" Lexie answered, " Especially to Archie."
Teena raised her eyebrows and regarded Lexie, intrigued and at the same time saddened. Lexie and Archie seemed to be one of the best-suited and happiest marriages she'd ever seen. So much so that the fact that Archie had ignored her advances and coolly escaped her embrace were around the restaurant in less then five minutes.
" That's it, I'm coming over tonight." Teena informed
" But Arch will be there" Lexie reminded
" Nah, Stevie will take him out" Teena commented
" But I think Arch was drinking last night" Lexie added
" That's not going to bother Steve." Teena rationalised
" True." Lexie admitted, " Okay then, after Mel's asleep."
Teena nodded and went to hug her friend
" It'll be alright, Arch will forgive you no matter what it is."
" I'm not so sure about that," Lexie declared

If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim. Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Teena was right. That night Archie found himself in the pub with Stevie and a few of the other guys he worked with. Archie glanced around with a sigh and then looked back at Stevie. The younger man gave him a commiserating slap on the back and announced, " My shout, you go sit down."
Archie did as he was told, following the other guys and seating himself at the chosen both. He groaned as he saw what Stevie had got him, as always the Aussie's favourite VB beer.
But still he realised anything was better then nothing, and even though he really didn't feel like being here tonight, he didn't particularly want to be at home either. So why not hang out with his mates and try to drown some of his sorrows?
" How's Teena going?" Archie asked as he downed his first mouthfuls of beer, Teena and Stevie had been together since the staff Christmas party last year.
" She's very well thankyou" Stevie delivered with his best English accent, and then broke out into a grin that soon lost its shine as he took in Archie's demeanour
" I take it things aren't looking so bright with Lex?"
Archie glanced at him and shook his head, downing another mouthful of amber liquid. It would take quite a bit more alcohol to get Archie talking, Stevie realised, but the man looked like he had very little objections to anyone or anything taking away whatever was weighing on his shoulders right now.

" I had some feelings for his half-brother a while back and I came out and told him last night." Lexie divulged after making sure that Melanie was sound asleep
Teena's face clearly showed shock and at the same time pity at the marriage she loved so much having this thrown into it's seething maelstrom.
" What do you mean you had feelings for his half-brother?" Teena asked in a hushed whisper, " Lex what are you doing?!"
" I don't know" Lexie admitted simultaneously weary and angry
" How long ago was this?"
" Quite a while"
" Then why bring it up now?!" Teena asked
" Because he's my husband" Lexie answered simply
Teena's expression softened, " Oh Lex. Come here" She announced as she plonked herself down on the lounge next to her and enveloped her in a huge hug. Lexie cried into her friends shoulder now unreserved
" Teen I don't know what to do" She finally admitted
" Oh honey, it's okay. Archie loves you; I think he's just in a bit of shock right now. I mean wouldn't you be?"
Lexie nodded, reaching for a tissue
" I was always so worried about him being faithful, about him loving only me. And now here I go doing something like this. I don't even know what happened" She rambled
" Yes you do." Teena objected, " Now go through it and tell me."

Stevie watched Archie with one eye, he had been given the order by Teena to look out for him tonight and not just leave him to his own drunken whims.
" Teena's at our house with Lex isn't she?" Archie asked
Stevie nodded, " Yeah mate"
Archie nodded slightly exaggeratedly, " How could they do this to me?"
Steve raised his eyebrows, " Arch I don't know what happened yet remember? You haven't told me."
" Didn't I?" Archie asked slightly bewildered
Stevie shook his head and downed another drink, " But It must be serious for you to have snobbed her this morning"
" Snubbed" Archie corrected, " I snubbed her this morning."
" Snobbed" Stevie repeated, " Don't argue with my slang mate, you'll get nowhere."
Archie looked slightly disgruntled, but decided to take his advice
" My wife just admitted to me that she'd had feelings for my half brother who also reciprocated them while I was alway in Nepal with my sister."
Stevie put down his beer and turned to face Archie face on
" Bugger"