Tribulations of Honesty – Part 7

Hey, I wanna crawl out of my skin
Apologize for all my sins
All the things I should have said to you
Hey, I can't make it go away
Over and over in my brain again
All the things I should have said to you
- "Counting Stars", Sugarcult

When Lexie did finally get to the restaurant Archie wasn't there, he was out getting supplies with Jack. She decided that she might as well help out Teena with the waitressing as they were one short because Julia hadn't come in.
It was a busy day, constant throughout, and by the time it was nearing closing time Lexie's feet were aching.
Finally they locked up and went to sit in the office to relax and talk. Stevie had told Teena about Archie's wedding ring as he'd still had it in his pocket when he was talking to her that morning. She had known that Lexie would notice- you weren't married to someone for eight years without noticing things like that.
Lexie put on a happy face however as Stevie walked through the door after stacking all of the chairs and doing the till. He took one look at her and saw straight through it, she was a mess.
" Hey Lex, you wanna come out with us tonight?"
" I don't know" Lexie deliberated
" Carn on, you and Arch. It'll do you good"
" Stevie I've been on my feet all day" Lexie reminded
But Stevie wasn't going to give up that easily
" You don't have to dance, just come out with us…" He pouted, " We'd be lonely without you guys"
" You can't be lonely if you like the person you're alone with" Lexie quoted
Stevie rolled his eyes, " Lex?"
" What about Melanie. We do have a daughter remember, I doubt they'll let her into the club"
" Call the babysitter" Teena joined in
Lexie sent her a look
" Come on Lex, I'd really like for you and Archie to come out with us tonight, I think it would be good for you two." Stevie echoed
Lexie sighed and was about to answer when they heard a key in the front door and the voices of two men entering
" Speak of the devil" Stevie remarked, " Here's your other half."
Lexie prepared herself to see her husband for only the second time that day as they heard them carry the supplies in and then walk towards the office
Jack opened the door and pulled back in surprise, " Wow! What is this a secret meeting?"
" No, just winding down after a hard days work" Teena explained
Archie walked in slightly after Jack, after putting some of the perishable items in the fridge
He stopped at the door and looked at his wife, " Hello Lex"
" Hey Arch" She reiterated
" We were just talking about you two coming out with us tonight." Stevie repeated
Archie walked all the way into the office and sat down next to his wife
" Do you want to?" He asked
" Well I don't know…." Lexie replied cautiously, " What about Mel?"
Archie shook his head; " She's at that sleep over tonight remember"
" Oh I clean forgot" Lexie sighed, feeling like a hopeless mother
" Am I invited?" Jack asked
" Of course you are you galah" Stevie replied
Jack shook his head and laughed, " Alright Skippy, I was just checking"
Stevie raised his eyebrows and sent him a look, but the younger chef only smiled
" So that's settled then, we'll meet at our place at 10pm before we go out" Stevie concluded
Lexie glanced at Archie, but he didn't seem to mind the idea
" Okay" she agreed reluctantly

Tribulations of Honesty – Part 8

Lexie made an effort that night, and got a lot of comments because of it before they had even reached the club. She looked gorgeous, and even Archie who was so frustrated at her couldn't keep his eyes off her.
He had agreed to come out tonight because he thought it would be easier then being home alone with just the two of them. At least here they had Stevie, Jack and Teena and they were surrounded by other people. Plus the music was too loud to really talk, so it didn't seem like he was being as anti social as he was constantly feeling.
There was a severe lack of seats at the bar, so Archie let Lexie sit down and then stood behind her, leaning in to still hear the conversation. Lexie could feel his breath on her neck and smell his familiar aftershave.
There were quite a few moments in these last few days that she had sincerely wished that she had kept her mouth shut and not told Archie at all. But it was out now, and she couldn't take it back if she tried. She had a feeling that Archie may forgive her, but he would never forget, in the same way she would never forgot the feeling of thinking he loved Katrina more than her.
Soon Jack had found some other friends to talk to, and Lexie was feeling like she really wanted to go home as she listened in on Archie and Stevie's conversation about the difference between Australian and Scottish cooking techniques and ingredients. Teena saw her desperate expression and realised that she really had to do something, so grabbing her friend's hand she dragged her out onto the dance floor.
Lexie objected, but only lightly, as she realised that she actually had more energy then she thought she'd had. She vaguely saw Archie leave to use the bathroom, but tried not to take much notice.

Vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong
I am right,
I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along
'Vindicated', Dashboard Confessional


Archie came out of the bathroom and stood to the side out of view. He watched Lexie dancing and smiled for the first time in ages, she looked happy, looked slightly liberated. He continued watching as a man walked up to her and started to talk to her, he hung back for a minute waiting to see her reaction.
She ignored him for a while, until he persisted in pestering her. Archie glanced over at Stevie and Teena who were dancing nearby, but were too engrossed in the music and each other to notice anyone else.
Archie didn't even think, his protective instinct took over like it always had with anything concerning Lexie.
Silently he stole closer and watched the two men who were now talking to her, Lexie was being curt yet sociable, however he could notice that she was withdrawing into her sarcastic side and trying in vain to get rid of them.
He vaguely heard them comment on her ring, as she must have tried to put them off by saying that she was married. They were undoubtedly telling her that it didn't matter to them.
Archie heaved a sigh and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning in to kiss her neck
" Hey Honey, Come dance" He whispered, loud enough for the others to hear
Lexie merely nodded and let him lead her away to the middle of the floor.
Self- consciously she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and stared at him,
" Thanks"
Archie just gazed at her, so much so that to escape his stare she glanced down at their hands
" You're wearing your ring," she noticed
" Of course" Archie answered, " Stevie gave it to me. Apparently I left it in the kitchen and he found it." He explained, feeding her the story that Stevie and Teena had decided to relay to him. Archie wrapped her arms around his neck without blinking and replied
" You're welcome by the way"
She raised her eyebrows, " Oh?" she regarded him through her lashes " Am I"
" Uh huh" he repeated, leaning in to kiss her properly

Teena and Stevie watched them and smiled
'Maybe things were on the mend….'

"I'm holding on to that fading twinkle, not wanting to know what else u have hidden from me. I'm happy in this void so don't pull me into the reality of u and me" – 'Don't Look Up', Jye Mitchell