I walked back into my apartment as quietly as I could. "ARGH!" Elise said running out to me and practically throwing Lisa to me. Her hair was messed up, her clothes had spit up on them and she was crying. "I can't do this! This is your entire fault! Why did I ever become involved with you?" Elise cried.

"Shhh, It's okay, Lisa. Shhh," I said cradling my daughter. I couldn't help but think what a better mother Cathy would be. "If you don't love me and you don't like this, maybe…"

"No, Jamie," Elise said cutting me off. "We are not breaking up. We are getting married."

"Elise, it could help our relationship. It could help Lisa," I reasoned.

"It would be better for Lisa if her parents lived together," Elise insisted.

"It would be better for Lisa if her parents were happy together. It would be better if we loved each other. It would be better if we didn't fight. But those things aren't going to happen," I said. "Under the circumstances, the best thing to do is to get a separation for a while."

"A separation? Like a divorce?" Elise asked.

"Sort of. We would still be together, but we wouldn't live together. Just for a while," I said. "Maybe if we spend a few days apart, things would go smoother."

"Who would take the nightmare?" Elise said, referring to her daughter.

"I'll take Lisa. You can live here, I'll go to my friend's apartment for a while," I said. "Okay?"

"Go to Jake's apartment," Elise said.

"My editor, why?" I asked.

"So I can reach you and I know you're not with a prostitute!" Elise yelled.

"Elise!" I yelled, covering Lisa's ears. Lisa started crying. "Do you like to see your child cry?"

"Of course not," Elise said.

"Then stop yelling!" I said.

"She's my child, give her to me," Elise said grabbing her.

"You're going to hurt her," I said trying to hold onto Elise.

"You're a bad father, give her to me!" Elise screamed.

"You shrew, you're the bad parent!" I said.

"Stop!" yelled little Lisa. Well, we stopped. It was Lisa's first word. "Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop!"

"I'll leave in the morning," I said holding Lisa and walking to our room to pack.

"Stay at Jake's!" Elise said as I slammed the door. I cradled Lisa in my arms. I could handle Lisa; I loved her. The one I couldn't handle was Elise. I packed up my bags. Once I had finished, there was a knock on the bedroom door. I opened it and Elise was standing there.

"You sleep on the couch," Elise said, pointing to the couch with blankets and a pillow on it.

"Oh, how cliché," I said as I carried my bags and Lisa out with me.

"Lisa's cradle is in the bedroom. She'll sleep with me," Elise said unusually calm.

"She sleeps better with me," I said lying Lisa on the couch.

"Give me the baby!" Elise screamed suddenly and lunged at me. I moved quickly so I wouldn't fall on Lisa, but instead I landed on my back.

I pushed off Elise, whom had started hitting and punching me. "Don't you get it? Why do you think Lisa's first word was 'stop'? So you ever think?" I asked her. "She wants us to stop fighting. We can't do that, so we might as well break up!"

"You're getting a separation, isn't that enough for you?" Elise asked me. "Why don't you love me anymore?"

"I never loved you!" I screamed. "You are a crazy woman. How could I love a crazy woman?"

"You loved Cathy," Elise said.

"Cathy is…different. She's not crazy. She would be a good mother," I said.

"Then let her adopt Lisa," Elise said. "We can't do this. We were happy before that child. We can be happy again, Jamie. We could get married."

"I don't want to marry you," I said. "But I think Cathy should adopt Lisa. I would rather be a parent with her than with you."

"Are you saying you're leaving me for your ex-wife?" Elise asked.

"Yes, Elise. I love Cathy," I said.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Elise said. "We were happy before the child, the child made us this way. You and Cathy couldn't even work it out when there wasn't a child. You think adding another person will help your relationship?"

"I know it didn't last time," I said, which made Elise roll her eyes. "But this time, I think it will. It doesn't matter, Cathy and I love each other."

"She's told you she loves you?" Elsie asked.

"Well…" I said, stammering.

"She said she was pinning away these last 18 months that you haven't seen each other?" Elise asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Not exactly..." I said.

"She doesn't have a boyfriend named Richard?" Elise asked.

"How did you know that?' I asked.

"I listened to your conversation. Good thing I did, too. I learned a lot about you, Jamie," Elise said. "You are a coward. You have to hide behind Cathy to do anything. If you feel one bit of insecurity or if you feel unsure, you run to Cathy. You are a coward."

"A coward couldn't live with you and stay alive," I retorted.

"No man lives with me anymore, anyway," Elise said picking up Lisa.

"Nobody lives with you anymore, anyway," I said, taking Lisa. "You called her a nightmare, and I'm supposed to trust you with her?"

"Don't wait until morning, leave now," Elise said. I picked up my bags, and put on my coat. I got Lisa all bundled up and started to leave. "You can't keep anything good, can you?"

"No, I'm getting full custody of Lisa," I said walking out. I went to the only place I could think of.

"You can't live here, Jamie," Cathy said after I had told her my dilemma. I was standing in the doorway, holding Lisa, trying to find a way to spend the night. "I have a boyfriend."

"I have a child who needs a warm place to spend the night," I reasoned with her.

"I'm sorry, but you just can't stay here," Cathy said bluntly.

"Why not? I did before," I asked.

"I didn't have a boyfriend then," Cathy said.

"So you get a boyfriend and I can't spend the night on the couch?" I asked. "I don't believe this. Whose apartment is it, yours or Richard's?"

"Actually, we live together," Cathy said. "Well, we will tomorrow. He's coming by first thing in the morning and I don't want you to be here!"

"Where am I supposed to stay, Cathy?" I asked.

"Go to your editor's apartment or something, but stop coming to mine," Cathy said closing the door on me. I walked across the hall and slammed my head against the wall. Now where would I stay? Where would Lisa stay?

"Was that a good enough bluff?" Cathy asked from behind me.

"You scared me half to death!" I said walking in.

"I've been working on it," Cathy said.

"So you and Richard aren't moving in together?" I asked warily.

"Oh no, that was true. Only, Richard is moving in next month or so. I mean, he has to sell his apartment," Cathy said, looking at me like I was ridiculous.

"Has he gotten any good offers yet?" I asked, getting an idea.

"One, but it wasn't that great," Cathy said disappointed.

"Well, whatever it was, I'll add half on," I said.

"Really?" Cathy said lighting up. I loved to see her happy. Hell, I loved seeing her. But knowing I made her happy was just an amazing feeling, even if I did have to help her boyfriend.

"I need a new apartment, so why not Richard's?" I said smiling.

I can't believe this!" Cathy said. "Thank you so much, Jamie!" She hugged me and I put my arms around her and twirled her around.

"So, how much was the offer?" I asked.

"Well, it's a one bedroom and 2 bath apartment with a good sized kitchen and dining/living room," Cathy said. "So the offer was $4,500."

"To buy?" I said, not believing I was getting off so easy.

"Oh no, to rent," Cathy said. "It is too much?"

"Well…how about $6,000?" I asked, saving about 750 dollars a month.

"That would be great!" Cathy said smiling. "Jamie, this means so much for me and Richard."

"So...do you think he's the one?" I asked.

"After being through a divorce, I don't believe in 'the one' anymore," Cathy said. "No offense."

"None taken," I said sitting down on the couch. Man, I really loved this couch.

"Do you still believe in the one?" Cathy asked sitting down next to me, but still respectfully away.

"I believe that I love one person and I always will," I said looking at her. God, she was beautiful.

"Do you? You certainly didn't during our marriage," Cathy said rolling her eyes. "I mean, that it the last thing I could expect to come out of your mouth."

"Why? I still love you, I think I've made that pretty clear," I said. "The way you talk, it sounds as if you never loved me."

"I did love you, Jamie. But that's all in the past. I have a life now, and it doesn't have to include you," Cathy said. "I hate it when you tell me you love me so much and that you always have. You cheated on me, Jamie. You had an affair. How can you tell me you love me now when you didn't love me then?"

"I did, Cathy. I have always loved you," I said. "You think I like that I cheated on you? Do you honestly believe I was happy I had an affair? Do you think I can be happy with Elise? I can't. I'm only happy with you."

"Well, I've been pretty happy without, Jamie. So, I guess you're going to have to learn how to be happy without me," Cathy said bluntly.

"Can you do one thing for me?" I asked, looking down at Lisa in her stroller.

"What, Jamie?" Cathy sighed.

"Adopt Lisa. You'd be the best parent for her," I said.

"Jamie, I can't adopt Lisa, so don't ask me, okay?" Cathy said.

"This is the first time I've asked you, why are you acting like I ask you every other day?" I asked.

"Because…" Cathy said. "Because 18 months ago today, Elise asked me to adopt her. I've been thinking about it all day, and I can't stop. I don't need a baby right now." Cathy got up and calmly walked into her room and silently closed the door.

Well, this was just going lovely.