In a downtown Hartford bar, a couple in their thirties sat and talked. Every few minutes there would be an eruption of laughter coming from the couple. They were Bruce Van Exel and Amy Gray. It was Bruce's birthday. Amy had taken him out for a birthday dinner after work. But, it was getting later. "Hey, Bruce, what time is it?"
"Uhh....I have ten to eleven?" he said, looking at his watch. "Rebecca better be asleep by now."
"Lauren won't be, that's for sure," they laughed, "oh my god, David!"
"David?"
"We scheduled a dinner date for tonight. I forgot to tell him about this. Oh my god, how could I be so stupid! He's gonna kill me."
"No, he won't, he'll understand. And, if he doesn't...."
"Doesn't what?"
"You always have me."
"Bruce, you know we can't date...we've tried it. You're like a brother to me. I would never date Vincent. So why would I date you?"
"Because I would love and care for you, and be a lot better boyfriend to you than McClaren."
"Bruce! I love David. And, speaking of him, I've got to go. I've been canceling every date we've tried to go out on. He's literally gonna kill me."
"Well, he'd done it before."
"Stop! See, this why I don't date you. Now, bye," Amy kissed him on the cheek before exiting to go to her car. Bruce smiled to himself as he watched her leave. He knew that Amy Madison Gray was the love of his life and that he would never let her get away again. And no David McClaren was going to change that. He'd kill David if he had to to get Amy.
Amy walked briskly up the walk to the door of the Gray house. As she quietly opened the door, she noticed three figures in the living room. "Well, well, here comes Cinderella," a familiar voice was saying to her. It was David. She knew she was in for it.
Before he could say anything else, she sprung to apology, "Oh god, David, I'm so sorry."
"Mom, where have you been? Are you out of your mind? How could you stand up Victor's dad like this?" Lauren cried anxiously.
"Lauren, just go to your room, okay?" Amy shot back, in a harsh tone. She didn't feel like putting up with Lauren's smart talk tonight.
"Amy Madison Gray, don't talk to my granddaughter like that, especially after coming home at 11:30 at night," Maxine reprimanded her 30- something-year-old daughter as she came into the room.
"Mom! Leave me alone, okay? This is between me and David. And, Lauren, go to your room and stay there!"
"Fine, come on, Victor, oh and Mom, it's David and I, not me and David," Lauren replied smartly.
"Victor, go wait in the car, we won't be here that long," David told his son as he shot a look at Amy.
"Okay, I think I'll give Ignacio a call in my bedroom," Maxine said, going up the stairs and pulling Lauren with her.
"Bye, L, later," Victor called as he left the house to wait in the car.
They were alone. David continued sitting on the loveseat as Amy sat in a rocking chair and picked up her In Style magazine to read. "So, how long is this going to last, this insane coming home late, ignoring dinner dates like we're not going out?" David asked.
"David, I'm sorry I don't spend every frickin' minute with you. I do have my own life, you know?" Amy snapped.
"Yeah, I'll give you your free time now."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if you don't want to be around me anymore, then I'll end this relationship." And, with that, he got up and started to leave.
"No, David, no! I don't mean that! I love you!" Amy cried desperately. Amy looked surprised at herself. She'd never even uttered those three words aloud to David until now. She just supposed he knew it. If only David had heard her, but he was already driving down the street. Amy felt tears springing to her eyes as she ran up the stairs and flung herself on her bed and cried.