The usual stuff applies, I don't own any of the characters but if I did this is what would have happened! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and i hope you like this part! Only one more chapter to go...
She didn't recognise the car. It must have been bought following their divorce. He turned the key in the ignition and the radio blared out. The presenter was reviewing the Cubs game from earlier that day.
"They won." Tony said matter-of-factly. Michelle nodded in his direction but avoided his eyes.
"Yeah, I saw the end of it." She replied. This seemed to make him uncomfortable and he turned his attention back to the road. She followed suit, staring at a point directly in front of her.
"You still live up by thirty third?" he asked, as he backed the car out of the driveway. Michelle nodded and stole a glance at Tony. He looked tired, she noted. He was wearing a grey shirt and black shoes. She absently wondered if he had a job now ashis casual attire was always a t-shirt and jeans. It suddenly struck her that this might have changed. Just because he had always worn jeans religiously didn't mean that this new Tony did. This was a realisation that hurt her more than she cared to admit.
The rest of the journey was passed in silence. It was awkward and uncomfortable but neither seemed to be willing to say anything so they just stared at the road.
After what Michelle was sure must have been the longest car ride in history, they arrived at her house. She sat for a moment unsure of what to do before turning to look at him. His eyes were staring at an imaginary point on the dashboard. She sighed.
"Thank you," She managed to say. "for the ride."
He looked up at her and she smiled slightly before reaching for the handle and opening the door. She paused, knowing something had to be said but she couldn't think of anything appropriate and so she just exited the car. She glanced back briefly, Tony's face was a picture of confusion and he was still staring at that same point. She started up the path to her house and had almost reached the door when he called her name. She was torn, the coward in her wanted to run inside and lock the door against him but instead she forced herself to stop and turn around. He was just a few steps away now and she knew that there was no way to escape.
"Michelle, are ya gonna to tell me what you were doing at my house?" he was staring straight at her and it was incredibly unnerving.
"I just… I don't know Tony. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come." She could have kicked herself for being such a jabbering idiot. "I just wanted to… talk."
"About what?" he asked. His voice was softer now, less aggressive.
"Us." She said simply. There was no sense in lying, he would know anyway.
He rubbed the skin at the side of his face, it was a familiar action and she found it comforting. She went to continue but was interrupted by his cell phone. He sighed and looked up at her apologetically before taking the phone out. He glanced at the caller I.D and answered.
"Jen." He answered and walked away so that Michelle couldn't make out what he was saying. She stood there helplessly. His voice began to raise now and from his half of the conversation she guessed Jen was not happy.
"Jen…no, I'll be back later…I don't know when… Jen! Please! We'll talk later." At this he slammed the phone shut and sighed loudly before turning back to Michelle.
"How long have you been with her?" She asked, although she really had no desire to learn anything about Tony's relationship with Jen. The woman who had replaced her.
"Not long." His answer was vague and she was glad of it. His eyes were boring a hole in her head now but she could not find the strength to look up and meet them.
"Well, I should go in." She said offering a small smile and silently praying he wouldn't let her go. Her prayer was answered.
"Are you just going to walk away from this?" he sounded irritated.
"From what?" She heard herself say, though she wasn't sure why.
"We haven't spoken for months Michelle! Then you turn up at my house with no explanation and just leave as if it's perfectly normal."
"Well what do you want me to say?" She could hear her voice rising, "I'm very sorry for ruining your evening with Jen!" She spat that last word.
"What did you expect Michelle?" his voice was raised now too, "Did you think that I would just sit around moping forever? You left me remember? You walked away. How is it that you're pissed at me?"
"I couldn't stay. I didn't even know you anymore." She was shouting too now. The voice inside her was telling her to calm down, to take a deep breath. She ignored it. "All you did was drink and watch TV! You disappeared for days on end with no word. I could have been on fire and you wouldn't even have noticed! All you were interested in was your precious beer. So I let you have it!"
"Well I'm sorry things weren't rosy for you Michelle, but in case you forget I had just gotten out of prison." She could see the anger in his eyes but it only served to fuel hers.
"Don't you think I know that?" She spat at him, "There isn't a day goes by I don't wish I could change what happened. Wish you'd just let me die and then none of this mess would have happened!" She paused taking a deep breath before continuing. "I know it's my fault Tony and I tried to make it better, I just… I didn't know how." She looked into his eyes now. "So I did the only thing I could. I left. And I'm sorry, ok!" She bit her lip in an attempt to prevent the tears that threatened to fall.
She was vaguely aware that he had stepped closer to her.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. Then he was there and she was in his arms and he was kissing her. And it was fire and it was passion and it sent shivers down her spine. And it was Tony.