Nessa walked into her apartment and saw her answering machine light flashing red. "Harley baby!" She called out and the dog came running. "Hey boy, how you doing?" Nessa asked, petting the dog's head. Harley looked around the apartment and started whining. "No baby...Joe's not with me tonight. You think I should listen to my messages?" She questioned the dog and laughed when he barked once. "All right boy, I will." Nessa walked over to the answering machine and pressed play.
"Nessa it's Chris...look I'm really sorry I didn't tell you about the match. Please don't hate me, call me." She giggled and shook her head.
"I could never hate you Chris." Nessa whispered and skipped to the next message.
"Nessa it's Allen. I'm sorry again for treating you like shit earlier and I'm also sorry that I didn't tell you about the match. I just didn't want you to feel like you had to choose sides between the three of us...call me please." Nessa felt tears coming to her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She skipped to the next message and gasped when Joe's voice filled the apartment.
"Ness, babe it's me. Baby I am so sorry that I never told you and I never thought for one second that you were with me because I have a title...I should've told you, that was my fuck up and I admit it but please baby just talk to me. You have my number, call me." This time she couldn't stop the tears from falling as she slid down the wall, sobbing. Nessa reached up, grabbed the phone and dialed Joe's number.
"Hello?"
"J...Joe?" She stammered through tears.
"Ness, babe? Is that you?"
"Yes."
"Oh babe...I am so sorry."
"Joe shhh...just come here please? I need you." Nessa whispered.
"I'll be there as soon as I can. You go take a hot bath and I'll let myself in."
"I'll see you soon baby."
"Yes you will." She smiled and hung up the phone. Chris and Allen can wait until tomorrow. Nessa went upstairs and got into the tub, relaxing immediately as the hot water eased her muscles and nerves. She wasn't sure how long she had been laying in the tub but it suddenly felt as if someone was watching her and she opened her eyes to see Joe standing there with a smile on his face. "Joe."
"Yeah babe, I'm here." He helped her out of the tub, wrapped a towel around her and held her in his arms. "I'm so sorry babe." Nessa looked up at him and kissed him.
"I'm sorry too, I overreacted. I shouldn't have ran away like that...did you get attacked by Harley when you came in?" She giggled and he laughed.
"Yeah he almost knocked me on my ass."
"He was looking for you when I got home, when he saw you weren't here he started whining. I know I should call Chris and Allen but I just don't feel like it tonight...I just want to be with you."
"You should call them. We have all the time in the world to be together, they need to know you forgive them." Joe stated.
"You're right." Nessa went into the bedroom, threw on an oversized t-shirt then grabbed her phone. She dialed Allen's number and waited for him to answer.
"Hello?"
"Allen it's Nessa."
"Hey. You okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine. Sorry I ran out on you guys like that tonight and before you even apologize again...I forgive you."
"You do?"
"Yes. You're my best friend and something like this isn't going to change that." She assured him.
"Have you talked to Chris?"
"Not yet. He's my next call."
"What about Joe? He was really upset when you left." Allen said.
"He's here with me. I called him and we worked everything out so I invited him over."
"Good. Well, I'll let you go so you can call Chris and I'll talk to you again soon."
"All right. Bye."
"Bye Nessa." Allen hung up the phone and Nessa sighed.
"One down, one to go." She laughed and dialed Chris' number.
"Yeah?"
"That how you answer your phone?" Nessa asked, laughing.
"Nessa?"
"Yep."
"I'm..." He trailed off.
"Sorry, I know. It's okay Chris...really. I'm sorry too, I should've never run off like that. I was just really pissed at you three and wanted to get out of there before I did something that I would've regretted."
"I know. What about Joe?"
"I thought it was 'What About Bob'?" She joked and he laughed.
"Ha ha very funny. Have you talked to him?"
"Yeah. He's here with me actually, we're fine...still together."
"Great. Allen?" Chris questioned.
"Just talked to him right before I called you. We're fine too, got it all worked out."
"Good. We never meant to hurt you, we just didn't want you to feel like you had to choose sides."
"I know and I appreciate that, I really do." Nessa replied.
"All right. I'll talk to you tomorrow, I need to get some sleep."
"Yeah same here. Bye Chris."
"Bye Nessa." She hung up the phone and turned to Joe.
"See, that wasn't so bad was it?"
"Hush. I want to tell you something but if you tell them I told you I'll never forgive you."
"What is it?" Joe asked.
"You guys didn't tell me so I wouldn't feel like I had to choose sides but if I ever do have to choose sides...I'd choose yours."
"Are you serious?"
"Completely but please don't ever make me choose."
"I already told you I wouldn't ever do that." Joe reassured her.
"I'm tired. You ready to go to sleep?"
"Yeah." He got undressed then they both climbed into bed. "Night babe."
"Night Joe." I love you.