When Maureen arrived at home she was relieved to see that Ed's car was not parked in the garage. Michelle was equally absent as she was spending the day with Fletcher and Ben Reade. She threw her purse on the kitchen table and went immediately to the shower. As she stood under the showers cascading water she knew she should feel guilty, that she should wash Roger not only off of her body but out of her life. They didn't see each other often which was a blessing, but when they did she knew it would be difficult to forget. She leaned against the tile and allowed the water to envelop her, only stepping out when it grew cold, causing her skin to form goosebumps.
She had a towel wrapped around her body and another was drying her hair as she went into her bedroom. Her eyes saw movement on the bed, it took her a minute to realize Ed was home early.
"Well isn't this a nice surprise?" He grinned, stretching out on his back on the bed. "I had a low patient load today so I decided to come home and take a nap. Care to join me?" He beckoned.
Thinking fast "Oh Ed, I just got out of the shower, and Michelle will be home soon."
Ed pushed himself upward. "Come on, you can always take another shower and I can be quick." The grin that formed on his face was impish at best.
"But I need to get dinner started, and I'm sure there is a load of laundry that needs to be dried or folded" She tried to reason.
Ed came off the bed, and wrapped his arms around her still towel clad body. "Come on honey. The laundry can wait. We can go out for dinner, and Michelle, well she won't be home for a while yet." He laid his lips on her naked shoulder. "Please" he begged.
"Ed, I'm really not in the mood" She was terse, as well as tense.
"Fine" He complained, but didn't press. He stormed out of their bedroom in a huff. Maureen sat heavily on the edge of the bed and sighed. She hadn't intended to, but lay down still wrapped in her towel and fell asleep. When she woke a few hours later she quickly dressed and went to the kitchen.
There was a note under a magnet on the fridge. Written in Ed's scrawling hand. He had been called back to the ER, and would be home by dinner. Maureen crumpled the note and threw it in the waste basket under the sink. She looked at the time and discovered that it was such when most normal families would sit down to dinner. If she pulled something out of the freezer now they could eat, but it would be late. Finding a lasagna for just such an occasion, Maureen pulled it out and placed it on the counter, preheating the oven as she went by. Her next stop was the answering machine that was blinking.
"Hi Mom, Hi Dad, I guess you're both still working. Uhm, Mr. Reade is going to take Ben and Me for burgers, and then we are going to go play mini golf. I will be home by curfew. Bye"
Maureen breathed a sigh of relief. She leaned heavily on the counter and inhaled deeply. Home was where the heart is, but hers just wasn't in it. Pushing off the counter she went to the laundry room where she began to transfer from the washer to the dryer. She heard the door to the kitchen open and close. "I'm in here" She called out
Moments later Ed was standing behind her. When she stood, after having filled the dryer he wrapped his arms around her midsection. "I'm sorry about earlier" He whispered as he nibbled her ear lobe.
The sensation sent a shot and guilt through here. "No, Ed, I'm sorry. I never should have done it. I wish I hadn't."
Maureen of course was apologizing for sleeping with Roger, but Ed took it as an apology for turning him down. He kissed her neck and her ears. She turned around and wrapped hers around his neck.
"Ed…" She was going to say something else, but quickly asked "how was work?" instead.
"You know, the usual. I'd have much rather been home here with you, but duty called" He said pulling away. "What's for dinner? I'm starving" He leaned against the table where Maureen folded the laundry, hand over his stomach.
"Well, there was nothing thawed, but I pulled a lasagna out of the oven. It will take about two hours."
Ed scoffed. "Nah, how about we go out? We could hit Company. I have to sign off on one of my patients anyway."
"Ok, Michelle won't be home until later anyway. I'll get my purse."
When the pair walked into Company Ed immediately spied Holly in a booth with none other than Roger.
"Leave them be" Maureen encouraged, trying to guide Ed to the other side of the restaurant but he pulled away. Maureen reluctantly followed him.
Holly's face lit up when she saw Ed standing at the end of the table. "Hello Ed, Maureen"
"Hello Holly." Ed said, ignoring Roger. "I thought we talked about this at Mindy's reception. Or were you too drunk to remember our chat in the parking garage?"
Maureen's head snapped to attention while Roger sat quietly across from Holly.
"Excuse me Roger," Holly said, pushing herself out of the booth. She grabbed Ed's hand and moved him several feet from the booth. "Not that it's any of your business but we are discussing our daughter. After I found her in that compromising position she seems to have left town"
"We discussed that too. She is an adult. She can come and go as she pleases."
"I'm aware of this, but I was hoping that perhaps she had contacted her father." Holly jut her chin towards Roger who was hanging on every word without being obvious.
"Has she?" Ed asked
"I don't know, we just got here. Company was the middle ground between his place and mine after work, and the most public."
Ed ran a hand across the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, I just assumed and I have no right to do that. Like Blake, you're an adult too. Enjoy your meal."
When Ed and Maureen returned to their table Ed couldn't take his eyes off of Holly and Roger. "I wish she'd stop running to him every time she had as much as a paper cut" Ed bitterly complained.
Maureen laid her menu on the table, placing her hands on top of it. She didn't need it anyway, she knew every meal on it. "They share a daughter Ed, who did you want her to call? You?"
"It might have been nice." Ed scoffed.
"By the way." Maureen lowered her voice. "What was that about you and Holly in the parking garage? When did that happen?"
Ed looked up at her. "During the black out. I followed her when she left the bar. She was going to walk home."
"The black out!" Maureen's voice rose and then fell. "Do you mean to tell me that Michelle was alone that whole time?" Her voice, while low, was full of anger.
It was Ed's turn for confusion. "What do you mean, alone? You were there, weren't you?"
"I'm suddenly not hungry. I want to go home. Order something to go. I'll be in the car"
Maureen pushed herself out of the booth, storming past Holly and Roger who stared at her on the way out. Ed followed seconds behind.
"Ed,is everything alright?" Roger asked.
"Shut up Roger."
"Look, I'm not sure what Maureen told you, but…"
Ed stopped walking "But what Roger? Ah you're not worth it."
Roger's face lost its color. He was certain that Maureen had confessed their coupling to Ed, but he hadn't swallowed a fistful of teeth, nor did he flatten Ed Bauer after. He wanted to follow the couple, but instead slowly sat back down.
"What was that all about?" Holly asked him, sipping a cup of tea. Roger waved her off while looking out the window of Company.
The following day Maureen sat, as always at her desk outside of Vanessa's office. She was typing a memo when the phone rang. Absently she answered it.
"Spaulding Enterprises, Maureen…I'm sorry, Vanessa Chamberlain's office."
"Oh thank God" Roger said, leaning back in his own executive chair. "I was so worried about you last night."
Maureen leaned forward, holding her head in her hand. "Why? Nothing spectacular happened."
"I don't know about that. I was sure you told Ed about us."
"Stop calling me. There is no us, there never should have been an us."
Maureen dropped the phone into the cradle and began to type the memo again. When the phone rang again she picked It up.
"Don't you dare hang up on me again." Roger spat at her.
"Or what? Good bye, Roger" She slammed the phone down again.
Looking at the clock it was too early for lunch, and she had already taken a break. She pursed her lips and went back to typing the memo. When the phone rang again seconds later she yanked it upwards.
"I told you not to call here again!" She screamed, forgetting she was at work.
"I beg your pardon?"
Maureen's cheeks turned red. "Alexandra, I'm so sorry. Someone had been calling and trying to see us a new long distance plan."
"I see. Call down to reception and have them field the calls first, then when they get to you we won't have another scene like this. Need I remind you Mrs. Bauer, that we must maintain our professional composure at all times."
"No you do not, Alex, but I appreciate the reminder nonetheless. Would you like to speak to Vanessa?"
"Yes, please," Alexandra told her.
Maureen put her on hold and transferred her without announcing her, another faux pas, but at that moment she didn't care. She had her line transferred to reception and decided to compose herself in the bathroom. She stood at the sink, holding on to the edge. She studied the image staring back. She wasn't the same person she was the week before. She had slept with someone who wasn't her husband, yet outwardly she was the same old Maureen Bauer and was expected to behave as such. She pounded her fists off of the granite. She was angry now, not guilty. She was certain that Ed was sleeping with Holly. Why else wouldn't he have told her they spent the blackout in the garage, probably in the back seat of her car. She pounded the surface again before standing to her full height. She inhaled deeply, splashed cold water on her face and returned to her desk.
It wasn't until Friday that Roger had stopped calling or that she got over being angry at Ed. By the time she was ready to leave she just wanted to go home and spend a quiet weekend working in the garden, or relaxing in the hot tub, but then Vanessa called her into her office. Maureen's shoulders slumped.
"You needed to see me?" Maureen asked, hanging in the doorway.
"I did. Shut the door" Vanessa instructed.
Maureen did, but didn't move from where she stood. "Have a seat," Vanessa smiled.
"What's this about?" Maureen asked.
"Well, you don't have to come into the office on Monday, or Tuesday for that matter." Vanessa folded her hands in a prayer-like configuration.
Maureen's hand shot to her throat. "Am I being fired?"
Vanessa smiled. "Quit the opposite. You've been doing such a great job that we're going to remodel your space outside to give you a bit more privacy. After all, you handle some personal Spaulding business that we wouldn't want just anyone seeing."
She didn't realize it but Maureen was holding her breath. "Oh my, well, alright. I don't need the days off though, I could work in the secretarial pool in the basement" Maureen offered.
"Nonsense. Now, I also need you to make sure that you go straight home. Don't stop at the grocery store or to pick up your dry cleaning. Straight home. I will see you at 9 on Wednesday. Now scoot, you're going to be late."
Maureen was incredibly confused, but complied. When she pulled into the driveway at home the house was already dark and Ed was standing in the driveway with a small suitcase by his feet. He waved as she pulled in. When she put the car in park he opened her door and helped her out.
"Hello, I see Vanessa gave you my message"
"What message?"
"To come straight home. Now grab your purse, we'll take my car."
"Your car?" Maureen shook her head "Where are we going? Why is the house dark? Where is Michelle?"
"I will answer two of those questions. Michelle is with Lillian. She is going to keep her for us until Tuesday morning. Now, not to worry, Lillian doesn't have any nursing shifts this weekend, and will drop Michelle off at camp. As for why the house is dark, well, I didn't want to pay for electricity when no one would be home to use it.
" Now come on, buckle up" Maureen complied, with Ed's request as he pulled out of the driveway.
When they arrived at their destination Ed put a hand over Maureen's eyes as he guided her down a steep set of stairs. She could hear water flowing in the distance, and the sounds of crickets. They weren't in Springfield any more. When they stepped off the last stair Ed uncovered her eyes.
"What do you think?" He asked with a wide smile.
Maureen spun slowly, taking it in. They were standing on a deck that overlooked a ravine. The house belonging to the deck looked like it was built into the side of a mountain. As the sun was just setting it cast a golden light over everything.
"What do I think? It's beautiful"
"I'm so glad because we're here through Monday." Ed clapped. He led Maureen into the living room through the glass door off of the deck. He moved about as if he knew the place well. "The kitchen is over there. You will find I've had the fridge stocked, and the grill is ready to go. Over there" He pointed to a small alcove off the living room "is a small powder room if you'd like to freshen up. Upstairs there is a bedroom that overlooks the ravine, and a bathroom complete with jacuzzi tub. I imagine we will be spending some time in that"
Maureen put any hesitation she was experiencing away and instead took the sight of her husband in.
"Oh Ed, this is remarkable."
He went to her and put his arm around her. "We've both been so busy with work, and Michelle, and everything else that I thought we could use this. Come on, let's go watch the sun set and then I will make us some steaks."
Maureen followed willingly. For the first time since the blackout she felt fully at ease. She stood at the railing of the deck and inhaled the fresh air while leaning her head on Ed's chest. As promised as soon as the sky turned from orange to murky blue Ed made them dinner. They ate, and talked, and then Ed took her upstairs to the bedroom they would share. "I got you something" He teased, opening the suitcase.
"I hope it's my tooth brush." Maureen replied.
"I did, but that's not it." He turned around and presented her with a satin nightgown. "I thought you might like this" He handed it to her.
Maureen held it against her. It was red with black lace accents. It looked like it would fit. "Thank you" She blushed. "I'll go put it on." She excused herself to the bathroom. When she returned, Ed was already under the covers, naked she gathered as his chest and shoulders were exposed. He whistled when he saw her. "Get over here" He demanded and she complied. The pair made love, not in their normal hurried, Tuesday night way, but in a way that reminded Maureen of what it had been like when they were first married. With Ed snoring lightly at her side, Maureen cuddled next to him trying to fall asleep herself. She felt content for the first time in a long time. The worst was over, and the best was about to begin, she told herself as she fell asleep.
On Tuesday morning, Maureen didn't have to go into Spaulding, but Ed had to be at the hospital so Maureen woke up and made him breakfast. As they were eating the phone rang. "I'll get it," Maureen cheerfully said.
"Hello, Bauer residence."
"Hi Maureen, it's Holly."
Her good mood quickly and completely evaporated. "Hello Holly, what can I do for you at this impolite hour?"
Ed looked up from his coffee and frowned.
"I'm calling for two reasons actually. First, I wanted to find out how you liked the Cliff House. Isn't it wonderful? And second, I wanted to know what I could bring to the fourth of July picnic. In the past I've brought the watermelon, but I'm willing to bring anything else that I can pick up at the deli."
A lump formed in Maureen's throat. "How, how, did you know about the Cliff House?"
"Oh no, Ed didn't tell you? I'm sorry. Listen, maybe I should go. I'll stop by the hospital and talk to Ed."
Maureen locked eyes with Ed but kept talking to Holly. "No, that won't be necessary, Ed is right here." She threw the phone at him and walked away.
A few minutes later Ed found her in the living room. "Honey, I can explain." Ed said.
"Explain what? That your ex wife knew where you were taking me for the weekend before I did?" She was getting emotional. "God, what an idiot I am. I wondered how you knew so intimately where everything was. Let me guess, you took her there first. Did you make love to her in the jacuzzi like you did me, Ed?"
"Maureen, you are overreacting."
"Over reacting? So you aren't denying it. You slept with Holly at the same place you took me for a romantic weekend. Go to Hell Ed." She turned her back to him.
Ed laid his hands on her shoulders. "Maureen, I didn't sleep with Holly at the Cliff House. I haven't slept with Holly since, well you know when. She did however tell me about the Cliff House and thought it would be a spot you would enjoy. She showed me a brochure. That's all. Alright, so I did go up early on Friday to make sure that everything was ready, but that's it. Our weekend away was about you and me, not me and Holly." His page chirped then. "Damn it, it's the hospital. I have to go."
After Ed left Maureen grabbed her purse and car keys. She found herself at the beach by the light house. It saddened her to see its condition since Rick had moved out of it. Ed had let it fall into slight disrepair. They should really convince Rick to sell it or to hire someone to fix it and rent it out. As she stared at it she heard heavy footsteps near her. She turned, using a hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
"Are you following me?" She asked when she saw who it was.
"Not at all. I thought I'd take up running and the beach seemed like a great place to do it." Roger bent over, held his hands on his thighs and sucked in air. "I do not understand why anyone would do this for fun."
Maureen grinned. "Would you like some water?" She asked, pointing to the lighthouse. "I happen to have a key and know that the utilities are still on.
Roger wagged a finger. "That would be delightful. So tell me, how have you been?"
Maureen let them into the back door of the light house. She flipped a switch on the wall illuminating the space further.
"Rick left it as it was when he lived here with Meredith" Maureen sighed. "No one's touched it since."
"It's tough when you lose the love of your life." Roger lamented.
"Well, I wouldn't say she was the love of his life, but he did take it hard when she left him. He says he'll come home from Chicago soon, but he's been gone for so long that I doubt it."
Maureen pulled a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the tap. Her hand brushed against Roger's as she handed it to him. He drank it in three quick swallows, and then laid it on the counter.
"Are you alright?" He asked. "You look sad." He reached up and laid a hand on her cheek but pulled it back quickly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."
"You know what your problem is Roger?"
"I have many, but which are you referring to?"
"You apologize for being human. Stop it."
"Old habit. Now tell me, why are you so sad?"
Maureen sighed. "I can't prove it, but I think Holly and Ed are having another affair."
"Oh man, I am sorry. How do you know?"
Maureen waved the question off but proceeded to the living room couch. "It isn't important. It's just a feeling. I felt it a few weeks ago when we saw you two at Company."
"That was about Chrissy," He reassured her.
"You don't owe me an explanation."
Roger sat beside her and took her hand in his. "He doesn't deserve you. He doesn't deserve Holly either, but he doesn't deserve you." He lifted her hand and gently kissed the knuckles on it. Maureen raised her head and looked into his eyes. Once again she felt herself being swept into them. All reason left her head. She was angry at Ed, but was here with Roger, and that was a deadly combination for when he leaned forward and kissed her, she allowed him to do that and more.
For the third time Roger made love to Maureen, and she let him. She was a willing participant as she was swept out to sea with him. They came together like a crashing wave, and went out to sea in a mutual bliss that was both confounding, and confusing to her. When it was over they lay breathless in each other's arms. He kissed her temple, and then her cheek, and then her chin.
"I love that dimple," He grinned.
That was enough to snap Maureen back to reality. "Oh Roger, you know exactly the right words to say. Now I know how you were able to get Alex, and Mindy so easily into your bed even after what you did to Holly"
Roger tensed. "Where is this coming from?" He asked, sensing that the tide had indeed turned.
"It's coming from the fact that once again I have betrayed my marriage vows. Now they may not mean anything to you or Ed, or any other man in Springfield but they mean something to me. Roger, we absolutely can not do this again!"