Bill hardly slept all night.

His guilt was insurmountable. He knew he messed up, royally, and that everything was his fault. Why did he get so weirdly jealous? He was so anxious that Mia would find someone else and leave him that it made him volatile. But if he hadn't seen Lenore again, if she hadn't slithered her way into his head, he might have done a lot better last night. He wasn't sure how to change or be better. He wasn't sure how to ignore the little voice in his head that kept telling him he was a worthless loser completely unworthy of Mia. It was always one step forward, two steps back, and after seeing Lenore again it might as well have been one hundred steps back.

He hoped Mia would forgive him, not that he deserved it. It made him wince to recall how he accused her brother's friend of liking her and flirting with her. He knew it wasn't true. He even knew it last night, really, but he couldn't help but look for the signs of Mia leaving him, even if he was practically inventing them. Bill planned to go see her. He wondered if he should bring her flowers or something, too. He missed her immensely; any night she didn't end up staying with him felt lonely enough as it was, but after his ridiculous quibbling and him leaving her at her house, he felt an even deeper sense of desolation.

He texted her good morning before getting in the shower. He didn't want to wait any longer to see her, and besides, the longer it went on, maybe the more time she will have to decide she doesn't want to see him anymore…

He put on the clothes he knew she liked on him the best, like his soft gray t shirt and his nicest pair of jeans. He wasn't taking any chances. After finishing up his typical morning routine, he picked up his phone to see if she responded yet. She hadn't, which made him feel a little crestfallen, but he had to point out to himself that it was still early in the day yet. The sun was up, but it hadn't even been shining long enough to dry up the dew on the grass. Bill wondered if he should he just go over to her house, or if he should wait to see if she responded, if she even wanted to have anything to do with him.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Bill's heart began racing. He felt excited, even thrilled, because he knew it was Mia, he knew she would still want to see him, and now she was here.

Quickly he opened the door, and his stomach dropped.

Standing on his doorstep, grinning mischievously like a Cheshire Cat, was Lenore.


Mia hardly slept all night.

She was deeply offended that Bill would think there was literally anything between her and Ryan, or between her and anybody else. She was frustrated that he didn't seem to listen when she tried to explain that to him; clearly it didn't stick after the Octavio situation. She was also feeling a little ashamed by how she acted, slamming the car door and flouncing away like a bratty teenager.

She hoped he would see her today. Maybe after having the night to cool off and gather their thoughts they could have a better discussion. Then Mia could figure out why he was acting weird lately and figure out why he always assumed she was going to leave him. She never wanted to leave him, why didn't he get that by now?

Mia started to get ready for the day, showering and getting dressed, putting on some makeup, even blow drying her hair a little because it took so long to air dry. She had seen his good morning text and it uplifted her, raising her mood to something a little more positive. She responded cautiously yet hopeful, and wondered if he would come here or if she would go there.

She assumed he would reply back quickly, as he often did, but the minutes ticked by and her phone stayed quiet. She busied herself with random housework, like cleaning certain rooms or getting a load of laundry going. Pierre swam contentedly as she walked by his tank; it was about due for a fresh change of water soon. It was an undertaking that took a chunk of time, so she put it off to do later.

It was almost an hour of pacing and busywork before she got the phone call.


She stood there on his doorstep, her long legs exposed, her shirt cut low, her expression dangerous.

"Told you you might see me again," she smirked as he gaped at her.

"Lenore," was all he could manage.

"Is your girly home?" she asked sweetly.

"Uh, no…"

"Oh, too bad. I was hoping to meet her. May I come in?" She pushed passed him before he had a chance to process what was happening.

She stood in his living room, looking around at the house that was once hers too. The house they bought together when they got married all those years ago.

"You really changed things around," she remarked in approval.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted, after shutting the front door behind him.

Lenore turned to look at him with that deadly glint in her eye. "What? Can't I come stop in and play catch up?"

"Why?"

She sat down on his couch, leaving space for him to sit beside her. He wanted her to leave...yet he sat on the edge of the couch, leaving a sizeable gap between them.

Wary, he asked again, "Why are you here?"

"I told you before...I miss you." She looked into his eyes and put her hand on his knee. He shook it off. "Don't you miss me?" she asked, pretending to sound sad.

"I did. For years. Then I moved on."

"Oh, please. I know you still miss me. I saw the way you looked at me. And now you won't even look me in the eye because you're afraid to admit it."

"You cheated on me, Lenore. A lot. And we fought all the time."

"That was then. This is now. I'm changed now, Billy. I'm different. I'm ready to settle down with you. You're the only man I've ever loved."

Why was she doing this to him now? He would have killed to have heard her say those exact words right up until he met Mia.

"Lenore, I'm with somebody else. You know that."

"And I know it won't last. How old is she, Bill? Nineteen? Twenty? Does she know you're forty?"

"I'm forty-two."

She paused for a second. "Oh, same difference." She shrugged it off.

"She's thirty, by the way."

She tutted. "Still so young. Very pretty. Could get any young buck that she lays eyes on."

Yeah, I know, Bill thought bitterly.

"And then where would you be? Alone, again. And by then maybe I won't be around anymore."

He sighed, irritated. "What are you trying to say? Just spit it out."

She smiled, a devilish smile that glittered in her cold eyes. "You should cut her free before she breaks your heart. And then you and I can start over again, as we're meant to be."

Bill looked at her, feeling the shape and energy of her he remembered from when they were married. She still looked as beautiful as she had when he knew her. And he reluctantly had to agree with her proposition. It was only a matter of time until Mia broke up with him. But this time when a relationship of his ended, he wouldn't end up alone as he always did. Lenore was here now, and she wanted him back.

"Why now?" he asked. The better judgement side of his conscious was still vocal, at least.

"I've gotten tired of being lonely. Man after man, it never works out. I need someone stable, someone to take care of me. Someone to love me. You were always like that. You were such a good husband. I was foolish to throw that all away…"

She almost did sound sincere, he had to admit.

"I'm not leaving her."

Lenore chuckled, though it was sharpened with unkindness. "Do you love her?"

Yes.

She must have read his mind. She slid closer to him and put her hand on his knee again. "You and me, we have history. We were together for half the time that girl has even been alive. I'm here now, giving myself to you. I want to be with you again. You look so good, Billy Goat, so sexy...why did I ever leave you."

Bill pushed her away and hopped to his feet. It was hard to think when she was breathing in his ear with her hand sliding farther and farther up his leg.

"I don't want to leave her, Lenore. I don't know why this is even a choice. You need to go now."

Lenore smirked and settled back into the couch more comfortably. "I can tell there's trouble in paradise. If things were as fine and dandy as you're trying to make it seem then you're right, it wouldn't even be a choice. But something is making you stop and think about it."

How was she so good at that? So good at reading him, like he was an open book, and she knew every thought that went through his mind. He was beginning to pace now, feeling caged and conflicted. Lenore simply sat back and watched his discomfort like it was a TV show.

He stopped. "What if you leave me again?" he asked in a small voice.

"I won't. I told you, I'm done with the muscular-armed bad boys. I want someone safe and reliable. Someone who won't hurt me. I want to settle down and be your wife again."

He paced again. Mia stayed on his mind. He thought about her, and all the time they spent together, the places they've been, the things she said to him, the way she would gaze up at him, like he was the only person in the entire world.

He also couldn't help but think about how impossibly beautiful she was, how smart and funny, how she was far out of his league. She had only given him the time of day because it was a blind date, and she had already been alone for several months by then; any other circumstances and she surely never have given him a second thought.

"Just do it, Billy. Let her go. She'll be fine. Girls like that have no trouble finding someone else."

"I need to go talk to her," he said distantly, starting to make his way to the door.

"No, don't do that. If you see her in person then you'll never be able to do it. You're too weak-willed. Just do it over the phone."

"I can't do that to her…"

"Do you want to wait around for her to break your heart? For her to dump you for some hot new thing? Or do you want to just cut your losses now and come be with me?"

Bill sat back on the couch and rubbed his face with his hands in agitation. He felt like he couldn't breathe, he felt like his heart was flickering, and surely the walls were closing in…

Lenore pressed his phone into his hands.

She grinned evilly as he began to dial.


"WHAT?" Mia shrieked, hardly daring to believe what she just heard.

She was in her kitchen, clutching the counter while Bill spoke to her on the other end of the phone.

"I just...think it's for the best."

She felt dazed, as if the cogs in her brain were jammed and couldn't turn.

She could barely find her voice, let alone the correct sequence of words she was trying to look for. "You ARE breaking up with me? Is this because of last night?" she rushed out in a panic.

"No. I mean...I just keep thinking you're going to break up with me for someone else and I can't get past it. I need to just uh...set you free."

"Oh!" She half-laughed, almost maniacally, "So you're doing ME a favor?"

"We never would have worked out...you're better than me, you deserve better than me." He sounded emotionless, almost unreadable.

"What is going ON? Can you please TELL me?"

"I'm sorry, Mia. ...goodbye."

He hung up the phone.

She felt a flurry of emotions raging inside of her. She felt panic, and despair, and even a swell of anger.

Something was up with him, something had been up with him for a while, and she needed to get to the bottom of it. She grabbed her keys and marched out to her car: she was on a mission. His house was only a few minute drive from hers, thankfully for her, which meant less time to dwell on everything that just happened. She had to keep herself in check, to keep her emotions packed down, at least until she could find out what was going on with him.

Mia pulled up to the front of his house and whipped into the driveway. She slammed the car door shut and began to pound up to the house. She was still on the walkway when Bill abruptly came outside and hurried up to her.

"Mia, what are you doing here?" he said quickly. He was on edge and nervous, which, in the back of Mia's mind, she thought was odd considering the circumstances.

"What the hell do you think? You just dumped me and I'm here to find out why!"

He was wringing his hands when he stuttered, "I-I told you why."

She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. "I don't buy it. I refuse to accept it. Something is going on with you and you need to talk."

"Mia…"

"Don't 'Mia' me," she snapped.

He recoiled. "I told you. I don't have the confidence to be with you. I'll always be worried you're going to leave me. I can't let you live like that."

Her eyebrows knit together worriedly. "Haven't I told you I'm not going to leave you? Am I not proving it? What am I doing wrong?"

He didn't know what he expected when he broke up with her, but he didn't think she would show up at his house and ask him what she was doing wrong. She always thought it was her fault…

He took a step towards her, his eyes distraught, and began to reach a hand out to her, to brush the hair from the side of her face…

All of a sudden, Bill's front door opened farther back behind them. He froze at the sound, like a rabbit sensing a predator. Mia's eyes slid from his to look over his shoulder.

"Bill," Lenore called to him from the doorway, "What's going on?"

Bill remained stiff as he watched the devastation crossing Mia's face.

"Who's that?" Mia asked slowly, shakily, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Is everything okay?" Lenore called again, acting like she had no idea what was happening, yet clearly relishing every minute of it.

"Bill…"

"Mia, it's not what it looks like," he began. Mia's wide brown eyes began filling with tears.

"You were cheating on me?" her voice cracked. She blinked once and the tears began spilling down her cheeks.

"No! No, I swear Mia, I-"

"I can't believe this. I can't believe YOU, I...I thought…" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I wasn't cheating, she, I mean, I-"

Mia took in a shaky breath. She looked up at him, the tears rushing down her face, her eyes narrowing with pure resentment.

"I hate you."

She turned and stormed away, half running, and threw herself into her car before she retreated down the street.

Bill stood where she left him, staring after her, knowing he just made the biggest mistake of his life.