Chapter 3

As Amita drives Larry stares silently out the window lost in his thoughts.

"Do you have any idea about what you're going to do?"

Larry sighs heavily.

"Well, I have several options at this point. I can go into a blind rage and tell them both to go to hell. But that really wouldn't make me feel better or make the situation any better. And in truth I'm not so sure I'm willing to just walk away with out a fight. So that brings me to option number two. I could confront Colby and put him on notice that I'm not about to walk away from the woman I love and I will fight with everything I have to win her back. And I dare say I do have some things to fight with."

Amita nods in agreement.

"But I cannot loose sight of the fact that Megan is not something to be won. What she is, is an extraordinary woman who I dearly love and want the best for. I only want her to be happy Amita, and if being with Colby verses me will make her happy then part of me says I should step aside."

"Wow."

"What?"

"It's just…Well, I'm not sure I could be so forgiving, I'm impressed."

Larry laughs humorously

"Hard to tell if it's forgiveness on my part or just me not wanting to have been wrong about her. I suppose the first thing I need to do is hear her side of it and proceed from there."

Amita smiles.

"I think that's definitely a good plan of attack. You know, it really could be some sort of misunderstanding."

Larry continues to look out the window his voice so quiet that Amita almost misses what he says.

"I'd love nothing more then to believe that. But for now I can only draw conclusions from the meager facts in front of me."

"Has Megan ever given you reason to doubt her before?"

Larry considers this.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Is it conceivable that the evidence could be explained?"

Larry gets a thoughtful look on his face.

"Possibly."

"Then isn't it worth leaving a shadow of a doubt in place until you actually speak to Megan?"

Larry smiles sadly.

"If she can come up with a way to explain the pictures and e-mails I'll gladly hear it."

The car is quiet again.

oooOooo

Over at Charlie's the house is in complete turmoil as Don, his team, Charlie, and Alan all discuss the events of the day.

"I cannot believe you have the gull to show your face here after what the two of you did!"

"We didn't do anything! I would never hurt Larry!"

"Oh yeah? Well then what do you call cheating on him?!"

"I never cheated!"

Colby steps forward.

"Charlie, you need to listen to us."

"What I need is for the two you to get the hell out of my house!"

David tries to calm him.

"Hey come on, Charlie, we don't know for sure that…"

"What I know is that Larry himself was suspicious enough to hire a PI and what that PI found is pretty damming!"

"Come on buddy, we need to at least hear them out."

Alan is looking at the pictures during all of this.

"And I think the person who deserves to hear their side of it the most would be Larry."

Megan is near tears.

"Well, I'd love to talk to him if I could reach him but he's not answering his phone!"

Colby sighs rubbing his face tiredly.

"Maybe he's decided to join that monastery."

Charlie sneers at Colby.

"I bet you'd just love that to wouldn't you? Get him out of the way completely, huh?"

Colby grits his teeth angrily and in a clearly frustrated voice responds

"I'm not involved with her!"

Just then the front door opens and everyone turns to see Amita and Larry standing there.

"Don't worry Larry, they were just leaving!"

Alan gives Charlie a stern look and Charlie quiets. Megan starts towards him

"Larry…"

Larry puts his hands up to silence her.

"A word in private if you please?"

Megan nods as she wipes her face. Alan clears his throat.

"Why don't we all go into the kitchen and I'll fix us something."

"No, Alan, that isn't necessary Megan and I are perfectly capable of leaving the room to discuss this."

The two of them go to the kitchen as everyone watches. Amita goes over to Charlie and hugs him.

"How's he doing?"

"He's hanging in there but he's pretty shaken."

Colby speaks up.

"Well, hopefully he has a little more faith in us then the rest of you do because the fact is, there is no affair."

Amita looks at Colby skeptically.

"You know Colby we'd all like to believe you but with the evidence…"

Alan speaks up.

"Wouldn't be the first incident in which the evidence was wrong."

Don sighs rubbing his neck.

"Well, then let's investigate it."

David picks up the e-mails and starts looking at them as Amita gets an idea.

"I can scan the pictures onto my laptop and see if they're real."

She quickly goes and grabs the pictures as David continues to study the e-mails.