Here is chapter 2, sorry that there isn't any Michael & Julia in it but I feel more like building things slowly. Sorry about my English but I'm French and I don't have any English lessons anymore. Please review !

It had been one week since Frank had last seen Julia. He had had time to think about everything she had said and wanted more. She couldn't just end 18 years of marriage in five minutes. They had to talk about it. He had tried calling her but her phone was off. He winced at the irony of this. A couple weeks ago he was the one who didn't want to pick up the phone. Now he was the one trying desperately to get in touch and he hadn't done anything to deserve that. He was mad. He was the perfect husband dammit !

That's why he went to Tom's place, thinking he might find Julia there. This was definitely the place where she would have chosen to stay. So he was here knocking on the door, trying not to look too mad. He was here to confront her and he wouldn't go away. Tom opened the door and invited him in. He seemed really surprised.

"Hi Frank, how are you doing ? Julia isn't with you ?"
Now it was Frank's turn to look surprised. Why would Tom think Julia was with him ? And he didn't look like he was covering for her, he just looked surprised.
"No, I thought she was staying at your place."
"Why would she stay at my place ? Something happened ?"
"She left me."

Tom's jaw dropped. He had many reasons to be astonished. Why Julia would leave Frank when she was trying so hard to save her marriage ? and more importantly why hadn't she told him anything ? He sunk into the couch and invited Frank to do the same by a wave of the hand.

"When ?"
"Last week in Boston."
"And she didn't say anything about where she was going ?"
"No."
"You didn't ask ?"
"I was a bit taken aback, I didn't say anything."
"But if she is not at my place, where is she ?"
"I have no idea, but how come you didn't know ? Usually you are both checking up on each other like every five minutes !"
"Things have been a little crazy lately... With all the Ivy stuff..."
"What Ivy stuff ?"
"You didn't hear ? She took a lot of pills during the last show and everyone is talking about whether or not she should stay in the production. EVERYONE is talking about it !"
"I have no contacts with the show anymore... remember ?"

Tom's face suddenly changed. He hadn't realized yet. Julia had really left Frank. It was so weird. He looked Frank in the eyes, it seemed like he hadn't gotten much sleep in the last few days.

"Sorry. I feel like it's partly my fault..."
Frank raised his eyebrows, he couldn't see where Tom was going with this.
"I shouldn't have let them hire Michael Swift back."

Frank couldn't bear the mention of that name. Once his talented friend, now the source of all troubles. Actually he never really was his friend, just a polite somebody who came sometimes to have drinks with them. Frank could see why now, how could you make friends with the husband of the woman you had an affair with for quite a while ? But he couldn't just be mad at Michael. Of course what he did was wrong, unforgivable. But wasn't what Julia did worse ?

"You did nothing wrong. You acted like you should have under the circumstances. Julia should have done the same... But why would you say that ? You think she left me to go with him ?"
"I don't know more than you do but... I know you don't want to hear it... but you should know that there is more than just lust between them. At least that's what I think."

Frank looked defeated. He wasn't blind, what Tom was saying he already knew it. He had seen it, he had understood it. In one way it was a good thing because it meant that his wife wasn't ruining their marriage for something completely meaningless, like you do with things for which you don't care. But on the other hand it was painful, so painful. She had fallen for someone else. He could see it in her eyes when she was with him. She was looking for that exciting feeling she got with Michael but no longer with her husband. They had it in the beginning but it eventually wore off. Now he couldn't see how to get it back, how to get her back.

"So you think she is at his place."
"Let's not jump to conclusions..."
"I have to go there."

He suddenly rose from the couch with a determined look on his face. It was like he had suddenly woken up from a long sleep. Tom rose too, with a little less determination than Frank.

"I'll go with you. I know what happened last time you talked to him and I can't have one of our leading roles damaged before the show."

Frank smiled at that thought and waited for Tom to grab his coat and cell. He knew that Tom was more concerned about Julia than Michael. He could see that he was upset about not knowing what had happened. Julia was supposed to be his best friend.