Disclaimer: I don't own the ducks. I just own the movies.

It has been two years since I have even read this story. I had to re-read it to get familiar with it again. As always, review, review, review. It's like candy to me.

Julie nervously tapped her foot against the couch as she waited for someone to pick up. After the fifth ring she pulled the phone away from her ear.

"Hello?"

Julie put the phone back to her ear as she heard his voice on the line.

"Hey." She said shyly.

"Well hey. You alone?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"It's unusually quiet on your end."

"It's their cousin's birthday today. Adam's mom came and got them a little while ago."

"Why didn't you go?"

"Joanna understood when I told her I wasn't up to it this year. I'd just bring everybody down."

"Did Adam go?"

"He's heading over after work."

"How have you been?"

"Frustrated, hurt. I'm a bunch of different things right now."

"Adam still won't tell you what's going on?"

"No. It makes me nervous that he can act like nothing's wrong."

"You need to talk to him."

"I know."

"Force him if you have to. It's not going to be easy."

"I know."

"I know you know. I can come over if you think you'll need someone there."

"I won't. Adam has never so much as raised a hand to hit me. I doubt he'll start now."

Julie hung up a few minutes later, only to have the phone ring again a minute later. She checked the Caller ID seeing Fulton's number.

"'Lo?"

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Portman just called me."

"That was fast. I just got off the phone with him."

"Okay, so maybe I was with him when he talked to you."

"So now the truth comes out."

"I didn't want to scare you."

"Why?"

"What I'm gonna say you're not gonna like."

"Then be forwarned that I just might hang up on you."

"I'll take my chances. You need to be honest with yourself. I'm about to ask you something and I want you to give an honest answer."

"Okay." Julie said bracing herself for what would happen next.

"Are you happy? I mean honestly happy? Because you put on a brave face for everybody else."

"No, I'm not happy." She said as tears stung her eyes.

"Do you want to be?"

"Is Portman with you?"

"He's inside. Now answer me."

"Of course I want to be happy Fulton."

"Then do something about it."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'm not saying that you need to leave him. But you've go to do something. You can't keep lying to yourself.

"I know." She said as tears started to fall.

"I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Don't worry about it. I needed a wake up call. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Julie hung up a minute later. SHe sat down on the couch pulling her knees to her. She rested her head on her knees as sobs racked through her. She was at a loss as to what to do. She knew she needed

to confront Adam, but she never knew how he would react lately. She didn't want to deal with him blowing up at her. If he did she'd just have to push back just as hard. She was tired of being nice and letting him

walk all over her.