Alicia woke up the next morning to the delicious aroma of French toast and fresh fruit, she laid onto her back in bed and noted Taylor's side of the bed was empty and cold. She pushed up in bed and stifled the groan as her muscles ached from yesterday's workout, it was a good kind of ache which she was going to have to get used to while her body regained its strength.

She looked at the end of the bed to the crib and noted the twins were inside and looked to be sleeping peacefully. They even had a change of outfits between the last feeding and when she woke up which was about 3 hours ago.

"Good Morning" Taylor said as he came into the bedroom with breakfast tray in his hands. "You sit up it's better for digestion" he told her, Alicia looked at him oddly but complied as she sat up in bed and made herself comfortable. Taylor placed the tray in front of her and she was amazed at the amount of care in preparation and presentation of the food.

"What's all this?" Alicia asked as she looked down at the French toast with fresh fruit, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"I thought I would make my wife breakfast in bed" Taylor said as moved around the room picking up his gym bag that was already packed and his boots.

"Why?" Alicia asked suspicious of his motives and wondering where he was going at this time of the morning.

"I'm not allowed to do nice things for no reason?" he asked as he moved to his side of the bed and pulled on his boots. "Now I've done the washing, hung it out to dry and the girls have been fed and changed so they shouldn't kick up a stink for a hour or so" he added with a smile.

"Ok seriously, what is going on?" Alicia asked as she and Taylor shared everything. Not that she minded him doing housework or making her breakfast but she felt like she being buttered up for something. There was also the fact he was overdoing things breakfast in bed and getting up extra early it all stank to her like he was angling for something.

"Nothing, now enjoy your late breakfast. Kate will be here any minute" Taylor told her. Alicia raised an eyebrow and wondered how he knew Kate would be over soon.

"Is that why you are running away? By the way where are you going?" Alicia asked as Taylor usually worked from home unless something came up.

"You wouldn't believe me" he told her as he tied up the laces of his boots.

"Try me"

"Ok but you can't giggle about this with Kate"

"I don't giggle"

"You do when you're drunk or on pain meds" he told her.

"Then humour me. Promise I will not tell Kate"

"I'm training Malcolm in hand to hand combat and weaponry" Taylor said he didn't have to wait a second before Alicia burst out laughing as she was sure it was a joke. Malcolm abhorred violence but Taylor gave her the 'I told you that you wouldn't believe me' Look and she sobered up.

"What? You're being serious?" she asked in disbelief.

"I am, he approached me yesterday and asked me who I would recommend. He thinks it's better know how to fight back than stand around being useless." Taylor said, he wasn't going to say the real reasons that Malcolm had told him as he was sure Alicia would take it the wrong way.

"Wow. I didn't think I'd see the day when Malcolm Wallace would voluntarily pick up a weapon but why can't I tell Kate?" Alicia asked.

"Malcolm doesn't want it publicised. I also don't think he wants Kate to think she can help him"

"Ahh the old 'I don't like my ass handed to me by a girl' thing you boys have" Alicia said as she decided she would just accept the breakfast for what it was and eat it before it got cold.

"I think he just wants to know that he can protect his family if he has to than it being about ego" Taylor told her.

"Well good on him, it just shows how much he's changed if he can reconcile his issues with fighting and guns" Alicia commented before she ate a bite of her breakfast.

"We all make concessions and most of the time they are worth it" he told her. He got up from the bed and moved up to her side and leaned over her. She looked up at him and he leaned in to kiss her only to stop as a knock sounded at the front door.

"That's Kate" Taylor said with amused smile before he placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I'll see you at lunch" Taylor said as he left the room. Alicia looked down at her breakfast wishing he had kissed her properly instead of a perfunctory kiss.

She started into her breakfast and heard Kate talk with Taylor before he left the house. A second later, Kate came into the room and leaned against the door frame salaciously and smiled at Alicia.

"Hey Beautiful" Kate said with a sly smile.

"Hey yourself" Alicia said as she continued to eat amused by the flirtation in Kate's voice as she liked to mess around.

"Good Morning?" Kate asked tongue in cheek as she saw the breakfast tray.

"I only woke about 10 minutes ago" Alicia informed her as she continued to eat, she hadn't realised how famished she was until she started eating.

"So it was a good night" Kate said in appreciation.

"I got plenty of sleep with exception to the waking up to feed the twins and settling them" Alicia said as she knew Kate was inferring the breakfast was a 'thank you' for having sex with Taylor. It seemed Kate's mind was steeped in thoughts about sex and nothing else.

"So I take it you didn't take my advice of just throwing a leg over him?" Kate asked as she crawled onto the bed and sat beside Alicia with a huff as she made herself comfortable.

"Tell me why you're here so early?"

"Malcolm had to work early and I was bored" Kate told her.

"So are you going to be over here all the time when you aren't with Malcolm?" Alicia asked her between bites of her food.

"Until the murderer is caught, yeah I am. Is that ok?" Kate asked there was a hint of apprehension in Kate's tone that made Alicia feel sorry for the woman as she couldn't relax in her own home.

"Yeah, I like having the extra help with twins and your company is entertaining. So Gym today?" Alicia asked Kate as she wanted to keep her momentum up.

"You really want to get back into shape. Don't you?" Kate said as she slouched down in the bed and relaxed in the bed.

"Yes I love my girls but I'm ready to get my old body back. I don't like being completely soft it's too foreign for me" Alicia admitted.

"Well a few weeks of exercising every day. You'll be back in shape and feeling more like yourself but with big boobs as they'll remain until the kids are off the boob juice" Kate said frankly as she closed her eyes, alicia wondered if she was going to fall to sleep.

"Boob juice" Alicia repeated as Kate definitely had a way with words.

"I'd copyright it but I didn't make it up" Kate told her. Alicia chuckled at her friend as she cut up more of her breafast.

"You're such an oddball. Eat a blueberry" Alicia told Kate as she handed one to the woman who did as she was told and ate a blueberry.

"Mmm blueberries.. which reminds me I have an appointment in the afternoon. So we'll do the Gym after your breakfast has settled" Kate said knowing she had bought herself at least a half hour nap.

"Ok everything is looking great. I'm happy with all your test results and scans all look normal" Elisabeth told Kate, late that afternoon in the infirmary. Kate sat on the bed with Malcolm at her side.

"So it's a girl-ow" Malcolm said as Kate poked him hard in the side and gave him a dark look. He had prompted Elisabeth in the hopes she would let the gender of the baby slip without thinking.

"It's a 'thing' until I birth the little creature from my special place" Kate told Malcolm as it was one a few points of contention between them as Kate wanted a surprise while Malcolm just wanted to know everything.

"It's a baby with a gender. Not a 'thing' or a 'creature' " he told her which was another point of contention as he was really into knowing about everything in regards to their baby and excited while she really didn't want to think about all the aches, pains and stretch marks. She was definitely missing the 'mother' gene that made her clucky around babies like Elisabeth was with the twins. She knew it would change once the baby felt more real but right now it was just a tiny bump on her front and extra hormones and fatigue.

"I meant it in a loving way" Kate said mockingly as she rubbed her stomach that just looked like she was bloated from too much food or at least that's how she felt she really just wanted her belly to pop out into the pregnant look so then it would be official as right now she just felt fat. Malcolm raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Anyway, I don't want to know and you can't know because you'll let it slip what the sex of the child is and then the jig will be up. I want it to be a surprise" Kate said.

"Fine, but if we accidently found out-" he started drawl but she cut him off.

"How would we accidently find out?" She asked dryly.

"If the scan was conducive and we saw something-"

"Like a penis" Kate said cutting him off again. Elisabeth placed a hand over her mouth to cover the smile she was wearing as she really enjoyed Kate and Malcolm's visit to the infirmary. They were never boring. It probably helped that Kate was hormonal and using it as an excuse to have no buffer turned on between her brain and her mouth which in turn scandalised Malcolm's pretentious upper class upbringing.

"How is it you can say 'Penis' but you call your vagina a 'special place'?" Malcolm asked sarcastically as he really didn't want to look anywhere but at his wife for then he would know how many people were eavesdropping besides Elisabeth.

"Because that's what it is. You don't think it's a special place?" Kate asked in a mockingly innocent manner.

"I think that I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you right now in the middle of infirmary" Malcolm told her in an equally mocking tone. He never thought he would be having such a juvenile conversation in public let alone be the one to start it.

"Well if you don't think it's special then come out and just say it. I won't be too offended but my special place will probably prohibit you from visiting" Kate said casually as if they were discussing a walk in the park. Malcolm shook his head at her and chuckled.

"Remind me why I married you?" Malcolm asked her as he ran a hand over his face and looked at her. Kate sat up straighter on the bed and used her fingers to list off the reasons as she spoke.

"Hmm let's see my stunning looks, my quirky sense of humour and that thing that I do with my tongue" Kate offered with a saucy smile.

"What thing?" Elisabeth asked interrupting Kate as she was half curious and just wanted to keep watching the two interact. Malcolm's neck went red from embarrassment as Kate looked to Elisabeth with an eager expression to explain if only to make Malcolm squirm.

"Oh you see I-" Kate started only for Malcolm to cut her off.

"Ok are we done here?" Malcolm asked Elisabeth as the topic of the baby's gender was no longer on the table and he had no desire to have his wife and ex girlfriend swap sex tips in front of him. Elisabeth and Kate smiled at one another before Elisabeth spoke.

"Yes, we are done for today. Just remember Kate that you need to take it easy with the exercise. I know you have free time now but that doesn't mean exercising 8 hours a day"

"Only 2 hours. Of which is broken up into smaller increments spread out through the day and most of it is meditative." Kate said defensively. Elisabeth gave a tilt of the head as she wasn't going to argue with Kate.

"Ok, well other than that I will see you in two weeks for a follow up" She told them with a smile.

"Thank you Doc" Kate said.

Alicia turned the taps to make herself a hot bath. She groaned as her body complained at the movement as she and Kate had worked hard at the Gym. Well, Alicia had pushed herself while Kate had been supportive and did half the amount of exercise.

The twins were in their crib having an afternoon nap and would hopefully stay asleep for at least half an hour. Though all she needed was 15 minutes. She went to the cabinet and pulled out the Epson salt and moved back to the bath. She was half way through making the bath when Taylor found her.

"Epsom salt baths already?" he asked surprised as he took the container from her hand and continued to make her bath without even asking her. Alicia stepped back and leaned against the vanity for support as her legs were ready to give out as her muscles were sore and tired.

"Yeah getting back into shape is never easy or pain free" Alicia said dryly as she watched him, enjoying the view as he was wearing his usual BDU pants and tight black t-shirt.

"You shouldn't push yourself" Taylor said as he turned off the taps and turned back to face her.

"It's only been two days my muscles are just remembering that they are supposed to be supple and lean instead of jelly" Alicia said as Taylor moved toward her and placed the container of epsom salt on the sink. He didn't move away from her as she had expected instead he moved in closer crowding her. Alicia kept her eyes locked with his as she tried vainly not to close her eyes and enjoy just his close proximity and scent too much.

"You know I love you no matter how you look" he told her as he knew she was self conscious of how she looked due to the changes in her body from the pregnancy. It was why she hid under baggy tops and tights or maxi dresses. At least she wasn't hiding everything under baggy clothing.

After his talk with Kate he had decided he was going to bring back the intimacy their relationship was missing even if it were just heated looks and invading her personal space and touching her innocuously. It was just the start of his plan. He looked down at her showing her everything she needed to know with his eyes. Showing support where he could and making it known that he loved her.

"That's good to know, I'm going to have my bath now" she told him in a tone that said he should leave. She was struggling to keep her hands to herself as she gripped the vanity but she also didn't want him looking at her naked in the afternoon light pouring into the bathroom.

"Ok" he said not moving.

"You're not going to go are you?" she asked.

"I could join you" he offered with a smile.

"Nathaniel, please go" Alicia said folding her arms across her chest and looking down as she was self conscious of her body, it was fine when she was all stretched out and pregnant with twins inside her but now she was saggy skin and soft body. Not the lean and supple body he had the joy of knowing the past decade and more.

"You're my wife it isn't anything I have seen, felt or tasted before" he drawled in a low and salacious tone to her. He watched how Alicia's breath quickened and heat rose from her body a clear sign he was affecting her and this time it wasn't anger he was receiving from her. "Anyway your muscles are stiff and sore, let me help you get undressed and into the bath" he told her.

"I don't need you to do everything for me. I'm not an invalid" Alicia told him.

"I know but I want to see you naked… well I want more than that but that can wait. Let me undress you and save you pain of moving those sore muscles for you" he said, Alicia bit her bottom lip as she thought over his proposition before she gave a nod and turned her back to him so she wouldn't see his reactions.

Taylor smiled as Alicia turned her back to him. He could see Alicia's cheeks were a lovely shade of pink as she closed her eyes so she wouldn't see his or reflection in the mirror. She took a deep breath as if preparing herself for the worst. He licked his lips as he ran his hands slowly down her back and under the ¾ sleeve loose cotton shirt she was wearing and tank top. He took his time slowly lifting her top up and off her body enjoying the feel of her skin. She gave a soft moan of pleasure as he slowly massaged the muscles of her back moving up indicating he would be taking off her bra even though it wasn't a part of his plan at all. Instead he continued to massage slowly up and then trailed his hands south.

Alicia wasn't sure if she was in heaven or hell as Taylor slowly undressed her and massaged her sore muscles. He was taking his sweet time undressing her but she wasn't going to complain as she moaned in pleasure as he massaged the knots and pains from her muscles.

She was just glad she had made the bath water boiling hot as she was pretty sure it would be stone cold by the time she got in if she hadn't. Soon her pants were off and her eyes enjoying the feel of his calloused hands running slowly up the back of her legs. Standing up wasn't conducive for a full body massage but Taylor definitely making sure that he touch every part of her body. Though he was driving her mad as he skated over her more intimate areas leaving them neglected as he continued up her body massaging her lower back and spine.

"Oh that feels good" Alicia told him as he had her down to her underwear. The sexual tension in the air was palpable as all it would take was for Alicia to turn around and kiss him but she didn't even though every fibre of her being wanted to. He moved his hands up her flanks and then pressed his body flush against his there was no missing his arousal that was pressing into her ass cheek.

"It all feels good to me" he whispered hotly in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her middle holding her close. She could feel his breath erratic as he had worked himself up just by touching her, she wasn't any better herself as she leaned her head back on his shoulder taking a moment to really enjoy the feel of Taylor's body moulded against hers. He placed a kiss on the curve of her neck and was about to follow it up with another when a cry sounded out from where Alicia had left the twins. Alicia gave a moan of protest as their innocent yet entirely hot interlude.

"I'll go take care of them while you soak" Taylor said as he reluctantly withdrew himself from Alicia and left the bathroom closing the door behind him. Alicia turned her back to the mirror and stripped out of her underwear and sank slowly into the hot bath with a shalf frustrated and satisfied sigh.

A few days later, Alicia was sitting at the dining table with Taylor eating breakfast opposite one another at the table.

"So big plans today?" Taylor asked Alicia, making conversation as he ate his breakfast. He had spent the last week doing things for Alicia and purposefully touching her and giving her massages when she accepted them but ke kept all his touches innocent to frustrate her while he gave her heated looks. If she didn't know any better he was even flirting with her. While she didn't mind the flirting she did however find the flowers and the innocent touching incredibly annoying though the massages were definitely welcomed.

"Late morning yoga with Maddy and Kate, then lunch after with Elisabeth and Kate. Afternoon is undecided why? You want to join us?" Alicia asked him, Taylor chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I was just curious if should I run you an Epsom salt bath when you get home?" he said as Alicia had been making a habit of exercising hard daily and thus requiring an Epsom salt bath and massages daily. All of which he was happy to provide. She was lucky that Kate had suggested the instalment of said bath otherwise Alicia would've been walking around sore for a few days until her body grew accustomed to exercising again.

"No, yoga is pretty tame I'll be fine but thank you for the offer" Alicia said to him as she noticed he was watching her again as he ate.

"How about a long hot bath just the two of us?" Taylor offered with a sexy quirk of the lips before he ate some more of his breakfast.

"What is it with you and all this?" Alicia asked frustrated by his special treatment and lack of follow through on the sex but she was also glad he wasn't following through as she still wasn't comfortable with her body and exhausted from taking turns getting up to be with the twins in the night. She had been quiet but now she just had to know what his end game was.

"All what?" Taylor asked pretending to be confused as he knew it was driving her insane as she tried to figure out why he was going out his way for her for no reason at all and not pushing her for anything.

"The flowers, the free massages, the baths and doing my chores, being very unlike you and the staring" Alicia told him.

"You're beautiful, why should I not enjoy looking at you" he told her with a soft smile.

"You're up to something" She said looking at him through narrow eyes.

"I'm not up to anything, I'm just enjoying what I have in life. You said you wanted space and time so I'm helping give you the time and the space. You didn't say I couldn't watch you from said 'space' and what else am I going to look at?" he asked her innocently.

"The walls, your breakfast, the twins" Alicia offered as she couldn't help her body's reaction to him looking at her. Her heart was racing in a good way as her cheeks heated up. He really knew how to pull her strings as she really wanted to climb across the table and kiss him but at the same time slap him. He gave an amused smile.

"The twins are in their crib and I can't see them from here like I can you from across the table" he told her as he even moved in his seat to see if he could see the twins.

"Just know that it won't work. It won't get you back in my good books" Alicia told him.

"I didn't think so... I just thought the flowers brighten up the place and excuse me if I will take every opportunity to touch your body and for the record I enjoy looking at you because you're my beautiful wife and I love you. I help out more around the house so you have the 'time' you need so you can process your anger and do what you want as well as look after the twins and Kate" he told her.

"So it's for you?" Alicia said as it sounded like he was getting as many benefits as she was even though he was the one breaking his hump.

"It's for us" he told her.

" 'It's for us' Can you believe that? what a line? am I supposed to melt at that?" Alicia asked over lunch with Elisabeth and Kate. Maddy had gone off for a lunch date with Reynolds before he went on duty. Alicia had been venting her frustration to the women about Taylor's change of routine and what he'd been doing wondering what their take was on the situation. The Twins were in carry chairs on the table in plain view of Elisabeth who was having a baby cuteness meltdown every few seconds as she looked at them with a face that said 'I want another baby, they are just so adorable'.

"Yeah what an asshole! Are you ok? Do you want me to kick his ass?" Kate asked Alicia in mocking manner as she had stopped eating and turned in her seat to look at Alicia who was sitting beside her at the Shannon dining table. Alicia shot her a dark look as she wanted proper advice not a smart ass response.

"It's not like that, he just touches my arm or neck like this" Alicia said as she demonstrated on Kate who was sitting next to her. Kate had jumped at first before realising what Alicia was doing then she leaned into her. Pretending to enjoy herself which only annoyed Alicia as Kate was mocking her.

"What's so bad about that? I mean he could pet you like a cute animal. You know something like this" Kate said as she tickled Alicia's lower back making her flinch.

"Ok you can stop that" Alicia said as it was a really creepy and uncomfortable sensation but Kate continued.

"Why? am I making you feel a little creeped out and completely uncomfortable?" Kate asked with a mischievous grin as Alicia smacked her hand away.

"Yes, I'm going to sit next to Elisabeth now" Alicia said as she swapped to the seat on the opposite side next to Elisabeth who was laughing at them. Kate gave a victorious smile as she shifted her seat so she was comfortable.

"Finally I got this side all to myself" Kate said with a satisfied sigh as she spread her arms out.

"Anyway I don't like it. I feel like he's buttering me up for something" Alicia said.

"Sex, he's buttering you up for sex" Kate answered as if it were a game show.

"Thanks Miss one track mind but not everything is about sex" Alicia said as she pulled her food and glass of water to her new place at the table.

"I do realise this but usually when a guy is all touchy feely he wants some action" Kate said before she took a long sip of water.

"I think you're over thinking it. Just enjoy it for what it is. You have more time for the twins and don't have to do house work I see that as a bonus. More time for these two lovely girls" Elisabeth said as she was seated next to the twins who were awake and quite passive for being outside of their home.

"So I should just take- Don't even say it Kate" Alicia said as she was halfway through saying what she was going to when she saw Kate look at her with a mischievous grin it soon turned into one of innocence. But Alicia and Elisabeth both knew better.

"What? I wasn't going to say anything" Kate said innocently.

"Sure you weren't as you're now thinking it" Alicia said dryly.

"But you can't hear my thoughts" Kate told her in a matter of factorial manner.

"But it's not that hard to read your face to know what you're thinking" Elisabeth told Kate with a chuckle.

"Ok I'm sorry but I think one would enjoy all the special treatment while it lasts. You're going to go back to work one day and he's going to be such an ass to you to show no preferential treatment" Kate said.

"She does have a point, how is that going work out?" Elisabeth asked Alicia as she didn't understand how Alicia would remain as the second in command of the military contingent with the current rules. Even if they were bent to suit their situation the command structure was still compromised.

"I'm not sure, we'll see if I return to duty" Alicia said carefully.

"If" Kate asked as Alicia knew the woman would spot her choice of words.

"Well we have twins, they are going to be a handful and my parents weren't around much for me. I don't want it to be like that for them with me" Alicia admitted as she had been thinking about not returning to duty ever since the twins were born.

"You want to be a stay at home mum" Kate said.

"Yeah, well no" Alicia said shaking her head as she would need more than just the twins to keep her happy "I was thinking I'd could still help out but in a lesser capacity and give up my service that way promotions can be given out to those who have earned it" she said testing the waters with Kate and Elisabeth if they reacted badly she wouldn't bring it up with Taylor but if they didn't then she'd know it was ok for her to bring it up casually with Taylor.

"So you'd be like me minus the being a 'deputy' part" Kate said.

"Sort of, yes. What do you two think?" Alicia asked.

"Well not seeing you walk around again with a gun strapped to your hip will definitely be different" Elisabeth commented neutrally.

"I think you should do what makes you happy. To be honest I'll be happy on the day when I don't have to walk around with a gun strapped to my hip" Kate told her as she was missing the feel of her weapon strapped to her hip as Alicia had it.

"Or a gun strapped to your hip while practising yoga. That poor insect" Alicia said as Kate had accidently shot an insect thinking it was someone about to attack, lucky Kate had her gun on its lowest setting so it survived but had been knocked unconscious.

"It survived but I'm beginning to think Guzman enjoys slapping me with those fines" Kate said wistfully as she had gained yet another fine for discharging her weapon in a public area endangering lives. It was a law that definitely needed to be rewritten.

Alicia and Elisabeth exchanged looks as it had been both amusing and slightly worrisome as Kate was still like a live wire. Luckily she was happy to hand the weapon over to Alicia for the time being while they were at the Shannons. When they got back to Alicia's house the weapon would be returned to her.

"Do you want to talk about that?" Alicia asked.

"Not really" Kate said as she finished the last bite of her food. Elisabeth and Alicia looked at her and she gave a sigh and pushed her plate from her. "What do you want me to say?" Kate asked as she folded her arms. Her body language screaming that she didn't want to talk about it but Alicia wasn't going to let it go.

"Something along the lines of the truth" Alicia suggested.

"I have a killer on my back, she has to be following me. It's only logical that I carry a weapon in case she spots an oportunity to kill me and takes it. My TO told me 'It's better to shoot first and ask questions later' " Kate said frankly while Elisabeth and Alicia shot her looks that said they didn't agree.

"Kate-" Elisabeth started but Kate cut her off.

"I'm pregnant Ok?!" Kate said throwing her hands up in the air in surrender.

"Yeah the whole colony got that memo" Alicia quipped Kate shot her a dark look before she continued.

"And it has become apparent to me that it's not just my ass on the line anymore. Which is not an easy concept for me to wrap my head around. I've spent most of my life knowing I'm dispensable, there is nothing special about me that if I die. There were many other soldiers to replace me but I can't treat a kid, my kid with that regard. I can't make those choices and I can't risk the collateral damage" Kate said with a despondant shrug, it was apparent that Kate was scared and clearly distressed by having someone lurking in the shadows.

Though she would never admit to being scared unless pushed and neither Elisabeth or Alicia saw it necessary as it was the first time Kate had acknowledged she was having a baby and calling it a 'kid' not a 'creature', 'thing' or 'parasite'.

"So anyway can we get back to Taylor trying to treat his wife and her not understanding that it is a good thing? Or perhaps Liz you have some issues you'd like to discuss?" Kate asked wanting to redirect the conversation away from herself.

"I think Alicia should take the massages and all the good stuff because it won't last" Elisabeth told her.

"Speaking from experience?" Kate asked with a cheeky smile.

"Children do get in the way when it comes to getting in the mood and having 'couple' time. While it's not bad it does make one wish they had embraced the spare moments they have left before those twins run amok" Elisabeth said wisely with a telling smile.

"Ok, ok I'll be more receptive and less questioning of his motives. Can we talk about your problems now?" Alicia asked Elisabeth in the hopes they would stop talking about her.

"Yeah, no complaints about your husband or life in general?" Kate asked Elisabeth. Elisabeth smiled smugly and shook her head.

"No, life is pleasantly content and drama free for me" Elisabeth said.

"Until-"

"Ah! No jinxing me! See I'm touching wood it stays that way thank you very much" Elisabeth said cutting Kate off as she knocked her knuckles on the wooden table.

TBC