A/N: Thanks for your reviews!

Chapter 35 – I'll Stand By You

"I'll never desert you, I'll stand by you" – The Pretenders

"Hey," Jeff said quietly late that night, his fingertips scraping gently down Maggie's bare back. "Why are you awake?"

"Can't sleep," she murmured.

"A long time ago when you couldn't sleep, you used to wake me up to talk to you…and then you'd laugh at my sleep addled rantings," he quipped.

She gave a soft huff of a laugh. "I remember."

"Then why didn't you wake me?"

Maggie shrugged, pulling the sheet more tightly around her. "Maybe I'm afraid to know what you dream of now…or that you'll call me her name."

Jeff shook his head as he sat up next to her. "You don't have to worry about that."

"I couldn't say anything about it even if you did," she said softly.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, dipping his head to press a kiss against her shoulder.

"A lot of things."

Jeff breathed deeply. "You've changed your mind about seeing Johanna?"

She shook her head. "No, I want to see her…I want us to be friends again. I'm nervous of course…"

"You don't need to be nervous."

"It's been a long time, Jeff…fifteen years; nearly sixteen really."

"It doesn't matter…she misses you and you miss her and I have no doubt in my mind that after the initial awkward small talk, you two will pick up right where you left off before."

"I hope so…I know how she feels…I don't have any friends either and my daughter hates me too."

"You have friends," he replied.

She shook her head. "I don't…believe me I don't. I've never fit in out here and I didn't want to. I didn't even fit in at work…that's why I retired. It wasn't that I was really ready to retire…I just couldn't stand walking into that firm every day…couldn't stand the mundane cases I had gotten saddled with because it wasn't the kind of place that gave you something to sink your teeth into."

"You don't have to stay retired…you're moving back to the city; you could go back to work there. I could get you back on at Roche," he offered.

"Honestly, I don't think I have the motivation to go back to practicing law, Jeff. I appreciate the offer though. I just…I don't know…I didn't want to be there anymore because it didn't feel like me and yet I don't really want to go back to having clients and such. I know it sounds lazy…."

"No, it just sounds like you were more tired of the job than you think. You weren't comfortable there so you let that be the bigger reason…but I think you were just tired of it, Maggie…and it's okay that you were. Hell, I was a little tired of it too, that's why I went into the consulting and case building behind the scenes angle. That's what Jim does too. I've been tempted to suggest that Johanna go into it to get her mind occupied but I don't think Jim could handle the idea, he can barely handle her driving herself to the store let alone working…but maybe it's something you could keep in the back of your mind for you to do if you want to one day."

She nodded. "That's true."

Jeff was quiet for a moment as he considered his next words. "You could try teaching again," he said quietly.

"No!" she said sharply, her blue eyes flashing with anguish as tears filled them. "I won't ever do that again. Never. I wish I had never done it before…it's because of that stupid job that I ruined everything I had. No. I won't ever…."

"Shhh," he soothed, rubbing his hand over her back. "It's okay."

"It's not," she sobbed.

"Maggie," he sighed. "I don't blame it all on you."

"How can you not? I'm the one who did it."

"Because it takes two people to make a marriage…and we weren't on the same page at that point in time. I missed the signs that something was wrong…and maybe you felt like I didn't care anymore because I was too caught up in my own career at the time. We got in a rut and I wasn't very present then…I wasn't giving you what you needed…and you didn't tell me what it was that you needed when I couldn't figure it out. It's not just your fault…it was mine too…and the fault of the creep that egged you on into having an affair; because based on what you told me about how it started…he was the instigator and if things had been better between us at that moment, you wouldn't have done it, Maggie. Nothing can make me believe otherwise."

She closed her eyes, the ache of regrets and hurt coursing through her. "I don't know how you can even look at me," she murmured as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I don't know how you can stand to be in this house with me…or this bed."

"Because I love you," Jeff remarked. "That never stopped, Maggie…you hurt me…you ripped my heart of my chest and drove over it…but I still couldn't stop loving you. I can't lie and say I didn't try to stop; I did…but it never happened. I've always loved you and I always will."

"I know you won't believe me," she whispered; "But I never stopped loving you either…even when I was destroying everything, I still loved you…and he knew I never stopped loving you."

Jeff swallowed hard, unsure if he wanted to continue with the topic but he figured he may as well. "Is that why you got divorced?"

"No, not really."

"Did he cheat on you?"

She shrugged. "I don't know…I wouldn't doubt it but I don't know for sure."

He breathed deeply. "Did you cheat on him?"

"No."

"Then what was it?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Maggie said quietly.

"Because you still have feelings for him?"

"God no," she said harshly. "I hate his guts."

"Then what was it?"

"Jeff," she quietly pleaded.

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because it's hard for me to talk about," she replied. "I'm just not ready…I promise I'll tell you one day but I just can't right now…please."

He nodded, not wanting to derail things between them. "Okay, Maggie…you can tell me when you're ready. I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head. "You didn't...I'm the one who got us started on that road."

"Just so you know…you said I wouldn't believe you about loving me…but I do believe you."

"Do you?" she asked, her gaze meeting his.

"Yes…I never once felt like that was the problem…it was other things."

"The therapist called it a mid-life crisis."

"You went to therapy?" he asked.

"Yeah…but I don't think it did any good," Maggie admitted. "I didn't go for very long."

"What made you go in the first place?"

Her fingers toyed with the sheet. "The thing I don't want to talk about."

Jeff curled his fingers around hers. 'This thing that you're not ready to talk about…have you talked about it with anyone?"

"No, not really," she murmured. "Not in the way you mean at least."

"Why not?"

"I told you…I don't have any friends."

"You have me," he replied.

"For the past few days," Maggie said softly. "I can't help wondering what happens tomorrow when you bring me back here…"

"You can't think I'm just going to walk away," Jeff remarked.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did…you don't owe me anything…and then there is the fact that you are married."

"In name only."

"Are you sure about that? She has rang your phone the past two nights until you've turned it off. I'm sure she's getting suspicious."

"I don't care," he replied. "Do you know how long I've been wanting this?"

"Probably as long as I have," she breathed.

Jeff nodded. "You're right…and as for Melanie, don't worry about it, I'll get that dealt with. Right now, I just want to focus on us…."

"And how I've made you an adulterer like me?" she asked.

"Maggie," he sighed.

"It's true."

"For a moment in time it was…and okay, for this moment in time it's true for me…but maybe that evens it out for us…we can't judge each other if we're both guilty of it, now can we?"

"That sounds like some type of twisted logic."

He shook his head. "It's Campbell logic."

She smiled despite herself. "I always liked Campbell logic."

"It's rarely ever failed us," he replied. "But listen…I will deal with Melanie…but in the meantime, if you're willing, I want us to talk and spend time together…I'd like for us to get back to where we should be."

"And where is that?" she asked.

"Together," he said as he met her eye. "If that's something you want too."

"It's all I've ever wanted…but what will the kids think? Chrissy hates me, I don't want her to hate you too…the boys would probably be alright…what about your mother? What about your friends? What about…?"

He caught her lips in a kiss silencing her words. "I'm not worried about the kids or my mother or my friends. I'm not worried about what ifs. I know what I want and it's you…and if you're willing to try and make it work with me, then I don't give a damn about anyone who might not like it."

"I'm willing," she whispered, her heart racing at the thought that she might really have a second chance like she had always dreamed about.

"Then that's all that matters; we'll figure out the rest as we go along. For now, lay back down here and try to sleep, we have to get up early."

Maggie laid back down, curling up against his side, telling herself not to worry as his arm came around her. Maybe she could finally get her life back together…at least she had hope of it now which was a lot more than she had two days ago.

The smack of his coffee cup against the table made Jim grimace the next morning as his gaze flicked toward his wife. She wasn't happy with him…of course she hadn't been happy with him when she had gone to sleep last night either. This wasn't the mood he wanted her to be in for her surprise…he had needed her to keep her euphoria over Cher mentioning her in a tweet…that had lasted for a few hours…until the phone had rang. "You made me answer the phone, Jo," he said gently although he was sure it wouldn't help his defense.

"I made you answer it because she kept calling…she called four times in twenty minutes, Jim," Johanna said tersely.

"I know…but I wasn't going to answer."

"One of us had to answer," she replied. "You grabbed it before I could do it for you."

"I didn't think it was a good idea for you to answer it."

Johanna eyed him. "And yet you don't hesitate to answer my phone…and I assure you, if you had let me answer yours last night, she would've never called again."

"I don't know about that…you know how Melanie is."

"Uh huh…I know how you are too when it comes to her. You know, if you don't want her to call, you could tell her not to…or you know, maybe block her number."

Jim sighed. "I can't block her, what if something happened to Jeff."

"She'd probably be the last to know!" she exclaimed. "He has kids who know you, they can call you. The only reason Melanie would be calling you in that situation is to coax you into going over to console her."

"I just try not to offend her…I'm not the one who has always had a problem with her."

She nodded. "Oh I know you've never had a problem with her…you've had plenty of things with her but a problem wasn't one of them. Good to know that you worry more about her feelings than you do mine."

"That's not true at all."

"Kind of seems like it to me. I guess you get a kick out of old flames ringing your phone…does it give you a little rush, Jim?"

"You're the only one that gives me a rush," Jim replied. "You know that."

"Mhmm, sure."

"You are, I swear. I know you don't like her but she is Jeff's wife…I can't be rude."

"I don't think it's so much about her being Jeff's wife…I think it's because of your past with her…those fond memories you two have together."

"Johanna."

"You know it's true," she retorted as waited for the water to boil for her tea.

"I never said I slept with her…you're the one who says it."

"You never said you haven't either."

"I'm pretty sure I have."

"No, you haven't…you beat around the bush about it, never confirming, never denying…but we all know, Jim. We all know you did; the question has always been just how many times did you take her for a test drive."

"If I did, and I'm not saying I did, it was before I was with you."

"See, more of that double talk, not confirming or denying."

"Like I said, if I did, it was before we were together so it doesn't really concern you."

Johanna gave a sharp laugh. "And yet I remember being in a car with you when you asked me how many men I had slept with before you."

"Only because you asked me how many women I had been with!"

"Oh no, don't blame it all on me, that conversation got started because you were bragging that my father wasn't the first father of a woman you had met, I asked you how many there had been and you asked if I meant how many parents you had met or how many girls you had slept with. I said either answer would suffice and believe me, you didn't give me the answer about how many you had been with but you didn't hesitate to ask me how many men I had been with…and unlike you, I gave you the number."

"I asked because you started it…but that was nearly forty years ago and it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't for me, my number is still the same…I don't have a clue about yours. The only number I do know about is the one that's been calling you the last two nights! And yeah, I know, it's none of my business that she calls you…but how would you like it if someone I slept with in the past called me? What if Cade Rutherford just called me up out of the blue? How would you like that?"

He shrugged. "I don't really think he'd call, honestly. That bridge was burned out before I even met you."

She smirked at him. "And yet that didn't stop him from asking for an old times sake one night stand when I was engaged to you, now did it? You remember meeting him that day, don't you?"

"Yeah, I remember…but he's never been heard from since so I don't think I'm going to sit up tonight worrying about him calling you up this week."

"You know what, you're just an ass…you like her calling you. You get a kick out of it and you can deny that all you want but we both know you do or you'd do something about it!"

"You're the one who made me answer the phone!" he exclaimed.

"Because she called four times! And when you answered it, I didn't hear you saying, don't call me again!"

Jim sighed deeply. "Are we going to eat breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry."

"I might be."

"Then pour yourself some cereal," she retorted. "Maybe you can call Melanie to bring you some milk for it."

"Sweetheart, you're all worked up for nothing. You know you're the only one for me…if you weren't mad I'd be willing to try to prove that to you but you don't like me to touch you when you're mad…."

"I'm not mad."

"You seem mad."

"I'm annoyed!" Johanna exclaimed.

"Don't be annoyed…you're giving her what she wants when you let her bother you."

"She's bothering me because she's calling my husband for little chit chats and he's doing nothing to discourage it!"

"She was just looking for Jeff again."

Johanna met his gaze as she sat down across from him. "You and Jeff better hope that whoever he's out screwing is someone I'm going to like better than his current wife."

Jim's eyes widened. "No one said Jeff's out screwing someone!"

"Do you think I'm stupid?!" she exclaimed. "Jeff isn't just suddenly disappearing every night because he's out meditating in a meadow for spiritual awareness. He's out screwing someone. I'm not stupid…and I hope the hell it's not another bimbo like the one he's got now."

Jim shook his head. "I don't think it's a bimbo."

She eyed him. "Anyone I know?"

"I didn't say he was with someone."

"Your whole face is telling me you know all about him being with someone the past two nights," she stated.

"It's none of our business if he is."

"Uh huh, it kind of is when his current bimbo is calling my husband."

"He's not seeing a bimbo."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know what he's doing," he said, his gaze on his coffee cup.

"You know what he's doing…and I like I said, I hope I'm going to like her better than the one he has now."

"Let's not talk about Jeff," Jim remarked, hoping his friend would get there soon. "How about we go back to you being happy that Cher mentioned you in a tweet."

She smiled despite herself. "I am happy about that…did Katie ever respond to your text about it?"

"Barely…all she was 'oh great, now I'll have to hear about that for the rest of my life,'."

"How does she figure; she's not speaking to me?"

"You know how Katie is," he replied. "Can't you at least make me some toast if I pour my own cereal?"

Johanna rolled her eyes as she got up from the table. "Oh I guess I can; if I don't, you might have to call up an old girlfriend to console you."

Jim closed his eyes as he sighed. "I should've just poured the cereal."

"You should've told her not to call you anymore…but apparently that's not going to happen."

"The next time she calls, you can answer," he replied.

"Oh believe me, I already plan on that."

"You have my blessing," Jim told her. "I think I'll just have the toast for breakfast."

It grew silent between them as he made his toast and she fixed her cup of tea. They settled down at the table together but Jim could still feel the tension in the air as she stirred her tea.

"Jo?"

"What?"

"I don't want you to be mad at me all day."

"I don't want to be mad either…but I don't like it, Jim. I know it's none of my business. I know you consider her your 'friend'," she said with a hint of sarcasm. "But I don't like it…and I think that even though you think no man I've ever dated will ever call me, you should think about how you'd feel if one of them did…because I don't think you'd like it; especially knowing that we had a very long painful fight when a co-worker called me when I was staying with Katie. So think about that, Jim…are her feelings really more important than your wife's?"

"Of course not, but I don't want to be rude to her just because you don't like her…like I said, she is Jeff's wife and he's my best friend. I wouldn't put up with him disrespecting you and I don't think he'd like me disrespecting his wife."

"I have a feeling respecting his wife isn't on his mind these days since he hasn't been going home to her…he's sleeping somewhere and he's not doing it alone…and we both know it even if you're sitting there denying it because you're following the man code of silence when one of your buddies is having an affair."

"I don't know anything about any affair."

"Yes, I know that's the story you're sticking to. Just eat your breakfast and let's not discuss it anymore because the more you defend her and brush off the need to tell her not to call, the more it ticks me off."

A knock at the door spared him from further comment. "I'll get it," he said as he rose from his chair.

"I hope it's not Katie with another damn lecture because I am not in the mood for it," she remarked.

Jim moved to the door and opened it, finding Jeff on the other side, movement behind him signaling that he had indeed kept his promise. "You couldn't have gotten here sooner?" Jim asked.

"You missed me? That's so sweet," Jeff quipped as he stepped through the door but made no move to close it.

"No, I didn't exactly miss you…your wife is making my wife angry again with her calls."

"I thought you weren't going to answer."

"She called four times."

Jeff winced, his gaze meeting the stormy green eyes of Johanna Beckett. "Sassy, I've come to apologize for the trouble I've caused my buddy…and you, of course."

"Uh huh," she said as she eyed him. "You better get your wife on a leash."

"I leave her off leash so she'll run away from home," he said with a grin but she didn't return the gesture and he knew they were both in hot water. "Listen, Sassy, I know you're mad…but I came bearing a gift to earn your forgiveness."

"A gift?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with a smile. "I know you're going to like it…it's something you've been wanting, and it's something you need."

"A tropical vacation?"

"No, that can be Jim's please forgive me gift," he replied. "Mine's better. Let me get it for you."

Jeff stepped back outside the door, returning a moment later with Maggie's hand in his as he led her into the kitchen, pushing the door shut behind them.

The sight of her old friend stole Johanna's breath and left her speechless as she studied the woman standing in her kitchen. Maggie's hair was still blonde and curly; cut short, her curls laying above her shoulders as she had always preferred. Johanna noted that those little lines at the corners of her own eyes that she fretted about were forming around Maggie's as well…but her blue eyes were still expressive, and she saw the worry and nervousness of being shunned in her gaze. Yet another look they had in common she couldn't help but muse. Her friend clutched the strap of an oversized black handbag that matched her cute black ballet flats; yet another staple of Maggie's when she wasn't in heels. They may have gotten older but their styles hadn't changed, she thought to herself as she registered Maggie's white peacoat and black leggings that were just as expected on the woman as leggings and a thin sweater were expected on herself in the winter.

Not much had changed about them physically in the time they had been parted; sure they were older, they had those ridiculous little lines forming around their eyes but they seemed the same as always…and yet, even without a word being said, she knew without a doubt that they were both different in some small way. She could feel turmoil brewing in Maggie's soul just as much as she felt her own. They were different…and yet maybe they were somehow the same kind of different, if that made sense at all, she thought as she tried to untie her tongue and find some words.

"Jo," Maggie finally said, finding her voice first although it wobbled, carrying the telltale strain of worry and nervousness…as if she wasn't sure that she'd be accepted despite whatever assurance she had been given before making the trip.

Johanna allowed a soft smile to touch her lips; hoping to ease her nerves even as she felt the small tingle of her own. "Maggie," she murmured warmly. "It's so good to see you."

The words seemed to be all it took to encourage her friend as Maggie handed off her bag to Jeff and surged forward, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay, Jo," Maggie whispered. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," she replied as she returned her hug; relief spreading across her heart. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I was afraid you wouldn't want me to be here," Maggie admitted softly as they parted. "Jeff said you wanted to talk to me…but I wasn't sure…I…"

"I know the feeling," Johanna assured her, her hand reaching for hers and giving it a squeeze. "I feel that way about everyone…I've wanted to talk to you but wasn't sure how to get a hold of you…and I was afraid you wouldn't want to talk to me if I did."

Jeff shifted on his feet, his gaze darting to Jim's. "It's just like old times; once you wind up their keys, no one else can get a word in."

Jim smiled. "I think in this case we'll be glad for it."

"You're right," his friend said with a nod. "It's good to see that Sassy looks happy with her surprise…even if she hasn't offered me a proper thank you for bringing her a playmate for the day."

Johanna smirked at him and moved toward him to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Jeff; you're a wonderful honorary brother."

He smiled at her, one of his signature Jeff Campbell grins as he wrapped an arm around her. "You're welcome," he told her, pressing a brotherly kiss against her head.

"But still, you need to get that thing in your house under control," she told him.

"Noted," Jeff replied. "I'll do my best."

"You better do better than just your best," Johanna replied.

"Hey, I'm already practicing at being better than the best, I brought you a friend in the form of Margaret Felicity…," he said, trailing off. "Damn, Mags, I'm not even sure what your last name is anymore."

Maggie took a breath. "It's Lawson."

"Lawson," Jeff repeated. "You took back your maiden name?"

"The judge declined my request to return to the name of my children."

"Why?" Jeff demanded to know.

She met his eye. "He said it wasn't appropriate for me to take back the name of my former husband."

Outrage colored Jeff's features. "Who the hell did he think he was!" he exclaimed. "Who is he to say who can have my name and who can't! You can have my name any time you want it."

"Your wife might not like that."

"She can go get a new one," he remarked. "If you want to use my name, you use it. We can get it changed."

Maggie shook her head, a small smile touching her lips. "I appreciate it, but I'll just hang on to Lawson…since you are married."

"Quit reminding me of that," Jeff muttered. "It depresses me."

"It depresses me too," Johanna spoke up, since she and Jim seemed to have been forgotten. "Considering the phone calls coming into my house."

"Sassy, I'll get that taken care of," Jeff replied. "Go back to being grateful for your playmate."

"I am very grateful."

Maggie sighed a little. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?" Jeff asked.

"All these years I've spent hating the name Margaret and I could've just gone and had it legally changed to Maggie," she remarked.

Jeff nodded. "Maybe we are dumb, Maggie…the thought never crossed my mind."

She sighed once more. "I could've had it changed and I wouldn't have had to cringe when you had to call me Margaret during our vows."

"I still remember you whispering 'don't ever call me that again'," he said with a laugh.

"Yeah…and yet you did…many times."

"Yes, because it's sometimes fun to goad you," he remarked.

"Maybe we should…" Jim started to say but he was cut off by Johanna. "Shh," she whispered. "I like this…this is promising."

"Yeah, but we have to work…"

"A man who is getting calls from a bimbo he's been previously linked to shouldn't interrupt so much," Johanna remarked.

"Oh, we're back to that," Jim muttered.

"You didn't really think I was going to forget, did you?" she asked.

"I was hopeful for a reprieve at least."

Johanna eyed him. "You know what to do to make me never mention it again."

"You're ignoring your guest," Jim replied as he got up from his chair. "Maggie, it's nice to see you."

"You too," Maggie replied. "Although it looks like you're in hot water."

Jim gave her a strained smile. "Yeah, that's the story of my life…and Jeff always has a co-starring role in it."

"Really?" Jeff asked. "Co-starring…I'm a headliner and you know it."

"Let's discuss it on the way to work," Jim stated. "You remember work, right?"

"Yeah, it's that thing I've been forced to do since I became of age…and yet I'm bored without it," Jeff replied. "But you know, we could call in sick, hang out with the girls…"

"No," Jim said with a shake of his head. "We're going to go for a car ride together to work and the girls are going to stay here and do girl things."

"I don't know, this car ride thing sounds ominous," Jeff replied. "Sassy, do you think I'm safe to ride with him?"

"Trust me, Jeff; he's not the one you need to worry about," Johanna told him.

"Okay then," he said before turning back to Maggie. "I'm holding Sassy to her word and I'll be back to get you at the end of the day."

Maggie gave him a small smile. "Sounds good."

"But if I don't make it back," he said, pressing his keys into her hand. "You can have my car."

She gave a soft laugh as she shook her head at him. "I appreciate that."

He smiled. "Anything for you."

"Make yourself at home, Maggie," Jim stated, breaking the haze they were falling into before giving his attention back to his own wife. "I'll let you know we got to work; don't worry about anything, just enjoy your day."

Johanna moved into his arms for a kiss. "I intend to…thank you for my surprise."

"You're welcome," he replied, stealing another kiss. "I love you. I'll see you later."

"Hey, I've got an idea, how about on the way back from work, we pick up food, have dinner together," Jeff said. "It'll be like old times."

"Sounds good to me," Johanna replied. "What about you, Maggie? Are you okay with staying with for dinner?"

"Yeah; that would be great," Maggie answered.

"Great," Jeff stated. "We're double dating again; that was always fun…and guarantees that Jim has to bring me back at the end of the day."

"Don't worry," Maggie told him. "I would come look for you."

Jeff smiled, leaning close to press a kiss against Maggie's cheek, whispering something in her ear that the other occupants of the room couldn't hear.

"I like this option better," Johanna murmured to Jim as he grabbed his briefcase from the counter. "But you're still going to have to stop getting phone calls from the bimbo."

Jim sighed deeply. "I really hope that since you're going to be keeping your mind occupied today that you'll get off that topic."

"Like I said earlier, you know what to do to never hear about it again. Have a good day at work," she said before kissing him once more.

"You girls have a nice time," he replied, feeling the tension in his neck. He knew having Maggie back in her life would be good for Johanna…but he hadn't anticipated this little bump in the road courtesy of Jeff's impulsiveness.

With Jim and Jeff on their way, awkwardness filled the air once more, leaving them shifting on their feet. "Did you have breakfast?" Johanna asked, desperate to keep silence from filling the air.

"No," Maggie replied with a shake of her head. "We had to get on the road."

"I can make us some breakfast,' she told her. "I haven't ate either…I refused to feed my husband."

A smile crept across Maggie's lips. "Why?"

"Because of those phone calls from a whore that he keeps getting."

"Melanie?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe that she has the nerve to actually call him knowing you're right here in the house with him."

"You know how Melanie is," Johanna said as she took the carton of eggs from the fridge. "That just makes it more exciting for her."

"That's true. I'm surprised you haven't intercepted one of those calls."

"He grabbed the phone before I could. Do you want coffee?"

"That would be great, I am in desperate need of caffeine," Maggie admitted.

"Go ahead and help yourself," Johanna told her as she took down a coffee mug and grabbed the creamer for her.

Maggie moved to the coffeepot to pour her coffee. "Why doesn't he tell her to quit calling?"

Johanna glanced at her as she cracked the eggs into a bowl. "Oh he can't offend her," she said sarcastically. "After all, I'm the one who has a problem with her, not him."

"Wow," she said while pouring the creamer into her coffee. "I'm surprised he walked out of here in one piece."

"Believe me it was coming close. Not to pry into your business ten minutes after walking in the door but please tell me it's been you that Jeff has been with the last two nights."

Maggie breathed deeply and nodded. "Yeah…he's been with me."

Johanna eyed her for a moment, knowing a layered statement when she heard one. "Good…I told Jim that Jeff better hope that I'd like whoever he was with better than that thing he has now."

"I hope you still like me more."

"There's no doubt about that in my mind."

Maggie took a long sip of her coffee. "Despite what I did…you know…back then."

"I never wanted it to come between us, Maggie. I didn't know what to do to help you and you didn't seem to want me to help you…but the kids needed help and so I butted in…and maybe I shouldn't have."

"You were right to tell me off that day," she replied. "You gave me a cooling off period afterwards…and I still slammed down the phone on you when you called. I regretted it…and a few days later, I was going to call you back but…"

"But what?" she asked.

"But he convinced me to let it be…to cut all my ties."

"He as in your ex-husband?"

Maggie nodded. "I don't like to say his name."

"Because of the divorce?"

"No, I was glad for divorce…it's a long story…and I intend to tell it to you today…but it's not a good story to have before breakfast. Just know that I regretted slamming the phone down…and not calling…and then when I was told that you had…" she trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the sentence without bringing up her friend's own pain. "I regretted it even more…it's ate at me all these years, Jo; thinking how I'd never get to tell you I was sorry…but I can now. I'm so sorry. I wasn't myself then and I know that's not a good excuse…but I was deep in a well of stupidity and destruction…and I've paid dearly for those choices, so believe me when I say I've paid for those mistakes. But I am so sorry. I never wanted our friendship to end like that."

"I'm sorry too," Johanna told her. "I didn't understand what was going on with you and you weren't in a place to tell me but I didn't want it to be that way either."

Maggie took a breath, a sheen of tears laying in her eyes. "I can't tell you how glad I was when Jeff said you wanted to talk to me…I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been wishing for the oppurtunity ever since I had heard that you were home…but I didn't know if you'd want to hear from me."

"I do…so very much," Johanna confessed. "That business in the past…I'm willing to leave it behind us if you are. We can just start clean."

"I am…there's nothing I want more. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

An easier silence fell between them for several minutes as Johanna dished up their breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. "Have you gotten to reconnect with your family, Jo?" Maggie asked cautiously.

She swallowed a bite of her toast. "I see and talk to Frankie and Valerie; they didn't hesitate…surprised me a little on Frankie's part but he's been great through all of this. I saw Colleen once and that wasn't pretty…she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I'm sorry," Maggie told her. "I know how that hurts."

"It does," she said with a nod.

"Maybe in time she'll come around."

"Maybe…but I'm not holding my breath," Johanna remarked. "Jim took me to see my Aunt Bridget and I saw some of my cousins while I was there. I've seen Greg and his wife and baby, I've seen Claire and Colleen's daughter Samantha. On Jim's side I've seen Andrew and his daughter Gabby. Jim's other siblings don't want anything to do with me…which has caused a rift between him and Michael although he tries hard to hide it from me."

"What's with these people?" Maggie asked. "What is so hard to understand about the situation you were in? There was only one choice you could make…and that was the choice that would let you come back home."

"Some people don't see it that way. They seem to think I enjoyed it."

"Then those people are beyond stupid," her friend replied. "Because I know you…and I know that it would've ate at you every single day of your life."

Johanna nodded. "Believe me it did…and it still does."

"I know the feeling," Maggie murmured.

"I can tell," she replied.

Maggie met her gaze. "How?"

"By the look in your eyes."

"What look is that?"

"The same look I see when I look in the mirror…sadness, regret, unease…and a hundred other little things that I try not to put names on."

The other woman nodded. "That about sums it up."

"I don't want either one of us to have that look," Johanna said. "But at least now we know we're not the only ones wearing it."

Maggie gave her a small smile. "Maybe now that we know we're not the only club members it can get better."

Johanna returned her smile. "I hope so."

"Well, are we going to do this or what?" Jeff asked as they drove in silence toward the law firm.

"Do what?" Jim asked, his grip tight on the steering wheel.

"You know what…the discussion you were alluding to us having in the car," his friend replied.

Jim's jaw tightened. "Look, I'm beyond grateful that you went and talked to Maggie and brought her back to Johanna because she desperately needs a friend and Maggie is the one she wants and thankfully that desire to regain that friendship seems to be mutual. I'm very grateful…it wasn't easy for me to ask you to do it knowing how things are…or were."

"It's no problem," Jeff replied.

"There is a problem…the problem is your wife…you know, the current one, not the ex one that you've been sleeping with."

"Jim," Jeff said with a note of warning in his voice. "You know I consider you a brother but don't use that tone voice when speaking of Maggie. She didn't come on to me, I came on to her…she feels guilty enough for me cheating on my so called wife."

"I'm not saying anything about Maggie."

"You called her my ex."

"She is!"

"I don't care, you don't need to say it with disdain."

Jim shook his head. "Good God, this feels like the early seventies all of a sudden."

"Those were good times."

"There's no disputing that," Jim replied. "But the issue at hand is the fact that your current wife keeps calling me because you're busy with the wife you'd prefer…is that a more acceptable term for your delicate little feelings?"

"Yes, I like that one better," Jeff replied. "I told you not to answer."

"She called four times in twenty minutes."

"Still didn't have to answer."

"Johanna was going to answer it, I had to snatch the phone out from under her hand."

"You should've let Jo answer it, she would've handled it."

"Oh yeah, that's a real good idea…let her go ballistic on your wife on the phone."

"Better than in person."

"Jeff," he sighed.

"Tell her not to call you."

"I can't do that; I don't want to offend her."

"Then let Jo offend her…she's good at it, and quite frankly, she enjoys offending Melanie."

"I'd rather avoid those two restarting their war."

"It's already restarted, it started the first time she called you."

"You need to deal with Melanie," Jim said firmly.

"I told you that I will when the time is right," Jeff remarked. "Block her number."

"I'm afraid if I do that, she'll come knock on the door."

"Then neither one of us will have to worry about Melanie anymore because Jo will kill her," Jeff replied.

"I'd rather my wife not go to prison."

"Then were back to you telling her not to call you."

"Why don't you tell her! She's your wife!"

"She doesn't listen to me," Jeff said with a scoff. "She'd just accuse me of being jealous and call you all the more because she'd get a kick out of it…you know she does consider you a special friend."

"Don't even go there, I've gotten enough of that all night from my wife," Jim retorted. "I'm lucky she hasn't buried me in the backyard."

"If you go missing, that's the first place I'll look, okay?"

"No! I want you to figure out what the hell you're doing!" he yelled. "I asked for Maggie's phone number so Johanna could have a friend. I didn't tell you to go have an affair with your ex-wife which would lead to your current wife calling me and causing my wife to be angry."

"There's a lot of wives in that equation," Jeff said with a sigh.

"Yeah, one too many…and since I only have one, you're the one who has to do something."

"And I will, but I can't just go through a drive thru and get a quicky divorce on my lunch break today."

"I wish the hell you could."

"So do I but I can't!" Jeff exclaimed. "And before you start on the topic like you did yesterday, I'm not going to stop seeing Maggie…I don't care that it's cheating."

"Just because you don't care doesn't make it right, and although you don't want to hear it again, just because Melanie is a serial cheater doesn't mean you should do it too."

"Well it's a good thing I'm not asking for your permission in that case," Jeff retorted. "Instead of judging me for what I'm doing, why don't you spend some time figuring out why you care so much about Melanie's feelings."

"I don't."

"Apparently you do…I mean you know that her calls are upsetting your wife…and a normal person concerned about his own wife's emotional state would tell that person not to call…or at the very least, block the number…but you haven't…so why is that, Jim?"

"Out of respect to you, you idiot! I don't want to offend your wife!"

"Which is offending your own wife…so the question still stands. Why does her feelings matter to you?"

"They don't!"

"Then stop acting like you're my father and lecturing me for my misdeeds. I will tell Melanie not to call you…it's not going to stop her, but I will put that message out there that she should stop…and then, since you're supposed to care more about your wife's feelings than my wife's, you'll block her damn number."

"Fine," Jim said gruffly. "And when you need her to contact me on your behalf for some reason and I can't get the call, that will be on you."

"You're pretty determined to hang on to her number for some reason," Jeff replied. "It's no wonder Jo's on the warpath. You're probably making her suspicious."

"There's nothing to be suspicious of!"

"Oh she's always been suspicious of you and Melanie…and your reluctance to do something about these calls is probably making that even worse."

"I wouldn't be getting these calls if you weren't spending every night in the Hamptons with your ex-wife!"

"You wouldn't be getting them if you'd just block her! What the hell is stopping you and don't use me as your excuse. Is something still lingering there."

"There was never anything to linger," Jim said tartly. 'I love Johanna; I always have and I always will."

"Then you shouldn't be so hesitant."

"What are you saying?" Jim said sharply. "Are you accusing me of not loving my wife? Because you can't even imagine the type of love we have."

"No, I'm not saying you don't love her…I'm saying there's some reason why you don't just block Melanie's number."

"I'm trying not to be rude to your wife."

"Yeah; that's the story for publication," Jeff retorted. "But what is it, really? You keeping her on the back burner in case something goes sour between you and Jo?"

"I swear to God, Jeff; if I could take my hands off the wheel, I'd punch you right in your mouth for that one."

"And normally I wouldn't blame you for it…but the question stands in light of these circumstances."

"I don't want your wife," he said harshly. "Unlike you, I have everything I need at home and unlike you, my wife is faithful and you're 0 for two in that department!"

"Well that didn't stop you from accusing her of being unfaithful; remember that! Better yet, do you remember looking her in the face and telling her you regretted marrying her? Talk about kicking the woman when she was down."

"Don't even go there!" Jim yelled. "I didn't mean that when I said it; I was angry and terrified that I was going to lose her again. Every single day I hate myself for ever saying that to her. Don't you ever accuse me of not loving my wife."

"Oh I know you love her…and since you do, maybe her feelings should matter more to you than Melanie's."

"They do!"

"Then block her, dumb ass!" Jeff yelled.

Jim blew out a breath. "I will! Now let's stop this before I have to beat the hell out of you…that might get in the way of you spending the night with your girlfriend."

Jeff nodded. "Thank you for using a better term, girlfriend is acceptable at the moment."

"I'm so glad you approve; I'll be able to sleep tonight with that off my conscience."

"I'm going to sleep good tonight too," his friend replied.

"Because you're staying in the Hamptons again?"

Jeff smiled. "Yeah."

"You're going to have to spend a night at home eventually, you know."

"Shut up, don't ruin my happiness. Block a phone number, buy some flowers and maybe you can spend a happy night with your wife tonight and we'll all feel better tomorrow."

Jim sighed. "That's not a bad idea."

"I highly recommend it."

"I highly recommend that you make sure your wife can't take everything you own in the divorce."

"No need to worry, buddy; I took care of that long ago."

Jim nodded as he pulled into the parking garage at the law firm. "Good to know…now for the sake of our friendship, let's put aside the topic of wives for the next few hours."

"Deal," Jeff agreed. "But it can come back at any moment if you get too self-righteous."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jim remarked with a sigh. Suddenly it felt like it was going to be a long day.

"Have you talked to Sharon?" Maggie asked, breaking the silence that had fallen for a few minutes after some casual small talk.

"I've run into her a few times while doing my grocery shopping…she says she'll call but she doesn't…and I know she's not going to."

"You never know…her need to be nosy might lead her to ring the phone before long."

Johanna swallowed a bite of eggs before allowing the words she'd been holding back with everyone else to slip across her lips. "I'm honestly not sure if I trust her all that much right now."

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked.

"Every time I see her in public…the media seems to show up by the time I'm hitting the parking lot to leave."

"Oh," her friend said in understanding. "You think she's tipping them off?"

"I can't swear to it or prove it…but it seems kind of coincidental."

Maggie nodded. "I would feel the same way if I was in your shoes."

"I'm probably just being paranoid…don't you think?"

"Honestly, Jo; with Sharon you can never be too sure in my opinion…and you can't discount Phil's influence…if there's money in tipping off the media, Phil would probably be all for her tipping them off."

"I hadn't considered the Phil angle…he was a major jerk when he was here for a card game a few weeks ago."

"He's always been a major jerk."

"That's true…I just hate to think of her doing that and yet something just tells me that maybe I can't trust her and I don't know if it's because I feel like everyone is against me…or because some part of me has picked up on something legitimate or because of that…" she trailed off; stopping herself before she mentioned the blog.

"Because of what, Jo?" Maggie asked. "You can tell me."

She hesitated although in her heart and her gut, she knew that she could trust Maggie…that Maggie had nothing to do with the blog. She was living out in the Hamptons; she couldn't be out there tracking her everyday movements…nor did she think that Maggie was the type to write a vindictive blog.

"Jo; what is it?" her friend prodded once more.

"I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but I'm going to ask it anyway and then I'll explain why."

"Okay," Maggie said as she scooped up a bite of her eggs. "Go ahead."

"Have you ever written a blog?"

Maggie's brow crinkled with confusion. "A blog?"

"Yeah, you know…online."

She shook her head. "No, I've never done that…what the hell would I write about? How to be such a screw up that you end up divorced twice in fifteen years, with a daughter that hates your guts and an endless loneliness?"

"You're not a screw up, Maggie."

"Oh believe me, I am."

"If anyone's a screw up, it's me," she remarked. "Look at the mess I'm in."

"You didn't make the mess; someone else did and you stepped in it. I made my mess," Maggie replied. "But in the name of fairness, I'll name you vice president of the club."

She smiled. "Thanks for not naming me president."

"You're welcome; now why the interest in blog writing? If you need a hobby, we'll find you something better."

Johanna shifted in her seat; this was going to be awkward…and she hoped she didn't offend her in the process. "It's not me that's writing a blog."

"Good; who needs that nonsense. Join Facebook if you want online hobbies; you can friend me…we can be nosy on other people's pages together. I like to look up all the jackasses we used to work with…I'm so happy Stanley's bald," Maggie laughed. "Those ridiculous toupees give me a laugh when I need one."

Johanna smiled at the mention. "I'd like that but I'm not sure a Facebook profile is a good idea right now."

"You can make it private," Maggie replied. "We'll set you up a page before the end of the day; it's fun. You don't have to post anything; I don't really post much, in all honesty…I just like looking at everyone else's pages. We can play games together on there too."

"I would like that…I do like playing games on my phone," Johanna replied.

"Then we'll set you up a page and you can friend me," Maggie remarked. "And don't worry, we'll make sure it's private and there's no one on my page that you need to worry about. My friends list is small, just the boys and my siblings…Jeff now."

She smiled. "Do you have a Twitter account?"

"No, Jeffery said I was too old for it."

"You're not old and there isn't an age limit."

"No, but I just stick with Facebook. We're going to get that setup for you; I promise it'll be fine."

"Maybe I could go under my middle name," Johanna replied.

"No, you use your name, Jo; you've spent too much time having a different name. We'll make sure your profile is private and secure, only for people you approve and trust."

"Okay," she replied. "It probably would be a good distraction when I'm bored when Jim isn't home. I look at his when he's home but it might be nice to have my own."

"It will be. Now, who's writing a blog?" Maggie asked; happy that she had seemingly talked her into joining Facebook. "Surely it's not Jim…he doesn't strike me as the blog type."

"No; it's not Jim."

"Jeff?" she asked hesitantly. "I would've thought that Jeffrey would've mentioned that about his father…unless his blog is about picking bad wives…because he seems to be two for two."

"It's not Jeff…and I wouldn't say he picked wrongly the first time."

"Yeah; well, we can get into all that later. Who's writing a blog…oh God; don't tell me it's Stanley sharing his little mirror pep talks with the world."

"No," Johanna laughed. "I don't know who it is."

Puzzlement flickered in Maggie's eyes. "What's going on, Jo? What's with this blog thing? And don't tell me nothing because you wouldn't have brought it up if it was nothing."

She wished she hadn't started this; she really didn't think Maggie was Vixen…it never did add up for it to be her. "Please don't get mad at me," she said quietly; "Because I never thought it was you, I just had to be sure."

Concern crossed the other woman's features. "What isn't me? What's wrong?"

"Someone's writing a blog about me…us…my family. I know it's someone I know; I just don't know who."

"How do you know it's not some internet troll?" Maggie asked.

"Because they know too much about me…food allergies, fears, that I call my daughter Katie. They know my career, my life with Jim; they know about our cabin up in the mountains. They have pictures from the law firm parties plastered all over it…it's someone I know…and I'm trying to clear people…and again, please don't be mad, because I never did think it was you; it didn't add up to be you…and I don't want to lose your friendship when I feel like I just got it back."

Maggie shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I understand why you'd want to be sure, I get that, so please don't worry, I'm not offended. How long has this blog been going on?"

"It seems to have started once the news broke about me being alive," she replied. "I stumbled across it reading comments on Rick's Twitter account when he released a picture of me and Katie. This person made a nasty comment and I went on her profile and found a link for the blog she writes…and it was all about us."

"Is Katie investigating it?"

Johanna shook her head. "I haven't told her…we're not on the best of terms lately."

"I know that feeling," Maggie said with a sigh. "Does Jim have any ideas of who it might be?"

Johanna blew out a breath. "I haven't told him either."

"Why not?"

"Because he worries enough…especially with this hunting trip coming up. I just can't worry him with it right now. I didn't intend to tell anyone…but I let it slip."

Maggie met her eye. "I won't tell…but I want you to show it to me. You say there are pictures from the law firm, is it Roche or Montgomery?"

"Roche," she answered.

"Am I in any of those pictures?"

"Yes, a lot of them."

Maggie nodded. "Good, that's a lawsuit that could tempt me back to the courtroom."

"I've been trying to bait her by leaving comments, asking how she knows these people and such. She's careful; she admits to knowing me but doesn't say how…"

"But having pictures from Roche guarantees it's from work," Maggie replied.

"Exactly…and a lot of us have those pictures just like I do; just like you probably do."

Maggie shook her head. "A lot of my older albums got left behind with Jeff. I don't know if he kept them or not…I hope he did, I'd like to have them but I'm not going to have the nerve to ask for them."

"That's understandable."

"Will you show me the blog, Jo? Maybe we can work on it together and get it figured out."

Johanna nodded. "Just let me get my laptop."

A few minutes later, Johanna had her laptop on the table, she and Maggie shifting the chairs around so they could sit side by side while they could look over the blog.

"Vixen," Maggie sneered. "It has to be one of the slut pack."

"Believe me, Melanie and Callie are at the top of the suspect list…but I don't know if Melanie could be pulling it off under Jeff's nose…I mean whoever this is, they have to be working with someone to know everything that they know and as quickly as they know it. They have to have one of my neighbors on their payroll to tip them off when someone visits or when I leave the house."

Maggie nodded as they scrolled through the blog. "It's definitely the same person doing all the writing," she remarked; "The snarky bitch…but I agree, she can't be doing it alone. She also has an axe to grind."

"Yeah…and you'd think that would help narrow down the pool, but there's people angry with me for what I did…and they might want to punish me."

"That's possible as much as I hate to admit it. Your theory could be right though; Vixen could be a former enemy…and she's working with someone you were close to who now wants to punish you as you said."

"I know…or Vixen is a former friend trying to play herself off as one of my enemies because she knows that's who I'd suspect first."

"That's also plausible," Maggie said with a nod. "Whoever it is, they're giving a lot of energy to it."

"Yeah…and that book party and recent comments to the media have given her a field day."

"Yes, she's definitely enjoying herself," Maggie agreed.

"She better enjoy herself while she can because when I find out who she is, I'm going to punch her in the face. What's your thought on Vixen?"

"It could be a lot of people," she replied. "There's one that keeps coming to mind…but tell me your suspects, besides the slut pack."

"My sister keeps coming to mind…given the personal things."

Her friend gave a shake of her head. "No; no offense but Colleen doesn't have what it takes to pull this off. She has the attention span of a gnat. She doesn't have this person's caliber…and I don't think she has the guts to work with whoever it is…because she knows you can hurt her."

"That's true; I can hurt her…I can hurt her really bad. There's someone else though who I can't seem to shake from my thoughts."

Maggie eyed her knowingly. "Who?"

"Sharon," she whispered.

Maggie nodded. "I'd be lying if I said she wasn't on my list of suspects…but I'm just not sure. There is still Melanie to consider…from what I've heard the past two days, she and Jeff don't spend much time together so she could be pulling it off but we also can't rule out Callie…we can't even rule out any men we worked with…just because this person is portraying themselves as a woman doesn't mean that it is."

"That's true," Johanna admitted. "That widens the pool…but are there really any men that we know from Roche that could pull off the writing of that blog?"

"That's a good question…I don't see Stanley doing it…but if someone asked him for information to use, he'd sell you out in a heartbeat. Phil never does his own dirty work…but again, probably wouldn't hesitate to sell information."

"If Phil was involved, that would make it easy to connect to Sharon."

"Agreed…but let's think about this angle as well…Jeff's definitely not involved but he is married to a suspect…and who knows what's she's picking up when they are together…or what she snoops in. We don't know if she ever manages to get a hold of his phone and read his messages or his emails. So we can't rule her out either."

Johanna sighed deeply. "It feels hopeless to figure out, Maggie. Too many suspects, too many possible enemies, old and new."

"Don't worry," Maggie assured. "We'll get it figured out. We'll team up and take turns baiting this person…she's bound to slip up eventually and then we'll nail her."

"You won't tell Jeff?"

"No, I'm not going to tell anyone…we don't want anyone anywhere inadvertently tipping this person off since we don't know where it's coming from."

"Good point."

Maggie glanced at Johanna seeing the hint of worry on her face. "It'll be alright, Jo; we'll figure it out; it might take us some time but we'll get it. I know it's frustrating having this out there, and I would hate it too, but on the positive side, it's all gossip and tabloid like, nothing threating, so I don't think there's any danger coming from it."

Johanna smiled and nodded, a small piece of weight lifting from her chest now that she had shared her secret. "I'm glad to have you on my side."

"I'm glad to have you on mine too," Maggie replied.

"I wish you lived closer," Johanna admitted.

"Don't worry, I will be before long. I have the house up for sale and an apartment being worked on here in the city."

"Really?" she asked, hopefulness in her eyes.

Maggie nodded. "I promise; I'll be back here full time before you know it."

"Good…but you know, if someone in the neighborhood is watching my house, you may end up on this blog in the near future."

"I'm not bothered by that in the slightest," Maggie remarked. "In fact, I hope I do."

"Why?"

Maggie smiled. "Because if they know who I am, they won't hesitate to talk about me…and based on what they say about me, could help us narrow down suspects. We had some of the same enemies at Roche…and if this person is nasty about both of us in her writing, that could narrow it down in some ways."

"Let's say you show up in the blog tomorrow and there are negative comments about you, would that remove suspicion from Sharon in your mind?"

Her friend shook her head. "No…because number one, she's never gotten over the fact that I was your maid of honor and not her. She harped on that every chance she got for years and years. Number two, I saw Sharon around the beginning of the year, I was in the city looking for something to get Jacob for his birthday. I ran into her, tried to be polite and have a conversation and she was the nastiest bitch she had ever been. So no, it wouldn't remove her from suspicion in my mind. Would it remove her from yours?"

"Honestly…no," Johanna admitted. "She's been jealous of our friendship ever since I got engaged. I don't have any trouble believing that if she's the one writing this thing that she'll write something mean about you."

"We're just going to have to play a waiting game, Jo," Maggie replied. "We have to see what's going to be written, tag team in baiting this person and get her to slip in one way or another to really pin down who it is."

Johanna took a sip of her drink. "Do you think I'm wrong not to tell Jim?"

"If it was something that seemed like a threat, I'd say yes…but there's nothing threatening here. Like I said, it's basically someone trying to write their own tabloid with you being their only topic, so no, I don't think you're wrong for keeping it quiet at the moment. Jeff told me how much Jim worries about you…how you're making him go on this trip even though he wants to stay home and guard you…"

She smiled. "He needs to go be with his friends…blow off steam and have a break from this. I'm going to be lonely and I'll miss him but I want him to go…it'll be good for him."

"Jeff thinks so too…and I think maybe it'll be good for you too. You can show people that you can stand on your own two feet…and I don't mean that the way it sounds…."

"I know," Johanna interrupted. "You mean that I can show him I'll be fine on my own."

"Yes…and you'll know you'll be fine too."

"I already know I will be…I can't lie and say I'm not a little nervous about it…well, I don't tell Jim that I have a small amount of nerves about it but I know I'll be okay. He's having Leo put in a security system before he goes and that does make me feel a little better in all honesty."

"It's not a bad idea, even if all of this wasn't going on, it would still be good to have in this day and age," Maggie remarked.

"Jim's even having him put in a camera at each door."

"Also not a bad idea," Maggie said, trailing off as her brow knit in concentration.

"Something wrong?" Johanna asked as she studied her.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Just something came to mind…if Vixen is spying on you personally in addition to using a possible neighbor…you might catch her on camera if she gets close enough to the property."

Johanna's eyes widened. "Oh…I hadn't thought of that. I wonder if I'll be able to see cars going by on the footage? You know, in case there's one I'm seeing often that I know isn't familiar on this street."

"That's a good question…maybe you should ask that when Leo puts it in," Maggie suggested. "We could work with that, or at least try to."

"We sound like we're starting a new career as private investigators," she remarked.

"Or members of the FBI," Maggie replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

Johanna shook her head. "Not them, not really a fan despite you know…the life saving thing."

Her friend nodded. "I get it; they saved you, dumped you in another state and went on with other cases while you were still waiting."

"Exactly," she murmured. "They just carried on and did nothing for me once they had me somewhere else…they didn't keep any promises…just kept telling me to wait as years of my life slipped by being wasted."

Maggie reached for her hand and held it. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Jo. I can't imagine what that was like for you…but I'm so glad you made it out of it."

A tear spilled down her cheek before she could stop it. "Sometimes I didn't think I would," she admitted.

"When you first came back and they were after you and Katie?"

"Yes…but even in Wyoming there were times when I didn't think I'd make it."

"You thought they'd find you?"

Johanna shook her head. "The thought came to mind every so often…but mostly I just thought at times that I'd die from the pain…the guilt…the loneliness…and sometimes in my darkest moments I wanted to. I didn't like to lie so I didn't really get to know anyone. I had one friend…she's still my friend, but she didn't know me either. She tried…she tried harder than anyone and I admit there were times when I'd get angry and tell her to leave me alone and mind her business but she kept coming back."

"That's what real friends do," Maggie told her, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I know…I'm just glad I could tell her the truth…and she stays in touch. She's still trying to get used to my real name when we talk on the phone…and I try not to cringe when she calls me Meagen accidentally. I never want to hear that name again but I know it'll take some time before it goes away completely."

"I'm glad she stuck with you, especially when you were out there," Maggie replied.

"Me too…but even with her trying to be there…I was…shattered. I didn't think I'd make it…I drowned in depression…in wine…running on the treadmill. I just…died inside."

"But you did make it," Maggie said quietly. "You made it and you're here…and I know it's hard still but you're going to get through it. You're strong."

"Sometimes I don't feel strong," she admitted, wiping away her tears.

"I know…sometimes I don't either. But we can get better."

Johanna glanced at her. "You want to get better too?"

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, I do…that's why I'm moving back here…because I think if I keep staying out there in the Hamptons…I'll just drown completely."

Johanna squeezed her hand. "We never thought we'd have to start over at this stage of life."

Maggie scoffed. "Isn't that the truth. I think about that sometimes…how we used to sit at the Crystal bar, drowning our sorrows as twenty-somethings, thinking we had problems then…boy were we stupid."

"So very stupid," she agreed. "I wish we could go back in time…straighten it all out where it went wrong."

"If you ever find that time machine, I'll be more than happy to board it with you," her friend replied.

"Until we find it, let's move into the living room so we can be comfortable," Johanna replied.

Once they were settled in the living room, Maggie broke the silence as Johanna found a show to leave on the TV for background noise. "I saw all the coverage of that book party you went to."

"I think everyone probably has by this point," Johanna replied.

Maggie gave a small smile. "You were pissed, I could tell that right off the bat."

Johanna nodded. "I definitely was…madder than I have been in a long time."

"Tell me what happened," her friend prodded.

She took a breath and set about telling the tale of her daughter's shopping ambush, the dose of emotional blackmail and the events of the party. She told her about the aftermath, her comments to the media and how so far Kate wasn't speaking to her.

"I'm sorry," Maggie said when she finished. "I can see why you were angry and I don't blame you for it. She still wants to be the boss."

Johanna scoffed. "Yeah, she does love to have control…and I can't discount Rick's influence either since apparently he thinks he knows how each of us should handle this. It seems like every decision she makes lately he's behind it…and his mother. Martha even got in on the lecturing for the party, what I should wear, what I should do, what I apparently owe to my daughter. I liked her when I first met her…I still could if she'd stay out of my relationship with my daughter…but the more engrained Katie becomes with them, the more she pushes me away. She sees his mother more than her own; she actually listens to her…she doesn't want to hear a damn thing I have to say."

"What do you think of her boyfriend?"

She sighed. "I liked him…I thought he was good for her…but here lately I'm not too fond of him either. He thinks he knows it all…and honestly I feel like he's turning Katie into a snob and encouraging her to be distant from us. I don't want it to be this way…but it is. Nothing I say or do seems to matter…she's made it clear that my feelings on things like attending staged publicity events don't matter. She only comes around when she wants to yell or she wants something…or something's wrong and she finally needs her mother for an hour. Right now she's not speaking to me…and I feel like it's a glimpse of what my life is going to be like with her."

"I know my situation with Chrissy isn't the same but I know how you feel," Maggie told her. "I know how much it hurts."

"How do you deal with it?" Johanna asked. "Because I feel like before long she'll cut me off completely."

"I don't think that will happen," Maggie consoled. "It's just rough right now."

"It might happen though…because it's like we're back to how things were when I first came home…and I always have to keep the thought in mind that she's going to change her mind about me. So how do you get through it?"

"Sometimes I don't know," Maggie replied. "I think of Chrissy every day…I wish she'd talk to me but she won't. I've tried so many times. If I see her in public and approach her, it becomes a screaming match…more on her end than mine. I let her scream at me…thinking if she just does it enough eventually she'll run out of steam but she never does. I've begged. I've pleaded. I've tried yelling back, I've tried being silent. I've written her letters but she sends them back unopened. When I didn't get invited to her wedding…that was a knife to my soul. I cried for weeks over that one…especially knowing that Melanie would see my daughter walk down the aisle instead of me. That was a bitter pill to swallow. I know Jeff tried to get her to invite me but she wouldn't budge…so I was parked outside the venue so I could catch a glimpse of her in her wedding dress…and I sat there and cried for an hour. Jeffery was texting me pictures and Jacob got some videos on his phone. They were trying to make me feel like I was there but it just made me feel worse. It was a very hard day to get through."

"I don't doubt that…I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Maggie breathed deeply. "I don't think I make a conscience effort of doing things to get through it…because really I don't have a choice but to get through it. I've tried everything to break through and nothing works…and I've had to accept that the choice is hers, not mine. I hope one day it can be different…but I know it probably won't be."

"I hope it changes for you one day," Johanna said as she reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Me too…but even if it doesn't, I just have to deal with it."

"Daughters," Johanna sighed.

"Yeah…they're a pain in the ass and no one warned us about that."

"Mine was wished on me," she remarked. "I hope my mother is happy."

Maggie laughed softly. "Better be careful, she might zap you from above."

"Wouldn't surprise me a bit," Johanna said. "Let's put the topic of daughters away for now…they're depressing."

"Agreed," she laughed. "What should we move on to?"

Johanna smiled. "You and Jeff."

Maggie's eyes widened. "Me and Jeff?"

She nodded. "You've already told me he's been with you the past two nights."

"Yeah…he has been."

"And?"

"And what?"

She laughed. "Come on, Maggie; tell me about it."

"Tell you what?"

"You know what…how has it been?"

Maggie took a deep breath. "Well…when he first showed up at my door…I couldn't believe it. I…I've been wishing for that moment for a long time and told myself it would never happen and suddenly without warning he was there…and then I panicked and thought something was wrong with the kids, and he assured me they were fine…then I worried something was wrong with him but he said he was fine too. He came in and he told me he wanted to talk about you…he told me what you had been going through and that you mentioned wanting to talk to me…and I jumped at that chance. I asked him if he wanted something to eat and he said yes, so I made us dinner…."

"I'm not surprised that he was all for staying for dinner," Johanna said with a laugh.

"I was," she admitted. "We haven't seen each other in so long…and yet despite some awkwardness at first…it was like we just fell into old habits; catching up about the kids and people we know…it was great and I never wanted it to end…."

"So what happened then?"

"Then we kind of stumbled into some of the hard stuff."

"The divorce?"

She nodded. "We talked about some of it and he was upset and I was crying…."

Johanna's brow rose. "And?"

"And…it kind of escalated quickly."

"Escalated in what way?"

"He kissed me," she admitted.

Johanna smiled. "That's a good kind of escalation."

Maggie gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah…it was…and one kiss turned into more…and you know…escalated more quickly."

Johanna studied her for a moment. "It escalated again?"

"Yeah…."

She nodded. "I knew he was out sleeping with someone…thank God it was you and not some bimbo."

Maggie scoffed. "Believe me I don't regret it…but I feel like I made him an adulterer like me."

"Was he drunk?"

"No; he told me he doesn't drink anymore."

"He doesn't," Johanna confirmed. "I'm just pointing out that there wasn't anything hindering his decision making. He knew what he was doing…he made the choice."

"Yeah, but I made it with him…I know he's married."

"I don't normally approve of affairs," Johanna said slowly. "But in this case…I make an exception."

"Why?" Maggie asked.

"Because he's never stopped loving you…and everyone knows he's not happy with her. That thing they have that's legally a marriage…it isn't much of a marriage from what I hear. Maybe if he believes he has a second chance with you, he'll get out of this situation he's in. The question is…does he have that chance?"

"There's nothing I want more…we actually talked about that a little last night. He says he wants us to talk and spend time together and get back to where we should be."

"That sounds promising," Johanna replied.

"I hope it is…the last few days I've felt more like myself than I have in a very long time…because he showed up on my doorstep and you wanted to talk to me. It felt like missing pieces coming back together."

"I know that feeling."

Maggie inhaled a shaky breath. "There was one thing he wanted to talk about last night that I couldn't bring myself to answer."

"What was that?"

"How I ended up divorced again. I couldn't tell him…and I know I'm going to have to…but I've never really talked about it with anyone. I've kept it to myself for so long."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Johanna asked. "Maybe that would make it easier to talk about with Jeff if you've already talked about it with someone else."

Her hands shook a little as she nodded. "I don't know if it will make it easier, but I do want to tell you…so you know that I've paid for what I done…I don't need to go back to the beginning do I? I mean, you know how it started."

Johanna nodded. "I know the beginning; you can skip to wherever you need to…take your time. You're not going to get any judgement from me, Maggie."

Maggie sighed deeply, raking a hand through her curls. "It started off okay…you know, it was exciting and new…everything I thought I needed even though deep down I knew it was wrong…that I didn't love him…that I had made so many mistakes. I ignored those feelings though, because I didn't understand what I was doing and he was convincing me that everything was fine. There were trips and fancy parties and expensive things…I got caught up in the whirlwind of it, believing everything he told me…telling myself that it would be fine, that the kids would adjust and things would get better with them…that I'd feel better too. On the surface it seemed good for the first year…and then it was like someone flipped a switch and he was a different person…and the person I was in that moment died right along with the person I used to be."

Her stomach knotted at her friend's bleak assessment. "What happened?"

"I went out for a drink with a colleague after work one day and I didn't let him know…so when I walked through the door two hours late, he was furious and I was trying to talk him down, telling him it wasn't a big deal, that I just lost track of time. He got angrier, saying I didn't have any respect for him. I made the mistake of laughing and saying that he was being ridiculous…and he slapped me so hard across my face that I had to cake on makeup the next day to cover up the outline of his handprint on my cheek."

"Oh God," Johanna murmured. "All because you were late?"

She nodded. "Because I was late. Because I didn't have dinner on the table. Because I didn't call. He accused me of having an affair…even accused me of being with Jeff because I did go into the city several days before to meet him for one of those parents meetings for incoming students at the college. He hadn't wanted me to go and I had said I didn't care, I needed to go, that was my son and I was going to be there to hear what we needed to know. The night I came home late and he hit me…when he brought up Jeff, he said it was so obvious that I never got over the man who hadn't even had time for me. I denied that I had been with Jeff…because I hadn't been; that I was with a girl from the office. He didn't care, he just went ballistic, hit me and picked up a vase off the stand and threw it against the wall near my head."

"What did you do?"

"I ran upstairs and locked myself in the bedroom…eventually he left and didn't come back until the morning…but after that day, he became very controlling…easily angered…and any excuse he could find to hit me was a good one in his mind and he never shied away from it."

"Why did you stay?" Johanna asked gently. "Did he keep control of your money? Did he take your car?"

"No," Maggie said, tears filling her eyes. "He policed where I went as much as he could but I could've kept on driving. I stayed because…"

"Because why?"

"Because…I felt like I deserved it," she replied, her voice cracking. "I felt like I was getting exactly what I deserved for what I did to Jeff…I hurt him and my kids so I deserved to be hurt in return. I wanted so badly to call Jeff…to tell him I needed help…that I was sorry…beg him to let me come home but I couldn't. I knew I had no right to ask him for help. I had no right to anything. So it just went on…and I found myself becoming one of those women who lies about being clumsy when she has bruises or an injury that she can't hide…like the brace on my wrist from when he twisted it so hard that it pulled all of my tendons…and in other ways when I could hide the bruises under makeup and accessories, I became numb."

"Maggie," she said softly. "You didn't deserve that."

"I felt like I did."

"What finally made you leave?"

Maggie took a deep breath, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. "I had a picture hidden in my wallet…of me and Jeff and the kids when they were little. The day Jeff was marrying Melanie…I thought I was going to be home alone…so I was looking at that picture, thinking about all the mistakes I had made…how much I hated myself for what I had done…how much I still loved him and how much it hurt to know he was marrying Melanie. I was crying, wishing I could go back and change things," she said before sucking in a breath. "David had been offered a position with a university in Paris and he had been pushing hard for us to move…and I kept saying no, that I wasn't leaving the country, I wasn't leaving my kids…and he kept arguing that they were grown, they didn't need me, that Christina hated my guts and the boys would be better off without me…but I kept saying no. That day…he came home early and found me with the picture and crying and he became more enraged than he ever had been. We fought…and he accused me of still loving Jeff and I admitted that I do still love him, that I always had and I always would and that I should've never left him. That made things worse of course, he started screaming that we were leaving for Paris that weekend…and I said no, I wasn't moving to France. I wasn't leaving my kids; I wasn't leaving New York. He became so enraged…screaming, throwing things at me…he grabbed that picture out of my hand and ripped it up, threw it in my face…and then he started beating me."

"Worse than usual?" Johanna asked.

Maggie nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I tried to get away…, I was already bloody and in pain at that point, I ran even though it hurt…it just made it worse. He came running behind me and said if I wanted out, he'd help me out…and he threw me down the stairs."

Johanna swallowed hard. "Oh, Maggie…"

A sob slipped across her lips. "As I was falling, I kept thinking that this was how it was going to end for me…and that I deserved it for everything I had done. Before everything went black, all I could do was think that the kids would probably be better off like he said."

"No, they wouldn't have been," Johanna interrupted. "Tell me you had him arrested, Maggie."

Maggie struggled to get her emotions under control as the tears continued to run down her cheeks. "When I landed at the bottom of the staircase, I was unconscious…and he thought he killed me…so he ran…and by that, I mean he literally ran out of the house, leaving the door wide open and took off. A neighbor had heard the screaming and saw him leaving…but didn't notice the door being left open until awhile later when he went out to check his mail. He noticed the door was open and came up to the house and saw me laying at the bottom of the staircase…he called the ambulance and the police. He told Jeffery later on that he didn't dare step inside the house because with the amount of blood on the floor, he was sure I wasn't going to make it and it would be a crime scene…and I almost didn't make it. I was bleeding inside…I had two broken ribs, a broken wrist…a bad concussion, my forehead had a gash in it…bruises, cuts, sprains, my left eye was swollen shut, my lips were busted open…there were a lot of injuries…there wasn't a place on my body that didn't hurt and I'm not going to lie, it was like even though I was unconscious, I knew what was happening…and I didn't want to make it, Jo. I didn't want to fight it…I felt like I didn't have any reason to fight anymore."

"I'm glad that you did," Johanna said, wiping away her own tears.

Maggie took a shuddering breath. "I was ready to give up…but then I heard Jeffery next to me…and he kept saying, 'please, Mom…please, don't go…we need you'…and then I heard Jacob…and I could feel him holding my hand, telling me he needed me…and I knew I had to live…that I had to try for them. I was in the hospital for several weeks…had to do physical therapy…got sent to a therapist for awhile…but I wasn't good at that kind of therapy so I quit going after awhile."

"What happened to the bastard that did that to you?"

Maggie scoffed. "By the time I was able to confirm the neighbor's police report, that it was indeed David who had done that to me…he was out of the country. His lawyer had gotten him on a plane right away to a non-extradition country. When they found out that I had survived, then he had his lawyer send me divorce papers, listing me as the complainant instead of him, complete with a very large settlement, the house, and the cars. All he asked was that his sister be allowed to come in and pack up his belongings and ship them to Paris where he would be relocating to settle in for his new job…oh and he sent a note saying he was sorry for what happened the last time we were together."

"They didn't make him come back here and face charges!" Johanna exclaimed.

She shook her head. "No…he's never come back. Everything was handled through his lawyer, who seemed to be good friends with the judge, so even though it was an odd kind of arrangement, the divorce was quick…but he never had to spend a single day in jail for what he had done. I found out that I wasn't the first one he had done this to…he had two other wives before me in other states that he beat on until finally he'd move on to the next victim. That's what the therapist called me…a victim…she told me that he had preyed on my vulnerability that was stemming from a mid-life crisis and that it had made me an easy victim for him. I told her I didn't want excuses for my stupidity…she didn't like that."

"Maggie, I'm so sorry that you went through that. I wish you had gotten out sooner. Couldn't you have gone to one of your siblings or your father or…"

Maggie gave a bitter laugh. "My father, when he was notified that I was lying in a hospital, possibly dying from my injuries, said to my son that I had gotten what I deserved and he had no interest in seeing me. When he was sick the last time…he made it clear to everyone that I was not to be allowed in at his funeral…that he didn't want the world to know that he had a whore for a daughter and that I would burn in hell for it one day."

"Son of a bitch," Johanna muttered.

Her friend nodded. "Yeah…I showed up for the funeral anyway…and my own daughter had me thrown out of it…but not before I got to look down at him and tell him that I'll see him in hell one day because I know that's where he was going."

"Chrissy had you thrown out!"

"Oh yeah, she enjoyed it too. When I was in the hospital, I made the boys promise not to tell her what had happened. I made them promise not to tell Jeff too."

"Why?"

Maggie glanced away for a moment, swallowing hard. "I didn't want Chrissy to know because I figured that she'd tell everyone I deserved it…and she probably would've preferred that I had died at the bottom of those stairs that day."

"Why didn't you want Jeff to know?"

She shrugged. "He had just gotten married the day it happened…and I thought he would figure it was what I deserved…of course I feel that way too, but I just didn't want the boys to have to tell him. He asked me last night why I had gotten divorced and I told him I didn't want to talk about it. He didn't push…but I know I'll have to tell him sooner or later. He noticed the scar by my eye the first night he came to see me; he asked about it but I didn't tell him how I had gotten it. I have other minor scars but he hasn't noticed them yet…or if he has, he hasn't let himself ask."

"Why didn't you tell him last night?"

"Just not ready yet," she murmured. "For three days I've had him back in my life and it seems like some kind of dream and I'm scared to death that it'll end at any moment. Last night he was telling me he wants us to get back where we need to be, to be together, and I want that more than anything in this world…but afraid when we get deeper into the hard stuff that it'll end."

Johanna shook her head. "Jeff isn't going to give up on you, Maggie. He's never given up on you…it might be hard in places at times but he's going to stick with you through it, I know he will."

Maggie swiped at her tears. "I just don't know how to tell him."

"You don't have to do it right now…you could wait until the topic comes up naturally again; that might give you some time to feel a little better about telling him…but it's going to be fine when you do. He isn't going to think any of those things you convinced yourself of. He's going to hurt with you."

She sniffled. "When I got out of the hospital and finished my physical therapy…I just kind of closed up into myself. I kept working but I stayed to myself until finally I left because I couldn't take being there anymore. I just…I didn't know how to cope and I didn't have anyone. It's not exactly the kind of thing you can talk about with your sons. I didn't have any friends…my mother was gone, my siblings spread out across the country…and I couldn't have Jeff…and that's who I wanted most. Everything was just bleak…so you see, Jo; we might have different circumstances but I know how you feel…because I'm broken too."

Hearing someone else express how she felt deep down seemed to break open a well of hurt that she kept buried deep within her. The tears spilled down her cheeks rapidly. "Why did it have to be this way?" she asked.

"In my case, I was stupid…stupid, lonely and bored and unable to figure out what to do so I just destroyed everything that mattered to me."

Johanna swallowed hard. "I took the case because it was my job…and because I was bored…I didn't know what to do with myself without a kid to take care of…and Jim had all these big cases that he was busy with and winning left and right and I…I felt like I wasn't going anywhere. Like I had gotten left behind somehow…without Katie to take up so much of my time…I started thinking of my career…of wanting my own big, interesting cases like Jim's. I just needed something…and I got way more than I ever bargained for," she cried. "My need to be busy and to catch up cost me thirteen years with my family. I destroyed everything I had too all because I couldn't deal with having more time on my hands…and then I had thirteen years of time that no one could fill...just guilt and depression and regret…and undying self-hatred. I just don't know why it had to be this way…we had our lives together, Maggie…and then they were gone."

Maggie nodded as sniffled. "I know…but we're going to get better, Jo."

"I hope so…I really do," she said as her friend squeezed her hand.

"We will. We'll figure it out…I promise," Maggie assured. "It'll take some time but we'll get it back together somehow."

As they headed toward the house early that evening, Jeff broke the tense silence that had been lingering between him and Jim ever since they picked up the food to take back to the girls for dinner. "Listen," he said. "I know you don't approve of how I'm doing things…but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't look down your nose at me about it."

"I'm not looking down my nose at you," Jim retorted.

"You've been doing it all day!"

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you are…and I think instead of judging me, you ought to think about how you felt when Michael called you an idiot for taking Johanna back…you remember how that felt, don't you?"

Jim's hand tightened on the wheel. "Yes; but that's totally different."

"In circumstance only; what is the same is that you took her back; that you wanted her and you didn't hesitate to take your second chance. I want Maggie…and I'm not going to hesitate to take my second chance now that I know I actually have a shot."

"I didn't tell you to pass up your second chance."

"Not in those exact words but I can feel the judgement," Jeff replied. "And I think you need to remember that when you got your second chance, I never once implied that you shouldn't take Johanna back."

"It's different."

"It's really not. I was supportive of you working things out with Johanna and having your second chance."

"Yeah, I know; but here's the thing, she was still legally my wife. She didn't have an affair and leave me for some rich, pompous idiot that she ended up divorcing anyway. My wife didn't have a choice in leaving me…yours did…and you go see your ex-wife for the first time in years, jump in bed with her for two days and suddenly think all is going to be right in the world. Well don't you think you might be jumping the gun?"

"No, I don't," Jeff shot back. "I know what I want and it's Maggie. This is my chance, we talked about it, we know what we want and I'm going for it. I'm not getting any younger and I'm not going to waste time. We spent enough time apart."

"I'm not telling you not to take her back. I know you love her and I don't know what the hell her problem was back when she had an affair because it was the last thing anyone expected from her; but if she's willing to work things out and get back together; good, I'm glad…but I think you should do it right and get divorced first."

"I'm not going to stop seeing Maggie just because I don't have a piece of paper in my hand yet declaring a divorce. I will get the damn divorce…but I'm not going to put Maggie on hold in the meantime."

"Do what you want…I've just never known you not to do the right thing."

"Well maybe it's my turn to do things wrong," he retorted. "I don't care if it's wrong. I know what I want and I'm not letting her go. I would appreciate some support…just like I supported you all summer as you bounced back and forth between grasping your second chance and nearly blowing it on several occasions."

"This isn't about me," Jim remarked.

"I'm just saying."

"Fine, Jeff; go ahead and juggle two women…even though you're no good at it. Have you forgotten that black eye you got in college?"

"No, I haven't," he replied. "But I don't see that as a plausible scenario. Maggie isn't going to hit me when she knows I'm married…and Melanie can't hit me knowing damn well that she's been running around on me the whole marriage and is running with someone as we speak; which is why she's rarely home before nine. So I don't see another black eye in my future. My whole thing is, I know you're judging me, and that's fine, we've known each other long enough that even though it pisses me off, I'll get over it and we'll go on as usual…I just don't want you treating Maggie unfairly because of it."

"I'm not going to treat Maggie unfairly. I have no problem with Maggie. I'm thrilled that she wanted to come spend time with Johanna and get their friendship restarted. When I called earlier, Jo was happy and relaxed and I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize the girls friendship."

"Good; because they need each other," Jeff replied. "Maggie's lonely too. She's moving back to the city soon."

"Did she make that decision before or after you got in bed with her."

Jeff glared at him. "Before, jackass."

"Just checking."

"Be glad she's moving back to the city; it'll be easier for her and Jo to get together."

"Hey, I'm glad to hear that she's moving back; I would like it to be easy for her and Jo to go do girl things. I'll even help you move her in wherever she's going, her own place or your house, I don't care, I'll help carry the boxes."

"Now that's the attitude I wanted to hear," Jeff said with a nod. "She has an apartment already but it's getting work done on it."

"Hopefully it'll be done soon; then the girls can go shopping and you can stay in the city and maybe I won't have to field phone calls from your wife."

"And we backtrack," Jeff sighed.

"Sorry," Jim replied. "I'll try to reform."

"Please do; let's just drop the subject."

Jim blew out a breath as he pulled into the driveway. "Sounds good to me; we don't want to spoil dinner for them."

"No, we don't want to do that," Jeff agreed.

They gathered up the bags of food and got out of the car, making their way to the backdoor and letting themselves in, finding Johanna and Maggie in the kitchen, laughing over some discussion they were having as they set the table.

"Ladies," Jeff declared with a smile. "Did you have a good day?"

"We did," Johanna replied. "How about the two of you."

"We've had better," Jim admitted as he held out a bouquet of roses toward her.

"What are these for?" she asked as she met his eye.

"Because I'm sorry," he replied.

"For what?"

Jim sighed; she wasn't going to make it easy. "For acting like the phone calls shouldn't bother you…you're right, I wouldn't like it if some other man called you…with the exception of the doofus over there because I know he's harmless…"

"Hey," Jeff declared. "You got some doofus qualities of your own, buddy, so don't be throwing too many stones."

"We'll debate that later," Jim said before giving his attention back to Johanna. "I'm sorry."

She still wasn't thrilled with the situation but she didn't want to dwell tonight when she had such a nice day with Maggie. With that thought in mind, she kissed him softly. "I forgive you."

"I'm glad," he murmured, his arm slipping around her as Jeff handed a bouquet of gardenias to Maggie.

"What are these for?" Maggie asked.

"Just because," Jeff replied.

She smiled. "That's so sweet; thank you."

"I hope you still like gardenias," Jeff said as he met her eye.

"I do," Maggie said softly as she kissed his cheek. "I haven't had any in a long time, they're beautiful."

He smiled, glad to see that her blue eyes held a lighter look than they had when he had first shown up at her door. "You had a good day?"

"The best," she said with a nod. "We talked, we caught up, we cried, we laughed, and we're playing games together on Facebook."

"Facebook," Jim repeated as he looked to Johanna. "Is it a good idea for you to be on Facebook?"

"Maggie made sure my page is private and only for people I approve," she answered as she began to open the bags of food. "You know I like playing games on my phone; now I can play games with Maggie."

He nodded, figuring it was fine as long as her page was private. "I'm glad you've had a good day."

"Me too," Johanna replied, feeling like some of the weight had lifted from her shoulders for the day. "Let's get dinner on the table and we can have our at home double date."

"Yeah, we better eat," Jeff said. "Maggie and I have to get on the road in a little while…no hurry though."

"I hate to leave," Maggie murmured.

Jeff wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry, you'll be back; won't she, Jo?"

"Yes, anytime she wants; I've already told her that."

"You girls traded phone numbers, emails and all that stuff along with Facebook, right?"

"We did," Maggie confirmed.

"Good," Jim said as he helped Johanna set out the food. "We don't want you losing touch."

"Believe me, we're not going to let that happen," Johanna replied, her gaze catching Maggie's. They had a mystery to solve…lives to reconstruct…and they were going to do that together like the best friends they had been before life spiraled out of control.