Reliving History, Repeating Mistakes

Part 3

It's been a week since she'd shown up at his trailer, intend on talking to him (yelling really) and had gotten so much more than she thought she would. And though they had completely lost track of the actual reason she'd been there, he had come through with his parting promise.

But,as much as she hates to admit it, it has * not * been a week since she's last had sex with him.

She'd watched him disappear into the Andrew's house next door, and for a moment she played with the thought of spying on the conversation from her daughter's bedroom. She hadn't. Just patiently waited for her own doorbell to ring, because he had promised to make it right with both of them, which means he'd be making a stop here next. When her daughter had joined her in the kitchen, nervously rearranging her ponytail every few seconds, she'd known that, even though it hadn't been her, * someone * had been tracking the conversation next door.Sure enough, five minutes later she'd led him and his son into the room.

A look had passed between them for just the briefest of seconds, an entire conversation held without saying a word. He's here to apologize to her daughter, nothing else was going to happen here.They both knew that, they both understood that and neither their children, nor her husband, had to ever find out about what had happened between them yesterday.

She had ignored the way her face had tried to twist into a smile when she saw him and the feeling of lust and, dare she say it * love *,rushing through her as he casually leaned against the counter,staring at her. The children had disappeared into the living-room fora moment, promising to be right back to hear what he has to say, and neither of them really knew what to say. They hadn't had a real conversation in almost twenty years, hadn't really * seen * each other in almost that long, and the last time they did, there was no talking involved. But this would be no repeat of the day before,especially with their children in the next room. Especially because she didn't want it to be. She had been proud that she seemed to still be able to lie to herself in that regard.

So they had finally settled on some awkward small talk, polite compliments that skirted the line of flirting. He had asked where her husband is; this was his home, too, after all, and he didn't think he could stand being in the same room as the man who's wife he'd screwed last night. When she had told him she hadn't the slightest idea,since she'd kicked him out some days ago, she has no idea why she'd even told him, but she had seen him trying to hide a smile. The awkward silence settled over them again and it gave her way too much opportunity to picture him without his clothes, doing her in the exact spot she's in, leaning against the fridge. She had dug her fingernails into her palms to anchor her to the present, pressing deeper when she'd looked into his eyes and had been sure of what he had been thinking about in this moment. She had cleared her throat with a sound that sounded way too loud in her ears and had proceeded to open the refrigerator and then cabinets, setting four glasses and a pitcher of iced-tea on the counter. She had offered him some and he had gladly accepted. At least it had been something to talk about,even if it hadn't lasted long, but the silence was getting to them both.

The last time they had said they weren't going to do this anymore had been hard. They had been teenagers, months shy of their High School graduation and incredibly in love. They had both mutually realized,that love wasn't always enough and he had broken it off and encouraged her to finally say yes to that date her now-husband had asked her to more than once. It had been her chance to get out, and he loved her enough to want her to take it. She had loved him enough to do anything for him, and so she had. The next time Hal had asked,she accepted. She had moved from the Southside to her fancy home rather quickly after that. He had stuck with the serpents and his home. They hadn't seen each other all that much and so moving on had been easier.