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Part 8 - Where do we go from here?

Stevie slammed the phone down with such force that it caused an echo through the bedroom, causing Gary to rush to her side once again.

"Dear, what was that? Who were you talking to?"

She waved him away with her hand, "Nothing, don't worry about it; none of your concern."

He sat down on the edge of her bed, "It was Lindsey, wasn't it?"

"I'm a grown woman, why do you care who I talk to?" she bitched.

"I care because I am sick and tired of that man coming in between us! Look what he's doing to you right now!" Gary stood.

Tears fell freely from her eyes and he went to comfort her, holding on to the back of her head, "Stephanie, you can't go on like this. You have got to move on from him. I love you and I want to take care of you, is that too much to ask?"

Sniffing she allowed his comfort, wishing so much it was Lindsey instead but he was right; she had to move on. Lindsey would never leave his wife for her.

Later that evening, Stevie sat on the balcony of her condo, listening to the waves wash up on shore; it soothed her. The crashing of water against shore was always a muse for her. She let herself breathe, taking in long breaths and letting them out slowly; part of a meditation practice she picked up on a few years back.
She could hear clanking and clattering in the kitchen, Gary was making dinner tonight; wanting to show her that he can do everything that her heart desired. Suddenly Gary was becoming more of a nuisance than a comfort, she just wanted to be back in Lindsey's arms; his hands touching her skin. His smell and breath against her, his lips tasting her; the very moment when their bodies connected in to eternal bliss. The way he fit inside her was perfect, nothing else in the world compared to the way it felt as his body entered her's -- the best high she could ever ask for was being with Lindsey.
Why did she have to let him in again? Why did she allow her body to give in to the satisfaction of Lindsey? She told herself and promised herself that she would not allow another obsession like this take control of her and she raised the white flag, becoming vaulnerable and putty in his hands. Stevie wondered how he could easily cheat on Kristen but when it came to Stevie needing him for something other than sex, it was a completely different story. It was easier for him to sleep with her but hard for him to talk to her? The scenerios made absolutely no sense.
Their dinner together was very laid back, not much talk, and Stevie ate very little; Gary assumed that she detested his cooking but she assured him that it had nothing to do with the quality of food but her emotions. She was beginning to feel a sudden urge to become a hobbit.

**

Deep down in his gut Lindsey could feel that Stevie was going through an emotional roller coaster. He hadn't wanted to refuse her earlier that day on the phone but there was no way he could run off right when dinner was being prepared, what would Kristen think? Lindsey already felt guilty as it was being married and sleeping with Stevie, not that he regretted sleeping with her but the fact that the two of them have been sneaking around for sixteen years and their sh!t still not together; now the addition of Gary coming in and ruining completely everything about their secret was crashing down around him.
He watched as Kristen played around on her iPad, their two dogs looking up at him as if they knew what he was thinking; great -- even his dogs knew!

"Babe, there's a lot of talk on line about what happened in New Orleans," Kristen stated.

"Huh?" Lindsey turned his head to face her, "What kind of talk? Where?"

"Everywhere, honey. From Facebook groups to what's it called, The Ledge?"

Lindsey took the iPad from her hands and started skimming through what she had been reading: