Destined To Collide

The Collision Expands - Chapter 38 - Various 2

New York City; Spencer's law firm; before Spencer and Brook's small engagement celebration; about 9:30ish

Spencer- "Hey, Spencer, stop slouching!" My Queen, Brook scolds me, boosting my shoulders so that I'm standing upright, "we haven't seen these guys in months, we don't want an incident." She straightens my necktie, "Seriously! You've been acting strange, even for you, since I said yes to your proposal. We're going to be married, you need to open up to me. Did something happen during our break up?"

I have no idea how to answer her. Damn, these new emotions! I never used to feel guilty about anything and now it's eating away at me.

"Okay, before this gathering begins, there's something I need to tell you." I say. "I've been trying to find the best way to tell you but this has been bottling up inside me even before I proposed to you. So before this engagement goes any further, I need to confess here and now."

Brook- Okay, something definitely happened while we were apart. In a way, I'm very proud of him for how far he's come along, I don't think he's ever felt this vulnerable.

I reach up and lightly rub his cheek with the back of my hand. "Spencer, I love you and I'm never leaving your sight ever again," I tell him, "so whatever it is,-"

"I cheated on you!" He cuts me off, I kind of figured he was going to say that. "Or at least I think I did, I'm not entirely sure. This whole relationship thing is still very new to me." I shake my head at that as if to say that it makes no difference.

"Spencer, it's okay," I say softly, "we were broken up. You didn't have any commitment to me. Besides, it was me that broke up with you. I have no right to be upset." Especially, since I had my little tryst with Nathan.

"Well, it was all done in the name of research to be better for you," he says, I lift an eyebrow. Now I'm curious, "but my therapist said you may see this as unfaithful even if we're broken up because I got the impression that this wasn't a breakup in the traditional sense." Okay, now I'm really curious. "So, I was getting help developing and dealing my emotions. Turns out, I'm mildly bipolar and I have high functioning Asperger's syndrome, I'm taking medication for the former. But I really needed help relating to women so I can be more understanding and empathetic to you. I asked a couple of the girls here in the office to help me with that."

"Is that it?" I asks, "Doesn't sound like cheating to me, it looks like you benefitted from their advice."

"Uh," he says sounding cautious and shaking his head, "that's not all. I know you've commented that I'm much better kisser now, remember?" OK I'm feeling a little concerned now. "I don't know any delicate way to say this; they gave me kissing lessons." he then looks me in eyes like he's ashamed, "but it meant nothing to me or to them. At least, I don't think it did for them. But that's it! I didn't do anything else with them, I swear!" I just look straight at him for a moment. Then I kiss him

"I'm not upset, honey. I actually think that's kind of sweet," I say to him but now there's a question gnawing at me. "If that's all you did with them, where did you learn how to make love so much better?" He's a hundred times better than before.

"Oh, that," he says, "they did give me some demonstrations using office supplies." That makes me burst out laughing. "But that's not all," okay, what does that mean? "I began viewing some...adult content...geared toward women." I don't know why but that just make him look so cute and I hug him tightly. I know I should tell him about Nathan but I don't know when a good time will be for that.

Just then, "Hey! Spency! Mazal Tov, Man!" I turn around and there's Donny. I start having mixed feelings about seeing him after not seeing him for awhile but, Spencer turns to me and says,