Stevie tapped her foot against the marble tile rapidly, her nails clicking against the glass table top as her knee bounced up and down. Robert glared over his phone at her, scowling.
"Would you cut it out."
Stevie glared back at him, stopping her body movements. "Would you talk to me?"
"Alright love." He tossed his phone down. "What would you like to talk about? The weather? The bloody news? How about Lindsey?"
Stevie sighed, laying her forehead against her palms. "Are you seriously bringing him up again? Robert!"
"We never talked about it! We screamed and then had sex. That didn't resolve the problem love." He spat out the term of endearment.
Stevie flared at him; her eyes raging. "Don't you ever speak to me like that again."
"Like what again?" Robert mocked, rolling his eyes.
"All condescending. I did nothing wrong."
"You snuck out to meet up with your ex at a bar, then you ended up in a jail cell. Tell me where things went right last night."
"Lindsey is not just my ex." Her eyes burned in to his. "He's one of my best friends and he has been ever since I was eighteen. There is more to us than what used to be a sexual relationship. Why can't you understand that!"
"I don't get it! I don't get you Stevie! The man has put you through so much shit!" Robert tried to get through to her. "He's abused you verbally and physically. Why do you put yourself through this misery?"
"Because I've done just as much to hurt him as he has me. I'm not a saint in this, I've had my moments of rage and hateful words. But he always forgave me, and I always forgive him."
"That's not healthy Stevie!" He looked at her; questioning her sanity.
Stevie became deathly silent, sending him a look that sent chills down his spine. "I have never judged you on your past, I have never put you down. Why can't you do the same for me?"
"I don't have a good feeling on any of this."
Stevie sighed, her head falling back against the couch. "I wish you would trust me. I wouldn't be here right now if I didn't love you."
"Love." Robert sat closer to her, reaching for her hand. She tried to pull it away, him holding on tighter. "It's him I don't trust. He's irrational, he doesn't care about this ring on your finger." He lifted her hand for emphasis. "He tried to force you to have sex with him."
"This isn't easy for me. Lindsey's been in my life ever since I was sixteen. It's not that simple to just cast some one away like that."
"I'm worried about you Stevie. I don't trust him."
"You don't trust him or you don't trust me?"
Robert sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Of course I trust you Stevie."
"Then shouldn't that be enough? It doesn't matter what Lindsey does, it's what I do." She moved closer, running her hands up and down his chest. "Robert I would never do anything to hurt you."
She cupped his face, starring in to his eyes. "Do you believe me?"
Robert sighed, his larger hands clasping over hers. "Of course I believe you love."
"Would you come with me to our next rehearsal."
Robert smiled sweetly, hugging her close. He buried his head in her shoulder, burrowing under her hair. "Of course love. Anything for you."
