Glen pulled up along the front of his parents' house, shifting his car into park and turning the ignition off. He didn't rush to get out of the car however, choosing to sit there a bit longer in the silence. He even drove with the radio off as his mind continued to replay his conversation with Cherish after she tucked Jordie into bed. That had been tough, telling Jordie he was going back to his parents' house to sleep, that he wasn't sleeping in their home just yet. Jordie just hugged him, saying he missed him, before asking if his daddy could tuck him into bed.Once Jordie was out, the real conversation began around the kitchen table and over coffee."You've been awfully quiet tonight. Would you rather I hadn't come over?"Her hands wrapped around her coffee mug, Cherish shrugged. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you came over. Jordie loved seeing you. To be honest, it felt nice to act like a normal family again. I just have so much on my mind; I can't get it to turn off.""So, talk about it. Tha
Cherish just laid there, the night a dark blanket around her as she contemplated everything Glen said to her earlier. It was the first time she slept in her marriage bed since Glen walked out of the house over a week ago. It felt weird, lying there, alone. It had been his suggestion to try to make things as normal as possible for Jordie until they figured out their next move.They had spent the night focusing on Jordie because neither of them knew how to talk about the other. When they did talk, it was all casual chitchat about everything other than the two of them and where their marriage headed. Neither wanted to go down that road just yet, and the walking on eggshells drove her crazy. It was hard just being in the same room at times. He couldn't keep the hurt from his eyes, no matter how hard he tried, and she couldn't get past what she did, waiting for him to explode at any moment. It was always at the forefront of her mind.Yet, he came back. She really didn't think he would. Not
Cherish had just finished brushing her hair when the knock came at the door. She dropped the brush on the counter as she took a deep breath."Oh, Cher!" Aubrey called out as she entered the Lansky home."In here!" Cherish stared at herself in the mirror, her hair a waterfall along her shoulders. She wore her business finest, straight gray skirt, burgundy button-down blouse conservatively buttoned. She thought about revealing the swell of her breasts just a little, but sex had cost her the last job, and she didn't need it infecting this one. She decided to play it safe.Aubrey popped her head through Cherish's doorway. "You decent? Tell me you're not decent."Cherish saw her friend's dark hair as Aubrey peeked around the door. She forced a smile onto her face. "Sorry to disappoint. Maybe later if you're good."Entering the room, Aubrey let out a dramatic sigh. "Ah, well. Story of my life." She collapsed onto the bed, bouncing a couple of times before sitting still. "You all set for your
Three days. It had been three days since he told Cherish he wanted to make their marriage work, and yet, they had barely even talked since then. He knew what she needed. Adventure. To feel desired. To be chased. However, he had no idea how to do that. How do you date someone you already married? How was he supposed to give her what she wanted? What had Edwin given her that she felt she needed?"You know, the hammer, the one in the bucket, next to your leg, right there, beside you…"Glen turned his gaze away from the Indian River and stared at Brent. "What?"Brent shook his head. "Where the hell have you gone in that mind of yours? I've asked you three times to hand me a hammer."Glen gave himself a mental shake, jerking the fog out of his head. "Oh, sorry. I guess I was lost in thought." He reached into the tool bucket beside him and pulled out a hammer. Handing it to his partner, he said, "Sorry," again and leaned over the dock to see what Brent worked on below.Brent took the hammer
The interview took less time than Cherish thought it would, so she decided to leave Jordie in Aubrey's care a bit longer while she took a much-needed break and enjoyed one of those chain coffee shops for some peace and quiet. She needed to clear her head a bit and unwind a little. On a positive note, she had a job now and wouldn't starve, not that she thought Glen would allow that, anyway. Or at least, the Glen she knew before she cheated on him wouldn't have allowed it. The new, devastated Glen she wasn't so sure about.She parked in a spot almost too small for her car, grabbed her purse, and headed inside the coffee shop that rested between Harbor City Carpet and home. The Tuesday crowd was busy, but she wasn't in any hurry, so it didn't matter. She just needed to sit for a while without Jordie hanging onto her, asking when his father was coming home. She never realized how much going to work gave her a break before this. She loved her son, but she wasn't sure she had ever been ready
"Selby!" Glen called out as the bell over his head sounded, announcing his arrival inside Selby's Downtown Books. Once they finished Mr. Jenkins' dock, the day was over, and Glen decided a visit to his wife's brother-in-law might help him get steered in the right direction."Be right there!" came the reply from the back of the store.Glen heard some shuffling in the back, and a few minutes later, Selby came out followed by a short redhead with a very satisfied smile on her face. Suddenly, Glen felt as if he should have called first. "Um, sorry, I should have…" He didn't know what to say. Selby had left the door unlocked, the OPEN sign still facing out. How was Glen supposed to know Selby was getting busy in the back?"Glen, good to see you. I don't think you've met Tracey yet. Tracey, this is Cherish's husband, Glen." Selby introduced the two as if nothing had just happened in the back room or that Glen hadn't busted them acting out a scene from an erotic novel. Well, he didn't actuall
They said their goodbyes, and Glen stepped back out into the afternoon sun. He wasn't sure whether he received the answers he wanted, but at least he possessed more information with which to make a decision. Between everything Brent and Selby said, it boiled down to whether or not Glen could give Cher the sexual adventures she seemed to crave. Yet, how would that change their relationship? He knew he could give her some of what they had before, returning to that friskiness that kept them touching each other no matter where they were. It was the additional partners he would need to come to grips with if that was what she wanted. How would he feel if she slept with another man? One he knew about this time?He needed to talk to her and find out.~ ~ ~ ~ ~"How have you been?" Nick stood there, his hands in his pockets, as the afternoon breeze tugged at his wavy dark hair. "I think I heard you and Glen tied the knot and started a family, right? I bet that's wild. I never even pictured the
Hello! Where's everyone at?" Aubrey's voice followed the sound of the front door opening. "Yoo hoo!"Cherish walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on an old towel, her brows scrunched up over the bridge of her nose. "What are you doing here?""Babysitting," Glen said as he walked through the doorway to the hallway. He stopped by earlier saying he needed some more clothes. Cherish hadn't realized he intended on changing right then and there, however, which only added to her confusion when she glanced at him. He was dressed up…well, dressed up for him. He wore a pair of dark jeans and a gray pullover. He even wore socks with his sneakers. "Why is she babysitting?""Hey, Aubrey!" Jordie ran out of the hallway and hugged their neighbor. "Daddy said you were going to hang out with me tonight. Can we have pizza?"Aubrey gave Cherish a smile as she walked past her to tousle Jordie's hair. Cherish watched for a moment and then turned her attention back to Glen. She popped an eyebrow at