She didn’t go

His car parked outside of his apartment

His bedroom light on

Tears streaming down her face

She didn’t go

She didn’t get out of her car

She didn’t stand on his doorstep

She didn’t knock on his door

She didn’t look him in the eyes and tell him she had just left Peter alone in bed because all she thought of was him while she was trying to make love to Peter

She didn’t go…

She didn’t tell him…

But Peter did…

Peter stood on Ric’s doorstep early the next morning ready to look him in the eyes…

“She’s a silly girl” Kristina giggled looking at her sister

“She is a silly girl!” Ric said as he tried to wipe the baby food from what seemed every inch of Chloe’s face

A knock at the door changed his life

“I’ll be right back ok” Ric said now looking back over his shoulder at the girls

Ric opened the door and Peter immediately held out the black silk slip to him

“Here” was all Peter said at first in an eerily calm voice

Ric looked at him confused

“Here” Peter said again this time pushing the slip towards Ric “It’s hers”

“I’m not sure I understand”

“She left it at my house last night”

Ric’s heart began to pound just as fast as his temper began to flare

Peter had come to gloat

“Look I’m not sure what you’re doing here but my daughters are here and whatever you think you’re doing… I don’t think you want to do it in front of them”

“I’m not here to fight or gloat…  I’m here to tell you, you’re a fool if you don’t get her back”

“What?”

“I was about to make love to your wife and she panicked. She left me in bed… and I’m certain it’s because she’s still in love with you. Why? I don’t know but, she can’t get over you…”

Ric took the silk slip from Peter

“Why are you doing this? Why are you here telling me this?”

“Because I fell in love with her… and because I hope somewhere in your screwed up logic there is something that tells you to get down on your knees and get your wife back. Tell her what a fool you are, apologize until she can believe you again…hell, tell her you admit you’re a bastard because from what I can see that’s exactly what you are…”

Ric just stood there taking in everything Peter had to say to him

He deserved it

“And you are just going to give her up that easily?”

As soon as Ric asked the question he cursed himself for doing so

Looking a gift horse in the mouth

“She loves you. And it obviously isn’t good enough for you but it is for me. I care about her… I mean just in the short time I’ve known her I care about her and what happens to her. And her heart is already being broken by you there’s no sense in me trying to tug it in a different direction when deep down that’s not what she wants…”

Ric took a deep breath and then looked again over his shoulder to the little girls staring contently back at him as if they where cheering Peter on… as if they were saying ‘Daddy Peter’s right”

When Ric turned back to look at Peter he was gone, thin air

He stood there for a moment sorting everything through his head

He stood there for a moment stunned from what just happened

Ric then went and sat back down at the table with Kristina and Chloe

“We go see mommy now?” Kristina asked inquisitively as if she understood everything that just happened

“You know what baby, it is time to go see mommy now”

++++++++++++

Ric held one little girl in one arm and one in the other

He stood on her door step

And without any further hesitation rang the doorbell

It took her a few moments to come to the door

When she opened the door she didn’t look like herself

Her hair had been tousled one too many times… she did that when she was nervous

Her make-up gone – but only because she had wipe most of it away when wiping away tears

Her eyes, her beautiful dark brown eyes – swollen and red

“Hi… I, I didn’t know you were coming. I mean bringing the girls back so early”

Ric was paralyzed by the sight of her

Chloe then held out her arms for her mommy

Alexis’s eyes filled with tears just seeing her beautiful, innocent face

She took her in her arms

“Hey baby I missed you” she said pressing a kiss in to her cheek

Alexis reached out for Kristina giving her a kiss “Did you have fun?” She asked Kristina in her brave voice

“Yep… I got a new Barbie”

Alexis tried to smile “You did?”

Alexis looked up at Ric, his eyes staring

“Um… sorry come in”

Ric took the invitation

“You didn’t say why you’re bringing them back so early… I mean that’s fine I just didn’t…” Alexis said rambling on, not realizing Ric hadn’t said a word

“I came to get my wife back”

Alexis looked at Ric

“What?”

“You heard me”

“No, no I can’t do this again”

“I love you so much”

“Ric don’t”

“Tell me you don’t love me”

“Loving you is one thing…”

“Then tell me you’re not in love with me”

“I can’t… I can’t anymore”

“I know you couldn’t sleep with Peter”

Alexis’ eyes shot deep in to his

“What?”

“He told me, he told me you left him last night. He also told me I was a fool if I didn’t beg for your forgiveness…”

“So you’re doing this because I left Peter in bed… because he told you to get me back?”

“I want you back. I’ve been trying to get you back. I tried getting you back, I tried staying out of your life so you would realize yourself how much you needed me and loved me and wanted me to be your husband like I want to be your husband”

Alexis shuffled Chloe in her arms as she began to fuss sensing how tense her mommy had become “Shhh its ok baby”

 “I love you.  I can’t get over you. In or out of my life I’m completely heartbroken without you. No matter how foolish or stupid I was or I am, I need you, I love you… Alexis I love you!” He said taking her face in to the palm of his hand

Alexis stood there a moment feeling his hands on her face before pulling away

She didn’t say anything

Ric didn’t move

She put Chloe in her playpen and then looked to see an occupied Kristina in the floor with her dolls

She looked back at Ric

“All that we’ve been through…” She said, her voice tired

“I know”

“Lying, cheating…”

“I know, I know”

“Why do you think we can just get past it? That we can sweep it all under the rug and become your average everyday boring people?”

“I don’t want to sweep it under the rug Alexis. Not anymore. Everything that’s between us, the lying, cheating, the hurt… we have so much more that can over come it. And I can stand here and give you reasons why until I’m blue in the face because trust me I’ve had a long time to think about them all… But Alexis it comes down to two things. How much we love each other… and those two little girls… that’s all it comes down to”

She couldn’t hold it in any longer; just when she thought she was emotionally drained tears fell down her face

But he let her cry

He let tears fall down her face and he didn’t try and stop them

Just like he didn’t try and stop his own tears that were sliding down his cheeks

Kristina now stood looking up at her mommy

“Mommy why you cry?”

“I don’t know sweetheart” she said honestly

And she didn’t. She didn’t know if she was happy or sad

She picked Kristina up and gave her a big hug and a kiss

Alexis looked at Ric as he was again staring back at her

He was holding his breath and he wasn’t sure how long he had been

Alexis put Kristina down

“Go back and play with your dollies ok?”

Kristina went back to her spot on the floor where she had left her dollies as if she thought ‘oh I forgot I was playing’

Both Ric and Alexis watched her and then to Chloe occupied by her own toes

“So this is where happy ever after begins?”

“I’m going to try everyday for the rest of my life to make it happy every after for you and Kristina and Chloe. I promise…” Ric held her attention for a moment “Alexis I promise”

She shook her head ok

Ric could breathe now

And the truth was so could she

“I love you so much” Ric repeated

“I love you” she said hoarsely

“Please can I kiss you?” He asked not sure of his boundaries

Before she answered she leaned in and kissed him

Her lips crashed in to his

Familiar lips, a familiar taste

It was mercy and grace in one perfect kiss

It was her lips to his

He got his wife back