In the kitchen, JC wrapped his arms around his wife and held her tight. He thought he really should be tired, but instead he found himself madly in love and very hungry.

"I'm going to make a sandwich," he said, kissing her temple. "Do you want one? The note on the counter from my wife said she was going to bring dinner home, but that didn't seem to happen for some reason."

"Hard to find good help these days, huh?" Patty said, looking up at him.

JC smiled. "I love you, Patty. You are, and always have been, the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I love you too, JC," she said, staring into his eyes. "And I can't believe we just fucked on our neighbor's lawn!"

JC laughed and pushed her hair back from her face. "Thank you for tonight. I don't know what got into you to think of such an idea, but whatever it was, I sincerely hope it happens many more times."

"Mandy," she said.

JC grinned knowingly. "Well I guess I'll have to send her a thank-you card then." He kissed her forehead and let her go. "How's she doing?"

Patty leaned against the counter and watched JC as he started pulling items out of the refrigerator to make his sandwich. "She seems to be doing great. She's still seeing Justin, which makes me happy because I really like him and I think he's very good for her." Patty grinned at JC. "She's never going to believe what we did tonight! God, I can't wait to tell her that she's not the only one who can be a little wild sometimes!"

JC grinned as he sliced a tomato. He had long ago given up the idea of their private lives actually being private from Mandy. "I hope she finds what she's searching for, I really do. She deserves to have the same kind of love that we found."

Patty smiled at him. "You always get so sappy right after you get laid, you know that?"

JC tried to look offended. "Your language is headed straight for the gutter."

"Do you like it?"

"Oh yeah," he said, grinning at her. "Hey, Kathleen, you never told me what your dire crisis was."

Patty grinned and reached for her purse. She pulled out a yellow piece of paper and held it out for him to see.

"A parking ticket?"

"Yep!"

JC shook his head and cut his sandwich. "Well I can see where that could get out of hand and constitute a legal emergency."

Patty laughed. "Well I think I'll go have a shower," she said, the red blinking light of the answering machine catching her eye. "Hey, I wonder who phoned while we were making crop circles." Patty moved to the answering machine and turned up the volume before hitting the 'play' button. Mandy's voice boomed through the small speakers -- loud and clear.

"Patty! JC! Damn it, answer the fucking phone! Please! Oh come on you two, stop whatever you are doing and pick up the phone! Patty? JC? You've got to get your asses down to the Tenth Precinct right now and bail us out of jail!"

It’s amazing what forty-five words can express.