"How is she?"

"I never said you couldn’t see her." I sigh. "You can you know. See her."

"It’s okay." She sighs. "I just want to know if she’s okay."

I look down at the sleeping baby in my arms and smile. "She’s perfect."

"Happy?"

"Of course." I smile and nod. Why wouldn’t she be? She’s spoiled rotten.

"That’s good." I can imagine her nod.

"What’s the point of the call?" I hate to sound rude, but, yeah. That’s just how it is. Especially now.

"I’m sory I lied. I’m sorry I kept this all from you." She sighs. "Can you forgive me?"

"Truth?"

"Always."

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. "I don’t think I can."






So I’m not going to lie. Michael wasn’t happy seeing Justin at the house when he came home. Even if he was sleeping on the god forsaken couch. He didn’t like it.

But i busted his bubble. I told him this was my house and I could have anyone spend the night if I wanted to. I pay the bills. I pay the mortgage. I am the owner. Not anyone else.

That really didn’t settle well with him. Especially with Justin right in the next room listening.

Worst comes to worst, he didn’t talk to me the whole night.

I sigh. Oh well.

Justin walks in with Theresa in his arms and sets the carseat in the corner and i smile as I reach over and run my hand over her head. "What took so long?"

"She was sleeping and then... Britney called."

My head rises to him and he shrugs. "She wanted to know is she was okay. Happy and all that crap."

"What did you say?" I get up and he moves out of the way as I unbuckle Theresa and take her out of her car seat and hold her in my arms. "I got some hash browns for you." I smile as I sit her on my lap and hand her a piece of it.

She just nibbles on it and stares at her father.

"I said she was happy." He nods for the waitress and she walks over and he orders some coffee and omelet.

"That’s all she said?"

He smiles at the waitress and takes a sip of his coffee. "She said she was sorry. She also wanted to know if I could forgive her."

Oh please god no. Don’t tell me he just.... gave in. "And?"

He licks his lips and smiles at his daughter. "I told her I didn’t think I could."

The rest of the breakfast date was a blur. Nonsense blabber and chit chat s we watched Theresa eat. Finally it was ten o’clock. "I have to go." I look at my watch.

"Gallery?" He smiles.

"Yeah." I nod as I get up and hand him his daughter. She smiles up at me and I kiss her cheek. "It’s fun."

"It’s been nice." He nods.

I know exactly what he means. "I missed you." I confess in a whisper. "No matter how mad I am at you. I still miss you. What’s wrong with me?" I laugh softly.

"I missed you too." His smile fades.

I don’t know what came over me. If it was the love I still have for him or the overpowered emotions that I feel for him in this situation. But I kiss his forehead and that only lead to a more powerful kiss on the lips.

So what’s this mean?

Does it mean Michael is out and Justin is back in the game again?

I’m confused. I sigh and lick my lips and kiss Theresa’s head once more and walk away.

No goodbyes.

So we kissed.

That’s no big deal. I mean we’ve kissed before, as friends, as lovers, even when we were really ticked off at one another we kissed.

But that kiss held something different in it.

It wasn’t pity, it wasn’t sadness.

It was lust.

She wanted me. And I can’t lie, I wanted her too. No, I want her too. I want her. I do. No matter how many times we break up or fight. I always have this urge to be close to her. To hold her, to kiss her and hug her.

It’s the connection we have.

We’ve been so close for so long.

So close for so long.

So she went to the Gallery, and I need to go back to our, uh, her house and put this kid to sleep because she’s starting to get cranky. Getting the car seat out of my car is no problem. But walking with it is kind of weird. Because I’m lopsided from the weight.

It’s freaking weird. Seriously.

I unlock the door and go inside and yell hello in the door. I don’t want Michael to be here and there to be a confrontation. I’d love to punch the guy, but seriously. I have to be more.... grown up now. I mean, I do have a child now.

I set the car seat down on the living room floor and get her out and carry her upstairs. I went to wal-mart last night and bought baby monitors while Lauren watched her for me. So, I set the whole bed up, pillows surrounding her and leave one monitor on the stand beside the bed and one clipped to my waist.

I peek my head into her closet and smile. She’s bee working on a new painting. It’s covered up way behind her clothes. I pull it out and uncover it.

Lauren.

I close my eyes and sigh.

Damn

I shake my head and cover it back up and place it back into the closet.

I know exactly what she meant with the picture. Something from the past. Because the woman behind me in bed was undoubtedly....

Britney.



Finally seven o’clock rolls around and I’m ready to go home and get a nice hot shower. I open the car door and smile at Marissa. "Nice day huh?"

"Very good." She smiles and counts her money.

Payday. What a wonderful day. We need to thank whoever came up with this day. We need to praise that person. I hope into my car and start the engine and head home. It only takes me ten minutes and I’m in my driveway, walking down to the door.

This feeling in my stomach is just... making me sick. I open the door and stick my head in. "Just? Michael?"

"I’m in here."

Justin.

I smile and walk in. "Hey about earlier..." I stop and look at him. "You okay?"

He looks up at me and his eyes are full of pain and anger. "Are you really that mad at me still?"

"What are you talking about?" I half laugh and set my purse on the coffee table and take off my shoes.

"The painting."

I stop. Everything around me just stops. Everything that is besides Justin and I. "You saw it?"

"Yeah." He nods. "I like the anger you put into it. The red and black. Very nice."

I cover my face and let my hands slide down them and look at him. "I was really mad at you. I didn’t mean for you to see it."

"Well I saw it." He stands up and grabs Theresa from the floor on the blanket. Bad thing is, I didn’t even see her there. I’m so used to it just being me and him here. No Michael, no Theresa. Just Justin and I.

"Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw that?" He glares at me.

"I can imagine." I sigh. "I’ll destroy it."

"It’s a work of art Lauren. You’re expressing yourself through your painting. I do the same in my music. But I don't think you’d like it if I wrote a song about you when I’m really pissed at you." He walks into the kitchen with Theresa.

I follow and watch as he makes a bottle. "I’m sorry."

"Sometimes I really wish I could just yell at you. Or hit you. Something."

"Why don’t you yell?" I ask softly.

He turns to me and holds Theresa up higher. "Hello?" I look down at my shoes. I’m embarrassed deeply. "Just forget it Lauren. I’ll be out tomorrow."

"You can stay."

"I don’t think I can. One woman has already betrayed me. I’m not going to sit around and wait for the other shoe to drop." He replies harshly.

I cringe and watch as he walks away and up the stairs.

I just messed up.

I rub my temples and sigh.

Damn it all to hell.