I arrive at my mom and dads for dinner, with an invitation to BBQ. My Mom, Julia, she opens the door and smiles at me, arms extended "my babe Ruth " she greets affectionately, as she pulled me into her arms. It was a nickname I had picked up as a little girl for my love of all things baseball.

"Harry our girl is here" she calls, and my dad appears.

He beams as he spots me. I didn't always come by regularly , because quite honestly I couldn't listen to my moms thoughts on my impending divorce. Annie had my parents wrapped around her finger, they loved that she took care of us all, and had the ability to offer us a good life, and they loved her, everyone did. She worked people as if that was her art form, and not art itself. I understood my parents wanting us to keep our family together. I wanted that too. It had always been the worst part, to share my children and have them have a broken family.

"Morg, I had Annie here yesterday" Dad says releasing me from his arms.

"What was she doing here" I ask.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me through the house, with my mom leading the way. "She wanted some advice on how she could fix this marriage" he says honestly, and he looks down to me "Morgan why won't you let her try and fix it"

I shrug out from under his arm and divert to the kitchen to pour myself a drink. This felt like it was descending into the evening I had expected coming over, an Annie cheering committee.

I reach into a cupboard and pull out a wine glass, and then I slowly fill it with the open white wine on the side.

"Dad she had plenty of time to fix it already, and to be honest, there's only one thing that would have fixed it...and that is if she just accepted that I need a little more, and encouraged my coaching and my own interests. Don't you think I should be allowed those things?" I ask, looking to him questionably and taking a large sip.

My dad leans against the kitchen side, his dark eyebrows knitting together under his stylishly cut short grey hair. "I do think you need more... you were and are a fantastic coach. I told her that... but Morgan you have to meet her halfway. She has a hugely successful business in New York that she can't just up and leave. You could coach up there... no?"

I shake my head and lick my lips before taking another sip. "No dad... it's impossible to get that work up there... and to the kids and I, Arizona is home. She has a gallery here too. We literally lived bi coastal our entire relationship so why can't she move. She's the one who can do both from here... I can't" I remind him.

He nods. "You seem to be stuck at an impasse" he suggests.

I nod and widen my eyes "that's what I keep trying to tell you... we can't find a solution... and I'm not giving up my career again... why should I when she has never given up one thing for me"

My dad nods and stands up straight " I get it kid... come here" he says holding his arms out, and I slip into them "it doesn't matter how old you get you will always be my little babe Ruth"

"Morgan" my Mom says coming in with a little card in her hand. She slips it into my hand "this is the most wonderful marriage counsellor..." she begins.

I roll my eyes as she slips it into my hand "call her for you and Annie... she works miracles"

I hold it up defiantly, and frisbee it across the room until it lands in the trash opposite.

"Great shot sis" Lydia observes, entering the room.

My mom shakes her head at me "Morgan your marriage will not fix itself" she says, taking the wine and filling her own glass.

"No it won't mother... and I've done my part for an entire year to try and fix it... you can't fix it alone down on your knees either" I suggest strongly.

"Annie knows she was wrong not to realise sooner" my mom begins.

Lydia comes to my side and takes my arm.

"Mom, enough Annie talk ... Morgan is a grown ass woman and can do whatever the hell she wants" she says protectively, and she swoops me out of there, wine bottle in hand, as she walks us both out to the expansive yard. She slides down onto one of the loungers that overlooked the land. She pats the seat beside her "Sit" she asks, and I do.

I lay back and take a large breath "Mom is like a rabid dog with a fucking demonic bone" I say frustrated.

"I know... I think she should just go ahead and marry Annie herself if she's that devoted to her" Lydia snorts as she takes a sip of her wine.

"She couldn't handle her... Annie is... intense" I say thinking of last night.

"I do not want to hear about the BDSM kinky shit" Lydia rebuffs.

I laugh "It's not that kinky... have no fear, she doesn't tie me up... although I bet she would love to right now so I can't dare meet anyone else or have a fucking life of my own"

"She just loves to control you right?" Lydia asks.

I nod "Dominance is certainly Annie's kink ... I mean mine too, but she loves nothing more" I say looking out over the yard to the birds flitting about in the evening sun.

"Morgan who is the girl" she asks.

I look to her confused "what girl" I ask.

Lydia turns sideways, her fair hair up in a messy bun, her blue eyes taking me in a little teasingly "I know there's someone on the scene and I'm dying to know more" she asks excitedly "and don't lie to me" she says as I am about to do just that.

I let out a slow and steady breath, "it's nothing" I rebuff.

She cocks a fair eyebrow at me "not nothing when you say you see her in the stars, and yet you never saw your wife in them" she suggests curiously and directly, awaiting my response on tender hooks "Morgan spill" she demands when I don't.

I sit up a little and take a sip of my wine, leaning my head back on the seat "her name is Leah...and honestly it's nothing..." I reply hesitantly.

"Where did you meet her" she asks eagerly.

I lick my lips, this wine doesn't taste like her. I kind of hoped it did, just like she did with my perfume... I had enjoyed the scent of her and tasting her in the wine the night after our kiss.

"Teddys wedding... they play on the same team" I reveal.

She jumps upward "she's in the WNBA" she asks squealing.

I look to her and try not to laugh at her reaction "she is"

She takes out her phone and looks at the roster from this season. "Okay I'm looking down the list to see if I can guess who she is" she says scanning the team pictures, "I'm sorry but Teddy Nomikos is fucking beautiful" she gasps, as she passes by her picture.

"She is" I agree... "my little dimple popper"

"Oh it's this girl here for sure... she's got a vibe" she says and she holds the phone up for me to check and there she is "Leah Mitchell number eight"

And I can't help but smile to see her as I take the phone, my fingers tracing her photo. She looked so good, her orange jersey revealing her strong shoulders, her gloriously toned arms, and her long hair flowing down her shoulders like chocolate caramel in wavy liquid form. Her warm smile, uff, and blue eyes that reminded me of a lagoon in a far away land...they were creased up with her smile.... Leah was something, and as I flicked to pictures of her from the game in phoenix a few nights ago I feel something stir. Her long legs, her arms in the air throwing a basket... fuck. To think I had been with her hours later... I was lucky she had even give me the time of day... she had it all going for her and I was a mess. The only thing I had going for me were my looks, and I never did like relying on them.

I hand the phone back urgently as if another second of looking at her would hurt.

"Leah Mitchell" Lydia muses as she looks through her Google profile. "Well she's hot..." Lydia begins. "Five foot nine, twenty seven years young, right handed, from Texas, has two sisters, mom and dad are normal folk. Dad is a cop, and mom is a teacher. She had a public relationship a couple years ago" she begins.

My ears prick up "who with" I ask. I lean over to peek at a picture of Leah kissing a cute brunette. I feel a horrible drop in my stomach, and a knot forming which makes me frown "who is she"

Lydia scrolls through more of them together out and about, then she heads on over to social media and finds Leah's profile, which I admit I hadn't even done yet. She scrolls down "she doesn't post here much so it's going to take me five seconds to scroll back a few years ...ah ha she didn't delete all of the couple pics she posted, and she's tagged. It's KC Bartlett the singer" she notes as she clicks through to her profile "oof she's with a guy now... guessing she's bi... he's fit though... I would"

I roll my eyes "How long were they together"

She checks through "one of the last posts Leah put on of her was this one..." she says turning the screen to me "Happy one year anniversary to my forever babe KC"

I look away. I think she mentioned her when I saw her this weekend. She said they had a bad split because she basically cheated on her with her new partner. So I'm guessing that's the guy"

"How horrible... poor Leah... and she thought it was forever too" Lydia says placing the phone down on her lap with her bottom lip stuck out in empathy. "Wait. You saw her this weekend" she asks surprised.

I nod "she was in town for that game"

Lydia flies through the air and onto my lap "tell me....everything" she begs.

"It was a hook up" i state bluntly "nothing more. I doubt I will even see her again" I say half hoping that it wasn't true.

"Oh fuck off Morgan... you like her I can tell" Lydia retorts.

I push her back off of my lap as she falls back onto her lounger "Lydia it doesn't matter. I'm not sure if you've noticed but Annie has me in a fucking choke hold right now... and until I can work through this divorce with her...Leah shouldn't be involved. Honestly, why would she ever want to be... she's young... she's got a lot going for her. A more mature woman with a tonne of responsibilities is not what she needs"

"Does she like you back" she asks.

I shrug "I don't know" I say honestly.

She holds out her hand "let me see your texts"

I frown "no"

She looks to me accusingly "Morgan let me"

I take my phone from my pocket and unlock it before throwing it at her. She catches it excitedly and her eyes scan down the text thread from social media "so she messages you nine months ago... then you finally responded ... harsh Morg... oooh this flirting" she muses "fucking hell. Well clearly you fucked" she mused, as she passed by the messages about our plans that night "and then you ghost her again at the hotel?"

I shake my head "I didn't. I just had a moment, but she found me in the bar, and the night went as planned" I explain, thinking back to it, and the energy we had together. It was electric.

"I can see by your face that it was an enjoyable experience" Lydia says teasingly.

I can't help but smile. My goodness it was. I remember Annie calling then, and what went after, and my smile disappears as quick as it had arrived.

"So you guys have pet names for each other already but you aren't anything special" she asks sarcastically.

I snatch the phone back. "I think you like Leah alot more than what you think you do" Lydia pokes.

I look out to the view, and all I can now think about is Leah. I wonder what she's doing?! Is she home now?! What does her home look like?!

The thoughts.

"And Leah gave you that" Lydia asks, guiding my head to the side to reveal my neck further, and the bruised flesh and raised broken blood vessels.

I reach up instinctively to cover it up. "No she didn't" I reply, shrinking down as Lydia realised what that meant.

"Annie did that to you" she asks shocked.

I am embarrassed as I look away.

"It looks like it hurt" she observes.

I nod and take a sip of wine "it did... it's a little message for whomever I had been seeing before I got home... little does she know I'm not seeing her again"

"Annie literally marked you like territory" she says a little surprised. "Do you like that kind of thing... because I'm not keen on her actually hurting you if you don't" she says a little concerned.

I shake my head in her defence "no no it's fine... it's nothing abnormal... I mean she doesn't usually bite me so hard but we have most definitely danced a fine line in our intimate relationship of pleasure and pain. I was never into that really before I met her but she is dominating, more so than me, and intense. I really really liked it... I just don't want it anymore... not like this" I say pulling up the collar of my shirt.

"Dads got the steaks" mom announces, coming out back "and I've got the salad" she says "come on girls let's get the grill going and the table laid" she demands, ushering us onward to work for our supper.

"And will Blake be setting the table or is your son above that" I ask my mom.

Lydia and I follow her across to the table, both in agreement that Blake as the second youngest and her baby boy, did absolutely nothing! He lived above the garage rent free and didn't so much as mow the lawn.

"He's only just come in from work..." she defends, as if that's an excuse.

"Mom, he coaches just like me... I also could have just come in from work but you still would have made me set this damn table"

"Morgan you are in your early forties I think you've outgrown the pouty sibling Schtick"

"If Blake hasn't outgrown his diaper wearing than I've not outgrown my hatred for the sexism in this house" I argue, with a sarcastic smile.

My mother turns and glares at me. "Sexism" she huffs as she places down her salad "you are something Morgan Marie..."

Lydia laughs as she takes a slice of tomato and places it in her mouth.

"Thanks for backing me up" I say sarcastically, nudging her sideways as I help her place down cutlery.

"Here comes the steak" my dad calls cheerily. He's already got his red baseball apron on covering his smart shirt and trousers. My dad was still very much working into his early seventies and didn't look a day over fifty. I guess I got my youthful genes from him, although my mother wasn't half bad for her age either.

"Family" Blake bellows as he comes down from the house. The cocky little shit, or should I say giant. He was six foot four, had deep blue eyes and short dark hair that curled. He knew he looked good, and unlike me he leant right into it at every god given opportunity. Blake had a girl for every day of the week.

"Oh, and my gorgeous sisters" he says open armed with a large toothy smile, his bright white teeth being ones he paid for. He comes over and kisses us all before he takes the head seat at the table.

My dad swipes him around the back of the head with his cloth making Blake squeak "you're not sitting head until I'm dead" he reminds him playfully.

Blake laughs and takes the seat opposite me. "Morgan ... tell me who that hottie was I saw you with Saturday night" he asks.

My eyes widen "what" I ask with surprise.

He smiles wickedly at me as my mom turns around and looks to me "Annie was in town, is that who it was Blake" she asks.

He shakes his head, looking to me with a smirk "No mom it most certainly wasn't Annie... this was someone younger, and her and Morg were kissing" he announces to the table.

Lydia places her hand on my leg, as I look to her and panic.

"I'm sorry what" my mom asks.

My dad pauses mid steak prod, and looks to me curiously "Morgan who is this woman" Mom asks.

"Are you having an affair" dad asks.

I shake my head and roll my eyes and down the rest of the wine. "Firstly...Annie and I have been separated for over a year... it's not cheating... and secondly it's nobody's business who I kiss of a weekend thank you very much"

"It certainly is Morgan when your doing it publicly. Your little brothers seen you, god knows who else we know... hardly anyone even knows you and Annie are separated. It would look terrible if they saw this and thought you were cheating on your wife"

"Mom it was one kiss on a walk in the evening... it was practically dark out"

My dad goes back to the steaks, shaking his head disapprovingly, and my mom sits down in contemplation.

"Who is she" she asks, and before I can say "nobody" Lydia in her excitement jumps in.

"Leah Mitchell WNBA" she states, and she has already got her phone ready and is handing her profile around the table.

"Oh my shes a pretty thing" Mom observes.

My dad peeks over her shoulder "Morgan she's a catch" he says changing his tune.

Blake holds his hand out impatiently as mom hands the phone over "that's her... phwoar she's fit isn't she" he says impressed.

"Well that went better than expected, considering two seconds ago I was apparently cheating on Annie" I say sarcastically. "All it takes is a famous WNBA player who is pretty and you've dumped Annie to the sidelines without a second glance" I accuse, beginning to laugh at the absurdity of them.

"Not true" Mom defends "I love Annie... but if you're going to move on my love then Leah isn't half bad... that's all I'm saying... of course I am backing Annie though. She's like one of my own"

***