The sound of my shoes hitting the gravel seems to ease my mind. It seems as though my feet can carry me away from everything in a matter of seconds because running was in my blood.

The wind hitting my face lets me know that I was born to be free, in any sense. I think now I know what my mom meant when she told me that I was always running away when I was little.

It was a sense of freedom.

Whether it was a problem I was facing, or just wanting to escape. Running was my medicine. Sure, I never faced my problems when I was younger, but running helped me cure them.

I picked up speed and it felt like I could run for miles. I didn't feel the need to stop, and I sure as hell wasn't tired. I could go on for miles.

"Therese!"

I came to a quick stop and turned around to see Richard bending over. I chuckled as I jogged to him and patted his back once I knew he was trying to catch his breath.

He leaned up, "How the hell do you do that?"

I gave him a confused look, "Do what?"

He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Run. So damn much. I can't feel my legs and my lungs are on fire," he took his water bottle and chugged it down. He looked at me after he was done, "You're invincible,"

I chuckled, "No. I just love running. I did it a lot when I was younger," I shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"You must have ran your whole life then to not get tired," he took another chug of his water and I watched him. He looked at me, "This is why I don't exercise. It nearly kills you,"

I shook my head, "It just feels like that because your body isn't used to it. Try jogging everyday then you won't feel like that,"

He stared at me, "Are you calling me fat?"

I rolled my eyes, "No Richard, I am not calling you fat,"

He looked down and patted his stomach, "I mean, I am gaining weight and I feel like a pile of shit," he looked back at me. "I wish I had your stamina,"

I chuckled and looked around the neighborhood. It was Wednesday, so not many people were home. There were cars in most driveways, but it could mean that their spouse was home or whoever.

"Can we take a break?" Richard pleaded and I chuckled as I nodded.

We sat down on the sidewalk and I heard Richard sigh. I looked over at him as he was making a face. "What's wrong?"

He looked at me, "My legs are killing me. They feel like jello,"

I chuckled and patted his leg. We were running for an hour, so it makes sense why his legs were hurting. I felt fine, but I couldn't just haul ass and leave him behind even when I could keep running.

We sat there in silence for a while until he spoke, "So, heard anything from Carol today?" I turned to look at him and he was staring at me. I shook my head and heard him sigh, "You should call her when she's at lunch,"

I shrugged. "I don't know,"

"Therese," I looked over at him as he was staring at me. "You two had a fight, and the smart thing to do is to figure out how to work it out. I understand both of your point of views,"

I gave him a confused look, "How?"

He pulled his knees up to his chest and looked at me, "You read something that she didn't want you to read. Instead of going straight to her and start asking her questions about what was written in her journal, you should of said that you read it, and why, then asked her," I nodded and he continued, "and where you're coming from is that Harge told you that something was written in there that he wanted you to read, so I understand why you read it without asking her,"

I sighed, "Yeah, but we're married and we're not supposed to keep things from each other. It's called trust,"

He shook his head, "When it comes to privacy, it doesn't matter about marriage or commitment. People need their privacy from others. I respect Stephanie's privacy, and I don't have an ounce of thought about her trust, because I trust her,"

I understand what he's saying, but I can't help the feeling about Carol lying to me about her journal. If what is written in there isn't true, then why was it in there in the first place?

I sighed, "I do trust her, but I just wanted to know why that was written in there if she claimed it wasn't true," the thought of her journal kept creeping back into my mind and it made me sick.

"You have to talk to her, ok? That's the only way," he stared at me as I nodded.

I have to talk to her.

***

I didn't exactly have a key to the house because I never thought I'd need one, which was stupid. So now, I have no way to go and wait for her to come home. I wasn't going to sit outside and wait because I get bored too easily, so now I'm driving around town trying to find something to do to pass time.

I stopped at a store and decided to walk in and look around. I was greeted with the cashier as I entered and I roamed down the isles to look around for anything that would catch my eye.

I heard the bell to the door chime and I looked up and instantly regretted coming here. I didn't know why faith was doing this, but it needed to calm down.

Harge turned and looked right at me with a smirk on his face before walking down the aisle I was in. "Well, hello Therese," he kept that smirk on his face and I wanted to punch it right off.

I sighed, "What do you want, Harge?" Seriously, can't he leave me alone?

"Why the hostility? I hear venom in your voice," he smiled.

"I'm just not in the mood to deal with your bullshit," I stated. I really just wanted him to leave me alone, because it's driving me crazy.

"Aw, did you get in a fight with your wife last night?"

I turned and looked at him as he was smiling at me. "How did you know?"

He shrugged, "I'm smart like that," he smiled and I kept staring at him before he chuckled, "Ok, maybe I knew you would get into a fight,"

I squinted my eyes, "How the hell could you have possibly known that?"

He looked around then back at me, "Let's walk outside, shall we?" He motioned for me to follow and I was hesitant at first, but I followed.

As we walked outside, he continued to walk to a car, I'm guessing it was his. He opened the door then shut up and leaned against it while looking at me. "It's a pretty day, yeah?" he looked up at the sky.

"Can you stop being an idiot and tell me how you knew Carol and I would fight?" he's acting like an idiot. Like always.

He smiled, "Of course," he paused then sighed. "Where do I begin? Oh yes," he chuckled as he stood there. He looked at me, "I knew you would fight because I, as you already know, was married to her. So, I know what ticks her off, and privacy comes very important to her, so what better way to have you fight than to get you to look in her journal, the one thing that she keeps hidden and away from everyone, including you," he stared at me. "Make sense?" I nodded and he smiled. "Good,"

I shook my head, "But why would you do that? I mean, I know you're an idiot but why?"

He chuckled, "God, you're stupid," I gave him a confused look. "Therese, I plainly told you the other day that she left me for you. My wife divorced me because of her student!" he yelled and I watched as he stared at me. "How the hell would you feel if she left you for someone else? Preferably her student?" I shrugged as he continued to stare at me. "I know you wouldn't like it. I know that you would go crazy, since you're in love with her, correct?" I nodded.

He nodded, "Of course. Being with someone for years, and then having them fuck around with someone behind your back does a lot of shit to someone. It makes them go crazy and possibly start doing something to their life that changes them,"

I gave him a confused look, "What do you mean?"

He sighed, "I started using drugs when I found out that she didn't want me anymore," I stared at him. "When I had those drugs in my system, it was like a weight lifted off of my shoulders and I felt happy about something, besides the fact that my wife was in love with her student,"

I stared at him, "Wait," he looked at me as I continued, "If you knew that she liked me, then why didn't you do anything beforehand?"

He chuckled, "Because I was trying to save our marriage. I knew that I didn't give her what she wanted anymore because of me always working and never having time for her, but damn it, I was trying my hardest to make her happy and support her in any way. I knew that I wasn't there for her, but she didn't have to go behind my back and secretly have feelings for her student,"

I stared at him for a while until I looked down, "So, it is true then," I looked back at him as he was staring at me. "Is she falling for her students?" I felt the pain in my chest and I tried so hard not to cry.

He shook his head, "I wrote that shit in her journal to get you to fall for it, so that I knew you would question her about it, and that you would fight,"

I stared at him, "Why?"

He chuckled, "Damn, you're fucking stupid for a twenty five year old," he sighed, "You took her away from me. You came into her life and made her change her way of thinking, and you stole her from me!" he yelled and stood there staring at me.

"I want her back,"

I stared at him as I didn't know what to say.

He leaned off his car and stood in front of me. "Whether you know it or not, she's still very much in love with me, and with you out of the picture, she'll come back to me,"

"She doesn't love you anymore," I stared at him as he smiled.

"You think that but you're wrong. She fell in love with me before she fell in love with you," he stared at me for a moment. "Only thing in the way is you,"

I felt my heart drop as I stared at him. "Y-you wouldn't hurt me," I prayed anyway. He was a lot bigger than me, and could easily knock me out.

He chuckled, "Why would I do that? That'll be too easy," he smiled at me. "I'm just going to ask you politely instead of causing any trouble," I stared at him, waiting.

"Leave her,"

I stared in shock at him as I couldn't believe he actually said that. "What? Hell no!" I yelled and watched him smile like an idiot.

He shrugged, "I'm asking you again, Therese. Leave her. That simple," he stared at me as I stared back at him. I shook my head and he sighed, "Damn, you're more stubborn than I thought," he crossed his arms and looked at me. "If you don't leave her, then you'll get what's coming for you," I didn't have any words as I stood there looking at him.

"Everyone around you. Your loved ones, family, friends, acquaintances, anybody that you associate with," he stopped and looked at me. He didn't say anything else but smiled and got in his car then left.

***

Carol was getting home around this time and I was more than eager to see her. I needed to talk to her and tell her how sorry I was about invading her privacy and that I would never do it again.

Harge has my mind fucked up at the moment. I can't think right because of what he told me. He wanted me to leave her, he wanted me to leave the woman that I'm in love with, and was in love with for more than seven years.

He's out of his damn mind.

I pulled up in the driveway and saw her car. I quickly got out and rushed to the front door and walked inside. I didn't have anything planned inside of my head, but I knew that I wouldn't start a fight.

I looked around but didn't see her downstairs, so I figured she was in the bedroom. I walked upstairs and to the bedroom where I found her undressing. I stopped and stared at her.

Damn, she's beautiful. I smiled when I saw her baby bump and I felt butterflies in my stomach as I admired this woman who I was in love with.

She slid a shirt over her head and turned around then screamed, "Jesus Christ!" she held her hand over her heart and stared at me. "Can't you knock?"

I didn't say anything but walked in further. I slowly walked to her as I felt my heart pounding in my chest with every step I took towards her. It felt like an eternity before I was finally in front of her. I stared at her as she stared back and I didn't hesitate before wrapping my arms around her neck and crying.

She wrapped her arms around my waist and started shushing me in my ear. It felt relaxing and I finally calmed down enough to pull back and look at her. She caressed my cheek and stared at me, "Baby," I smiled as I leaned my face against her hand.

I sighed, "I'm sorry," I looked at her as she stared back. "I'm sorry for invading your privacy, and I know that it was wrong and I shouldn't have done it and I'm so sorry-"

She cut me off, "Babe, I understand. You didn't know. I'm not mad," she caressed my cheek and stared at me. "I done some thinking last night when you left, and I know that you didn't know about my privacy issues, and it was my fault for not telling you,"

I sighed, "I'm sorry though,"

She smiled, "Don't be," she stared at me as I started getting lost in her eyes.

I wanted to ask her something, even though I knew the answer, but I wanted to know what she would say. "Since that wasn't true about you having affairs with students, why was it written in there?"

She sighed, "I have no idea. I didn't write that," she stared at me. "After you left, I read through it and was shocked to find that written in there when I didn't write it," she took a deep breath. "I assure you, it's not true. The only student I fell for was you," she smiled.

It makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that it wasn't true, even though Harge said he wrote it, but it still made this pain leave my chest knowing that she never had anything to do with other students.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Carol moved her hand to my stomach and left tingles. I looked at her as she smiled and pulled my shirt to where my face was inches from hers.

I could feel her breath on mine and it drove me crazy. Everything about her drives me crazy and it seems as though I'm gasping for air when I'm around her.

We started walking towards the bed and she gently pushed me back until I fell. I watched as she crawled on top of me and smiled. She hovered over me for a moment until she leaned down and kissed me.

I grabbed her waist as the kiss deepened and she pulled back. I stared at her as she smiled and leaned down and connected her lips with my neck. She left tiny kisses all over until they turned to sucking and I could feel my whole body shake under her.

She leaned up and looked at me as she hovered over me. "I love you," she leaned down and pecked my lips. "So much,"

I smiled up at her as I got lost in her ocean of blue. The things this woman does to me is unreal and it still amazes me that she came into my life, stole my heart, and is now my wife of six years.

She leaned up and I stared at her as she motioned for me to sit up. She grabbed my hand and placed it on her stomach. She smiled at me, "Our future is here," she smiled down at her stomach and I couldn't help but smile.

She looked at me, "Do you know what love is?" I nodded and she continued, "Do you know the actual meaning behind it?'' After a while, I didn't say anything. "Love is the feeling you get in your stomach when you see something that genuinely makes you happy. Being with that someone who you're hopelessly in love with and your heart swells when you speak to them or hear about them, or even see them," I smiled as she continued. "That's what I get with you, Therese," I stared at her. "You are the love of my life, and nothing will ever change that. I fell in love with you because you were different. You had something that nobody else had,"

I gave her a confused look. "What?"

She smiled, "You had passion in your eyes. You had this look that not many people have, and it drove me towards you. I didn't know anything about you, but I knew enough from your eyes. Sure, I didn't know about the troubles you were facing or your past, but I knew enough to draw me to you," she paused and looked at me. "Yes, I was married at the time, but our marriage was failing anyways, and it wasn't like I was sleeping with you,"

I chuckled slightly as I remembered that she waited so long for us to finally be together. I stared at her, "If you had feelings for me, then why did you freak when I kissed you that day when we were moving boxes?"

She sighed, "I was afraid. I didn't know if these feelings were stable or not, and I didn't want to rush into anything until I was sure. You caught me off guard when you kissed me, but don't think I didn't like it," she smiled and I laughed.

I shook my head, "I was stupid back then," she gave me a confused look as I sighed. "I ran away from what I wanted, and I didn't think about you when you kept pushing me away. I thought that you were like everyone else because I was left alone, and I didn't think twice about how it would affect you,"

Thinking back now, I should have just let everything play out the way it was supposed to. Instead of pushing my thoughts to the limit about how Carol kept pushing me away, I could have just stopped and thought about her for once instead of myself.

She shrugged, "It doesn't matter because we're here now, and that's all that matters," she grabbed my hands and smiled. "I love you Therese Aird,"

I smiled back, "I love you Carol Aird,"

"Through sickness and in health," she giggled and I rolled my eyes. "Through better or for worse,"

I finished for her, "Through death do us part,"

She caressed my cheek, "Forever and always,"

"No matter what,"