Janet

We laid in our own wetness for a while. Shawn kissed the tips of my fingers, while I rubbed my legs against hers. I traced the lines on the palm of her hand before kissing it gently.

I glanced disappointingly at the window. The sun was starting to ride. I rested my head against her chest and closed my eyes as I listened to her heartbeat. I didn't want this to end but time was against me.

Shawn's arms tightened around me and I melted into her. It was as if she could hear my thoughts. She still hadn't said anything but I was okay with that for now. I knew we would talk when she was ready. So we just laid there in silence as she gently rubbed my back until my eyes drifted close.

I didn't realized that I'd fallen asleep until there was a loud knock on the room door. Shawn and I both woke in a panic as the door opened. Foot steps were approaching fast and getting closer as we scattered around the room trying to gather all our clothes and cover up.

Gil walked in and let out a high pitch squeal.

"Bitch, y'all don't waste no time honey?" He said. He leaned against the door frame, shaking his head with his arms folded.

"What time is it?" I asked, as I headed for the restroom with a sheet covering me. Shawn was back in her boxers and bra when I returned in a robe.

"Relax," Gil said. "I knew you'd be up late so I'm here early to make sure you're on schedule."

I looked at the time on my phone. "Thank God." I said throwing my pair of jeans in his direction, which he dodged with no problem. "You didn't even give me time to answer the door nosy. Could you have breakfast sent up please?" I asked.

"Didn't you already eat?" He said and wagged his tongue out me.

Shawn laughed. "Would you get your trashy ass outta here, so we can get dressed Gil." He popped his tongue and walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. I glanced at Shawn. She shook her head and laughed again.

"It's nice to see you smile. You hadn't said much since we talked." So much for leaving it alone J, damn. I said to myself. I walked into the restroom to start the shower, Shawn was right behind me.

"I need to go." She said. I turned to face her, tucked my hair being my ears and stood there arms folded. She could barely look at me. I wasn't mad, just a little sad that she needed to leave so soon but I nodded. "Okay, did you want to freshen up and at least have something to eat before you go?" I asked.

"Freshen up yes, but I will just grab food on the way. Im not very hungry at the moment." She said.

I tried to refrain from asking any further questions. Don't push J, let her go whichever way the wind takes her. I told myself.

"Okay, well you can have the shower first. My food will be here soon anyway."

"Are you sure?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah please, it's fine. I'll see if Gil has an extra shirt or something you can wear okay?" I said as I turned to walk away. She reached out for my hand.

"Thanks J." She said. I smiled,gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shut the door.

Resting my head back against the door, I closed my eyes and got myself together before walking out to join Gil. The food had already arrived. I gave him my best smile and took a seat.

After he went and grabbed some things for Shawn to wear, we sat quietly and ate, which was not like us at all. Gil was halfway through his plate while I pushed my food around and tried to avoid his eyes.

"We gonna talk about it?" He said finally taking his last bite of food. I looked at him finally. I really didn't want to talk but he wasn't going to let it go. I looked back towards the bedroom. The shower was still going.

"I'm just worried that last night may have confused her more. The last thing I want to do is complicate things for her." I whispered.

"Well bitch it's too late fa that." He said. I smacked my lips and stood to leave from the table. He grabbed my hand.

"I'm just playing damn, sit down Dunk. So sensitive this morning." I plopped back down in my seat and folded my arms as I glared at him. "Holding off in sex could have helped more than hurt but I didn't expect any thing different." He said.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because you love her, and she loves you. You always have. That's why you can't stay away." He said.

"Yeah but I think she maybe feeling regret." She cheated on her wife last night Gil."

"Girl fuck Amelia!" He said loudly and then covered his mouth.

"Damn loud mouth, shhhh!" I said. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want another chance, but I can't just pounce on her like that." Gil looked past me and smiled.

"Wow now that's a great look for you." Gil said and laughed. I turned in my chair to see Shawn walk out in a pair of skinny jeans and a SOTW tour shirt. "Awe just like old times." He said clapping his hands.

"Gil, you're so messy." I said.

"That shirt is 75 dollars at the tour store and you just got it for free... you're welcome bitch. Now bring your hot ass of here and give me some lovin before you go."

There it was, that smile. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. Gil reclaimed his seat next to me.

"Are you sure you can't stay for breakfast?" Janet ask again. It was my last desperate attempt to get her to stay. I felt Gil touch my knee underneath the table. I was trying too hard, but she was polite.

"I'm sorry I really do need to get going." She said. I stood, walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her neck. She closed her eyes and hugged me tight. I fought the urge to burst into tears. "I know we need to talk. Just please be patient with me." She said in my ear.

"Okay." I said. "I didn't know how you were getting home so I have a car waiting for you downstairs." She smiled and kissed me softly. My eyes fluttered and so did my heart. Shawn blew me a kiss as she made her way to the door. I didn't even know when I'd see or even talk to her again, but her words had put me at ease.

Gil hugged me from behind.

"A kiss is good sign." He said as I laid my head back against his shoulder.

"I guess it is." I said and smiled. "Now lets get outta her so I get home to my baby."

Shawn

When I'd confronted Amelia about my findings, I left the the house and turned off my phone. It had been off almost twenty-four hours and I was dreading pushing the power button. Instead I just stared at the dark screen inside the elevator wondering what kind of message and voicemails that's were waiting for me. As I head straight for the lobby doors, I saw an older gentleman that looked awfully familiar.

"Preston?" I said as I pushed through the hotel doors. He smiled as I ran in his direction and right into his arms. "Oh my god Pres, it's been so long." I said, laughing as I felt my feet leave the ground.

"Look at you, all grown up." He joked.

"What Are you doing here, I didn't know that you still worked for Janet."

He opened the door to the car, allowing me to get in first.

"I'm retired. I have been for about 8 years now. Janet has been wonderful me and my family." He said. It was weird to hear him call her that.

"You call her Janet now." I said and smiled.

"She insisted." He said.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." He said and smiled. "Out of all the people around her, you were my favorite."

"Preston." I said.

"Im serious. Do you remember the talks we used to have or the time you, Gil and myself had to go save her? Those things bond people. You know, the last time I saw you, you were giving a lecture while standing on top of a bar." He said and laughed. "I've missed you kid." I hugged him again. I guess I'd always assumed that he was just going above and beyond for his job. "So," He said, "Where to?"

"Home." I said as I grabbed my phone and turned the power on.

Text messages and voicemails we're still coming though by the time we pulled up to my house.

"Wow, this is beautiful Shawn. You've done well for yourself." He said. I glanced over at my home.

"Yeah, Amelia and I had it built from the ground up. It was the first thing I could just really call my own you know."

"Amelia?" He asked and looked at me curiously. I nodded.

"Yeah." I responded. "We've been married for 7 years and it took me that long to realize who she really was."

"I hope I'm not out of line, but I think that woman showed you who she was a long time ago." His words were visibly upsetting as I began to cry. Preston put his hand on my shoulder. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's cool man. It's just..." I looked back toward the house. I could see Amelia through the windows moving about on the top floor. "A big chunk of my life is has been wasted. I don't even want to go in there." I looked at him.

"Well how about this, you go inside and I will wait here, for as long as you need. If you decide to stay, let me know, but if you want to leave, I will take you wherever you need to go." He said and smiled. "Deal?"

"Okay." I took a deep breath and headed inside.

Amelia was coming down the stairs with a box in her hands as I walked through the door. She stopped and stared for a moment.

"Hi." She said.

"Hey, I just came to get some things and then I'll be leaving again." I said as I headed up stairs to the bedroom. She followed.

"Shawnette can we talk?" She asked.

"We have already talked Amelia." I said as I thumbed through the clothes hanging in my closet. "What more is there to talk about?"

"Where were you last night? I called and texted all day. I was worried sick about you." She said, walking into the closet with me. "Were you with her?" She asked, but I didn't answer as I brushed past her and began taking things out of my drawers and shoving them into a bag. "I am you wife? I deserve to know what you were doing."

"You deserve shit!" I snapped. "But what you're getting right now. You can have everything. I don't want any of it and I don't want you."

"Shawn the doctor called..." She said.

"What are you talking about?" I said continuing to grab my things.

"He called right after you left yesterday morning. I went to see him. The treatments worked. Shawn you're pregnant." She said.

I stopped and turned to face her.

"I'm what?"