Hank

Thea on his front step was something Hank never imagined happening and there she was. He didn't think often about the state of his apartment but now that she was there, it felt clearly inadequate. It was obviously a far cry from what she was used to, but he liked having her around.

Thea went into his apartment and looked around. "Not bad," she declared like he asked. "Can I sit?"

"Sure." Hank leaned against the closed door and watched as she made herself comfortable on the plastic chair. "Don't get me wrong Thea, I like having you around but I still have to ask what you're doing here?"

"To bring you a bracelet, I told you that when I called."

"Okay. It's kinda late though, don't you have to make dinner for your husband?"

"No. He's going on a business trip... for five days. He didn't have the guts to tell me by himself, my dad did."

Hank didn't need the explanation but his mind was already telling him why he should have all her attention for those five days. "Hmm. Have you had anything to eat?"

"I was going to order something when I got home..."

"I could get you something if you're staying for a while."

"Can I spend the night?"

If Thea was ignoring all the reasons why this shouldn't be then he wouldn't dwell on them as well. He sat on the floor opposite her because she was sitting on the only chair he had. Hank took her soft, little hands in his. "Do you really want to spend the night?"

"I do."

He smiled. "Let me get you dinner then."

Hank was in the bedroom which was separated with a curtain from the living room when he felt Thea beside him. He pulled his shirt over his head and turned to look at her.

"Do you need anything?" He trailed his fingers on her shoulders when she touched his abs.

"Wanted to see where I'll be sleeping."

Hank looked at the small mattress on the floor then looked at Thea. "It's not much."

"It's perfect."

He didn't want Thea using that word when talking about anything relating to him. He didn't want to be put on such high pedestal when they both knew that wasn't his reality. "It's not perfect."

"True, it's you though." She looked at him and smiled and he dropped a kiss on her nose. Thea wrapped her arms around him and purred when he hugged her back. "It feels so good to be hugged."

Didn't Jamal ever hug his wife? If she was swooning over him returning her hug, he couldn't imagine what else she was being deprived of. He pulled her closer to himself and rested his chin on her head.

"Will you be okay on your own? Need to buy dinner, I won't be long."

Thea replied him with a peck and he greedily deepened it until it turned to a kiss. His shirt was already off so he helped her with hers and pulled her bra over her breasts. He took her nipples quickly into his mouth and pulled her skirt up.

Hank was buried inside her in minutes and he groaned every time she moaned out his name. That was like his only assurance that she wasn't mistaking him for her husband. She wanted this just as much as he did. It made him high and giddy and he laughed when they both came.

"What's funny?" Thea asked as she unwrapped her legs from his waist.

"It feels good having you here." Hank used his thumb to wipe the tiny beads of sweat off her forehead.

Hank came back from his run to the store and met his apartment empty. He called out to Thea several times and sighed when he saw her coming from his neighbor's.

"You should have stayed in the apartment," he scolded when he closed the door.

"She came to borrow your hot plate."

Thea was in one of his good shirts and she looked comfortable. "You didn't have to go with her too."

"I know, but she needed help with the kids. I was right here, are you okay?"

"I am now, was scared for a second."

Hank went to the kitchen and set the things he bought on the counter. Thea followed him but stayed outside since both of them couldn't fit in it.

"I needed the hot plate to make the eggs I bought."

"I could get it back."

"It's fine. Can you manage bread and sardine?"

"Of course. I'll eat it if you will."

He hugged her then went back to making dinner. Hank sliced the loaf of bread and spread the sardine on it. He knew Thea enough to know she'd never have bread for dinner but that was all he could get around with the short time he had.

Hank placed her portion on the only ceramic plate he had and got water from the mini fridge.

"Where's yours?" Thea asked when he gave her the plate.

"Soon to come," he said with a smile.

He returned to the kitchen then came out with his share. They ate in the bedroom and he watched Thea as she ate.

"You like it?"

"It's a cool combo. Is this why you refuse my dinner?"

Hank laughed loudly. "You're pulling my legs, but it's okay."

"But really, I literally had to force you sometimes to stay for dinner."

"I wanted to give you space, I couldn't spend all day with you and still linger at night."

"Jamal didn't come home most times and you knew it. I used to think you found me irritating."

Hank took her plate and placed it on the floor then dragged her closer and she entwined her legs with his. "We had the funniest first encounter. I was meant to find you attractive gradually as I worked for you but I found you attractive instantly, we literally made out on your doorstep because you thought I was your husband."

"It's embarrassing how I didn't notice the differences. I guess I was too sex starved to care."

"Yea. Then you thought I told Jamal."

"I just didn't know you like that. You know you kept joking about how I harassed you.."

"I like when you harass me."

Thea smiled. "You're so sick."

"Then you hated me because Jamal never came home. You took your anger out on me, more than once if I recall. Oh, poor me."

"Yea, you washed my car shirtless, the girls flirted with you everywhere we went and you had sex with them like it was nothing."

"That only happened one time," he corrected the latter part.

"Still. Everyone was getting it but me. At some point all I saw was dick, dick and dick everywhere I went. I was horny almost all the time and I was sad, then snappy, it was too much emotion." Hank kissed her hand and she smiled. "Sometimes, I wanted us to be friends because you were so easy to talk to, but you were always in your own world."

"Says the woman that told me to get my own life because we're not friends."

"Was pissed that night. My feelings are always wavering, some days I want to make it work with Jamal, other day I'm numb to the bullshit going on around and on most days I just want him to step up on his own. Like, surprise me, please."

Hank never liked when their conversations centered around his step brother. He had no right response for her situation. Deep down he didn't want their marriage to work so he could have her for himself.

"Can we not talk about any of our problems tonight? Let's just act like we're the only two people in the world."

Hank heard a knock and Thea laughed. "Apparently, your neighbor has other ideas."

Hank stood from the bed and went to the door. When he returned, Thea was smiling over her phone.

"What's tickling you?" he asked.

"Jamal sent a text. He missed the therapy session, but he promised to book a new one and do better at communicating next time."

"There was supposed to be a therapy session?"

"Yea, I booked one."

Hank rocked Thea to sleep later that night and stayed up all night thinking about their conversation. He barely slept at night but it was worse now that his mind was currently plagued.

He had put himself into another messy situation once again. His friends used to tease him back then about how he liked the mess but this mess was messier than he was used to. Why would she book a therapy session? When was she going to be over making it work between them?