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Chapter 5
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I watched as Terri switched on the stove, putting a pan of water on it. She grabbed the noodles and waited for the water to start boiling. I shook my head as I started making the garlic bread. Terri and Howie had invited Resa and I over for supper to talk about what was going to happen.
“You’re awfully quiet.” I glanced up and offered a smile.
“Just thinking Terri.” She raised an eyebrow in question. “Well, is this right? You’re giving up a child…” I watched as Terri’s hand covered mine and I felt the strongest sensation run up my arm. That really couldn’t be good.
“Brian, you can’t think of things like that. It’s not hardship on me to do this for the people that I love. Me and Howie have been back and forth and we both agree it’s the right thing to do.” I smiled at her. She could honestly put situations into the simplest of terms.
“Okay. I catch your drift.” I leaned over the counter and gave her a hug. God had blessed me in my life. Wonderful wife, the greatest of friends, and soon a little baby on its way. I pulled back and smiled at her. She returned the smile this time, and I lost my thoughts. I studied her face, realizing for the first time, that Terri was a very beautiful woman, probably one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. And it just wasn’t the blonde locks nor the blue eyes, but the inner beauty that helped out those pleasant features. She cupped my cheek, her blue eyes changing to a deeper blue, a color I couldn’t place. I felt my heart stop for the briefest of moments, then start back up in a pattern I hadn’t known since the first time I kissed Theresa. Kissed…my thoughts turned to Terri’s lips, my eyes dropping to those luscious lips that I knew I had to feel. Without a backwards glace, my arms tightened their hold and I pulled her tight against my body. Lord, but she felt right there. She stood about two inches shorter than I did, which was what I certainly wanted in any female. And it felt even better when her arms wrapped themselves around my neck. She wanted this nearly as much as I did. But where did this passion come from? When did this hunger for this woman start to burn? My head descend of it’s own accord and my lips captured hers. Within moments, I lost all sense of the world. I was in a pure bliss, being wrapped up in her arms and nothing could make this wrong. It didn’t matter to me that she was married or that I was. And it sure as hell didn’t matter that we were all the best of friends. But as drugging as that kiss was, we could not go down this path. She realized that just as soon as I did. She pulled back slightly, looking deep into my eyes.
“Brian.”
“What?”
“This isn’t right.”
“Tell me anything but that, Terri. There was a shock in that kiss that I’ve never experienced.”
“Nor I. But that doesn’t matter. We’re married, which means we’re committed and even thinking about going on is wrong.”
“Do you know how hard it is living with that woman sometimes?”
“Sometimes, Brian?” She shook her head sadly and walked back to the stove. “You love her, don’t you?” I turned haunted eyes in her direction and she gasped. “Don’t you Brian?”
“I do.” She looked just as skeptical as I felt. How did I just fall out of love with my wife? Wait; did I honestly fall out of love with her? Or did I just merely want another woman? Want, that’s the key phrase. Terri was a distracting woman, that’s all it was.
“Are you sure?”
“I swear it. I love her. She’s my…” I trailed off and swallowed. “She’s my other half. I’d be lost without her.”
“Are you convincing me or yourself Brian?”
“I’m telling you. You asked me and I’m answering your question.”
“Hey, hey, what’s going on in here?” I turned my eyes and found Howie walking into the kitchen, Theresa right behind him.
“Nothing, a disagreement of sorts.” Theresa frowned at my answer and I walked over to her, wrapping her up in my arms. She felt good, but not nearly as right… I shook my head, telling myself I couldn’t think like that.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Really.” I placed a kiss upon her lips, waiting for something, anything to show that there was something within me that needed her. But, nothing came. Well, maybe I was forcing it to come. Things like that couldn’t be forced; you naturally had to feel them. That was it, I couldn’t think about it. I left my arm around her waist as she turned around and started talking to Terri. My eyes watched Theresa as she told about her trying day and all that it consisted of. Her eyes danced wildly and her laughter rang in the air, just as Howie’s did. Howie…my eyes darted to him and I saw him standing next to his wife, but staring at my wife. I glanced at her again, taking in her appearance and was shaken. She honestly looked the worse for wear. “Theresa, wait a minute, what happened to you?”
“Oh, the clothing?” She laughed and shook her head. “I had a flat tire and no gas in my car. I was in such a hurry to get here, I got a nail in the tire as I went to some gas station. I tried calling you, but your cell phone just kept ringing. I kept getting the machine, so I figured you were busy or couldn’t hear it. I finally had to call Howie cause I’d figure he’d be getting home around the same time. He picked me up, since my cars at the station still. I didn’t have the spare in there, which is odd.”
“Odd, I didn’t hear my cell phone go off.” She shrugged and asked Terri if she could change into some clothes, which Terri quickly agreed to. She gave her thanks and ran up the stairs to the master bedroom. I walked into the living room, trying to remember where my cell phone was. In my jacket pocket, I quickly remembered. I grabbed the garment and searched the pockets, pulling out the cell phone. I groaned as I saw I missed three phone calls from her. I would have heard it, had my mind not been paying attention to another female.