"You trying to bullshit us", she said. I just told her "No but that's about the same response that I get or worse when I tell people. But it's true I gave my wife who I love with all my heart and who loved me to my best friend. Oh she was both of ours best friend since we were baby." I smile at her before saying "but she has always been between us".

Before I go any farther my name is David Carter, I'm 32. After separating from my wife two and haft years ago I have just been going for one job site to the next. I have a little camper that I tow behind my truck so I don't have to live in a motel.

I'm a military trained and collage graduate engineer but, I would rather be out working on a site fixing problems than sitting behind a desk making them. Yes most problems on the sites I'm called to are having a problem with one piece of equipment not working with another. Sometimes it's because someone hooked it up wrong, other times it's because one piece is faulty but a lot of the times it's because the person drawing it up has never been in the field and doesn't understand it cannot work the way it does on paper.

This time it was a little of all three. The funny part about this job is I know the guy that wrote it up, well. He was and still is my best friend William as he likes to be called now, I know him as Billy.

Most of the people on the sites I work don't even know my name and that's the way I like it. They just call me mister fix-it. The guys in charge know my name and number but know not to give it out if they ever want me to work for them again. Before someone asks, no I'm not running from the law.

So that's why I'm sitting in bar, at a table with four girls and two guy. Well that's not quite right. I've been coming into this bar for the last month now to get something to eat after work before heading to my trailer. They have some of the best home cooking I have ever eaten but Mary's (my ex-wife).

Tonight I was sitting with these people because for the last three nights they have been coming in and I have been catching one of the girls watching me. Since it's my last night here in town, I was going try to find out why.

I have my suspicions. Since I left, my ex-wife and Billy have had PI's looking for me. If she is a PI, she is the smallest and cutest I have seen. She can't be over five foot with the blondest shoulder length hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen. When she laughs everyone looks because it is the sweetest sound you ever heard. It's a full laugh like that of a child and you know it's not a fake laugh. As for her voice I cannot say how it really sounds because she hasn't said much since I sat down.

The red head who said her name was Jill said "oh I got to hear this story" as she scooted a little closer to me.

I looked at her then at Amy, the little blond as she was introduced. It was the first time that I had seen her frown. I guess me coming to her table and Jill's actions have thrown her off her game.

When she sees me looking at her that cute little smile returned and said "I like to hear it too".

I don't know why I feel like it and it's not like others haven't asked before, maybe it's just time that I needed to tell someone. So I started.

"I guess that I should start by tell you what I meant by my ex-wife, Mary always being between us. Billy my best friend, Mary and I were born a month and a haft apart. Billy was the oldest by three weeks, Mary was next then three weeks later I was born. I lived in the corner house on our street, Billy lived two houses down and in between us lived

Mary. See what I mean, she was always between us."

I looked around the table and the ones that smiled were Amy and Jill who took my stopping as an invite to scoot a little closer.

"Our parents were friends before we came along so even as babies we were together. It wasn't till the summer between third and fourth grade that some else joined our little group. A new family moved in at the other end of the street."

Jill gave me that one eyebrow lift that all women must learn at birth. I just smiled and said "it's all part of the story".

About that time a waitress pasted and I ordered a round of drinks like I did when I asked if I could join them. Everyone got a beer but Amy she just got another coke.

"Where was I. Oh yeah, Penny. The family that moved in had two girls. Penny was our age and from the first day it was like we had grow up together. Her sister was just a baby and even as we grew up she never hung around us."

"Where ever you found one of us you found the other three. I believe we each had our own place in the group too. Billy even though he was the biggest, he was the nice guy and was right there with Mary as the smartest. Mary was kind of the leader and probable the most mature. Penny was the wildest, everything from clothes, hair, to what she wanted to be and everything in between. Me I was the bad guy of the group."

Everyone was looking at me when I stopped and the waitress started to put our drinks down. Once the waitress left I took a long drink not realizing how much I needed it. When I put my beer down I looked around the table and everyone was taking a drink but Amy and she was just smiling at me. Once everyone put their drinks down I continued.

"Don't get me wrong I wasn't trying to be the bad boy of the group. It's just I wouldn't put up with any shit. Think back to when you were in elementary school. Did you hang out with boys or girls and what happen when a boy and girl did hang out together, they got made fun of. Well they learned quickly that you don't make fun of Mary, Penny, Billy or me. Billy always tried to stop me but that was mostly because I thought that he was the only one who knew my secret."

"We had every class together till middle school. With the trouble kid rep and having to fight to get B's and C's I was in different classes then the other three. Not that they had every class together but they did have some."

I threw back the rest of my beer and waved the waitress down for another round. I looked around the table and saw that the two guys and the other two girls were not really listening. I guess since I was buying their drink they were not going to complain.

After the new round of drinks were on the table and paid for I excused myself to use the bathroom.

When I returned the seating arrangement had changed. Jim who I was sitting next to had moved one seat to the left and Amy was now sitting to my left. Jill was still to my right but now our chairs were touching.

I wasn't looking for any company but didn't want to insult her either so as I pulled out my chair out and centered between the two of them. If she noticed this she didn't react but as I sat I saw that Amy's smile seemed to have just a little smirk to it for just a second.

Once I was seated Jill asked me "What secret of yours did Billy know".

I just smiled and said "that's not really not part of this story".

I felt Amy's hand on my arm and I turn to look at her. Her smile was gone and there was sadness in eyes as she said "I know but I want to hear the rest of the story".

Just from the look on her face I felt that somehow she did know and it shook me to the bone. So much so that I shivered and when I did she just nodded her head once then removed her hand.

I just sat there looking at her wandering who this woman was. If she was a PI she might already know this story but would they tell her my secret. Billy and I never talked about it in all our years but he knew. Mary and I had but that was only after we were married and we only talked a little about it. That is how I found out that all three of them knew my secret.

I was brought back to the present by Jill bumping me with her shoulder asking if I was going to tell her the rest of the story.

When I turned to Jill we bumped shoulders and I realized that she had moved her chair right next to mine again. I heard a little snicker from my left.

"Oh yeah, remember how I said that Billy was always trying to help me stay out of trouble? Well in middle school was the only time that when he tried that it ended up getting me in trouble. Even then it was still my fault." I smiled as I thought about it.

"I was having problems in English in eight grade and had a report do on Monday. We were all over at Billy's studding and doing homework on Saturday. After we finished Mary asked how I thought I did on my report. I remembering smiling at her and saying I should at least get a C. She asked if I wanted her to look it over for me and maybe she could help with it. I told her no, I was either going to get it or not but if I let her do it I would never know if I could do it on my own. She gave me a sad little smile, she knew my secret but I didn't know it at the time. After we were done we went out and walked around"

"Well I had left my back pack at Billy's so he brought it out with him Monday morning. English was my first class and before sitting down you had to turn in any assignments. Everything went fine the rest of the day. It wasn't till Tuesday when I found out what Billy had done when Ms. Henderson gave me my report back saying this is what I expect from you from now on."

"I looked at the report and it had a big A on it. I could not believe it till I started to read it. It was on the same subject but it wasn't how I wrote it. I knew right away who did it because even though he was a lot smarter then I was Billy's handwriting was no better than mine."

"I sat there through the rest of the class wandering what I should do. As the bell rang and everyone left the room I walked up to Ms. Henderson and ask if I could talk to her. She asked what about? I put the report on her desk and said this is the subject that I picked but it wasn't my report someone else wrote it but I didn't know it when I turned it in."

Well it went downhill from there. She said "I knew that you cheated somehow. Who did you steal it from? I told her I didn't steal it but she didn't believe it. I was sent to the office for cheating and ended up getting three days of after school detention because I would not tell them who wrote the report."

"Billy felt so bad but I just laugh it off telling him that I should have checked my homework before turning it in."

I downed the rest of my beer but no one else was ready for another one so I just held up my bottle with one finger. When I looked at Amy she gave me that one eyebrow lift, on her it look so cute or it could have just been the beer.

Jill must have seen me looking at Amy because she grabbed my arm and said "Hay, what about the story". I looked around the table and it was easy to see that the only two really listing were Amy and Jill. It also seemed that we had moved around the table too.

Shaking my head to get my mind straight I continued. "Well we made it through Middle school and a haft year of high school before we became couples. We were sitting in the lunch room when a couple of football players came to the table we were at. It just happened that Billy was on one side of the table sitting next to Penny and Mary was sitting next to me on the other side."

"I guess that they just thought that they could just separate us by trying to put their trays between our and we would move apart. I looked at them and asked what they thought they were doing. The one behind me said I'm sitting here. When I turned and started laughing at him. He must of first thought I was nuts but when I just stopped laughing and stood up and said I don't think so. He took a step back. I guess he thought I would be afraid of him or something but I'm sure he didn't see it. He moved to the other side of Mary and the other guy did the same to Penny pushing the girl beside her over."

"They started right out trying to talk to Penny and Mary as if we were not even there. Mary turned towards me and I guess he didn't like that. I heard him say, Hay, I'm talking to you and I saw his hand come up as if to grab her arm."

"Either it was what he said or the look on my face that Mary knew she needed to do something. She turned around facing him and said "Listen closely I'm talking to my boyfriend so why don't you and your friend go somewhere else". She didn't say it in a whisper I think everyone in the lunch room heard it, even the teachers that were in there were looking at us."

"By this time I was already standing. As they got up to leave Mary grabbed my hand and pulled me back down." I smiled thinking about it "she was the only one of them that could control me back then."

I just sat back smiling sipping my beer till Amy patted my hand saying "you really did love her". I just nodded and took another sip. My beer was almost gone and so were everyone else's drinks so I flagged down the waitress for another round.

I don't know why but I looked at Amy when I did. She had a small frown and just shook her head slowly. Jill must have seen this to because she "Amy he's a big boy now he can have another beer if he wants too".

After the drinks arrived and were paid for I continued. "Mary never let go of my hand till after we left the lunch room. I don't know if it was to keep me from going after the guy or because I was now her boyfriend but it sure felt good."

"As we were leaving the lunch room I notice that Billy and Penny were also holding hands. When she did let go of my hand she said "we'll talk after school ok" and she then did something for the first time, she kissed me."

I sat back and I'm sure that I had a smile a mile wide as I thought of that day. I would have probably sat there the rest of the night like that that if it wasn't for the movement to my right and Jill saying "was it like this?" I turned my looking at Amy and as I asked "did you say something?" just as Jill kissed the back of my head.

Amy laughed and said "I asked you had you never kiss Penny or Mary before that even just as friends?"

I laughed saying "I didn't even kiss her then. It was really no more than a peck on my cheek but it was the kissed that change my life. We had that talk after school and I was informed that since she announce it in the lunch room I was her one and only boyfriend she would ever have."

"From that day on my life changed for the better, my grades got better, I never had another fight in school but most of all I had Mary and she had me. All but the last month of high school was the best my life had been up to that point."

I waved the waitress down and got another beer then went to the restroom. As I was heading back to the table Sammie came from the end of the bar and followed me. Sammie was the owner of the Hideout Bar & Grill, she was also my secret weapon and probably one of the few who knew my story or most of it.

Sammie smiled and asked "How many beers David?" I knew the routine but I still played the game. "I've only had one Sammie." Amy, who was taking a drink of her coke, blew about a haft a mouth full over the table.

Amy looked at and almost shouted "One, you had way more than one".

I shook my head no and said "I have only one, the first One, the second One and later I'll have the last One". Everyone started laughing if not at what I said it was because of the look on Amy's face.

After Sammie stopped laughing she looked at me and said "let me have them David unless your friend here is going to drive you home".

I quickly looked at her and when she started laughing again. I knew she had me, if anyone knew that I would not be going home with anyone it was Sammie. So I just gave her my keys after taking my trailer key off of them. She gave me that eye brow lift and I had to laugh. I told her "my truck and trailer are parked outside".

Sammie frowned when she said "so you're leaving already". I just nodded. She asked "who are your friends"? As they introduce themselves I saw her looking at Amy kind of funny. Before she turned back for the bar said "I'll wake you in the morning and give you your keys".

Jill asked "does she do that to you a lot?"

"No but it's not the first time that she has watched out for me" I told her. The truth is she has been doing a lot of watching for me. Sammie is Billy's aunt and she has been keeping me informed as to how Mary and Billy have been doing. She doesn't agree with everything I did but does understand my feelings on it.

Amy asked if I was going to finish the rest of my story. I looked at her and said "I will if you will answer two questions" She just nodded her head so I asked "are you a PI"?

She looked at me for a couple of seconds confused then started laughing and so did everyone at the table. After wiping her eyes she said "what, have you had a lot of them looking for you?" I guess when I didn't laugh she and everyone realize I wasn't joking. She patted my hand and said "no, I work in an office. Why would you think I was a PI?"

"For the last three days you guys have come here I have caught you watching me. Just so you know yes I have had a few PI's looking for me for the last two and haft years. Mary and Billy have had them looking for me and so far I have always been one or two steps ahead of them." I told her.

She smiled and said "I guess that your second question would be why I was watching you?" I just nodded. "When I was in collage I took some psych class because I'm a people watcher. The first time I saw you sitting there I realize quickly that you didn't fit into any of the normal groups that I put them into. You were kind of looking at a group of people and smiling. One of the girls from that group must have seen you looking there way because I watch her approach you. It wasn't till I saw your reaction that you weren't really looking at anyone but just remember happier times. You didn't look sad even when you talked to her but even I could tell from where I was that you were not looking for company. So does that answer your two questions?"

I nodded "Yes it does so where was I?" Jill said "you just got your first kiss". "Yeah, well we were a couple the rest of High School. Summers, I got small part time jobs so I would have a little money to take her out or just to buy her things even though she said I didn't have to."

"I guess the next major thing that happens and the second hardest thing I have ever had to do was the summer after High School. You see both Mary and Billy got scholarships to collage and Penny's parents were paying for college. Me I didn't have either, my grades weren't good enough and my parents did have the money. Oh we came up with all different kinds of plans but none of them had me going any further in schooling."

I just turned my beer up and started to chug it till Amy grabbed my beer. I looked at her and she just smiled and said "I want to hear the rest of the story before you pass out." I just smile.

"Well I came up with a plan that I thought would get me what I needed even though I did really like it but Mary hated it. I was going to join the Army while they went to college. I went to a recruiter and found out that I could be an engineer and take college classes while I was in the Army."

"I finely got Mary to understand that this was the best for both of us. This was only after I agree that we would get married after I finished basic training and AIT. Before I left Billy and Penny promised that they would watch over her for me. So one week before they went to college I put a ring on her finger and got on a bus to basic training."

"Well we wrote each other at least once a week letting the other know what was happening in our lives. Our plans to get married didn't work out. When I got out of AIT she was getting ready for finals so we put it off."

"To help get to the point of the story, we didn't get married till three weeks after I got out of the military. If this surprises' you it shouldn't we had a double wedding with Billy and Penny. We were just that close."

Billy got his degree in engineering and was already working for small company and helped me get a job there. I had to take night classes to finish my degree but only for one year. Mary went to school to become a teacher and got a job at our old elementary school. Penny went to work in a law office as a paralegal. Life was good."

I downed the rest of my beer and wave a waitress down. Before she could get to our table Sammie was there waving her off. "What you want David"

I looked at my empty beer and said "three double shots of Jack and another beer".

Amy put her hand on my arm and said "David I'm not drinking and even if I was I don't drink Jack".

Before I could say anything Sammie snorted and said "honey they aren't for you". Then she looked at me and said "David what's wrong. Come to the bar and talk to me first."

By now everyone at the table was looking at me. I smile and said "Sammie nothing's wrong I'm just telling them a little story".

Sammie actions caught everyone off guard even me. She threw her arms around me and almost knocks both Amy and Jill out of their chair, asking me if I was sure. I just nodded.

Sammie stood up and said "don't you say another word till I get back".

Amy looked at me with a questioning look but I just smiled and acted like I was zipping my lips close. Everyone just laughed.

Sammie quickly returned with my three shots and two beers. I looked at her and she just smile and said "one of those beers are mine". Then the smile was gone and she asked "honey are you sure you want to?"

I guess because she hadn't had anything to drink Amy said "wait a minute. You haven't told anyone this story have you"? I just shook my head no. "You came over here thinking that I might be a PI but you still started telling your story. I don't understand, why?" Before I could say anything she looked at Sammie "do you know the whole story"?

Sammie shook her head and said "I don't think anyone does and even after tonight we will still have questions".

I grabbed the first shot and threw it back and took a sip of beer. "Where was I, Oh life was good. Two years later Billy came to me and wanted us to start our own business. It was hard before we got our first big break. There was a plant that was upgrading their equipment when they had major problems and they were calling around to see if anyone might know the equipment or worked with something like it."

"I had just come back into our little office when I heard Billy and some guy talking about the equipment and what had happen. I told them I had work with problems like this when I was in the Army and I might be able to help them out. It was just trying to get old equipment to work with newer equipment."

"It turn out that they didn't just have one problem that had many problems. First they didn't have all the parts they needed and some of what they had were the wrong kind. Once I figured out what they wanted, looked at what they had I got Billy to do the paperwork. I like the field work and Billy was great at the paper end."

I threw back the second shot back and downed haft my beer. "It took two months to get everything to work and they were only behind one week. Word got out and we were off. We had to hire more people because the work load just got to be too much. The only part I didn't like is that it took me away from home. Our plan was to build up the company so we could just sit back and enjoy our self when the time comes. Like I said Life was good".

I took the last shot and threw it back and finish off my beer. I looked around for a waitress when Sammie gave me her beer. I just smiled. I knew she wasn't going to drink it. Beer and driving is what took her husband away many years ago.

"I guess it was about three and haft years ago that things fell apart for us. I don't mean me and Mary I mean the four of us. Of course I found out later that started before then but this is when it all came to ahead."

"Mary had started on me about cutting back on my traveling and starting a family. Mary told me that she thought that Billy and Penny might to once we did. We had just finished up a big project down in Texas and the owners wanted us and our wives to come down for a big party for the opening. It was also the last big job that I would be on full time so we thought it would be great. We were going to go down a week early and make it a vacation. It didn't work out that way."

Our waitress was walking by our table and I caught her eye and tapped the three empty shot glasses and beer. I saw her look at Sammie and Sammie nod.

"Well it seemed that one of the lawyers that Penny worked for had a big case coming up and she need to do a lot of work on it. She told us to go and she would join us in a couple of days once she got all of her work done. None of us wanted to go but finely we agreed."

The waitress arrived with my shots and beer so I down one and haft of Sammie's beer. "We were there two days when I got a call that one of our engineers back home got hurt and they need someone on the job. Billy tried and tried to get me to let him go but I just laughed and asked him when the last time he was in the field? I told them that I could tie it up in one day or move someone else there and be back dragging Penny with me. We all laughed because we knew I would do it."

I grabbed another shot and finished Sammie's beer. "When I got home I saw that Penny's and another car was in their driveway so I figured that after I'd changed in to some work clothes I would stop and see if she was ready to join us. After changing I went out the back door and across the yard and up on to their deck. What I saw through the sliding door had me madder then I think I have ever been."

I notice that when I picked up my beer that my hand was shaking. I set the beer down and closed my eyes but had to open them back because of what I saw. "There in their game room was Penny and her boss going at it like two rabbits on the floor. I pulled out my cell phone took a couple quick pictures then busted through the door and commenced to beat the living shit out of her boss. I only stopped once he stopped moving. I turned and looked at someone who I thought of as my best friend since she had moved into town trying to hide behind a cushion from the couch."

I grabbed a shot and thought it back and started to chug my beer till it was pulled from my lips by Amy.

"I didn't know it then but that was the end of my marriage. I didn't say anything to her I just turned and walked out. I went home and call one of our other engineers to see if he could cover the job and he said he would make it happen. I change clothes and headed back to the airport to talk to Mary and Billy."

"I never made it. I was arrested while waiting for a flight to Texas. I didn't want to call Mary or Billy so I called the only person that could, Mary's dad. He came in and waited with me while I waited to see a judge to get bail. I told Mary's dad what happen and asked him not to call Mary but it was already too late. Mary's mom had call Mary and told her where I was and Penny had called Billy. Penny told him some lie about me just coming in and beating the shit out of her boss for no reason. Too bad for them that they didn't know I had pictures. I hadn't told anyone about the picture yet. I didn't want them disappearing while I was waiting to see the judge."

I looked at Amy and smile and took a small sip of my beer. "By the time that I made bail Mary and Billy was on their way home. The first thing I did was send the pictures to my home and work emails. I then tried to contact Mary, when she didn't answer her cell phone I call the hotel. That's then I found out that they had checked out."

"Mary's dad took me back to the airport and I sat there till they got off the plane. When Mary saw me she ran to me. Between kisses she asked me why the hell I beat the shit out of Penny's boss for. The whole time Billy just stood there watching me. I think even then he knew something was up. I finely got Mary to step back and told them we should get their bags and we could talk at home."

"All the way home Mary keep asking what happen and I just told her to wait. Billy just sat in the back seat and didn't say a word. By the time we got home I had already figured out what Penny and her boss's story was from the charges and what Mary was saying."

"We weren't even in the house a minute before the banging on the front door started. Mary looked at me as Penny was yelling for Billy to open the door. All I did was shrugged my shoulders. I knew this would happen sooner or later."

"As soon Billy open the door Penny grabbed him and starts crying. Mary walked over to them and said "Let's all sit down and talk about this so we can find out what happen". With that Penny starts screaming at me saying how could I do that to her boss. I probably cost her, her job and destroyed our company with what I did. Then she grabbed Billy's arm and tries to pull him to the door while saying that she never wants to see me again."

"As I stood there I know that the anger I had some twelve hours earlier was coming back and I'm sure that Billy saw it when he turned and looked at me. He looked back at Penny and for the first time since the airport he said "Penny we, no I need to hear his side of what happen".

I took sip of my beer and saw Amy smile again. "Well I'm sure you can guess that Penny wanted nothing to do with that. She started crying and begging Billy to take her home. I just walked into the kitchen and sat down waiting to see who would all follow. It was a couple of minutes but finely they all came in."