Chapter 1

Carly had met her friend Linda in their favorite coffee shop for one of their post-work chats. The two had been friends since college. They both appreciated the chance to wind down after their busy days. They always had many topics of conversation, from Carly's real estate business, to Linda's grueling work as a journalist, to a variety of other things. As it often did, the conversation turned to family.

"Hey, how are Stephen and Paige doing?" Linda asked.

"Oh..." Carly said. "Well, not so great, actually."

"Really?" Linda said, seeming surprised. "How come?

"I don't know," Carly replied. "It's hard to say, specifically. I don't think they got off on the right foot in the first place. It doesn't look too good, though."

"You're kidding!" Linda exclaimed. "They haven't even been married a year, have they?"

"Ten months," Carly said.

"What's their major issue?" Linda asked.

"What isn't?" Carly said. "They both spend a lot of time with work, they like different things, have different interests, bad communication. I guess they hardly talk."

"That's too bad," Linda said.

"Yes, it is," Carly said. "Well, not that I haven't always wanted the best, but I was concerned from the beginning. Of course, you know that."

"Yea," Linda said. "I know you were always worried about them."

"Paige is a tough one," Carly said. "She's very smart, good business woman, accomplished. I've just never felt like she was a very warm person. Not much fun, or very playful."

"Just say what you mean," Linda said. "I've met her. She has a broom up her ass!" This made Carly smile.

"You could put it that way," she said with a laugh.

"So no talk about kids at this point?" Linda inquired.

"Ha!" Carly said. "No talk period. And it's pretty tough to have kids without actually having sex."

"They're not having sex?" Linda said. "How do you know that?"

"Oh," Carly said. "I had lunch with Stephen yesterday." She paused. "I probably shouldn't talk about it."

"Hey," Linda said. "You're not going to stop just when it gets good! Spill!" Carly lifted her eyebrows and gave her friend a look.

"Linda," she began, "Don't start. This is my son and his wife we're talking about. Not 'Hot Stories for Linda.'"

"Stop!" Linda said. "I didn't mean that and you know it. Besides, if they're not having sex, how much fun could the stories be?" Linda laughed and again made Carly smile. "Seriously, what's the deal?"

"Well, it was kind of awkward, really," Carly said. "Like I told you, not a warm person. I guess they haven't done it in, like months."

"Are you serious?" Linda asked. "They're 24 year old newlyweds! They should be in bed constantly."

"I know," Carly replied. "Paige is 25, by the way. Stephen says she's always either working or out with her girlfriends. The discussion was weird, though."

"Why?" Linda said.

"Now seriously, Linda," Carly said. "If I tell you this, you have to promise that you won't make a bunch of sex jokes about it, o.k.?" Linda nodded, looking serious. "He was just, pretty detailed. He was saying how lonely he felt. How much he, needs it. How hard it is." Carly paused. "And I got the feeling he didn't just mean difficult."

"Whoa," Linda said. "That is kind of awkward." She wanted to press for more details, but she kept her curiosity in check and let her friend go at her own pace.

"Yea," Carly said. "I think that's what he meant. He was saying that he really tries to please her and she never does the same for him. He said, that ... well, I shouldn't say anymore."

"It's o.k. Honey," Linda said, trying to hide her strong desire to hear more juicy details. Linda was genuinely supportive of her friend, but she also had a big appetite for titillating stories. "Just tell me whatever you feel comfortable with." Carly gave an audible sigh.

"He was telling me that he's not like the stereotypical guy," Carly said. "He told me he's really interested in her pleasure. He said, 'I do everything. Everything. And I'm not in a rush, either.'"

"Sounds good to me!" Linda chimed-in, then wished she hadn't. Carly frowned at her. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I'm so bad! I'm terrible!" Her laugh made Carly smile again.

"It's all right," Carly said. "It's not that big a deal. I just wasn't expecting to be hearing details about my son's sex life, from my son!"

"Maybe you could have Paul talk to him," Linda suggested. "You know, a father to son talk."

"I thought of that," Carly said. "Of course, that's not exactly Paul's area of expertise. Sex, that is." The two looked at one another for a moment, then laughed again.

"Well," Linda said, "He doesn't have to give him bedroom pointers. But maybe he would be more comfortable hearing Stephen talk about his sex life than you are."

"Yea," Carly replied. "And maybe not. Oh well ... it's worth at least asking him to talk to Stephen."

The conversation then drifted to other things and didn't return to Stephen for the rest of the friends' time together. Carly followed-through on the idea of asking her husband Paul to speak with Stephen about his marital issues when she got home that evening.

"What was he talking about?" Paul said, somewhat distractedly.

"I was just asking about the problems he and Paige are having," Carly replied. "I don't think it's a secret that they're not doing well."

"But he was talking about sex?" Paul inquired.

"Among other things," Carly said. "I just think it might be nice for him to talk to his father about what he's going through."

"I don't know, Carly," Paul said. "I mean, what would I say? And he didn't ask to talk to me. He talked to you. Isn't that more of your area of interest anyway?" Paul said this with a touch of irony.

"Honestly, Paul," Carly said. "Just because we haven't been in synch that way for a while doesn't mean you can't talk to our son about his marriage, does it?" She thought to herself that 'a while' really meant 10 or 20 years. "You'd have no problem talking with him about a deal he was working on. You'd talk for hours about that."

Husband and wife both conveniently ignored the comments each had made about their own marriage.

"I don't know, Carly," he replied. "If you think he wants to talk to me, tell him to call me." Paul went back to the work he was doing when Carly had entered his den. She knew this meant the conversation was over and that she was off to bed alone. She didn't expect that her husband would make it up to bed for several hours, which was the typical routine.

Carly headed upstairs and got ready for bed herself. She took several magazines and a newspaper from her briefcase and put them on her nightstand alongside her cell phone. She settled in with a pillow between her back and the headboard, ready to do some reading before going to sleep. Then Carly's cell phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was Stephen calling from his cell phone.

"Hi Honey," Carly said into the phone.

"Hi Mom," Stephen said. "How are you doing?" Carly could tell immediately that something was up."

"I'm good, Honey," she said. "Where are you?"

"I'm in New Orleans, remember?" Stephen replied. Carly then recalled that he was in fact traveling for a few days. She assumed that was why he sounded somewhat strange.

"That's right," she said. "How's everything there? Did you have a productive day?"

"Oh yea," Stephen said. "We worked on the contracts for the jointly-owned buildings that are going up here, in Vegas and at home. Then we spent a little time in the bars." It was then Carly realized that Stephen had been drinking and this was probably what she had sensed in his voice.