Chapter 10

Molly set her coffee mug on the counter. "Well," she said. "I'm off."

"You won't be too late?" he asked.

"I don't expect to be. I might be home early, even -- mid afternoon."

He regarded her. "Jeans and a turtleneck as office attire?"

"It's Saturday, Ben -- casual. You won't be bored, will you?"

"No -- I have plenty of work to do."

"Then I'll see you later." Ben kissed her lips and watched as she headed out the door.

He busied himself at his laptop working on the latest manuscript he had received. Around eleven AM the apartment's landline phone rang.

Ben hoisted himself out of the chair and answered it. "Hello."

Is Molly Abernathy there? He heard a man's voice.

"Who's calling, please?"

This is Paul Linnekin of Wayland and Linnekin Law Offices.

"I'm sorry but she's out. Can I take a message?"

I tried calling her cell but it went to voice mail. I thought I'd try this number.

"Her cell is sitting on the desk, on the charger," Ben replied. "Her battery was dead."

Oh, I guess that explains it. I was hoping she could come in this afternoon.

Ben pondered. "Umm ... I was under the impression she was working there all day today."

No -- the place is deserted except for myself. Molly asked for yesterday afternoon as personal time off. I was hoping she could do us a favor and come in today.

"Do you mean to say she wasn't working late yesterday?"

No -- she left at noon.

"Well, then, Mr Linnekin -- I don't know where she is ... but when I see her, I will be sure to give her your message."

I appreciate it. Tell her if she can't make it, it's no big deal. We'll manage. Have a good day.

"You, too," Ben replied and hung up the phone.

Well, he figured, we have trouble ... in River City ... that starts with T which rhymes with B and that stands for Brittney ... He began pacing around the apartment and looking out the window at the parking lot, hoping to see her car pull in.

Ben heard a key sliding into the deadbolt. He positioned himself on the sofa so he could observe the door.

It opened and Molly stepped inside. She closed the door and bolted it. "What a day!" she exclaimed.

"Rough Saturday at the office?" Ben asked.

"You might say that. Is dinner ready?"

"I wasn't sure what to make," he replied.

"Maybe we can order out."

"Maybe ... Oh -- by the way, a Mr Paul Linnekin called for you around eleven. He was hoping you could do him a favor and come in for a while ... something about making up some personal time off on Friday."

Molly's face froze and color drained from her cheeks. "Oh, shit!" she exclaimed.

"Molly -- what's going on?"

She folded her arms across her abdomen and dashed into the bathroom. Ben followed her and found her kneeling by the toilet. "Oh, God," she said. "I felt like I was going to throw up."

"Molly -- I think it's time for you to come clean and tell me what the fuck is going on."

"Oh, Ben..." Her lips trembled and tears ran down her face. "Promise you won't leave me! Promise me ... please!"

"I can't make any promises until I know what's going on. Tell me the truth, Molly ... the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

"So help me, God ... Oh, Ben..."

"It's funny how once you get into a lie ... they keep compounding, one stacking on top of another like a house of cards ... until one of them gets knocked down and the whole thing collapses."

"You're going to be so angry with me," she blubbered. "I'm so sorry ... This isn't how it was supposed to turn out." She sobbed. "And, now I'm in trouble with Paul..."

He sat on the sofa. "Molly -- Does this have to do with Brittney?"

"Yes," she sobbed. "You're going to yell at me..."

"I'm not angry with you. I don't know what I am -- disappointed comes closest ... disappointed and hurt, but I'm not angry. I'm disappointed you lied to me about this."

"Oh, God, Ben..."

"If you were trying to resolve things with Brittney, I wish that you had simply told me that's what you were doing. I'm on your side ... I have your back, Molly -- but I can't help you if you're skulking behind mine."

"Oh, God, Ben ... Oh, God..." She wept. "I wish you'd just yell at me and get it over with 'cuz that's what I deserve. I don't deserve this. Please don't leave me!"

"I'm not leaving," he replied. "You might throw me out, but I'm not leaving. Tell me the whole story, Molly. We'll figure this out." He patted the sofa. "Sit beside me. I'll give you a hug if you need one..."

She sat beside him. He put his arm around her and she leaned against him. "Oh, Ben ... Please..."

"I'm the one who insisted you patch things up with Brittney, so I'm at least partly responsible..." He looked into her eyes. "Now -- tell me what happened."

"Oh, Ben ... After that ambush talk we had before you went to San Francisco ... she started calling me and we started talking. I started going back to her sandwich shop for lunch. I told her you were going on a trip. She suggested it might be a time we could get together..."

"When the cat's away," he remarked.

"I didn't intend it to be like that. But she insisted on making up to me for that night when she scared me so. So, Monday she came to the apartment..."

"And, you made love."

"Yes ... And the next day and the day after that. Then it was Thursday and you were scheduled to fly in at six. I was having lunch at her shop when you called to tell me your flight was cancelled. Since we didn't expect you home that night, she insisted we have one last fling before ... Well, we didn't know when we'd have the opportunity again. Then you came home in the wee hours and found us together -- In flagrante delicto. Do you know what the Latin means?"

"No. Latin isn't my strength."

"It means, in the blazing misdeed." She sniffed. "But you were so good about it yesterday morning. I still can't believe how you're taking this. Ben -- if the tables had been turned -- if I had come home and found you in bed with another woman ... I would've hit the ceiling. I would've yelled and screamed ... maybe thrown things. I would've left you ... or thrown you out..."

"If you'd prefer I make a scene over this, Molly -- I can assure you that I'm capable of one that will make your toes curl. I have loved and lost twice in my life. Now that I've found you, I'm not about to do it again if I can avoid it. I'm attempting to calibrate my response to what I think are your needs."

Molly regarded him for a long moment. Her eyes filled and tears streamed down her face. "I understand, Ben."

"As for yesterday morning ... I was taking what you said at face value -- that you two were simply sharing the bed."

"What I said doesn't matter. The point is, you did indeed catch us in flagrante delicto. I thought about this all yesterday -- I couldn't keep my mind on my work. I decided the best thing was to call it off with Brittney. I knew she was off work Friday, so I phoned her and told her I was coming over."

"I take it that didn't go as planned."

"No -- we ended up making love all afternoon instead, then we fell asleep. When I woke up, it was late. I had to get back into my work clothes and fix my hair. Brittney was making a pitch for me to throw you over and take her back. There was no way that was going to happen, Ben -- though I was afraid if this came out wrong there was a real good chance you'd leave me. But, I told her I'd think about it, just so she'd let me go home. She and I made arrangements to meet today under the cover of me going to my office, to go over our options."

"So, that's why you came home late last night."

"Last night you wanted sex but I was just exhausted from all afternoon with Brittney and I couldn't. I knew it had been a few days and you probably wanted it but I couldn't -- I simply couldn't. You took that well, too. We ended up cuddling and having that talk about needs and better offers." She sniffled. "I was trying to put it all into perspective with Brittney -- trying to resolve my dilemma. Then you brought up Natalie. It was pure guilt that made me react the way I did, Ben. You were so trusting of my word ... It hit me what a hypocrite I was being..." She held up her thumb and forefinger. "I felt this small. Then you apologized to me. I couldn't believe it -- YOU were apologizing to ME."

"I thought my teasing had upset you. We forgave each other ... we kissed and made up."

"I vowed to myself when I met with Brittney today, I'd end it once and for all; and I sealed my vow by making love with you. I figured I owed it to you."

Ben nodded. "I get it -- you figured you'd put this Brittney business behind you and no one would be the wiser."

"Yes, Ben -- that was the theory. But as you pointed out, there's a big difference between theory and reality."

"Your boss spilled the beans on you."

"Besides that. Oh, Ben -- I don't know what I'm going to do."

Ben regarded her. "You didn't break up with her -- did you?"

Molly wept. "I couldn't -- I can't. I simply can't quit her, Ben. I need her."

"I see. Do you love her?"

"I love you, Ben. I need her."

He sighed. "I was afraid we'd confront this sooner or later. The problem is, you need pussy once in a while."

She nodded. "I do ... Don't get me wrong, Ben. When you and I make love I do find it fully satisfying -- physically and emotionally. But I need to touch another woman. It's part of who I am -- of what I am. I told Brittney there was no way in hell I was going to let you go -- and if she and I were to be together, it would have to be on the side -- discreetly -- and that she had better get used to the notion."

"How did she take that?" he asked.

"Not well ... but what can she do? What can we do?"

"We'll have to put our heads together and figure out a solution."

"Ben -- I cannot believe how you're taking this. If the tables were turned, I think I'd be so angry."

"Tell me, Molly -- what good would anger serve?"

"None ... it would make it worse..." She stroked his face. "When you told me Paul had called, I wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere. I've learned a real lesson from you today, Ben -- a lesson on what love really means."

"Here's our dilemma," he said. "You and I are a couple, and nothing's going to change that. Agreed?"

"Yes -- if you still want me after this."

"I still want you," he replied. "You need Brittney in your life. And, Brittney needs you."

"Also agreed."

"I'd hazard to say Brittney needs you more than you need her."

"Maybe," Molly replied. "I think she needs me in a different way than I need her."

Ben nodded. "I can buy that. I believe you love me enough to forego Brittney if I insisted."

"I do, Ben. If that's what you want me to do..."

" ... and, I love you enough not to insist ... I can come up with only one solution -- and that's for us to include Brittney ... somehow."

"Do you mean a three-way relationship?" Molly asked.

"Something along those lines. I always thought three was a bad number. I have two brothers and when I was a kid it was always two-against-one. The alliances shifted from moment to moment, but it was always lop-sided."

"It doesn't have to be that way," she replied.

"I have no idea how to make something like that work."

"Neither do I," she replied.

"I am willing to try, though."

"Would you really try something like that?" she asked.

"Yes -- if it would make you happy."

She squeezed his hand. "It would. I've been thinking along the same lines, Ben. I'm glad you were the one to suggest it."

"I tell you, Molly -- I don't understand what you see in her -- unless it's strictly physical -- which I don't buy. Brittney's cute but she's by no means spectacular."