Jamie Garret sighed as she set the telephone back onto the charger; she swallowed loudly as the tears streamed from her eyes. Jamie knew Andi would respond to the page, Andi always did. She lay back on her bed as the tears continued to fall, guilt squeezing her heart in a vice grip.

 

The knowledge that she was sleeping with a married woman wasn't something Jamie was proud of, but Jamie couldn't stop wanting Andi; she couldn't stop loving Andi. The thought of being without Andi made Jamie physically ill. It made her feel as if her very soul were being destroyed.

 

The aching in Jamie’s chest grew more intense as she sobbed, what she needed to do tonight was weighing heavily on her heart. She would end the affair, cutting off all interaction between herself and Andi.

 

At twenty-three years of age, Jamie doubted that she’d ever felt such pain before in her life. Jamie looked up when she heard a soft sigh from the doorway. Lacey, Jamie’s best friend stood in the doorway with an understanding look on her face. “It’s for the best, Jae. You should have ended it when we met her wife.”

 

Jamie’s sobs renewed, louder this time as she choked out. “I...I know.”

 

Lacey quickly moved to lie on the bed and pull Jamie into her arms, holding her as Jamie cried out her pain and guilt. Lacey kissed the top of Jamie’s blonde head, thinking about last year on the night they’d learned of Andi’s marriage to Sharon.

 

Lacey looked up from her dinner when she heard Jamie’s gasp of surprise, her hazel eyes tracking toward where Jamie’s gaze was pinned. Lacey’s own eyes widened when she saw Andi with her arm around a blonde woman’s waist. The blonde held a small dark-haired boy that was definitely related to Andi.

 

Andi apparently felt their stares and looked over at the table where Lacey and Jamie sat. Andi’s face betrayed the surprise and guilt she felt at being caught. Lacey watched as the blonde woman looked over at them and then turned to ask Andi something. Before Lacey knew it, the blonde was dragging Andi over to Lacey and Jamie’s table.

 

When they stood before the table, Andi cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Sharon this is Jamie and...” Andi’s confusion shown on her face along with the other emotions she felt.

 

She smiled thinly, “I’m Lacey, Jamie’s roommate.”

 

Andi nodded stiffly, her blue eyes gazing down at the table. Her fingers fidgeted with a wide gold wedding band on her left ring finger as she introduced Sharon, “Jamie, Lacey; this is my wife, Sharon, and my son, Mikey.”

 

Lacey watched as Jamie smiled painfully, obviously fighting back tears. Jamie cleared her throat as she stood. “It was nice meeting you, but I need to be excused.”

 

Lacey barely concealed her anger as she spoke. “I need to go also, so I’ll see you some other time.”

 

Lacey sighed as she looked down at her now quietly crying friend, she’d expected Jamie to break things off with Andi after that; instead, Jamie continued to call Andi over for their trysts. Lacey had watched for the past two years as Jamie allowed Andi to keep coming back despite everything. Lacey continued to comfort Jamie when guilt would catch up to Jamie each time Andi came over.

 

Jamie’s tears silently fell as the memory of the confrontation she’d had with Andi about Sharon.

 

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me that you were married, Andi?” Jamie demanded softly as she stood looking out the window of the apartment.

 

Jamie heard Andi’s sigh of frustration before she heard the sounds of quiet footsteps moving toward her. The footsteps stopped when she could feel the heat of Andi’s body very close to her own. Jamie felt Andi’s hand land on her shoulder, then the warmth of Andi’s breath on her ear as Andi forced her to turn around. “There are better things for us to be doing rather than speaking.” Before Jamie could protest, Andi’s full lips were claiming her own in a bruising kiss.

 

Jamie pulled away from Lacey and sat up. She spoke flatly without looking at Lacey. “I need to clean up and you should head on out if you want to get to Cass’s place on time.”

 

Lacey frowned, but stood and walked toward the door. She paused just outside of Jamie’s room, looking back at Jamie who was staring out the window. “Are you sure that you don’t want Cassie and me to be here?”

 

Jamie nodded as her gaze stayed on a bird flying near the apartment. “I need to do this on my own, Lacey.”

 

***

 

Andi parked her car in the visitor’s slot next to Lacey’s green Toyota, raising an eyebrow as Lacey glared at her before getting into the Toyota.

 

After Lacey’s car was out of the parking lot, Andi got out of her car and made the short walk to Jamie and Lacey’s apartment on the first floor of the apartment building. She knocked on the door and then stood with her hands in her pockets as she waited for Jamie to answer the door.

 

Jamie heard the knock on the front door and finished washing the trails of tears from her face. She dropped the washcloth in the basket by the sink and walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the front door. She opened the door and turned went to the living room without speaking to Andi.

 

Andi entered the apartment and closed the door softly behind her, a feeling of dread replacing the earlier calmness. She followed Jamie into the living room and stopped at the doorway, leaning against it as she watched Jamie settle into the blue velvet recliner next to the couch in the middle of the room.

 

Andi fidgeted in the uncomfortable silence for a couple of minutes before she cleared her throat softly. “Is something wrong, Jamie?”

 

Jamie sighed and ran the fingers of her right hand through her long, strawberry-blonde hair. “Sit down, please?”

 

Andi did as requested, sitting stiffly on the edge of the couch. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed that Jamie wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Come on, Jamie. I know we don’t talk much, but something’s obviously bothering you, Sweetheart.”

 

Jamie stifled a sob with the back of her hand at the loving nickname. Tears filled Jamie’s eyes and she looked away from Andi. When Andi stood as if to try to comfort her, Jamie held up a hand to stop her, “No, don’t touch me; I couldn’t handle it, Andi.”

 

Andi frowned in confusion as she returned to her earlier position on the couch. “Talk to me, Jamie.”

 

Jamie took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “I can’t do this anymore.” With tears now streaming down her face, Jamie continued. “I’m ashamed of myself. I shouldn’t have let this continue.” Jamie sobbed at the pain in her heart and paused, letting herself calm down before she finished. “You’re married and you have a son with her, you shouldn’t have let this start in the first place.”

 

Andi lowered her head so as not to let Jamie see the tears in her own eyes as she nodded. “I know. I wish things-”

 

Jamie interrupted Andi with a sharper tone than she had intended. “No! Don’t even go there, Andi.” Jamie’s voice cracked as she continued. “J-just go, a-and don’t come back.”

 

Andi bit her lip to keep her mind off the pain in her own heart, the bile in her churning stomach rising to her throat as she stood and quietly made her way toward the door. She paused with her hand on the door handle, discreetly wiping her tears away before looking over her shoulder at Jamie one last time. “I- I’m sorry. I truly am, for any pain that I’ve caused you. I never meant to hurt anyone, least of all you.”

 

Jamie kept her eyes down, not acknowledging that she’d even heard Andi’s apology although she had definitely heard it. She could have sworn that she’d heard tears in Andi’s words, but blamed it on her own wishes. Jamie had wished Andi could love her, but she knew it could never be.

 

Andi held back a sob and let herself out of the apartment, and then she numbly walked back to the car. Her mind racing in so many different directions that it wasn’t even possible for her to think at the moment. She let herself into the car and settled into the seat, just staring out the windshield as her thoughts continued to race.

 

When the full meaning of Jamie’s actions hit Andi, she could no longer hold back her own tears; sobs forcefully wracked her body. She leaned her forehead on her hands, which rested on the steering wheel, the tears continuing to fall.

 

***

 

Jamie burst into tears, no longer fighting them as soon as the door to the apartment closed quietly behind Andi. She stood on shaky legs and walked over toward the window, she pulled the curtains open and watched Andi slowly walk to her car. Jamie fought the urge to call Andi back and plead for Andi not to leave, knowing that this was best for herself, for Andi, and for Andi’s family.

 

Jamie’s own sobs renewed as she watched Andi break down once inside the safety of the BMW. She stood there until Andi stoically wiped her tears away and cranked up the car, carefully pulling out of the parking lot. Jamie turned away from the window and walked toward her bedroom, the last piece of her broken heart shattering with force.

 

***

 

Sharon stood with her hand braced on the kitchen counter as she stared in shock at the file lying open on the kitchen counter. She’d received the file earlier that afternoon, not knowing who had sent it she hadn’t looked at it until she’d gotten home.

 

Sharon hadn’t expected to find photos of Andi, and certainly hadn’t expected them to be of Andi with another woman. Through her shock, Sharon briefly recalled having met the blonde but couldn’t remember her name. Closing her eyes, Sharon wished that she could feel something other than resignation. She’d been resigned to her failing marriage for three years, now she knew that it was over.

 

Sharon’s brown eyes opened and she looked through the photos, wondering where Andi had met the blonde. Sharon knew all of the women that worked with Andi were straight, having been relieved by that when Andi had first started working there after college.

 

The photos had been taken at a few different places, but mostly outside of an apartment building somewhere near the University of Georgia. They showed images of Andi and the blonde in intimate embraces, the kisses looking more passionate than any kiss Andi had ever given Sharon. Still, Sharon didn’t even feel jealous of the blonde.

 

Sharon set the pictures aside and removed the envelope that was tucked in a pocket behind them. Wondering if maybe the content would reveal the sender of the file, Sharon opened the envelope and removed the papers from inside. She unfolded them and slowly read the typed letter, finding that the blonde’s name was Jamie Candice Garret. Her jaw clenched when she learned how and when Andi and Jamie had met.

 

A burning anger slowly built, shocking Sharon at first. She couldn’t believe Andi had been cheating on her for two years. Sharon had known they were having problems when Andi first started working too late and going on too many business trips three years ago, as their love life had begun to dissipate. It hadn’t really been that passionate to begin with; despite the rumors Sharon had heard about Andi in college.

 

Sharon had thought things were getting better for six months, but that changed after Drew’s bachelor party. Andi became distant after Drew and his wife; Lena got married, and then the business trips started coming up at least twice a week; the long office hours becoming a daily occurrence.

 

Sharon heard the sound of a key in the lock at the front door, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as to who it could be. Andi was supposed to be on a business trip, which Andi hadn’t even bothered to tell Sharon how long she’d be gone. Sharon hurriedly put the file’s contents back, then shut the file and walked toward the front foyer to see who was there.

 

Andi let herself into the house, sighing tiredly. She’d driven around for a couple of hours to calm down before coming home, hoping that Sharon wouldn’t be upset when she got there. Andi leaned back against the door and lifted her leg up to remove her loafer. She had just gotten the other loafer off when she heard the clearing of a throat and looked up to see Sharon standing in the doorway between the living room and the foyer.

 

Andi set the loafers next to the door and walked over toward Sharon as she spoke. “Hi, Honey. The meetings got canceled so I took another flight back home from Savannah.”

 

Sharon held out the file and smacked Andi in the chest with it. “Don’t fucking lie to me, Andrea! Maybe you should take a look at this because it tells me more of the truth than you do!”

 

Andi closed her eyes, feeling the beginning of a migraine pounding in her head as she accepted the file Sharon thrust out at her. Andi was filled with the same dread she’d felt at Jamie’s as she walked into the living room and dropped down into her favorite recliner. She hesitantly opened the file, her misery deepening. She felt her world unraveling completely as her gaze landed on a picture of Jamie and her locked in a passionate kiss.

 

Andi dropped the file to the floor as she stood and turned to look at Sharon who stood just inside the living room with her arms crossed in a defensive stance. Sharon’s brown eyes, usually so expressive were blank; not even a spark of anger. In that one glance, Andi knew that everything in her life was gone. She’d lost her soul mate, her wife, and possibly her son all in one day.

 

Andi nodded her head in a gesture of defeat; her voice came out as tired as she felt. “What do you want from me? It’s obvious that you all ready know everything.”

 

Sharon shook her head. “I want you to get Mikey and leave. That’s all I want.”

 

Andi’s eyebrows furrowed. “Not that I don’t want Mikey; because I don’t want to lose him, but why are you giving into it so easily?”

 

Sharon smiled without humor. “I do love Mikey, but I only had him in hopes that it would keep you with me. I never did believe that you would stay with someone like me, not when you could have any gorgeous woman that you wanted.” Sharon sighed and pointed toward the pictures. “You and this Jamie girl, is it serious?”

 

Andi closed her eyes as the migraine she’d felt earlier hit full force; her voice was barely above a whisper when she replied a few minutes later. “I love her, and she completes me; but she told me that it was over tonight.”

 

Sharon slightly tilted her head to the side. “I’m sorry that all of this had to happen to you in one day, Andi. You’re probably wondering why I’m not angry, but I can’t really explain it. It’s like I always knew that this wouldn’t last, it’s why I didn’t fight when I knew things were going wrong.”

 

Not able to handle the conversation any more, Andi asked. “When do you want Mikey and I gone? Where is he anyway?”

 

Sharon sighed. “He’s at Drew’s. He wanted to spend the night there, so I took him up after I picked him up from day care.”

 

Andi turned and walked toward the staircase at the back of the living room, pausing before she went up. “I want you to know that I did love you, Sharon.”

 

Sharon walked over to stop behind Andi, placing her hand on Andi’s shoulder. “I know, but we weren’t meant to be. I saw the connection between the two of you in that picture; it’s pretty hard to miss. For what it’s worth, I think Jamie’s an idiot for letting you go; even though I do understand her point. I’m surprised that she didn’t end it when you introduced us last year.”

 

Andi nodded. “I need to be alone, I’m going to go upstairs and pack my stuff. You can have the house; I’ll have Nan draw up the divorce papers and other stuff. I just want the things that I owned before we moved in together and my BMW.”

 

Sharon cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Go ahead and file for custody of Mikey, I won’t fight you.”

 

Andi just tilted her head in acknowledgement and made her way up the stairs to pack her clothes, she’d come by some time while Sharon was at work to pick up the rest of her stuff. Andi planned to ask Drew if she and Mikey could stay with them until she got the chance to find a place for them to live.

 

***

 

Drew opened the door and stared in shock at who his late night visitor was, it wasn’t really the fact that Andi was there at 10 P.M. when she was supposed to be out of town; it was more that she had two big gym bags with her and she looked like Hell warmed over. “Hey, Andi, is everything all right?”

 

Andi ran the fingers of her left hand through her all ready messed up, long black hair and bit her lip nervously. “Can I come in?”

 

Drew stood back from the door and allowed Andi to come into the house, he closed the door behind them and followed Andi on her all ready set course. He knew that she would go to Mikey’s room first before speaking to him, Andi was very loving with her family but Mikey came first.

 

Once they reached the second floor, Andi turned to the left on the landing and walked down the hall to stop at the third door on the left which was cracked open a little to allow a small amount of light to shine into the room for Mikey. Andi smiled sadly as she poked her head into the room to look in on Mikey. She wished she hadn’t fucked things up so badly for Mikey. Andi knew she wouldn’t have to do this on her own; she had both of her brothers, her two sister-in-laws, her own sister, and her father to help.

 

Andi pulled back into the hall way and gestured for Drew to follow her as she quietly walked back to the landing and continued up to the third floor where the guest rooms and the game room were at. When they reached the room Andi and Sharon had always used, Andi bypassed it with the same sense of self-hatred she’d felt all night. She walked to the end of the hall and entered the game room, setting her bags on the inside of the door.

 

When Andi and Drew were both settled with drinks in their hands, they both sat quietly for a few minutes. Drew watched Andi, seeing something in her that he couldn’t quite understand. She was like a woman standing on the edge of a cliff; he shook off the disturbing imagery and asked. “What’s wrong, Andrea? Talk to me, sis.”

 

Andi felt tears fill her eyes again, and she blinked them away. “I don’t think I can explain everything right now, but Mikey and I need a place to stay.”

 

Drew’s frown deepened. “What happened with Sharon?”

 

Andi swallowed hard. “I can’t talk about this yet, Drew. Please let me have some time to try and move past what’s happened. It’s all I ask.”

 

Drew stared into Andi’s eyes and they sat that way for awhile before Drew gave in. “You know that you can stay here, Andi. I’d never turn you away. Just know that you can talk to me when you feel like it, okay?”

 

Andi stood and walked over, hugging Drew when he stood up. The tears she’d been fighting since she had left her and Sharon’s house, she sobbed into Drew’s shoulder and choked out. “Please, let me stay in another room. I can’t stay in that room.”

 

Drew nodded and rubbed Andi’s back soothingly. “You can stay in the room across from Mikey, all right?”

 

“Thank you.” Andi said as she pulled back and wiped her tears away uncomfortably. Andi then moved to the doorway and retrieved her bags, leaving the room to go to her new room.

 

Drew’s concerned eyes stared after Andi for several moments before he left the game room to go to his own bedroom. Lena would want to know about their houseguest.

 

***

 

Andi closed the bedroom door behind her softly and mechanically got ready for bed, not even unpacking her bags tonight. She’d save that for when she didn’t feel so damn drained. She stripped off her clothes, and left them on the floor. As she sat on the bed in the dark room, Andi looked down at her left hand. Upon seeing the golden band Sharon had placed there six years ago, Andi’s tears started again.

 

Instead of fighting the tears, Andi let them go as she lay down beneath the blankets. The empty bed caused the pain in her heart to intensify. She had no idea how long she cried, but her tears eventually trailed off leaving her empty and feeling so alone. Sleep didn’t come for her this night and she had no doubts that it would be a long time before she did rest and even longer before it was peaceful.

 

***

 

Drew blinked his eyes in shock, his mouth parted as Andi explained the events of the last two years. He covered his mouth with a hand when Andi got to the part about last night. He hadn’t believed Andi and Sharon were meant to be when Andi had suddenly announced their engagement six years ago, but he’d stood back and stayed quiet, as he knew Andi wouldn’t want any one’s interference. He’d even donated sperm for them to have a child when Andi asked him, wanting to be there for Andi in whatever way she needed him.

 

Drew remembered his bachelor party very well; he especially remembered Andi’s reaction toward Jamie. He certainly remembered Andi’s straying hands on the cab ride home, having been the one to make lewd comments on it. He had seen the way Jamie looked at Andi, but Drew never would have thought Andi would cheat on Sharon with Jamie. Seeing tears pouring down Andi’s cheeks as he expected they had for the entire day, Drew stood and wrapped Andi in a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head, just silently being there as he always had been.

 

Drew thought of how Andi described the fierce connection she’d felt to Jamie, how she couldn’t say no to Jamie and wondered if Andi’s tears were more for the loss of Jamie than Sharon. Drew sighed and whispered. “It’ll be all right, sis. Lena and I both will be here for as long as you need, and you’ve got Mikey, too.”

 

Andi nodded, her arms wrapped so tightly around Drew that it was as if he were her only lifeline. “Th-thank you.”

 

***

 

Lacey and her girlfriend; Cass, quietly entered the apartment Lacey shared with Jamie. Lacey glanced into the living room, frowning when she didn’t see Jamie. ‘Please, don’t let Andrea be here.’ Lacey thought as she continued down the hall to Jamie’s bedroom, Cass following behind her.

 

Lacey softly knocked on Jamie’s bedroom door, sighing in relief when she heard nothing. ‘At least I know Andrea isn’t here, I just hope Jamie’s all right.’ The few times Andi had still been there when Lacey got home in the past, Andi had sleepily opened the door while she was still naked. Seeing a muscular, darkly tanned, six feet tall, naked woman was certainly something that would wake one up at nine A.M.

 

Lacey opened the door and poked her head in, her gaze landed on the balled up form of Jamie huddled beneath the sheets in the center of the bed. Lacey pulled back and whispered to Cass. “Go on into the living room, I need to see if she’s okay.”

 

Lacey didn’t wait for Cass to reply, she entered Jamie’s bedroom and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, then pulled the sheets from Jamie’s face. She bit her lip to hold in a gasp as she saw how pale Jamie’s tear streaked face was. Lacey reached a hand up and wiped the tears away as she whispered. “Everything will be all right, Jamie. I know it hurts, but it eventually will stop being as painful even if it doesn’t stop completely.”

 

Jamie’s eyes blinked open and she looked up at Lacey, tears falling from Jamie’s green eyes yet again despite Jamie’s belief that she couldn’t possibly cry any more tears without dehydrating first. Her voice came out a miserable, dry croak as the pain of her broken heart increased. “She’s gone.” Her body shook with sobs as soon as the words went past her lips.

 

Lacey curled herself around Jamie, whispering comforting words into Jamie’s ear as she rocked them back and forth on the bed. She kissed Jamie’s temple, her own eyes misting up as she wondered at the desolation in Jamie’s eyes. ‘Will she be all right? I’ve never seen her so hopeless before.’

 

***

 

A month and a half later:

 

Andi sighed in relief as the last box was brought into the house, having succeeded in buying her new home a week earlier. Andi dropped onto the couch she’d bought yesterday, followed by her brothers; Drake, and Drew, her sister; Randi, her sisters-in-law; Mary and Lena, and her father; Mikhael, all dropping into seats around the room.

 

Drake sighed and wiped at his sweaty forehead with the tail of his once white wife-beater. “My God, how the Hell did you manage to keep that much stuff despite the divorce?”

 

Andi chuckled dryly. “Sharon doesn’t want anything but the Navigator, the house, her personal junk and the furniture. That left me with every single photo album, every stupid memento, and let’s not forget the video tapes Papa insists on taking of every event in our lives.”

 

Mikhael raises an eyebrow. “As if you don’t enjoy watching the video of Mikhael junior’s birthday parties, or the video of his baptism.”

 

Andi’s gaze traveled around the room as she nodded absently and she sighed, her thoughts going to how much she wished Jamie were there. Her family was right, she didn’t really miss Sharon as much as she should; Andi’s heart and soul only felt Jamie’s absence like a shot to the heart. Every time she saw something that reminded her of Jamie, Andi felt as if someone had punched her in the chest. It became hard to breath and it seemed like her heart would stop beating. Andi felt the tears start to build up again, and blinked them away with a deep sigh. “I guess I’m home. Thanks, guys, for all of your help.”

 

Drew shook his head and watched as Drake and the others ignored Andi’s obvious depression, Drew being the only one who knew of the exact reasons for Andi’s divorce. Drew’s eyes met Andi’s with concern, and he attempted a smile when she shook her head with a sad smile.

 

Andi looked around at her family, thankful that her family was there for her. All though they didn’t know all that had happened, Andi’s family was doing great at being there for her when she needed them. Andi forced herself to take her mind off Jamie, and turned her attention back to her family.

 

 

The End