Chapter 12: Chapter 12

"It's not good."

"It's not?"

"No, it's not. Sex in a married life is great." Maya says and we both laugh.

"I see." I say and sip my coffee while Maya just bites her lip with a naughty glint in her eyes.

"I mean, before I had Hailey, we'd heard these scary stories about how we'd be too busy to want sex because I'm still in school and he just got promoted. And then I had Hailey. And everyone kept  saying the baby would take up all our free time and I should keep a vibrator handy--"

"Oh, my God! Maya!" I scold playfully and swat her arm.

"Too much information." I whisper and she just rolls her eyes.

"What? It's true. Besides, I never have any opportunity to talk about this. So anyway, sometimes I'd still be putting Hailey to sleep when Josh gets back and we'd be both tired and I was scared, you know? I didn't want to be one of those couples that need a therapist to have great sex." She says casually and I just cover my face with my palms.

"You're hilarious." I say to her and she smiles.

"I'm glad you find this amusing. So on a Friday, Josh comes back with a great wine because of some break through at work and Hailey was out like a light. So we are sipping wine in the living room and he goes, 'I bet this wine doesnt taste as good as you.' And next thing you know, I'm clutching his back in this steamy, hot--"

"Okay! Okay, okay. I get it." I say, bursting into laughter.

"But that's the best part. It doesn't top sex on the weekends though, because that's the true fun."

"You really don't have to--"

"We have all the time and yet we just get notorious. Like in the laundry room."

"Oh, God."

"The closet. The bathroom. The garage."

"Don't you have a nanny?" I ask, laughing and Maya just shrugs.

"She minds her business. I'm glad you're feeling better, though." She says and I nod.

"Me too." I say. I had come here to meet her with stories of what happened about a few days ago with the whole icecream incident.

And she promised not to let me leave without feeling better.

"So, what about you?" She asks and I look up at her.

"What about me?" I ask.

"When are you going to get back out there, Marcy?"

"Not this again." I say with a look.

"Yes, this again. Don't you miss it? Being on dates. Wondering if you'd spend the rest of your life with this person, or if it's the worst date ever, or if you should let him kiss you after the first date. If it's time to invite him in for 'coffee', and pondering whether he should come in considering he has a terrible sense of humuor which only leads to more pondering on whether he lasts long--"

"Oh, my goodness. No more, Maya." I say and she laughs.

"What? It's been years since you went on a date."

"Just two. I'm not complaining. My brother is recovering from an accident and my dad needs me and I have an over demanding boss."

"Blah, blah, blah. Ty got discharged yesterday with just a cast on his left arm, your dad's medication are finally paying off and you have your weekends free from your demanding boss. Take a break and just be a normal lady. You're not going to live like this forever, life is passing you by. Meet someone, go on a date, have fun."

"It's not like I even get asked out, Maya."

"Bullshit. Everytime we come here, the coffee guy always scribbles his number on your cup."

"You want me to go out with that guy?" I ask and we both turn to the guy behind the counter and watch as he scratches his head and sniffs it.

"Urgh. God, no." She says and I laugh.

"But you've got other guys--" she begins when my phone buzzes and I stare at it.

"I have to go, Maya. My boss will be around soon and I have to get lunch started." I say, already leaving the table.

"You can't hide forever, Marcy!" She says and I just blow her a kiss then get into the KIA and drive off.

****

As I plate Mr. Robinson's lunch of butternut salad, I can hear his car drive in. For some reason, he comes home for lunch everyday and we still dont speak to each other ever since the icecream incident a few days ago.

The door opens and I hear voices.

Great.

A guest.

"God, Kyle. That must be some maid you got, 'cos something smells good." A male voice says, slightly deeper than Mr. Robinson's voice and I keep busy at the sink when Mr. Robinson walks into the kitchen alone.

"Get the Whiskey and a çouple of glasses and bring it to the living room. Then put the food in the microwave, I'll have it later."

"Yes, Mr. Robinson." I say and move to get the glasses.

After sliding the food into the microwave, I grab the tray of glasses and whiskey and head for the living room.

Mr. Robinson and his guest have their backs to me when I get there. They're both wearing black suits and it's kind of hard to tell who is who with the two of them laughing and staring at something on the television.

"Um, Mr. Robinson?" I say and they both turn to me. I try to avoid eye contact with his guest as I move to give Mr. Robinson the tray but I'm almost positive that--

No way.

I turn back to his guest so sharply, I can almost feel my neck snap. I can't mistake those brown eyes, ever. And his hair, it's cut differently now but I've touched those locks enough to know it just by looking at it.

His brown eyes are reflecting the same shock as he stares at me.

It can't be.

"Marcy?!!!" He says and I can never mistake the way my name sounds different when he pronounces it.

Because I've spent enough time with him to know.

Flashback after flashback, moments with him come back to life almost like it was yesterday.

"Alex." I say, almost like a whisper and my body goes numb. The tray slips out of my hand and lands on the floor, shattering everything on it and instantly breaking me off the trance I was in.

I blink in realisation of what I've done and quickly look at Mr. Robinson who has an expression of a mixture of shock and anger.

"What the hell, Anne?!" He demands.

"I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up now." I say and head for the kitchen to get a mop and a broom.

I feel light headed the minute I walk into the kitchen and I can hear Mr. Robinson asking Alex how he knew my name.

Alex.

Alexander Gray, my second and only boyfriend I had in college.

Alex, the guy in his last year of school while I had just newly entered.

Alex from the party.

Alex...the one person I found difficult to forget.

I try taking a deep breath as I grab the edge of the kitchen counter when I hear fast footsteps behind me.

"Mr. Robinson, I'm--" I begin as I turn around only to face Alex.

"Alex." I say breathlessly and just as I recall what I'm supposed to do, I blink back to reality.

"Mr. Gray, I have to get busy." I say and try to head for the supplies closet when he blocks me.

"Stop with the mister business, Marcy. I cant believe you're here, that you've been this close. You're Kyle's maid?" He says and before I can answer, Mr. Robinson walks in.

"I can't talk now, Alex. I have to work." I say and he blocks me again.

"This is your job? You had so many dreams, what happened?" He äsks and I'm all to aware of Mr. Robinson standing at the door and silently watching us with a curious, thoughful gaze.

"Please. Can we just talk another time? I'll tell you whatever you want to know." I say.

"Fine. When I'm done with my business with Kyle, we'll talk." He says and let's me go. I hurry to the supply closet and get the supplies.

*****

I slide the lasagne into the oven when I hear footsteps behind me and I turn around.

Alexander Gray has his hands in his pocket, eyes on me and I know we're in the moment of truth. He'd spent all day talking business with Kyle until dinnertime and I was almost sure he would forget about me.

"Can we talk now?" He äsks and I know I have no other excuses. It'll take some time before the lasagna is ready and until then, I'm free.

"Sure." I say and before I can move, he walks over to me, reaches behind me and looses the apron.

"That wasn't necessary." I say but he acts like I'm not speaking to him as he leads me to the table and sits with me.

"I'm glad to see you turned out successful, Alex. I--"

"I've missed you, Marcy. I visited college a couple of times but you were nowhere to be found."

"That's because I dropped out, okay? You're already familiar with what was going on with my life and I needed money to help my brother school in college. But I bet you still don't want to be involved with--"

"Hey." He says and holds my hand. I look up at him and I feel the familiar weakness I always get when I'm around him. Somehow, no matter how hard I fought, I couldn't completely let go of the memories with him.

"I wasn't thinking back then, okay? I was going to graduate and you were dealing with a lot--" he begins

"But you felt pretty good after what happened at the party, even though you were leaving soon and you already planned to dump me."

"Marcy, it was stupid of me, I agree. I shouldn't have slept with you, I shouldn't have let it get that far that night. And I didn't dump you, I just didn't have my shit together." He says, squeezing my hand slightly. Seeing him here, in a suit while I'm probably reeking of spices, it should feel different considering I havent seen him for almost 3 years now.

But it's like everything happened yesterday.

"But I do now, I have it all settled. So, instead of catching up like this, would you like to go out to dinner?" He äsks and maintains eye contact.

His offer catches me offguard and I'm trying to think reasonably. Go out with my ex-boyfriend from 3 years ago?

Is that adviceable?

I know it's sort of a bad idea, considering our history together and I should just focus on my work and family.

But the conversation I had with Maya earlier today echoes in my head...

And worst of all, that vulnerable part of me that has always existed for Alex, single-handedly overpowers every sense of reasoning. Considering he is my first and I haven't been with anyone else, there is this sudden need to just be around him.

I suddenly forget everything and throw caution to the wind.

"Sure. Dinner sounds great." I say and he smiles that charming smile as he gets up.

"Good. When will you be free?"

"Saturday." I say and get up as well. The minute I'm standing up, he pulls me close and his face hovers above mine.

"I'll pick you up by 6." He says and kisses me on the cheek, a little too close to the lip, leaving me stunned and breathless as he hugs me a little too long, then he leaves.

Its almost like I'm waking up from a dream the minute he is gone and Mr. Robinson walks in, cautiously studying me.

"So....you and Gray, huh?" He asks as I slip on the apron and I just back him to check the lasagna in the oven.

"I've been working with him for a couple of years now, and we built the company together."

I roll my eyes as I begin to set the table.

"Good for you." I mutter.

"Stop being sarcastic, Anne, I'm being serious. You do know he is a major ladies' man, right?"

"Because you're such a better person, right?" I ask and give him a pointed stare. He just raises a brow and keeps his blank expression.

"Who are you to think you can judge me?" He asks.

"And who are you to think you can judge him?" I retort, suddenly defensive and Mr. Robinson glares at me. His insolence is irritating. The fact that he's so determined to keep me as his prisoned maid only makes me want to go out even more. He can't just come here and try to discourage me by bringing up tales.

"Are you so blind that you can't see I'm trying to help?"

I could laugh.

"And are you so desperate to make me miserable? So now you're such a good person, now you want to start lecturing me on the good guys. Shocker." I say and he marches up to my face.

"Can you just listen for once? Gray is my friend and partner, I've known him for two years. He literally takes women in and spits them out."

"And you're just a good citizen trying to help out? Are you so determined to just trap me here as your maid alone? God, you're ego knows no bounds, its unbelievable. You may know him but I dated him, okay? And I'll gladly have dinner with him regardless of your opinions because guess what? You have no hold on me on weekends." I say to him and he raises up both hands in surrender.

"Fine. You want to jump right into a doomed and hurtful relationship, go ahead." He says and backs away.

"Since when do you care anyway?" I ask.

"I don't." He says and leaves the kitchen.

Then the oven dings behind me.