Chapter 2

“Mom, what is wrong with you? You are burning our breakfast”, Said Kay Lynne with a worried look on her face.

“Oh shit. I am so sorry I just have a lot on my mind right now. Here just eat this damn cereal and be happy.”

“I don’t have time I am going to miss the bus,” Said Jared.

“Fine, you three walk together. Please, make sure that Heather gets on the right bus this time.”

“We will. See you later mom.”

“Sophie, come here. Now,” Alex yelled.

What now? He may as well just go to sleep. I do not feel like having sex with him, nor do I want him to even touch me. Not now. Not ever for that matter. Well, not him at least. God, Zander why can’t I just forget about you? I know I said we could not talk or even write anymore. I think I made a big mistake there. I will call Jewel and tell her to have Jake call me. Then I can take things from there.

“What? I am not in the mood Alex. Just leave me the hell alone. I have to clean this pig sty of a house, do all the damn laundry, and go to pay a few bills before I have to leave to go to work at two.”

“Why are you doing this to us? We never have sex anymore. Which is what you call it, to me it is making love. But, that is neither here nor there. So do you have an answer for that? Why are you so cold toward me? Why? Tell me. You have seen or talked to him haven’t you? He probably isn’t even in the service is he? You probably are lying to me about that too.”

“No, I have not seen or even talked to him. Yes, he is in the movie scenes. Now will you please just back the hell off? I am so sick of this, of you for that matter. What more can I tell you? Nothing ever happened. Now stop asking me about him. Let it go. If you do not let it go we are both going to end up to a point where we are going to say something we both regret later.”

At that point Sophie walked away from Alex. I do not want to hear this anymore. Alex thinks he is the judge and I am on trial. He is badgering me like I am a criminal. He is beginning to make me feel like a prisoner in my own home. He won’t let me leave the house alone. He won’t let me talk on the phone. He calls me at work to make sure that I am there. Hell the dumb ass thinks he is a warden. What am I going to do?

“Jewel, Alex is driving me fucking nuts. He is acting like he is my warden. He keeps saying he knows Zander is in town. Alex knows I have been talking to Zander. Alex knows I think about Zander constantly, all the time, nonstop. I keep trying to tell Alex that nothing happened, that Zander and I stopped writing, he just does not believe.”

“Sophie, Zander is home. He was over here last night. Josh and I were talking to him. Before Josh got home from helping your sister, Zander was asking about you. He said it hurt him pretty bad when you decided to stay with Alex. Zander also said he was not giving up that easy. He would wait for you as long as it takes for you to wake up and see the light. Zander also made it clear that he would be there for you when you need someone to pick up the pieces when Alex messes up again, and you know damn well he will. Matter of fact Zander said for you to call him. He goes back to California on December second. Of course he has to go back to finish working on the movie he has been working on. He has been here for a week already.”

“Wait so you are telling me that he still cares about me even after all I put him through. I really am not over him; he is always on my mind. Maybe, just maybe I should have just stuck it out the first time I left Alex. Man, talk about regrets, I have an ass load of them. I have so many regrets. Although I have to admit that Alex did stop drinking like I asked him to do in order to save our marriage. But, what is that? It does not make up for all the hell he has put me through. I love him, but, I am just not in love with him. I just cannot stand him anymore. Are you sure Zander still wants me to call him?”

“That is what he told us. Whether or not you call him is your decision. I cannot tell you what to do. You have to make your own decisions. You have to do what is best for you. I know how Zander feels about you. He does care about you, and he said he may even love you. He tells me everything. Zander and I are just about as close as you and I are.”

“Damn you Jewel. Okay, go ahead give me Zanders number. I will call him after Alex goes to work tonight or while Alex is asleep. I want to make sure I have enough time to talk to him and not have to worry about any interruptions. Then I can just have Zander call me back at midnight. I cannot lie I do want to talk to him as much as I can before he has to go back.”

“Here is the number; it is to his mom’s house, 555-9073. Call me later and let me know how it goes.”