"Yep. He’ll take over for the next year."


* * *

We laid in bed, having had dinner with Holden and his fiancé. It had been fun. Holden had turned into quite the looker, just like his sister.

I was laying on my side, Haley laying on her back, the covers ending at her waist. My heart was still racing after the make-out session we’d just had. Damn, that woman could kiss. She was still looking at me with those half-lidded eyes, so damned sexy.

My eyes trailed down her body until they landed on her breasts. I could tell she was still turned on, the small peaks stretching her shirt even tighter across her breasts. Getting an evil idea, I reached my hand up under the shirt, resting it on the warm skin of her stomach. Haley watched me, her eyes going from my hand up to my eyes, and back.

"I love these things, you know," I said quietly, my hand snaking its way up, feeling just the rounded underside of her breast.

"Oh, yeah?" I nodded.

"Oh, yeah." My fingertips ran all along the curves, the skin sinfully soft and smooth.

"Be careful," she said, her voice more than a little breathy. "Those are pretty sensitive."

"And this is a problem because..." I looked at her, daring her to do something as my fingers began to trail circles around the breast, moving in a little closer to the bull’s-eye with each pass.

"Well, I just don’t know. I guess you’ll have to wait and see."

"I’m a gambling girl. Sure, why not." My fingers passed just over the tightened skin, making Haley suck in a breath, her hips immediately shooting off the bed. "Ohhh, I like that." I made another pass, suddenly finding myself on my back, and Haley straddling me. Her mouth was fierce, taking what it wanted, her hands pinning me to the mattress. I could barely breath, but I didn’t care. My body began to buck up into hers, when with a groan from me, she pulled away, removing herself from me, but laying beside me, holding herself up on her elbow.

She was grinning down at me, who was completely breathless.

"I warned you." She grinned.

"Whoa. No shit." She looked at my body, my tank halfway pulled up my stomach. She brought a hand to me, running her nails across my skin, sending chills up my spine, yet again. The nails made their way up under my shirt, right up between my breasts, and out the neckline of the shirt, up my throat and to my chin, fingertips resting against my lips. I kissed it, then it snaked its way back down, stopping at my breasts.

I knew that Haley had no experience with these, except for mine so many years ago. I lay still, letting her explore.

"Breasts are truly amazing," she mused, running her fingers all around mine, doing what I had done to her, slow circles under my shirt, getting closer to my nipple with every circle. "Calming and comforting from a mother, and sexy as hell from a lover."

"You have no idea," I breathed, my eyes closing as her fingers took the nipple between them, gently squeezing, tugging. My breathing was shallow at best, my body moving to the rhythm she was setting.

"It seems as though you’re pretty sensitive, too." She chuckled, I nodded.

"Yup. And just a warning, but if you don’t stop soon, you’ll get more than you bargained for."

Again that evil chuckle. Haley took her hands away from me, and kissed me, soft, calming.

"Let’s go to sleep," she whispered against my lips. I nodded, getting myself under control.

I could tell we were both in a lot of pain that night.


* * *

They say time marches on, waiting for no man nor beast. And certainly for no broken heart.

I sat on a box of blankets, supposed to be taping it up and labeling it, but I couldn’t bring myself to even breathe, yet alone do this simple task. I held Fred, Haley’s original Koosh, in my hands, the colorful rubber spines tickling my fingers as I turned it over and over.

Finally, knowing time was short, I stood, turning to the box, and did what I was asked. I could hear Haley upstairs, pulling clothes from the closet, and putting them into boxes or garment bags. I looked around the living room, the TV and all other electronics already packed away. The empty entertainment system stared at me, almost mocking me with the holes, once filled with VCRs and DVD players, and her stereo.

I picked up the box that I had just filled, taped and labeled, and headed outside.

It was the second week of May, and it was a beautiful day. Yet anther thing to mock me.

I set the box on the back bumper of my Jeep, and slid it in next to the others. The plan was to head to Winston so Haley could stop on the way and say goodbye to Kendall, and then to my mother. We’d stop at a post office somewhere along the way to ship this stuff to California.

Leaning against the back bumper, I felt my chest tighten, my eyes close from the pain. I felt so lost already, my heart broken, what felt like, beyond repair. Then I felt the familiar stinging behind my eyes. I had done so much of this lately.

Taking several deep breaths, I tried to get myself under control. I didn’t want to fall apart in front of Haley.

I headed back into the house, seeing Haley gathering stuff from the dining room table, putting it in boxes. She looked at me. I could see how red her eyes were. From fresh tears. I smiled at her, she smiled back, then turned back to what she was doing. I turned my attention to the few things that hung on the walls. I’d always wondered why this place looked as though she hadn’t fully moved in.

I smiled ruefully. Now I knew.

She had more boxes stacked, ready to be labeled and loaded. Without words between us, we made a quick, efficient team. Times like this I wished I were an incompetent dolt.

Dutifully I carried box after box out until the Jeep was completely loaded, even with one of the back seats folded down. I had to make enough room for Kendall to be able to sit, but other than that, we were full.

I headed back into the house, looked around.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah." Haley stacked a few boxes next to the door. "All that’s left is my bed, and what’s going to my parent’s house."

"Okay, that’s good. We’re full."

Haley sighed, tired, just like me. She looked at me, her hands in the back pockets of her shorts, hair bound up on top of her head.

"Are you ready?" I nodded, leading the way out to my car. I felt like I was leading a funeral march, burying that part of me that had effectively been killed. You don’t know how often I thought about the fact that we could be packing my stuff right now, too, and this could be a happy time; a time of new beginnings.

But, I’d made my bed, and it was time to lie in it. I just hoped none of the nails would leave scars.

We piled in, the slamming of the doors reminding me of that of a prison cell door. Yeah, I knew I was being pretty dramatic, but that’s how I felt; everything was exaggerated right now. Every sense, every feeling, every pain.

The drive toward Winston was very quiet, subdued. I wanted to believe that it was equally hard for Haley. She leaned against the passenger door, watching the scenery fly by, her hand resting on my leg. In the last few weeks, it was rare when we were together for her not to be touching me in some way. I had reveled in it, needing the support and connection as much as she did, yet I had began to pull away, too. I had started to notice it one night about two weeks ago.

Earlier I had not really allowed myself to think about Haley’s leaving. After the initial pain and shock of hearing it, I had successfully pushed it out of my mind. I was good at that. But soon there was just no way of doing that, anymore. It was real, it would happen, and it was coming.

So, what better way than to just start steeling myself for it now.

"Andi?" I glanced at Haley, shaking myself out of my melancholy thoughts. Might as well save some for later.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said, her voice quiet and gentle.

"For what?" She smiled, shrugging.

"Just for being you. For helping me. For not hating me."

"I don’t hate you, Haley. Quite the opposite, really. I hurt, as I’m sure you are, but I do understand. Were I in your situation, I imagine I’d be doing the same thing."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yes. We both have responsibilities, and though I think our priorities could use some serious work, we do have separate lives."

Haley said nothing, but did squeeze my thigh, running her fingers over the skin there.

Soon we reached the Torrini’s place. Kendall knew we were coming, but didn’t know why. I had already talked with Michelle and Vince, asking for permission to take Kendall with me to California over the summer.

The front door opened as we made our way up the path. Michelle appeared in the door, a smile on her face. She reached for Haley, hugging her, and patting her on the back.

"Good luck, Haley."

"Thank you. And thanks for letting Kendall come visit." Michelle squeezed Haley’s hand and smiled.

"Andi! Haley!" Small but loud feet came tearing down the staircase, and then one excited little girl appeared.

"Hey, you!" I knelt down, taking her into my arms, and gave her a monster hug. Then the girl turned to Haley, who hugged her tight, blue eyes closed. I figured this would be painful for Haley, as well.

Vince shook Haley’s hand, then we were off. We managed to fit my daughter, who questioned the reason for all the boxes, into the back, and headed for her favorite place to eat.

I sat across from Haley and Kendall, wanting to give Haley as much opportunity to be with her as possible. I truly believe that she loved Kendall as if she were her own daughter. That was enough to make me love Haley that much more.