Water Ch. 46 - Breakout 2005

Walking in the door of the 2nd home that his lover owns, Jon is equally impressed.  He looks around at the modern, yet feminine decoration and tells her, "Your view is better than mine.  This thing must have cost a fortune."  He walks over to the floor to ceiling window and looks out.

Beth is in hurry up and panic mode.  She runs in her bedroom, honestly forgetting what she had there to wear and opens the walk in doors, turns on the lights and stands there.  She has no idea what she's going to wear.  First she's thinking color, then she thinks dressy and then she decides on casual.  Jon is dressed casual, so she will be too.

Grabbing a pair of Rock and Republic jeans and a pull over red tunic, she starts to strip in her closet.  Once she is down to her bra and panties, she heads towards the bathroom to add fresh deodorant, wash her face and put some make up on.  She looks in the mirror and asks herself if she's ready, looking back at  herself, she nods her head yes.  Quick little dab of eye shadow, some mascara and some tinted lip gloss she is good to go.  Running a brush through her hair, she decided to wear it up.  A quick messy bun and some sensible flats and she's ready - well, as ready as she'll ever be. 

Turning off the lights as she leaves, she looks over at her bedside table and there is the one picture she has of Brian, left out.  The others are all in her cedar chest, in California.  She walks over and picks up the pictures, she puts her finger on the picture and traces the outline of his face, and she says to him, "I know you don't approve, but he makes me happy.  I am finally feeling again.  He makes me laugh, just like you used to."  Her eyes start to tear as she hears Jon coming up behind her.

"Hey, who are you talking to?"

She whips around and says, I was talking to Brian, and she hands Jon the picture.  He sees that she has a tear in her eye and he puts an arm around her.  "Are you okay?"  he asks, concerned that she's crying about it now, when on the plane she seemed pretty non challant about it.  "Do you need to talk about it?"  He squeezes her tight.

"No, I don't need to talk and I really am over it, I just forgot this picture was here.  I haven't been here in 6 months so when I seen it, I felt compelled to tell him that you make me laugh and that I am finally starting to feel again.   Because he would not approve of me sleeping with a married man."  She puts her head on Jon's shoulder and together they look at the picture.  It's of Beth and Brian. laying on a hammock in Hawaii. 

"Were you on vacation?  You look amazing in that suit, with that tan." he asks, pertaining to the picture.  He notices how happy they both look.

"No, it was a Deloitte retreat back in 2000.  They sent employees and significant others for a team building exercise.  It was alot of fun." she tells him a little bit more about her self.  "I haven't been back there since then."

"You haven't been back there since, how come?"

"Brian and I talked about it", she takes the picture and puts it back on the nightstand, "but we never got to it, like many other things.  Again, career came first.  Are you ready?" she turns to head towards the door.

Jon seeing what's going on here and he stops her.  "Hey, we're not going to blow over this subject, do you want to talk about it?",  he wants her to open up and tell him everything.

"I really am okay Jon.  I don't NEED to talk about it, but I love the fact that if I WANT to talk about it, I can."  she starts to leave her bedroom and stops in front of him, "Can we go meet your children now?" She just licks his lips and walks away. 

On her way out the door, she grabs a sweatshirt just in case the temperature drops and there is a chill in the air.  She ties it around her waist and away they went.

The black car waited, as it was instructed to do so.  They get in and the driver asks, "To Mercer St., sir?"

"Yep, to Mercer please."  Jon politely states his wishes.

Beth looks out the window and notices all the changes to the city since the last time she was there.  Her neighborhood looks like it had been cleaned up and some changes have been made.  She loves to see the progress in the area.  She has considered selling her New York apartment, maybe now would be a good time.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"  he grabs her hand and squeezes it.  He knows she can handle it, but is she ready. 

"I didn't think I had a choice, but yeah, I want to do this.  It seems like the next logical step in this super fast relationship."  She laughs.  She will do whatever she has to so she can have a relationship that doesn't have to be secret on any level.  She likes this guy, she thinks she's falling in love with this guy.

"I think this is the best thing to do, not only for ourselves - but my older children wonder about you.  So, we are getting many things out of the way, by doing it this fast."  not letting go of her hand, he pulls her closer and kisses her.  Reaches up and hold her face and gives her the kiss she's been needing.  The kiss that let's her know, he is hers.

Pulling up in front of the Mercer house gave her bigger butterflies that she had thought, wow, were they big.  She wasn't afraid, she was nervous.  She wanted to be liked, she wanted to be accepted.  Jon holds the entry door open for her and they head into the lobby.  All he says is, "Just be yourself.  They all will love you."  The elevator door opens and he takes her hand and leads her into the elevator.  He presses the button for his floor, and the doors close.  They are just a few seconds away from Beth meeting Dorothea and the children.

Getting off the elevator felt much like a death walk, Beth thought.  Jon guided her down a short hallway and to his front door.  He looked at her and said, "This is it, ready?"  Beth nods her head yes, and Jon opens the door.