When Keith Manning walked up to his friend's house, he just opened the door. Calling earlier, Kelly had told him that he'd be leaving it unlocked for him to come straight in. Keith found the man on the couch, litter and clutter surrounding him including stacks of VHS tapes. He knew they were game tapes. Without a word he sat down adjacent to him in an armchair, all the while his eyes glued to the screen. Kelly had been watching a defensive play. He sat there for a few moments, staying quiet as he watched Kelly rewind it to a certain part, over and over again. He tried to be delicate with this situation, noticing the lifelessness in his friend's eyes, the mustard stain on his white-t shirt, the soda that dripped out of a can that was turned on its side right in front of him on the coffee table.

Finally Manning said, "Kelly, what you doing?"

Kelly shrugged.

"Come on man, you missed the last practice. Looking at this shit is all good but the only thing that's gonna make you better is-"

"Dallas offered." Kelly said cutting him off.

Manning sat up straighter, his wide body and long brown limbs seeming to overtake and dominate the chair he sat in, "You leaving us?"

"Why not? Everybody leaving me."

"She ain't everybody. I didn't leave you. Team didn't leave you. Coach didn't leave you."

Manning noticed the divorce papers in front of him, folded in thirds. Her signature was obvious and glaring in blue ink scratched in with a needle pointed pen. He picked them up, held them in his hands, "I'm real sorry man."

Suddenly the phone rang. Kelly took his time finally answering, already knowing who it was.

"Kelly why haven't you been answering my calls? I've been calling you ever since you've gotten back from Nevada."

"How you know when I got back? Your spies?" He grumbled into the phone as he lay on his side, still using the remote to rewind the tape back.

"Kelly did she sign?"

"No." He said looking sideways at his friend who seemed to be staring at the television.

"What! Kelly you've got to get her to sign! I can't hold off Dallas forever! Why won't she sign huh? What is up with her? She wants a piece doesn't she? Well you tell her to spend someone else's money on her girlfriend and get her to sign!"

He was quiet for a moment until he said, "I gotta go."

"You know what? You're dragging your ass on this for what reason? I don't know. This is your future Kelly! Fuck it, I'll get her to sign. Even if I have to go down there myself."

"No!" Kelly found himself barking as he sat up, "Leave her alone."

There was silence on the line until she said, "What's gotten into you? Don't you understand?"

"Why do you need to know so bad if she signed the papers? All you need to get is your cut anyway right?"

"I'm only thinking of you."

"Well stop. If I say I'll get her to sign it, then I'll get her to sign it. And if Dallas can't wait they can go fuck themselves." As he said this he noticed Manning looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yeah," Kelly continued, "And if I find out you're bothering her I'm going to find another agent to handle Dallas. You know anyone will take me right now."

He heard a tightness in her voice, "Are you serious? I got you Dallas. Me. No one else believed in you to get this type of contract rolling Kelly. You could be set for life." He looked over at Manning who was staring at him intently.

"But you wanna fuck it up playing games with that black bitch."

"What did you say?"

She didn't answer.

"What the fuck did you call her?"

Manning noticed the anger slowly emerging on Kelly's face and wondered exactly what did she (who he assumed was Calvert, his agent), call her (who he assumed was Clinton, his soon to be ex-wife).

"Kelly, I apologize. Kelly listen I'm sorry." She began stammering, "I've just been a mess, I just thought that one day you'd come back to me and we'd."

"I was never with you. You fucking slut."

Manning jumped back, startled by this language. What the hell was going on here?

He heard her sniffling on the phone, "Don't act like you don't like it."

"Fuck you Kelly," She whispered, "I should quit on you. I should fuck this all up but I have more riding on this than you do so if you're going to act like a child then I'm going to let you get lost like one. All I need you to do is sign the contract okay? Come by tomorrow and sign it."

He sighed, and then hung up the phone.

"Damn man," Manning said, "What was that about?"

Kelly didn't answer, he just stood up. "Wanna brew?"

He walked toward the kitchen and Manning tried to figure out exactly what was going on. He knew about Trisha and his past affair, but he was trying to piece together the situation now. It seemed like Kelly had totally lost control.

When he came back, he handed the man his beer and then sat back down.

"Kelly," Manning said, "You gotta talk to me. That's why I came here today. You've been tripping man. I don't know. You gotta shake this off. You cheated on your wife, she left you."

Kelly winced, realizing that even his closest friend Manning didn't know that Clinton had cheated on him too, and with a woman no less. People knowing this could've either embarrassed him or gained him sympathy but he wasn't thinking about that. He just didn't want anyone talking about her in any derogatory fashion. He thought this even back when he was trying to hurt her and hate her.

"And now you telling whoever that was, that you can't get her to sign the papers?" He picked them up again, "Dude, they're right here. You're in denial."

"Maybe, but that's not why I lied." He said sipping his beer, "Tired of that bitch being in my business. Tired of her trying to force me into this goddamned contract."

"Trisha?"

"Yeah. Fuck her."

"That was the problem wasn't it?"

Kelly shot him a look.

"Look man, all I'm saying is move on. Either you stay with us, or you go with them. But you can't sit up in this house rotting with these tapes."

"I've got new strategies." Kelly said, "I'm focused now."

"So what's that supposed to mean? Focused? You don't look focused to me. You look broken the hell down. You were doing alright till you went down to get her to sign those papers man. What happened?"

Kelly looked at Manning as he brought he lip of the beer's bottle to his lips, "Can I trust you with this? With everything you're hearing? With what I'm telling you?"

"Sure as pussy is pink man. I won't say shit about Dallas or anything else."

"She's got cancer."

Manning's jaw dropped. He put down his beer and leaned back in his chair, "Oh shit man. Clint?"

"My baby," he whispered under his breath, "And she don't want anything to do with me."

"Wow." Manning said. For a while the three letter word was all he could manage to say in rapid succession. "I know you're feeling guilty but."

"It's not that. I love her. Everyone keeps saying I'm trying to pity her. I know what I feel."

"You do?"

"Hell yeah. And I want her back. But I don't know what to do." He ran a hand through his short hair and sighed. "Fuck. I don't know what to do."

"So you know what you feel? You just don't know what to do?"

He nodded.

"But you told me you went down there to cut her off?"

"Trisha led me to believe some bullshit that made me want to cut her off, but not really you know? I mean, she had me thinking she was living it up with my money and another." He didn't finish the sentence.

"Another dude? How in the hell did Trisha know?"

"Exactly. She always in my business. I'm tired of her manipulating me and shit. Fuck her. I went down there, realized that everything she had told me was false. Now, sick or not, I know we belong together." Kelly went on to narrate the entire encounter between he and Clinton, and how she had found the papers, signed them, and sent him on his way.

"Well," Manning said stretching out his long legs in front of him, "You've been saying how your dad wants Dallas, and you seem to hate being here. There's nothing here for you. So I guess it's an easy decision."

He looked up at Manning, squaring his eyes before he said, "Yeah, real easy huh?"

"Hey," Manning said putting up a hand defensively, "I'm keeping it real. I thought that's what you wanted. I mean she's not coming back. So now you can do what you really want. I know you wanted to wrestle, but if that deal with Dallas is half as good as I think it is and if you're Dad still wants it badly then maybe you should just do what's right."

"Yeah," He said, "You're right."

The next day he arrived at Trisha's office by mid afternoon. She got up from her desk as soon as she saw him. She had to stop herself from throwing her arms around him as she said, "You're ready aren't you?"

"Give me the contract."

She walked back over to her desk saying, "Well, I mean, I know this is a sensitive subject for some reason but are the papers signed?"

"Yeah. They're all ready to go."

She smiled as she handed him the contract, "Fantastic, I know some lawyers who can get this ball rolling quickly. I want to make sure you're divorced before we actually."

She trailed off, watching something she never thought she'd see anyone do. He ripped the contract over and over again in pieces as small as possible while she just stood there awestruck. Then he dropped the papers to the floor in a flourish.

"What have you done?" Trisha asked, her throat feeling extra dry and tight as she stared on the tiny pieces on the floor.

"I'm staying here. The Cruisers are my team." He said right before turning around and walking away.

"No," Trisha yelled shaking her head, "You've lost your mind. Look I'll get more drawn up okay just."

As he opened her door he said, "And oh yeah, you're fired."

He left, slamming the door behind him. Not believing what had just happened, she dropped to her knees amongst the carnage of paper and her own dreams. "Damn." She whispered. "This is not the way it was supposed to go down." It was then that she knew that her saga with Kelly Phillips was now over.



"You don't think it's odd that three months after he's been here, you still haven't heard anything from any lawyers or anything?" Gretchen asked her sister as they waited in the waiting room of Clinton's doctor's office.

"Maybe these things take awhile." Clinton said tapping her feet rapidly against the floor. She was in a waiting room, anxiously waiting some test results which would tell her if her cancer had gone into remission or not. It sure felt as if it had. Her chemo treatments were finished and she felt and looked way better than she once had. She sure hoped she wouldn't have to go through this again.

"Don't you think he's had enough time?" Gretchen continued to question as she flipped through a Cosmo magazine.

"He's got a lot to deal with. Besides we are already separated. There's no huge rush for a divorce." Clinton shrugged.

"Do you hear yourself?"

Clinton didn't answer, she was too busy looking at her watch. They'd been there for a good half hour just waiting to see the doctor.

She heard Gretchen scoff, "He sure didn't wait to tell everyone you were sick."

She heard her sister talking about Kelly, but wasn't really interested in what she had to say about him. She knew that Gretchen was becoming very protective of her, and when it came to Kelly she was not exactly a part of his fan club. She painted Kelly as fickle and controlling, only wanting what he wanted when he wanted it. However, Clinton knew he was sincere, and she also knew he was hurting. They had spoken a few times on the phone in the past few months just so he could know how she was coming along. Anytime she mentioned the divorce he sort of just avoided the subject. Eventually she'd learned to stop mentioning it at all, convinced that he'd follow through when he was ready.

"He didn't do it on purpose," Clinton explained, "You know how close he is to August. He had to tell August because August is who he goes to now to talk and it must've been on his mind."

"Well now everyone knows." Gretchen said, "I do NOT appreciate Mom sticking around for nearly three weeks when she found out."

"It wasn't so bad." Clinton smiled. She and her mother were on better terms. They had pushed their animosity to the side at least for now. Nora seemed genuinely concerned for her daughter.

"You and this 'look on the bright side' crap." Gretchen rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you tell me to stay optimistic? Isn't that what everyone tells me?"

"You don't have to defend him constantly."

Clinton sighed, knowing she was talking about Kelly. "I wish you would just cut him some slack Gretch."

"Cut him some what?" She said tossing down the heavy glossy magazine. "All he ever did was stress you out. Probably made the cancer appear in the first place."

"Gretchen please. When you keep on bitching about him it stresses me out." Clinton looked into her sister's dark deep large brown eyes, "Seems like you want me to be pissed at him or something."

Gretchen took a deep breath and covered her sister's hand with her own, "My bad girl. It's going to take me a long time to forgive him."

"Why?"

"Because you're my little sister." Gretchen shrugged, "I guess it really hurts to have him hurt you. He acts all concerned now but who says he wont change lanes all of a sudden?"

"Well you weren't always this concerned about me, in fact, that's an understatement."

Gretchen looked away in shame.

"But I forgave you. You changed lanes so many times but that doesn't mean that this time won't be the time that you'll stay the course." She grabbed her sister's thigh reassuringly, "I have faith in you."

Gretchen's chest heaved in with a deep breath. "Well, I suppose you have faith in him too?"

"I think he's at a crossroads, just like I am." Clinton said slowly shaking her head, "And I understand how that's like."

"When you'd get so wise?" Gretchen asked. Before Clinton could answer, her doctor appeared from a back corridor, "Ms. Phillips I'll see you now."

Once in the back examining room the doctor wasted no time telling her the good news. Remission. It wasn't guaranteed that the leukemia wouldn't show up again, but this definitely was still the best news someone like her could get. Clinton clasped her hands against her mouth and closed her eyes, tears streaming from beneath the eyelids as her sister embraced her tightly.

"We did it." Gretchen said.

"Me and." Clinton paused, thinking of the same thing she used to tell her husband. "Me and you against the world Gretch. Me and you."

Clinton could hardly sleep that night. It was hard convincing Gretchen to hold off on saying anything to their parents. Clinton wanted to surprise them with the good news, but she didn't know how or when exactly. For the most part, there was nothing in Sleepyton, Nevada for her now. It was time to move on with her life. She had been toying around with the idea of continuing her studies at Cooper Union, wondering if they'd readmit her. She could go back to New York and spend time with her father again. It would make up for her hiding her illness from him. She knew he still harbored a grudge about that.

"New York? Why not?" She said out loud in the dark as she stared at the ceiling. She was a free woman now since she and Kelly would be (eventually) getting their divorce soon. But if she was free, how come she wasn't ecstatic? How come she felt as if something were missing, even though she basically cheated death?

"Kelly." She nearly whispered. She kept thinking about him and why they had fell apart. It was him, it was her.it was them both. She sighed as she sat up, wondering why they couldn't talk to each other, why he had to go to another woman, because after all she already knew why she went to another woman. They couldn't even communicate each other's basic wants and needs to each other.

"I bet he could do that with Trisha." She felt pangs of anger and jealousy as she remembered his words about Trisha, " I treated her like a slut. She liked it. She wore skimpy lingerie, high heels, all these kinky outfits and she got wild and crazy. But with you it was different."

She was different. She knew she couldn't explain away the situation as glibly as that, but what is it that they say men want?

"A lady in the street, and a whore in the bedroom." She whispered to herself as she hugged her knees to her chest. She had tried enticing him before in her little bikini as she washed his truck and before that she had purchased lingerie from Fredericks of Hollywood, but she never got to use that. Maybe he just wanted raw, wild sex. She couldn't help thinking that he would always see her as little innocent Clinton, the young girl he thought he had seduced and made fall in love with him.

"Damn, no wonder he felt so guilty," She thought. "I should've been a woman with him. A grown assed woman." She knew that she was demure and let him get his way most of the time. She knew that she was patient and had put up with his bullshit, and when she did argue with him, she ran away before they could even resolve anything or even get too heated. So he treated Trisha like slut. While that doesn't mean that's how she needed to be in order to be seen as a grown, desirable, sexy woman in his eyes, she knew that she was the total opposite of a slut. She was willing to provide him with sex anytime he needed it but she had to admit that most of the time he was doing things just to make sure she was satisfied.but had she ever tried to satisfy him? Had she ever experimented and asked him what he liked? What he didn't like? It was sad because she felt more uninhibited with Moo than she ever had with Kelly, and it was some of the most intense, kinkiest, satisfying sex ever. It seemed embarrassing for some reason to talk about this with him, but now, after all she had been through, this would've seemed like nothing at all.

If they could've just been honest and open with each other, about more than just sex, then maybe they might still be together.

"It could've began with sex," she thought to herself, "And ended with us."

She tried to go back to sleep but visions of Trisha and Kelly stayed in their mind. She imagined them in all sorts of positions, her doing things to him that she could never do, him looking at her and wanting her in her high heels and sexy lingerie. Surprisingly, and strangely enough, this aroused her. She should've been angry, but perhaps that even added to her lust.

She slid her hand between her thighs and found her clit, as she flicked her way to a sweet orgasm, she imagined those two doing what before tonight, seemed unimaginable.

Then she imagined herself doing those things with him. And she shivered again with another mounting climax.

Hours later Clinton went into Gretchen's room, flopping on her bed and waking her.

"Dammit Clinton."

"I want to go back to Cali."

"What? When?"

"As soon as possible. Tomorrow."

Gretchen sat up on her elbows and wiped her eyes, "Clinton, I know we're eventually going to leave here, but moving is going to take longer than a day."

"Okay, well we can pack as much as possible and go back to LA. We don't have much."

Gretchen sat up and yawned with curiosity as she listened to her little sister.

"You can go back to work and I can start getting my stuff together."

"You mean you're going to stay.live in LA?"

"Sure, for now." Clinton said, not revealing that she eventually planned to move to New York. She needed to get back to California because she had some unsettled business to take care of.

Gretchen groaned and covered herself up again, "That's great, we'll talk about it later."

"I'll let you take me shopping."

Gretchen peeked from beneath her covers, staring at her sister suspiciously yet with interest.

"I'll let you give me a whole makeover in fact."

"What the.why?" Gretchen asked her brows bunched in confusion.

"If I tell you, you're going to laugh at me."

Gretchen sat back up again, "I swear I won't." She caressed Clinton's face, lighting the girl up with a reassured smile. "Now tell me what this is all about. You've never been all about makeovers before."

"I know but I feel ugly."

"Clinton you're very pretty. And you look so much healthier than before."

"I know but I want to feel sexy too. Feel and look sexy."

Gretchen's mouth dropped open, "My little tomboy sister, who the last time I saw in a dress was her wedding day, wants to feel and look sexy?"

Clinton nodded bashfully, "It's stupid but I do want to be sexy."

"Like a girl?"

"Yes!" Clinton yelled as she laughed.

"Why the change Clint?"

"Well, I'm twenty-two years old, I've just shook off death and I'm ready to live."

"Nice sound bite. You've been on the west coast too long."

Clinton sucked her teeth, "Come on Gretchen."

"Would this have anything to do with Kelly?"

"What?"

"You heard me right. Tell me I'm wrong."

Clinton didn't answer.

"What have you got to prove to him anyway?"

"I think I want to prove something to myself."

Gretchen gave a sly knowing smirk and then threw the covers off of her. "Well either way, you know what to say to a girl to get her out of bed. I mean, according to Moo, the opposite was always true."

When Gretchen stood up her sister playfully swatted her on the ass.

"Owww!"

"You think you're so funny." Clinton smiled, as her sister protested before she lumbered off to the bathroom. She knew their feud was really over if they could joke about Moo. She could hear the shower running and smell the strong scent of her sister's soap wafting from the bathroom.

"She's getting ready," Clinton thought, "and I already am."



"Damn," Gretchen exclaimed as she watched her sister walk back in forth in front of a mirror in a pair of tight designer jeans.

Clinton turned around and gave her a questioning look, "How are we? Good?"

"How could you even ask that." Gretchen said shaking her head, "For once, I can't even hate. You look damned good Clinton."

Clinton tried to supress a smile as she looked at her profile in the mirror. She had gained back her weight and was looking healthy again. She thought of the round mound protruding from the dip in her back, "Yep. Got my ass back."

"I'm so jealous." Gretchen cooed. A saleswoman approached them and asked, "Will you be taking those?"

"Hell yeah," Gretchen said, "she sure will." Gretchen and Clinton had been staying in Gretchen's old apartment since they came back into town. They were trying to keep their arrival back into town as low key as possible since Clinton wanted to tell everyone about her good news in her own way.

After the saleswoman left Clinton went back into the dressing room while Gretchen sat outside waiting. "You know," Clinton said, "This is all good and everything but I was hoping to get some stuff that was you know.sexier?"

"The stuff you tried on today is sexy."

"I mean something I don't usually wear."

Gretchen smirked, "Oh I know what you mean."

"You do?"

"Sluttier. Just say it girl. Sluttier. Ain't nothing wrong with it. Let me hook you up."



Kelly had just left the arena, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, his cap turned to the back. Suddenly he heard a voice calling his name. He turned around and saw Manning bounding towards him, "Hold up man, aren't you coming with us to celebrate?"

Kelly shrugged. He was ecstatic that they'd won the first game of the season in their hometown and that they'd all played the best they've ever played but he felt somewhat empty still. Manning slowed down his pace to meet his friend's as they walked toward Kelly's truck, "You alright? Man, you should be happy. You was taking 'em down. I guess all that 'research' you did helped huh?"

"Extra practices don't hurt either," Kelly nearly mumbled.

"You did good. Staying with us." Manning said this as they stopped in front of Kelly's car. "I know you wanted Dallas.shit I know you wanted wrestling but."

Kelly shook his head as he opened the door of his car, "I can't do that. I don't know if I ever can. By the time I get the chance the opportunity might be gone. I might be injured."

"Wait," Manning said holding up a hand, "What do you mean you 'cant'?"

"Only big stars get the money like that. It takes a lot of time for not that much money if you think about it. You put yourself on the line constantly."

"Since when has it been about money?" Manning said, "I know that dude from OVW could hook you up if wanted in. Listen," Manning put a hand on Kelly's shoulder, "You're not happy. I mean you were never happy I guess but now it's like I don't know.I'm not trying to get all touchy feely Dr. Phil on you but you just seem.lost."

Kelly was surprised by Manning's concern, but he didn't want anyone worrying about him. "I'm not lost I know what I have to do. Besides I'm playing good. I'm good."

"So you really want to play football?"

"I have to.I mean I'd rather just stay here with you guys but the money is still damned good."

"Money?" Manning squinted, "What do you need all this money for? You're a free man basically. Clinton doesn't want anything from you. Shit." Manning just remembered something, "Kelly you guys still aren't divorced are you?"

"Technically no."

"And she hasn't said anything about it?" Manning said in disbelief, "Wow."

"She's got more serious things to worry about. Like living." Kelly finally got into his car, and closed the door. "Anyways I'll see you later."

"Hold up man," Manning said shaking his head, "Just put me on about this. I'm real confused. You don't want to wrestle, you're not divorcing Clinton, you might not even want to be playing football, but you're doing it for the money?"

Kelly sighed, "You should take Dr. Phil's slot Manning. You're good at getting people to talk about shit that they don't want to talk about."

"I thought we was tight man," Manning said stepping back, "but if you don't want to tell me."

"It's real simple." Kelly interrupted, "Chemotherapy costs money. A lot of money. Best cancer doctors on the west coast cost a lot of money too. And medicine."

Manning blinked a couple of times, "You're doing this for her? But I thought you weren't even together?"

Kelly shook his head, "You just don't get it Manning." Kelly turned the key to his ignition.

"Hey I get it, I get it!" Manning said hurriedly before Kelly drove off, "You love her no matter what. You want her to get better, I know. It's just that I don't know what you're thinking or feeling. You're one quiet moody dude sometimes."

Kelly cut the engine. "Yeah, sometimes."

"You still really love her don't you? Cancer or not?"

Kelly didn't answer but then again he didn't have to.

"Well then that's why you're not happy. You don't have your woman by your side, man. You gotta get her back."

"She doesn't want me."

"I bet she does. She probably just doesn't want to burden you with her problems."

Kelly shrugged remembering that conversation he had with her on her front porch. She had said something like that, but was that good enough reason for them to be apart? Why was she so adamant about not being with him unless she just didn't want him? He looked at Manning, light of the parking lot glinted off of his shiny bald milk dud like head. His gut was telling him something. His gut, his heart and his head.

"I need to be with her." He said softly.

"Try again," Manning shrugged, "put your mind to it and try again."

As Kelly drove off, that's exactly what he set his mind to doing.



"So when do you want to 'surprise' him?" Gretchen said as she snacked on a carrot and Clinton surveyed her purchases, laying them out on her sister's bed.

"I don't know," she said, "Soon before people catch wind of me being here. Tomorrow? Where can I find him tomorrow?"

"Oh I know," Gretchen said as she uncrossed her legs, "Have your 'lawyer' call him and ask to meet with him somewhere."

Clinton looked at her sister as if she were crazy, "What?"

"A divorce lawyer. You can say you used someone in LA. You can get someone to call him, make like your lawyer, say you want to iron some things out and you want to move forward yadda yadda yadda."

Clinton winced, "That's mean though. "

"Even better when you show up all sexy and everything," Gretchen smiled, "ready and willing in the flesh."

"He'll be pissed."

"So? It's not like you don't really need to do that anyway," Gretchen rolled her eyes.

Clinton sighed and sat down on the bed still in her bathrobe. "What if he brings his own lawyer?" She had just gotten back from a spa visit and felt all loose and relaxed though she was still anxious about this rendezvous with Kelly, hoping it would all work out.

"Leave it up to me. You just show up."

"I don't know Gretchen it doesn't sound-"

"What do you expect to happen from this Clinton? Honestly?" she interrupted her younger sister.

Clinton turned to look at her sister and shrugged.

"I know you want to prove something but.are you saying you wanna be with him after this if he loses his damn mind over some good sex?"

"I don't know." Clinton shrugged again, "Can we think about this afterwards? All of a sudden you want to be all pensive and shit. All I care about is what I planned to do."

Gretchen laughed while chewing on another carrot stick, "Okay, but when it hits the fan don't say I didn't yell 'duck'."

Meanwhile, Kelly had just arrived in Sleepyton, pulling up in front of the house Clinton once rented. He took a deep breath and got out of the car. As he approached the house he noticed that it was dark but he thought nothing of it. As he rang the doorbell, butterflies flew around in his stomach. He tried to figure out exactly what he would say to her. He was so wrapped up in this that he didn't realize he had been standing out there for a couple of minutes already. He rang the doorbell again. Once, twice, three times. Then over and over again until he was anxious, "Shit, they're not home." He turned toward the street, noticing the car that they drove was nowhere in sight. "Where'd they go?"

Suddenly he felt a buzzing in his pocket. His phone was ringing.

"Hello? What? Clinton's lawyer?"

After he hung up the phone he felt a sinking feeling in his gut. It was as if someone had punched him right in the stomach. He had felt like crying. "She can't be serious."

Her lawyer wanted to meet him tomorrow at his office just to go over a few things. He gleaned that she'd gotten someone from LA so that he could reach him easily.

"Damn," he said wanting to talk to her right at this moment. He began ringing her doorbell again with fruitless results. Sighing he sat down on the first step of the porch and let his shoulders sink low. "She really wants me out of her life.why couldn't she have come to me first?"

He was angry and sad at the same time, not knowing what to do. He had driven all the way here and was exhausted. The meeting was tomorrow in the afternoon. He could get his lawyer to go there without him but he needed to be there to see how real this thing was.

He called his lawyer and told him the details and then he called someone else.



Gretchen walked up to her sister who sat in the stylist's chair looking at her hair in the mirror. Gretchen ran her fingers through her sister's short fluffy wisps of dark brown curls. She usually did that whenever she got the chance, she just couldn't resist. She was her sister's main stylist for months and was used to touching her soft pretty hair. She almost became jealous that someone else would be doing it in a few moments. She liked Clinton's hair short and naturally wavy over the long straight hair that covered up her sweet innocent face.

A warmness suddenly filled Gretchen until she heard her sister say, "Can you stop petting me like a dog?"

Gretchen pulled her hand away from the girl's head, "Oops."

"Anything new happen? I saw you on your phone."

"Oh yeah, we found out what lawyer he's using since he called Danny back." Danny was the actor Gretchen used to play Clinton's lawyer on the phone. "Now all I have to do is call his lawyer back and get him to not show up without tipping off Kelly. How though?"

"Well technically you are his sister-in-law. Say his family is throwing him a big surprise party for winning the first game of the season. That way he definitely won't show up since it's not billable hours."

"Hmm.that might work."

A cocoa brown complexioned woman came over dressed in all black wielding a rattail comb, her huge hair blown out and touching the sky in a fluffy soft afro. "You ready sweety?" She said to Clinton.

Clinton pointed to a picture in a magazine. It was one of Halle Berry's infamously short cuts cropped around her face in a short chocolate brown pixie style, the hair swirling in shiny curly wisps that hugged her head.

"Your hair's not that different from hers," The stylist said, "This is going to be easy."

Gretchen began to back up, knowing that she'd probably start to add her two cent to the situation because of her overprotectiveness, "Clint I'll be over here seeing about that office space I rented."

"Why don't you get your hair done too?" Clinton said as the stylist prompted her to get up and go towards the shampooing area. She knew that once that phone call was over, Gretchen would get restless and hover over her for the rest of the salon visit. If she was getting something done herself then maybe she'd be too busy over directing her own stylist.

"Hmmm," Gretchen said noticing that her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, "Yeah I've been letting myself go lately.it sounds like a good idea."

Clinton breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her sister being ushered away by another stylist.

After Clinton had her hair washed, she sat patiently in her chair, waiting for a new person to emerge in the mirror in front of her. She didn't think she had much hair in the couple of months it took to grow back, but as the stylist snipped away, she could see dense amounts being cut away and falling to the floor. Slowly she saw her face, her bone structure emerging.

"Makeup," she thought to herself. "That's what I'll need.

"Hey do you know anyone who can beat a good face?" She asked her hairdresser, "I'm having a 'thing' tomorrow evening and you know how that is."

"Hmm." Her stylist said, "It's short notice, but I can get you in touch with Evette."

"Is Evette good?"

"Fierce. You'll just have to call her as soon as possible. I'll be right back, I'm going to get the number from my phone." As her stylist walked away, Clinton fished inside of her bag to retrieve her own cell phone so that she could store the number. Much to her chagrin, the battery was dead. She always forgot to charge her phone. She groaned as she turned her phone back on hoping it would have enough juice to save a number. She could've used Gretchen's phone but it appears she was in the process of an elaborate highlight job. Clinton sighed, "Ill just use Cheri's phone when she comes back."

By the time she had decided this, her phone was powered up. For the fleeting moments that the phone remained on before blacking out again, she saw that she had new voicemail messages. She scrunched up her brows and wondered who could've called.

Cheri returned with her cell phone and Clinton told her about her situation.

"Oh well I'll call her for you," Cheri offered beginning to dial the number.

"Before you do that can I use your phone to check my voicemail?" She was curious, hoping that it wasn't her doctors pulling a "Gotcha" on her by telling her she really wasn't in remission.

After Cheri had handed her the phone Clinton dialed her own number and put in her pass code. The recording had told her she'd gotten two new messages that had been left late last night. Since she doesn't remember anyone calling she knew that her phone had to be sitting dead in her purse for a little over a day.

Hearing the voice in first message made her heart jump. "Kelly," she murmured to herself. Cheri gave her a questioning look through the mirror, but kept on styling her hair regardless.

"Clint, it's me Kelly. Look that's messed up. Real messed up. I thought we were cool. You gonna get some lawyer to talk to me like you can't even be bothered with me yourself? And that's funny 'cause I drove all the way here just to talk to you personally before I got the call. Real fucked up Clint. For real." There was a slight pause before he said, "I know I've been taking mad long with the divorce proceedings. But you could've just told me."

Her heart was thumping hard after hearing the message, and she almost forgot that this was a farce as she began to actually feel bad. "He drove all the way to Sleepyton? For what?" She thought noting that they hadn't spoken for months after he found out she was sick.

Before she could come to anymore conclusions, a second message played. From the time stamp on it, she could tell it was recorded about twenty minutes after the first one. It was Kelly again. Instead of hearing anger in his voice she just heard pain and defeat.

"Listen, I'm sorry if I got upset on that last message. I just.you're not here. I wanted to talk to you. I hope you're okay, I mean you never tell me anything anymore."

She noticed that he trailed off for a moment. In the background she could detect the slight noise of wind whipping against the phone. She knew by then he was on the highway and had turned right back around for a lonely drive home.

"I miss you. You know? I really do. I know we've been through it but for some reason I just thought that maybe we could work it out somehow. Life is too short and we've wasted so much time fighting and avoiding each other. I came here to tell you that I love you and that I need you in my life."

By this time his voice was trembling, and so was she.

"You alright girl?" The stylist asked Clinton.

She continued to listen to Kelly's message, "And please, don't start with that 'well he's just saying this because I'm sick' bullshit. I mean, all it really did was make me realize that this ain't a game and we don't get second chances that often in life. But I guess I blew mine huh? I can respect the fact that you want to move on. Yeah. I guess so. I'm only leaving this message 'cause I don't where you are and if you'll even talk to me again. I just gotta say what's on my mind before this message runs out of space. Clinton, I can't live the rest of my life without you. And shit, I can't live the rest of my life knowing that we didn't even try. God forbid, if something happens to you.I mean, shit something could be happening right now but.I just love you girl. Always. Remember what we used to say?"

Tears brimmed in Clinton's eyes as she repeated the words in unison with his voice.

"You and me against the world."

Cheri looked down at her client, "Are you alright?"

Clinton didn't answer she just held the phone as she stared blankly ahead. The message put a whole new spin on things. Prior to hearing it, all she cared about was whether or not he'd want her physically. She didn't think about the consequences or what would happen between them after. Did she really want him back? Could they really do this?

She had said no before because she was sick and insecure, not feeling good enough for him.

But now, she was about to ambush him in a sexual romp. What kind of message would that send if she did take him back? She'd look like a hypocrite. What was she thinking?

This is shallow. I could really hurt him if he thinks this is more than just what it is?

But what was it?

As Clinton looked in the mirror at her own image being cultivated by her stylist, she knew what this was all about and it wasn't fair to him.

It's all about me.

What was she going to do?



"Cold feet?" Gretchen asked as her sister stood before the full-length mirror in the outfit she had personally designed.

"In these heels?" Clinton said looking down at her feet in the black leather high heels with thick ankle straps, "I can't even feel my feet."

Gretchen laughed as she stood back and looked at her sister. She looked beautiful and sexy. Being that the scene would be in a corporate setting, Gretchen's designer whimsy led her into that direction. She quickly re-tailored a sexy black pantsuit with thin silver pin stripes into a more fitted, tight and sexy one. The jacket was cinched at the waist to give a sexy "tail" in the back. Underneath Clinton wore a demi-cup bra, the cup material the same as the pinstriped cloth of the jacket. And as for the slacks? Well there was nothing slack about them, if they could even be called that. Gretchen had fashioned them into Brazilian cut low-waisted shorts that showed off her sister's athletic thickly toned thighs and shapely calves. Her makeup was sexy without being too over the top. Her eyes were emphasized and her lips glossed over with a light translucent gloss. Her short chocolate brown hair cupped her head in soft wisps that swirled around it, the bangs soft yet blunt all at once in a sort of Halle Berry-esque sort of cut. Clinton wore a pearl choker around her neck with matching earrings.

"You look like the ultimate corporate ho." Gretchen snickered.

"Like I could be on this season of the apprentice?"

"I thought that was obvious."

Clinton smiled but Gretchen could still see the apprehension in her sister's eyes.

"You're really going through with this huh?"

Clinton nodded nervously.

"So I'm not trying to kill your buzz or anything, but what is this going to mean afterwards?"

Clinton sighed. "I don't know. Should I be thinking about that?"

Gretchen scrunched up her face as if she were thinking long and hard, but then let her facial muscles relax. "You know what? Everything's set up the way we wanted it. Smoothly. Don't worry about anything, just do what you came to do and have some fun. You deserve it."

Clinton looked at herself in the mirror asking, "Do I really?" In mere moments she'd be getting inside of a car that would taker her downtown LA, where she'd wait for him. Hopefully, he would show up.



Kelly had no idea that the receptionist he passed on his way to the conference room down the hall was just an intern from Gretchen's design house who had no idea why she had been "assigned" there by the head assistant designer.

He also had no idea that this was just a rented commercial space and not Clinton's lawyer's office. Down the long hallway was Conference Room B, where the receptionist had directed him. He entered the bright and sunny room, one side entirely crystal clear glass panes that let the sunshine filter in without being too much of a nuisance. The room overlooked downtown LA. Kelly squinted as he sat down at one of the heads of the table and looked down at his wristwatch. No one was here yet, including his own lawyer. This was both strange and frustrating to him because he had come late intentionally just so he wouldn't have to wait on anyone. He pulled out his phone and tried to reach his lawyer. No answer. He was too perturbed to leave a message. Where were these bastards? Was this some sort of tactic for them? Did they intentionally leave him there anxiously waiting to get this over with so that he'd agree to any damn thing?

He didn't hear a door open on his left. Clinton entered from an adjoining room, her breasts heaving with anticipation, her stomach in knots. She had no idea that her anxiety was just as great as his, but for different reasons. He was so busy messing around with his phone that at first he didn't notice her as she sauntered over to the table. However everything she and Gretchen had planned and prepared for was worth it once she saw the look on his face.

When he looked up, she could see the mixture of shock, joy and arousal across his face. She tried hard not to smile too much. She had to be seductive and coy, not the same old Clinton she was before.

"I see you made it to my meeting," Clinton said, fingering the pearls around her neck.

"Holy shit." Kelly muttered under his breath as he looked her up and down. She could see the tips of his ears getting red. She knew that he had to be either embarrassed or aroused. She was counting more on the latter.

"Clint?" He asked as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"It's me. In the flesh." She smiled as she walked over to him, sliding on top of the table near his seat.

He gulped as he leaned back in his chair. Scratching his chin he surveyed her face, which was sexy, yet angelic, the bone structure more exposed with her new sexy haircut. He noticed her enticing cleavage, round hips, her thick toned caramel colored thighs and curvy calves in contrast to her small ankles and arched feet in those extra high heels.the way she crossed her legs made his belly tight. He had never seen her like this before.

"You look."

"Different?" She smiled.

"Definitely." There were better adjectives he would've liked to use, but this is all that came out of his mouth.

"I know I looked a hot mess when you saw me a few months ago." She shrugged as she swung her legs over to face him. Her legs were crossed in front of him. She could reach out a foot and press it against his chest if she wanted to. "But that's when I was sick."

Kelly furrowed his brows, "Was?" Soon a slow smile spread across his face, so slow that she sensed he was almost afraid to smile. "You mean you're not sick anymore?"

"For now. I'm in remission." She crossed her fingers and held them up, "Hope it doesn't come back."

"So you're.you're okay?"

She nodded.

"Not sick?"

She shook her head no.

He leaned back and smiled as he said, "Sure don't look sick anyway."

"Really?" She said as she uncrossed her legs, placing each foot on each of the arms of his chair. Her thighs spread open in front of him and she was enjoying his reaction. He was practically squirming, not knowing what he should do or say, or if he should hold back or not. However, without knowing much about the How's and Why's of the situation, he began to relax and just enjoy whatever this was. "You look damned good Clinton. Damned good." He trailed off for a moment as he stared up at her with those dark deep blue eyes, "I almost can't believe it."

She frowned, "That I look good?"

"No-no!" He explained, "That you're okay. It's what I've been wishing and praying for. I'm so happy about that."

"Well I'm good for now." She smiled, "And I'm happy too."

"I can tell," He smiled, "I just can't believe this. This is surreal."

"I'm real though. Touch me and see."

His face spread into a smile. He couldn't believe how much of a smooth talker she was. He wrapped his fingers around her ankle, then slid his hand up her calf and her knee, and then her thigh, sliding it right back down again over her smooth curvy calves. He did this with his other hand on her other leg. "Damn she feels so fucking soft." He thought to himself.

Clinton tried hard not to shiver but she couldn't help it. Her breathing quickened, her head was becoming light. It had been too long since he'd just touched her this way. As his hands casually caressed her legs he asked, "So is this a tactic? Some sort of legal ambush or something? You trying to make me give you everything I own?"

She smirked, "Is it working?"

"I think it is," He laughed.

"Well it's an ambush alright. Just not the legal kind."

"So then what is this?"

"We can make it into whatever we want it to be." She hopped down off of the table and straddled him on his chair. Her breasts were in his face, her thighs at either side of him, and his cock was just inches away from her, straining against the tough fabric of his denim shorts. Damn, he had wanted to taste her skin, her lips, her.

"Hey." She interrupted his thoughts. "How do you feel?"

"I'm good. Real good. Considering what I thought this was. I mean I thought that."

"I know what you thought," She said leaning forward and raking his scalp with her nails, massaging it with the balls of her fingers the way he liked it. "It was supposed to seem that way. Are you mad at me for deceiving you?"

"Not this time." He said as he encircled her waist in his hands.

She tipped her head down and her lips made contact with his. It was soft and sweet at first, but the urgency of their desires soon revealed itself. Their lips and tongues gnashed together as her ran his hands all over her body, resting both palms on her round ass and squeezing as her stuck his tongue into her mouth. She moaned into his knowing that she was so wet by now. She wondered how hard he was.

She lifted off his shirt and gazed at his well-muscled chest. As usual, the sight of his bare body made her feel things she knew no other man (or even woman) could. She began to kiss his neck, right beneath his chin, just where he liked it. She sucked on the skin and nipped at his Adam's apple with her teeth.

"Shit, Clint." He said. "You know how I am about my neck."

She kissed downwards, sucking his skin. She let her tongue find his erect nipples and swirl around each of them, tentatively sucking them and flicking the tips.

Kelly was turned on and surprised. Clinton had never done any of this with him before. The day was just full of surprises. So what was next?

He soon found out when she was now perched between his legs, undoing his belt buckle. He was rigid with excitement-every part of him-but he still wasn't sure of what she would do next. Well, he did have a clue but.

"Nah, she couldn't possibly be." his thoughts trailed off as his fully erect cock was in her hands. She gripped the shaft aggressively, stroking the shaft up and down as she smiled up at him.

"Clint are you about to."

"To what?" She shrugged. "Do this?" She stuck the tip of her tongue out and just barely touched the thick mushroom shaped tip of his dick.

"Holy shit." He thought to himself as she began to tease the tip of his dick with her tongue while seductively looking into his eyes. She had never gone down on him before. And it wasn't that she had never wanted to, because he never knew if she wanted to. He'd never even dreamed of asking.

As she descended upon his long, thick, hard cock, he wished he had dreamed a long time ago. She was sensually slurping on the first few inches of his dick, letting her tongue and the saliva in her mouth caress and titillate his sensitive skin. She was taking it slowly at first, and even though he knew she was new to this (because of the occasional nicks of her teeth that she quickly corrected) he still enjoyed it even though something in the back of his mind kept wondering who had showed her how to do this much.

"Let it go." He told his suspicious mind as he leaned back and watched his wife lick the underside of his shaft, letting spit trail between his dick and her fingers sloppily.

"Oh shit Clint.who taught you this shit?"

She answered between sucks and slurps, "Gretchen gave me a little tutorial." She divulged.

"You didn't use a live subject did you?"

Clinton swirled her tongue around his tip as she gripped his cock tightly, "Just one of her old dildos."

For some reason, hearing this turned him on even more. Soon she was full on sucking his dick, her head bobbing up and down as she made her mouth and the inside of her cheeks tight. Her suction was amazing as she slid up and down riding his dick with her face.

"Remind me to send Gretchen some flowers." Kelly said as he closed his eyes, so much pleasure washing over his entire body. She went up and down making obscene slurping noises. Her movements were more rapid, the sounds louder. Her mouth was so hot, wet and tight.he couldn't control himself any longer.

"Fuck!" He shouted to warn her, "I'm coming!" Every muscle in his body contracted, preparing for him to unload his cum.

She pulled up and began to milk his dick with her hand, the thick jizz spurting upward in the air and landing back on his lap and splattering over her cleavage.

By the time he was finished he was breathing heavily. No amount of football training he had that afternoon would prepare him for this. Clinton got up off of her knees and walked into the adjoining room that she had entered from earlier. When she came out her jacket was off and the cum that had splattered on her chest was gone. In her hand she held a small electronic gadget no bigger than her index finger. He looked at her curiously as she stood in front of him sliding off the shorts she wore to reveal the black lace thong beneath.

"Damn Clinton, let me recover first."

"Yeah I'll let you do that." She said as she hopped up onto the desk again. The gadget she had in her hand was now buzzing softly and he figured out that it had to be a vibrator.

"Shit!" He exclaimed, not even knowing that Clinton owned one of those things.

She sat before him, spreading her legs, pulling the scant piece of fabric away from her slit in order to drag the buzzing pocket rocket up and down her wet slit. She moaned as she did this, biting her bottom lip. He couldn't believe his eyes. Clinton, his Clinton, was about to openly masturbate in front of him. She had done this before, but somehow now it seemed so kinky and salacious.

She had spread her thighs wide, and then her lips, exposing her little pink protruding clit so perfect and erect that it made his tongue hard immediately and made him feel the beginning twitches of arousal again in his spent cock.

She sucked on the toy, making it wet and drip with saliva, and then she placed the top on her clit. Immediately she gasped, working the toy over the tip of her clit as she moved her hips around. She leaned back on an elbow and moaned as she lifted up one cup of her bra and began to tweak her nipple.

"Shit," Kelly gulped. She looked so sexy right there as she pleased herself. He had never seen anything so beautiful and so arousing at once. His dick was definitely hardening again.

"Maybe I should help you." He offered.

"How?" She grunted.

As he stood up, he gave her some instructions. Soon she lay flat on the table, the length of her body flush with the long edge. Kelly wheeled his chair up to her so that he was besides her perpendicularly. His face near hers, he kissed her, sliding his tongue inside of her mouth. So wrapped up in his kiss, she barely noticed that he had taken the toy out of her hand. This time he was in control of it.

He turned it on and watched as the surface of the tip pulsated.

"Spread your legs." he ordered. She did as she was told and soon he was the one pressing the toy against her clit. He applied gentle teasing pressure and she moaned and wound her hips trying to press herself against the toy harder. He continued to tease her, knowing exactly what he was doing as he took one of her breasts into his mouth. This time she squealed, as he had finally applied direct pressure, sucking on her nipple. Her nipples were so sensitive that their manipulation alone could cause her to cum.

As he nipped at and flicked her nipples with his tongue, he swirled the toy around her clit. Soon she was squirming and moaning on the table, "Oh shit Kelly. fuck."

"You gonna cum for me?"

"Hell yeah, put it on my clit please baby.and please suck my nipple just like that."

How could he deny her? He tweaked her nipple in his mouth using his tongue to send shudders down her spine as he turned up the speed on the toy and rubbed it directly on the tip of her clit.

"Shit.fuck." she yelled.

He knew she was about to cum. He wanted to watch her body and her face as she did, so he let up just in time to see her face contort to that of pleasure, and her body stiffen as her hips rose up to meet the toy that sent radiating climaxes through her.

She was so fucking hot. His cock became erect again "Shit baby.you got me hard again."

"So what you gonna do about it?" She asked, sitting up on the table and shrugging off her bra completely.

He smiled, "What you gonna do about it?"

She beckoned him forward with a finger. Soon he was laying flat on his back on the conference table as she hovered over him. "So you know what I'm gonna do about it right?"

"What's that?"

"Ride that shit."

He smiled, her brashness making him even hornier. She straddled his hips and slowly lowered herself on top of him. As she sank down lower and lower he grunted, feeling how tight and wet she was. He always loved the way her pussy felt over his. A tight, snug perfect fit.

She descended until most of his dick was inside of her. Then, leaning against his chest for leverage she began to rock back and forth on top of him. They both moaned as she moved her hips and slowly slid her pussy up and down over his hard dick. Every time he hit bottom she gave a little gasp. Soon she had developed a rhythm as she rode him deep inside of her. She threw her head back and pinched her nipples, soon lost in all of the pleasure she was provided with.

He just leaned back resting his head against his folded arms watching her move on top of him, rolling her hips and winding up her waist. Her tight pussy clenched his cock for dear life. It was a slow and steady fuck now, and it was exactly what he needed. Every sensation was drawn out and intense, making him lose count of the many times he almost came as he watched her squirm her delicious caramel colored body on top of him. Without missing a beat, she managed to spin around and ride him backwards, her round ass bumping against his flat torso. He watched with immense pleasure as his dick plied in and out of her pussy. Every time she pulled away from him, withdrawing, his cock would stretch and pull out her inner lips and flesh along with it, showing him how tight she was. He could see her leaking onto his dick, felt the sensation of her trickling down his shaft. This was too much for him to bear.

"Shit Clint." he gasped. She was almost feeling too good. He didn't want to cum yet. He prompted her off of him and soon they were in a new position in the middle of the long shiny ebony wood table. He kneeled behind her as she positioned herself on all fours, thighs spread, the rear of her pussy waiting just for him. He slid himself in behind her and began to pump in and out of her deeply. She grunted and arched her back as she dropped her arms, leaning down on them making her body angular to his until she was face down and ass up in the air.

"Fuck me Kelly.fuck my pussy."

The words motivated him. He grabbed her hips and began to thrust harder and faster inside of her, "You like that shit? Huh?"

She groaned, "Ohhhh fuck yeah.fuck me baby. Give me that dick."

She had never spoken to him this way before. He was even more turned on than before as he slid in and out of her, watching his dick slide deep inside of her working her insides and making her squirm and claw at the table in ecstasy. He was about really give it to her hard now, even though in the past he had always been as gentle as possible with her, treating her almost like porcelain. He had no idea she wanted him this way, hard and deep inside of her, but it's exactly what she asked for.

"Harder, deeper!" she begged. He began to slam into her pussy, hitting bottom hard and eliciting hard sounds of impact from her on every deep thrust. Damn she felt so good and her ass looked amazing. He took time out to knead and rub her ass cheeks, spreading them apart, looking at her asshole as he fucked her hard, "You want this dick? Huh? Tell me you want this dick?"

"Fuck meeeee." She squealed, her voice skipping as he shook her body on every thrust. "Give it to me baby.please."

By now he was pounding into her rapidly. Her whole body shook as she yelled and moaned for more. She clawed at the table as if she wanted to get away but she never tried to escape as he grabbed her hips and fucked her harder than she had ever been fucked in her life. He didn't realize that he was hitting her g-spot and that it was driving her crazy. He kept pounding and pounding until her entire body clenched up and her pussy tightened over his cock. She let out a piercing scream as her muscles released, releasing liquid along with it. He just realized that she was squirting, all over him and the desk making a wet juicy mess that turned him on even more. As he slowed his thrusts she rode out climax after climax, her body weakened at his will, her eyes fluttering open and close again as she tried to stay conscious.

Soon he had flipped her over onto her back. He was ready to cum inside of her, but he wanted to be as deep as possible while watching her face.

He moved between her thighs and slid inside of her wet gushy cunt, her walls throbbing on his sensitive dick. Soon he was grinding inside of her, so turned on and so ready to bust yet not wanting the moment to ever cease. He had wanted her this way or anyway for so long, and now instead of signing divorce papers, he was fucking her on a desk in a boardroom. He couldn't be happier.

He stared into her big wide brown eyes as she looked up at him with intensity in her eyes, along with an emotion that he recognized immediately as love.

She still loves me. And she's here. And she's going to live.

Thinking this to himself, a tightness building inside of his chest.

He had to look away from her as he came, not wanting her to see his tears. However she could always tell when he was crying.

Later Clinton had driven them to a hotel nearby where they lay in bed pleasing each other even more and taking naps in between. The whole night was almost spent and so were they by the time they had wound down. They lay next to each other, Clinton's head on his chest as he finally asked the questions that they were both thinking about.

"So does this mean we're back together?"

She turned her head to look directly at him, "Do you want it to mean that?"

"You already know how I feel. It hasn't changed," He said, "But just let me know now because I don't want to get my hopes up for something that's not going to happen."

She touched his face and smiled, "You're so cute when you're being all vulnerable."

"You should've seen me the past few months. I was adorable."

She laughed. "I missed you Kelly. I've been missing you even since we were together."

"I know. I understand."

"So if we do this again.promise you won't make me miss you so damned much. Promise you'll be there and that no matter what, we'll try so hard." Her voice began to crack as she trailed off. He kissed the bridge of her nose and said, "I promise. Just stay with me. Just stay."

And stay she did.



Clinton stood at the sidelines, her cap pulled far down over her face as she aggressively chewed the piece of gum in her mouth. It was the last precious seconds of the quarter and Clinton could not believe her eyes. Kelly had just recovered a turnover and was heading for the goal line.

"Damn, he's fast." Clinton heard one of the other spectators say.

And he was fast. He was clearing yards and dodging defense, his fellow players plowing the other team down and preventing Kelly from even being touched. But after awhile, he was so fast that it was like no one could touch him anyway.

As Kelly touched down, the crowd roared behind her. Clinton felt faint as she finally made the connection of what was happening on the field inside of her head.

"Oh my God, they won." She whispered. A guy beside her jumped and screamed in victory, "We're going to the mothereffing playoffs! WHOO!"

She watched his team smother him as the buzzer sounded, practically lifting him onto their shoulders. She knew August was watching up in the skybox, crying like a baby. She smiled as she wiped away her own tears.

Later that night at an impromptu victory party at their house, there was hugging and crying and drinking and hope among Kelly and his fellow players. They were going head to head with Dallas. Could they bring home the ring? Surprisingly though both her mother and August were there, there was no conflict or snide remarks or bitching and Clinton managed to have a good time. Everyone was proud of Kelly, and even Nora had loosened up. Things seemed.normal.

Kelly had barely gotten a chance to speak to his wife the whole night. It was a whirlwind of activity ever since he'd scored the winning touchdown this afternoon. He had only shared one kiss with her before he was whisked away to the media as the star of his team. The underdog with the bad attitude was now the team's savior.

He searched for her until he found her upstairs in the bathroom of their master bedroom. He knocked on the door, "Clint? You alright?" He could've sworn he had heard some wretching and heaving. Concern for her overshadowed any other emotion as he heard the toilet flush and she exited the bathroom. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she looked sick and even a little tired, but still, there was a slight smile on her face. She seemed startled that he was there.

"Kelly, why aren't you downstairs?"

He couldn't figure out what was wrong, but he remembered that the last time she had felt really sick it turned out to be cancer.

"Baby, you okay?" He said smoothing bangs away from her forehead. "You had too much to drink or something?"

She was shaking her head no when he was hoping she'd say yes. The simple explanation would make things less complicated and ease his mind.

"I'm sort of staying away from any alcohol." She said.

"So then what's wrong?" Kelly said. "You sick? How long have you been sick? The last time you didn't tell anyone that-"

"Kelly," she interrupted, "Give me a minute, I'll meet you downstairs on the deck."

"What?" He said furrowing his brows, "Clinton just please, whatever you have to say."

"I swear I'll tell you in a minute okay?" She grabbed his hand reassuringly, "Now go. I need to wash my face and brush my teeth. I've got puke breath."

As Kelly made his way downstairs people kept trying to talk to him and pat him on the back. He ignored them with a solemn face as he made his way to the back deck where a couple of stragglers had wandered. He asked them for some time alone and they all complied without a problem. As he sat waiting for her he remembered the look on his father's face as he passed through the throng of people downstairs. He must've seen the solemn look on his son's face, thus producing the same look of his own. If Clinton didn't get down here fast enough, August would be here in a moment, prying with questions and genuine concern. He was hoping Clinton would beat him because there'd be nothing he could tell his father if he didn't know what exactly was going on.

Soon Clinton entered the deck wearing one of Kelly's college sweat hoodies. It nearly swallowed her up whole. He was sitting down on a wooden deck chair and she smiled as she delicately eased her body into his lap. He was confused. She looked somewhat weak and tired yet she seemed happy. But there were tears in her eyes. He could tell she had been crying a little even though he knew vomiting could make your eyes tear up terribly. Why was she crying? What was wrong now? He cursed inwardly asking himself how life could be so unfair.

She gave him a kiss on the forehead, "Hi."

"Hi."

"Why do you look so sad?" She asked.

"Are you sick?" Kelly cut straight to the chase.

"Not exactly."

"But something's wrong."

"Not exactly."

He sighed in frustration and she just giggled. "Clinton, come on now, stop it. It's not funny."

As he chastised her for not taking him seriously she was pulling a piece of paper out of her back pocket. Printed on it was some sort of x-ray or photograph depicting a grayish blackish square with a tiny lighter colored blurry object up in the middle.

"What the hell is this?" Kelly asked with suspicion and frustration, almost prompting her to laugh again.

"Kelly calm down and pay attention." She said stroking his head, "Look at it. What does it look like?"

He blinked as he studied the photograph. "Is it a tumor or a cyst or something?" He scratched his head. The thing in the middle was just a little bigger than a quarter.

"No." She shifted her weight and poked the paper where the supposed "cyst" was. "That's me and you."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes, "And you're the college graduate."

He grabbed the paper out of her hand and finally got past his own fear and anxiety to really see it for what it was once she said, "It's a sonogram picture."

He looked up at her and she smiled. "I know what that is." he said.

She smiled even wider.

"You mean?"

"Yep."

"You're not sick?"

"Morning sickness count?"

"Hell no, it doesn't hold a candle to fucking leukemia." Finally relieved the laughter came easily. His shoulders shook and he chuckled and snickered, finally understanding what she found so funny. Soon she was laughing too. They were laughing together as they kissed and held each other in the brisk night air. As they laughed Clinton contemplated everything that had happened to get them to this point. The smooth carefree fairy tale life she had pictured for them by now had seemed boring in comparison to what they had actually lived. It made the good times seem sweeter. It made her more thankful. He wasn't a wrestler. She wasn't a world famous artist or in the WNBA. But they were still living out their dream: They were together, and the world didn't seem menacing as once did.

Minutes later Kelly stomped inside of the house with the widest smile Clinton had ever seen. All eyes were on him curiously looking at the piece of paper he held up towards the ceiling as if it were the same football that he had won the winning touchdown with earlier that afternoon. Before the crowd roared again, before anymore cheers or celebrations took place, Clinton had already knew even if no one else did that everything that it took to get right here at this moment, was the biggest win of their lives. As he looked back at her over his shoulder during the sudden cacophony of joy and congratulations that rattled the house, she knew that he knew what she did.

The End.