Promptly at seven o’clock, he knocked on the door. When the door opened, he smiled at her. He was about to say hello, when she suddenly pulled him down for a kiss. "Does this mean that we’re going to skip dinner?" he asked once she allowed him into the apartment.
"No," she said smiling. "We’re having dinner. I worked very hard on it, I’ll have you know," she said taking his hand and leading him to the table.
"Everything looks wonderful," he commented. He pulled her closer. "As do you."
"I do don’t, I," she said smiling as he sat down. "I’m glad to see that you are prompt. But, of course, I should have not expected less. I am not sure of your expectations for tonight, however," Keesha said coyly as she put the salad on the table and sat down.
"Oh," he responded, "I think you do. After the way our past dates have been thwarted, I do not intend to take another cold shower tonight, Ms. Ward."
"Really," she said lifting her glass of wine from the table. "That’s interesting. I wonder why our past dates have ended on such…" she paused and smiled. "An augmented note."
He smiled at her. "Very funny. Did AJ have anything interesting to discuss with you, today?"
"Actually, you should thank AJ; he’s the reason you are here tonight."
"How’s that? Did you tell him about us, and he gave me a glowing recommendation," he teased her.
She rolled her eyes and asked sweetly, "There is an us? Surprises me, I must say. But, no. He caused me to realize that we sometimes feel the need to help our ex-lovers. What made us love them in the first place is still there. You want to help Brenda, and I feel the need to help AJ," she finished with a shrug.
"Really," he said nodding. "And you came up with all of this today. What, pray tell, does AJ need help with? I know that he’s a drunk but…"
She cut him off. "AJ’s sobriety is not in question here. Don’t worry, I’m not going to help him with that again. That is a problem that is much bigger than the both of us. I really shouldn’t tell you about it."
He reached across the table and took her hand and smiled. "But you really want to, don’t you."
She was quiet for a moment as she stared into his blue eyes. Those eyes were going to get her into trouble one day, she hypothesized. They were part of the reason that she had fallen for him in the first place. "There are other things that I would rather do," she answered softly. "And, I assure you that they have nothing to do with AJ."
"I must say that sounds very interesting, given, of course, that we have no interruptions tonight," he reminded her. "So, you don’t want to talk about AJ, we won’t talk about AJ. We will start on this wonderful dinner you have prepared," he said releasing her hand.
"Are you in such a hurry to get to dessert?" she asked smiling.
"That, my lady, depends on exactly what dessert is," he said returning her smile.
"I’ll give you a hint, I didn’t make anything," she said lowering her voice. She winked and said, "I hope the dressing is to your taste."
*****
"Hi, AJ," Alan said noticing his son joining him over at the bar. "It’s good to see you."
"Hi, Dad," he said taking the vacant seat next to him. "So, with Mom out of town, all you do is hang around the Outback, I see."
He shrugged. "I must say that it is a lot better than hanging around the house. I can’t wait for your mother and Emily to get back. I realize that the two of them needed this away time together, but there are a lot of things that the two of us need to talk about." He knew that there was one thing he needed to know, " How are you doing, AJ?"
"I’m great. Another sober day, and I’m really glad about that." He peered closely at his father, "Are you okay, Dad?"
He nodded his head and looked away. "I’m fine. I’m glad to hear that you are taking your sobriety so seriously, AJ. We understand that the last slip was just that, the last one."
He hated not being able to tell his family the complete truth about his last so-called slip. But, he knew that he couldn’t, not until Carly gave him what he wanted, proof that the baby wasn’t or was his. "Thanks, I’m glad to know that I have the support of the family behind me."
"By the looks of it though," he said studying his son. "You would rather have the support of someone else, right?"
He smiled slightly. "Is it that obvious?"
Nodding, he said, "To anyone with eyes. Have you two discussed any possible future together? I know that you said that she forgave you for your role in what happened with Jason. That had to be a big step, and the others should just fall into place."
He sighed. "I don’t know if it could be that easy. Keesha likes to analyze the situation and come up with a solution. She’s not really given to making rash or spur of the moment decisions. She will have to get to know me a little better now so that she can make that kind of decision."
"Sounds like you know her rather well. Say, AJ, why don’t you join me for dinner now, and perhaps you could pay her a little visit after we finish so that you can start the whole process."
"Match making, Dad. You know how Mom frowns on that," he said laughing. "Okay, let’s have dinner, and I just might take you up on your advice and pay her a visit."
*****
Keesha poured her third glass of wine and sat back against the couch. She had to admit, she was a little surprised that they had not progressed as far as she expected yet. She dangled the glass from one hand, and supported her head against the other that was propped against the back of the couch. "You surprise me," she noted as she gazed at him as he, too, refilled his glass.
"Really, and how do I do that?" he asked smiling as he turned to face her.
She shrugged slightly as she sat up. "I don’t know; you just do. Actually, I take that back. I’m just surprised that you wanted to talk. I just didn’t expect that, that’s all."
"You didn’t expect that I want to talk to you. Just thought I wanted sex, huh," he said with humor in his voice. Keesha really didn’t know him very well. "Well, it’s very obvious that you have bought into what everyone says about me. Will it do me any good to try and redeem myself?"
"Perhaps I was wrong," she said leaning forward to place the glass on the table. "Consider yourself lucky, I don’t often admit that to anyone," she said joking. He saw the humor and laughed. "You have a very nice laugh. It’s a shame, I don’t get to hear it very often."
"Thank you, and you would hear it more often if you weren’t always upset with me. You know, we haven’t known one another very long, but I think that we’ve been in more arguments than people who’ve known one another for years," he observed.
She smiled. "I know. I take some…okay, most of the blame," she amended when she saw the look he shot her. "But, I have to be very careful about who I choose to let in my life. You see what happened with the last couple of choices, haven’t you."
He nodded. "I suppose that I should be more careful, but that just takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it." He shrugged and smiled, "But, then again, maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic."
Shaking her head, she said, "I don’t think you’re a hopeless anything."
"You don’t, that is always a good sign. So," he said leaning back against the couch, "why don’t we get to know each other a little better."
*****
"This is going to be so great," Robin said as Brenda brought the huge bowl of popcorn out from the kitchen and joined her on the floor. She immediately grabbed a handful and popped them into her mouth. "Excellent," she commented.
"Thanks," Brenda said smiling as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail holder. "I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you coming over tonight. I know things have been a little strained between us lately, and I want to put all of that in the past."
She smiled and patted her hand. "I know, and I want that, too. So, have your appointments been going well?"
She nodded her head a little uneasily. "Yes, they have been going extremely well," she said with a small smile. "I can’t believe the progress I’m making." Abruptly changing the subject, she asked, "I wonder what Jax is doing?"
Robin looked over at her, as she looked back out of the window. Was her friend really getting better, or was she still dependent? She seemed to be clean off of the drugs, but was she really over Jax? "I don’t know. Didn’t you say he had a business meeting tonight?"
She nodded as she looked back at Robin quickly. "Yes, that’s what he told me. But, I think that he’s lying, Robin."
"Why would he lie to you, Brenda? That just doesn’t make any sense. You know that his business hours don’t always adhere to the regular schedule." She sighed; she didn’t want this night to be ruined. She knew if they continued in this vein, then, it would be. "What movie do you want to watch first?" she said looking through the collection of tapes on the floor in front of her.
*****
AJ stood directly outside of Keesha’s door. Would it really be a good idea to talk to her now, to find out where they stood now? He shook his head. This lack of resolve was going to ruin him. Why couldn’t he just face up to the fact that he wanted her back and wanted her to see that, too? Alan had given him the little pep talk at dinner that he needed to do this, so why was he about to walk away from her door for the second time that night.
The first time he had come up to her apartment was right after dinner with his father, but he didn’t have the slightest idea of what he wanted to say to his father. So, he left without announcing his presence. Taking a walk along the docks had helped him somewhat and cleared his mind. He knew what he wanted and what he needed to do; now, all he had to do was do it.
He nodded. Talking to her was always so easy, and it was just be easy now. He made up his mind and knocked on the door.
Keesha groaned when she heard the knock on the door. The last thing she felt like dealing with was a visitor. Lying there in Jax’s arms was too good to leave and deal with a guest.
"Do you not hear someone entreating entrance at your front door," he asked kissing her lightly on her shoulder. "I must say that your visitor has great timing, at least this time, we got to complete the act first."
She rolled her eyes as she climbed from the bed and slipped on her robe. "’The act’, Jax?" she repeated. When he laughed, she merely shook her head and smiled. "Coming from you, even that sounds like a plausible name. I’m going to get rid of whoever this is."
"Do hurry," he said as she threw him one last smile before leaving the room and closing the door.
She looked through the peephole. AJ, at this time of night. Something must have been wrong. She looked over at the living room area and saw that there were no telltale signs of her having a male guest. She shook her head, what would it really matter if AJ knew that or not. They weren’t together any more.
"AJ," she said opening the door. "I have to say that this is a surprise."
"Oh, I’m sorry," he said as she stepped back for him to enter and shut the door. "I didn’t realize that I would wake you," he apologized taking in her somewhat disheveled appearance.
She waved it away as she ran a hand through her hair. "That’s fine. What can I do for you? Is this about Carly? Did she agree to the tests?"
He shook his head. What was he thinking by coming here to tell her that he wanted her? He knew that she would want him to put all of his energy into finding out about the possibility of Carly’s baby being his. Besides, would she even want to help him raise Carly’s baby? "No, I haven’t spoken with her again. I don’t want to push her too much. I don’t want anything to happen to the baby."
She nodded. "I can understand that. So, what did you want to talk about this late at night?" she asked again smiling.
That was certainly not the response he expected from her. He expected her to tell him to demand that Carly do this for him. She had always believed he was too soft on Carly. "You’re certainly in a mellow mood tonight," he noticed.
She shrugged. "I don’t know. Stress relief does work wonders, doesn’t it," she said vaguely.
"What type of stress?" he asked with concern.
"Oh, there are all types. You know work, family, things like that. I just took tonight to do some things I wanted to do."
He nodded. "And, I suppose I’m intruding. Sorry. I think that I’ll leave you to your stress relief." Maybe she was telling the truth about being under stress. She certainly was wrapped a little tight earlier.
"No need to apologize, AJ," she said opening the door for him. "Have a good-night," she said smiling again before she shut the door.
That was a little odd, he had to admit. She never did find out what he came for, which was a little odd in itself. She would never be satisfied until she had an answer to her question. He shrugged. Maybe he was overanalyzing things now. He shook his head and walked off.