Chapter 51

Liz grinned, satisfied with herself. She had finished cleaning off the very
last table. "Lucky! Your wonderful wife is now finished with her part of this
job...what's taking you so long?!" Liz yelled to Lucky who was in the kitchen
washing dishes.

It was closing time on Sunday evening and although Liz was in no hurry to get
back to school she did love to tease her husband.

"Hold your horses!" he yelled back, trying to sound stern and failing
miserably. "Clean dishes can not be rushed."

Liz giggled and slowly sunk down into one of the chairs. Ordinarily, Lucky
taking this long with the dishes was simply an open invitation to instigate a
waterfight, but tonight was different. At least it felt different to Liz.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but something had definitely changed
between she and Lucky. He seemed distant, almost afraid to talk to her.
Afraid to touch her. She traced the odd behavior back to Saturday, when Lucky
had come home from  Luke's saying he was sick. Although he hadn't said it,
Liz knew he had a hangover. Which was cause enough to feel ill...but
something was still off. He was still acting strange.

Liz heard the door open suddenly and looked up. "Well, well, well...if it
isn't my twin sister," Liz said rising from her seat. She'd been waiting all
weekend to confront Sam about the little dress stunt she had pulled at her
party, but somehow Sam had managed to elude her. "Welcome home Sam. I've been
waiting for you."

Sam decided to once again milk the situation for all it was worth. "What for
Liz?" she asked smiling.

Liz shook her head and chuckled lightly. "I think you know damn well what
for."

"Liz I really have no idea wh -"

"Sam - Samantha, whatever the Hell your name is," Liz said, cutting her off.
"I want you to listen to me carefully, because I never want to have to repeat
this again: STOP TRYING TO BE ME....It won't work. You won't...I don't
know...magically win Lucky's heart just because you've got on my shoes and my
dress. He's mine Sam. Accept that and move on. There's only room for two Mrs.
Spencer's in this town. One of them, lives in a big house with her adorable
daughter and hilarious husband, and the other....well, she's staring you
right in the eye, telling you to back off. I suggest you do it."

Lucky prayed that the other voice he had just heard did NOT belong to who he
thought it did, but his prayers failed. He stopped dead in his tracks as he
realized Sam was indeed in the room argueing with his wife. He leaned against
the countertop, as he felt his knees begin to go weak. This was it. Sam was
about to tell Liz everything. He suddenly spoke up. "Elizabeth I - "

"No, Lucky...I can handle this," Liz said, raising a hand to silence him.
"You know, you really are a piece of work," she said, turning back to Sam.
"You actually think that my husband would touch you with a 10 foot pole? Sam
you could steal every damn item in my closet and it wouldn't make a...."

Liz words trailed off as she realized Sam was smirking just a tad too much.
"What?...What the Hell is so funny?"she asked, exasperated.

"Oh, nothing Liz," Sam said giggling.

Lucky stood, glued to the counter. His world slowly beginning to stop
turning, his breathing coming to a halt.

"No, I wanna know what the Hell is so funny," Liz demanded.

Sam suddenly looked over Liz's shoulder at Lucky. "You wanna tell her, or
should I?"

Lucky swallowed hard against the dryness in his throat. "Eli - Elizabeth...I"

"Oh forget it Lucky," Sam said in frustration. Liz would find out, but now.
The time wasn't right yet. "I think what's so funny is the fact that you're
delusional. I have no desire to be you, Liz. Me showing up at your party in
your outfit was purely a coincidence, but I am sorry for any...discomfort I
may have caused you."

Liz balled up her fists at her sides, thinking of all the "discomfort" she'd
like to cause her right now. She took two steps forward, significantly
narrowing the space between herself and the girl who towered above her. "You
know Sam...if I were you...which by the way I'm so glad I'm not...I'd think
twice before calling someone delusional. You are the ONLY one that is
delusional around here, and quite psychotic if I do say so myself. Especially
if you think that Lucky could ever want you...AND your also highly delusional
if you think for one second that I won't smack that silly little grin off of
your face if you try anything like this again."

Liz turned abruptly, looking at Lucky. "I'll be in the car baby," she said.
She then turned again, facing Sam. "You have a nice day Sam."

Liz walked out, leaving a stunned Lucky looking after her. 'What just
happened. Sam didn't tell her...but why...ugh, thank you Lord.' He stared at
Sam as she started towards him.

"Lucky...you better do something about your wife, because next time little
Lizzie opens her big mouth, she's gonna get quite an earful."

Chapter 52

Lucky knocked softly on the hard wood door, wondering if he was doing the
right thing. After dropping Liz off at school the day before he began
wondering if he was losing sense of right and wrong completely. Two days had
past and he still hadn't told her about sleeping with Sam. How could he tell
her something that he had yet to come to terms with himself. Every time he
began to tell her, his chest would tighten and his throat would close up. He
physically, couldn't tell her, but he had to tell someone. He was going crazy.

"Hey, man!" Nikolas said, opening the door and extending his hand.

"Hey, " Lucky repyled flattly, walking in. He sat down slowly on Nikolas'
couch. "Is Emily here?" Lucky asked, glancing up at the staircase. He hoped
she wasn't.

"Nah, man she's at school," Nikolas said, sensing something was wrong.
"What's up?" he asked, sitting down next to Lucky."

Lucky sighed and covered his face with his hands. "I did something, Nikolas.
I did something so awful..."

Nikolas shook his head. "Lucky...I'm sure your wife will forgive you for
uh...pulverizing that Kyle guy," he said chuckling.

"Nikolas this isn't about that," Lucky sighed again. His eyes were beginning
to brim with fresh tears. He willed them not to fall.

"Did you two have another fight?"

"No!" Lucky shouted, getting up from the couch. His frustration apparent.

Nikolas followed his every movement with his eyes. Something was very wrong.
"Lucky," he began. "Tell me what you did."

Lucky turned around, facing Nikolas once again. "I - I cheated on Elizabeth."

"What?" Nikolas asked. It was the kidn of question you asked someone when you
knew very well what was said, but you can't really be sure that you heard
right.

"I slept with Sam."

"No, you didn't," Nikolas said standing up. "You couldn't...why - why would
you....Lucky?"

Lucky sat down again, this time in the window seat. He leaned his head back,
trying to think of something to say. There was no justification.

"I don't know Nikolas. I don't know how it happened...why it happened...I was
drunk...and that's not an excuse...I just - I just can't remember anything."

"What do you mean you can't remember?"

Lucky looked down, bracing his elbows on his knees. "I woke up Saturday
morning in bed with her. We were both...we were both naked. She told me
everything Nikolas. I was just too bombed to realize what was
happening...Nikolas I remember her walking in. I remember thinking maybe she
was Elizbeth. I wanted to see Elizbeth so bad...but it wasn't her. She
smelled just like Elizabeth...I remember that...Nikolas, how could I do this?"

Nikolas sat down again. The news finally sinking in. "I don't know Lucky...I
wish I could tell you, but I just don't know. Maybe - maybe you just needed
to be with - "

"No! Don't say that! Don't make excuses for me like that. This is...this is
inexcuseable."

It broke Nikolas' heart to see his brother in such pain, yet he felt he had
to ask his next question. "Lucky...please, at least tell me that you...you
used something...do you remember?"

Suddenly Lucky froze. After all this time, the thought hadn't even entered
his mind. "Oh God," he sighed.

"Lucky please tell me you used a condom."

Lucky put his head down in his hands. "Unless she had one...."

"Lucky!" Nikolas said, in exasperation.

"I know...I know, "Lucky sighed. "But it's not like I carry 'em around in my
wallet anymore Nikolas...I don't even use the damn things," Lucky said. He
couldn't believe he and Nikolas were discussing this. He couldnt' believe he
had to think about this at all. Nikolas decided to leave that particular
topic alone. He knew Lucky had enough on his mind.

"So what did Liz say?" Nikolas asked softly.

Lucky chuckled bitterly to himself. "Yeah right...here comes the good part:
Me, Mr. Honesty himself hasn't told her yet. How's that for irony? I'm such a
coward I can't even - "

"I don't think you should," Nikolas said, cutting him off.

"What? Nikolas, no. You gotta help me do the right thing here. You have to
force me. That's why I came to you and not my dad. This is the kinda advice
HE would give!"

"Well then, for once, Luke and I agree...why should you tell her Lucky? It
would be one thing, if you were some lieing, cheating, bastard of a husband.
But your not! Everybody knows you'd sooner cut off your arm than hurt
Liz.This was a fluke Lucky. A one time thing...let it go."

"Let it go?" Lucky asked, flabbergasted. "How the Hell am I supposed to let
it go."

"You have to Lucky. You have everything. You've got a wonderful wife, you're
going to school...making something out of yourself...you're running a
business...You and Liz - You and Liz have something the whole world wants -
don't destroy it.

"I already have Nikolas. I already have."