Kevin decided that given the stress and tension that had accumulated in recent months, and AJ’s recent out of control behavior, a casual dinner would provide the atmosphere for everyone to relax, enjoy a wonderful gourmet dinner, and bask in each other’s company. He found an intimate and exclusive restaurant in the area, which was once an old water mill, hence the name, The Old Mill. It boasted several private and opulent dining rooms, furnished with fireplaces, and luxurious fixtures in dark woods and leathers. Candles adorned the room, casting a romantic and serene glow that was reflected by the crystal goblets on the table and the mirrors on the walls.

Kevin looked about proudly as he watched his friends mingle and speak in hushed tones. The dining room was designed with a social area adjacent to the eating area, where guests could smoke, enjoy a drink from the bar, or simply benefit from the spectacular view of the gardens below. Everyone looked comfortable and at ease, and he loved hearing the giggles and laughter of his loved ones emanate across the room. It had been such a long time since they had made time for each other, and celebrated their mutual friendships. He smiled as he watched Tyler, who was speaking with Howie. She had a look of such utter contentment on her face, and he wondered if she realized how unbelievable beautiful she was as she stood there, rubbing her tummy absentmindedly with her hands. She hated the changes happening to her body, and constantly complained that she was getting fat, but he found himself impatient for her body to grow with the baby. The thought of her with a swollen belly seemed terribly erotic to him.

His smile turned to a frown when his gaze traveled around the room and came to rest on AJ. He was the only blemish on this otherwise successful and enjoyable evening. For reasons unknown to anyone, AJ elected to invite Ali to The Old Mill. They walked in, hand in hand, and quietly settled in chairs at the end of the room. AJ tried to engage Lex in conversation at one point, as he stood next to her at the bar. She ignored him, and elected to treat him with far more respect than he deserved. Their friends formed a protective circle around her, so she would not be confronted with visions of AJ and Ali for the entire evening. Thus far, there were no spontaneous eruptions or confrontations, for which Kevin was grateful.

The evening wore on, and dinner was eventually served. Everyone applauded the chef, who made a special appearance to ensure that his guests were happy. It was a splendid meal, accompanied by equally splendid bottles of wine, for which Lex was enormously appreciative. She discreetly drank several glasses, and when dessert was served, she ordered a Spanish coffee. She knew she was becoming inebriated but the alcohol seemed to lessen her anxiety and pain when she watched AJ with Ali. She could not wait for the evening to be over. She simply wanted to crawl back to her home and hide under her bed blankets for the next century, or at least until AJ decided who, and what, he wanted in life.

Ali faired no better. She loved AJ passionately, and knew he reciprocated those feelings. But, she was not insensitive or immune to the effect her presence was having on Lex. She never wanted to hurt her, despite the gossip and whispers she heard behind her back that evening. She decided that not only did she and AJ need to talk, but she would also make a concentrated effort to speak with Lex, and try to explain her feelings for AJ. Perhaps in doing so some of the animosity between them would dissipate.

Her opportunity came sooner than expected. Before the group dispersed for the night, the ladies decided to make one last foray to the washroom. Tyler giggled and mentioned that she predicted she would be wearing Depends undergarments by the end of her pregnancy, because the baby kept pressing on her bladder.

Ali watched several women leave the washroom, and waited until she believed that Lex was in the ladies room on her own. She quietly entered and saw Lex touching up her lipstick in the mirror. She approached her and said, "Hello."

Lex looked at her, very quickly, and murmured, "Hi."

"I know this is awkward, but can I speak with you for a moment?"

"I can’t imagine what you would need to speak with me about."

"AJ, of course. I think we need to clear up some misunderstandings."

"I don’t think so. I understand quite well. I understand that AJ has decided that you are a priority in his life right now, and that I am not. You are welcome to him. I just never suspected that he was so interested in fucking the lower classes."

Lex almost gasped at her own audacity in muttering such a statement. She had no idea where this hostility came from, although a tiny voice in her head was reminding her to take it easy. It was unfortunate that the alcohol pumping through her veins was drowning the voice out.

Ali’s face went white with shock when she heard Lex refer to her as the "lower classes." She tried to reign in her temper.

"Look, can we just drop the attitude? I didn’t come in here to fight with you. My only intention, believe it or not, is to explain how I feel about AJ and what our history is. I don’t want us to be enemies."

"History? What history? You are just another page in AJ’s book of Sexual Escapades. Do you have any idea what I have been through with AJ? Do you? How dare you talk about ‘history’ with me!"

"AJ and I share more than just sex! If you could put aside your bitterness for just one second you would see that! Did it ever occur to you that I satisfy him in ways that you can’t? That maybe he needs me and shares things with me that he just can’t get from you?"

"Like what? Silicone tits?"

"Listen, you fat cow, he loves me! Got that! We love each other. We have known each other far longer than you have known him. It doesn’t matter who he has been dating, he always comes running after me. I’m the only constant in his life."

Lex approached Ali menacingly. "Look, you bitch. AJ would screw a snake if it wore a skirt. And DO NOT put me in the same category as his other girlfriends, because you don’t know anything about our relationship. He and I have shared more intimate moments that you can possibly hope to have in an entire lifetime. And I didn’t have to open my legs for it, either."

"No, you wouldn’t. You have frigid bitch written all over you. It’s no wonder he came crawling back to me. You OBVIOUSLY don’t satisfy him at all."

"Honey, I satisfy him just fine. And the reason he was crawling back to you is because he couldn’t WALK after I was finished with him."

"Really? I could swear it was because you gave him such a bad case of the blue balls! Poor thing, it took HOURS before he felt good again. We just had to keep doing it over and over and over-"

"Why? Because you couldn’t get it right the first time?"

"No, because he couldn’t get enough of me. Because he loves the way I taste, the way I smell, the way I feel when he’s inside me. Do you remember what that’s like, Lex? I hope so, because memories are all you will have left."

Lex snapped. Her hand, which suddenly developed a mind of its own, swung up and slapped Ali on the face. Her cheek became red instantly and there was a loud buzzing in her ears.

Lex gasped in shock. She could not believe she just did that. Before she could utter an apology, she felt Ali’s hand smack her back across her temple. She thought she heard her neck crack from the impact.

Lex lunged towards Ali and grabbed her by the hair. Ali did the same. The only sounds heard were the earsplitting and deafening noises of a wicked fight as toiletries were hurled across the washroom at each other, clothes ripped, and hair was pulled. Occasionally one would yell bloody murder as nails tore jagged edges across tender skin.

The strange sounds originating from the ladies room began to cause a stir among the patrons of the restaurant. Tyler, Fiona, Kryss and Sonja recognized Lex’s voice, and they walked in unison towards the ladies room door. Brian, Howie, Kevin and Nick followed suit, immensely curious. AJ noticed that the crowd had become unusually quiet and turned to see his friends walking towards the ladies room. He could hear swearing accompanied by banging, like something, or someone, was being tossed about. He listened intently. Was that Ali’s voice? Wasn’t that Lex’s voice?

Slowly the group opened the door to the ladies room. They jostled each other for a better view, while the women shushed them so they could hear what was going on. The sight that greeted them caused everyone to step back in amazement.

Lex and Ali’s blouses were torn. Scratch marks littered their faces and arms, and their lips were bleeding. Their hair stuck out in little patches, and their shoes were scattered across the bathroom floor. The stench of broken perfume bottles permeated the air, and the amenities the restaurant provided (hair spray, soap, towels, flowers) lay broken and mangled throughout the bathroom.

Despite the voyeurs at the ladies room door, Lex and Ali carried on with their fight. Each was determined to win. They now looked like war camp refugees, fighting over that last scrap of food. In this case, it was AJ.

AJ fought his way to the front and yelled out. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?"

His booming voice cut through everyone’s trance and suddenly there was movement. The women began to speak with Lex and Ali, urging them to stop fighting. The men kept watch at the door, and Howie went to find the manager of the restaurant to determine how much this fiasco would cost them.

AJ and Kevin glanced at one another, and strode purposefully towards Lex and Ali. AJ grabbed Ali, lifting her off her feet, and Kevin tossed Lex over his shoulder. Since they could no longer hit one another, they resorted to name-calling.

"YOU BITCH!"

"YOU SLUT!"

"FUCK YOU!"

"NO, YOU FUCK YOU!"

"OH SHUT UP YOU FUCKING TRAMP!"

"I’M NOT A TRAMP, YOU TRAILER TRASH WHORE!"

"SHUT UP!" AJ and Kevin screamed at the same time, at the top of their lungs.

They shut up.

Kevin and AJ carried Lex and Ali back to their private dining room, and placed both back on their feet. They immediately lunged for each other once more. Kevin and AJ grabbed their hands and stepped in between them. Kevin spoke first.

"Lex, I want you to come with me."

"WHAT? WHY? You’re going to leave her ALONE with him? Whose side on you on?"

Kevin took a deep breath before replying. "I’m not on anyone’s side. I just think AJ," and he glanced at AJ sternly, "needs to speak with Ali privately for a few minutes, don’t you, AJ?"

AJ grasped the meaning of Kevin’s words. "Yeah. I do. Lex, honey, just wait outside with Kevin, okay? I promise I’ll be right out."

Tears tangled from Lex’s eyelashes. She could barely choke out, "Are you leaving me?" She hated that she would mention such a thing in front of her worst enemy, but she was desperate for answers, and reassurance.

AJ shook his head. "I promise everything will be just fine, okay? Go with Kevin, baby. He’ll take care of you."

AJ watched as Kevin escorted Lex gently out of the room, and then he turned back toward Ali. He sat her down on a chair and went behind the bar. He found a small towel, and wet it with warm water. He then placed ice cubes in another small towel, and carried it to Ali.

For several minutes he tended to her various scrapes and cuts. He washed away some dried blood tenderly, and held the towel with ice across her cheek where she seemed particularly bruised.

"Where did you ever learn to fight like that, huh?" AJ chuckled, as he stroked Ali’s forehead and pushed a few tendrils of hair away from her face.

"I have brothers, you know. They taught me a few tricks in case a boy ever got too frisky with me."

AJ laughed. "Well, remind me never to get on your bad side, then."

Ali’s eyes welled up with tears. "You could never be on my bad side."

AJ sighed and enclosed Ali in a hug. "Oh god, Ali, I’m so sorry I dragged you into this mess. I should have never brought you here tonight."

"It’s okay. I guess it’s my fault too. I should have behaved better. But I swear to you my intentions were honorable. I never meant to hurt Lex, I just wanted to talk to her about you."

AJ looked into Ali’s eyes. She could see the anguish written into each dark orb, and she braced herself for what she knew was coming.

"Ali, you know that this is going to work out, right?" AJ asked softly.

Ali could only nod her head and cry silently.

AJ continued. "I love you. I have loved you my whole life. Never doubt that. You are like the other half of me. I look at you and I see this incredibly passionate, loving, sexy woman. You’re like me, but with tits, ya know?"

Ali had to laugh at his analogy. He always did have a way with words.

"But all the reasons I adore you are all the same reasons I can’t spend the rest of my life with you."

Ali sighed and rested her forehead against AJ’s forehead. "I know. I guess I’ve always known it, but it’s hard to let go…you’re like a bad itch I can’t scratch."

"Gee, thanks."

Ali giggled. "You know what I mean," she said more seriously. "We would kill each other if we dated full time. I guess Lex balances you out, huh?" Ali added generously.

"Yeah," AJ agreed. "But I do love spending time with you. And I never thanked you for being there with me through thick and thin. You’re my best friend, you know?"

"I know."

AJ hugged her tightly against him. He was on the verge of tears himself, and on a whispered breath he spoke to Ali for the last time.

"Don’t forget about me, okay? But you go out there and find someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved. Make yourself happy and don’t take love for granted."

AJ hesitated and finally added, "Like I did."