“Well, I think, I’m going to bed.” Ernelle said obviously with a grin.

“Good night Ernelle!” Regina said shaking her head at her. When Ernelle’s door clicked closed Regina suddenly felt nervous.

“You got what you wanted, so what are you still doing here?” she asked.

“I didn’t get everything I wanted yet,” he said with a bit of attitude as he stood up. He ambled about the room for a minute, trying to figure out what his next move should be. She sat back and watched him for a moment as he looked at a shelf of picture frames. He studied the pictures for a moment, recognizing some of Regina and Ernelle, and then some pictures of their families. He smiled as he looked at her face in the photos. He didn’t want to be looking at her picture, he wanted to be looking at her, her face, her hands, all of Regina.

“I was watching you dance at the club,” he said breaking the stillness.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“You’re, you,” he started but he couldn’t finish what he was saying.

“Marshall, don’t,” she said laying her head back on the couch. He closed his eyes. She’d called him Marshall. He loved it when she called him Marshall.

“Why not?” he asked turning to face her. She looked at him tiredly.

“Because I’m not over my husband and you’re not over your wife,” she replied. He hardened at the mention of Kim.

“You don’t know a fucking thing about her!” he shouted.

“Exactly Marshall. We don’t know a fucking thing about one another and neither of us will ever be comfortable enough to let our guards down.” Regina replied calmly, not bothering to move. She was physically and mentally tired from the day. She could feel sleep stealing over her.

“You did the other day, when I fixed your face,” he snapped. He was right.

“I guess I did,” she replied, surprised at her admittance.

“Why are you so fucking caught up over this husband of yours then?” he asked accusingly.

“Because we lived next door to one another for sixteen years, and then we got married. I never wanted to be with anyone else and then Maria, well,” Regina trailed off.

“What happened, she didn’t just die and then you got divorced the next day,” he snapped.

“No,” she said quietly, “No, actually, after the funeral, we were sitting out on the porch and he, he told me, that it was my fault, I had killed her.” He felt lower than the floor at this statement.

“Then he proceeded to pack my things for me, he set them out on the stoop and handed me the divorce papers. Ernelle was still hanging around and when she found out, she moved me into her one bedroom apartment until we could afford this one. We haven’t spoken since.” Regina still didn’t move.

“You said he couldn’t have been a better man to you,” Em replied confused. Regina was floored that he’d remembered what she had said. She sat up and looked out the window.

“He couldn’t have done any more or any less than what he did that night. Everything he’d ever done before that, was just filler. When I needed him most, he showed me his true colors.” She looked back at her hands in her lap.

“And that’s why you can’t get over him?” he asked.

“It’s hard to live one way for you’re entire life and then have it all taken away in one gasp.” At this Marshall walked towards her and stood before her, watching her look at her hands.

“But I need to get over him.” She said nodding, as if she were finally cementing it in her own head.

“And I’ll be the man to help you do it,” Marshall said gruffly. She looked up at him, sucking her lips in and nodding at him.

“You very well may be,” she said.

“Look Marshall, I can’t promise anything. I lived on the defensive for as long as I can remember, I still wake up in the morning thinking that if I don’t get up on time my father is gonna come marching through that door to beat the shit out of me.” She looked up at him and he felt like an asshole for bullying her into telling him what was up with her.

“So maybe if I’m there in the morning you’ll stop worrying about him and you can think about me,” he said. She smiled at him and nodded slowly. He took a seat beside her, resting his elbows on his knees and starring at her.

“That’d be nice,” she said as he leaned into her with a smile, just to make her laugh which she did.

“You tired?” he asked.

“Mm, exhausted,” she replied yawning.

“I’ll take you to bed,” he said putting an arm around her, sliding the other under her legs and lifting her off the couch.

“Oh,” she said, slightly surprised, but slid her arms around his neck anyway. He stood there a moment, just holding her and looking at her face, enjoying the touch of her hands on the back of his neck.

A few minutes later he’d carried her into her room and closed the door behind him. He placed her in the bed and turned back to turn out the light before removing his shoes and climbing in beside her. He was amazed that she hadn’t told him to leave yet.

She faced him, watching him get comfortable under the covers and then settle down. He waited for her to turn over and snuggle against him, but she didn’t move. She just lay there watching him. After a few minutes of silence she moved, but not to turn over. She moved closer to him, until she was as close as she could get and then stroked his face with her hand. She leaned in, placed a kiss on his forehead and said,

“Night baby.” He’d never felt more vulnerable in his entire life but he wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world.