The next morning Nicholas and Ann are having breakfast together. Ann is happy and Nicholas notices her upbeat attitude.
“Did anything good happen yesterday?” Nicholas asks.
“You can say that,” Ann says. “Ben, he apologized to me.”
These words cause Nicholas’s face to change from delight to suprised. “That was really nice of him, wasn’t it? I can truly see a change in him now,” Ann notices Nicholas’s changed expression. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry Ann but that’s what you said last time,” Nicholas says trying to sound as kind and comforting as possible. “But the way he yelled at you that day, I…”
“I know.” Ann replies. “It is difficult for him. So I think.”
“Ann that is not an excuse for him to treat you that way,” Nicholas replies as he holds Ann’s hand. “I don’t want to sound possessive, but I worry he might hurt you again.” Ann smiles, happy that Nicholas is worried about her.
“You don’t have to worry. I know you think I am being too forgiving here but, at least he realizes his faults.” Ann says and is interrupted by Nicholas.
“After I confronted him,” Nicholas says these words and looks at Ann who is shocked by his actions. Nicholas has always been calm and composed, doing something like this was unlike him. “I am sorry,” Nicholas apologizes realizing what he’s just blurted out. “I just.”
“I know,” Ann says as she hugs him tightly, now smiling. “Thank you.”
Without realizing it, Nicholas’s actions have brought Benjamin face to face with himself. Ann finds this along with Nicholas’s new fondness of her flattering. Nicholas hugs Ann, angry at how things turned out. What he’s angrier about is his actions, he didn’t have to confront Benjamin, but he couldn’t let it slide after what he did to Ann. After they embrace and the two of them continue eating their breakfast.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Back at Benjamin’s house, Fiona wakes up with a terrible headache. Not sure of what happened the previous night Fiona begins to think back. Finding thinking a difficult task, she lies back on the bed as Benjamin walks in with a cup of coffee.
“Good morning sleepy head,” Benjamin says sitting next to Fiona. “Time to get up.”
“No,” Fiona says.
“Up, I got you coffee,” Fiona looks at Benjamin and slowly gets up and takes a sip of coffee. “Feeling better?”
“No,” Fiona says full of regret. “I can’t believe I was so drunk. I have never been this drunk in years.”
“These things happen,” Benjamin says as he watches Fiona sit up. Fiona tries to think back, hoping to recall what happened the previous night and suddenly recalls something. She remembers meeting Tom and trying to kiss him. Suddenly Fiona’s eyes fill with tears as she begins to feel guilty.
“No,” Fiona says.
“What happened?” Benjamin says noticing Fiona’s teary eyes.
“I can’t believe I.”
“What?” Benjamin asks concerned about his sister.
“I think I kissed Tom last night,” Fiona says crying.
“What? He kissed you?” Benjamin asks in disbelief.
“No, I kissed him,” Fiona corrects. “I can’t believe I did that.”
“It’s ok, it’s just a kiss, I’m sure Tom doesn’t take it seriously,” Benjamin says trying to comfort Fiona.
“You know what,” Fiona says. “I never understood how someone could cheat on someone they claim to love. It made no sense, even when dad used to go off with other women, I never understood how he could come home and tell mom he loves her.”
These words shock Benjamin since he doesn’t have memories of his mom and by the time he grew up, his dad was a different man. “Yesterday I kissed Tom, I can’t believe I did that to Oscar,” Fiona says unable to control her emotions.
“Fiona,” Benjamin says as he hugs her.
“I never wanted what happened to mom to happen to me, and now I have hurt someone I care about. How will he react when he finds out?” Fiona says crying regretfully. Benjamin sees his sister’s pain and understands how much Oscar means to her.
“Don’t worry,” Benjamin says. “Right now are you guys still together?”
“I don’t know,” Fiona replies. “I hope we are; I shouldn’t have done something like that.”
“Fiona, don’t give yourself such a hard time,” Benjamin says. “I mean, if you’re not together it doesn’t mean you cheated.”
“That’s a technicality,” Fiona replies. “I hoped we’d work things out, but now.”
“Fiona, it’s alright,” Benjamin says as he is interrupted by Fiona.
“Ben, it hurt a lot when you saw Scarlet kissing Greg,” Ben recalls the pain and understands Fiona’s concern. Fiona is his sister and he doesn’t want her to be upset. But these words bring back painful memories for Benjamin and he now understands how Oscar might feel. Following a heartfelt conversation, Benjamin decides to take matters into his own hands.