And In The End Ch. 02

-------------------

I knew the last thing a smart person would do was check up on James. After all, he had his girlfriend to do that right? But smart isn't always filed under my picture in the dictionary of life. I couldn't gauge how much Sarah knew so I could potentially blow his cover, but my concern overrode that by a mile.

When she let me into James' apartment I was able to see that I wasn't on her top ten list of people she wanted to hang out with that day, to give her credit she did at least try to be gracious.

After some small chitchat, she got serious, "Something's bothering him, isn't it?"

"That'd be my guess."

"Does he ever talk about me?" Sarah leaned in, "Did I do something wrong?"

"I sort of doubt it's you," I said trying to keep my voice neutral. I could see her relax, and for a brief second I thought that was going to be the end of it. My relief was short lived.

"Then who is it?

"Maybe it's a what," I offered hoping to throw her off the scent.

Sarah shook her head, "no he doesn't get bothered by things. It's not him, I have never seen him this stressed out. He's not sleeping, he pretends to but I've woken up and caught him staring at the ceiling."

"You haven't known him that long."

"True, but I can read him pretty well. He's pretty transparent." She pulled at a lock of her hair and bit her lip.

I had enough of her dramatics, so I just blurted out, "So who is it Lady Sherlock?"

"You." Unknown to either of us James had been standing in the doorway listening, and chose this moment to alert us to his presence by speaking up, "now that you've both had your say, I'd like you both the get the hell out of my flat." With that he turned around and went back into his bedroom slamming the door.

Sarah looked at the door for longer than I was comfortable with, and then turned to me, her face a mask of pain and shock. "You're his lover?"

"Was, but he dumped me for you," I gestured towards the door, "let's get out of here before Godzilla gets loose again. I'll buy the first round."

By round four Sarah had reached the point where she wanted to have some explanation. I got through the whole sordid story without any interruption, and then sat back waiting for the questions to come pouring out. When none came I asked, "are you gonna be alright?"

"Do you think he loves me?"

I took a drink, "in his stunted way I think he does. You are totally wrong about him being transparent. You just see the false front and think that's him, but it's not. He's been really burned in the past, and I don't think he's let anyone in close enough to get that chance again."

"If you were me," she started to say, "I guess that's dumb. You're in the same boat aren't you? You still love him."

I nodded, "have to admit it, yeah I do."

"Then what should we do? Fight over him?" Sarah asked, her voice in an almost whisper, "Or work together to save him from himself?"

"Can you deal with sharing him with a man?"

"Can you deal with sharing him with a woman?" she smiled, and then quickly dropped it to a frown, "what if he doesn't want either of us?"

"Then we can say we honestly tried. Someone has to do something before he self destructs."

Sarah tilted back the last of her drink, raising the empty glass as a signal to the waiter, "let the games begin."

To be continued....