The Bottom Line
Richie and Toni spent most of Sunday in the bed sleeping, cuddling and making love. It was Sunday night before Toni really began to feel like herself she sat up against the headboard drinking a coke.
“I guess I’ve forgiven you Richie, you’re back in my bed.”
“That’s all I can ask for Toni, that you do forgive me it’s been a heart wrecking week.”
“Yes it has a revealing one too. We still need to talk we can’t let it lay there.”
“All right let’s talk.” He pulled himself against the headboard too.
“You know when we got married the worst thing I could think of is that you would cheat on me and when it happened, I wasn’t even surprised. It hurt but it didn’t bring me to my knees like I thought it would.”
“You sound like you expected it Toni.”
“Maybe deep down I did, I know you cheated on Laurie.”
“I know I didn’t tell you everything, I wasn’t honest with you but I never strayed until last week. It just happened.”
“Just happened…might just happen again….”
“I don’t think so, it’s not what I want Toni I don’t love anybody but you.”
“Well I should tell you that I would have gone to bed with Travis if he’d let me, that’s where I was by Friday afternoon.”
“He called this morning to make sure you got home. So what’s with you and Travis I thought he was gonna fuck you on the dance floor?”
“Yeah but he didn’t and he didn’t check us in to the Harbor Inn in Coffs either. He’s my friend…has been every since this mess started.”
“Maybe too friendly.”
“Don’t start; you had his wife beneath you. You think he wasn’t hurting?”
“Jan’s got some problems.”
“I know she does but you aren’t gonna solve them for her, you probably added to the pile.”
Richie ran his hand over his face, “so what’s the bottom line here Toni?”
“Here’s the bottom line Richie, I’m going with you to the clinic and see if your pipes can be fixed, because I don’t trust you to do it. Second thing is…I want to have your baby because I love you. The third thing is…I don’t ever want us to go through this again, if I’m not woman enough for you then let’s get that out now too, if I am then you don’t need to go looking for another.”
“You’re more than enough woman for me. I accept your bottom line Toni and I got one for you. Don’t ever shut me out again, no matter what the problem is, talk to me, yell at me, hit me but don’t shut down on me.”
She set her coke down on the bedside table, “I want to hit you.”
“Go ahead have at it.”
Toni slapped his face and then started to cry. Richie gathered her in his arms and held her rocking her back and forth, tilting her chin up and kissing her tenderly.
