A Mass Hysteria In The Modern World

[Three weeks later - Martena's POV]

Running into Alyssa and Billie's house, I almost tripped over one of Keith's toys that was in the middle of the entrance way. Not having that great of a balance, I ended up running into one of the walls and knocking down a photograph of Billie and Alyssa.

"Shit!" I yelled, picking up the picture and the pieces of glass. Alyssa came running down with Jenna. She stopped on the steps, holding on the railing then putting her hand over her chest.

"You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry! I wasn't planning on running into the wall!" I defended myself. "Oh, and sorry about breaking the picture of you and your fuck buddy."

"He's not my fuck buddy," she laughed. "And it's okay. Just leave it on the table over there." I picked it all up and sat it down then wiped my hands off of glass. "So what's up?"

Her and I went into the living room and she sat Jenna down in one of her baby seats and sat on the couch.

"I have to tell you something."

"Should I hope for the best or expect the worst?"

"I'm not pregnant!"

"Yes! That's awesome!"

"Definitely," I sighed, leaning back. "I was so scared."

"Tre would be damned if you were."

"Oh yeah," I laughed. "He would be."

Jenna was making noises and spitting all over herself.

"No, don't do that!" Alyssa whined, picking her daughter up. "Ugh. You're so messy, Jenna." She wiped her face off with her bib that hung around her small neck.

"She's so cute," I said. Alyssa laid her down in her arms and Jenna cuddled into her chest and closed her eyes, yawning first.

"Thanks," she smiled.

"You two must have had really good sex in order to create that adorable of a child."

She laughed. "It's always good sex. Are you saying my other two are ugly?"

"Ew," I blandly said. "First, I don't need to know about you and Billie's sex life. Second, yes. I am."

"First... whatever. Second, liar."

"Dammit..."

"You're just trying to make me mad," she said with a smile.

"You know me too well."

"Ha! I win."

"So where's your fuck buddy today?"

"Martena! He's not my fuck buddy!"

I pointed to the baby. "Really? Is that so?"

She turned, keeping Jenna away from me. "It was planned!"

I was laughing; I couldn't respond.

"Having a fuck buddy means that you and that person only have sex a majority of the time. He's my husband."

"And there's a difference for you...?"

"Stop talking about my sex life! How about I talk about yours!"

"There's nothing to say about it. It's obvious. I'm married to Tre Cool."

"That's what I thought."

"That wasn't a burn, Alyssa," I laughed. "You just suck at comebacks."

"Anyways! He's not here. Billie's out doing whatever. I don't know."

"Do you trust him?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, Adrienne..."

"Don't make me worry, Martena. It's taken me forever to forget about that."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'm just... I still feel he's a little... I don't know... never mind."

"No, say it."

"I feel he's still not... faithful?"

"He's completely faithful, trust me. He starts to cry whenever he even thinks of me seeing someone else."

[Tre's POV]

I was going around the store, buying things that we didn't have at home. I felt someone walk into the same aisle as me but I ignored them.

"Hey big boy."

"What the fu-?" I asked before turning to see who it was. "Adrienne?!"

"That's me," she said and grabbed my collar. "Do me a favor?"

"No."

She pushed me against the shelves and things fell onto the floor. I looked around at the security cameras and spotted a cashier not too far from me.

"Attract attention and you'll wish you never have," she said. "Let me ask you again, will you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what do you want?"

Adrienne put me down on the ground and I began picking everything up until she put her foot on my hand.

"Leave it."

I stood back up and stared at her. "Just tell me what the fuck you want so you can get out of here."

"I want you to tell your friend of yours, Billie, that I'm going to be looking for him."

"Why the hell are you doing this, Adrienne? You're a piece of shit. You can't do shit to him."

"Oh, I won't be doing anything to him. It's his little wifey I'm after."

I smiled. "Are you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous of her? I left Billie a long time ago."

"Because you thought he'd be miserable, but he found someone better and worth his time. Worth fifteen years of being married to. They're anniversary is in a few weeks. Did you know that?"

"Shut up."

"Go home, Adrienne. Nobody wants you here," I said and walked away. I quickly paid for my stuff and went home. I didn't see Martena there, so I went across the street to Billie's. I knocked on the door and Martena answered.

"Hey!" She smiled, letting me in.

"Where's Alyssa?"

"In the living room with Jenna. Why?"

I looked around and took her behind the staircase. "Listen, I ran into Adrienne. Actually, she sort of pushed me into the shelves. But whatever. She's after Alyssa; she's back."

"Are you fucking kidding me? What's she threatening to do? You know we all won't let Adrienne touch her."

"I don't know, she told me to tell Billie. But I... I just can't."

"Don't... not yet."

[Billie's POV]

I opened my phone and saw a text from Alyssa.

"Hey, babe. When are you getting home?"

"Soon, soon. I have something for you. :)"

"You know I don't like getting presents." I rolled my eyes.

"Is that all, sir?" The cashier asked. I nodded my head. "Looks like you've got a special someone."

"Very special," I smiled.

"How long have you two been together?"

I showed my wedding ring. "Going on sixteen years."

"Congratulations."

This guy was nice. I liked him.

"I have to! Our anniversary is in three weeks." I texted back after leaving the store.

"Whatever. Just get home soon. I'm lonely."

"Oh, really? ;)"

"Shut up. Martena's here. Don't be pulling any tricks."

I replied with a sad face and she replied with a face sticking it's tongue out. I closed my phone and got in the car to go home.

Once I got inside the house, I saw Tre and Martena sitting with Alyssa. She was holding Jenna.

"Hey," I told everybody, putting my jacket on the hook and going out to the living room to join them. I held the case in my pocket that held her gift. They all looked sad. "What's going on?"

"Billie," Tre started. "She's back."

"Who?"

"Adrienne," Alyssa said, looking at me quickly then looking back down at Jenna and played with her fingers.

"She can't do anything," I said and sat down. "She can't."

"If she really wanted to, she could," Martena spoke up. "But hey, I need to go get dinner started. Tre, you're coming with me." The both of them got up and started to head out the door. "Everything will be okay."

After they left, my wife and I sat in silence. I thought about if Alyssa was scared of her or worried for me.

"If you're thinking that I'm scared and worried, then yes. I am," she said and began to go upstairs. I quickly followed her. We passed Abby's room and I opened the door to make sure she was there. Closing the door, I followed her into Jenna's room. She put her in her crib and turned on the music box.

"You don't need to-"

"Shh! She's trying to sleep," she whispered, looking at our daughter. We both leaned on the crib.

"You don't need to worry," I whispered back and put my arm around her. "I promise." I leaned on her and the case dug into both of our hips.

"What is that?" She asked, reaching into my pocket. I dragged her out into the hallway.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Give it to me!"

"If you insist," I said and pushed her against the wall. She laughed.

"Give me what's in your pocket, not what's in your pants." I laughed too.

"Alright, fine," I sighed, letting her go. "I wanted to wait another week or two, but," I pulled the box out and handed it to her. "Since you asked."

She opened the case and it was a silver necklace with a heart. It was plain and simple, but it meant a lot. She hugged me and asked me to put it on.

"Can't you do this yourself?" I asked, lifting the necklace above her and around her neck.

"I wanted you to do it." I latched it and she put her hair back down and turned around.

"Happy, early, sixteen years," I said. She kissed me and I held onto the railing. "Trying to kill me?"

"Never," she whispered and kissed me again.

[Martena's POV]

Tre and I laid down on the couch the moment we walked in the door. We heard the kids upstairs so we didn't need to worry about them being here or not.

"Tre..."

"Mhm?"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I do!"

"Well, it's just... you never tell me anymore."

"I do love you, forever. You know that."

"I normally wouldn't really care about this but... Mike always does these cute things for Miranda. Like now, he took her on vacation; Billie always does nice things for Alyssa. You don't do anything."

"I bought you this," he said, grabbing the necklace I was wearing. I looked down at my hands. "Look, I love you. That's never going to change."

"Are you sure?"

He locked his hand with mine. "I'm positive."

[Billie's POV]

Alyssa kept kissing me over and over.

"Are you done yet?" I laughed before she kissed me again and dragged me to our room then pushed me on the bed after five minutes of making out in the hallway.

"Now I am," she smiled and walked out.

"Not cool!" I yelled and went after her. She was already downstairs. "Not cool at all!"

"That's what you get."

"I didn't do anything!"

"I gave you more than I usually do a few weeks ago, and now you don't get anything."

I did a face-palm. "Is that your new routine now?"

"I never had a routine, Billie," she laughed and took Jenna into the kitchen.

"I don't know," I said suspiciously and went up behind her. "You usually put on a good show."

"Oh shut up, I don't do anything. You're the one who always has me pinned down."

"Not that one time." I kissed her face.

She laughed. "We were drunk."

"Either way, it was hot," I whispered. She drew her elbow back and hit me in the stomach. I grabbed my stomach and stumbled backwards. "You lead me on and now you beat me up?!"

"I'm stronger than you know."

"Maybe in bed, yes."

"Stop with the perverted comments!" She yelled.

"You're smiling; you like it!" Alyssa ran into the living room with Jenna and I chased after her. "Hey, you're wearing my clothes."

"You just noticed?" She smiled and fed our baby. "They're comfortable. I like them."

"I'd like them better on the floor..."

"Billie!" She yelled, attempting to hit me.

"I've heard that before. A little louder than that though."

She glared at me. I began speed walking away from her. She ran up and jumped on my back, causing me to hit the tile floor. Luckily, my face didn't hit it. She began hitting me. I rolled over and pushed her off. I ran back to the living room and grabbed Jenna. She came to a halt and was breathing heavily.

"You can't hit a baby."

"I can hit you," she threatened me and walked away.

[Miranda's POV]

"You didn't have to take me anywhere, Mike."

We entered our hotel room and the first thing I did was lay Jennifer and myself down on the bed. Mike put all our suitcases on the floor and locked the door before coming to lay down with us. We had been driving all day. It was now 10:00PM and we were wiped out.

"I wanted to. You deserve it," he said and kissed my face.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm getting into my pajamas. Watch Jennifer."

He hung his head and then laid down all the way. I went into the bathroom and changed into my usual white tank top with green, plaid boxers with long, black basketball shorts over them. I went back out to get my contact stuff and the case and went back into the bathroom to remove my contacts. Mike always got on my case about taking them out. I used to leave them in all night, every night because I was too lazy and I would always get headaches.

"Looks like it's become a habit," Mike laughed, getting Jennifer into her pajamas. She was tired. "That's a good thing."

"Only because you made me." I got comfortable under the blanket.

[Alyssa's POV]

"You're too good to me, Beej," I said. I had my elbow on my pillow, propping my head up.

"That's a bad thing?" He said and turned the lights off. He got into bed and he opened his arms for me to lay on him. I put my head on his chest and he began to stroke it.

"It's definitely not a bad thing," I whispered, playing with the strings of his pajama pants.

"Could you not do that?" He laughed. "You're giving me ideas."

I looked up at him and put my hand underneath the elastic of his pants. "Oh, am I?"

"Don't... move..."

I started to inch my way down but quickly pulled my hand out. "Just kidding," I smiled and kissed his face. He sighed.

"I had hope for a second," he confessed.

"I know."

"You're mean," he said and kissed me. Slowly, he got on top of me and tried taking my pants off. I put my hands on his waist and slid him up his shirt. He stopped and laid next to me. "Just kidding."

"Oh, you're doing that whole 'payback' thing now?" I asked with a smirk.

"Now you know how I feel when you tease me."

"I never said it made me want to do anything."

"So you're hard to get now?" He asked, putting his hand on my stomach. I stuttered and grabbed his hand but loosened my grip when he put his hand down my pants.

"I am playing 'hard to get'," I whispered and looked at him. "I swear, if you move."

"You'd like it."

"How do you know?" He began making circles on my lower stomach with his fingers. "Not working," I lied. He frowned and took his hand back, crossing his arms.

"I don't know what else to do," he sighed. "I guess I don't have the magic touch anymore."

I laughed. "So that's what it's called now?" He looked at me.

"That's what I call it."

[Miranda's POV]

"Mike," I whispered, sitting up. "Are you awake?"

I heard soft snores and I laid back down. I didn't know if I had a bad dream or what, but I was freaked out. I went to Jenna's crib and saw her sleeping. I sighed, feeling relieved. I checked the lock on the door and the windows then laid back down. It took me forever to fall asleep again.

[Billie's POV]

"Please?" I whispered. "It's been at least ten months."

"Actually, around eight or nine," she said, getting on top of me.

"You're not making this any better. That's still a really long time."

She grabbed my face and kissed me hard. Being stunned, I didn't move. She brought me up and began messing with my shirt. I put my hands underneath her shirt and she gasped a little.

"What's wrong?" I asked, holding her waist with a tight hold.

"It's been a long time," she smiled and kissed me again. I took off my shirt and threw it across the room then took hers off. She laughed when I began to mess with her bra clamps.

"I can never get these," I laughed. She grabbed my hands away and pulled me on top of her.

"Don't worry about that yet," she said and pulled me back down. I felt her hands on my neck then run through my hair and she pulled on it a little. I groaned and messed with her pants.

"You know that makes me want you more."

"That's why I did it," she smiled.

"You're dirty," I laughed. "You really are."

"I only learn from you."

[Tre's POV]

"You feeling okay?" I asked. Martena looked up at me from the T.V.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, if I heard you correctly, you said last that you thought you could be pregnant..." I said and prepared for the blow to my face.

"Oh yeah!" She said and jumped up. "I'm not!"

"Oh thank God," I said and hugged her. "You don't know how happy I am hear that."

"What? Are you scared of me?"

"Sort of," I cowered. "Not so much of you but your damage to things."

She laughed. "I wouldn't hurt you." I let out a long breath.

"That's good to hear."

[Alyssa's POV]

We were almost done and Billie kept breathing on my face. I pushed his face away but he just dug it into my shoulder, biting it. I hit his shoulder and he smiled. He breathed something, a name. But it wasn't my name, it was Adrienne's. After he said it, he stopped and dropped his head.

"Are you fucking serious?" I grabbed my head and closed my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," he said, still breathing heavily.

"Can you get the fuck off me? This is sort of awkward just laying here and you not doing anything," I said and pushed him off. I grabbed one of the blankets and wrapped it around me, getting off the bed. "Tell me, why the hell did you say her name and not mine?"

"I- I don't know..."

I looked him in the eyes. His bangs were soaked with sweat, same with his face. I went to the bathroom, washing my face off.

"This is bullshit," I said, grabbing a pair of clothes and changing in the bathroom. I came back out and he was close to crying.

"Lyssa," he said. His voice was choked up.

"Don't," I said, almost crying myself. "I don't want to hear it."

"We were fine a few minutes ago. Please, don't hurt me."

"A few minutes ago, you weren't moaning her name," I said and felt my heart drop. "You still want her."

"Never," he said and went to hug me.

"Get some clothes on first," I mumbled. "Then maybe I'll hug you." Billie quickly got his boxers and a shirt on then attacked me in a hug.

"I don't know why I said her name," he said and kissed my face. "I hate her. You know that, babe."

"Two more weeks and we'll be married for sixteen years," I whispered and then laughed. "You've never done anything this low without going out and fucking someone else."

"I'm a bad husband, I know."

"No, you're not. If you were, I wouldn't be wearing this ring or this necklace."

"Can you forgive me?"

"No," I said. "But I can try and forget."

"I'm sorry," he whispered and held me close. I kissed him.

"I'm going to be upset about this for a long time. You know that, right?" He nodded his head. "And that what you just did was terrible?" He nodded his head again. "And that your boner just stabbed me." He began to laugh and backed off. I laughed too and pulled him back to me. "I have an idea..."

"What is it?"

"I say... we leave off where we stopped," I said, tapping my fingers on his back. I looked up at him. He smiled and picked me up and laid me gently on the bed.

"It was pretty pointless for you to get dressed," he laughed, taking my new shirt and pants off. He tore his off too.

"I was pissed." I took off everything else and pulled him on me. "Wait!"

"What?"

"Are you using one?"

"Yeah," he said and kissed me. "I wouldn't let that slip my mind."

"Thanks." I smiled at him and we started where we left off.

"It looks like we have to start all over again," he laughed and made me on top of him.

"Oh no, I will not be on top," I said and switched with him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm terrible at it."

"Then it'll give you a chance to practice," he smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"No."

"Fine. I just get tired of always having to do all the work."

"You enjoy it. Shut up."