Faithfully Yours

“No you definitely bought me the silver ‘S’ before you bought me the silver piano, I’m sure of it,” I said looking up at Mike.

We were having one of our usual friendly disagreements.

“I swear I bought the piano first, it was one of the first ones I bought you and the ‘S’ came later,” Mike said reaching for my silver charm bracelet and fingering some of the charms.

“Well does it really matter which one was bought first?” Said Tre coming up behind me.

“Daddy!” Said our beautiful daughter Jessica who was stretching out her arms to be held by her father. Mike handed her over to Tre and I watched Tre snuggle her close to him but she wasn’t having any of it and wanted to be put down.

“Daddy, play,” she said grabbing at his hand and trying to pull him towards a heap of toys that had been brought out of the house to occupy her.

“In a minute princess,” he said bending down to her level. “I’m going to stand here and talk to Mom and Uncle Mike for a while,” he said touching one of her very blonde curls. He pulled it down slightly; he loved doing this and loved the way it sprang back up and bounced.

“Why don’t you go and see what your brother is up to?” said Tre standing up.

“He always with Joey and Jakey and doesn’t want me.” Said his little girl, pouting at him and trying to get her own way as usual. Usually she got it but today she had an idea that she didn’t have her father’s full attention. She felt hot and couldn’t really be bothered to argue with him. Then she decided she wanted to find Joey, she wanted to show him the new doll that her Dad bought her only that morning. Joey was always interested, not like Ryan who sometimes got annoyed at her.

Tre watched Jessica go off towards her pile of toys, grab the new doll with the same colour hair as her own that he’d only bought her that morning then toddle off towards the group of older kids who were sat under the gazebo, idly chatting and laughing.

When he turned Stella had disappeared and he couldn’t see her anywhere, she’d probably gone back into the house for something.

”I’m going into the house to get myself a beer,” said Mike looking at his old friend. “Can I get you one?” He asked.

Then something dawned on Tre, may be Stella was alone in the house and Mike wanted to talk to her.

“No, its OK Mike, I’ll go and fetch the beers, won’t be a minute,” he said then grabbed Mike’s empty beer bottle and headed up to the house.

He was right. Stella was in the kitchen and she looked surprised to see him.

“You made me jump Tre,” she said turning from the sink where she was doing some wiping up. “You shouldn’t creep up on me like that, I thought you were out in the garden,” she said turning back to the sink to finish off.

“Sorry sweetheart,” said Tre. Why would I have made her jump? Was she expecting someone else?

He felt foolish, what the hell was he playing at feeling jealous? Did he think his Stella was having an affair with Mike all because he’d read a letter just now telling him that she had slept with Mike the same weekend as himself?

Stupid, stupid idiot.

He had to pull himself together. He knew Stella loved him but he couldn’t help these feelings that had suddenly swept over him. He didn’t want to think about it; perhaps it would have been better if he’d read the letter at the same time as everyone else.

Why was it hurting him so much now?

Because all those years ago when he’d wanted Stella, Mike had a slight hold over her. He knew they were close and he knew Stella had wanted Mike. What if she wanted him again?

He hated himself for thinking these thoughts.

But he couldn’t help it.

Mike was a single guy again, he was often round here, just calling in unexpectedly; sometimes he was here when Tre wasn’t. He knew that and it hadn’t bothered him, up until now that was.

“Are you OK Tre?” Said Stella coming towards him. “You look tired honey, has your little princess been keeping you busy?” she said coming towards him and putting her arms around his neck, fingering at his hair and making him want to melt against her, to pull her upstairs to their room like he usually did when he got the opportunity.

He loved it when she did that, reached up behind his head and ran her fingers through his hair, it did things to him.

Then he had an awful thought.

Had she done that to Mike?