Days of Black and Gold
Old Flame I Can't Get Past
“You expecting someone?”
“Nope,” I shook my head and walked across the kitchen. “It’s probably a delivery. I ordered some things, but I was sure they were scheduled for next week.”
“Still shopping online, I see.”
“Shut up,” I chuckled, kissing his lips as the doorbell rang again. “I’ll be right back.”
Jogging to the door, I pulled it open and tried to hide my shock. “Cath, Kris. It’s nice to see you.”
“You’ve been MIA this week, Margot.”
“I’ve been busy,” I shrugged, stepping aside for them to enter the house. “What brings you two around?”
“Missed seeing you smiling face,” Catherine smirked, bringing Alex over to the toys.
“Hilarious,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“You just kind of disappeared after the club last weekend,” Kris explained. “Cath was worried about you.”
“Well, I’m doing well.”
“What have you been doing? Your texts have been very abrupt. Did I push you too much the other night?”
“No, Cath. I had a good time. I’ve just been busy. Everyone has been getting short texts from me.”
“The girls are alright?”
“The girls are great.”
“Why do I get the feeling you are hiding something?” Catherine cocked her brow and started heading toward the kitchen.
“Hey, Margot, who was at the door?”
I let out a small groan as Sidney sauntered into the living room with Nichole on his hip.
“Sid?”
“Kris,” Sidney smiled, sending him a curt nod. “Cath.”
“This is where you’ve been heading after practice.”
“We’ve been trying to work things out.”
“Margot, kitchen, now.”
“I’m in trouble,” I said, trying to hold back my laugh. “If we aren’t back in half an hour, send the police.”
“You’ll be fine,” Sidney chuckled, kissing my cheek as I walked past. “Georgie is still napping.”
“Thanks,” I grinned, leaving the room and cringing at the look on my blonde friend’s face. “Cath, we wanted to keep things quiet for now.”
“I can’t believe you never told me. I thought we were friends.”
“Come on, Cath. You’re my best friend, but you have to understand. We wanted to talk things through, see if we could make things work, without any pressure from friends.”
“Did you not think I would support you?”
“I didn’t think anyone would support me. It’s bad enough that Geno is going to murder one of us, I could only imagine what your reaction would have been.”
“I would have understood.”
“The night at the club, when I was outside, Sidney followed me out. We talked a bit, he kissed me and when you two came out, he gave me the key to his house.”
“You’ve been hanging out for the entire week?”
“Yes,” I muttered, hanging my head as Georgina cried through the monitor. “I should go check on her.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Catherine shook her head. “Crosby, go check on your other baby.”
“Catherine,” I hissed as Sidney, Kris and Alex entered the kitchen.
“I don’t mind,” Sidney chuckled, touching my arm, lightly, as he walked past.
I waited for the men to head up the stairs before turning back to the blonde woman next to me. “When he gave me the key, he asked for a sign that we still had a chance.”
“And you gave it to him. Do you think that was a good idea? After everything he put you through over the past nine months, you decided to give the man a second chance? Are you insane?”
“I put him through a lot, too,” I reminded her.
“What does this mean?” She asked, popping open the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “Are you two engaged again?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed. “We aren’t even living together.”
“Anna said Sid hasn’t been home in several days.”
“Where did you think he was?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I thought it was none of my business.”
“It kind of isn’t, but yes, he’s been staying here the last few days.”
“Please tell me you two are being safe. You don’t need to make anymore kids before that ring finds it’s way back to your finger, perhaps with a second one slid next to it.”
“Thank you for suggesting I marry the man that you are currently annoyed with.”
“What can I say? I love a happy ending. I may not be impressed with the way you two are handling, well, whatever it is you are doing, but I do want to see you happy.”
“That’s what my father said, more or less.”
“Did you tell Sid about Wheeling?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He asked me to move back into the house.”
“I hope your answer was no.”
“It was undecided,” I mumbled. “I’ve been trying to avoid having the conversation again. I really don’t know what to say. I mean, I love the man, and I want to be near him. Especially for the girls. But, I also want to start working and doing something for me. How can I do both?”
“Wheeling isn’t that far from the ‘Burgh.”
“How can I leave if we get back together?”
“Don’t put your life on the back burner for him.”
“Thanks for that, Catherine.”
“Sid,” I warned, stepping toward him.
“No, Margot, she’s right. If you’re having doubts because of your job opportunity, that’s fine. Just tell me. It’s not a great start to our relationship if we end up back at the beginning of our last one. This time, can we avoid keeping secrets?”
“I’m not keeping secrets,” I promised. “I’m just confused. I was ready to move forward, and then you came back. Now, I just need time to consider all of my options.”
“I’ll wait as long as I have to.”
“Nope,” I shook my head and walked across the kitchen. “It’s probably a delivery. I ordered some things, but I was sure they were scheduled for next week.”
“Still shopping online, I see.”
“Shut up,” I chuckled, kissing his lips as the doorbell rang again. “I’ll be right back.”
Jogging to the door, I pulled it open and tried to hide my shock. “Cath, Kris. It’s nice to see you.”
“You’ve been MIA this week, Margot.”
“I’ve been busy,” I shrugged, stepping aside for them to enter the house. “What brings you two around?”
“Missed seeing you smiling face,” Catherine smirked, bringing Alex over to the toys.
“Hilarious,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“You just kind of disappeared after the club last weekend,” Kris explained. “Cath was worried about you.”
“Well, I’m doing well.”
“What have you been doing? Your texts have been very abrupt. Did I push you too much the other night?”
“No, Cath. I had a good time. I’ve just been busy. Everyone has been getting short texts from me.”
“The girls are alright?”
“The girls are great.”
“Why do I get the feeling you are hiding something?” Catherine cocked her brow and started heading toward the kitchen.
“Hey, Margot, who was at the door?”
I let out a small groan as Sidney sauntered into the living room with Nichole on his hip.
“Sid?”
“Kris,” Sidney smiled, sending him a curt nod. “Cath.”
“This is where you’ve been heading after practice.”
“We’ve been trying to work things out.”
“Margot, kitchen, now.”
“I’m in trouble,” I said, trying to hold back my laugh. “If we aren’t back in half an hour, send the police.”
“You’ll be fine,” Sidney chuckled, kissing my cheek as I walked past. “Georgie is still napping.”
“Thanks,” I grinned, leaving the room and cringing at the look on my blonde friend’s face. “Cath, we wanted to keep things quiet for now.”
“I can’t believe you never told me. I thought we were friends.”
“Come on, Cath. You’re my best friend, but you have to understand. We wanted to talk things through, see if we could make things work, without any pressure from friends.”
“Did you not think I would support you?”
“I didn’t think anyone would support me. It’s bad enough that Geno is going to murder one of us, I could only imagine what your reaction would have been.”
“I would have understood.”
“The night at the club, when I was outside, Sidney followed me out. We talked a bit, he kissed me and when you two came out, he gave me the key to his house.”
“You’ve been hanging out for the entire week?”
“Yes,” I muttered, hanging my head as Georgina cried through the monitor. “I should go check on her.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Catherine shook her head. “Crosby, go check on your other baby.”
“Catherine,” I hissed as Sidney, Kris and Alex entered the kitchen.
“I don’t mind,” Sidney chuckled, touching my arm, lightly, as he walked past.
I waited for the men to head up the stairs before turning back to the blonde woman next to me. “When he gave me the key, he asked for a sign that we still had a chance.”
“And you gave it to him. Do you think that was a good idea? After everything he put you through over the past nine months, you decided to give the man a second chance? Are you insane?”
“I put him through a lot, too,” I reminded her.
“What does this mean?” She asked, popping open the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “Are you two engaged again?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed. “We aren’t even living together.”
“Anna said Sid hasn’t been home in several days.”
“Where did you think he was?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I thought it was none of my business.”
“It kind of isn’t, but yes, he’s been staying here the last few days.”
“Please tell me you two are being safe. You don’t need to make anymore kids before that ring finds it’s way back to your finger, perhaps with a second one slid next to it.”
“Thank you for suggesting I marry the man that you are currently annoyed with.”
“What can I say? I love a happy ending. I may not be impressed with the way you two are handling, well, whatever it is you are doing, but I do want to see you happy.”
“That’s what my father said, more or less.”
“Did you tell Sid about Wheeling?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He asked me to move back into the house.”
“I hope your answer was no.”
“It was undecided,” I mumbled. “I’ve been trying to avoid having the conversation again. I really don’t know what to say. I mean, I love the man, and I want to be near him. Especially for the girls. But, I also want to start working and doing something for me. How can I do both?”
“Wheeling isn’t that far from the ‘Burgh.”
“How can I leave if we get back together?”
“Don’t put your life on the back burner for him.”
“Thanks for that, Catherine.”
“Sid,” I warned, stepping toward him.
“No, Margot, she’s right. If you’re having doubts because of your job opportunity, that’s fine. Just tell me. It’s not a great start to our relationship if we end up back at the beginning of our last one. This time, can we avoid keeping secrets?”
“I’m not keeping secrets,” I promised. “I’m just confused. I was ready to move forward, and then you came back. Now, I just need time to consider all of my options.”
“I’ll wait as long as I have to.”