A Love Like This

Old Lies

November 20, two months since diagnosis
Scout: 11
Sage: 8

Link was sitting on the couch. Marcus was with him as the game played. They were trying to find a good date to go before the inevitable.

"Can I ask you something Link?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah go ahead." Link shrugged.

"Have you ever brought up the affair to Amelia?" Marcus asked.

"Not since it happened. We made it work, I love her, she loves me. There's not much to bring up." Link sighed.

"So it happened and you guys just moved on?" Marcus asked.

"I want to bring it up. But since I'm dying I would hate to fight before I die." Link said.

"Yeah I get that. But I just can't believe you haven't said anything." Marcus said.

"It was 5 years ago, I want to believe that we are okay. That it will never ever happen again. But hey you know end of my life and shit happens but all I can do is hope." Link said.

THE affair. The one Marcus meant had taken place 5 years before. Link had taken his job with the Mariners back and was never home. The times he was home all his attention went to the kids.

Amelia quickly grew tired of this. It went on for months and finally she got fed up. She showed up at Owen's one day and they had an affair. On multiple occasions.

The only reason Link found out was when he was with Marcus and they went on the computer to print out tickets and found the messages between Amelia and Arizona about Owen wanting more, but the guilt Amelia felt because she was married.

Amelia when confronted lied to Link. She told him it only happened once. But no she counted. 5 times. 5 separate times she went to Owen's.

Link never truthfully knew Amelia cheated that many times. They had agreed years ago to make it work, to forgive each other and try couples counseling.

Amelia wanted with all of her to tell him how many times it happened but she couldn't. She couldn't make herself. He had barely forgiven her back then. Now she certainly couldn't.

-

"Hey." Arizona said putting the coffee next to Amelia in the scan room.

"Hey." Amelia smiled.

"How is he?" Arizona asked.

"The same, a little weak. But he won't let anyone know." Amelia sighed.

"What do you mean?" Arizona asked.

"Well people come over and he puts on his baseball cap, and puts on a show for them but then once they leave he collapses onto the couch for 3 days." Amelia said.

"Did you guys ummm ever bring back up the affair?" Arizona said hesitantly.

"No. He doesn't know the truth. I cant bring myself to tell him." Amelia said.

"Did you delete our messages then. Even if you don't use that computer anymore." Arizona said.

Realization hit Amelia right there. Fear coursed through her veins. She hadn't ever deleted the message with Arizona about how many truthful times the affair happened.