Our New Normal

Part 9: My Heart

They stare into each other's eyes for a few minutes.

Hearts racing and both feeling their worlds shifting.

Looking down at the gold band that lays in her palm, she smiles and then surprises him. Taking his left hand, she slides the ring back on his finger- confusing him- his face growing long and confused, slightly hurt by this.
As she looks back up at him, her small smile resting on her face and soft eyes looming up at him.

"Wow...I...um....I guess I misread..." He begins to say and she shakes her head.

"You didn't misread. I love that you're ready- or at least ready to try- but that ring is still precious and important. It always will be- no matter where you are in life. So don't lose it. Alright? I don't care if you wear it or not. It's Georgia...and even if that's just one of the things that keeps her alive in your heart and in Luna's...then you should wear it." A few tears sting his eyes and she wipes them away with the pads of the thumbs and brings his face down to kiss her. "I just wanted to know you were ready- that didn't mean you had to take off your wedding band."

He nods and slides the band off his finger. She looks at him as if he isn't understanding what she's saying, but he slides it onto his right hand.

"There..." He quietly says and she smiles softly at him.

"You're so sweet." Leaning down, he hesitantly pulls her closer and kisses her lips- a slight tremble flowing through both of them. She knows it's a lot for him. She knows that that was a very big step and deal. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..."

"We don't have to move forward this fast. I don't want to rush you at all, Max. That's never been my intention."

"No, I know. I...can I be honest with you...I mean I'd never lie to you...I just..." Cupping his face, she smiles and leaves a small kiss on his lips.

"Of course... how about we sit down." He nods at her suggest and she leads him to his couch. Sitting down they face inward towards each other and she looks him over- wondering what's bothering him.

"Okay...so um...you remember that night in your office last year."

"Hmph...yes, I remember." She smirks and he nods a couple of times- feeling anxious and not sure how to say what he needs too.

"Right....yeah....um...see..." He doesn't know if he should tell her this or if he should keep it to himself. He just knows that he wants to always be honest with her.

"Max, just relax and take a deep breath." She instructs and nods before he tries again.

"Huh...you...um...do you remember that woman I told you about...the one with the baby..."

"Yes." Confusion washes over her as she listens to him.

"Okay, well...um. Her name is Alice and we were hanging out and she had lost her husband a year before this and we wanted to be just friends and we were...I would watch the kids while she did gigs or whatever..."

"Max...you don't need to..."

"No...Helen- I do... I want to be honest with you." He squeezes her hands slightly in his before releasing them to push his fingers through his hair. "Well, one night...for whatever reason...we um...we...shared a...a moment."

She really doesn't want to hear this, but she sits there patiently and listens.

"And the next morning we...um...we got...you know...um...physical." She bites her inner cheek, but tries to remain neutral. "Well that was the day that everything happened between you and Castro and...and that night...when I asked you why— I...I didn't expect you to say what you had and...and I wanted to...to tell you that I reciprocated your feelings and that I had always had a...a thing for you...but um...I...I felt guilty because of what I'd done and...and I...that's why I didn't say...say anything to you. I wanted to tell you now because...because I don't want to go forward in this with that guilt and I just want to be open with you always."