She clutched the Starbucks takeout cup and stared into her lap, immune to the music on the radio Lindsey had switched on to break the strained silence as he drove her home.
The California sun beamed brightly into the car. Sheryl's promise to be gone by morning was ringing in her ears. What if she was still there? She'd know right away. Any chance Stevie had of repairing the damage caused in the fight would be lost. It should be, anyway, her conscience reminded her. You cheated. Again. Whether she knows or not. You blew another relationship.
She was shaken from her thoughts by Lindsey clearing his throat. She squinted in the sunlight as she lifted her gaze to look at him.
"Stevie..."
"Hm?"
"Is everything ok? I mean, you've always been one for uh, post-coital regret, but I've never seen you like this."
"I'm fine."
"Is there someone else?"
For a moment, she had an almost overwhelming urge to tell him everything, but fear choked her and she shook her head before the uncomfortable silence resumed.
~
She slipped into the house as silently as she could, pulling her boots off at the door in case Sheryl was still there. She needn't have bothered. As she stood upright she made eye contact with her, sitting patiently on the stairs.
"I -"
"I've been here all night. You didn't take your phone. I had no idea where you'd gone."
"I'm sorry -"
"Were you -" her voice cracked, "- with him?"
Stevie could only stare back at her.
"Oh my god." Sheryl shook her head and rose to her feet.
"Sheryl, I'm sorry -"
"Do you have to be so predictable, Stevie? Can't you mix it up for a change? Does it have to be him, every time?"
"It's not like that." Stevie was wringing her hands. She tried to move towards Sheryl, who sprung back.
"Don't come near me." Her eyes brimmed with hot tears which spilled onto her cheeks. "I knew you would do this to me. I tried so hard to convince myself that we were different, that you were finally happy. But deep down, I knew it. Is he really that good a fuck? That you're prepared to throw everything away time after time for him?"
"You don't understand!"
"All I understand is that I loved you! I wanted to work things out. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you! And you broke us, Stevie!"
Stevie sank to her knees as she sobbed. Through her strangled tears, Sheryl made out the word "mistake".
"How many mistakes have there been, Steph?" She sighed and dropped to the ground at Stevie's side, taking her face in her hands and trying in vain to brush away the tears. "I'm sorry. I love you. More than I've ever loved anyone, and likely ever will. But I can't fight against him. And I won't try."
She pressed a lingering kiss to Stevie's forehead before rising and picking up her bag.
"Goodbye, Stevie. Thank you."
The closing door echoed through the suddenly silent house.
Stevie screamed.
