How to break a heart

Chapter ten

Rose can admit that spending time with Gerald is a great pleasure, but even as good as timing is, they're both not ready for something. Rachel and Garth, on the other hand, are burning to have a taste of each other. So much happened in such a little time. The four sits in the living room just talking about anything random. The girls are asleep on the sofa.

"Sweetheart, it's getting late," Garth says to Rose and sits forward. "I wouldn't mind staying, but I still need to get home before Eileen kicks me out."

"No problem, dad," Rose smiles at her dad and look at her mother, who relaxed back in her seat, looking at them. Rose bites her lip, and with a heavy sigh, she gets up and goes to the kitchen.

"I was hoping she'd offer me a place to sleep," Garth mutters. Rachel raises an eyebrow and giggles awkwardly.

"There you go," Rose says and gives him the keys. She turns to her mother and smiles. Somewhere deep in her overprotective heart is a carefree spirit that just wants her parents to be happy again. "Will you drop him off and bring my car back?"

"Okay," Rachel nods and gets up from her seat. Garth touches Rachel's back to lead her out. Rose grabs her father's arm and gives him a serious look. He looked cautious at her, who somehow appeared more as a parent to them as they were to her.

"If you need a hotel, just let me know, okay? If you don't, just let me know when mom is on her way back," Rose says and nods her head. Garth winks at her and walks out with Rachel.
He opens the door for her and goes around to the driver's side. He pushes the key into the ignition and looks at her.

"Two choices," he says and smiles at her. "Car or hotel?"

"Hmmm, somebody has plans," she giggles and throws her arms behind her head. "How about both?"

He raises an eyebrow and immediately starts driving away. Quietly, Rachel sits there and takes in the road. Garth smiles at her and places his hand on her knee.

"Are there any other secrets I should know about?" Garth asks just to distract her. She looks at him and smiles.

"Well, only that I am madly in love with my ex-husband and that I want to make this a night he will never forget," she giggles. He chuckles and looks over at her, then in front of him. She bites her lip and places her hand on his. "Find us a quiet place in the park somewhere deep in the dark, but with a little bit of light so that I can see your face."

"Sound perfect with me," he replies and runs his hand slowly up her thigh, lifting her dress. "Just stop me if I do something you don't like, okay?"

"Hmmm-mmm," she nods and puts her hand behind his head, playing with his hair. Lucky for them, the car is automatic, which means she gets to keep his hand. "It feels like I have you back, but at the same time, you're still not mine."

"I'm not Eileen's either, cupcake. I've always been yours," he replies and plays his thumb gently on her skin. "I wanted to come home so many times. Just to be around you even if you yelled at me the whole time."

"Perhaps in another life, we would've understood each other. Maybe in another life, we would have been faithful and worked through our shit together. I would be nicer, and you would stay," Rachel whispers and inhales deeply. Tears appear in her eyes, and a lump climbs up into her throat. "Eileen wouldn't be worrying where her husband is or with who. She would be happily married to someone who loves her for who she is, or she would be that strong, dominant woman who sits in her high office, inspiring other women to be self dependant."

"Or she would be with someone that doesn't remind them of their ex," Garth chuckles and look at her then at the road again.

"She does not remind you of me," Rachel giggles, embarrassed.