INSIDE THEIR MINDS

The Room

ERICA

19 calls, 37 texts and 3 voicemails all demanding I head "home". But no matter how hard Ben yelled and screamed I knew he couldn't change my mind.

Sure he has decent looks, an absurd amount of money and the brains to back it all up but he wasn't that handsome, or that rich, or that smart. He thought he had me wrapped around his little finger like some obedient dog obeying his every command. Well I ain't nobody's bitch.

Thankfully it wasn't Ben that was calling, it was Phil.

"Plans have changed they shot out the cameras. All but one camera inside the house is out." Derek said quietly and somewhat awkwardly over the phone.

I hadn't talked to him since the "baby" thing and though he had admittedly crossed my mind quite a few times it was his voice that drew me back in.

I closed my eyes and immediately drifted back to our sensual time together. His soft soothing hands moving slowly over my too warm body. His lips perfectly, expertly kissing mine.

"Erica did you hear me?" He asked his sultry voice luring me in even further.

"What, sorry, bad connection." I say making up a believable excuse.

"GET OUT NOW!" He yelled his voice shaking.

I started my car continuing to hold the phone against my ear even though all I could hear was his breathing.

"What's going on." I finally ask.

"One of the vans is leaving. I don't want them to see you." He said now sounding more calm.

"Okay." I said back to him, wanting to say more.

Then I heard a voice, that wasn't Kate's.

"Alex." I accidentally said outloud.

"What about her? " he asks me.

I knew she must be sitting right beside him. Does she make him happy? Is she better in bed then I am? Is she thinner than me?

"Is she okay?" I said trying to cover up my stumble.

"Yeah, she's fine we all are." He said.

That's when the horrible thought came into my mind. That we weren't all fine, I'm not fine. I threw away my marriage, my boyfriend for what?

To jump into bed with the next rich man I laid eyes on and say yes to his proposal.

The ring. My eyes stared at the ring that swirled around my finger, gold and diamonds abundant.

I swiftly removed it, opened my car window and chucked it hard into a row of pine trees.

I don't know what I want right now, but I know this isn't it. 

DEREK

I felt like I was doing something wrong even though all I was doing was talking to her. Her voice has always had a mesmorizing quality to it and even as Alex's hand rested on my thigh I couldn't help but think about Erica in her place.

But I knew it was wrong. It was always wrong with her. She was married, cheating with me hiding away in hotel rooms, even having sex at my work. She brought out this often over sexual side of me that I hated to love. She has made me feel like no other woman has and I hate it.
She knew just to how kiss me, touch me, soothe me and playfully play with me it's like she could read my mind and know exactly what I needed every second I was with her.

Alex, Alex, Alex. I love Alex. I never loved Erica. It was just casual, very casual, and sultry and erotic and passionate and... and I love Alex!

"What do you want me to do?" She asked me.

Right now at this moment I want you to be as far away from me as possible.

"Phil says you should stay where you are, stay where they can't see you." Where I can't see you. "They are just leaving the propery now and it looks like they are headed your direction, be careful."

"I always am." I could hear a slight smirk in her voice.

I wanted to give the phone to someone, anyone but everyone was still busy. Alex was watching the monitors like a hawk and Phil and Kate were trying to get Nora to fall asleep.

"Can I admit something to you?" She asks me in her "oh will you rescue me kind prince voice, one of many of our role playing characters.

"What is the problem?" I ask her as my eyes glide over Alex focusing kn her hair as it trailed down her back, everything else was out of view as she faced the 4 lit screens.

"I'm scared." Erica said and this time, unlike the other times, I could tell she meant it.

"It will all be fine." I say now looking over at Nora as they continue to rock her in their arms.

"You're lucky." She breathed.

"Right now I don't feel all that lucky." I say letting my eyes wonder around the small room.

"You're safe. You're with people that care about you, that's more than I have." She whined.

"You have people that care about you." I said trying to cheer her up.

"What, my ex husband, my ex-boyfriend or ex-fiancee?"

"I didn't know you guys broke up, I thought the engagement party was in a few days."

"It is. It was. It... How do you know about that?"

"Your party planner is sitting right next to me." I say taking Alex's hand and holding it gently in mine.

"Oh, Were you going to come?" She asked.