Crossing Boundaries [COMPLETE]

Love So Strong and True

DAY 1. The day after Chris and Tiffany had the breakfast nook conversation, his week-long vacation started. Tom, their high school classmate, who was now a real estate agent, evaluated the home Tiffany was about to sell. With all the modern renovations her mom had done to the house, upgraded kitchen and bathrooms, open floor plan and a huge perk to boot -- her dad's wine cellar, it was appraised at more than what Mike was asking. Once the home is sold, she still has a few hundred thousand to find herself a comfortable space to live in.

On that same day, Anna, Tiffany's lawyer, dropped by the house to iron out the conditions for the uncontested divorce documents. As reviewed by both her lawyer and Mike's, the best way to have a speedy hearing was to leave out the big settlement conditions out. They had to write a different binding contract that would see to it that both parties would honor the agreement.

So, two documents were finalized that day. A simpler divorce petition and a contract that contains all the conditions both parties had previously agreed upon.

DAY 2-5. Tom scheduled an open house for possible buyers on the fifth day. It took Chris and Tiffany three days to finish tidying up the home. All pieces of furniture, devices and decor would stay except for small appliances in the kitchen and her favorite painting - the one he did for her a long time ago.

"If we put that above the fireplace mantel, the house would easily sell for a million bucks," Chris joked.

"You think? Maybe they'd throw it out the minute they set foot in the house," she joked back. "I'll take that with me. It's the best gift I've received, after all."

As they both stared at his first 'masterpiece' resting on the wooden floor, he stood behind her and bound his left arm about the small of her waist. Tiffany, in turn, dipped her head on his toned chest.

"You can still back out from selling this house, you know. Just say yes to me paying him off," He mumbled in her ear. Tiffany shook her head.

Her resolve to get the money out of her own pocket was firm. He didn't have the responsibility to do so. Maybe it was her ego. Maybe she felt it was too embarrassing even if Chris is his forever friend and they've been more than that now. Maybe it was both reasons that prevented her from allowing him to deal with the financial problem.

Chris knew Tiffany well. So, he didn't force the issue. Regardless, it wouldn't stop him from suggesting playful but plausible ideas. "Or, I could just marry you right now so you have no excuses to turn down my offer."

His out of the blue suggestion caused her to giggle.

"What?" He teased. "I wouldn't mind being attached to you for the rest of my life." The last statement, although uttered in jest, was a fact.

"That's not possible, Bubba. I have to be divorced before you could marry me." She made a 180-degree turn, tiptoed and slithered her fingers behind his neck and hair strands. "I'll be fine," she lied. But to mask it, she tugged his face closer to her and relished the fervid union of their lips.

In between sweet exchanges with one another, the couple were able to finish cleaning the entire Fosters on the fourth day of Chris's vacation. Some of the things she'd bring with her after the house is sold, they moved to a storage she rented. To keep the place pristine for the open house the following morning, they moved out to stay at the Evanses, temporarily. They spent the night catching up with the adults and the following day playing with the kids. They played from Hide and Seek to Simon Says from Piggy in the Middle to Red Light, Green Light.

Since it was a weekend, the others in the household barbecued meat for lunch while watching the young and the young-at-heart sprawl like bunnies in early spring. The Evans's backyard was filled with laughter and frustration especially when Chris decided to play favorites during the last game. He volunteered to be the person calling out 'red light' and 'green light' for all of the rounds. The one with the most wins would get to have a huge pack of jellybeans for himself or herself.