A low hum escaped Fenny’s lips as she woke and gently rolled onto her back. She stifled a yawn and reached for her glasses on the edge of the bedside table. She lazily looked to Brad who was still curled up asleep beside her. His lips were parted slightly and a soft snore was heard at unspecific intervals. Fenny turned onto her side and snuggled down so she was almost face to face with Brad. God she’d missed him. Sure, they weren’t exactly on physical love expressing terms or anything but being able to feel the heat from his body was more than enough to bring up a whole host of emotions she had been successfully ignoring.

“Quit staring at me,” Brad suddenly declared without even opening his eyes.

“I wasn’t,” Fenny peeped her cheeks reddening.

He opened one eye, “Liar.”

“I was admiring your bed head.”

“I don’t have bed head.”

“You do,” she mused. “Its like all flat on one side and kinda fluffy on the other.”

“Well you look like you fell through a hedge.”

“You’ve seen me fall through a hedge and I never looked like this.”

“No, that’s true,” Brad agreed. “You were wearing pants.”

Fenny giggled and Brad shot her a tired wonky smile. They fell quiet, the only sound their breathing.

“Fen.”

“Yes Brad.”

“Did you miss me?”

“Of course I missed you,” She said softly and moved her hand instinctively over the ‘Fenny’ tattoo on his chest.

“Why didn’t you call?”

“Because I knew how hurt you’d be and I couldn’t bare the thought of hearing you so upset.”

“Upset? You killed me Fen,” Brad locked his eyes on Fenny’s. She wanted desperately to look away but knew she (a) had to face the pain in them and (b) it was hard to subtly avert your gaze while lying in bed. “After all the shit we’d been through I thought things were finally going to be right.”

“When have things ever been right?”

“They’ve always been right, you just never see it,” Brad breathed as he covered her hand on his chest with his.

“Well I probably should wear my glasses more then,” Fenny mused which elicited a small smile from Brad. “You should know that as an emotionally stable human being I’m full of fail.”

“That’s true,” he agreed with a sigh. “But oh how you win when you go all Madam Fenella on my ass.”

Fenny felt herself blushing as Brad smirked, lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed them.

Gina knocked loudly on the apartment door and waited. She was still rather tired from the night at the hospital and the incident in the car with Paul. Sure, she’d been upset and spent most of the night tossing and turning but it was a new day and she wasn’t going to let her emotional baggage clog up her overhead compartment of life. She winced at her own analogy and then felt a little gasp leave her lips as the door opened. Lee stood in nothing but a pair of low slung sweat pants, he was unshaven and rumpled.

“Dear god you are a sexy man.”

“I haven’t even bathed.”

“It’s working for you,” Gina purred as she stepped forward and slid her arms around his waist. “Why the hell didn’t I start sleeping with you sooner?”

“I often wondered the same thing,” Lee agreed as he guided her into the apartment and then pressed her to the closed door as he kissed her lustily. “You smell amazing.”

“You smell like canvas and man sweat.”

“Great I smell like backpacker.”

“I love that you smell like backpacker,” Gina grinned and brushed her lips against his and squeezed his rear.

“I need to go to Fiji more often,” Lee gasped as Gina nibbled his neck.

“How is that coup going by the way?” she asked as refocused her attention on his very handsome face.

“Far better than the people would like,” Lee frowned. “The coup leader isn’t about the back down. There’s quite a stalemate going on.”

“I like your frown lines,” Gina cooed and then realised that probably wasn’t quite the intellectual follow on he was expecting. “I’m sure someone else will out coup him shortly. It seems to be a revolving position in Fiji.”

“I hope not,” Lee sighed. “Then I’ll have to go back there instead of getting you naked immediately.”

“Aww,” she giggled and they shared a very slow kiss.

“Also I’m kinda off to Indonesia tomorrow.”

“Oh my god,” Gina gasped an pushed him away. Lee looked startled and opened his mouth to speak. “Why are you still wearing pants? Why am I still fully clothed? We have no time to lose,” she declared and started toward the bedroom. She stopped, shot him a cheeky smile over her shoulder, removed her shirt and dropped it on the floor.

Lee watched her disappear into the bedroom and then her pants come flying out the door and landed on the coffee table. He exhaled then removed his sweat pants. “Won’t be needing those,” he said to himself before swaggering toward the bedroom.

A week later…

Paul dashed from his bedroom, narrowly avoided a bookcase and skidded across the living room to where his cell phone was lying abandoned on the coffee table. He paused to catch his breath. Was it really important that he called Gina? They hadn’t spoken since the night of Milla’s birth and that conversation hadn’t gone at all well. Paul ran his fingers over the buttons and cursed under his breath. Any other time he would have let it go but under the current circumstances it was important. He dialled Gina’s number and waited.

“Yes,” her abruptly woken, croaky morning voice answered.

“Genie have you heard the news?”

“Paul? What? No, I was sleeping.”

“Brace yourself.”

“You’re scaring me ever so slightly.”

“Genie,” Paul let out a sigh. “Its Patrick Swayze, he’s dead.”

Gina let out a squeak. “Oh no, shit.”

“Yeah I mean he was pretty sick…”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Why couldn’t someone I don’t like die.”

“Like?”

“Lady Gaga.”

“I promise should Lady Gaga, I don’t know, be shot for her inability to wear pants, I will be first on the phone to tell you.”

“Aww thanks Pauly.”

“What’re ex-husbands for eh?”

“Waking me at dawn with sad, sad news.”

“Hey, I figured it was better coming from a friend than Kochie on Sunrise.”

“I’d still be sad.”

“It’s a great loss to the acting world.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“It’s hard to be sincere about someone that I know you watch purely as a piece of man meat.”

“Oh right and I watch Good News Week for your jokes?”

Paul was glad she couldn’t see his bashful smile. “Hey I’m hilarious.”

“So you’d rather I find you funny than sexy? Interesting…”

“Hey I never said…”

“Too late McDermott.”

“Damn you woman.”

Gina giggled and then sighed. “Oh poor Patrick, I’ll be miserable all day now.”

“I know you will,” Paul cooed, paused and then carried on. “Are you seeing Levi tonight?”

“Lee.”

“Yeah him.”

Gina bit her lip to stop herself sniggering. “He’s in Cambodia.”

“Oh what a shame,” Paul said as insincerely as possible. “Then as your very good friend I’m making it my job to come over and cheer you up.”

“Oh really?”

“We’ll have a Swayze a thon or something.”

“You’re not serious.”

“See you at seven.”

Paul ended the call as stood grinning stupidly as Brad shuffled into the room. He stopped to scratch his stomach.

“What are you so happy about?”

“Patrick Swayze died,” Paul replied beaming.

“Shit,” Brad pouted. “I love Red Dawn.”

“And Levi is in Cambodia.”

“I don’t know who that is but ok.”

“Today is a good day mate,” Paul enthused as patted Brad on the shoulder. “A good day.”

Brad watched Paul disappear into the kitchen. “Road House is awesome too,” he sighed dejectedly.

“Who were you talking to?” Fenny asked as she wandered into the kitchen. Gina looked up from the pot of tea she was making.

“Paul actually,” she mused. “Rang me to tell me Patrick Swayze had died.”

“Oh shame, he seemed like a nice guy,” Fenny frowned as she grabbed a loaf of bread and placed two slices in the toaster. “Why do you look so amused?”

“Because he’s an idiot.”

“Patrick?”

“No Paul.”

“Oh?”

“He’s coming around to cheer me up tonight.”

Fenny raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?”

“His pants will stay on.”

“I thought you were avoiding all McDermott style temptation.”

Gina winced. “The last time we spoke it ended badly.”

“So?”

“Just because we’re not married any more doesn’t mean I have to stop caring about him.”

“In normal divorce cases it does.”

“When have we ever been normal?”

“You fail at divorce,” Fenny chided as her toast popped up.

“Well you fail at marriage,” Gina countered as she poured herself a cup of tea. Fenny looked stunned at Gina. “Oh yeah, I said it.”

“At least I’m trying to kinda resolve things.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

“We’ve opened up a little.”

“Has he tried to get your clothes off at all?”

“No, he hasn’t,” Fenny frowned as she reached for the peanut butter. “Thanks for, y’know, bringing that up and all.”

“I could’ve sworn I head him mention Madam Fenella…”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” Fenny blustered and bit into her toast. She swallowed her mouthful as Gina raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you have to go to work?”

“Soon,” Gina mused. “So what’re your plans for this evening?”

“Is that your way of telling me to stay out late?”

“Yes,” Gina nodded and Fenny rolled her eyes.

“I’ve got plans with Artie, I owe him dinner at least.”

“What about catching up with your husband?”

“Maybe later.”

“He’s staying at Paul’s now you know.”

“So?”

“Well Paul won’t be home.”

Fenny dropped the toast she was working on and cocked her head to the side. “You are devious and ever so slightly sexually depraved.”

“I’m trying to help you, Fenella,” Gina gasped with mock innocence. “I’m being a good friend.”

“A likely story,” Fenny mused snatching up her toast again. “If I find out you’ve slept with your ex-husband there will be consequences.”

“If I find out you’ve slept with your husband I’ll be throwing a fucking party.”

Fenny narrowed her eyes, “I hate you.”

“She’s wearing tie dyed slacks,” Artie declared as he caught up to Fenny in the hall.

“You have an unhealthy obsession with Shelagh’s fashion choices,” Fenny sighed and shook her head.

“Tie dyed slacks and birkenstocks!”

“Oh,” Fenny giggled. “My neighbour Moonstar would covet that ensemble.”

“Moonstar?”

“You say that like its a weird name.”

“Well…”

“Nicole Ritchie called her child Sparrow.”

“Point taken,” Artie nodded as they reached Fenny’s classroom and she unlocked the door. “So are we still on for dinner tonight?”

“About that,” Fenny winced and Artie’s face fell. “I might have to cancel…”

“It’s Brad, isn’t it?”

“He is my husband.”

“I’m your best friend.”

“Actually Gina’s my best friend.”

“You owe me dinner,” Artie huffed and crossed his arms. “Its was so embarrassing when you took off last time.”

“It was an emergency.”

“Birth isn’t an emergency.”

“It is when the mother can kill you in eighty-three different ways.”

“What?”

“Never mind,” Fenny sighed. “Besides you said you hooked up with the head waiter”

“Well yes,” Artie agreed. “But you still owe me.”

“I owe Brad several years of his life, a decent explanation, any number of wifely responsibilities and lots and lots of sex.”

“TMI, Fenella!”

“We’ll have dinner soon,” Fenny soothed and squeezed his arm. “I promise.”

“Fine,” Artie sighed. “Can we at least have lunch in the cafeteria and poke fun at the emos?”

“Absolutely,” she agreed as students began to file in. The first coincidentally being dressed all in black, with lots of eye liner. “Morning Jacob.”

“Whatever,” Jacob grunted.

“Did you have to oil yourself up to get into those jeans?” Artie asked raising an eyebrow. Jacob shot him a confused look. “No really, did you?”

“Fuck off.”

“The tribe has spoken,” Fenny mused looking at Artie. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Artie shot Fenny a smile and strode out of the room. Fenny walked over to her desk and began to unpack her bag.

“They’re stretchy,” Jacob piped up.

“What?”

“My pants, they’re stretchy,” he said bashfully. “I don’t need oiled up.”

“Ok,” Fenny blinked and then went back to flipping pages on her sketchbook.

“I wish people would stop sending me fucking hearts on Facebook,” Gina grumbled as she was greeted by a cheery looking floral heart. “And chickens for my farm.” She was just putting the chickens in their coop when the familiar ‘you’ve got mail’ message appeared in the corner of her screen. She clicked on her email and gasped.

“Oh my god,” Gina said, reading the message several times. She hadn’t heard from Danny since he left after having a gun shoved down is throat and confessing his undying love for her. That aside, Gina missed him desperately and his loss was almost as bigger hole in her life as her split from Paul. She took a deep breath and closed her email. It hurt too much going over the past and hey, on the upside he was still thinking of her. Gina got up from her desk and headed out of her cubicle and into Amanda’s office.

“I’m sorry for you loss,” Amanda said distractedly.

“So is Dan,” Gina sighed as she fell into a chair. “I just got an email from him.”

“Is he ok?” Amanda asked suddenly very interested.”What did he say.”

“Just that he’s thinking of me.”

“He’s a big teddy bear that one.”

Gina nodded and began pulling on her fingers.

“Something else troubling you pet?”

“Sort of.”

“Well I’m not a mind reader.”

“I’m seeing Paul tonight.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Amanda became very attentive and leaned forward on her desk. “Any special reason?”

“Swayze memorial.”

“Oh how sweet.”

“Maybe,” Gina shrugged. “Am I being a complete idiot? Its going to end in tears isn’t it?”

“Or sex, I mean you have to look at all the positives too.”

“Mandy you know how bad things were when we split…”

“Of course…” Amanda soothed. “And I know how scared you are to go back there.”

“I won’t go back there.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow and Gina frowned. “Why does everyone give me that same look when I say that?”

“Your track record of not going there isn’t great.”

“Yeah but…”

“Yeah but you’ve already let him back in your life.”

“I miss his company,” Gina pouted. “He makes me laugh more than anyone else.”

“He’s made you cry that much as well,” Amanda countered and bit her lip.

“So you think I should cancel? Say I’ve come down with something contagious?”

“Are you kidding? I want all the intimate details of how the evening pans out.”

“What if its bad?”

“Then you can tell me over cake.”

“Awesome,” Gina said meekly before she took a deep breath and headed back to her cubicle.

“Do you need your prostate examined?” Brad asked as he glanced at Paul who was jiggling ridiculously.

“What?”

“The way you’re carrying on I was wondering if it was a prostate issue.”

“No,” Paul said, looking at Brad like he was completely mental. “I’m just nervous, I don’t know what I should bring to Genie’s.”

“A large pack of Trojans and a safety word.”

“That’s not helping.”

“How is that not helping? I’m sending positive sex vibes your way.”

“Mate, I’m really fucking nervous here,” Paul scowled. “I want things to go well and not to end with us trying to kill each other with fucking phone books.”

“Why phone books?”

“They’re heavy.”

Brad nodded. “Well that’s hardly going to work if you can’t even relax and sit still.”

“I know,” Paul winced. “But I’m trying to avoid turning up tipsy.”

“It would so help if you could rock up with a bottle of vodka and get smashed.”

“I know.”

“Damn Gina and her lack of vices eh.”

“Yeah…oh hey wait,” a wry smile spread across Paul’s face. “She does have one.”

“Which one?” Brad asked curiously as he shot Paul an amused look. “I don’t like that devious glint in your eye.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier,” Paul enthused as he grabbed his jacket and wallet. “I need to make a couple of stops on the way,” he paused and strode across the room and snatched Troy up from the top of the television. “and I need Troy.”

“Dude can I come because I wanna see this,” Brad begged his eyes wide with awe.

“Sorry mate, its classified,” Paul mused as he headed toward the door. “Have a nice night Sherwood.”

“No, don’t leave me hanging,” Brad whined as the door closed and he was left alone. He let out a long sigh, got to his feet and headed into the kitchen. There wasn’t much edible food but Brad rustled up a six pack of beer and some pop tarts to keep him satisfied as he prepared for a long night of watching history documentaries on cable. “Its just you and me uh strange man with lots of frills. Shit, I hate missing the introduction now I don’t know who Mr Frills is…” Brad reached for a pop tart when there was a knock at the door. He put his plate of pop tarts down, shrugged at the frilly man on screen and went to the front door. “Did you forget something McDer…Fen,,,”

“Hi,” Fenny said rather breathlessly. “I have tequila, pizza and Mel Brooks movies. We’re going to drink, eat and watch and enjoy each others company in a non-awkward way. So y’know suck it up.”

Brad opened and closed his mouth a couple of times but couldn’t actually find words to express the feelings of. ‘Ohfuckohfuckohfuck…ooh tequila…’.