“Skyler. Skyler…” she whispered.
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes,” she said, and a moment later his lips met hers. Her hands moved to unbutton his shirt and then to touch his chest. His hands went to her waist. They kissed for a long time, and eventually Theresa stood, pulling him up with her, then turned and led him to his bedroom.
She pushed Skyler down to a sitting position on the bed. She kissed him again, then took his shirt off and kissed his chest. Skyler caressed her back, his head bent to hers. She brought her head back up, kissing him again. Skyler’s hands went to her shirt, lifting it gently over her head. His hands slid up her body, and he leaned over to kiss her neck. It jabbed at him that her skin was different than Billy’s. The thought of Billy intruded on his mind then. He found himself kissing Theresa more ardently, as if trying harder to push Billy’s presence out of his mind.
Skyler and Theresa made love, and while it was enjoyable for them both, for Skyler it polarized Billy’s absence. Later, as Theresa lay sleeping next to him, he thought about Billy, wondering where she was and what she was doing. He assumed correctly that she was loaded by now. It bothered him; he felt the guilt of what he’d just done with Theresa. He also realized the irony in that he was now feeling guilty about sleeping with his ex-wife and in essence cheating on his “girlfriend.”
“What are you thinking about?” Theresa said, looking up at him. He hadn’t realized she’d awakened. Skyler looked guilty immediately. “You’re thinking about Billy, aren’t you?” she said, although she knew the answer.
“I’m sorry, Terry,” he said softly.
“Don’t be. I wanted you and I got you, even if it was only for the moment.” Theresa propped herself up on her elbow, looking at him. “She really does it for you, doesn’t she?”
Skyler looked down at her, then rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I am not having this conversation.”
“Come on, Skyler. What we just did was good, and I know it was good for you too, but I’m not her. I know I can’t measure up to a woman who’s at least ten years younger than me.”
Skyler looked at her for a long moment, then leaned over to kiss her softly on the lips. He pulled back and looked her in the eye. “In a lot of ways, Billy could never measure up to you.”
Theresa laughed softly. “And how would that be?”
“You’re the mother of my children, Theresa. I’ll always love you for that. You gave me two beautiful children that I love very much, in spite of their irritating little habits.” He grinned, then his expression became serious again. “That you went through all of that is so important to me. And you’re the one that’s raised them, and you’ve done a great job at it. I can never repay that, and no one can replace that for me. So yeah, I’d say you’ve got Billy beat in a few areas.”
“Thank you for that.” Theresa kissed him, caressing the back of his neck, feeling the way his hair curled at the bottom. The kiss became intense in moments, but Skyler pulled back.
“God, Terry, I don’t want to do this to you,” he said, distressed.
“You’re not doing anything to me, Skyler.”
“I don’t want to hurt you again. I think I’ve done enough of that for this lifetime. I just… It’s the beer, and being mad at Billy. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, I’m not,” Theresa said confidently. She grinned. “You know…” she started to say, but then shook her head. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“Nothing, Skyler. Never mind.”
“Tell me,” he said, squeezing her waist.
“I was just going to say that if you wanted to use me to make her jealous or anything…”
“She’s already jealous, and that was before any of this even happened,” he said, indicating their bodies lying naked together.
“Well, if she was smart, she would have stayed here to keep you from me, now, wouldn’t she?” Theresa’s tone was haughty, but she was smiling slyly.
Skyler looked at her for a long moment. “I see,” he said knowingly. “Getting a little of your own back now, huh?”
“Hey, you were mine first, remember?”
“That I was.”
“Alright then.” She lay back, looking up at the ceiling. “She does do it for you though, doesn’t she?”
Skyler sighed, looking up at the ceiling as well. “Yeah, she does.” He immediately looked chagrined and glanced over at her. “Sorry.”
“Like I said, don’t be. I wanted it probably a lot more than you.”
“Yeah, and I’m a damn easy mark aren’t I?” he said self-depreciatingly.
She gave him a shrewd look. “Well, you are a pretty sexual creature. I’ve always known that.”
Skyler looked at her openmouthed. He made a shocked sound in the back of his throat. “Jesus Christ, you women! You know that about me and you use it… you basically play me like some dime-store fiddle, don’t you?” He was grinning—it was obvious he wasn’t mad.
“You are easy sometimes,” Theresa said, laughing now.
“Thanks.”
“But you know, I wasn’t just trying to flatter you,” she said, running her hand along his chest and to his flat stomach, stopping just above a particularly sensitive part of his body. “You really do look incredible now.”
“I do, huh?” he said, his tone a little bit husky from the proximity of her hand.
“Uh-huh,” she said, sliding her fingernails gently back up his stomach to his chest.
“Terry!” he exclaimed as he felt his body respond. “I’m not doin’ this again.”
“I know, I know. You can’t cheat on your girlfriend, right? Is that what she is? Your girlfriend?”
“God, one never knows what Billy is,” he said, trying to take his mind off her hands as they lazily stroked his chest and stomach.
“One thing I know is that she’s not here, and one time, two times, doesn’t matter. You’ve already crossed the important line here, Skyler. Why not cross it again?”
“Because… she’s gonna be all time pissed when she finds out. I just… Terry, stop, okay,” he said, but his voice held no conviction.
“I’m here, she’s not—her choice, her mistake.” She was about to say more to convince him when his lips came down on hers again. This time his lovemaking was more aggressive, as if knowing that she knew how he felt about Billy made it easier for him to make love to her. He drew her body over his and took her to heights she didn’t think she’d ever reached with anyone, including him eight years before. Afterward, she lay with his body wrapped around hers.
“Maybe she can’t have you back so fast,” Theresa said softly against his chest.
Skyler was half asleep. “What?”
Theresa grinned to herself. “Nothing.”
They were both almost asleep when there was a knock on the door. “Dad?” Chelsea said.
“Yeah?”
“Where’s Mom?”
Skyler glanced down at Theresa, still lying in his arms. She looked up at him, grinning.
“She’s in here, but—”
Before he could finish, Chelsea opened the door and got a pretty big surprise.
“Mom! Dad!” she exclaimed, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I… whoa! I figured you were talking, but I can see that wasn’t quite what you were doing.” Her voice was full of shock and confusion.
“Chelsea…” Skyler said. “Look, we’ll talk in the morning, okay?”
“About what?” Chelsea asked, with an edge of sarcasm. “About you doing it with your ex-wife, or cheating on your new girlfriend?”
“Chelsea!” Theresa said cuttingly. “You have no idea what’s happening here, and we don’t have to explain it to you. Like your father said, we’ll talk tomorrow. Now go to bed, okay?” Her voice softened on the last part. She didn’t want Chelsea to think she was mad at her, although the comment about Skyler cheating on Billy had hurt a little bit. Already she was the “ex-wife” and Billy was the “girlfriend,” and it
bugged her.
“Okay, fine.” Chelsea held up her hands as she walked out of the room.
Skyler looked down at Theresa. “Oh, fun.”
Theresa grinned, shaking her head. “Who’d have thought we’d have to explain to our own daughter why we slept together?”
“It certainly does rate in the top ten of weird things you never thought would happen,” he said.
They lay back together and eventually fell asleep.
The next morning, Skyler checked in with the office and found out that he had to go in. Dilinger wasn’t in that morning and that meant, as second-in-command, Skyler had to be there. He looked over at Theresa as he hung up.
“Terry, I gotta go in,” he said, sitting down and picking up his coffee. He looked at his watch. It was already 8:30; he’d gotten up at his usual 6:00 a.m. and gone for his run. He figured he could make it to the office within an hour and a half. “Do you want to hang out here or what?”
Theresa shrugged. “I could do some things in town if you don’t mind me using the Mustang. I could drop you off and come back and get you.”
Skyler nodded. “Works for me. Can you be ready to go pretty quick?”
“Sure, just let me throw something on and we’ll go—say, ten minutes?”
“You got it,” Skyler said, smiling.
Theresa hadn’t been clingy that morning, and Skyler was relieved. He knew what they’d done the night before was significant in changing their relationship, but he wasn’t really ready to deal with it just yet.
Theresa left the kitchen, and Chelsea walked in, eyeing her father meaningfully.
“Don’t start this morning, Chelsea,” Skyler said, sighing. “Things get real complicated sometimes, and they are right now. So don’t try to pass judgment on something you don’t understand.”
Chelsea sat down in the chair Theresa had just vacated. “I think I understand it.”
“And what do you think you understand?” Skyler said cynically.
“You want them both, and they want you.” Chelsea’s eyes were so like her father’s, the way she looked at him full of judgment. “It’s just sexual.”
Skyler stared at his fifteen-year-old daughter dumbfounded, then started to shake his head. “No, it’s not just sexual, but I’d like to know where the hell you got that term.”
“From your girlfriend, Dad, remember. But I’m not a baby anymore. I know about sex and stuff.”
“You damn well better not know too much,” Skyler said, his tone all father.
“I know enough.” Chelsea raised her chin just slightly. “I know you had sex with Billy, and now you had it with Mom too. So you aren’t in love.” Her expression was condescending.
“Well,” Skyler replied, leaning back indolently in his chair and looking at her pointedly. “If you know so much, then you know that you don’t have to be in love to have sex. But for your information, I do care about your mother a great deal. I always have—this time it just became something else. As for Billy, I don’t even understand our relationship, so you certainly don’t.” His voice was harsh at the last; he hated the knowing look his daughter was giving him.
“Dad,” she said, shaking her head. “You can be so dumb sometimes, just like the guys I go to school with. Billy loves you.”
“And how do you know that?” Skyler was skeptical; he didn’t think Billy loved anyone but Billy.
Chelsea looked away from her father. “I just know, okay.”
“And you have a problem with your mom and I being together last night,” Skyler said. It was a statement, not a question.
“I just think Billy needs you more,” Chelsea said, her eyes almost tearing up.
“Jesus…” Skyler knelt down next to his daughter, looking up into her face. “Why are you so upset?” He was confused now. The tears started to fall. Skyler hugged her, holding her for a minute. “Talk to me, little one. What’s wrong?” He pulled back, looking at her.
“Billy’s on drugs again, isn’t she?”
Skyler hesitated for a long moment, not sure how she knew about Billy’s problem in the first place. Then he nodded slowly. “How do you know about it, Chels?”
“I read about her drug problem in Rolling Stone a while back. She’s gone through a lot of bad times, and rehab too. Did you know Kid Michaels has said that if she got out of control again he’d kick her out of the band?”
“Yeah, I know that. Billy told me,” Skyler said, still watching Chelsea. “But why does that make you so upset?”
Chelsea shrugged, the tears still flowing. “I just… She seemed so good for you, and she was nice to me. I… Daddy, do you know that she started doing drugs about ten years ago? Isn’t that about the time you two were together the first time?” Chelsea’s voice was soft and childlike, begging him to tell her she was wrong.
Skyler was taken aback. Billy had told him her habit had started five years ago. The fact that she’d lied to him about the timing told him she didn’t want him to know that it had anything to do with their time together. She had said that he’d “annihilated” her, but he’d assumed she was just being melodramatic. Maybe she wasn’t. Maybe he was the reason she’d gotten into drugs in the first place. The thought hit him like a ton of bricks and made him feel sick.
Later, in the car, he was withdrawn. Theresa knew he and Chelsea had talked; when she’d walked back into the kitchen, Skyler was kneeling by Chelsea. Chelsea was crying, and Skyler looked like someone had just socked him in the stomach.
The radio was on, and Skyler reached over and turned it up. From the way he looked as he listened, Theresa had a feeling the song that was playing was by Billy’s band. She listened to the words and found them depressing.
It was the same song Billy had had Skyler listen to a week before. They held even more meaning for Skyler now, in his current state of mind. When the song ended, Skyler was lost in his thoughts and didn’t turn the radio down. The next thing that came on was the news. The DJ read the story, sounding excited.
“Billy Montague of Billy and the Kid made a spectacle of herself last night in a local club. She was spotted by a fan, snorting cocaine in the bathroom of the club. The fan said something to Ms. Montague, and the rock star proceeded to scream at the young woman. A fight ensued, but was broken up by security. Undaunted, Ms. Montague reportedly went out into the parking lot and picked up two men on their way into the club. She reportedly took them back to her hotel room for a ‘party,’ as it was put by one onlooker. Ms. Montague’s ongoing battle with cocaine seems to be a losing one.”
Skyler’s face had become stone as he listened; Theresa had practically seen all the color drain from it. At one point, when the reporter talked about Billy picking up men, Skyler closed his eyes as if to relieve the pain the words caused. When he opened them again, Theresa could see tears shining in them. He didn’t say anything. Theresa had no idea what to say, so she remained silent.
A few minutes later his phone chimed, and he checked the number. It was the office. He called in, using the hands-free option. “This is Skyler. What’s up?”
“Skyler,” the duty officer said, “a woman has been calling here. She said her name’s Billy. She said it was really important—that’s why I paged you…” The man’s voice trailed off. When Skyler didn’t say anything, he said, “You still there?”
“Yeah,” Skyler said, his voice clipped. “You got a number?”
“Sure do. You want me to transfer you?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
As the phone clicked over and started to ring, Skyler glanced at Theresa. She looked back at him with concern on her face.
“Hello?” Billy answered impatiently.
“Billy, it’s me,” Skyler said, staring straight ahead. Theresa could see his jaw clenching.
“Skyler!” Billy sounded almost desperate. “Where are you?”
“Halfway to work,” Skyler said. His tone was steely, but Theresa could see he was struggling to hold on to his composure.
�
�Sky, I need you.” Billy sounded so lost Skyler closed his eyes, wincing. “Please,” she said. “Please.”
“Damn it, Billy,” Skyler muttered, determined not to feel as affected by her words as he did. “I can’t, not now.”
“Why?” It was a simple word, but it was said with such desolation that Skyler found himself feeling like the world’s biggest asshole.
“Look,” he said, trying to sound reasonable. “I’ll come as soon as I can, but I can’t right now.”
“Tell me why, Skyler.” Billy’s voice was stronger now. “If you’re halfway to work, you’re just about here. Why can’t you come now?”
Skyler was silent for a minute. He looked over at Theresa, and she shrugged, shaking her head as if she didn’t know what he should do either.
“Theresa’s with me,” he said evenly.
There was silence on the other end of the line for a long time. “I see,” Billy said caustically. “Well that didn’t take long, did it? What is it about me that makes you want to fuck her?” she asked, her voice full of venom.
Skyler was struck head-on with that one. He immediately looked contrite. He sighed. “Billy, don’t start, okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Never mind, just stay with your wife!” Billy slammed the phone down.
Skyler flinched. He looked over at Theresa again and saw that she was watching him. She’d realized the truth in what Billy had just said too, and she was sure it was a major hit on Skyler. She was right.
“Terry,” Skyler said after a long minute. “Would you mind if I dropped you at home? I gotta get over there, or she’s liable to really overdo it.”
“It’s okay, Skyler,” Theresa said. “I understand. She needs you right now.”
“Yeah…” Skyler said as he took the exit to take Theresa home to Davis.
Forty-five minutes later he was headed back to Billy’s hotel. He arrived an hour after Billy had called. He went up to the room and knocked on the door. He heard movement inside. “Billy!”
“Go away, Skyler!” Billy yelled, sounding almost hysterical.
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