*Aidan’s P.O.V*

I saw that my wife disappeared with her stupid ex-boyfriend behind this door. She might thought that I didn’t notice that but I sadly did. I got really angry when I just saw that guy from a big distance and why was he even appearing on our special day when he knew that she would never go back to him?! That guy was pretty annoying but I tried to trust my wife in this. Now the first guests were entering the hall. Finally I had people that I could talk with and wasn’t standing like a little idiot in the middle of the room.

“Where is your wife?” Gwen asked curious.
“She went into this room” I pointed to it “with someone” I coughed because I didn’t want to speak out that name.

I was too embarrassed. My mind was running through a lot of imaginations – what they might could be doing in there. I actually didn’t like the idea that he might seduce her with his charm and destroy the whole day for me.

“Someone?” she try to dig deeper.
“I couldn’t see it really.”

Wow. I just lied again. It wasn’t clearly the behaviour my mum thought me. She would be seriously pissed off – when she could be here right now. Sadly that she had passed away 3 months ago.

“Aidan, do not lie to us. Who is in there?” Gwen really didn’t want to give up.

I felt that she got a little bit grumpy about this. Though I couldn’t tell her the truth, nor I wanted to do that, I offered her to get some drinks for her. I really tried to escape from that as good as I possibly good. Joana should be the one that had to explain to them why she was hiding with her ex-boyfriend behind that door.

“When are you due, Natalie?” I pointed to her tummy.
“We have to wait another 2 weeks.”

Natalie seems so happy right now, like her husband Jared who joined us right now. They were such a cute couple and met each other 1,5 years ago when we were celebrating Joana’s birthday. It was literally love at first sight and that really didn’t happen a lot these days anymore.

“Where is your wife, bro?” Jared now asked too.
“She is talking with someone in this room, but before you ask, I have no idea who it is” I said in an extremely grumpy voice.
“Calm down” he smirked. “She seems to be loyal person.”

Oh Jared loved to tease me all the time. I would have answered, but I tried to avoid this topic right now. I didn’t want to show how I really felt about Joana talking with her ex in a locked room.

“Do you know why Chris couldn’t come?” I asked Jared.
“He said something that he has an important appointment. He sadly didn’t add anymore details.”
“Guys” Gwen said in a slightly bitchy undertone.
“But that’s true, sweet. He’s always busy” Jared gave her a wink and went to the big buffet.
“Believe me, he is only loving you. You just have to accept that”, Natalie continued.

Gwen stick out of her tongue and followed Jared to the buffet.

Finally the door opened again and I looked at her. They looked so close together – like there was still a bound between them. I would probably be lying again when I would say that I wasn’t jealous at them. After all they have been together a long time, grew up together and managed already so much in their life. She immediately came to me, gave me a soft kiss and pretended that nothing has happened.
I clearly saw Natalie’s big eyes when she saw who she was in the room with.

“Why HIM? Are you …?” she stuttered and pointed at Brian.
“Sh. We had a business talk – that’s all”, Joana interrupted her.
“What did you talk about?”
“He was talking to me that Avenged Sevenfold are looking for some sound engineer again. Well it’s not that I had been planning this on purpose but they will surely pay me more money and we both could surely need that. Our paths might cross every now and then but there are so many guys on tour that I probably have a lot of distraction. Please don’t be too jealous about that, honey.”

I kissed Joana intensely. She never gave me a moment where I could doubt about her loyalty.
*Joana POV*

The honeymoon was sadly over and the daily routine was about to begin. I was actually a little bit happy that I got the chance again to work as sound engineer though I tried to hide in front of my husband Aidan. I loved the work on the radio and it was always interesting to do all these interviews, but I missed being on tour and working with great bands.

When I got home I got a mail by my friend – I knew her since my childhood – that she got diagnosed with cancer but far too late. The doctors couldn’t help her anymore and she begged me to come over. It was one of her last dreams to see me again before she was going to heaven forever. It was making me really sad and angry at the same time. She just got married, got two wonderful kids and was in her mid-30s. She wasn’t supposed to leave this place right now. There were so many things that she still had to reach.

Miguel was doing the dishes right now when I last checked my emails. I was about to go the radio for the last time, say goodbye to my colleagues and leave then to South Africa.
He really wasn’t happy that I was about to leave him again just after we got married. Aidan didn’t understand the fact that I wanted to be with her in her last days on this earth. Sometimes he really could be selfish, which was pretty annoying but by the time I got used to it.

“Do you really have to go?” he sulked.
“Aidan”, I sighed, “Once again. She has cancer and wants to spend her last days or weeks with me. Can’t you fucking understand this?”

I really got angry about his childish behaviour. How dare it was that he said that.

“But I could be coming with you”
“Maybe, but you can’t stay away for weeks. They need you, baby. And I promised to be on Skype every day, so you will be able to see me.”
“Will be Brian with you? I know that he knows that girl too.”

I knew he had to ask this. Since I ‘disappeared’ on our wedding day he didn’t like that he was around. That’s what he called ‘trusting’.

“No I will be travelling alone. I have told you that already. Can’t you just fucking believe me?”
I turned away annoyed by his damn questions. I felt his arms around my hip and his soft lips on my neck. He knew what he had to do to get me again. But it won’t work this time. Maybe it was good that I was away for some time – just to give him time to think about a few things.

I didn’t answer anything of his caresses, grabbed my bag and left the apartment.
The Radio was only a few miles away but before that I was catching up with Natalie & Gwen again. Just a last coffee and a chat with my favourite girls.

Natalie just became a mum a few days ago. Straight after she was giving birth to a sweet girl she had sent me a couple photos via e-mail. Patricia was so adorable - just like her parents. Maybe I wanted to be mum like her one day but I couldn’t see myself in that role for the next months or even years.
When I arrived at the café both were already waiting for me. I greeted them with a hug and just had to look in the baby buggy. While she was sleeping she looked like a little angel.

“Hey my lovelies! How are you all doing?” I sat down and crossed my legs.
“All great! Jared and I are so happy with her. She is our little precious and he just decided to tattoo her name on his right arm.”
“Do you get any sleep then?” I smirked, noticing the dark circles under her eyes.
“Let’s say we use that time with other things” she chuckled.

Natalie could be so naughty when she wanted. It just looks like they were ‘working’ on their second child already.

“What about you, love” I looked to Gwen.
“Nothing really changed. Busy since a few weeks.”

Gwen was a real mystery. She did not say much and left always a little riddle for us. She was just ‘busy’, but told us nothing what she was actually doing. One day I might find out. There was no one that could hide all the secrets from me.

“So we are awaiting now a baby” both almost said to the same time.

I chuckled. I really didn’t plan any baby yet. I just got a good job and I still had to find some routine in my new life. Aidan and I were happy even without a baby in the next 9 months.

“You can wait about that a bit longer. That won’t happen in the next time. I am going to South Africa now and I won’t have the energy to have a baby then.”
“What are you actually doing there?” Natalie sipped on her coffee.
“My friend sent me a mail when we were on honeymoon and told me that she got diagnosed with cancer and she nearly begged me to come over to stay with her, her husband and her kids for the last days of her life.”

I did not try to show any of my feelings. It was hard enough to deal with a situation like this. I know Gwen & Natalie were feeling sorry for me but I don’t need that. That was the life , hard and sometimes not fair.

“But you are happy with Aidan right?” Gwen asked me.
“Of course. He is just a bitch right now. I think he is even more girly than me I think.”
“That’s what I would call normal, love. But now tell us what happened in that suspicious room at your wedding with Brian. Dear, don’t tell you were naughty.”

I did not like talking about what happened in this room. It was only mine and Brian’s business.

“We just have talked, sweetie. Nothing happened” I shook my head while smiling.
“But then it took quite long”, Natalie throw in.
“Long?! Maybe 5-10 minutes. Do not be fussy.”

I checked the time and decided to say bye to them. Why was everyone so curious what had happened in this room?! It was clearly no one’s business. So they should just keep their head out of this stuff.
“Thanks Nicole” I was saying to the nicely woman that opened me the door.

It was so strange to be here after some time. I entered the studio and saw all the familiar faces that were sitting on their computer, walking around or just talking on the phone with someone. So I had only to go upstairs to the first floor and talk with Stephen – the main host of the Morning show and the chief of this radio station.
It just turned 12 o’clock and I was waiting at the cafeteria because I exactly knew that they would eat something before they go back to their office work. I was a little bit excited for my last catch up with them.
5 minutes passed until they were entering the cafeteria like a hungry pack that were starving for days. It was really amusing how so many people would become a werewolf when it was about eating.

“You finally returned?! Oh look at you, beautiful.”

Stephen could be so charming when he wanted to. Now I could imagine why every damn woman wanted to work with him.

“Yes I did as you see and just about to leave again.”
“Where do you want to go this time?”
“South Africa, but I have told you about my friend.”

Pedro was laughing. That dumb bastard was just playing silly again. I slightly gave him a push on his shoulder and stick out my tongue. I am no one’s stupid puppet, just to make that clear.

“We know that sweetheart and we just talked about this. You shouldn’t go alone.”

“But I wanted to do. My friend just knows that I am coming. What would you think when there is someone who she doesn’t know yet?”

I was a bit concerned. Actually I didn’t like that idea very much – and somehow I could imagine who they have chosen for me.

“Well I guess she surely knows him” Stephen said and pointed at Brian.

We all sat down on a table and I only had my salad. I couldn’t think of eating more right now. The feeling of leaving Aidan and the idea of Brian coming along with me was definitely too much. Though I wanted to prove everyone that I was a fighter and that I could handle all this. I just hope that this would work out and doesn’t end with me and Brian in bed.

“You need some help. Do you really think that you can manage all this alone? You have told me about her wedding some weeks ago – that she has 2 children that she will leave behind. So accept some help. We are just here to support you. No matter what you will say Brian will follow you. He knows that girl too and she might like the fact to have some old friends around her.”

Even though I knew he was right I just could strangle Stephen right now. How could he make a decision like that behind my back?! I just hoped that Aidan will never find that out and that he leaves me without asking stupid question or making comments.

“I already packed, dear. So you won’t escape now.” Brian had to throw in the conversation.

Oh thanks dear. That’s what I just needed. Flying to you to South Africa to spend 2 – 3 weeks with you and with a friend that is having her last weeks on this earth. Does this sound like a good plan?! No it was like a jackpot. Sarcasm off.

“Ok I probably can’t escape this now. So I have no other choice than to agree with this deal.”

The pack with the devil was made. Now it was just about time how long this would take until Aidan finds this out. Maybe I should prepare my Popcorn, because this would be a great cat fight show for sure. I mean when I come back and he probably picks me up on the airport.

We were shaking hands and I had a quick look on his luggage. Seriously he had twice more suitcases then I had. No man should ever say again ‘I am not that bad as a girl’. Actually they were worse. Ok I tried not to think about this. He better hurry up or we would wait until the next flight – which would probably go in 12 hours. And I didn’t intend to sleep at the airport.

As he finished his lunch he laid his arm around me – oh damn how I ‘loved’ this situation right now – and just were telling one of his funny jokes. Do you really think someone likes them?! Maybe others who just want to impress you – but not me.

“You hopefully know that you have to behave yourself when we arrived Port Elizabeth, right?”
“Behave? Me? Tell me just one moment when I don’t do it.”

Brian raised up his voice a bit. He knew what I was just teasing him but though he could be sweet when he played the grumpy man?! It was something that cheered me all the time. We spent most of our time teasing each other anyway. That’s a reason we never got bored.

“I could tell you many moments when we visited my parents. Oh these were hilarious times.”
“I only entertained them and somehow they loved it.”
“No they were annoyed as hell” I winked at him and felt being thrown back to our old times.
“So that was the reason why you broke up with me?! You know we never had any problems. We never argued and actually I thought we such had a good time.”
“Brian, please don’t come up with this again. I have told you that this hasn’t been the reason but it didn’t work for me anymore. Please let it rest, ok?”

I took his hand into mine and looked deep into his eyes.

“It is good as it is – I thought we have agreed to this at the wedding?!”
“So when you kissed me it didn’t mean anything for you?” Brian almost lost his voice when he said that.
“Brian, I will always love you in some way – you are a very funny guy, sweet and always up to some jokes – though I do not like them all – but my heart belongs to Aidan.”

I swallowed hard. This took me some strength to speak out the truth.
We took a taxi to the airport and checked in. The whole time we just sit quite next to each other. I tried to accept what I will be going through the next days and maybe make some decisions for the near future.

Notes