CHAPTER 17 - Do you know what I did to the last person that called me Tinkerbelle? I slept with him.

"I have one more room to do. Let me ask Angela if she can cover for me."

"They’ll do that for you?"

"Yes, we are all friends, they have taken me under their wings. Four of us sharing a double room. We have become close out of necessity."

Ellen had a ton of questions to ask about the four in a small room together.

She asked the most obvious one. "What are your sleeping arrangements?"

He answered calmly, "Why two per bed. Why do you ask?"

Ellen was unnerved, "I don’t like you sharing a bed with another woman."

George wasn’t completely clueless he liked the idea of his wife being jealous. "Honey, you have to understand that we are just friends. There is no way there could be any hanky-panky it’s like we are sisters.

"I will admit keeping my secret has been a bit of a challenge; but so far I am handling it. Despite the lack of privacy, I have managed to keep my true sex hidden from them."

Stepping into the room Ellen had rented, she dragged George with her. She looked around the room and commented, "This place is really a dump."

Heather took offense at that. "We prefer to think of it as quaint," George replied.

George, over the shock of Ellen showing up after months of not hearing anything, asked, "Not that I am complaining, but why are you here? Isn’t this dangerous?"

"Yes, but I was careful. I drove to the mall and took a cab here. I have to talk to you."

"What’s the matter honey?"

"It’s the baby, I thought I’d lost it?"

"OMG, what happened?"

"Two weeks ago, I was rushed to the ER as I was sure I was having a miscarriage. But thanks be to God that is not what happened."

"It turns out it was pre-eclampsia. They did an ultrasound and checked the fluid levels to determine the health of the fetus. Everything checked out."

"The doctor told me everything will be alright as long as I get plenty of bed rest, reduce my salt intake, drink more water, and make regular visits to the doctor."

"Are you alright? You must have been devastated."

"At the time I didn’t think I would survive. I was a nervous wreck. I needed you, but was afraid to contact you. To make things worse, the doctor insists I give up my Saturday morning with Derrick. I rely on him for support. There is no way I could stand losing you the baby and Derrick at the same time."

"What did you do?"

"I tried to suck it up. That didn’t work very well. Your sister, Beth, Nancy and of course Derrick were there for me, they saved my sanity, we have frequent get togethers at our house. They are my support group."

When George heard the name Derrick again, it made his heart thud to a stop, then it began to race wildly.

George thought his heart would surly explode as he put his hands lightly on his wife’s shoulders and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Ellen, I love you more than life. My soul aches thinking someone else was there for you and not me.

"This Navy Seal of yours, Derrick. Tell me more about him. You seem to be very close to him."

Ellen sighed and got a dreamy like expression on her face. "He has the bluest eyes you have ever seen. You can get lost in them when he stares at you.

"Overall he is a brute of a man with a barrel chest and arms as big as most men’s legs. Regrettably, he is not Mensa material but don’t underestimate him. He's tough as nails and street smart."

Then she broke into a smile and went on, "Yet he can be as gentle as the morning mist. Yes, we have become very good friends."

"In fact, as a thank you for all he has done for me. I had him over to the house for a barbeque and pool party last weekend."

"Pool party?"

"Yes, that’s right. I haven’t told you that I have had a major remodel down to our house. I had a nursery room added to the house and a pool with hot tub put in. My business has really taken off. My cash flow is really good at the moment. I thought a pool and hot tub would be a good investment."

"Anyway, you should have seen Derrick in his swim trunks. With that body, he looked like a Greek god and he can swim like a fish. I don’t think I could have gotten through these last months without him he has been my rock. He has been especially nice, he consoled me in my time of need."

"I bet he did. Isn’t that the job of the child’s father?"

Storm clouds formed in Ellen’s eyes, "What did you say?"

"You heard me!"

Ellen slapped him across the face. Hard enough to leave a red mark. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing again, after all I have done for you! Besides, in case you didn’t notice, my husband was nowhere around. He was off playing dress up as a maid."

George wasn’t going to be cowed that easily. "What do you expect? Every time we talk it is Derrick this, Derrick that."

Ellen also stood her ground, "Why don’t you ask the real question you have been hinting about. Have I been sleeping with Derrick? Just be careful. Don’t ask a question if you aren’t prepared to handle the answer. Unless you’ve got the balls to ask, take my word for it. He’s just a friend."

The first thing that popped into his head was the phrase, ‘a Friend with benefits’.

George didn’t look convinced, so she went on, "Granted he’s a very good friend."

"I bet he is."

"Damn you George, you don’t understand. Just before I came down to break you out, he became engaged. His fiancée's name is Nancy, that is why he spends so much time at the shop. Once they were engaged, I would never poach a man away from Nancy."

George lost it, fearing he had irrevocably damaged their relationship and collapsed in a torrent of tears, apologizing over and over again. Pleading with Ellen to forgive him.

Ellen was more than willing to get away from discussing her relationship with Derrick and decided to forgive him and move on. She wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to be intimate with her husband.

"Okay, Tinkerbell. Lose that ugly uniform and join me in bed. I need a night of cuddles. Get into bed and just hold me. I am sorry, but the doctor told me that sex is a No-no for the time being."

The two spent the night just holding each other. George wanted to do more; but didn’t want to do anything to endanger the child. Laying in his arms, Ellen promised she would contact him when she could. She related how the police have been to their home several times, each time asking if she knew his whereabouts as they needed to talk to him.

The next morning, Ellen sneaked out before sunup, not wanting a painful goodbye.

He woke up and found the other half of the bed as empty as his soul. Heather went back to his domestic chores with a heavy heart.

Heather’s emotions were a jumble for the next few days. Alternating between euphoria after seeing his wife for the first time in months and depression realizing he was condemned to remain as an undocumented maid for an undetermined period. He retreated into himself and spent all his free time curled up under the covers of his bed.

His roommates attributed his stand-offish mood to PMS and assumed Heather was having a bad menses.

As it turned out, he wouldn’t see Ellen again for several long months.