Re-Emergence

ACT 1

"My God, woman... where did you learn how to DO that?!?"

I lock eyes with him. "Would you like me to do it again?" A coy smile dances on my lips.

He closes his eyes and reclines. "Yes," he sighs. "Yes, please."

ACT 2

"Is it serious?"

"No."

ACT 3

"It's getting serious with her, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Kinda."

"That means we need to be through."

"Not necessarily. I'd like to keep seeing both of you."

"That's just greedy. If she's the woman you want to be with, then you should invest more of your time into her. But if you do that, understand that I can't have any part in this."

"Why not?"

"It isn't right."

"But together you're both my ideal woman."

"That's all fine and dandy, but you can't have it both ways. Not with me involved, anyway."

"It's not that serious, trust me."

ACT 4

"I choose her."

"Excuse me?"

"I've chosen her. Not you. I want to be with her."

A pregnant pause fills the rapidly growing space between us.

"Might I ask why?"

"Why what?"

"Why her? Why not me? I know we're both very different people, but why's she the choice you make? I mean, I know we weren't serious, but why her? Why not me?"

"Well..."

"Spit it out."

"When I'm with you, it's incredible. You make me feel wonderful. You're full of life, you're free, you're spontaneous, you're wild-"

"How is this a bad thing?"

"I'm not finished."

"Fine. Speak."

"You're a lot of fun. But everytime I'm with you, I have to wonder why you're so good. There's a lot of experience under your belt, and I don't know how comfortable I'd be making a long-term commitment to someone like that, as nice as you are. With her, she's so innocent and vulnerable... as pure as the driven snow. That makes me feel better than someone who's as free-spirited and free-loving as you are."

"So what you're saying is, you can use me, but you can't respect me because I'm sexually liberated. I see. So I'm your whore, and she's your virgin?"

"I wouldn't quite call it that..."

"Well, I would. Do us both a favor, will you? Never, ever speak to me again."

ACT 5

"I know we haven't spoken in a long time, but we're getting married in a few months. I'd really like it if you'd be there."

ACT 6

"Yeah, it's good to see you, too. Yeah, I'm still living there. How is married life treating you?"

"Good, good. Okay, I guess."

There it is. That hunger. I've seen it many times before. There's no mistakig that look in his eyes.

ACT 7

"I need to see you."

"You can't."

"You don't understand. I need you. The wife... she gives me nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's like she's dead from the waist down. Hell, I've been dead from the waist down for months."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Seeing you the other day... I just... it just... I don't know. It got me thinking. About the times we spent together. How it felt, how free you were, how much fun we had."

"Okay...?"

"I miss being with a woman like you. Someone open, someone free. Someone who isn't scared to let it all hang out, get down and dirty, and just have some fun."

"I thought those were the very qualities of mine that made you so uncomfortable."

"No, you misunderstood-"

"No, I don't think I did."

"Come back to me. Please. I'd do anything just to re-live the good times we had. You're the best I ever had. I want you badly and I want you now. She can't make me feel the way you do. She won't. She never could. I'm a man, I have needs, and right now, what I need is you."

"That pristine marble pedestal crumbled, didn't it?" I lean over and whisper in his ear, "Word to the wise: If it doesn't fuck you, don't marry it."

Crestfallen, he says nothing. I walk away, putting distance between myself and the awkward silence that has begun to envelope us. You got what you said you wanted. Not my problem, buddy... not my problem.