Adultery Life After We by xleglover-COMPLETED

[Ramesh_Rocky]

Life After We Pt. 01

"So can you be a little less brilliant all the time? You're making the rest of us look bad."

"Oh uh, what?" Mike said distractedly. He turned from the computer screen and looked at the source of the bubbly female voice.

Tara was there, smiling at him. "Oh uh what," she said teasingly repeating his words. "Sometimes you don't sound like a genius," she said, playfully punching him in the arm to let him know she was just teasing. "I said, you're making us all look bad." The pretty brunette punched Mike's arm again. "If you weren't so cute I'd have to really hit you."

Mike smiled at Tara's compliment. "Oh um ..." he began to say awkwardly, but stopped when he realized he was about to say the same stupid thing again. Tara gave him a knowing smile and they both laughed.

"So whatcha working on now?" the 22 year old, cute brunette asked, leaning over Mike to look at his computer screen. As she did her ample bosom pressed into his shoulder.

"They, ah, they've got me working on the iPhone 6 bugs," Mike said feeling uncomfortable.

Sensing his discomfort, Tara pulled away so she was no longer pressing against him, but she remained standing close to him. "I'm just joking, everyone's excited you're here," she said smiling at him. "You're kinda a hero around here you know." She looked around and frowned. They'd put Mike in an office away from the other programmers, away from everybody. "Don't you get lonely here by yourself?"

"No, I ah ... I like the quiet," Mike said looking away.

"Oh ... yeah ..." Tara said, feeling stupid. She knew he was still getting over being held prisoner for months by the government. She rubbed his shoulder. "Let me know if I can do anything, okay?"

"Thanks," Mike said giving her an appreciative smile.

"A few of us are going out tomorrow night," Tara said. "Just a drink, maybe listen to some tunes. Wanna come along?"

"Thanks, but I've already got plans," Mike said. He grimaced thinking about what he had to do the next night.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked seeing the cloud appear over Mike's face.

"Yeah," Mike said. "I've just got to take care of something."

"How are you Mike?" Jen asked the next night. They were sitting at an Italian restaurant in Cupertino - the kind with a wood fire grill - at a quiet corner table. "You're working at Apple?"

"Yeah, the job's good," Mike said with a shrug, only half interested in the job. It was a job, it kept him busy, it paid well.

"That's good," Jen said forcing a smile. "Thanks for meeting me."

"Of course," Mike said. They were silent for long moments.

"You just flew in?" Mike asked breaking the silence.

"Last night, I'm staying with Keri and Jim," Jen said looking across the room. Mike followed her eyes. Keri was there waiting, like a mother hen, looking worried. They gave each other a brief nod of hello.

Mike looked back at Jen. She was as beautiful as ever. Being pregnant made her even more beautiful, if that was possible. Her eyes were red though.

"I'm surprised the doctor let you on a plane," he joked, seeing that Jen was very pregnant. He knew she was due in a few weeks.

"I had to twist her arm," Jen joked back, forcing a laugh. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about actually." She nervously brushed a loose strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm due soon. I was wondering if you could be there. As my friend."

"Oh," Mike said suddenly feeling cornered. "I don't know." He forced a laugh. "I'm not sure what to do."

"There's not much to it," Jen said with a nervous laugh. "Mostly listen to me scream if the pain medicine isn't strong enough," she joked. "I'm too much of a coward to do natural child birth."

"I don't know Jen -."

"It's just, it'd be nice to have you there, as a friend," she said quickly, cutting him off. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped away a tear. "Sorry, I promised myself I wouldn't cry," she said with a forced laugh. She was silent for a moment, collecting herself, willing away the tears. She forced another smile, trying to sound causal and light. "You won't have to do anything. It'd be nice to have you there, that's all. As a friend."

"Jen ... I can't," Mike said looking pained. "... I can't."

"Everyone will be there," Jen continued as if not hearing Mike, keeping her voice upbeat and light as if talking about a party she was planning, rather than giving birth. "Allie and Darren, Keri, my mom and sister, your parents said they'd be there too. Everyone will be there to hear me scream." She laughed at the joke, trying to sound bubbly, but tears were flowing down her cheeks. "It's just, you're still my best friend, you know?" she said smiling through the tears. "It would be nice if you were there, that's all. If you could hold my hand ..."

Mike looked away, not able to see her crying. "I can't," he said in a voice so low Jen could barely hear. "If I go, we'd get back together."

"Would that be so terrible?" Jen asked, looking desperate. "Can't we try again Mike? I know you're going through things. I can help you Mike. I can. I'll do anything."

"I can't Jen," Mike said looking pained. "It's just ... I can't. I'm sorry."

Jen nodded. "Good decision," she said forcing a tight smile even as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I don't blame you." She added with a laugh, "Who wants to be around a screaming girl right?" She looked away into the distance. "I'm such a fuck up anyway."

"You're not a fuck up," Mike assured her. "You only did what I wanted. Even Drums."

"You told me not to see him," Jen said as if chastising herself.

"The next day I would have told you to see him again," Mike said, knowing himself better than anyone. "That's why we can't be together Jen. We're bad for each other. You're better off without me."

"No I'm not Mike!" Jen said sobbing. "I'm not!"

Mike resisted going to her. "I don't feel like myself," he said. "I'm messed up inside. I can't get better if you're there. I'm sorry."

"We better go honey," Keri said coming up to Jen. Jen buried her head in Keri's arm, sobbing. "We'll see you later Mike," Keri said.

Mike nodded, his heart breaking as he watched Jen walk away with Keri. He wondered if he'd ever see Jen again. He knew it would not be good to see her, or even talk to her. They were bad for each other. They were like drug addicts, feeding off each other. It was better for both of them if they stayed apart.

He suddenly became aware of everyone looking at him, he needed to get away. He threw some bills on the table and hurried out. On the way home he stopped and bought a bottle of scotch. He planned to drink the entire bottle, he needed the alcohol to dull the pain.

~~~ Six months later ~~~

"Hey stranger, haven't seen you around," Tara said to Mike one evening. "Where've you been keeping yourself?"

"I've been working at home some," Mike said distractedly, still looking at the computer screen.

"Do you ever stop working?" Tara asked with a laugh, squeezing her body between Mike and his computer. "Come on, buy me a drink, you've never thanked me for getting you this job."

A half hour later in a bar, Tara watched as Mike finished his second scotch and ordered another one. "Wow you can really pound them down," she giggled. "Nice to see you're not a total boy scout."

"I'm not a boy scout," Mike said as if criticizing himself.

"I know, you're a bad boy," Tara teased with a sparkle in her eye. They finished their drinks and ordered another round. Playfully squeezing Mike's knee, Tara whispered conspiratorially, "So you leaked the information, right?"

"I'm not supposed to talk about it," Mike said feeling half drunk.

"I'm not wearing a wire," Tara teased, feeling tipsy herself. She arched her back and pressed her chest against Mike. "Go ahead, search me," she added with a giggle. Mike couldn't help laughing.

Tara leaned closer to Mike and whispered into his ear, "Come on, fess up, did you do it?" She leaned so close her knee pressed against his. She was wearing a short skirt. She had nice legs.