�Honey, I�m home.�
A laugh. �I�m in the kitchen!�
�Smells good. What�s for dinner?�
�Mmm�kiss me like that again, and we�re going straight to dessert.�
A laugh. �Sounds like a plan. C�mere��
*
�I�ll get it!�
�She gets that from you, you know.�
�Me?�
�Yes. You were quite the verbose wrestler, weren�t you?�
A laugh. �I-�
�Mom, it�s for you.�
�Who is it, honey?�
�He didn�t say.�
�Thank you, Catey. Finish your dinner, okay?�
�Sure, Mom.�
*
�Steph?�
�Hunter?�
�Yeah, it�s me.�
Silence.
�Steph?�
�Uh, yeah. I�m here. I was just��
�Surprised?�
A small, nervous laugh. �You could say that.�
�I hope I didn�t disturb you.�
�What�what are you doing calling me?�
Long pause. �She left.�
�Oh�Hunter, I�m so sorry.�
�I didn�t know who else�I mean�I can�t��
�It�ll be fine, Hunter.�
�I can�t take it, Steph. It hurts so much. She just�left.�
�Are you still-�
�I�m still at the same house.�
�I�ll see you soon, okay?�
*
�He says �jump�, and you say-�
�Don�t even start, Chris!�
�Damnit, Steph! One phone call, and you�re running to him! What am I supposed to think?�
�I was hoping you�d feel with your heart. His wife just walked out on him.�
�And so, here you are more than ready to walk back in?�
�He�s lost everyone, Chris. He lost his daughter, and now he�s lose his wife. I can�t just ignore him.�
�And why not? As I recall, he was the one who left you!�
�You did not just say that!�
A frustrated sigh. �Steph, listen to me very carefully. He is just trying to get back into your life, and once he does, he�s going to turn around and screw you over. Again!�
�You don�t even know him.�
�And you do? When was the last time you had any kind of contact with him? Two years ago! And all of a sudden he calls out of the blue, and you�re-� Sudden stop.
�Why are you being like-�
�You�re still in love with him.�
�What?�
�I thought, maybe�but you�re not over him.�
�Chris, I swear to you, it�s not like that.�
�Then please tell me what it is, because I don�t know what else to think.�
�It was over a long time ago. I love you.�
�Don�t, Steph. Just-�
�No, listen to me. I love you, and only you!�
�Then why are you flying all the way across the country in the middle of the night?�
�I can�t just� He needs me, Chris.�
�I need you.�
�I can�t believe you�re making me choose!�
�I can�t believe you even think that there�s a choice at all. Between a virtual stranger who has done nothing but hurt you, and��
�Of course there isn�t a choice! It�s you, Chris. It will always be you.�
�Then don�t leave.�
�I-�
�No. You know what, go ahead. Leave. Comfort him.�
�Chris, please-�
�Just go, Steph. We both know you won�t be able to stop thinking about him anyway.�
*
�Hunter?�
�Steph.�
�I can�t��
�Can�t what?�
�I can�t make it.�
�I don�t�I really need you, Steph.�
�I�m sorry. But I have my own family now, and they need me.�
�Chris.�
�I�m sorry. I really am.�
*
�You�re back.�
�I am.�
�Steph, if it really meant that much to you-�
�It did mean that much to me, to be there for a friend, for someone who I care for�� Pause. �But not at the expense of losing you.�
�You�ll never lose me.�
�I thought about you ever walking out on me, and I couldn�t�I don�t think I��
�You�ll never lose me, Steph. I�m going to be with you for a very long time, whether you like it or not.�
Pause. �Thank you, Chris.�
�For what?�
�For loving me. Isn�t that how the song goes?�
A light laugh. �It�s been my pleasure.�
Silence. �Chris?�
�You don�t have to say it. I know.�