Blair stood in outrage and disbelief as she walked in and saw RJ lounging on the couch and watching TV. Awhile ago Blair was humiliated at Rodi's when RJ divulged that they slept together to Max Holden. Since that time Blair has kept a low profile and immersed herself into her journalism duties at The Banner. So far her current experience there has been less than uneventful. She just came in from covering the annual Dog Show at the Llanview Expo Center. Bored and exhausted, Blair was relieved to be home, but she wasn't happy to see RJ there. When the two made eye contact, a war of the words eventually followed.
"I don't know what you're doing here, but I want you out of here now!" Demanded Blair as she closed the living room doors so she could talk to RJ in private.
"I'm afraid that might be a problem since your Auntie was so kind to let me stay here." Explained RJ.
"I don't believe Dorian. She must be out of her mind." Frowned Blair.
"She seems alright to me." Said RJ as he turned the TV off with the remote control.
"What do you know, RJ? You're the last person I wanted to see. Do you know how much embarrassment and anguish Max and yourself caused me at Rodi's?! I can hardly go out without people looking at me and whispering...."
"Blair, you're just angry because I stole your spotlight and knocked you off your pedestal. Admit it? This has nothing to do with public humiliation. This has to do with Blair being in control an upholding the title of scene-stealer. Besides, you were going to tell Max anyway."
"That's not the point. It wasn't your place to share our secret with Max and a dozen strangers at some lowly dive. Oh God! Why did I ever sleep with you in the first place?" Cried Blair.
"Let's review: you slept with me because you didn't want a boy to do a man's job. You wanted to have sex with someone that Max would be completely jealous over. Someone that would make his skin crawl. Let me know when I'm getting warm."
"Dammit RJ! I was asking a rhetorical question. God you're impossible. Sometimes I think all you men are from another planet."
"You mean like Mars?"
"Are you reading my mind, RJ, or stating the obvious?"
"What do you think?"
"I give up. I'm not in the mood for any of this." Sighed Blair in a frustrated tone.
"Not so fast, Blair. At Rodi's you made it sound like big bad ol' me lured you to my apartment to engage in liquor-induced sex. We were both sober when we did the nasties."
"I know. I know. And it was my idea to do this because I wanted to stick it to Max for sleeping with my cousin."
"Now you're regaining your memory. Nice to see your accepting accountability for all this as well."
"I think it's time you took accountability for your actions too. I heard about you beating Max to a pulp."
"Holden had it coming and I had every right to give him what he deserved."
"You don't understand. You could've killed him."
"Come on, Blair. Why are you starting to care about Max after all the trouble he put you through?"
Blair became real quiet. She didn't want to tell RJ about Max's medical condition, but since she started dropping hints about it to RJ, she decided to be very blunt with him.
"RJ, I don't know how to tell you this, but Max has a brain aneurysm. That night you saw us we were discussing it and what he should do."
"Are you expecting sympathy from me now?"
"I take it you want me to slap you again."
"Just what I need. Another love tap from Blair. I love how your hands are so smooth and soft. I love a woman with a gentle touch. "
"What's it going to take to get it through your thick-head? Max might die! I'm not lying to you, RJ. It's the truth. Although I'm not going with him, I don't think he deserves this."
RJ notices how emotional Blair is becoming and realizes that she's telling the truth. He decides to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Ok. I believe you, but that still doesn't change things between him and I. Aneurysm or not. I still despise the conniving little weasel."
"I could care less about your discontent for him. Anyways, I don't want you to go blabbing Max's business around town."
"I see. So you presume since I announced our romp in the sack that I'm going to do the same about Max's medical problems? There's no pleasure out of that. What I did that night at Rodi's was a force of habit. I saw Holden and I was compelled to spill my guts about us."
"Well next time you feel the need to confess, go see a priest."
"I would rather bring my gospel to the people. Let the church say a-men!"
"Enough with the sermon."
"I knew I shouldn't have gotten involved in your problems. I have my own life to live. One life, actually, but I had fun participating in this revenge scheme of yours."
"You want to know something, RJ? I had fun hanging out with you. I loved singing renditions of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Donna Summer songs on your kareoke machine, and doing a little strip tease for you. Too bad we mutually agreed just to have a one night stand with no-strings attached."
"Yeah and I'm not one to steal you from Max. He can have you."
"I'm not yours to give away, RJ. And what makes you think I still have the hots for Max?"
"Why don't you tell me, Blair? Do you?"
"I still have a little feelings for him, but not....Wait a minute? Why am I explaning this to you? You practically go gah-gah over Tea Delgado and I still question that."
"You sure know how to divert attention away from yourself, Blair."
"Why not? You keep asking me about how I could love someone like Max and here you go lusting over Tea ."
"That's old news, Blair."
"Yeah right. Every time I see you and her in a room together, you make those googly eyes, a puppy dog face and drool."
"Now you're exaggerating."
"It's not far from the truth from RJ and you know it."
"Ok so you got me, considering your dislike for her."
"What do you see in her?"
"I told you that Tea is yesterday's news. Do you have wax-buildup in those ears of yours? "
"Well whether you're telling me truth or not I hope you got over her like a bad cold. You're too good for her. Since that mail-order bride went on the warpath, she got Andrew to leave the ministry for a brief time and I heard that Todd left town in a bun. The very thought of Starr calling that shrew "mommy" still makes me cringe to this day."
"You forgot about Kevin?"
"Who cares?! You see my point do you?"
"There was a point to this? It musthave went over my head like an aircraft."
"You're too much, RJ." Smiled Blair. "I'm glad you came to your senses about Tea. She would've only made you into something that you're not. You need a woman who loves you for you and not a woman who wants to change you completely. I slept with you because you're your own man. In a way you're like Fabio with dredlocks."
"What a comparison, Blair. But I prefer to think of myself as an original. A self-made man."
"It looks like I created an egomaniac."
"I beat you to it, Blair. So who do you think I should be with?"
"Well Andrew's been having bible studies and even dances for single men and women. I'm sure you can meet a good woman at church. Have you thought about that?"
"Naw! I can't see myself going there looking for a mate. Something tells me I already found my match or that she found me."
"You don't think I'm your match, do you?"
"Of course not. I can't see myself with you. Don't get me wrong. The sex was remarkable, but I like us as friends."
"You make it sound like we were going out. We were bedroom buddies. That's all."
"Ok I get your point. I'm going to follow my heart and see where it takes me."
"Well hopefully you'll end up in a beautiful place."
"Love is a beautiful place. Aww!" RJ feels his shoulder. "My back is killing me! I think I pulled a muscle on this couch."
"Here let me give you a massage. I hope you're not faking this."
"Trust me. I'm not faking. It's all legit."
"It better be. This is just a harmless massage."
Blair and RJ sits down on the couch. RJ turns around so Blair can put her hands on his shoulders. As Blair is giving RJ a massage, his thoughts wander back to what Blair was saying about finding a lady that's willing to accept him for who he is. So far the only woman he knows that fits the description is Sophia, but he was still a little weary about her. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to take chance with her, but love is all about risks. Was he willing to gamble on a possible romance with Sophia, or would he let her slip through his fingers and wonder what might have been?
To Be Continued ....