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Slowly, hand-in-hand, they walked toward the house. They had decided that the sooner they break the news to Jay, the better. That way, they could all get on with their lives once and for all.
Amy kept silent, her lips pressed together for several long moments. Instinctively, as they neared the front door, she released Adam's hand. As the tall blond man eyed her with concern, she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself. Inside, she felt so cold, so very cold.
Adam did the honors to ring the doorbell, and not surprisingly, it was answered almost immediately.
"My God - *there* you are!" Jay exclaimed, his face showing vast relief. No doubt, he'd worried about the redhead when she hadn't returned home all night.
"Jay..."
"Adam - thank you for bringing her home, man." He pulled his wife to him and hugged her.
Amy returned the hug half-heartedly, her heart sinking. She hated what would have to come next. Jay was a good guy, a *really* good guy - but she wans't truly in love with him. She bit her lip, her eyes closing tightly as she hugged him harder. Damn it, she should have been honest from the start.
The tall blond man watched the married couple, still silent. He knew he had to speak up, set the record straight. How in the world was he going to tell his best friend since childhood the truth? It would crush him. They were like brothers, and clearly Jay adored Amy. He raked a hand through his long hair and cleared his throat.
"Actually, Jay... You shouldn't be thanking me..."
Amy released her husband as he loosened his hold on her. His blue eyes showed confusion as he looked up at the man who had been his best friend since elementary school.
"What do you mean?" he asked, guileless.
"Adam," the redhead spoke up, turning to face him, her left hand patting at his chest, "no... Let me explain it. Please."
The tall blond Canadian nodded slowly, then lowered his head. This was going to be anything but easy.
She turned back to her husband. Jay's expression was confused, but somehow, Amy knew he was starting or at least trying to put the pieces of this whole thing together.
Without a word, she reached first for his hand and led him through the hallway to their living room, where they sat side-by-side on the couch. Adam, after shutting the door behind him, followed and seated himself into a chair nearby. He folded his hands between his long, widely spread legs and bowed his head, although he couldn't take his eyes off of Amy. He couldn't believe she was insisting on telling him herself.
"Jay..." The redhead placed her hand on the short-haired blond man's, as though believing it would soften the blow she was about to deliver. "... Adam didn't find me and bring me back here... I spent the night with him - at *his* house."
Her husband's eyes widened while the taller blond's fixed on him.
"What? I'm not sure I'm following you," Jay said, shaking his head. His facial featured resumed their previous confusion.
"Well, you see... The truth is..." Amy bit her lip, then let out a sigh, knowing there would be no easy way to do this, no easy way for Jay to hear it. Blurting it all out would be the least painful method - if there was such a thing. "... Adam and I-"
"Oh, no... No!" The short-haired man finally showed recognition, and a look of horror crossed his face. "Are you kidding me?!" His voice increased in volume as well as he stared from his wife to the man he'd trusted more than anyone else in the world.
"I'm sorry, Jay," the redhead said miserably. She hung her head for a beat but managed to meet his eyes. "It was a mistake to-"
"A mistake?!" Jay shouted. Adam's head snapped sharply in her direction as well. Was she actually saying that their relationship - their unborn baby as well - was a *mistake*?
"What was a mistake, Amy? The two of you somehow getting together - *sleeping* together behind my back?! Was that a mistake? How many times did this 'mistake' happen, huh?"
She eyed him sadly, and she was truly sorry for how badly he was hurting - and for how much worse he would feel when she finished her thought.
"No, Jay... You didn't let me finish." Amy ducked her head again, then raised it to meet Adam's green eyes before she shifted her gaze back to the angry, hurt man and continued. "I was going to say it was a mistake for me to marry you when... when..." She swallowed hard at the look that crossed her husband's face. "... when I was in love with Adam all along."
Jay remained silent as he merely stared at her for a moment. Then, he shook his head as he shifted his gaze to the tall blond man. To Adam's horror, his lifelong friend seemed on the verge of tears.
"I don't believe this," he said in a soft, surprisingly calm voice, addressing the blond man. He realized Adam was on the verge of finally speaking, most likely about to apologize to him, but he waved him off. "Save your breath, man. I just can't believe you would do something like this to me - *you*... You're more like a brother to me than my *actual* brothers are. And you've been sleeping with my wife?" An incredulous tone came into his voice, as though even after hearing the truth, he still had difficulty believing it. He wished this were all just a nightmare from which he would awaken, but unfortunately, it was cruel reality.
"I know, Jay... I know." The taller man kept his head down as he spoke. He could *not* speak, *not* apologize. After all, every word the short-haired man had said was true. He wished it had been anyone but Jay he'd hurt - or not hurt anyone at all.
"I'm sorry, Jay. I really am."
"So am I," Amy offered, her face full of concern as she eyed the man she'd married. "I never should have led you on like this... But you had to know." When he remained silent even longer, she glanced at Adam and then, "There's... There's more."
Jay looked up wearily. What more could either one of these two possibly have to say to him?
"I'm pregnant, and Adam is the father."
The short-haired Canadian wore a blank look on his face for a full moment after the confession. But then, his demeanor suddenly changed.
"Get out - *both* of you."
"Jay-" It was Adam who spoke.
"Now! Get the hell out of my house and out of my sight!" the scorned man yelled. He bolted up off the couch as well, pointing in the direction of the front door. His best freind seemed to want to say something else, but he cut him off. "Go before I belt you in the jaw, Adam... Don't make me hit you."
The tall Canadian and the redhead, who was already on her feet, exchanged glances. This was horrible, but they'd known what they were in for.
Amy nodded, her face full of sorrow. If only she could erase or redo some of the things she'd done over the last few years.
They took Jay's demand at heart and left. The door instantly clicked audibly shut, and Adam heard the distinct
sounds of locks being turned and gauged into place.