Collision

Her arm still itched from the fading poison ivy. 'What a way to tarnish such an amazing experience,' she thought with a warm chuckle as she tried not to scratch it. She sighed, holding her arm down by her side, emerald bracelet clunking against her wrist bones. She held her hand stiffly to override its instinctual desire to alleviate the flickering itch of the other arm.

From behind, fingers touched hers and slid between. Her body relaxed 'There she is,' it seemed to say 'I am home.' She played it cool for a beat, then glanced over at Addison. The sparkle of her lover's smile and twinkle of her eyes lit up the whole room. That smile, that skin - she wanted to be back out on that field, limbs wrapped around limbs. She wanted to bite that exposed shoulder one more time. She squeezed Addison's hand and bit her lip. Addison seemed to read her mind as she blushed and looked away, grinning shyly. It wouldn't be the first time she was accused of acting inappropriately at a formal event.

She gathered herself. She hadn't even seen the painting she'd been standing in front of. Suddenly the plush greenery came to life. 'I wonder if it's full of poison ivy, too,' she mused to herself.

"Cassidy?"

As if woken from a dream, she turned towards the voice, deep and masculine - familiar.

His eyes darted around, hungrily taking in their dresses, their cleavage, their legs, as if standing in front of a buffet. Then he noticed their hands clasped tightly like a rope across their bodies - barring access. She could see him mentally put down his plate in confusion.

At first glance she thought 'he hasn't changed at all' but he carried a heaviness in his face she didn't recognize. He had been such a good sport, through it all, but she had moved on and he had stayed.

His eyes still danced the way they had on the football field that night after prom. Those eyes she had loved to dive deeply into. Prom was their first time. They'd gone with other dates but ended up with each other. More green, spanning all around. It wasn't poison ivy that got her that night, it was the mosquitoes.

"I didn't...." he faltered.

What? she wondered silently. Didn't know I would be here? Didn't know I was still alive?

"I thought..." he started, searching her face.

Dare he say it? she answered in the privacy of her own mind. You thought I stopped colliding with other people when I got married? Or, at least, you thought I only collided with men? You thought - - what - - that I would be something you could understand?

Addison looked at her expectantly. Clearly she'd been silent too long. Why interrupt whatever it is he's up to, trying to wrap his mind around her? She met Addison's eyes and took in her uncertain smile and innocent questioning eyes. She’s such a sweet and loving girl, she thought. She makes it too easy. It only took a quick squeeze, a wink, and a grin to reassure Addison.

Cassidy's eyes returned to Charlie. Her fingers still fit so nicely into Addison's delicate grip but her soul tumbled back into Charlie's eyes. She knew the gallery would close soon and she knew where the nearest field was. She wondered what her excuse to Addison would be tonight. She wondered if her husband was already fast asleep in their bed. She wondered what Charlie's skin would feel like tonight.

Too preoccupied to resist, she scratched her arm. She wondered if there would be poison ivy. Or mosquitoes. Or both.