Old times... And new?

“So, shall we both agree that I spent the night trying to convince you to change your mind about working for Newson?” Avery began. It was ostentatiously the reason she’d told Dennis Hedwall that she would stay on in Avonwick overnight before catching a flight back to The Capital tomorrow.

“Long as we both agree that it did no good despite your best efforts and I couldn’t be convinced,” Spencer agreed putting an end to the official reason for Avery visit.

“Agreed,” Avery said extending out her hand to Spencer as she used their handshake to move closer to him on the couch

Smiling Spencer shook her hand and asked her what the real reason was for her visit, “I mean you knew it wouldn’t work so what was the real reason for coming?”

“I wanted to see you Spencer,” Avery told him, fixing Spencer with her intense green eyes and not looking away. “I keep meaning to reach out to you after Kirsten but I never knew what to say. You just seemed so…” she broke off, not know exactly what to say.

“Broken,” Spencer finished for her, “lost.”

“Yes. You were this amazing, inspirational person to me in the office and then the light just left you.”

“She was my whole world. Her and Amy. I still don’t know how I got through it. If I didn’t have Amy, I had to be strong for her, I don’t think I would have made it,” Spencer said. The words still difficult after six years.

“I could see you were in such pain, it broke my heart, I just wanted to help you,” Avery told him.

She was truly a wonderful kind person Spencer thought. To be so compassionate and care to someone she worked with was touching.

“It wouldn’t have done any good I don’t think. I needed to get away, with Amy, and rebuild my life.”

“It worked. You seem better now. Different. I really am so happy for you.”

“It took a lot of time. I think this place helped. Avonwick.”

“You must be very popular here, Spencer. I bet the ladies just must love you,” Avery said, looking up from the rim of her wine glass and into Spencer strong, stony eyes.

Spencer laughed. “They were… relentless for a while. But they soon worked out that wasn’t what I needed back then.”

“What about now? Are you seeing anyone?” she asked.

Spencer ‘ahh’ed before answering. Avery wouldn’t know who he was talking about if he mentioned any names but he still didn’t like to give up any confidences. “I’ve been getting back out there. Slowly. Nothing serious yet, but, I’m open to it. What about you? I don’t remember you ever seeing anyone while we worked together.”

“There was someone but he…” Avery trailed off rather than answering.

There first bottle of wine was finished by then and Spencer took the time to go fetch another before saying goodnight to Amy and tucking her into bed. Amy might be 13 already but she would always be his little girl and he would take every opportunity he could to wish her goodnight while she still let him. He knew the time was coming when she would be too big and too old for him to do so.

Back with a fresh bottle, Avery had used the time Spencer was with Amy to freshen up and change out of her work attire. Using one of the upstairs bathrooms, Avery had showered taking extra care not to get her hair wet, coming back down stairs in a tan-coloured satin robe over her nightie.

“Mmm, good idea,” Spencer said, seeing that Avery had got changed. He poured them another glass of wine each before he too ducked off to switch into his night clothes. Dropping Amy, Avery and his plates in the kitchen on the way.

Dressed back in his favourite fleece track shorts and plain white crew neck t-shirt, Spencer returned to the couch with Avery. The wood fireplace Spencer had retained in the farmhouse keeping them both warm well into the evening.

Avery regaled Spencer on the current status of pretty much everyone he could recall working with. Tony was onto his third divorce after catching another one of their co-workers Henry having an affair with his now ex-wife. Now that was a scandal fit for D.C. politics!

By the time this second bottle was complete too, Avery was feeling drunker than she could remember being in a long while. Spencer was every bit as funny and charming as she had remembered him to be. It had taken her a number of years to get over the crush she’d had for him at the lobbyists. Seeing him again she felt the same longing and desire she felt for him back then but this time no painful jealousy at seeing him with Kirsten.

Swaying from the wine when she went to stand up, Avery tumbled forward onto Spencer strong chest as he rose at the same time.

“Woah! Careful,” Spencer laughed as he caught her and steadied her back onto her feet.

“Oops, sorry!” Avery flushed at feeling him holding her even for a moment. “Spencer, would you help walk me upstairs? I think I might be a bit wobbly.”

Leaning against Spencer as he led her to the closest of the two guest bedrooms, he stopped to wish her goodnight before leaving her to get some rest.

“I have to drop Amy off at school in the morning but I can bring back something for us to eat rather than risk burning down the house again,” he told her.

“Spencer,” Avery stopped him before he could leave.

“What is it Avery?” he asked.

“Can I tell you something?”

He waited for her to say what she wanted to say.

“I used to have an enormous crush on you back in the day but could never do anything because of your wife. That’s the real reason I came here today,” she admitted. “Will you spend the night with me? It doesn’t have to be anything other than this one time.”

Spencer was taken aback. He’d never even had an inkling that Avery Kim had been in love with him back when they used to work with each other. He’d only ever had eyes for Kirsten and it had taken until just very recently for him to even think about moving past her. Still, Spencer wasn’t about to countenance her offer, no matter how attractive she was.

“I’m flattered Ave. I honestly never knew you felt like that back then. But…”

There was always a but in Avery’s love life. Why did she always fall for unavailable men?

“That’s just not who I am. I could never sleep with someone knowing there wasn’t at least of a chance of a future together. You’re in Washington and I’m out here and that’s not about to change. Your beautiful, gorgeous even but you should look for someone that can give you more than I can.”

She’d taken her shot, missed, but at least she’d worked up the courage to take it. She could be happy now. “Sure. If that’s how you feel Spence. My door will be open all night if you happen to change your mind,” she said before kissing him tenderly on the cheek.

Leaving Avery to sleep on her own for the night, Spencer marveled on the fact as he got into bed that he’d turned down offers from two women in two days. He’d never even had that sort of luck when he’d first moved to Avonwick and enrolled Amy into Carter Junior H.S.