Alice wakes up

Back home, Alice is stirring, sitting up in bed with tousled hair. You hand her a cup, and she takes it gratefully, patting the mattress beside her.

"Thanks, babe. You're a lifesaver." She sips, then eyes you curiously. "You okay? You look... thoughtful."

You sit, cradling your latte. "Last night was... Intense. The dancing, the booth, him. It all happened so fast."

She nods slowly, her gaze dropping to her cup for a moment, fingers tracing the rim. You sense her hesitation, like she's weighing her words, maybe replaying the night herself. Wondering if she pushed too far.

"Yeah" she says finally, voice softer. "Fun, though. Right? I mean, you seemed into it."

You pause. As Trevor, you'd buried these urges deep. "It was hot, yeah..." You pause, She knows there's more and gives you time to find it. "I guess I'm thinking about things going forward. About what you said two days ago. How we're just friends now..."

There's more to say, part of you wants to just lay it all out but with Alice it's not necessary, she knows you and what you mean.

Alice sets her cup down, shifting closer, her eyes meeting yours with a mix of resolve and something ****, something like guilt, maybe a hint of anger. She takes your hand and looks down. "When I found that stuff, found out about Penny, it dredged up a lot of things I had buried. Stuff that hurts. Regrets, what ifs, bits of me I had said goodbye to came rushing back."

Her look softened.

"Look, obviously we're not just friends. We have a history, I still love you. But you're not my husband anymore, or my wife for that matter. I need the freedom to explore some of the things I've missed out on." She pauses and looks you over "and I think you do too. Don't worry, I'm not going to disappear one day and throw you to the curb."

This made you feel a little better but still not totally secure.