Lunch with Allie

"How's Oussama?" Elizabeth asked conversationally, placing some lamb and basmati rice on a place for Allie and giving it to the beauty.

"You don't beat around the bush, do you?" Allie responded. "He's good. His English is coming along well enough. He's very ... territorial, so that's a challenge."

"Doesn't like Teddy in the picture?" Elizabeth asked with a sympathetic tone.

"Absolutely not. I don't even have sex with Teddy anymore, but it's not enough. I'm not sure how I'm going to satisfy him," she said, fidgeting with her hands anxiously.

"You know how to satisfy him," Elizabeth said. "You have to go all the way, like I did."

"I'm just ... I'm just not there yet. Teddy and I have kids, Elizabeth. We had a past," Allie said. Past tense, Elizabeth thought. Good.

"I had a past with Douglas too," Elizabeth reminded her. "I have kids too."

"And how do they accept it?"

"They accept strength Allie. They accept conviction. They accept faith. But honestly, darling ... the longer you wait to rip off the bandaid, the worse it is going to be. It's been harder for Emily and Aaron than it is Katie. You need to get moving if you want the transition to be smooth. And frankly, could you go back to the way things were with Teddy?" Allie sighed, biting her lip.

"No. Oussama is ... exotic and strong and primal. He's everything Teddy isn't. And the fact that he's Muslim, and open about it ... it's like a cherry on top. You're right. I just need to think about the best way to do this."