Brent sat at the bar and made conversation with Josh, the Head Brewer at Founder's Hill. He listened intently as Josh explained the brewing process. Brent was fascinated. It never seemed to amaze him that beer had been around so long and, from what Josh told him, how many hundreds of styles and combinations of styles there were. He finished his beer and Josh hailed the bartender to refill Brent's glass before he could get thirsty and want for more. It appeared to Brent that Josh enjoyed his company and reveled in the fact that Brent was in a popular alternative rock band and chose to hang out at Founder's Hill with him. Brent was all to happy to oblige. Loud music, free beer, good conversation, and, always chicks milling about. It was a fabulous way to waste time while Annie was at work. Brent allowed his mind to wander to Annie. She looked so pretty this afternoon as she prepared to go to the hospital. She pulled her hair back into a braid at the back of her head, it hung down nearly to her waist now. She put on pink scrubs and it contrasted nicely with her tan. He had pulled her close to him before she left and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. She giggled and then kissed him with wanton. He felt the strong desire to take her before she went to work but she protested and pushed him away, promising to fulfill his fantasy when she returned home. He cleared his throat and envisioned sneaking up to the hospital and taking her right there, amongst the patients and doctors and orderlies. A sly smile spread across his face when suddenly Josh smacked him in the arm bringing him back to the bar with a jerk. He turned to Josh and focused on what he was saying.

"... if you would be interested. I'm not sure how much into sports you are or what sports you would even like but the team could use another guy." He stared at Josh trying to make sense out of what he had just said. Hearing only part of it had him quite confused.

"What sport are you thinking about?"

"Hockey, dude. I just said that!" Brent laughed and swigged his beer.

"Oh, yeah, right!" Josh grunted and finished the beer in his glass.

"You didn't hear a word I said did you?" Brent shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, you had that faraway look. What I said ..." Josh said with a sigh. "was that I was on this hockey team that plays every Wednesday night and if you're interested we could use another guy." Brent nodded.

"Ohhhhh ... you need another body?" He asked with a laugh. "Well ... lemme talk to my wife about it and I'll call ya." Josh laughed.

"That sounds weird, man, you have to talk to your wife." Brent looked at him and thought about it. It did sound weird. He had said it without even thinking about it. It was almost ... natural. Josh scribbled his phone number down on a paper coaster and Brent slid it into his pocket.

"I will tell ya that I would love to play but I have to warn you that I won't be here in a few weeks. Could you use a guy that can only play once or twice?" Josh nodded.

"It's all in fun, man, all in fun!" Brent lit a cigarette and glanced around the bar. There was a table of three girls close by. He checked them out as he sucked in smoke from the cigarette and blew it out his nose. One of the girls was eyeing him intently. He smiled and nodded slightly. She blushed and looked away. Brent glanced down at his watch and gasped. It was quarter after 11! He wanted to be home long before Annie would get there so he could shower and brush his teeth, washing and scrubbing away all traces of cigarette. When he was around her he wore a patch, when she wasn't home he smoked. Simple as that, make her happy and himself in one shot. He leaped down off the bar stool and put on his coat. He tamped out the cigarette in an ashtray and guzzled the beer.

"I'm sorry man, I have to go. My wife is home and I promised her I'd ..." He trailed off raising his eyebrows at Josh leaving him to form his own ideas.

"Let me know about the hockey team!" Josh called as Brent flew out the front door.

He spied Andrea's car in the drive and his heart sank. He went inside and immediately sensed high humidity. Andrea was in the shower. He quickly stripped himself of all his clothes and snuck into the bathroom. She was already out and drying off. His shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry honey." He said leaning back against the door, his hands behind his back. She eyed his nude, slim form and smiled.

"What the devil are you sorry about?" She asked, hanging the towel up to dry on the shower curtain rod. He watched her feeling like a cad.

"I meant to be home before you got home and get sexy for you." She pulled the towel off her head and rubbed her wet hair. She left it piled messily on top of her head and sauntered up to him.

"Don't for one second think you aren't sexy just the way you are." She said softly cupping his face with her hands. He smiled weakly. He smelled like cigarette smoke and he knew she could smell it. She leaned up on her toes and kissed his mouth. He pulled her to him and brushed her mouth with his. He took her hands from his face and ran them down his chest to his waist.

"Well, let's not waste all this nudity, eh?" He said as he guided her hands to his manhood then he moaned softly as she wrapped her hand around it and felt it gently. It didn't take much effort to get it good and hard in her grasp. He made love to her right there in the bathroom then afterwards they lay in bed and clung to each other, skin touching skin. Andrea lightly trailed her fingernail down from his shoulder to his arm then back up again. Goose bumps popped out over his arm and chest. He sighed.

"So, you were smoking tonight, huh?" She said softly. He sighed again.

"Yes." He replied in a whisper.

"I thought you were going to try to quit."

"I am, Annie, I am." Now Andrea sighed.

"Not that hard you're not." She felt his arm tighten around her shoulder yet he said nothing. "I'm not going to nag you. It is important to me, though. You know, I see lung cancer patients often and it's not good, Brent, not to mention what the carcinogens do to other body parts. Smoke affects more than just your lungs." He reached his free arm around her, enveloping her in his arms and touched her hair lightly and still said nothing. "You arent going to say anything?" She asked quietly.

"What do you want me to say, Annie? I am trying, thats the best I can do." She tilted her head upwards and kissed his chin.

"Im sorry." She whispered. He tangled his fingers in her hair and rubbed them together, feeling the silkiness of it then he kissed her head.

"Dont be sorry, you have the right to feel that way. And I should be trying harder. Its just that, and I know you dont want to hear it, but I like to smoke. It relaxes me. Sometimes Im nervous or anxious and I need to smoke." She felt his voice reverberate through him as he spoke.

"Chewing gum?" He coughed slightly.

"Lets talk about something else, ok?" He said quietly. She sighed and relaxed against him. She felt so comfortable in his arms, so warm and protected. He wasnt a big man but he had long arms that wrapped around her nicely and made her feel safe.

"When do you have to go to New York?" He sighed heavily.

"Annie, why do you want to talk about bad things? I dont know about you but I feel all snuggly and relaxed." She tried to look up at him but could only see his chin from the way he held her.

"I didnt realize these were such bad things. I just want to know when you have to leave so I can make sure we spend time together." She emphasized together.

"About two weeks." He said. They both lay there together in uncomfortable silence. Brent felt himself drifting off when he heard Andrea speak.

"Brent?" She said.

"Hmmmm?" He mumbled.

"I love you." She whispered. He found the energy to kiss the top of her head.

"I love you too, Annie. Now go to sleep."

Andrea got up early and after her coffee and newspaper, changed into her shorts and sports bra then headed down to the treadmill. Brent stumbled out of the bedroom a short time later and headed straight for the coffee pot. He poured a cup and sipped. It was a bit cool so he microwaved it and then sipped again. This time it slid down his throat good and hot. He had turned and leaned against the counter when he saw the kitchen table cluttered with flowers and cards. He frowned and walked over to it. He picked up a card, it was from one of the girls Andrea worked with.

Congratulations on your marriage. Just remember who wears the scrub pants in the family Kelly. He rolled his eyes and set the card back down. He glanced at them all until he came to the one signed by, obviously, a male. Can I tell you how sorry I am that you are off the market? Dom. Brent frowned. Just who the hell did he think he was, writing that shit to my wife, Brent muttered and tossed the card back onto the table. The flowers were pretty but Brent had a bad taste in his mouth thanks to that card from that doctor. He went back over to the counter and leaned back against it and sipped his coffee. He remembered exactly who he was, he remembered the day he had seen him talking to Andrea. He also remembered the way that doctor looked at Andrea while he talked to her and the way he touched her when he walked away. He felt anger creep up his neck. Hes sorry shes off the market, he said out loud and then huffed. Damn right shes off the market. That woman is mine! He drained the rest of his coffee and then poured another cup. The microwave signaled his drink was hot when Andrea emerged from the basement, dripping with sweat, chest heaving. She closed the door loudly and he turned to her.

"Good morning!" She said, smiling at him as best she could. He just looked at her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Scanlon." He growled at her.

"Are you mad about something?" She asked, wrapping a towel around her neck and patting herself. He shook his head and gulped his coffee.

"Oh, no, not mad. Just curious."  He sauntered over to the table and looked down at the cards. He picked one up and read it then set it down and picked up another one. Andrea smiled to herself. He was playing a jealous game and she wasnt sure what it was about yet but she would find out.

"Oh youre wondering about all the cards and flowers!" She said going over to him and picking up a card herself. "Well, they surprised me when I got to work yesterday. It was very sweet. There was money in each one of those cards! And look at the flowers!!!" She leaned down and pressed her face into one of the bouquets, sniffing deeply.

"Yeah, that was nice." He picked up the card from Dom and held it out, open. "Who is this from?" She squinted and looked closely at it.

"Oh, thats from Dr. Dom." She said, knowing finally what this little show was all about. He nodded, his tongue stuck into the side of his cheek.

"Ohhh, Dr. Dom! Yeah, hes your friend - I saw him once, right?" Andrea nodded. "Yeah, uh, big guy Italian or something." She nodded again. He nodded too.

"And hes sorry youre off the market." She shrugged.

"I guess. Im thinking it was probably meant as a joke, Brent." She said in Doms defense. He nodded once more.

"Yeah, joke." He muttered and then went scrounging around the kitchen for food, dismissing her. Andrea sighed and stuck her hand on one hip.

"Brent, there is nothing going on between him and me. You are silly to act this way." He turned around suddenly and glared at her.

"How the hell am I acting, Annie?" He said, a little too loud. She drew back. She hadnt realized that card would draw such a reaction from him.

"If you want the truth, youre acting like an ass." She said. He sneered.

"Well, I just woke up, alone in my bed I might add. Then I come out here to no breakfast and then this." He swept his hand over the table indicating the cards and flowers. She sighed.

"Brent." She said, exasperated. "None of that was done on purpose to you. If you give me a minute, Ill go shower and then make us both some breakfast. If it makes you feel any better." He looked at her, a little agitated.

"It doesnt make me feel better." He said. She walked up to him and ran her hand up his arm.

"Honey, please dont be upset about that doctor. I have chosen you as my mate, you are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. The one whos child I carry." She took his hand and guided it to her swelling abdomen. She looked at him and smiled. Just as he put his hand on her belly they both felt something weird. Andrea jumped and Brent pulled his hand away quickly, a grimace spread across his face.

"What the fuck was that?" He asked, his eyes open wide. Andrea smiled and held her palms against her belly.

"It was the baby, Brent. He moved or kicked." His mouth opened wide.

"What?" She nodded, hoping to feel another movement but none came.

"The baby, he kicked. And you felt it!!" She exclaimed. He rubbed the hand that felt the kick with his other hand as though it hurt.

"That was the weirdest thing Ive ever encountered." He said. "Im a bit freaked out here, Annie." She went to him and put her arms around him. He held her shoulders.

"Welcome to the world of pregnancy!" She said and smiled brightly at him. He looked a bit pale. She leaned up and kissed him lightly. "Now how about I go shower and then make us something to eat?" He nodded absently, the whole card ordeal all but forgotten.

"Sure, go ahead. Ill wait." He said, pulled away and filled his coffee cup again. "That was really our baby in there moving around?" He asked, turning to her after starting the microwave.

"Yes!" She said as she headed for the bathroom.

"Wow!" He said after his coffee was heated. He sipped it and grinned. "Fuck!"