((&&. blackbird ))

Nodding, Everett whispered, “Okay,” And with that, he closed the gap. He just pressed his lips against hers at first. Then he started moving them slowly and lovingly. He couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. This was how it was meant to start.

Beverly’s eyes fluttered to a close just when his lips pressed against hers. Her shoulders dropped comfortably as she suddenly felt as if a giant weight had been taken off them. She could now relax. She could now be in the moment with Everett. And there, as they sat on her couch with his lips pressed against hers and her fingers crawling to tangled into his hair, Beverly knew this was how things should’ve begun.

“You’re right,” she chuckled, getting up almost in time with Harrison. “Good luck,” Bev whispered supportively.

“Good luck, Bev,” Harrison whispered back with a smile.

“I can even go for a bribe too if you can tolerate that,” 

“Now the question is-- will I?”

“I know. I love you too, Bev,” Harrison paused, “You’d be very miserable, that’s for sure,” He joked and stood up gesturing, “Come on, we’ve both got potential girlfriends and boyfriends to go talk to.”

“You’re right,” she chuckled, getting up almost in time with Harrison. “Good luck,” Bev whispered supportively.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Everett replied, looking down at their hands laced together. His smile didn’t leave his face, “There’s nothing wrong with a little worry and confusion, right?” He teased. His free hand moved to her cheek and he brushed his thumb across her cheekbone, “You’ve got one,” He leaned his forehead against hers, “Can we kiss now?” He asked quietly, not wanting to be too presumptuous and kiss her without asking.

Her lips tingled at the thought of him kissing them. At his question, Beverly nodded. “Yes, yes we can kiss now,” she laughed, looking up into his eyes. She was overwhelmed with happiness-- because all she ever wanted was happening right now. 

“If he truly cares, he’ll understand. If he doesn’t, I’ll slap him.”

“Oh Cleo... you’re right... you’re right,” she sighed, “And I love you,” Bev added with a laugh.

Not being able to help it, his eyes widened, “Married? You…” But then he stopped as she continued to ramble. In another situation, he might have laughed. He almost did just then, again out of relief. But he decided to hold it back, “Bev, you could have just told me. You know you can tell me anything,” He stood up and moved to sit on the couch next to her. He hesitantly reached out to take her hand, “I wouldn’t have been mad, you know that, don’t you?” He paused, “I really like you, Bev. A lot more than I think I should. And if you don’t feel the same way, I understand. But you ought to know. Because that night…” He looked down for a moment and then smiled when he looked back up at her, “It was amazing. And like I said, I definitely don’t regret it. You being married or not. I was just… I was worried that you hadn’t wanted it to happen when I realized you had left. That’s why I came here. But now I understand and I’m telling you how I feel and… I’m gonna stop talking now,” He finished with an awkward smile.

“What a relief,” Beverly smiled at his confession, “Because I really like you too, Ev,” she said, tracing soft circles on the back of his hands with her thumbs. “And I’m so beyond sorry about how I made you feel-- I didn’t want to make you feel that way... I really didn’t...” she sighed, looking up at him as she took his hand up to her lips. “And I really hope... Well, I really hope you’ll give me a second chance,” Beverly whispered against their fingers, looking back down at the ground.

“If he likes you as much as it seems, then he’ll understand. You were worried and confused. As I’m sure he is, so go talk to him. And don’t forget to tell him how much you like him as well, okay?” Harrison said with a reassuring smile.

“Harrison-- you know I love you, right?” she smiled softly, taking his hand and squeezing it before, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You didn’t tell him about that?” Harrison asked, “You can still tell him now, you know. From what I know, he’s a decent guy. He’d understand. I would think he’s more confused than mad right now.”

“About Lyric? Are you sure? Do you really think he’d get it?” she stammered nervously, “I’m so afraid he’s just going to think I’m weird or crazy or-- I don’t know, Har... I just don’t want to lose him you know? And I’m afraid it’s too late.”

“Bev! You need to talk to him about this,” Cleo murmured, wincing at how hypocritical she was sounding.

“And tell him what? That I ditched him after we slept together because I was a married woman at the time?”

“It was Everett?” Harrison asked, confused but not for the reason that Beverly might have thought initially, “Then what’s the problem then? Aren’t you guys totally into each other?”

“I--” she raised a brow at his last comment, but decided not to pry into it. Were her feelings for Everett really that obvious? “The problem was that I totally got up and dashed out of there the next day... I left him hanging, Har. And it’s all because I didn’t know how to tell him that Lyric and I were still married then.”

When in the living room, Everett sat down on one of the couches and waited for Beverly to return. He smiled when she placed the vase of flowers on the coffee table. He wished that Beverly would sit down on the couch next to him but didn’t ask her to move. She had to sit wherever she felt comfortable. Everett listened silently until he heard the last words, “Hate you?” He asked in disbelief, Bev, I could never hate you. Far from it. In fact, my feelings towards you are quite the opposite,” Perhaps that last part was giving too much away too soon but he didn’t care at this point, “Do you regret?” He asked in a quieter voice, “Do you regret… sleeping with me?”

“That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about,” she said softly, “There’s something that happened that led up to me leaving you hanging like that. I didn’t just get up and leave you because I’m an asshole. I am an asshole for doing it, but I like to think I had a reason,” Bev rambled, worried she was just wasting his time at this point, “Look I-- at the time we... at the time we slept together I was married,” she sighed, realizing by the look on his face she should elaborate, “It’s not what it seems like-- it was one of those drunk Vegas marriages. I was married to Lyric, but don’t worry that’s all been handled... I just... I didn’t know how to tell you.”