If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, LEAVE

 Stu wished Mia didn't care so much what Shelly would think if Kate was around. It wasn't a big deal.

"It's hard times, you know," Stu shrugged it off as if it was better to help than to not.

"Oh, she's just lingering." Mia would have none of it as she hugged herself. They were home now. Just the two of them. He was making cheesy sandwiches on the stove and heating up some tomato soup. It was raining again. This time colder. He was certain they'd wake up to snow.

"Lingering?" He practically laughed. "That's a good one." 

It was quiet then as he brought supper to the little table in the kitchen.

"You're so conflicted," he told her. Mia practically scowled but she bit into the hot sandwich anyway as if to suffice.

"You know what they say, 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer." She shot him a look that he better watch out.

"Oh, but isn't that what I'm up to?" He teased. His smile was pleasant. "I'm sure she'll move on once time heals whatever has happened, or that Brad fellow will be back and they'll play Romeo and Juliet again." He crunched the sandwich with pleasure then took the other corner and dipped it into the hot soup.

"Probably so," Mia managed to say as she didn't want to talk too much. It was supper, after all. They finished up soon enough. A lot like their sex life. Twenty minutes top. He'd checked his watch on the matter. Of course, he imagined the correlation between the two. Sort of like an experiment that wasn't going to change. 

Not that he had any new expectations. He clearly knew what to expect now.

"What are you thinking?" Mia wanted to know when he put on the electric kettle for a nice minty herbal tea.

"Oh.." He first wanted to say nothing. "We could be at the pub you know, taking in a few drinks."

"Don't you know alcohol is a stimulant," she informed him.

"Not if you drink enough of it." He grinned.

"Oh, you would know." She gave him a look as if she was the teacher and he was only the student.

Really, winter was coming. It was best to be cozy by the tele. Maybe catch up on the World Cup. He yawned then.

"Don't you find Kate interesting," Mia said out of nowhere while he was trying to see some final scores.

"No, not at all." He was straight-lipped as he took a sip of the caffeine-free tea. He knew when to behave. He could see Mia didn't like Kate but was it because of what she'd put Shelly through, or something else? Oh, he'd keep listening. Mia was sure to tell him. She did like to tell him so many things.