The Sinful Affair

Chapter 3

Anne sighed as she sat down at the diner where she was meeting her sister Jessica for lunch, "Sorry I am late," she muttered as she shook her head. "Both John and Carl didn't want to get ready to go this morning and then on the way to mom and dad's they threw a fit."

Jessica just laughed as she heard Anne speak, "Sounds like Hans when I drove him to Joe's mom's. Showing his lungs off for me."

"Yes but Hans is only a baby my kids are five and three respectively," Anne shrugged as she picked up her menu. "Did you order drinks already. I know I texted saying that you could if you wanted too."

Nodding Jessica picked up her own menu though she knew she'd just order what she always did, "Speaking of your kids ages you need to have another baby soon," she teased knowing Anne would glare at her through the menu. She knew that Anne had said numerous times she wasn't ready for a third child after having her first two so young. That she was making sure now she took her birth control pills religiously. "And yes I ordered the drinks. I got you a water with lemon like you asked for."

"No more babies for me right now," Anne said as she put her menu down after deciding what she wanted. "Though I'm not saying that I won't have another one some day because I would like to have another baby with my husband but I want to wait until I am at least twenty-five. By then both boys will be in school."

Jessica pursed her lips at Anne's answer, "What does Tristan think about you guys holding off on another baby?" she asked knowing Anne had never really stated what he thought of their waiting.

Anne chewed on her lip as she listened to Jessica's question, "He understands my reason for waiting and being on birth control. He would like another baby soon but then again right now he is too busy with work that making a baby is kind of not the top priority right now."

"So no time for s*x then?" Jessica asked as she too laid her menu down. "I'm not sure what I would do if Joe and I went through a dry spell."

Making a face at Jessica's words Anne shook her head, "Didn't need to know about your and Joe's s*x life," she teased. "But right now our s*x isn't as consistent as it used to be. Though last night our dry spell had a little bit of rain," she smiled as she thought of their s*x last night. It had been nice and much needed. Just like the note Tristan had left her this morning. He had told her that he hated leaving her so early especially when she looked so beautiful sleeping curled up in their blankets. Then of course he had proceeded to end the letter with his typical xoxo and a kissy face.

"Gross," Jessica teased now shaking her own head. "Didn't need to know about your and Tristan's s*x life," she mocked her sister's words before laughing.

Anne stuck her tongue out at Jessica though before she could speak their waiter arrived and they each placed their order. It was after that, that their lunch seemed to go by fast. Both seemed to pass the time by talking about the rest of their plans for the week and also the plans for the rest of the day.

They had both agreed that after lunch they would pick Zoe up from their parents knowing that their mom would be done homeschooling her by then, though of course Anne wasn't sure their mom could do much with John and Carl there. It would be after they picked Zoe up that they planned to go to the community college for a summer art class thing that Jessica had signed them all up for. Jessica and Zoe both hated art but they knew Anne loved it and Jessica thought it would be a nice bonding experience for them.

By the time they were done Anne agreed to split the check with Jessica and then once they had paid she followed her sister outside, "Do you want me to pick up Zoe or you?" she asked as she checked her watch. "We have fifteen minutes until the class starts."

"I will pick her up," Jessica said as she walked to her car. "You drive too slow and would be late."

Anne just rolled her eyes, "Sorry it's the overprotective mom in me," she joked as she walked to her own car. "I will save you both seats," she said when she reached her car. Seeing Jessica just nod she smiled before getting in her car and starting it up. Driving off she headed towards the college. Luckily for her it was only five minutes away so she'd have some time to spare.

Making it to the college she parked her car in a parking spot and got out, grabbing her pocket book. As she looked around at the campus of the small community college she frowned some feeling a pang that she never got to have this experience. That she had never got to go to college. She had always wanted too.

Shaking her head she put on a happier face as she walked inside the building where the art classes would be held. Going down to the room she smiled seeing other people already there. At least she wasn't the first person to show up. Walking to a desk she sat down, putting her stuff in the two seats beside her so that Zoe and Jessica would have a place to sit when they came in.

As she heard the door open she looked up seeing a man who couldn't be much older than her walk to the board and write stuff down. She was guessing he was the teacher though from his appearance she wouldn't think so. The tight jeans he had on and the way his hair was all a mess even in the ponytail he wore. He looked more like some student himself than a teacher but who was she to judge? She was sure to some people she looked like a regular twenty some female who was care free and single instead of looking like the mother and wife she truly was.

Her attention though was taken from the man up front when she saw Jessica and Zoe come in. Waving them down she smiled when they sat down beside her. It was then they traded hushed whispers until the class started.

Once the class did eventually start Anne had found she was right in assuming that the guy with the tight jeans and messy ponytail was the teacher. He had introduced himself as Mr. Coleman though he had said he wanted the people there just to call him Kobe as Mr.Coleman sounded much too formal for him.

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Tristan groaned as he sat at his desk in his studio. It was getting dinner time and he still wasn't anywhere near ready to leave. He was too busy looking over the pictures he had taken today, most of which he wasn't happy with. He wasn't happy with the poses or the way anything looked. He blamed that on his perfectionist nature. Everything had to be perfect and it wasn't.

Hearing the front door of the studio open, "We're closed," Tristan called out knowing he should have turned the sign an hour ago but again he had got caught up in these damn pictures that he wasn't happy with at all.

"Even for friends?" Natalie asked as she walked farther into the studio a smile forming on her lips as she saw Tristan sitting at his computer. "I brought you food," she said handing him a bag from Chick-fil-a. "Hope you don't mind that it is take out."

Smiling as he saw Natalie, Tristan shook his head, "I really don't mind take out," he said before taking the bag from her. He might as well take it. He remembered vaguely Anne telling him something about art classes today after her weekly lunch with Jessica and that her mom was also going to be keeping the boys for the night. He doubted Anne would fix anything then. She'd probably get herself take out and usually when she did that she just let him get something on his way in.

"You are a godsend," he smiled as he opened the bag and took the food out. "Not only bringing me food but distracting me from my god awful pictures that I think look horrible."

Natalie shook her head at Tristan's words, "I doubt your stuff is horrible," she said as she watched him begin to eat the food she had brought. "I mean I remember all your pictures you took in high school turned out awesome."

"That was different," Tristan spoke in between bites of food. "They were just random shots. These are posed shots and to be honest some of the people I had to take pictures of today weren't the best," he muttered shaking his head. Most of the ones today had been bratty kids which made him glad his own boys weren't little brats. At least he and Anne were doing something right parenting wise.

Rolling her eyes Natalie sat down in a chair beside him, "Whatever, you are just too hard on yourself. It's the perfectionist in you," she teased remembering he always had to have things perfect even in high school. "The movers finally got everything moved in today. So I'm now officially your neighbor," Natalie smiled before looking down at his wedding band. That was the one downside of all of this. She had to live next door to not only him but his wife and children.

That was one of her major regrets about leaving, that he had moved on. He had moved on with someone so young and that he had been dumb enough to knock her up. "I hope you told your wife," she spoke again as she came out of her thoughts. "I mean I don't want her to be surprised by all of this."

Hearing Natalie ask if he had told Anne about her moving in next door he nodded his head, "I told her last night," he said before finishing his food. "I don't think she was too happy given the look on her face but I'm sure she'll come around especially when she sees you're not a threat," he shrugged before running a hand through his hair.

Natalie faked a smile when Tristan said she wasn't threat, "I'm sure she will come around too," she nodded feeling slightly hurt that it seemed Tristan was indeed over her. How could he have forgotten just how much they had loved each other? They had dated since freshmen year of high school and broke up when they were both twenty-four. How could he forget the feelings and plans they made? She knew she had left him but she had kind of hoped he would still be waiting in case her acting dreams fell through.

"So tell me about your wife and kids," Natalie said faking another smile. "All I know is mom said that she was pregnant when you married. I never expected you to make that big of a mistake," she admitted honestly as she crinkled her nose.

"John wasn't a mistake," Tristan spoke as he shook his head. "Anne and I may not have been the best at being careful when we had s*x but our son wasn't a mistake. He was a miracle in disguise."

Natalie raised an eyebrow when Tristan said that John was a miracle in disguise. "How was he a miracle in disguise?" she asked not understanding how something who ruined or postponed both of Tristan and his wife's plans was a miracle in disguise.

"Because Anne and I got a wonderful family because of him," Tristan smiled before looking down at his wedding band. It was a reminder to him every day that he had something he loved and wanted to keep. "I fell in love with her Nat. The moment I saw her holding our son in her arms after she gave birth was when I knew it. She ended up giving me everything I wanted. I wouldn't redo things."

Again Natalie found herself having to force a smile, "I'm glad for you Tristan," she nodded as she ran a hand through her hair. "Glad you got everything you wanted. A family and your own studio but sometimes don't you ever wish it had been me by your side?" she asked chewing her lip. "I mean I know you said you wouldn't redo things but don't you ever wonder what if?"

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Anne exited the classroom after the class had ended. Following Zoe and Jessica she was vaguely aware of their conversation. Zoe was convinced that the teacher named Kobe had been staring at Anne a lot during the class. Something that Anne found absurd.

"You know," Anne spoke as she interrupted Zoe once they were outside in the fresh air. "I really don't think he was looking at me that much. I think it was the same as you or Jessica or any other female in the room."

Zoe couldn't help but laugh at her sister's words, "Listen Avie I know you have been married to Tristan for forever and a day and have probably tuned out other men staring at you but that man in there he was staring and he was liking what he was seeing," she finished as they came to a stop beside Jessica's car.

Anne rolled her eyes, "Well then if you seem so convinced then maybe he was but even if he was he is out of luck because like you mentioned I've been married to Tristan for forever and a day," she smiled before shrugging. "He's the only man I want looking at me."

"You can have other men looking at you too you know," Zoe told her sister as she opened the door to Jessica's car once Jessica unlocked it. "It's not a sin."

"Whatever you say Zoey," Anne whispered before turning and heading to her own car. Getting in she saw the time. It was almost dinner time and usually on days when her mom or Tristan's watched the children she'd get take out but today she kind of felt like just making something for herself at home though getting a coffee sounded great, so instead of heading home immediately after leaving the college campus she found herself driving to the nearest Starbucks where she ordered a coffee for herself and one for Tristan as well.

Ordering one for Tristan had been kind of spontaneous but a part of her wanted to be spontaneous and surprise her husband at work. Hell he might even like the interruption she could provide for him.

Once she had both drinks she drove the short distance to downtown and found a parking space not far from his studio. Getting out she grabbed both drinks and headed inside feeling proud when the bell above the door didn't ring to giveaway her drop in. Walking towards where his desk was she came to a stop a bit away when she saw him talking to a brunette whose face she had only seen in pictures.

Moving out of their eyesight she couldn't help but listen in her eyebrows raising at the question she heard Natalie pose to Tristan. If he ever wondered what if.

"Of course I wonder what if sometimes Nat," Tristan answered as he sighed. He wouldn't redo things but a part of him did have what if moments. "I do wonder what it would be like if you were my wife and the mother of my kids."

Anne closed her eyes as she heard Tristan's words to Natalie. She couldn't help but feel like she had been slapped hard across the face. Feeling tears welling up in her eyes she turned on her heels to leave the studio quickly not even wanting to see her husband now. Not after hearing him confess that he wondered what it would be like to have his ex as a wife.

Hearing the bell on his studio door ring Tristan made a face his face only getting worse when he didn't see or even hear footsteps coming in. "I'll be right back," he said to Natalie who just nodded. Standing after she did nod he headed towards the door seeing Anne walking to her car and he sighed. He had a feeling why she was leaving. She had heard him tell Natalie about his what-ifs.

Opening the door he stepped out and headed after her. "Anne!" he called out as he got closer though she didn't come to a stop. Instead when she heard his voice she picked up her pace. "Damn it Anne will you please stop," he said letting his voice and tone change.

Anne stopped once she reached her car and she turned to face Tristan, "You know," she spat out as she opened her car door. "I wonder what it would be like if I never married you either," she yelled out in anger. "Hell I wonder what it would be like if I never met you. Then I would have accomplished half the s**t I wanted too instead of being some damn house wife who spends her nights alone as you get to have your dreams," she spit out feeling guilty the moment the words had came out but she couldn't take them back now.

Taking a step back from Anne after she spoke Tristan just shook his head, "Obviously you didn't hear our entire conversation so you misconstrued what I said but your words definitely aren't misconstrued. If you really feel that way Anne then just leave me okay. God forbid I keep you trapped in such an unhappy life," he whispered before turning his back to her and heading back to his studio. He didn't feel like there wasn't much to say right now. Anne had said it all with her words.

Feeling the tears she had been holding in go down her cheek as Tristan walked away from her she hurled his coffee cup at him, watching as it just hit the ground right as he went inside the studio. Shaking her head she got in her car and buckled up, driving back to her mom's house. She couldn't go home tonight.