Of course, my private life being my private life, what they got from me was a more censored version of what had happened. I toned down the more salacious details of what we'd done and left out the parts where I had a complete mental breakdown. Still, whether they knew they were getting the lite version or not, they seemed more than satisfied with what they were given.

For once in his life, Eli sat in total silence. He didn't even dare to ask a question while I was speaking. Although, I could definitely see a sea of them storming behind his eyes. A tidal wave I was not looking forward to dealing with later.

However, something told me that Ronnie wouldn't be much better. He rested his elbow on the edge of the bed, head in his hands, staring at me with the same absorption as a child listening to their grandparents tell a story.

"Then I went home and... well, you guys already know about that whole mess," I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

Silence filled the room, but it was miles away from being calm. Eli's and Ronnie's eyes darted back and forth between each other nervously as if they were both trying to anxiously decide who would be the first to speak up.

"Alright," I sighed, gesturing towards them vaguely. "We will now begin the Q&A portion of our event. Eli, you're up first."

"Hey, no fair. I call nepotism," Ronnie said.

"Oh, zip it," Eli muttered, rolling his eyes. "You know we both have the same first question anyway: are you going to see him again?"

Leave it to Eli to pick the one question I was barely sure of myself. I sighed again, leaning my head back against the chair and covering my face with my hands.

"God, I don't know," I groaned. "I mean... he suggested the idea. Hell, he practically begged me even, but... I don't know... I thought I might be willing to try but after the whole Phil incident, I just can't help thinking that it might be more trouble than it's worth."

"How? If anything, shouldn't the Phil incident be making you even more determined to keep it up?" Eli pressed. "After all, if things end up working out with this Mason guy then you could finally get away from that scumbag."

"Cute theory, but there are several gaping holes in that plan of yours," I explained, rolling my eyes. "The biggest one being that, despite what you somehow seem to think, Mason and I are not actually in a relationship.

"We hooked up once, Eli. That's it. Yes, we did talk about seeing each other again, but strictly in a 'bedroom' setting.

"We aren't planning to go out on dates. He is not my boyfriend. This is not a 'two star-crossed lovers kept apart by cruel fate' scenario. He's just a guy who moved in across the street. I fuck him and I go back home again. That's it. Don't get your hopes up about me leaving Phil for a relationship that doesn't even exist."

I felt a little bad about shutting him down like that. After all, I knew his enthusiasm came from a place of genuine love and concern. An innocent hope that I could still somehow find a warm and loving relationship.

However, his outlook on the matter was short-sighted, even bordering on naive. It would be better to set the record straight now and crush his hopes early before he built it up into something bigger than it was and really got disappointed.

Naturally, Eli's expression soured at that comment. Thankfully, there was a buffer between us to cut him off before he could come up with some snarky retort.

"Okay, fine, fine. It's not a relationship," Ronnie emphasized, trying to play peacekeeper. "Still, it's not like you two have to put a label on it. You could just keep fooling around without making it into a 'relationship' per se."

I sighed. "Yeah, he kind of said the same thing. And I get that. I do. I mean, it's not like I want to stop seeing him either.

"Mostly I'm just worried about Phil or the neighbors finding out. Hell, I almost got caught twice just yesterday. Not to mention that Phil might start pestering me more at home now if baby-making is on his mind."

"Well, like you said, just don't fuck him and you'll be fine," Eli said with a shrug. "As for your boy toy, get creative with him. Call him, set up a meeting place somewhere private or something. Hell, stay overnight if you really want to. You know Ronnie and I will cover for you.

"Just go have fun. I mean, you've already fucked him once. And whether you fuck him one time or one hundred times, Phil's going to be the same amount of pissed either way. So, you might as well fuck him a thousand times and really make it worth it, right?

"I know you're worried about getting caught and all that junk, but you can't keep letting Phil control your life like this, Mags. Don't let him make you as miserable as he is. You deserve to be happy. So, please, for all of us, go be happy."

The air was heavy with the weight of his words. Or maybe that heaviness was just in my chest. It was hard to tell. Either way, it weighed on me and made me unable to speak.

I wanted to do what they said. I really did. But, God, it was easier said than done.

For years, Mrs. Henderson was the only person I knew how to live as. She was the mask I put on to stay hidden amongst the other plastic faces of the neighborhood. And the longer I used her, the more my chances to take her off seemed to disappear. Little by little, that plastic face soon molded to fit my own, and by the time I finally realized what was happening, it was already too late.

At least, that's what I always told myself. But ever since meeting Mason, I began to wonder more and more if it was true.

In reality, I think that I was just scared. Scared to take it off and see what might be waiting for me underneath. Scared to find that there might be nothing there at all. Scared to find conclusive evidence of what I feared the most: that this mask I wore was the real me now. That the old me was gone, and all I was and all I could ever be anymore was Mrs. Henderson.

It was terrifying to even think about, let alone actually do it. And for a man that I'd barely known a week? I couldn't even fathom it.

Yet, somehow, the temptation remained. And I think the fact that it did was one of the biggest reasons that I had so much trouble letting him go.

Not because of the temptation itself, but simply because the temptation existed at all. That, despite my better judgment, I still insisted on this thing that I knew whole-heartedly was a stupid and reckless thing to do.

Because my better judgment came from Mrs. Henderson. And if some part of me was really this willing to go against her and everything that she believed in, then maybe there really was some part of me left buried underneath.

"By the way, have you talked to him since? This 'Mason' guy?" Ronnie asked.

"Ugh, no," I groaned, rolling my eyes. "I was thinking about doing it yesterday and then Phil came home."

"You should send him a message," Eli commented. "Whether you do or don't want to see him again, it wouldn't hurt for you to send something so the poor guy isn't left hanging either way."

I sighed and nodded in agreement. Apparently, "agreement" wasn't enough to satisfy Eli's expectations though. He kept his eyes right on me, his gaze practically burning a hole through the side of my head. The realization clicked a second later.

"Wait, you mean, like, now?"

"No time like the present," Ronnie chimed in.

Now, I knew I was screwed. Eli and Ronnie bumped heads pretty often but, God, when they were on the same page about something, they were a force to be reckoned with. And given their current level of investment in the situation, something told me they weren't going to give up easily.

"Come on, that's-that's way too soon," I sputtered out. "I haven't even thought of what to say to him yet."

"Ask for nudes," Eli suggested. "I want to see if they stack up to the one I saw the other day."

"Okay, let's pretend for a second that I really was stupid enough to take you up on that suggestion," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "It's not like I'd show you the pictures. You're lucky you even saw what you saw. And that was an accident."

"One woman's accident is another man's gain."

"Alright, and on that fun note," Ronnie commented, changing the subject before the conversation spiraled completely out of control, "why don't you message him about your next meeting? Even if you just saw him, it couldn't hurt to figure out a place for you two to meet up next time."

As always, Ronnie's was the more practical suggestion between the two. I couldn't exactly say that he was wrong either. After all, it's not like we could keep going to Mason's house. Even if we did it infrequently, the neighbors were bound to catch on eventually. Which meant that, unless we were both fine with only hooking up every few months or so, it probably wouldn't hurt to brainstorm a meeting place or two.

"Yeah... okay. That's actually not a bad idea," I murmured, pulling out my phone.

Of course, the second my phone turned on, I was greeted with about twenty "missed calls" from Phil. I rolled my eyes as I ignored, them, searching for Mason in my contacts. I didn't want to deal with all that shit right now. If Phil wanted to fake making up with me or whatever, then he could do it later. I had bigger fish to fry.

It was almost funny. Everything that had happened between Mason and me yesterday, and somehow, I was still getting nervous at the idea of sending him a text. I took a deep breath as I practically had to force myself to type out a simple message.

Hey, it's Maggie. Are you free?

Regret immediately flooded my body the second I sent it. Are you free? What was I? A teenager inviting him to the mall? The guy spent half the damn day fucking my brains out yesterday. Come on Maggie, you couldn't do a little bit better than that?

Then again, what was I supposed to say exactly? "Hey big boy, wanna party?" Ugh. Looking back, maybe Eli's suggestion for nudes wasn't so bad after all.

Thankfully, a small chime from my phone stopped me before I fell down that rabbit hole of bad ideas.

Hey! Glad you messaged. Yup, I am. I have weekends off. What's up?

Excellent question. What was up exactly? Would it be best to get straight to the point? Or would that be too rude? Was there some kind of etiquette for texting your sex buddy? Should I start with some small talk? Flirt? Should I send a nude? I huffed and shook my head at myself in frustration.

"Is she okay?" Ronnie whispered to Eli.

"Yeah, she does this sometimes," he reassured him. "She's just thinking about what to say."

"I can hear you, peanut gallery," I informed them, staring down at my phone.

"Oh, good. Then let me give some unsolicited advice," Eli offered. "Get out of your damn head and just talk to him already. You're probably freaking him out more by not responding than if you sent him literally anything."

I gave another frustrated sigh. "Okay, okay. You're right."

As much as it killed me to admit it, he was. I know that I'd be freaking out if Mason made me wait like this. Besides, if nothing else, it would at least be better for my nerves if I just sucked it up and replied.

Not much. I just wanted to check in with you after yesterday. And maybe talk about setting up some kind of meeting place for next time. I paused briefly before sending a quick follow-up. I mean, there IS going to be a next time, right?

Either he was eagerly awaiting my messages or he was an incredibly fast texter, but either way, I barely had time to set my phone down before it suddenly chimed again.

Of course! I wasn't kidding when I said I had a lot of fun with you yesterday. As for a meeting place, what about that park you sent that video from before? Considering the "content" ;) that place has to be pretty isolated and out of the way.

The amount of embarrassing things in this message alone would be enough to turn me the color of a tomato. I mean, an emoticon? And I was worried that I was acting like a teenager. When was the last time I'd seen one of those? 2010? Not to mention the little reminder about that video I'd sent him the other day.

Still, out of every blush-inducing word that he put into that message, the one that got me most was his actual suggestion: the park.

The little window shows we did were one thing, but the park? That was an actual public location. One that couldn't just be written off as an accident or misunderstanding if somebody caught us together. What? I was going to use the old "it slipped and fell in" excuse? Not to mention the whole "legality" issue associated with it.

Still, despite all of that, I couldn't deny that his suggestion was enticing. More than that, it was exciting.

After all, wasn't that one of the things I loved most about our little game in the beginning? The thrill? The risks that came along with it? And he was right, that park was pretty isolated. I mean, I was able to get myself off there last time without even a soul in sight. Would it really be so different to do it with somebody else?

Again, my better judgment told me it was a stupid idea. But I was done listening to that bitch. "Mrs. Henderson" could shove it up her ass. Maggie was going to have some public fun with her new boy toy.

Oooo. Daring. Sound like fun though. Any clue when you'll be free enough to "go to the park"?

My head was already buzzing thinking about it. My body ached with longing wondering just how long I would have to wait before we finally got the chance to try it out.

Apparently, I didn't have to worry about it too much though. As my phone chimed, an unexpected answer greeted me on the screen.

How about now? Not sure about you, but I've got the whole day free. What do you think? Think you can sneak away for a couple hours?

And that did it. All at once the familiar tingles started to spread their way across my body. Now. Now. He wanted to see me now.

A not-so-subtle throat clearing pulled my eyes away from my phone. I know they say that some people live for drama, but the look on Eli's face right now literally made it seem like I'd brought him back from the brink of death. I'd never seen him look this animated the day after chemo. Hell, he even looked better than some of his "good" days.

"Well?" He asked excitedly. "What did he say?"

Head spinning, heart fluttering in my chest I swallowed audibly as I forced the words from my throat.

"He... He wants to meet me now."