It had been one of the best Hibachi dinners Roger and I and perhaps even any of us had experienced. I swear, I think Roger and I fell even more in love with each other over dinner. Roger and I had never been one of those huggly, snuggly, couples who doted over one another in public or physically shared our affections much anywhere aside from the times when it was just us...or between the sheets. However, it didn’t mean that we didn’t care and that’s what others had a hard time understanding about us. Chrissie had been telling us for years how bad we were at romance. She was exactly right; we had never been romance people. We had always set the bar high because we, had the track record of having the best physical relationship of damn near anyone.

With that being said, the looks on Mary and Chrissie’s faces were making me a nervous wreck. I kept seeing them sneak glances at one another while I attempted to talk to John and Veronica. While they continued to eye each other, Roger fought with Freddie over Freddie's desire to pay for Roger’s dinner and mine. And Brian...well, he was still fixated on me. He had been throughout the night. I had to do something to divert his stare that I could feel like a weight of bricks.

 "Mary? Care to join me for a cigarette?" Instead of looking at me, she elbowed Chrissie and looked across the restaurant. The smile that was spread over her face could only mean that she was up to no good.

 "Not at the moment, got somethin' else to do instead." She insisted as our waiter approached Roger and I.

 "Here we are! On the house, for the newlyweds. Enjoy!" He told us. The item placed before us had shut Roger up from arguing with Freddie and had positively sent my insides into convulsions. This is precisely what I meant about Roger and I not doing well with romance.

 "Surprise! It's your wedding cake! See, you give this one to Roger and he gives this one to you! You can't have a wedding dinner without cake!" Oooooh Chrissie was so excited. They were two little miniature cupcakes. Only a bite a piece and sitting there on the table menacingly mocking Roger and I. Vanilla cake with a creamy white confectionary icing and edible, glittery white and silver sprinkles that reminded me of all the glitter Freddie threw over his house one New Years Eve. They were adorable...and so very petite. Veronica thought it was the greatest thing ever.

 It wasn’t that Roger and I hadn’t wanted to get married and it wasn’t that we hated weddings. However, we didn’t like the attention…correction…I didn’t like the attention. Hell, Roger was an attention whore anyway and he made up for where I lacked. I didn’t want a piece of paper changing our relationship; changing who we were. And we…didn’t want others treating us differently or viewing us differently because of a legal document. Roger and I didn’t want a bunch of fuss or accolade. We just wanted to keep being us.

 "Okay! We're all waiting! What you do is you cross your wrists and..." John interrupted Mary.

 "Mary, take it done a notch...someone take a Polaroid of this! Look at their faces!" John laughed stupidly, seeing the glare of moderate hate stemming from Roger and I.

 "Oh would you look at that! It's so sparkly, Roger! It's the exact kind of wedding cake you and Lydia hate...but yet, I love!" Freddie remarked.

 "Fine! Fine, I will give this stupid little cupcake to my fuckin' husband. Roger! Look at me!" I insisted, trying to keep from putting this cupcake in a death grip.

 “Hold on, Lyd…let me…god this is ridiculous…” Roger mumbled and intertwined his wrist with mine.

 “Veronica, are you getting this?” John poked Veronica in the shoulder as I could hear the click of the Polaroid camera.

 "Ooooh it's such a happy moment!" Freddie said, putting his arm around Mary. And so, Roger and I very awkwardly took the single bite cupcake from one another. The applause and absurd cheers from John and Freddie turned both Roger and I bright pink. And we were not ones to embarrass easily. Mary and Chrissie ooo’d and aaaah’d at us…damn them….

 "You want me to lick that icing off your lip?" Brian asked, pouring the last of the wine into his glass. The comment caught me entirely off guard and I had to do a bit of a double take to make sure that was indeed what he said. Chrissie simply laughed and put her arms around Brian's shoulders.

 "That's s'okay. Roger's got it." I said, picking up my napkin and not truly knowing how to respond any further.

 Our plans had changed slightly. We were going back to the resort yes. However, instead of going to the lounge as planned, we were going to have a bottle of champagne or two at the bar where the atmosphere was less stuffy. I wasn't sure who won the argument between Fred and Roger over the bill but what I did know what that there were four hundred pounds layin' on the table.

 "Hey..." I tapped Veronica's shoulder as I put my coat on. She turned around to face me. "...Brian keeps lookin' at me all funny. Do you think he knows about me an' Roger? Do you think he thinks this is fake shit?" Veronica shook her head and had a strange look on her face.

 "No! No, in fact...I think he puts you on a pedestal for bein’ the one to reach into Rog and jerk a knot in his tail. John knows an'...I mean he...he knows you are aren't bullshittin' anyone." She said softly.

 "Just...just watch Brian. He acts rather strangely tonight. I can't figure it out. Roger's noticed it too. He’s…well it’s like he’s watchin’ me or…somethin’ for…I don’t know. He hasn’t paid Chrissie the attention that he normally does." Veronica shook her head again.

 "Okay. I’ll watch." She whispered as we left our table. Roger and I were the first ones to the door. Veronica made it a point to take mine and Roger’s picture under the streetlight of the snow covered sidewalk outside of the restaurant as the snowflakes surrounded us. Shit, for two people who were horrible at romance, we were nailing it tonight.

 Once we had returned to the resort, we found that the bar was rather crowded and we were lost among the crowd to a table near the back where a piano player was situated. It took Freddie no time to order a bottle of champagne for the table and it was poured for us even faster. The eight of us talked and laughed the night away. Roger and I burned through half a pack of cigarettes. Mary and Freddie had nearly burned through an entire pack. We all made fun of each other to no end and reminisced about good times together. Halfway into the second bottle of wine, it was actually becoming rather sentimental in nature. John had disappeared for a moment while the third glasses of champagne were being poured. I watched over the top of my glass as Brian laid his eyes on mine.

 “What?” I asked of him, out loud. I was just buzzed enough to ask out loud. He, on the other hand, had already had much more to drink than I. He smiled sheepishly and laughed a bit.

 “Nothin’.” Brian shook his head but I wasn’t convinced….oh, it was somethin’ alright.

 “We have a song dedication tonight.” The piano player announced. “Apparently, we have newlyweds with us. Every married couple needs a first dance so this is for….for those two there…I think. From your friends John and Veronica.” The piano player finished. It was at that moment that Roger and I nearly simultaneously both choked on and spit champagne and cigarette smoke everywhere.

 “JESUS….FUCKING….WHAT!?” I hissed through my near-death champagne experience.

 “Shit…fuck….NO!” Roger was just as appalled as he nearly burned me with a cigarette.

 “YES! YES! GO!” Freddie coerced us. Roger and I very reluctantly got up from our seats and even though I was still choking, I took one more puff of my cigarette and downed the rest of my champagne before Freddie yelled at me. “STOP STALLING LYDIA!” He smiled and forced Roger and I away. “I’m so excited! It’s going to be so very awkward! It’ll be worse than that time Brian tried to explain to his mum why Chrissie couldn’t find her trousers in his old flat and why her underwear was strung across the floor! Oh, I was right! Look, John! Roger’s flipping you off! Wave! Wave, darling!”

 “Elton John…Your Song…oh my god. That’s so…perfect.” Mary said a bit dreamily.

 “Okay, they really have no damn clue what they’re doing.” John observed. “Veronica, you and I were the best dancers ever at our wedding!” John took Veronica’s hand, kissing the back of it.  She smiled at him.

 “It’s because I was pregnant and I was trying not to throw up everywhere, honey. I had to smile and lean into you.” Veronica laughed.

 “The irony is that you’re lookin’ at a ballerina…and someone who should, in theory, have a lot of rhythm. But, they’re just kinda’ standin’ there. God, I will always love them so!” Mary added through her laughter. Roger and I were trying out best to hold on to each other, not cause a scene, and count the seconds until this piano player stopped. However, it had to be admitted…Your Song was a most fabulous choice. I think even Roger had to give John credit.

 “ ‘Ey, Lyd? Do you remember when you and I spent our first Christmas together and we got drunk as hell with your mum and then your dad kept tryin’ to give me caviar and I was so hammered that he and I ate around 500 pounds worth of that expensive shit?” I gave Roger a strange look.

 “Uh…yeah? Yeah I remember.” I told him, laying my head over against Roger’s neck. He didn’t say anything for a minute.

 “It was snowin’ and your mum had this record playin’.” Roger recalled it exactly as it had happened and it made me smile. It was the exact distraction we needed to get to the end of this song faster. I don’t think we could have run back to our table any faster once the piano player made it to the end. We wanted nothing more than to finish this next bottle of champagne and disappear into oblivion. Naturally, our dear friends just had to give us a narrative to accompany the situation.

 The clock read 11:30 and I could tell by Roger’s heavy blue eyes that he was ready for some down time and as he worked on his cigarette at the table and leaned over toward me; I could almost predict the words that would escape him.

 “Lyd, I’m kinda’ tired. I’m gonna’ go upstairs, yeah? When you come up, we’ll have some wine in front of the fire.” He kissed my temple and stood up, pushing his chair in. Chrissie had actually been the first one to head upstairs. Shit, she had drunk a lot of champagne tonight and Brian had left the table as well. He had also had a lot to drink tonight…a whole lot in fact, more than I had seen him drink in a while. John and Veronica left after Brian and Chrissie…but they sure as hell weren’t goin’ to bed!

 Once Roger headed upstairs, Mary, Freddie and I chatted a bit longer. I thanked then again for putting Roger and I up in the suite and I got the impression that Freddie didn’t know…and I didn’t want him to know…about me an’ Roger, I mean. I was relieved that it wasn’t brought up tonight although I do think it’s the first time in the history of the world that a case of sexually transmitted diseases ultimately saved a relationship and marriage. Oh jesus…as if this trip to Montreux couldn’t get any weirder….

 After a most pleasant conversation and smoke with Freddie and Mary, I felt it was also time to call it a night and join Roger in front of the fire. I didn’t leave Mary or Freddie however, before hugging them both and bidding them a goodnight. I left the resort bar and made my way into the lobby. I had to smile because I was finally feelin’ like that bride or…new wife or whatever: All glowin’ and shit… radiant…full of hope and…and noticin’ Brian sitting there in front of the massive fireplace in the lobby by himself, cocktail in hand. I couldn’t just walk past him, especially since I think he had caught sight of me. It was peculiar.

 “Hey, what are you doin’?” I asked of him, walking in front of the couch where Brian was seated. He laughed and looked at me.

 “Hey, princess.” He slid over on the couch and patted the spot beside him. I gave Brian a smile and sat down where he was patting. I watched him as the amber fire’s glow danced off his curls.

 “I thought you were goin’ to bed. Where’s Chrissie?” I asked of him, turning slightly. He took a drink from the glass in his hand. Brian laughed a little more.

 “She went upstairs…and I’m here…” he laughed again. Oh my god, he was so drunk. I didn’t quite know how drunk…but he was lit. I shook my head.

 “You need some help upstairs? Come on, Fred’s still…” I stopped my sentence and shot my eyes to my left hand. Brian’s slender, boney fingers were over mine. He picked up my hand, examining it, sliding his semi-moist index finger and thumb over my ring finger slowly... back…and forth…I had no idea what the hell was going on.

 “You don’t have a ring on your finger. Why don’t you…why don’t…why don’t you have a ring…on your finger?” I pulled my hand away from Brian and didn’t take my eyes off him.

 “I…I just don’t….Brian. Stay here, I’ll get Fred and he…” Again, Brian cut me off and moved closer to me. I could smell alcohol all over him, combined with his deeply masculine scent.

 “I think…I think you don’t have a ring because Roger doesn’t care enough to get you one. I think…he doesn’t give a shit.” Brian whispered to me, taking another drink.

 “Here, give me this…” I told him firmly, taking his drink and downing in one, miserable gulp before he could take another sip. I made a horrible face as I tried to swallow that much alcohol in one drink. I sat the glass to the table in front of the couch a bit roughly. “Let’s get you upstairs, okay? Chrissie has got to be wonderin’ where…” Brian stopped me yet again.

 “I put a ring on Chrissie’s finger.” His tone was better, it was more like Brian’s tone should be and he had created some distance between us. “I put a ring on her finger because I wanted to…she deserved it. But you…you’re so…so very beautiful sooo sexy...and special. Why doesn’t Roger care enough about you…to get such a special woman like you a ring? Huh? Why? Why does he do that to you?” Brian reached out and pulled my hair around the front of my shoulder. I was suddenly dreadfully fearful and uncomfortable…and I was never uncomfortable Brian.

 I had concluded two things in thirty seconds…he was drunker than I initially thought and hornier than hell. I swallowed hard and moved my hair back to its place. “You’re so…so beautiful, so perfect, Lydia…just…you’re perfect…and…I’m going to tell you something…” Brian lowered his voice again. I closed my eyes, swallowed again and pulled myself away from him slightly. I didn’t answer. Brian laughed again. “Don’t you want to know what?” I kept the most stone cold straight face as I could.

 “I know that you got somethin’ that wasn’t a ring.” Brian stopped and laughed rather inappropriately. I closed my eyes for a moment and then watched him fidget. My body was shaking. He shook his head rather drunkenly. “Fffffuck Roger. Fuck him. Why…why do you fuck him? He fucked…a lot…when we toured. More than...more than just one. More than…two…” he laughed drunkenly. “…more than three….” He smiled at me. “Should I…should I keep countin’? Don’t get my wrong, Lydia…he felt soooo damn guilty…that…fffffucking…bastard.” Brian laughed again. “He gave you syph…”

 “Shut…up…Brian.” I said through gritted teeth. I was boiling inside…absolutely boiling. I was pissed because this wasn’t Brian. This wasn’t him anymore and whomever this was…he was pushin’ every goddamn button I had.

 “You ever thought about fuckin’ someone else? Maybe just once…or twice? Roger did it…why can’t you? You could lay down with any man you wanted…you could…hit ‘im where it hurts the most…you know?” I watched in paralyzed horror as Brian’s slender hand cupped my knee. He slid his palm to the inside of my leg and slightly up the white polyester of my dress. “Yooou…need to fuck…someone else. Fuck ‘em real…good. I know…about you…Roger talks…about how fuckin’ good you are…” He wiped his hand that wasn’t on my thigh over his face and laughed. “I bet…you’ve blown his engine out…more than once. Brian swayed back and forth, moving closer to me. I hadn’t said anything.

 It was right now…right in this very moment that I knew that look in Brian’s hazel eyes. Before I had Roger, I had a different man on top of me every other week with this exact look in his eye: the look of drunken arousal. Brian was the most tender, most vulnerable, passive and innocent man I had ever met in my life….even more so than John. Any other woman would do it. After all, Brian’s touch was firm and very gentle; his smell very addictive….the way he would be in bed. His hand was warm as it crept farther up my dress.

 “Yeah, well Chrissie talks too and I know she’s not fuckin’ you ‘cept when she feels it’s necessary!” I surprised him. “I know you to are tryin’ to have a baby and I know she’s goin’ about the whole thing wrong!” I hissed at Brian softly so that no one else would hear if anyone was looming in the lobby. The expression in those big eyes turned fearful and somewhat soft...the way I knew his eyes should look.

 Deep down, I had this theory that anything that went into Brian’s hair never came out and what I was about to do was a risk. I reached my hand up my thigh, taking his hand in mine, interlacing my fingers with his. I took my other hand and pushed my fingers into all that dark hair that looked so soft and inviting in the firelight. Oh, it was soft. It wasn’t what I had expected at all. “Brian…you love your wife. You love her…so much. You’re drunk. You are fuckin’ drunk. Look at me…look at me, Brian. There…there ya’ go.” My voice was soft and kind as I continued petting Brian’s hair and got him to make eye contact with me. I shook my head. “I’m gonna’ take you upstairs, take you to you room and I want you to do somethin’ for me, okay? Shake your head so I know you’re listenin’.” I continued. Brian shook his head. I stared deeply into those pleading, screaming eyes.

 “I know you’re goin’ through a drought but, Chrissie’s about to learn a valuable lesson. When you go into your room, undress her…and go down on her. Make her miss you…make her miss you to the point where she is so weak in the morning that she stumbles to breakfast.” I paused and watched as Brian listened. “And then…she’ll come around.” It was my best advice for the evening. Both Veronica and myself had warned Chrissie over lunch. We had warned her and she didn’t take us seriously. Now, I had a job to do. Get Brian upstairs and anxiously weigh the decision as to whether or not to tell Roger, Chrissie or both about what had just happened.