Chapter Song: The Banks O' Doon by Robert Burns – Public Domain

Chapter 75: Complicated

The next two days passed in a blur. Joan heard so many songs and stories that they all blended together like a puddle of melted rainbow sherbet. When not performing her waiting room duties, she socialized with the Timeless Treasures judging team, Jan, or complete strangers.

Scott stopped by Joan's table on his way to the awards ceremony. "See you at the after party?"

Joan took in the broad smile on Scott's devilishly handsome face and almost changed her plans. "I'd love to, but I'm flying out tonight so I can be home for church tomorrow."

"You? Church?"

"It's a long story, but I need to have a serious talk with the Big Cheese."

Scott patted Joan on the shoulder. "I hope the talk goes well. See you next year?"

"Thanks. And yeah, hopefully."

"Cool. Gotta run!"

Joan finished the last few bites of her dessert as she watched Scott join the other IPCs congregating around Walter Mickley in preparation to head off to the university's stadium. Since the shuttles back to the airport wouldn't start for another hour, she got in a taxi with Tamara and Michael.

Once safely back inside Seto's jet, Joan and Michael ensconced themselves in the master bedroom and participated in the mile-high club. Resting in the afterglow, Michael said, "Woman usually bite Male's head off about getting to bed on time, but she's been really chill about it this whole trip."

Joan mused over his comment. "Seto kept Woman on California time, but still . . . the time zone shift to Pennsylvania felt like nothing. Sleep comes easily when I want it, and I don't feel like I need as much of it either. In fact, I've been feeling healthier overall since I got the ring."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Michael said.

Joan bit him playfully, and they tumbled into another round of sex before Michael collapsed into sleep and Joan decided to join him. They woke shortly after they landed in California and remained on the plane for another hour, enjoying Seto's luxurious amenities as Joan and Tamara prepared for church and Michael prepared for work. Michael kissed Joan goodbye and hopped onto BART at the SFO station while Joan and Tamara met up with Marc, Mokuba, and Mokuba's bodyguard Joe in the loading zone. Mokuba handed Tamara the keys to her Prius and squeezed into the back seat with Joan and Marc.

Once settled, Joan took her time kissing Marc, letting his pain soak into her until Mokuba nearly lost his patience. "I'm here too, you know."

"Sorry." Joan turned and gave Mokuba a similarly long, slow kiss but continued holding Marc's hand. «Please keep in mind what he's been through. I know you don't really have anything to compare it to, but trust me on this.»

Guilt turned the kiss bitter on Mokuba's lips as he realized that Marc's presence meant she probably wasn't charging him for this time. «I'm sorry. Yeah, he needs you more than I do right now.»

Joan pulled back, smiled, and turned to Marc. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Marc took a deep breath. "It's complicated."

"Is there still a chance of working it out?"

"It's . . . over." Marc's last word came out in a squeak.

"Oh. So what's the complicated part?"

"Work has been Hell. People are starting to notice the tension."

"What are you telling them?"

"Nothing. They don't need to know."

"But don't you think talking to someone with an outside perspective might help?"

"We got a therapist for that," Mokuba said.

"We?" Joan asked.

"Yeah, I was going to go to one anyway, and I had Roland set me up with the closest one to home so it wouldn't be much of a drive, so Marc tagged along, and the first thing we saw when we walked in was a guy wearing an ugly red hat that said, 'Make Monogamy Great Again.' I think you can imagine what happened next."

As much as Joan wanted Mokuba to spill the juicy details, she knew that now was the wrong time to ask. Instead, she squeezed both their hands. Silence passed between them until she began singing softly:

"Ye banks and braes o' bonie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary fu' o' care!
Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed never to return.

"Aft hae I rov'd by Bonie Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine:
And ilka bird sang o' its Luve,
And fondly sae did I o' mine;
Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree!
And my fause Luver stole my rose,
But ah! She left the thorn wi' me."

Marc and Mokuba both shook with muted sobs. When the song ended, their heads fell against Joan's shoulders, and she put an arm around each of them. They stayed that way until the Prius pulled into a parking lot behind a tall, pink church. Joan stared up at the familiar spire, realizing she hadn't even told her mother that she was coming yet, let alone bringing two lovers.

Joan pulled out her phone and turned it off. "Phones off, everyone. We don't want them going off during Mass."

Mokuba, Tamara, and Joe pulled out their phones and turned them off.

Marc remained motionless until Joan poked him. "I left mine at Mokuba's place."

"You, without your phone? You're kidding."

"I don't want to be harassed by Laura's divorce lawyer today."

"I don't think they typically work on Sundays."

"Laura hired a friend, and you never know with atheists."