I let my hand brush over hers again, "Thank you for sharing. I know that was difficult."

She shook her head no, "Not really, sharing with you isn't difficult at all for some reason. I have many regrets that I live with. One of them is that I didn't marry a man more like you than the one that I did."

We met each other's eyes briefly and then tacitly we went back to finishing up the dishes.

"So now that I've shared with you one of my deep dark catharsis of soul experiences perhaps you'd like to share one of yours secret agent man?"

I glanced over to her not able to keep from smiling cheekily, "I have many such moments, but I prefer to keep them secret and listen to you expose yours."

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She swatted at me, with a spatula, enough to sting and I chuckled as she accused teasingly, "You jerk! Egg me on into bearing my soul and share nothing of yourself in return!"

We finished the dishes and I glanced at the broken shards of the dish Deshavi had broken.

"Do they still sell the dish set that you always wanted?"

The corner of Ella's mouth twitched slowly into a smile and in a low voice she said pointing across the kitchen at an elaborate cupboard full of dishes, "I bought them twelve years ago."

The broken dish was a match for those in the cabinet. I started to say something, but she squeezed my arm, "Shhhh! Don't tell her!"

I looked at her, it was the little things that told you the most about what someone was made of.

"What?" She asked noticing my look, but I didn't answer.

I watched a gleam come into her eyes then, "I never did buy the serving platters to go with the dishes though. I suppose they still make them."

"Want to find out?"

She smiled radiantly up at me showing off her dimples, "I'll get my coat."

She started to leave, but I reached out and brought her closer to me. She had time to back out if she wanted, but in the end it was her that closed the distance between our lips.

We left the kitchen to the discovery of an unpleasant surprise. Three police cars with lights flashing were pulled up outside. I stepped outside, as a group of officers approached Deshavi and Trent on the porch.

"Are you Deshavi Longtree?" One officer asked.

"Yes." Deshavi answered in a small voice.

"Then it is my regret to inform you that it is my duty to place you under arrest for the crime of theft."




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