Calista drove quickly home. She found Jennifer and Liam, playing together on the floor of the nursery. She did her funny dance she had made up when Liam was an infant, but he still loved. Liam cried out “Mama” and held out his arms, when he saw her.

Calista went to him, picked him up, swinging him into the air as she did so, “How’s my hug-a-bug today?” she asked him, rubbing her nose against his. She had adopted that phrase from one of her favorite movies that Robert had done. Robert had thought it was funny at the time and teased her about it. But Liam loved it. He just laughed - this was one of his favorite games that they played. She put him back down with his toys.

“He’s been in the happiest mood since he got up from his nap,” Jennifer said. “So don’t worry about him. We’re going to be terrific. I was thinking about going to the park in a bit; you know how he loves that!”

“Sounds good. Sure wish I could go too,” Calista said wistfully. “But, David’s dropped a bunch of new stuff on us and I’ve got to concentrate on that tonight. Thanks again for staying on overnight. Let me go pack up some stuff and I’ll leave the number of where to reach me on the kitchen counter, ok?”

“Ok. I guess we’re going to go on then. We were really just waiting for you to come home.”

“Give Mama a kiss and a hug,” Calista said to Liam, who unsteadily tottered over to her with his arms outstretched. He had just begun taking steps unassisted this past week. He threw his chubby little arms around her neck and planted a huge wet kiss right on Calista’s nose. She laughed aloud with delight, with the full knowledge that this little guy had brought more joy to her life in the past year, than she could even remember. And she knew that she couldn’t even imagine her life without him.

She left them and went on to her room, to pack some things to take with her. She packed some jeans and a t-shirt to wear to the set the next day and she started to throw in one of the old t-shirts that she preferred sleeping in. As she was packing, her thoughts played over the events of the day with the filming.

She still couldn’t believe the gamut her feelings had run today, starting with that first kissing scene that she kept flubbing, because she was trying to brace herself against the onslaught of emotions evoked by kissing Robert. She remembered that very emotional scene in her office where Larry was explaining everything to Ally. Her resolve had started to crumble during that scene, because Robert had looked at her with such emotion in his eyes, as if compelling her to believe the words he was saying were really meant for her, and not just lines from a script. And the feeling of being enclosed in his arms! Her body still flushed at the thought.

She had tried to maintain her defenses, but it was that final scene, where he was singing again in the bar, that ridiculous, silly song, with his improvisation, that he had finally broken completely through all the defenses she had thrown up. She had had difficulty resisting his charm and the physicality of their earlier scenes together, but it was the humor and the complete willingness he had to do whatever he thought would make a scene work, even at his own expense, that had finally cracked the armor. And now, what lay ahead of her this evening, she wasn’t sure. Robert still had not explained to her his actions at the rehab center or why he had shut her out. Granted she suspected it was some misplaced sense of honor about protecting her from it all, but she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that tonight was going to be a turning point for the two of them.

With that thought in mind, she changed her mind about sleepwear, returning the t-shirt to its drawer and reaching into a bottom drawer, she drew out an brand-new, peach-colored silk negligee that she had bought on a whim recently. She gathered up some toiletries, putting this all in a duffle bag, and grabbing her script, headed out the door. As she drove to the rehab center, the following song played in her mind.

Here I am playing with those memories again

And just when I thought time had set me free

Those thoughts of you keep taunting me

Holding you, a feeling I never outgrew

Though each and every part of me has tried

Only you can fill that space inside

So there’s no sense pretending

My heart it’s not mending

Just when I thought I was over you

Just when I thought I could stand on my own

Oh baby those memories come crashing through

And I just can’t go on without you

On my own I’ve tried to make the best of it alone

I’ve done everything I can to ease the pain

But only you can stop the rain

I just can’t live without you

I miss everything about you

Just when I thought I was over you

Just when I thought I could stand on my own

Oh baby those memories come crashing through

And I just can’t go on without you.

Meanwhile, at the rehab center, Robert was nervously pacing around. He’d been busy since he got there, phoning a local gourmet store, to have some groceries delivered for the dinner he had planned to cook and getting those preparations under way. He’d given the staff strict instructions that he and Calista were not to be disturbed; in fact, he got so carried away with his instructions that his counselor finally reminded him that it was their job to keep an eye on him and they were going to continue to do so, but would try to give him the privacy he seemed to be seeking. He’d showered and changed clothes, straightened his room and now was at loose ends, waiting for Calista to show up. He kept thinking to himself that tonight was going to be the night -- this would be the turning point in their relationship and that if he had any chance, any chance at all, of winning Calista back, this was going to be it. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. He looked over the script changes again and realized that David was really helping him set the stage for his plans with Calista. “Just might work out,” he thought to himself, just as he caught sight of Calista, pulling into the drive.