It had been a blip.

Years ago, when Art and Tashi were taking a break and you and Patrick had called it off yet again. For two weeks, in that small little frame, you were Art's, and he was yours.

Everything righted itself in time, Tashi returned and so did Patrick, and you were both back to your 'correct' pairing. You shook on it, nothing had happened. Nothing big enough to disrupt what you'd fallen back into.

Not big enough to object at his wedding a year later, not big enough for him to object at yours six months after that. After all, you four were so buddy buddy.

Next door neighbors, now.

Oh, you had picnics and vacations and barbecues together. Talk of the block, you four were, 'to be friends for so long!'

Picture perfect.

Four months ago, you found out Patrick had been cheating. Not with some stranger, no, he was too grown for that now. For four months, he'd been sleeping with the woman next door.

You knew it had happened in the past, when the lines of your relationship were fuzzy and the two of them still imagined that Art was oblivious.

He wasn't, he never had been. He wasn't now, either, you knew that too.

You were leaned on your fence now, picking at flower petals under the guise of pruning as you and Art chat. Tashi was on the other side of their front yard, watering their own flowers.

"Did you guys make plans for the Fourth yet? We were going to watch the show they do at the marina." He mentioned the idea like he was bored already.