After the Divorce: Ex-husband's Regret

briefly into something almost beautiful. Ava stood at the sink, sleeves rolled up, fingers pruned from

akes. Matthew 's cologne lingered faintly in the ai

nother plate, stac

'd kissed her goodbye. Slow and fami

be hom

ng her head at herself. Always b

s, no humming from the bedroom. Just the soft

he

phone

rning that still smelled like coffee and buttered pancakes. She froz

forgot

phone ra

tripped. On

on her jeans as she hurried into the sitting room.

ell

use, a breath t

s Mrs. T

ed steady, even to her

pital. Your husband has bee

orld t

ng. Her fingers tightened around t

se. Too long

need to come

suddenly too small, the walls inch

with a dull sound that felt far away. She stood there for a second

No, n

up. Keys, shoes, her bag. She slammed the

nds shook on the steering wheel, knuckles white, her mind looping the same image over and over-M

lw

ypered to the empty car.

ring the road, but she wiped them away angril

hat suddenly the hospital loomed in front

open, and Ava stumbled ins

her voice cracking the moment it left

ed. Nurses r

am, p

cident!" she cried. "Wher

omeone guided her to a chair she didn't sit

breaking apart now. "Please let

rse said calmly. "You need to b

even as her chest stuttered, u

ething shapeless. Time st

, sat and

d on the screen. She couldn't answer it. Couldn't expla

ails digging into skin, whispering

anything. Just

be more-voices ros

ew 's

r as she approached, her face tight, eyes scanning A

demanded. "Why weren

slightly. "They ca

?" his father

Ava said. "They

ded her arms. "

uth. Closed it. "T

n with tired eyes and a clipboa

red a head injury and some internal bruisin

what felt like hours. Her hands tre

see him?"

. Bri

d quiet. Machines humm

. Tubes ran where they shouldn't have had to run. His chest rose and fell steadily,

, careful, revere

reaching for his hand. It was

murmuring to the doctor

r maybe minutes.

away. Counted each breath. Memorized the curve of his mouth,

atthew

napped up.

ing, another rough cough

id quickly, standin

s flutte

and f

her so fast it

spilling freely now. "Are y

for the cup,

w looke

onfusion knitting his brow. He

was hoarse. Broke

m Ava's hand and sha

ound e

her went completely,