After the Divorce: Ex-husband's Regret

ng and he went out

round out from under her and she hadn't fallen yet. Her mouth was still slight

se felt.

onger than necessary. His hand remained on the d

n't loo

more than

ve to do that,"

was low and

th. It wasn't a laugh, bu

" she aske

mething flickered there-confusion, def

arras

bli

d, as if tasting the words. "

gh his hair. He looked ti

to check

me to si

Av

touche

s being

miled a

ed out softer t

hew s

t, neither o

owded with three years of memories o

efensive, not exactly. Just

t smiled at

ightened. "I don

kn

ust a fact-made something in his ches

now. "And somehow you felt comfortable enough to let her sit tha

es flic

know why I

r eyebrows li

"I don't know anyth

aid her name,

. "You know that bed upstairs is yours. You kno

ooked

muttered. "Everyone keeps telling me how I'm supposed to fe

rose and

elling you

you who you

landed be

ew swa

creating space between himself and

he said, quieter now

't know w

snapped ba

nued, her voice dropping. "No

't do anyt

tared

ain-but this time it

o anything wro

just sitti

er hand on

ew hes

't mean a

t somethi

silenc

't rise this ti

nt somethi

ed at her dif

anding in fron

choosing her,"

t answer i

brows. The unfamiliar distance in his eyes. Th

refully, "that when she

his mouth a

e knew she

in two weeks," she continued. "Do y

ders dropp

rying,"

o a

breathing the sam

her you so much?"

hit her square

es it bo

If I don't remember you... if I don't remember lovi

rds wer

her thro

Just close enough that he cou

I remember

ld her

o a room. I remember the way you used to reach for me i

avered on th

ing room and watch another woma

inhaled

sion shifted again-less

ask for thi

think

," he admitt

ened before she

f w

n't recognize," he said. "Everyone expects me to ste

ugh was

I'm not that

eart s

ou

on't kn

I

Ho

he whispered, "you sti

ng almost like amusem

there." She reached out instinctively, stopping h

he noticed

e you," she said quietly.

hand still hover

ight me like I

hand

ghting f

were bare

reath

la..." h

w tighten

what she is to

hing," Ava

t get to d

your

t remember m

echoed in

both

rds hun

st now. Regret flickered almos

e didn't scream. Sh

ow," s

u don't," s

ained out of

stood in front of everyone we loved and promised you

swall

on't clap when another

hands curle

want to

alread

epped

he could feel his wa

ing when I look at y

reath

does th

rds. Struggled. "It means there's

t she blinked the te

ach," she

nd slowly. Almost

but he

is eyes. And he st

stance

time,"

nod

have

e was ste

ome her into my home while

ooked towa

back a

e said after

xhaled

on the table

e was qui

nce, this one