I still go to my parents’ house every Sunday, and it feels good to be with them now everything is out and there are no more secrets. I see my mother in a different light than I did before. I see her as a person, not just my father’s wife, which is what I’ve always viewed her as.
I see May every now and then. She has a new boyfriend, but I haven’t met him yet. She talks of him often, though, and I’m glad she’s happy and over Alec. Alec was only ever going to be a disappointment to her, so her moving on has me smiling.
I haven’t seen Alec since that day in my café, and I haven’t bothered to contact him either. I’m not sure that would be a wise choice, especially if he’s trying to move on. I don’t want to be the person who ruins that for him. It would be purely for selfish reasons if I contacted him anyway.
On my way up to my apartment I see the same man I saw a few months ago standing at my door, glasses down on his nose and he’s lost in thought as he reads through papers he’s holding in his hands.
“Excuse me.” My voice startles him when I speak and he raises his eyes, then pushes the glasses up the bridge of his nose as he looks to me.
“Mrs. Reid.”
I nod, smiling. I cut all my hair off but left it the same color. Now, it sits above my shoulders.
“I knocked, but knew you weren’t home, so I waited.”
I nod again. “Working,” I explain to him.
“Oh, right. Mr. Reid mentioned a café.”
This time it’s my turn to scrunch up my face at his words. “I don’t want to sound rude, but why are you here?”
“Oh, yes, sorry.” He passes me some papers and his pen again. “This is where you will need to sign for the divorce to be processed.”
The pen drops from my hand at his words and bounces on the floor, then rolls away.
“The divorce? I didn’t ask for a divorce,” I say while shaking my head.
“Oh, yes, we are aware. This was the doing of Mr. Reid. He said you can have anything you want, just name it.”
“I don’t want anything.”
He smiles at my words while my heart drops from my chest and falls to the floor right alongside the pen.
“That will make this process so much easier.” He hands me the forms and then picks up the pen I dropped, passing it back to me. “He also asked me to inquire if you will be keeping his last name.”
“I don’t…” I trail off while shaking my head. I have no idea.
“Okay, well, get your lawyer to look over the papers before you sign. Then send them back when done.” He walks off, leaving me standing there completely lost for words and lost for, well, everything, but with divorce papers in my hand.
Going inside I call my father. He answers straight away.
“He’s asked for a divorce,” I tell him without even bothering to say hello.
“Oh.”
“Did you know?” I ask, a little confused by his answer.
“Yes. He visited last week to inform us after you left for lunch.”
“He came by there?” I ask, shocked.
“Yes. He knew what time you left and came after that. He tore up the contract in front of us and said it’s null and void, and it’s time for our families to move on. He also said it’s best you do the same.”
“Move on?” I ask, more shocked than anything. “Move on?” I yell, reaching for a glass and throwing it to the wall and watching it shatter. “Fuck him!”
“Angel.” My hands are clenched and my floor is covered in tiny splinters of glass.
“Fuck him!” I seethe again, breathing through gritted teeth.
“You’re free, angel. That ring you keep wearing, you can take it off now. Do what you want. Live the life you’ve always dreamed of.”
“Easier said than done,” I say while shaking my head.
“It’s done. He has moved on, so you can, too. Go and fall in love with someone who’s going to love you the way you want, and give me a few grandbabies.”
“One day,” I say, then hang up. Picking up my purse, I leave. It takes me around fifteen minutes to reach his house, and when I do, I knock hard on the door. It flies open and a woman stands there, heavily pregnant. My eyes fall to her round belly and then back to her smiling mouth. No way. No fucking way!
“Can I help you?” She has such a sweet voice, she’s probably a sweet person too.
“I was—” A man yells for her, and she turns back answering before she spins around and back to me. “Is Gunner home?” I ask.
“Oh, the man who owned this place?” I nod. “No. He sold it almost a month ago now. This place is ours, sorry about that.”