My Ex Husband

Episode Three

Lucca had insisted on us having dinner so we could talk some more so I insisted on making it myself. We had just finished doing the dishes and were now on the couch, sipping wine, laughing at our past memories together. All of it except our marriage.

"High school was so much fun!" I said finally calming down from another fit of laughter.

"Yes. It was. Especially with your sassy comebacks. You always knew how to shut those cheerleaders up."

"I had to. Even though Victoria always stood up for me, they still bullied me all because I wasn't as social as them yet we were similar in every other aspect!"

"True and to be honest, that's one of the reasons I liked you." Lucca said with a charming smile on his face.

"Really? I never even thought you noticed me."

"How could I not? You were the prettiest girl in school. You just didn't know it."

I blushed at this, not looking him in the eye.

"How would you know this?"

"It’s all I could think of ever since I saw you at my sixteenth birthday. You looked...... beautiful." He said, getting lost in the memory, smiling to himself. "But you also looked just how I felt."

"Like I wished to be anywhere else but at that party?" I asked, my cheeks heating up, surprised that he remembered that night at all.

"Exactly. Our eyes had locked onto each other at some point that night and that moment never left my mind till......" He broke off, not really having to say what we were both thinking.

I swirled my wine nervously, trying to think of a way to change the subject but he beat me to it.

"Gabby, I've been meaning to ask you something." He said as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was nervous.

"Sure. What's up?"

"My father, he uum...... He wants you to come over for dinner soon. You and your dad." He said searching my face for a reaction but I quickly looked away as I moved forward and placed my glass on the table.

I was silent. I felt him move forward too but I stood. "I'm sorry Gabby. It's too soon, I know. Just please think about it."

"Okay. I'll think about it. I'm not promising anything though." I said, turning towards him.

"That's good enough for me. Thank you." He said as he too, placed his glass on the table and walked over to me, taking my hands in his. "But no pressure. We'll do it when you're ready."

He kissed my hands gently before looking up at me and smiling.

I couldn't resist it. I smiled too.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Gabby?"

"Gabby!" I snapped out of my thoughts to find Victoria calling my name, waving her hands in front of my face.

"What?" I said staring at her blankly.

"You spaced out on me!" she yelled, "For the third time today!"

"Sorry!" I said. "I have a lot on my mind."

She looked baffled for a second. "Do you mind sharing? And can one of those things please be this case?"

Victoria and I were working on a new case ever since the Johnson case had been closed. He was given the death sentence via the electric chair and had been surprisingly okay with it. He had only asked for a few days to reflect and repent of his sins (his exact words) and the judge had been generous enough to give him a whole week. He was to face the electric chair this coming Friday.

But that wasn't what I was thinking of. It was him. Ever since we had dinner together he was all I could think of. His smile. His laugh. His touch......

"Gabby!" Victoria yelled once again and I jumped in my seat.

"It is! I'm sorry. It won't....." I apologized again but was cut off by Victoria's phone.

"Sorry," she said before she answered it. Her expression suddenly changed and I knew it couldn't be good.

"What?" I asked when she hung up and simply stared at her phone.

"That was Paul. He wants to know why you're not picking up you phone!"

"It's on silent. Why? Does he need something?"

"Yeah. He wants us in his office, immediately."

"Why? What's wrong?"

She hesitated, "Carter Johnson escaped from prison!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I couldn't get my thoughts straight. They were all over the place but the most prominent one now was Carter Johnson's escape.

Victoria led me to Paul's office and I blindly followed.

I must have spaced out cause the next minute I was in Paul's office and he was calling my name.

"Gabby? Gabby! Are you okay?" I heard Paul's voice from a distance.

I turned to face Victoria when she reached for my arm. Everyone's eyes were on me.

I know what they were all thinking.

I was thinking it too.

Why is she so scared?

Only I know why I was so scared.

I backed away from them towards the door. I heard Victoria call me but I didn't stop. I couldn't. Instead, I turned on my heel and left.