Chapter two
1100 Words
My ex and I continued to talk, and he made me see things in my marriage that I had missed. He pushed me to know I had been putting myself last for a man who didn't notice me for all I was.
He even gave me the courage to message my husband and tell him that the kids and I were coming home, and we did when he was at work. I moved all his things out of the bedroom and made it my little retreat—and made his bed on the couch. My kids and I were home. It was time to get him out of my house and see if my ex and I could have a future together.
As the months went on, I grew closer to my ex and grew to detest my husband. I didn’t recognise the man I had married. He was consumed by his phone, talking to another woman in a different country.
He was planning to travel to meet her, and even though my heart broke a little bit more watching him push his kids away, I knew that he had made up his mind, so I encouraged him to get his place, and he did, but left it up to me to move his belongings as he had to fly to meet his new woman.
So I did. It was my way of grieving the relationship I had with him. Moving his belongings was therapeutic, and making my house mine made it more accessible; I looked at my messages to see my ex had messaged me
“Meet me; I want to see you.”
I smile and arrange for my kids to be looked after, and I meet him.
My heart is pounding in my chest. I still don't know if I'm ready, but maybe it could be the push I need to move on.
I walk into the restaurant we are meeting at, and when I lay eyes on him, butterflies erupt in my stomach. I stop by the bar to get a drink to calm my nerves. I walk to him, and as soon as our eyes meet, I know I am in deep trouble.
I go back to being the fourteen-year-old girl who once loved this guy.
“Hello Beautiful”
He says, breaking my train of thought.
“Hi, Damien”, I managed to spit out.
I sit down and try to gather my thoughts.
We enjoy a lovely afternoon together, and then he takes me by surprise when he leans in to kiss me. I get lost in the kiss, so familiar yet so new. His big hands pull me closer as he deepens the kiss, and at that moment, I know I have to give this man a chance to be in my life. Something about him seemed familiar, like home, like with him, I was always supposed to be.
When we part ways, my heart hurts. I don't want to be away from Damien.
I curse myself for being attached already. He goes his way, and I go home to my children.
And get back into the duties of being a mum. Only I can't bring the stupid smile off my face. How can a man I played cat and mouse with for years still have this effect on me?
I remember when we met up before I met my husband. I sneaked out of hotel rooms when I was eighteen, thinking that we were only hooking up when he wanted more.
Then, the night I last saw him before I forgot about him that night, I was with my husband, and he saw me at a club. That was the last time I saw him for many years until he tracked me down on f******k. We didn't speak for a year, but when my mother passed, he was there through every step. When my husband told me to stop crying or to get over it, Damien was there to listen to my emotions. He was there to help me keep my head above water.
I know talking to him ultimately was the downfall of my marriage, but I'm glad Damien was there to support me from a distance while my husband was eventually cheating on me for months while I was saying my goodbyes to my mum.
I hear my phone ping, and I look down, snapping myself out of my thoughts. I smile when I see Damien's name. “Have dinner with me tomorrow and pack a bag. I want you to spend the night.”
I smile and reply.
“I'll see if Dad can watch the kids.”
I call my dad, who agrees to watch the kids for the night. And I begin to wonder what this man has to install for me. I spend the night with my kids and wonder how Damien would fit into the dynamic of everything. Would they like him? Or am I moving on too fast? I begin to doubt my choices but know life is too short to live on what-ifs.
The next day, I pack an overnight bag for my kids and myself and eagerly await what Damien has planned for me. I drop my kids off at my dad's and then meet him at his place.
I sit in the car and look towards his door and consider driving off, but I don't. I leave the car and get my bags from the back seat. I walk up the stairs to his door and go to knock, but the door opens, and his big hands pull me into him, and his lips meet mine. He walks us backwards and pushes the door shut behind me. His hands roam my body. I pull away. He smiles down at me. “Hey”, he kisses me again, and I pull away. “Hi”, I reply. Damien takes the bags from my hands and places them on the sofa.
“We can eat in, or I can take you out on the town.”
I walk around looking at his house, and then I look back at him and shrug my shoulders.
“Whatever you want to do” Damien walks to me and smiles. “Well, do you want to go out or have a quiet night? We can order food and watch a movie.”
I look at him and then consider what he has said
“I would like to order in. I'm not ready to share you with the world just yet.”
- Writer
