After the Divorce: Ex-husband's Regret

on the edge of the bed. S

that used to pull her toward him in the dark, but a care

s her eye

through the open window earlier. She listens to him settle.

each for her

into the hem of her shirt. A sleepy, "Com

re's nothing,

vious, but enough that her calf brushes t

She thinks he might mov

harply, then roll-further away.

her eyes

" she w

Ye

unds far, lik

u ok

st t

and reaching back. Somet

though he can't

It feels ridiculous, suspended there. She

Thick and louder than a

night, it isn'

her. Leaves a strip of cool sheet between thei

ends to b

uch her, not e

lmost grazes her arm. He pulls it back

swa

utline of him. The slope of his

," she sa

aid his full name in the dark.

't respon

n, "

She almost forgets w

rts again. "You're f

m fi

on't ha

id I'm

between them lik

r back. Stares at

starts a

the night to cold sheets b

f bed, padding d

amp is still on. A

of the couch, one arm thrown over h

the doorway for

att

. Blinks at her like she'

you doing

dn't s

our

s too

down the hallway

. "Do you want

m go

up the fallen edge of it. Their fingers

hand back be

mooths the fabric over his sho

t your neck,

slept o

and watches him f

back

ceiling. "I don't

u wo

wi

s slowly

ck to their b

esn't

the morning, the

um of the refrigerator. The cl

m her, sleeves rolled up

is hands inste

and steal food from her plate. Used

egs are an

s around. "You didn

kn

s a sip

ruin your back," she sa

l sur

t her mouth. "You alw

sh

him then, trying

eady look

a second?" she asks bef

d pauses

Wh

e exhales.

he lifts

face. Lands somewhe

app

around her fork. "Tha

looking

You're

ens. "I have t

start for an

y. Carries his p

s of it. The way she used to press her face

at me?" she

No

what is

cet off. The sudd

w what you wa

s, too. "S

y. There's something sh

ired,"

f w

esn't

abs his keys fr

r voice cracks

ses at

hen you lea

loses softl

sta. His favorite, extra

cross from

good,"

ank

pasta carefully

hes him t

We

's g

at's

gs. "It'

wn. "You used to say

sses his face. Gone

e exagg

him. "Do you

his chair. "What d

I'm-" She cuts herself off. Breat

drops to

not a r

won't you

y still. "I

is softer now. "You don't ev

's not

allows. "You don

d lifts

omething." She forces a small laugh.

es his p

ealize that

n't say

at are yo

m. "I'm saying I

across his face.

The chair scrapes har

right

re

ion is bar

is hair. Paces once towar

feel this?" he says,

talk

n't kn

Tr

once. Short

this is ea

lowly and wal

this time, but he does

rt. Close enough to fe

running,"

not ru

eep on t

ks at h

are red at

you," he says quietly

stutters. "

hesi

Us

eaches for him without thinkin

second-he lets her.

ntact feels lou

n't,"

n't

l everything

s. "So you feel

esn't

etween them

s slowly

ts to say more. His m

ight,"

ks to t

m, listening to the sound of him settling i

ff the light

k hallway,

?" she ca

Ye

ps the d

still

-almost swallo

kn

ne again, lying in t

feels too bi