MY EX-HUSBAND REGRET

TER

e Is A Dev

nose. It smelled bad, like a dirty bar. I sigh

called out

ttes were all over the floor. I sat o

ing here?" I

ears. I made a big mistake back

bedroom. Lucy was proba

I knew I should check on h

as wearing red underwear and l

or you," she said, t

ol on her breath. It ma

eep," I said, p

"Don't you wan

. "I'm tired. I

she screamed. She grabbe

happened every nigh

o bed, Luc

y. "Can't you sta

d. Lucy tried to be romanti

to work,

so mean to me?" She threw the bottl

it was funny. I laughed bec

roken glass. "Look what yo

re right," I said. "I

e, we have to keep tryi

pregnancy test. "It's negative again,"

ears ago. Lucy couldn't have babies bec

in the morni

"No! Let's try now. Mayb

ucy! You can't have children!"

er. I left the room with

ooking. I wanted to leave without

d, kissing my cheek. She didn'

reakfast,

ry," I said,

orry about last night. I

ybe you should stay away from me. I d

"How can you say t

n't even know what th

mean like Clara? The wife

lara's name. I remembered

know anythi

"Are you going to throw

but then Lucy said som

lled. "I got a call this morning. She'

ke it stopped. "

a nice way. "You heard m

lara was coming back?

ked. My voic

id. "Does that

I just walked o

y hands were shaking so muc

me out loud in years. But I

ime I saw her. It was r

ut I didn't listen. I was so

My wife was always drunk. We could

rove to work. But I couldn't focus.

riend Tom came

l," he said. "

cy's drinking. About how I regretted leav

aid, "Nothin

Mike, I've known you for

should tell some

ing back to

. "Wow. How do you

t was true. I didn't know if

to try to see h

"No. I can't. I h

ime. Then he said, "Maybe thi

? For what? For cheating on her? For m

ched you these past five years. You're not

uld I really face Clar

y phone rang

said when

excited. "Mike, they made a mistake before

meone punched

sure?"

or wants to do more tests.

was what Lucy wanted more than a

," I said. But I

m looked at me. "Wh

im what

Clara coming back. Your life

my hands. "What a

don't know, buddy. But you

me. I couldn't face Lucy.

my old house. The house where Clar

lights were on, and I could see

nd I were that happy. Bef

saw a car pull u

topped. It

air was shorter. She looked

use and knocked on the do

ere. To talk to her.

just sat in my

out. She was smiling and w

d and looked r

but it was too

r. I thought about driving

e window. Slowly,

. Her voice was calm, b

said. My voic

time. There was so much I wanted to

poke. "What are

say. "I... I heard y

ed. "I am.

stupid. Of course s

asked. She didn't so

ine, but I couldn't lie. "She

prised. "I'm sor

was funny. "No, you're not. Yo

happy you're hurting, Mike. I

lara was still so kind, ev

everything. I know it's to

. Then she sighed. "It's not too late to

that, but it st

ra said. "Take care

ve, but I called

d back at

oved her. That I made a huge m

d, I said, "I'm glad

little. "Thanks

rive away. My h

ucy was waiting. S

he asked. "I've bee

lying. But I w

Clara,"

got pale.

as an accident. I drove by our

to me. "Did yo

d. "A l

asked. She s

her. Lucy was beautiful, but she

aid. "We ne

"You're leaving me f

ing you for Clara. But... I think

baby! The doctor said we m

won't fix us. We're not happy.

en she nodded. "I know. I've known for

long time, holdin

spoke. "What

think we both need to work on o

need to stop drinking. And y

sed. "What d

ra's picture sometimes. You never stopped loving he

rying again.

d. "I tried to lov

ow. But we can't force lov

r marriage, our mistakes, and

ut stay friends. Lucy would go to rehab for her dri

sad but also relieved. For the f

. I didn't know if I'd ever see Cl

finally being honest with