“Listen. You can’t come back bere being all holier than God and some that I’m the devil. no win situation. “I’m not Ariana.” I map. “I’m not what you want and nor would I ever want
“You are what I want
“I know you still love her
“Not in the way I’m supposed to he fires back. “Love you.” What?
We stare at each other. His chest ties and falls as he struggles for air.
“I love you, Seraphina,” he whispers, “Tve always loved you.”
Oh no..
My eyes well with tears because damn it, life is cruel for so many years all I wanted was to hear those words, and yet, now that I do, I feel nothing.
“I’m sorry
“What does that mean?” He
“I never wanted you to throw your life away. I whisper, unexpected emocion overwhelms me and tears well in my eyes. “I never wanted you to
feel a one-sided love. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. His face falls as his eyes search mine.
“Gabriel… You broke something between us, and I don’t.” I screw up my face in tears I wish I did love you it would be so wonderful for the kids to have their parents together.”
He turns away from me as the tears break the dam and run down my face.
I hate that I can’t do this even for them.
“When you broke my heart, I thought I would never recover,” I whisper
Chapter 34
C
C
picture for yone office too?” the smiles hopefully. But in marti
Dominicumirks up at me and I kon
Some things are not expposed to be on the damn classroom wall, Forta
Ugh. That’s a conversation for another day.
“Well, I have to get going,” I tell them. “I’ll pick you up this afternoon They both as if that the day w
smile in last in dies 16
most definitely is mine
They walk me out to the gate. Lucia provodly holds my hand as Dominic walks besede vi Hara por forally and affert want to hold his hand or hug him I know that can’t overstep, Ih towards ready. The in
“See you this afternoon.” I smile as bend and hug Lucia, my eyes go to Domini and he stands with hands firmly in his pres
“Bye” He gave me a lopooded smile,
“Will I meet you at the gate this afternoon?” lask. They both nod.
Iwatch them as they skip off into the distance and I smile broadly, they’re officially the cutest kids of a
“Hella voce says from behind me. I turn to see a woman. “I don’t think we’ve met before – attractive, and different from the other women here.
She has long dark ha
More New York and less Country bumpkin
“Hello” 1 put my hand out to shake hers. “I’m Gabriel”
“Hello, Gabriel, lovely to meet you. I’m Felicity For.” She holds my hand in hers a beat longer than necessary. “Thaven’t seen you around
“I live in New York. Well, I’ve just moved here and will be living between the two. Im Domine and Lucia’s father.”
“Really?” Her eyes widen as she stares up at me. “Are you back with Seraphins, or did you move with your wife or
“No, I live alone”
“Oh. She pulls her hand through her long black ponytail as her eyes bolil mine.
Don’t even
“Nace to meet you, Felicity. I cut the conversation short “Thave to get going.”
“B” She smiles, all sexy like.
Turn to walk away.
“Oh Gabriel” she calle
“I didn’t catch your surname?”
She wants to google me
“Oh..” She thinks for a moment. “L” She shakes her head as if confused.
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“I thought that was Seraphina’s family name.
” is reply fally.
“Oh, so you two were married? Go away, pest.
“I have to get going, nice to meet you, Goodbye.” I purposely don’t answer the question and turn and walk through the school gaten et al mom on me, I feel them watch me all the way to the car
Ha, country women are horlogs…figures, I guess, what else is there to do around here but fuck, and if jack is anything to go by on what the Are Like.
Anyway…
I get in and pull out of the parking lot. Now..where do I get a decent cup of coffee in this godforsaken place?
I drive down to the mid street and spot a coffee shop, people are sitting out the front at quaint little tables and chairs. “This will do.”
Ipark the car and walk in, and once again everyone stops to watch me
Has nobody ever seen a suit before?
Seriously..what is this godforsaken place?
I walk past them and in through the front door of the cafe, a little bell dings over the door and I walk up to the counter. A young man is serving and he smiles an over–the–top smile. “Hello, how can I help you?” “Hello, I have a kopi luwak please?” “A_what?” He frowns.
“A kopi lawak?”
“I don’t know what that is”
“Right“Ugh. I look at the board over the register and I don’t know what any of this is. “Okay, give me a Jamaica Blue Mountain.”
“A what, what?”
exhale. What the fuck do they drink in this place? I need to buy a coffee machine as a matter of urgency,
“Okay just give me whatever coffer you have.” I sigh.
“Americano?“)
“I guess
“What was the name?”
“Gabriel”
He smiles. “That will be three dollars twenty, Gabriel”
Hell, at that price, it’s probably dishwater. I pay him and go and stand to the side of the cafe as I wait
The bell dings and two women walk in. “Hey, Thorpas.” They greet the cashier by name.
“Hi, Greer, hi, Sadie,” he says. “The usual?” “Yes, please.” They take a seat by the window.
“Hey, Thomas” a man calls from his table. “Your brother must be happy with his game Inst night, stored in the last five minutes.
