Chapter 2

I knew that Darcy was now starting to date and went out with the girls at work. She didn't go out a lot or try to flaunt it. I guess she was trying to start over.

I decided to go out and have a few dates myself. I dated probably twice a month with women who were probably as lonely for companionship as I was. I had sex with them but it wasn't love; it was just sex. One night I was in the store downstairs from where I lived and in came Alice.

"Hi there, stranger, long time no see. Still giving those massages?"

"Hi, Alice, you're looking as good as ever," I said while looking over her nice body.

"Sorry to hear about you and Darcy, but shit happens. I should know - I'm divorced too, you know. I sure could use one of those temple massages right now. I came to the store to buy some Advil."

"I live upstairs if you care to come up. I can massage those temples among other things." I wanted her to know that she would be getting a full body massage if she came up.

"It sounds great. Lead the way," replied Alice.

She did buy the Advil and I bought a twelve pack of beer. I let her go upstairs first so I could watch that ass. I had to wonder if this was cheating. Then I remembered I was divorced and Darcy was out on the dating scene or at least out with the girls.

As soon as we walked in the door, Alice turned around and kissed me.

"I've wanted you for a very long time. My kids are with their dad so I can take as long as necessary to get that full body massage."

I did give her the massage and I had sex with her three times. It was nearly three in the morning before she left. She was an excellent fuck but I missed the cuddling I always had with Darcy.

Over the next year Alice and I got together a number of times. We both knew up front that it was just the sex which made it easier on both of us to deal with.

I kept in close contact with my parents and of course Darcy's mom. I still saw my kids three times a week unless they needed something special. I went to all the school functions. Darcy would be there with the kids. I would always sit in the back, watch my kids and go home. I tried sitting with Darcy one time but she said she would prefer I sit somewhere else.

It had been three years and Thanksgiving was approaching. Darcy was going to take the kids as usual to her moms and I would be headed to my parents' for dinner. The girls asked me to make sure Grandma Parks, my mom, saved them some noodles. They loved her noodles. I promised them that I would bring some home for them.

When I mentioned it to Mom it brought tears to her eyes. She loved the girls and asked me if maybe they could come to our house for Christmas dinner. I told her I would ask Darcy and get back with her on it.

The day after Thanksgiving I took the girls the noodles and they called their Grandma Parks to thank her. While they were thanking her Darcy handed me a quarter of a pumpkin pie.

"Mum said to give this to you. She knows it's your favorite and you told her one time that she made the best pumpkin pie."

"She's right, it is my favorite and I do believe hers is the best I've ever had. It was nice of her to think about me."

Every woman out there has something special that she cooks. My mom's is homemade noodles, Darcy's mum is pumpkin pie. Every woman that I know that can cook has her own specialty. No matter how much you try, it will never taste as good by someone else. My mom always told me that it was the extra love that she put in her noodles. I believe her.

Over the weekend Darcy was complaining about her side hurting her. I told her she ought to see a doctor. I paid extra money at work to make sure Darcy had good insurance. She told me if the pain didn't go away, she would see a doctor.

On Thursday, I was at work when I received a phone call. I never get calls at work unless it's an emergency. It was Mum, Darcy's mother. She called to tell me that the school called and they rushed Darcy to the hospital. She had a terrible pain in her side. I told her I would see her at the hospital. I told my boss that I had an emergency and had to leave. I also asked him if I could have the next day off.

I rushed to the hospital and Mum was in the waiting room. She told me that Harry, her husband would be there shortly. The doctor came out and told us the news.

"Darcy had her an inflamed appendix burst. Luckily it was caught in time and she is being prepped for surgery as we speak. The operation will take less than an hour and then she will be in recovery for another hour or so. I expect that she will be here for a few days. We want to make sure there are no complications."

The doctor left and I walked into the hospital chapel to pray for Darcy. I was also asking for forgiveness for myself. I felt in some way that I might even be responsible for her bad appendix. I was praying and crying when a man tapped me lightly on the shoulder.

"She will be alright, son." I looked up and it was my ex-father-in-law, Harry. He hasn't spoken fifteen words to me in the past three years. We both said a little prayer for Darcy and then went out and sat with Mum.

We all sat in silence until Mum asked me about the kids. I told her that my mom was going to pick them up from school and take them to get a change of clothes and take them to her house. She would see that they were taken to school the next day.

"Your mom's a fine woman. How has she been doing lately?" asked Harry.

"She and Dad are doing fine. They were hoping maybe to see you two during the coming holidays. They think an awful lot of you and of course they love Darcy and the girls."

"Tell her we'll give her a call about getting together. They are nice people and your dad is a great partner to have when playing cards. The women can never beat us," he laughed.

"Harry, you know that's not true. We have beat you a few times," she smiled at her husband."

The doctor came back out and said that the operation went well and that Darcy was in recovery. She would be moved up to her room in a little while. I said in a low voice, "Thank God," as a tear welled up in my eyes.

Harry told his wife that he was going to go get something to eat. He didn't have a chance to eat lunch. He asked us if we wanted to come along and I told him that I wasn't hungry at the moment. Mum asked him to just bring her back a coffee. We headed up to Darcy's room. While we were waiting for her I needed to ask Mum a question.

"Mum, for these last three years I have been shunned by almost everyone in your family and mine. Everyone but you. Could you tell me why you haven't ridiculed me like everyone else?"

"Rhett, what I'm about to tell you goes no further. Will you promise me?"

"Of course, Mum. I would never divulge your secret to anyone. It's just that you are so nice to me, compared to everyone else. If I didn't love Darcy and the girls so much, I'd be long gone."

She took a deep breath and looked me straight in the eyes. "Shortly after Harry and I got married, he went into the service. I was young and lonely and had a short term affair. It hurt me so much that when Harry came home I told him. I couldn't build our life on a lie or secret like that. He didn't say a word but just stared at me for the longest time. I thought for sure I had lost him.

"Then he said to me, 'Do you promise from this day forward never to cheat on me ever again as long as we both shall live?' I said, 'Harry, I love you with all my heart and soul, and yes, I will be true to you for the rest of my days, if you will forgive me.' He said that we would never mention it again or talk about it, and we haven't."

"I promise never to mention it, Mum. I sure wish Darcy would have given me that option. I've grown up a lot in the last few years."

"Rhett, every person looks at cheating a little differently. It is wrong and ruins most marriages. All people have their own way of dealing with it. In my case, Harry forgave me. In yours, Darcy is having a hard time with it. Only time will tell."

They brought Darcy up to her room. She was still pretty much out of it but Mum talked to her and gave her a kiss. I sat down in the chair next to her bed and held on to her hand. I don't even know if she knew if I was there until she turned her head to me.

I had tears in my eyes when she asked, "Where are the girls?" That was the kind of person she was. Always worried about everyone else.

I explained about Mom taking care of them and she had only one thing to do and that was to get well. She looked down and saw me holding her hand. I was afraid she was going to pull it away but instead she just smiled and fell asleep. I didn't want to let go but I had to use the restroom. I gently laid her hand down and got out of my chair.

She slept for the next couple of hours. In the evening a lot of family and friends came to see her. No one stayed long, because they knew she needed her rest. After everyone had left I sat back in a chair and let her sleep. I just wanted her to know that I was there if she should wake up. Mum and Harry said their good nights to her and said they would see her in the morning.

When the nurse said that the visiting hours were over, I told her that I was Darcy's husband and I wasn't going anywhere. This hospital had a policy that a family member could stay but had to sleep in the chair. The next thing I knew I was out like a light. I woke up a couple of times during the night and saw that Darcy was sleeping. She looked so peaceful.

I awoke the next morning when the doctors and nurses were making their rounds. Darcy looked over at me and asked, "Have you been here all night?"

I nodded my head and said, "This way I can tell everyone I slept with you."

She actually smiled at me. I told her that I had to go home and clean up a little but that I would be back later to see her. I wanted to try and kiss her but there were too many nurses doing their jobs.

I went home and cleaned up and stopped by my mom's to make sure the kids got off to school alright. Mom gave me a couple of pictures that the kids had drawn to take to Darcy. She mentioned that Mum and Harry had called to let her know that Darcy was doing okay.

I went back to the hospital to see Darcy. Harry went to work and I sat there with Mum. I gave Darcy the pictures that the girls had drawn. They had written, 'Get well soon, Mommy' on their pictures. Darcy had dozed off and Mum and I had a couple of nice discussions. I asked her who Darcy had been dating lately and she gave me that look.

"Rhett, you know better than to even ask that question. If Darcy wants to tell you her personal business, then it's up to her."

I walked out and got a soda and then walked back into her room and sat down. She told me what the doctors had to say. She asked me to make a few phone calls for her. She needed to cancel some appointments and she wanted the school to know she would have to be off for about six weeks. It would take her into the holiday season so the doctor told her not to go back till after the New Year. She had a lifting restriction.

She handed a note to her mother and asked her to make a call for her. I figured it was her date. I didn't figure she wanted me to make that call for her. Mum and I sat around and talked to Darcy. Every now and then she would get a visitor. Most were relatives or work friends.

This guy came in and walked up and kissed her gently on the lips. I guess it was more of a peck but it caught my attention. Darcy kind of looked over at me. I just turned back and talked to Mum, but inside I was jealous and my stomach was turning.

"How are you doing, Darcy? Is everything okay? If you didn't want to go out Saturday, you didn't have to do anything this drastic."

"Jeff, you know Mum and this is Rhett, my ex-husband."

He said hi to Mum and just nodded hello to me.

Mum suggested that she and I go to the cafeteria and get a bite to eat. I knew better than to say no. I really didn't want to be there right then. We headed to the cafeteria and Mum thanked me for not making it any harder on Darcy than it already was. After we got done eating I had some things I had to do and I didn't really want to be there anymore. We headed back up to Darcy's room.

"Darcy, I told Mom I would pick up the girls. The doctors say you will be getting out tomorrow and Mum said she is taking you home. If you need me for anything, please call. I'll be there in a jiffy."

"Thank you, Rhett," she said. "Thank you for being there for me."

"Can I kiss you goodbye?" I asked.

"I'm probably too weak to fight you off."

I leaned over and kissed her. It was a very gentle warm loving kiss. "Thank you, Darcy," I said as I turned and walked out the door.

For the next few days, I came over everyday after I got off work. I cooked dinner for the kids and for Darcy. I waited on her hand and foot. Darcy was always watching me very closely. I hoped she could see that I was really trying and that I had changed. I stayed to make sure I did any lifting she needed done. After I saw the kids to bed, I would say good night. I didn't even try to kiss her. Things were going too good to rush anything.

Darcy told me she had done her Christmas shopping but wondered if I could help her wrap the presents and help the girls decorate the house for the holidays. I was happy that she asked me to help her; I just needed to prove to her that I had changed, I had grown-up. She put things in boxes and I had the girls wrap them. They didn't even know they were wrapping their own gifts. It made Darcy laugh and of course that made me feel really good.