Chapter 3: Back to the present... 4 years later

Julia.

“Hello, Andy” I heard her voice and looked at her as she walked by my bar stool with the same man I saw her with in court. If they were married, I would assume the kids would have told me about it so I guess he was her steady guy.

I said, “Hi Julia, how are you?

She said, “I’m ok. Would you like to join us at our table?

“Thanks but I don’t think so. I’m sure you two are doing fine without me intruding on your date.” I turned back around to my beer leaving Julia standing there with nothing else to say. I chatted with the bar tender a bit and I saw her in the mirror looking at me from time to time. I saw him kiss her and hold her hand. It was just too much. I gave her a weak smile and wave, got up and left. It’s been 4 years, do the tears ever stop as I wiped my watery eyes.

It was my weekend with the kids, so I went to see if they wanted to go to dinner. I now live my life for my kids Since Jack was 18 now, he drives and can do whatever he wants but decided it was a free dinner, so he went along. Kristi always jumped at the chance to be with me. She has always been Daddy’s girl.

I won’t say I have been celibate over the last 4 years. I have dated and bedded some very nice ladies. Some that wanted to make me a permanent part of their life but my heart belongs to Julia. It wouldn’t be fair a trade off for them. I would just eventually wind up hurting them. So I kept my relationships short term.

Julia and her man found themselves in the same restaurant as me and one of my dates about a year after our divorce. The woman was at least the equivalent of Julia on an attractiveness scale. I saw Julia looking at me ... then her. She looked ... uncomfortable and maybe a little jealous. I can’t say I wasn’t amused ... I was. I reached over and kissed my date. From her view, Julia could plainly see her stocking clad foot rubbing my leg while we kissed. BAM! ... wasn’t long before they left without eating. Life goes on.

Jack and Kristi

Andy notices Kristi is in some serious thought and knows she has something on her mind so I said, “Ok, Kristi, spill it. What’s going on?”

“Dad, I certainly didn’t condone what you did but I truly think you were remorseful and sorry. Having said that, Jack and I both think that Mom went nuclear not just on you but on our family. Her rush to divorce you was uncalled for and the decisions she’s making now are bad. They affect all of us. So I will just blurt it out.”

“Dad, Mom’s getting married.”

Trying not to look devastated, I said, oh yeah? When’s the happy day?”

Jack joined us just as Kristi lowered the boom on me.

He said, “yeah, Dad, we have already told her, we will not attend the wedding. It’s June 10th, two months from now. It’s that lawyer guy, Fred White.

I said, “ Soooo, why aren’t you two going to the wedding.

Kristi said,”Because we told her we would be with you on that day. That didn’t sit well with Fred. We don’t like him and he doesn’t like us. We remind him of you and he knows where you are in our hearts. Here’s the other bad news, Dad. Mom thinks she may be pregnant. She told me she’s missed two periods and that Fred is the only one she’s had sex with since the divorce. I want to come live with you. I don’t like Fred and I’m not going to babysit his kid.”

I said, “Wow, you two are full of bad news. Kristi, of course you two can come live with me if your mother oks it. I will talk to her.”

When I took the kids home, Julia was there. I didn’t see the boyfriend.

“Julia, could we talk a few minutes?”