Back to our Love

13

Miranda walked inside the grocery store and grabbed a cart. She pulled out her list and moved through the aisles grabbing everything she needed for the house and Christmas dinner.

Christmas was 4 days from now and she should have followed her first mind and went shopping last week to avoid being in the store with so many people all with the same goal in mind. Now everyone was having a hard time finding the items they wanted.

On the baking aisle, Miranda grabbed the things she needed for her mother's apple pie recipe. She looked over to her right and a little further down the aisle, she saw Ben. He looked to be grabbing brown sugar.

Miranda grabbed her items and pushed her cart toward him. It's been a month since she was last at his house and has seen his face.
"Hey Ben Warren," she greeted casually.

Ben turned and looked at Miranda. "Hey, Miranda," he said giving her a light smile.

Miranda turned her attention to Paris who was reaching her arms out.

"Aww hi baby, you remember me."

Ben watched as his child reached her arms out trying to sit up out of the car seat.

"Can I?" Miranda asked looking up at Ben.

"Yeah sure," Ben replied unbuckling the straps to her car seat.

Miranda lifted Paris and put her on her hip. "You're such a sweet girl," she cooed.

"You're Christmas dinner shopping too?" Miranda asked looking into his cart.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have waited so late."

"Me either," she admitted.

"What are you going to make?" Ben asked.

"A ham, yams, cabbage, Mac and cheese, and other little fixing."

"I'm doing the exact same thing."

"Yours is going to taste a hell of a lot better than mine. You know I can't cook like that."

Ben chuckled, he knew that very well.

"Well, I guess I won't hold you two up. I need to see if I can find stuffing." She said kissing Paris on the head.

"Alright Miranda, it was good seeing you."

"You too," she responded giving him his daughter back.

On Christmas Eve, Ben was finished cooking a small dinner for two and he frowned because it was just him and Paris. No matter how much he tried. He just couldn't get over Miranda and believe him he tried but she was there. Stuck there like the best glue in history. He loves her and it was nothing he could do to change it or forget about it. And honestly, why should he? She was his wife. He dated her, liked her, loved her, and showed her the ropes about how a real marriage was supposed to go. Made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. He was her best friend, she could be her most comfortable and true authentic self with him. How in the hell could she let that go? She had to have a mind lapse.

This wasn't right and the more he sat here the more it pissed him off. Deciding he had enough he stood from the couch. It was 8:30 already and he had a crazy thought to cross his mind.

Picking up his phone he dialed his sister's number. "Hey Benji,"

"Hey, merry early Christmas. I was wondering if Paris could spend the night at your house and I pick her up early tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just something really important came up."

"Okay, I'll be waiting."