Ever After
Prologue:
HE
He just came from work and entered his home; as soon as he entered the door he parked the luggage in his hand near the door and loosened the knot of his tie. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and hanged it at the coat stand near the living room.
He walked towards the kitchen and got himself a bottle of cold beer. He was about to walk towards the living room when he noticed his wife staring at him. She was seated at the kitchen’s bar stool, because he was so tired and occupied he didn’t noticed his own wife upon entering the kitchen.
“Hi, sorry I did not notice you.” He said to her and approached her. He gave her a peck on the cheek and continued to walk towards the living room; the cold bottle of beer was still on his hand. He kicked off his shoes and sat at the couch. He lifted the remote control that was lying on the center table in front of him and pressed on the power button. He rested his back at the couch’s backrest and sipped his beer.
“Are we going to be like this for the rest of our lives?” His wife suddenly uttered as she stand in front of the kitchen’s door, her hands was on her waist and her eyes focus on him , waiting for his reply.
“This is what you wanted right? Your ever after…” He sarcastically replied and returned his attention on the TV set.
“It’s been two years, I thought things will change. I thought you would realize that it is really me…” She uttered back as tears started to flow in his wife’s eyes.
“This is what you made me to be…. So deal with it…” He said with his usual deep voice. He put down the bottle of beer at the table and turned off the TV set.
“Let’s end this nonsense and go to sleep. I am tired.” He added and went to his room.
Yes his room, two years of marriage and this is what it turned out to be. Both of them living in one roof but sleeping in separate rooms.
“This is what you called, marriage.” He whispered to himself as he closed his bedroom door.
****
He woke up at around six in the morning he don on his running pants and a white shirt and, in his running shoes he went out of his room and headed out for his usual thirty minutes morning jog.
After a few laps in the neighborhood he went back to the house. His wife was setting up the table for breakfast and looked at him as soon as he entered the door.
“I have an early photo shoot at the meatpacking district, I need to go. Breakfast is ready.” His wife told him and strode towards the main door.
He silently walked towards the dining table and sat at one of the chairs. He picked up the news paper beside his plate and started to scan it as he sipped his coffee. He was about to turn the front page when a brown sealed envelope slipped out from the broadsheet.
Curious as to what the brown envelope is he carefully unsealed it and pulled out the documents inside.
He was speechless when he realized what the document is…
“Divorce Papers?” He said to himself as soon as he finished reading the contents. Two years of meaningless marriage, as bad as it sounds it was bound to happen.
Finally his wife realized that this whole thing is a sham, a lie… Finally she’d come to her senses. They are long over, even before their wedding day… She knew that they are over but she won’t budge… She insisted, she demanded…
He gave it to her…. And now she realized that her ever after is not him…
It will never be him…
As he belongs to someone else…
****
SHE
She was sipping her iced cappuccino and was seated at her favorite table at her favorite coffee shop near her condo.
“Care to share?” A voice vibrated in front her. She lifted her head from the book she was scanning and plastered a small smile on her lips.
Her ex boyfriend returned her sweet smile and sat himself at the chair across from her.
“How are you?” He asked her.
“I am good, happy and freed…” She said to her ex and once again smiled. Her ex boyfriend nodded and touched her hand, lightly.
“At last you are living independently and you really look good. From the looks of it you are finally healed, huh?” His ex boyfriend told her as he looked into her eyes.
“Two years of knowing myself again. Two years of learning to love myself…Finally I was able to forgive myself… Finally I am ready… Ready to where my life leads me.
Thanks to him…. Thanks for the pain he taught me… That pain healed me… He healed me…” She said in a cryptic tone. Her ex smiled and gave her hands a tight squeeze.
“I am happy to know that… I am happy that finally you freed yourself.” Her ex responded to her statement.
She nodded her head and gave him a dashing smile.
“I was sure that you can carry on and that you will live life again. I am so proud that I am proven correct. I am proud of you, my friend…” He added and smiled at her.
“Thank you for everything. Thank you for accepting and understanding, most of all thank you for the friendship…” She said to him as they continued to catch up with each other’s life.
She ended her relationship to him two years ago but amidst the break up they remained as good friends and he became one of her closest.
She remembered the day she broke up with him, it was right after her trip in the US.
“I know it isn’t me, I felt that, I am not that dense. I can still be your friend no matter what….” He said to her as soon as she said her piece and her apology.
That was under the bridge now, luckily breaking up with him was a blessing… It turned out that being friends with him is much better than being together…
His friendship is much more treasured and now that she is completely happy and at ease with herself. She is sure that this is the time for her…
The Time To Love and Be Love….
****