1 month later
Looking at my young daughter, I felt the urge to tell her how much of a horrible person Sam was. How she cheated, lied and assaulted her body in front of countless eyes. That I wasn't the bad person. That she shouldn't hate me for wanting a divorce.
But I wouldn't.
Sam was still her mother. And I wouldn't start a pattern of talking badly of her.
"Mom, are we done here?" Hailey asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, I guess we are."
"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."
Being away from Hailey had been the hardest part of my divorce. But she was a teenager and barely wanted to spend time with me anyway. I pulled my reluctant daughter in for a hug and soaked it in for as long as I could.
When she pulled away, I felt a piece of me was taken with her.
"I'll call you tomorrow? Please answer, okay?"
"I'll try, Mom."
Hailey left my office and I felt a void inside of me. The divorce was finally finalized. And I wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there for a long time.
We were selling the house to fairly split our assets. Sam was lucky that I wasn't as selfish as she was.
Eighteen years of my life had ended so quickly. I was divorced.
I didn't like it. It made me sad. It made me wonder if I'd stay single or get into another relationship.
I couldn't fathom the idea of being with anyone else.
Not even Jamie.
I couldn't stand the thought of being intimate with anyone.
I left my office and walked past Jamie's class. I peaked in and saw her quietly reading something. I smiled knowing that I didn't let my desire for her ruin my values.
Unlike Sam, I didn't believe in cheating. I even considered the thought alone to be wrong.
And I was wrong. For ever having feelings for someone that wasn't my wife.
But I could at least say that I wasn't unfaithful.
I walked down the hallway, and smiled proudly at myself.
YOU ARE READING
Her Mom Likes Girls
Short StoryPeyton and Sam have been married for seventeen years. Now that their daughter is a teenager and Peyton's the principal of her school, they must navigate a functional family dynamic while trying to deal with a world full of surprises. Jamie had a ma...