Love After Divorce

~Chapter One~

Melanie smiled watching her three year old son bounce at his birthday party. Superman balloons and red and blue streamers danced in the afternoon breeze as she worked on cutting the cake. Glancing at her watch, she knew she only had 30 minutes before her soon to be ex husband David arrived to take the kids for "his" weekend. Melanie sighed. She hated this. She hated the heartbreak that their divorce was causing. She hated dividing the kids between homes on the weekend. This was not the way her life was meant to be, but this was the hand in life she was dealt and she would deal with it accordingly.  Someone gently tapped Melanie on her shoulder and she turned seeing the blue eyes, eyes that reminded her so much of David's that it physically hurt her to see them.

"He's here early", her soon to be ex mother in law, Tammy whispered.  Glancing over Tammy's shoulder Melanie saw that David was indeed there and he had his mistress with him. She was a beautiful young woman, blonde, perfect bust, tiny waist, and no stretch marks she was sure, and his personal assistant of course. Melanie instantly felt dowdy and unattractive. She wasn't wearing a designer sundress. She didn't have her hair in  a perfect coif nor did she have a perfect manicure.  Melanie looked like a mom.  She was in her favorite jeans, t-shirt, and her brown hair in a messy bun.  Instantly her heart broke, seeing as how she was just his soon to be ex wife and the mother of his children.

"I just don't understand that boy anymore, " Tammy stated, her  mouth drawing down as she watched her son walk towards them. "This is not how Tom and I raised him to be."

"I know," Melanie whispered as she gently squeezed Tammy's shoulder. After the unexpected fatal heart attack of her father in law, Tom a little over two years ago, her husband began to change. Gone was the loving bond they had once shared. Slowly he replaced his family with work, and eventually his life with Melanie with her, Sara his personal assistant. Melanie tried to smile at them, but her smile died as she saw the anger on David's face.

"What's going on?" David demanded as he stalked toward Melanie. "I told you to have them ready by 2:30!" Tammy hissed in a loud huff. "Hello Mother," he acknowledged her briefly. Tammy just nodded, displeasure written all over her face at her son's attitude.

Melanie sighed, "I though we had agreed on 3:00, especially since his party was scheduled to start at 1:00. Please David, let him enjoy this for a little bit longer, he's only three once."

"Typical," Sara sneered glancing at her nails in disdain. "Can't keep your man or track of time." Melanie flinched but said nothing. It isn't worth it she thought as she glanced at Tammy who looked like she wanted to murder the nasty woman her son was now involved with. Melanie reached out and grabbed her arm shaking her head at Tammy. She didn't want any confrontations, not today on Thomas' birthday.

"Daddy!" Thomas' excited little voice squealed from inside the bounce house.  "Watch me Daddy, I is Superman!"

"You sure are bud, but come on, we need to leave."  David replied with his lips drawn into a tight smile. Melanie sighed, this is not how she pictured  her son's third birthday ending.

"Daddy," Jessica exclaimed as her little arms wrapped around David's legs. "Mama said you'd have cake with us!  I waited and waited to eat my cake until you were here!"

David huffed and cast an annoyed glance towards Melanie. "Sorry princess," he said glaring at Melanie' "We don't have time for cake. We are going to meet Sara's mommy and daddy to celebrate with them."

"No Daddy!" Jessica cried, "I don't like them. I wanna stay here and eat cake with you, Mama, and Grandma!"

"Jessica," David growled growing frustrated with his five year old daughter. Melanie seeing his anger quickly stepped in.

"Hey Bug, Daddy wants y'all to enjoy the time with him today too. Go get Thomas' and your bags and I'll cut ya some cake to go. Okay squirt?"

Jessica nodded with tears in her eyes. She looked at her David with her lip trembling. "Yes Mama, but I just wanted to eat cake like we did at my birthday."  Melanie blinked rapidly as tears filled her eyes.  David's face softened some as he glanced at his daughter and his son as he struggled to get off the bounce house. For just a brief minute Melanie thought she saw regret flash in his eyes but it was quickly replaced with disdain as he glanced towards her and saw her tears.

"Come on kids, Sara, we need to leave!"  David growled. "I'll bring them home tomorrow by 7:00".

"Okay," Melanie sighed again as some of Thomas' friends began to grab the cake she had cut. "I'll be sure to save everyone some cake too."  She added with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. She was so tired of trying to stay strong and optimistic for the kids.

"Yeah, whatever," David mumbled as he grabbed Sara's hand.   No this wasn't how Melanie pictures her son's third birthday at all, but if there is one thing she has learned in the last four months since learning of David's affair, life is never what you dream it to be.