"He's really gone?" Kristi asked.
Megan had come home from work on Tuesday and before she and the kids were in the house with her bags and their backpacks, Kristi was running across the street.
"Go put your backpacks away." When the twins went inside, she turned to Kristi. "Yes, he left this morning."
"Are you okay?"
"I thought it would last longer."
"Do you think he'll be back?"
"No. He said he wouldn't."
"You're fine then?"
"Yes. It was just sex."
"Okay then. Do you want to walk down to the beach after dinner?"
"Sounds good. I'd like to enjoy every ounce of summer I can. Let me go get dinner started. Text me when you're ready."
They had a new routine. The twins had switched from the daycare; they had been to since they were babies to the aftercare at their primary school. It was less expensive, but the change took some getting used to. They also had new teachers, and unlike kindergarten she separated them for first grade. There were already tears, and it was only the fourth day of school. Megan was exhausted. The beginning of school was always hectic and in the evening she had forms upon forms to fill out, papers to read, checks to write and in duplicate for her twins. She never realized when she sent her own paperwork home to parents how cumbersome it was. She was ready for her sofa, but she knew the walk to the beach was what they needed.
After a quick dinner of chicken nuggets, frozen broccoli and boxed rice, they headed out the door. The kids had on swimsuits, but Megan just wore shorts and a tee shirt. Instead of her cart full of beach things, she carried some towels, and they each carried their own shovel. They were packing light. Kristi only carried a few items, but Ben also had a pail.
Once they settled on the sand, Megan dug her toes underneath to feel the warm sand. She couldn't help herself as she looked over towards The Beach House. He's not there, she thought. She would miss him. True, they had very little in common, but they had fun and most of all he made her feel good and wanted. It had been a very long time since she felt that way. Would she ever feel that way again?
The children played for a while she and Kristi talked. Ivy just started Kindergarten and was adjusting well. She played with Sophie at recess. With both her children in school, Kristi had her days to herself, which differed from Megan, who was dealing with teenagers all day. Megan wasn't jealous, because she loved teaching and even if money wasn't an issue, she would still work.
Megan stood up abruptly as she saw Sophie run down the beach. Watching her daughter, she said under her breath, "shit!"
Sophie had run to see her grandmother who was walking on the beach. She watched as Sophie was animatedly talking, and they walked to where she was standing.
Her mother looked her up and down and said nothing.
Megan said, "Mom." Not so much a greeting as an acknowledgement.
"I heard you've been carrying on in a very unbecoming way this summer."
When she heard the disgust in her mother's voice, Megan's chin dropped. Before she could say anything her mother had walked away.
"How the hell does she know?" Megan whispered, "He wouldn't have?"
"Who? Oh Peter. No, why would he? Did he even know?" Kristi stumbled over her words.
"He knows alright!" Megan spat. Looking at the time on the tracker she wore, she said, "I need to get them home for bed."
"I know." Kristi called, "Let's get the bucket and shovels. It's time to go!"
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Hearts (TP1)
Romance(Complete) Peter isn't prepared for the reality of another man spending the night with his ex. He should be, but his heart has never let her go. Peter, who was abandoned by his father as a young boy, will do anything for his kids. He won't stop unt...
