Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

days.

He shrugs his shoulder.

“I’m here to take you to the airport” he says as he gestures to my injured arm as a way of

explanation

I stare at him. Like always, his face gives nothing away. I now understand that he is like

that

when it comes to me. I’m the only one he looks at coolly. Even with his business partners,

he

manages to give them a sort of friendly gaze.

“There’s no need for that. I’ve already called for an Uber”

It was lie. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck with him in a moving car for whatever

long it

would take us to get to the airport.

“Cancel it” he commands. His cold voice sending shivers down my spine.

Sometimes I look at Rowan and just wonder why I fell for him. He is cold, arrogant and a

jerk

especially towards me. I should have ran for the hills screaming when I first started to

have

feelings for him instead doing everything in my power to make him notice me

“Not gonna happen asshole… Now leave, I’ll meet you at the airport” I whisper yell

Who the hell did he think he was coming to my house and throwing out commands? This

was my

domain. I won’t allow him to rule here.

+15 BONUS

He steps into my space so we’re chest to chest. His eyes flash and his nostrils flare, I

stand my

ground. Refusing to let him intimidate me.

“I’m not leaving. Now cancel that fucking order and get your ass into my car” he growls

through clench teeth. A storm brewing behind his stormy eyes. 1

My temper begins to rise and I clench my fist. Usually I would push it down because I

didn’t want

to anger him but I no longer give a fuck.

“You arrogant son of bitch…who the hell do you think you’re, hmm? I’m not some fucking

puppy you think you can fucking command” my voice was starting to rise. I was so fucking

pissed.

For years I let him dictate me. For years I kept my mouth shut because I didn’t want to

fracture. what I thought we had. But what did it bring me? What did pushing down and

containing who I am give? Nothing. It gave me nothing but pain and heartache. 1

“Ava…” he says in a warning tone.

“Are you two fighting again?” Noah’s voice cuts through the tense atmosphere.

I turn around to find him looking at us sadly. Damn it! I hate Noah seeing this side of us.

He

shouldn’t deal with us fighting all the time.

“No we aren’t. We just can’t agree on something” I side eye Rowan. “Right?”

Just like me, the anger and coldness on his face has disappeared. Just like me, he would do

anything for Noah. Including tolerating my presence.

“Sure, your mom wanted to go with an Uber’since she can’t drive but I wanted to drive

you two.” He

says with a lazy smile.

“Why can’t we just go with dad, mommy?”

I take a deep breath and cast my eyes heavenward. Damn him for throwing me under the

bus. I

look at my son and he looks at me so expectantly.

I sigh in defeat. “Alright, fine” I grumble.

The things I do for love.

“Yay!” Noah screams and rushes back to the leaving room before coming back with his

duffel

“Wait here” I tell Rowan and then leave to get Noah’s suitcase and my handbag.

I tidy the living room a bit and then pick things up. I give the room one last glance to make

sure

everything was in place before turning around.

Bumping into a hard a chest, my handbag falls from my hand. Rowan wraps an arm

around me and steadies me before I can fall. I jump away from him and quickly put some

distance between

+15 BONUS

“I told you to wait at the foyer” I glare at him

“I don’t like to be told what to do you know this” he glares back.

“Let’s just go”

I move to take my handbag but he grabs it before I can. Then he picks Noah’s abandoned

suitcase, turns around and leaves I watch him wondering what has gotten into him. Not

once has he helped me before. He was acting strangely and I didn’t like it.

By the time I get my feet moving and lock the door, Rowan and Noah were already seated

in the car. Reluctantly, I approach the car and get in

Ten minutes into the drive and the atmosphere is awkward. Noah was busy on his tablet

watching. some cartoon. Once he’s focused on something it’s hard to get his attention.

Another ten minutes in and I was going crazy. I’m almost tempted to throw myself out of

the moving car just to escape. the tense atmosphere.

I move my hands to turn on the radio but Rowan stops me when he speaks.

“How’s the arm?” he asks His eyes were on the road but he looked at me briefly when he

asked. the question

I’m the only one who finds it S**y when a man does the one arm driving? Shaking those

thoughts from my mind I focus my eyes forward.

“Fine”

“Can you give me more than just a one word answer?” he asks through clenched teeth.

“Why should I? You’ve never been interested in anything I’ve said before. In fact you

would go to great lengths to tune me out” I say as a matter of fact. “So why are you all of

a sudden interested in what I have to say?”

He doesn’t say anything. He knows that I’m right. The familiar pain threatens to rise up

but I push it back down. I’m set on healing from those past hurts and it starts by forgetting

about it and about the man sitting beside me.

I look out the window. Praying that we would just get where we are going quickly.

“Your mother was asking for you, haven’t you spoken to her of late?”

I groan in annoyance. “You’re awfully chatty and it’s getting on my nerve Rowan. Can you

just ignore me and pretend like I don’t exist like you usually do?”

His grip on the steering wheel tightens. I see his jaw clench. He was getting pissed.

Probably because I wasn’t acting like the meek lamb he was used to. The tables had

turned and he didn’t

+15 BONUS

I used to break my back trying to make him happy. Trying to be what he wants. Trying to

be like Emma. I did everything I could to be the wife he could fall in love with. Now I had

shed that skin and he didn’t like that I wasn’t falling at his feet like a dog. I smile at that

Pissing him off eased. something inside me.

From there the drive is quiet. Both of us brooding in our seats while Noah laughs and

follows his cartoons. An hour later we arrive at the airport. I hold Noah’s hand as Rowan

get his bags from the

trunk

“I’m so excited to see the ocean” Noah says bouncing up and down in frantic energy.

“Then let’s get going…we wouldn’t want to keep you waiting” Rowan playfully tells him.

Taking my good arm, Noah drags me towards his grandparents. There were cops present I

knew

some of them.

When we get to them, Noah greets everyone but I don’t. There wasn’t any need playing

nice with

people who obviously hate me.

Rowan get the bags and then walks to us. He hands them over to one of the officers

before going to

stand next to Emma, Travis and Gabe. He greets his two bestfriends before turning to

Emma. Right

before my eyes he wraps an arm around her and brings her close before kissing forehead

I ignore that. Refusing to acknowledge the disrespect or the pain I felt. Like is it a must he

rubs

his relationship in my face? Couldn’t he have the decency to wait until our son was on the

plane

“Five minutes before we leave” A man I’m guessing is the pilot says.

Everyone is giving me strange looks. I bet they’d expected that I would fall at their feet

like 1 usually did That I would beg for a scrap of their affection Instead here I was ignoring

all of them

like they didn’t exist.

I watch as Noah says goodbye to Rowan, Travis and Gabe Is it weird that I felt happiness

when

Noah totally ignored Emma?

“Noah, say goodbye to Emma” Rowan commands with a bit of irritation in his voice

“I don’t know her, so why should I say goodbye to her?” he asks with a shrug leaving

everyone

staring at him in shock

Before Rowan can say anything else, Noah runs to me His body colliding with mine as he

hugs

“I’m going to miss you so much my love” 1 tell him, tears filling my eyes s

“I’ll miss you too mommy, promise you will call me every day?”

+15 BONUS

“I promise

The pilot calls out again and an officer comes to take Noah.

“Bye Mommy, see you soon”

“See you soon”

I watch as the officer gets into the plane with Noah. Mother finishes saying goodbye to the

others. and comes to me 1

“Please don’t” I stop her when she goes to hug me.

I don’t remember her ever hugging me, so I didn’t understand why she wanted to do so

now

She steps back and looks at me. Tears swimming in her eyes. I turn away not wanting to

see them I wasn’t going to fool myself into believing that she cared for me or loved me.

Years have proven

that she didn’t

“Take care of yourself Ava, and don’t worry we’ll look after Noah” she finally says.

I just nod at her. When I don’t say anything else she turns and walks towards the plane

where

Rowan’s parents had already boarded.

A few seconds later I watch as the plane carrying my son takes off Once it’s off the

runway, I turn

and leave. My heart feels heavy but I know this is the best decision for Noah.

Just as I get outside the airport, my phone rings with Rowan’s name flashing I reject it and

hail a cab When he continues calling, I switch off my phone completely and head home,

where 111 be

alone for an unforeseen time