Page 56 of The Regrettable Mistake

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, the video is on there. I think maybe I should cash in on this while the getting is good.”

Ollie’s eyes widened in shock at first and then he laughed. I giggled along with him. I’d never follow through with selling his sex tape because he was right, it would hurt me the most, and in the long run, our children.

Ollie leaned in and stared at my protruding stomach for a few minutes before his eyes came back up to meet mine. “Can I?” He asked so gently, I almost didn’t comprehend what he meant by that simple question. Eventually, I nodded and his hands immediately moved to my belly. “Hey there,” he said to my belly. “A few months from now, we’re going to meet. Don’t worry, I’m working on fixing everything that I broke before that happens. Your mom is going to divorce me though. There’s no question about that. When she’s ready though, I’m going to prove to her that I have fallen for her in every way. When she believes me again, you can help me ask her to marry me for real.”

“Ollie,” I whispered.

“Shh, this is a conversation between me and our child. You’re going to have to wait your turn.” His teasing tone made me smile.

“I need you to know that I love you. You and your brother mean the world to me, but your mom, she’s something special. So, you do me a favor and don’t give her too much trouble in there, okay? She’s been through enough already. When you get here, you’ll see. She’s everything you could wish for in a mom, and I hope you turn out more like her than me.”

“Ollie,” I whispered his name again. He leaned forward to place a kiss on my belly just as the baby kicked out.

“Yeah, okay. I guess I deserved to be kicked in the face for what I put your mom through.”

We both chuckled at the timing as I reached out and brushed his hair back. “Your hair is getting long.”

“Haven’t been able to get in for a cut lately.”

“Are you that busy at work?”

“Nah. Last time I was there, my hairdresser threatened to stab me with the scissors for what I put you through. Apparently, she was cheated on by her baby’s father, too.”

“Aw, that’s sweet that she wanted to get justice for me.” I thought about that as Ollie pouted and leaned his head into my fingers that massaged his scalp. “I guess it was probably more for her and you were a stand in for the person who wronged her.”

“Something like that.” Ollie moaned as I dug my fingers into his scalp.

“I could always cut it for you.” His worried eyes met mine.

“No, I don’t think we’re quite back to a place where sharp objects should be wielded so close to my head.”

I laughed again and then playfully pushed him away.

“Go finish that crib then.”

As Ollie moved back to the task at hand he turned around and met my eyes again. “If you could have one wish come true, what would it be?”

“To be divorced,” I replied without hesitation.

Ollie’s eyes cast downward to the floor and I watched as his shoulders dropped under the weight of my quick response.

“When we married, you had an agenda and I only had love in my heart. We weren’t equal going into this marriage. Not even close. It doesn’t matter what you grew to feel for me. It only matters that our whole union feels dirty somehow because of it.”

He seemed lost in thought for a while and then he finally moved his attention back to me. “I don’t blame you. We didn’t start in the greatest of places, on equal footing. You’re right. I’d change that if I could, but since I can’t, I’ll try to grant your wish as soon as possible.”

“Okay.” I wasn’t sure how to feel about him finally giving in and refusing to fight. Part of me was relieved, but a larger part was saddened by that fact.

I sat back and watched as he quietly finished putting the pieces together until a beautiful crib with a pale, buttery wood stain stood proudly against the wall where there had once only been parts. He built it without complaint, even after I told him that my one wish was to be divorced from him.

He got to his feet and gathered up all the garbage that was left, but before he left the room, Ollie glanced back at me. “Hey Steph?”

“Yeah?” I choked out.

“When you’re finally a free, single woman again, I hope you’ll consider dating this guy I know.” I offered him a weak smile, not sure where he was going with this. “He’s a bit of a fuckup, but he’s learned from his mistakes. Those regrettable fucking mistakes that ruined the good thing he once had. I hope you won’t hold them against him forever because he’s so fuckin’ in love with you that it hurts.” Ollie’s palm massaged over his chest where his heart lay beating beneath.

“You’ll have to tell that guy that I can’t possibly start anything new while I’m still married. It wouldn’t be a wise thing to do. Maybe he should come see me after I’m officially divorced.”

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