Page 1 of Beyond our Forever

Chapter 1

“He moved on with his life.” I look at myself in the mirror as I try to digest the true meaning of those words.

He moved on with his life.

He already got over it.

He got over me.

Over me.

Over us.

“Are you listening to me?” Emilia asks behind me, but I’m still speechless, trying to locate that phrase within the context of my life. “Thia, I’m talking to you, say something.”

I want to, but the words won’t come out, my throat is dry, my tongue feels like sandpaper.

What eats me up inside is so powerful that it has left me breathless.

“I know it’s hard, but it’s been a while. It’s time to forget, and make your life according to the plan you have outlined.”

Again my attention is focused on my reflection. The plans I made, damn, nothing has gone as planned, nothing.

If they had, we would have had our happily ever after, and we would be doing all those cutesy things couples who are hopelessly in love spend their time doing.

Dammit.

“I’m aware,” I mumble.

“Well, she talks,” says my friend, with a hint of laughter in her voice. “It’s about time.”

“What do you want?” I ask her, because this conversation is beyond me. Not what she’s saying, but the situation itself.

“First, you need to do something with that mop you dare call hair.” To emphasize her point, she tugs at a few of my locks. “You said you wanted to do something with your life, but it seems that you aren’t capable of taking care of yourself since the zombies in your son’s video games look better than you.”

“I’m still thinking about what to do, Emilia. I have three children, in case you’ve forgotten,” I clarify. “I have to take them into consideration.”

“You kicked Bruce out of the house, with all his worldly goods packed in suitcases, claiming he was unable to see beyond his role as a loving father and perfect provider, but now you’re the one hiding behind excuses.”

“So what?” I shout, turning on my heel, ready to face her, hands on hips, giving her attitude. “Should I send everything to hell and go live the single, party life?”

“You sent everything to hell more than four months ago,” she retorts, making her point right there.

Because that was exactly what I did.

“Seems it was long enough for Bruce to forget I even exist.”

“What did you expect?” she demands. “The man begged you for weeks, Ilythia, weeks. I witnessed more than once how you closed the door in his face, and heard the things you said to him, so what did you expect? Your ex is a great catch, so someone smarter than you already threw out the hook and he seems very happy to let himself be caught.”

“Where did you see them?”

I’m a masochist of the worst kind, this hurts me, but I can’t help it. I want to know everything.

“They were going down the escalators at Nordstrom carrying several bags. It looked like they’d been shopping together, and they were laughing a lot. Bruce even hugged her and fixed her scarf, you know?” She sighs. “Don’t get me started on the kisses.”

However, Emilia does tell me what she saw, and I can’t help closing my eyes to paint the scene until it’s almost there in front of my eyes. Even though I have no idea who this mystery woman is, I still imagine the way they laugh together.

“She’s blonde, slim, quite tall, and great boobs.” Typical. Isn’t that how they always are? Like supermodels? “He was looking at her like she was the only woman in the entire mall.”

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