Chanel Awakens Me from Myself

As she slid my old one off, and slid hers on, my life changed. We both knew it.

"What about work?" I blubbed, wiping away my happy tears.

"I need to tell everybody. It's none of their damned business anyway. I think I'm popular enough now that they can't get rid of me. Now that I present some of the news items, and have my own segments, they would be dumb to throw me away, but if they do, tough. I'm sick of living a lie."

She kissed me lightly. "What about you, your family?"

"They will be shocked. No question, but they know you so well already, and they like you. It is Bronny I'm worried about.

"Once it all comes out, the kids at school might give her a hard time."

"She's tough, Lou. Don't undersell her."

As we hugged, I whispered, "She loves you so much; I think she will be happy."

The next morning, I kept flashing my new ring in Bronny's face. She kept screwing up her face until she had to ask, "What are you doing, Mum?"

I whisked her into my arms. "Baby, that is my new engagement ring. Chanel asked me to marry her. We're going to be a family, baby."

She glanced inquisitively at Chanel, who had been watching. She opened her arms from around my neck, and invited Chanel into our hug. "Does this mean I'm gonna have two mummies?"

"Yes, baby, two mummies."

"What about Daddy?"

"Sweetie, he is always going to be your daddy. That will never change. He isn't going to be living with us, but he is your father."

Ryan was flabbergasted when I gave him the news. His eyes bulged as he absorbed the info. It took him a while before he snorted, "Is that why you wouldn't move? You were fucking her the whole time?"

"No, I never did anything with her until after we were separated. We were still married, but separated. I'm sorry if you can't accept that. I was hoping you'd be happy for me."

He shrugged casually. "I don't fucking care. All I care about is Bronny. She has to be cared for properly, and I need to be able to see her."

"I don't know what sort of evil person you think I am. I would never use her against you. We have told her that just because Chanel and I are getting married, you will always be her father, and she will always be your daughter."

"Thanks, Lou. She is the important one in this. It didn't work for us, maybe I know why now."

"What the hell, Ryan. I loved you, I still do."

"No, Lou. There was always something missing. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't moved to Aussie."

"What do you mean something missing?"

"I don't know, I can't explain it. I always wondered why you married me. We were different. I was in love, head over heels, but you seemed, I don't know. Detached. Maybe you were always gay."

"I never looked at anybody else, Ryan, I married you because I loved you. I was never unhappy."

We did manage to forge a relationship, although it was always stretched. He felt embarrassed. His wife left him to marry a woman. I think that hurt more than he let on.