Eat Me, Bill Shakespeare

"This is so sudden, isn't it, Dear?" my mom asked. "Are you sure you're not just doing this to spite Traci? You know she still loves you, Dear?"

"Mom, I'm not trying to spite anyone. And as far as Traci still loving me, well her actions speak for themselves, don't they? Traci loves Traci."

I didn't bother telling my daughter. We had repaired our relationship some, but she was still taking her mother's side, insisting that what Traci had done was heroic, and about love. I figured she would find out sooner or later, and would call me to give me her pitch for her mother over my pick.

After being with Traci for more than 25 years, my developing relationship with Angel made little sense. I couldn't explain our attraction to each other, and how well she seemed to fit into my life. We could talk about anything, and it felt like we had been together forever. I really didn't believe in love at first sight, but everything told me this was right.

Angel wasn't a kid, either, and she seemed every bit as flummoxed by our immediate and deep attraction as I was. We spent a lot of time examining things early on, but then we realized we were sucking the life out of this, and should just let it flow naturally.

Naturally was good. She moved in with me after a month, and it was rare that we were ever apart for the next six months. Mom and Dad seemed to like her, despite the fact that she wasn't Traci, but Kaylee made no secret of her dislike, I'm assuming because she still wanted me to get back together with her mother.

We arranged a small wedding for ourselves for six months later. I invited both children and my parents and Angel invited a cousin and a friend and their families. I had reserved a party room at one of my favorite restaurants for a small celebration.

It was a great day except for when Kaylee cornered me and wanted to know why Traci and Bobbie G weren't invited, nor my former in-laws.

"Because your mother is my ex-wife and inviting her would be disrespectful to Angel. Also, you seem to forget we are not friends. Ex-in-laws don't get invited either."

Angel and Traci finally did meet two years later when Kaylee got married. Traci planned and executed a beautiful event, and I happily paid for everything. Angel, being a beautiful, smart and classy lady, stayed out of the way of the mother of the bride and her planning.

The only part I played in the wedding, besides being financier, was the traditional role of walking the bride down the aisle. My heart was filled with pride, and my internal memory machine was working overtime. Several times I found myself looking at Traci, seeing memories of her and Kaylee doing things like coloring and baking cookies. That reminded me that it hadn't been all bad between us; we had 24 good years.

Angel read me perfectly and put her arm around me while we were in the church pew. I turned to her and she gently put her lips to mine. I knew then that I could handle the rest of the day.

Angel only interacted with Traci when it was necessary during the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, not out of fear, but out of a sense of what was right. For her part, Traci walked around with a pissed off look whenever she looked Angel's way. I found out later she and all six of the grandparents were of the opinion that she was usurping Traci's rightful place and that this marriage was just a short-term thing.

Epilogue: Our short-term marriage just hit the 25-year mark. Angel and I celebrated with a nice dinner and a quiet evening of lovemaking. Sure, it was not the wild and crazy night of sex it might have been 15 years ago, but neither of us are kids anymore. We snuggled together for a while afterward, then we fell asleep spooning.

Reflecting back on it, I really can't complain too much about the way life has treated me. I had a good first marriage for 24 years, then came back and have had a great second marriage for 25 years.

My two kids are married and have given me three beautiful grandchildren.

Traci never remarried. From what my kids have said, I guess not too many men were interested in a middle-aged woman with a young child, even if she was a good-looking woman. She had some hook-ups along the way, they figured, or otherwise she might have killed someone by now.

My kids make sure to stay in touch with both Traci and their half-sister. The child's three sets of grandparents also made sure to give her every ounce of love they had until they started dying of old age.

My son, the only family member who talked to me regularly after my divorce, told me Traci didn't even date for the first five years after I got married, still figuring my marriage wasn't going to last. I'm sure Angel was sorry to disappoint her.