Laura and Bill's Story

I felt sucker punched by Laura, but Tracy delivered that message with as much kindness along with her promise of love for me regardless. Maybe it was easier for me, that Tracy was the messenger.

The message and result, while one in the same were clear; Laura and I were through. Tracy and I were on hold until that was resolved. Sitting in the hotel bar downstairs, I thought about calling Tracy to let her know the battle had taken place, but I didn't want to lead her on thinking she and I would pick up where we left off at the end of that summer so many years ago. She deserved better, than revenge sex or rebound relationships.

I thought about the summer romance we had. I remembered the good times we had. She, the inexperienced rising high school senior, me, the entering college freshman with dreams. I remember how stoic she was when we parted that last weekend before school started. I really didn't want to hurt her -- I meant those words -- but the die had been cast months before I ever asked her to dance at that high school mixer. Our fates were predestined not to lead us together. Instead our paths were ordained to diverge. At least at the time. Was it was time for them to merge again, like two meandering creeks joining back to form a mighty river? Time would answer that question.

I had put Laura out of my mind and turned the entire divorce over to our in-house expert at my firm. If Laura wanted to handle her own divorce that was her business. I not only would never be my own client, but had little respect for any attorney that did. She did engage counsel, which was good for both of us. Each of our attorney's simply completed the paperwork. The divorce wasn't acrimonious thanks to the pre-nup. Irreconcilable differences covers a lot of ground. It was as good a reason as any I suppose.

One day, I would talk with Laura again. Just not any day, real damn soon.

It was about a month after the divorce was final, when I got an e-mail. It was from an address I didn't recognize until after I read the title: "Still waiting." I didn't need any more than one guess to know who it was from.

I immediately picked up my phone, and dialed.

Epilogue

Tracy picked up on the first ring, almost like she was waiting for me. In thinking back now, she was; waiting for me. Just like she promised at lunch that fateful discovery day. I made plans to fly to Memphis the following weekend. Tracy nursed my self-esteem back to health, along with my damaged libido which was severely waning as of late.

Once the catharsis of divorce was past, it was almost as if the separation of ten pus years meant nothing to either of us. Although in many ways I felt like I wasted those years with Laura. I had gotten through law school, passed the bar, and become a successful lawyer.

Tracy's pediatric practice flourished. I had never seen Tracy as happy as the day I moved into her house after commuting from Chicago to Memphis almost every weekend. Tracy, never allowed my sometimes moody behavior to interfere with the growing relationship we enjoyed. She was in fact, my first love, and me hers, which she reminded me of frequently. She made me feel deeply cherished, like a prized piece of art work -- one she could never part with. Something, I can now look back and say, Laura never did. I felt the same about Tracy. I never returned to Chicago.

A year after the divorce was final, I did call Laura. I had heard she and Warren married not long after our divorce was final. I congratulated her, then invited her to my wedding to Tracy. I think after her surprise at finding me on the other end of the phone subsided, her raucous laughter at the news of our wedding, more than overcame the tenseness the situation dictated. We talked for maybe five minutes before she said she was due to deliver her first baby in about a month.

I shared similar news with Laura. Tracy was due in about seven months with twins. She seemed distant all of a sudden. "But..."

"I never said I didn't want kids Laura. Come to the wedding if you and Warren are able to make it."