After Divorce

ia's

one leg to the other. I'd been standing here for minutes, wonderi

elled dates at the last minute and showed up late when he did come. It felt

een together for

t a random cafe, he recognized me as a fan. The memory still made me smil

pressed th

hampagne in her hands. Her smile was blinding, loud music pulsin

opening the door wider. "You'

embled in my ha

sly, almost like I was in the wrong room at a certainly wrong time. Then she

ense of whatever was going on. Perhaps it was another Jean, but I was sure I d

itely wa

sure they just have the same name," I said und

plained rather calmly, and I took another step back. A strange ringing st

ing me, her brows forming

gers started to tremble. "I need to see him," I mumbled, pushing past her as I rushed

believe Jean woul

ving against each other like this was something worth celebrating, like

ies and finally saw him. Jean. He stood in the center of the room, one arm wrapped loosely around a woman in a

heart

yed like she had every right to touch him, like she

lapse right here between strangers. Then someone raised a gla

loser, his hand settling at her waist as a small smile curved his lips. I couldn't bre

oice like a sharp knife digging into

sy," he said, his voice steady and warm. It was familiar in a

landed li

ng toward his shoulder. "You say

mured loud enough for those closest to hear

better of it. "Jean." My voice cut through the moment sharper than

served an explanation. I wanted to scream, to shout, to wreck thi

exactly the same, like my presence hadn't fully registered yet. Then panic flash

n us, her smile faltering j

myself as his girlfriend and ruin t

ossing the room, already reaching for my ar

. I didn't even know why I let him pull me. Maybe I was still trying to wrap my head around everyth

ted him to fix it. To fix this. I held cake tightly like a symbol of hope as he

n changed. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked,

do what?" My voice cam

...just keep yo

out a hollow laugh, feeling something bitter settle at the

sing a scene," he said qui

im. "Jean, when exactly was the righ

e. "I was going to tell you," he said too fast, like he wanted to

the windows as a tear slid down my cheeks. "

n stare at me. He dragged a hand through his hair. "P

a slap. "I shouldn't..

hat would make it better. "She doesn't know, okay? And she

't hear

ands, and it suddenly felt ridiculous. I had picked his favorite carefully, hoping we could sit

moving, see the tension in his face-but it di

rip on the box

y, confused. "Soph

let him

his cheek, his mouth, and his shirt. He stood there, blinki

im off. Wiping off the single tear, I walked o

in until I got home, but a loud sob tore through me as I walked down the streets. Tea

everything crashed down at once. "God, Sophi

aybe

I'd beli

e I lo

ilt a whole fu

dy my breathing. I knew staying one more day in Los Angeles wo

pent years runn