From The Heart~ Evansson

•24•

"Romain?"
Scarlett stared blankly at the man, her mind racing as she thought over their schedule. He wasn't supposed to pick up Rose yet, was he? She'd been postponing saying goodbye to her little girl, she wasn't nearly ready to let her go.

"I needed to talk to you" Romain mumbled weakly "And hello to you, too"

Scarlett stepped aside, just enough for him to walk past her with his tiny luggage in hand.
Closing the door, she leaned her head against the frame as she thought over to why he'd want to talk to her or what about. Hearing her daughter squealing and giggling helped her relax a little, if there was an upside about him showing up was Rose's happiness.

She walked in the living room, seeing Romain sitting next to Rose on the floor, hunched over the coloring book with a tiny yellow pencil in his hand to color Pooh while Rose colored Piglet pink all over the page drew a small smile on her lips before she looked away

Walking to the kitchen, she figured she needed a distraction and in a matter of minutes she found herself preparing ingredients for chocolate chips cookies, Rose's favorite as she wanted to pack her some for their trip.
Taking a deep breath, the sweet aroma helped calm her nerves and she lost herself in mixing and whisking

"Hi" she heard him, her eyes focused on the cookie dough, hands clutching the bowl, lips pursed
"I had a meeting, couldn't change it"
She gently placed the bowl aside, scooping up dough to place it on the oven tray
"I'll be here for two days only, I'll leave Wednesday before noon"

Today is Monday. Tomorrow is Tuesday.
Right, Wednesday. The day of my surprise.

Biting down on her lips, she decided to ignore how he'd ruined her lunch plan with Chris or her surprise.

"I'd stay at a hotel but... you know" he sighed "paparazzi are everywhere"

Scarlett placed chocolate chips on the perfectly rounded cookie dough.

"I can go, if you want"

Sprinkling a little salt on the dough, just enough to give it some sparkly shine, she placed both hands on the counter, stretched on her sides.
Romain watched her drop her head and shoulder slouch.
"I don't want to be a burden" Romain assured.

They'd had had their ups and downs, a few fights even. He'd cheated on her, hurt her worse than she could've imagined. Yet still, there was a part of her that couldn't just let go.
She wanted to forget he existed.
To get to a point where it isn't love, it isn't hate, just indifference.

But she would never get there.
When married couples would get divorced, she'd watch them share a bond even years later. Their kids would be the least to say. "There's always a connection" she'd heard. "You've shared your life, days and dreams. You can't just up and leave it all behind" She'd heard it all of course, but her first divorce had been different.
She'd wanted nothing to do with her ex, she would've wiped the memories if she could but with Romain, she could never.
She'd loved him, there was no point denying it
Yes, she'd been scared of being alone, she didn't feel as if he wasn't her soulmate but she did have love for him, and he for her.

"You can stay, just a heads up would've been nice" she sighed, turning to face him.

He looked older. Handsome. French.
She liked the way he dressed. His sense of style, how he cared for his health, the occasional cigaret aside.
"You look good"
"I'm sorry"
They stared at each other, Romain smiling at her compliment, Scarlett confused by his statement.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." He mumbled. "The girl... the one you talked to... she lied, Scarlett." He sighed.
Scarlett's brows neared each other in a deep frown. She'd talked to a girl he'd had an affair with, yes. But how did he even know?"
"How do you..."
"Your lawyer" he jumped in "he told my lawyer..."
He stared at her "I was being cold to you, yes. I was in a..." he took a second to find a better way to word his thoughts but failed "relationship of some sort"
Scarlett stood straight, dreading the I cheated on you conversation but as she wanted to walk away, Romain stood in front of her, blocking her way "not that kind" his French accent was becoming thicker the more frustrated he got
"It wasn't physical" he blurted, the blonde's brows jumping high
"I felt like you didn't love me, she adored me... and I let her. That's all"
"But all those texts? Pictures?" She asked bewildered
Romain shook his head "fake"
Scarlett stood silent, disbelief written on her face as she felt the news tear her apart. Feeling her blood sugar dropping, she pulled her wight on a bar stool, leaning against the counter