Back To You

Part 5

Warnings - nightmare, difficult feelings, divorced couple

The next day Timothée didn't talk to me much and I was glad for it. I needed time to sort through my feelings. I'd been right, he hadn't worn a shirt to bed. I wished I knew how much of last night he remembered, because I remembered everything. I had been so dumb to tell him how I felt about his body. I was fucking leading him on, or I was hurting Julian, or I was doing something wrong because this isn't how life worked. You weren't supposed to fall for you ex-husband. It was a stupid and whimsical thing to do. I couldn't afford to be whimsical, maybe he could with all his money, but not me.

Out of a fear that was consuming me, I called up a guy I'd flirted with a bit. He was very financially stable. I also needed to tell Timothée.

"Hey, can you cover for me, I'm going on a date," I told him.

"A what?" Timothée said, dropping the laundry basket on the floor.

"A date you know where two people like each other," I explained.

"I didn't know you were in a relationship," he said.

"I'm not," I said.

"Oh," he looked very perturbed.

"So can you?"

"What if he needs something important?" He asked.

"You can give it to him," I said simply.

"What if there's an emergency," he challenged.

"I'll come right home. The cafe we are going to is five minutes away," I explained.

"What's his name?" He asked.

"Craig," I said in surprise, I hadn't thought he'd ask.

"Pfft Craig," he scoffed. "Imagine moaning a name like Craig in bed, how embarrassing."

"You're acting a bit juvenile," I said weakly.

"Fine, whatever, have fun with craaaaig," he said sarcastically, and began to pick up the laundry. I left quickly, not wanting to stay around Timothée any longer while he was in that mood.

Craig was boring and self centered. I remembered on my first date with Timothée he'd been sweet, and endearing, and so nervous. He'd jumped about a mile in the air when I placed my hand on his and told him this was going great and he didn't need to worry. He'd given me the softest, most fond grin I'd ever seen and I'd completely melted.

I got home two hours later, to find Timothée sitting in the rocking chair, tapping his foot on the ground. He looked like an angry father who's child had been out past curfew.

"Well the house didn't burn down while you were out with Craaiiig," he drawled.

"I would hope not, you're 26 years old. I would hope you knew how to watch a house for two hours," I rolled my eyes.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Fine," I lied.

"Will you go out again?" He pestered.

"We'll see," I said making myself busy with dinner.

"What does that mean?"

"It means we'll see."

Everything was awkward at dinner, yet we tried painfully hard for it not to be, for Julian. It seemed like he might've been picking it up a little bit, because he looked sad.

I was dreading going to bed. I noticed though, when I climbed in, Timothée had a shirt on. I wondered why. Was he mad at me or trying to do me a favor? I fell asleep easily, without the perfect example of an erotic fantasy beside me. I was awoken by a wail. Julian had run into the room, sobbing. I was about to get up when I heard the calming tones of Timothée.

"Hey, hey, angel it's okay. Let's be a little quieter because Mommy is so tired, and she's asleep."

He carried Julian out and my heart ached. I felt tears welling in my eyes as I thought of his care for Julian and his concern for me. I stuffed my head into my pillow and screamed. Why did I feel this way. I'd been so sure so entirely sure when I'd served him divorce papers. Why did all of this need to be so hard.

"Oh shit, you woke up, I'm sorry," he said when he came back in.

"It's okay," I said, tiredly.

"With everything going on today I forgot to give you something," he said, rifling though a drawer.

"Remember how I used to get you a present every month?" He asked. He had done this. No matter how little work he'd gotten, he always managed to pull the money together to get me a nice gift, and he never touched my savings for it.

"We're not together anymore, and Julian didn't know about that," I said running a hand through my hair.

"Please just humor me. For so many years I didn't step up and do what this family needed. You deserve a billion gifts for all you did. Just take this one."

"Oh all right," I rolled my eyes and out out my hand. He eagerly handed me the package.

I opened it to see the most gorgeous charm bracelet I'd ever seen. Usually I thought they looked cheap, but this one didn't. It had three charms so far. One was a delicate syringe, since I worked as a nurse, the next was a tiny airplane, because I loved travel, and the last was a charm surrounded in what looked like real diamonds that said "Julian".

"How much did this cost?" I said in awe.

"Don't worry about it," he waved a hand. "What's important is if you like it."

"I love it, it's gorgeous," I said.

"Good to know," he beamed.

"Thank you!"

"Oh, you're welcome," he said happily and helped me latch it on my wrist. Where his fingers touched me tingled, and I couldn't help but stare at his concentrated face as he put it on for me. He was confusing me beyond belief.