Firefighter Tanner Hall is used to running into burning buildings and risking his life to save others. It's just another day of work for the father of two. But when he gets a call from the San Diego zoo about an animal attack, he has no idea what he...
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Seriously, this woman's timing. Does she have a tracker on me or something?
At first, she's quiet, and a small part of me hopes she doesn't recognize me, but the relief is short-lived.
Our eyes meet in the mirror as she glances up, and she smiles. "Sorry about earlier."
What? Was I hearing things? The last thing I expected out of her mouth was an apology, and, yet, here we are.
"Tanner gets so twisted up about things sometimes it's hard not to mess with him. I forget not everyone is used to the banter between us."
"Thank you for saying that, but it's okay." I press my lips into a tight smile, knowing better than to fully let my guard down. "I definitely don't want to interfere in the relationship you guys have."
"You two sure have been spending a lot of time together."
I'm not looking to get into a deep conversation with her in the middle of the hotel bathroom, so I don't respond, but it doesn't deter her. She clicks her tongue, a look of pity washing over her as she weighs whether or not she wants to actually say what's on her mind.
"Can I give you a little bit of advice? From someone who's been there with Tanner?"
I want no part of this advice she's got for me, but she's standing between me and the door and I don't have much choice.
"Sure." I grimace, dabbing water off of my hands with the paper towel.
"Tanner is an amazing guy. He's driven and sweet and the best father in the entire world..." she starts. "But he's complicated. He's stubborn and set in his ways, and he's looking for someone he can fit into this perfect cookie cutter mold of a wife that he's constructed in his mind."
"Gwen, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but..."
"You're young, Zoe. You have your entire life ahead of you and he's got a family. And I'm sure that you're a great person, but our boys deserve a chance to have their parent's back together, don't you think? Are you really going to stand in the way of that?"
My mouth goes dry, and I'm almost too stunned to speak. It's almost like she knows the exact words to say to break me down. This from the woman who abandoned them? From the woman who only comes into her children's lives when it's convenient? It's not like I'm breaking up a home here. They've been divorced for years, and from the way it sounds, it should have happened long before it did.
Still, her words feel like a jagged knife straight to my heart. She's obviously here now, and she's making somewhat of an effort. What if I really am standing in the way of that?
Either way, this is a conversation I should be having with Tanner, not Gwen.
"To be honest, I think your boys deserve two parents who love them more than anything in the entire world, and you and Tanner being together has nothing to do with that."
