The Ex-Husband of Alice Langley

13

ALICE LANGLEY
It's been a little over a year since I filed for divorce, and tomorrow is the day it's finalized. The end of a long, drawn-out process. Between Luca, then being pregnant, everything just dragged on. Add in the battle over custody for Luca—it felt like an eternity. Every step forward in the proceedings seemed to come with another setback, more complications, more lawyers, more time. But tomorrow...tomorrow it all ends.

I should feel relieved, right? Free from the weight of it all? But instead, there's this tightness in my chest. And I might sound crazy, but I don't want it to end.

I can't stop thinking about that kiss. The one from that night. The kiss that told me, despite everything, there was still something there. The kiss that said we weren't done.

That kiss has haunted me ever since, keeping me awake at night, swirling in my thoughts every time I think about the divorce. It wasn't just an accident or a fleeting moment of weakness. It felt like a revelation. A reminder of who we used to be, or maybe who we still could be. And now, with everything about to be over, I wonder if we made a mistake.

I wonder if Hunter feels it too.

I take a spoon and swirl the creamer into my cup of decaf, watching as the light brown swirls blend into the coffee. The steam rises lazily, but it's not quite enough to wake me up. I sit down at the kitchen table slowly, easing myself into the chair. Thirty-two weeks and counting. I have no idea how my body is still making room for this baby. My belly feels like it could burst at any moment.

"Good morning, hon," Taylor says softly as she sits down next to me. She sets her mug on the table, her eyes warm with concern. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like a whale that never stops eating," I say, letting out a small, exasperated sigh and rolling my eyes. "I don't know how there's still space for all of this," I add, patting my belly lightly.

Taylor snickers, taking a sip of her own coffee. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I made some homemade cinnamon rolls. They're in the oven. I figured we could start the morning off with something sweet."

The mention of food makes my stomach grumble, even though I swear I've been eating non-stop. "That does sound good," I admit with a smile. "It's not like I can resist at this point."

"You deserve to eat whatever you want right now," Taylor says, giving me a knowing look. "Besides, soon enough you'll have a baby in your arms and you'll miss being able to sit here in peace."

"Peace?" I laugh, glancing at the chaos that's bound to come. "We'll see about that."

She smiles and pats my hand. "Enjoy these quiet moments while you can. They're rare."

"I already have Luca. Peace comes rare as it is," I chuckle, shaking my head.

As if on cue, tiny footsteps echo from the hallway, and Luca appears in front of us, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Hi, Mommy," he says with a small smile.

"Good morning, love." I smile back at him, my heart warming at the sight.

"Hi, Nini!" Luca chirps, turning to Taylor with a wide grin.

Taylor raises an eyebrow and looks at me, confused. "What does that mean?" she asks, amused but clearly curious.

I tilt my head at Luca, trying to make sense of it. "Luca, why are you calling Taylor 'Nini?'"

He gives me an innocent look, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You said Taylor is Nini to baby. Why not me?" he explains, his voice laced with pure logic.

I blink, taken aback for a second before nodding. "That... makes sense," I say with a small laugh, glancing over at Taylor. "Nini is what we call grandma," I explain to her.