Ex-Husband's Regret

A new version
Rowan

There is something that happens inside you when you see your ex–wife, the mother of your son, shot and bleeding on the cold cemetery ground. Something I never thought I would feel towards Ava. 1

When I saw the men with guns pointing at us, I didn’t fucking think. I knew Noah was safe with my parents so my instincts took over and I dived for Emma. I would die for her and I was prepared to do just that..

I was relieved when the shooters ran after seeing the police but my relief was short lived when one of the officers shouted for an ambulance. I turned around wondering who was hurt, only I didn’t expect it to be Ava and seeing her hurt almost brought me to my knees.

It was a flurry of events after that. The ambulance arrived and the officer refused to let Ava go until he made sure she was safely in the able arms of the doctor.

I was pissed at his reluctance to let her go, she was my wife, I mean ex–wife but more importantly I was pissed at myself. I should have protected her. If something worse had happened to Ava, how would I have explained it to Noah? How would I justify the fact that I had failed to protect his mother?

So here I was pacing back and forth in the waiting room. So fucking worried because we hadn’t gotten a word since Ava was rushed to the emergency room. No one had come out to inform us of the prognosis.

“Please let her be okay” Kate, her mother whispered.

This is the first time I’ve heard any emotion in her voice when she talked about Ava I guess losing her husband and then almost losing her daughter softened her a bit.

We were all here with the exception of Noah Travis was seated next to Kate who was next to

Emma

I sat down unable to control the anxiety inside me. I needed her to be okay for Noah’s sake. I kept telling myself

I don’t know fo

ow long we were waiting, but when I looked up I saw Ava. She was over at the nurse’s station handing off papers. Her left arm was in a sling as she took her credit card and put it in her bag.

With difficulty, she managed to get out her phone, while still holding her bag. You could see that it wasn’t an easy task by the frown on her face.

+15 BONUS

“Ava” I called as she was about to walk past us. Her eyes still on her phone.

She looked up. I immediately noticed that something about her was different. I couldn’t place my

finger on it but it was there.

“What are you doing here, did someone else get hurt?” she asked. Her voice flat and devoid of any

emotion.

“How are you doing?” her mom asked instead of replying.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m not dead yet”

Her answer took everyone by surprise. Not only because of how she worded, but because of how cold it was.

I decide to cut in. “Where are you going”

“Home” was her only answer.

“Your hand is in a sling, you can’t drive” I reason.

“That’s why I called an Uber”

“Ava we need to talk. It’s about you father” Kate whispers making Ava turn to her mother.

missing. I could see it

at her mother. “I don’t see what that has

didn’t consider

her mother’s throat but Ava doesn’t pay any attention to her. It’s like

leaving nothing

door but then stopped. “Where

house” Travis answered.

like you’ll get that

you” I

earns me a frown from Emma but she’s got to understand. No matter my difference with

still Noah’s mother and she is hurt. Not forgetting that she

need. I’ll use the Uber like

turned and left. We stare at

opportunity to be close to me. So we were

she rejected my offer.

+15 BONUS

she gets home and leaves before we’ve had

every speed limit, we get

we find my parents, Gabe and Ava who was basically ignoring them. It was weird seeing this side of her. Most of the time she

get this over with” she says in irritation as

came to me with a business proposal that he wanted to partner with me. I agreed because

that the company belonged to a criminal gang. Neither James nor I wanted anything illegal to touch our companies. We knew that it would be inevitable if we continued with them so we found

Ava dragged the word, her brows were furrowed as if she was

of today. “Turns out the gang members were among the most wanted, they didn’t take it well that we had ousted them so they went into hiding. We thought that since the police were involved they would keep their

him because he was the one that had approached them even though he didn’t they were involved in illegal business. We thought that

at Emma to find shock and fear

turn to Ava and the same dead and cold look is still

don’t see how any of this has to do with me” her voice is cool as she looks at us. Her eyes piercing us like

“I’m going to take Noah

you’re not taking this seriously” I say through gritted

How much danger she was in. How‘

us planning

I don’t see

+15 BONUS

the same frustration I was feeling. “You were shot today shouldn’t

him. “All it tells me is that I was in the right

goes to speak but Ava

of you, not me. Everyone in this damn city

so what’s the use

if she died?”

us.cold. This was so unlike

turns to look at me. Her eyes are devoid of any

way she looked at me bothered me. I hated that I couldn’t

her eyes

someone whose safety should be your priority then. it’s the woman beside you. She was his perfect little princess, so stop dragging

she pauses then faces the

I’m danger I will deal with it by myself. I’d rather die than accept any of your protection” she finishes in

in surprise. Unable to recognize the woman standing

Ava has just slapped her.Emma springs up and stares her down,

down but not this

like always you want everything