Ex-Husband's Regret

Her side of the story
Mom collapses in the chair after my admission. The heartbroken look in her eyes was undoing

me. The disappointed look she gave me nearly made me crumble on the spot.
Travis, who had been holding me, lets go as if I had burned him. He backs away from me slowly

until he’s a few feet away.

I know the rest had varying degrees of shock, but they didn’t matter to me right now. Not when

my family was looking at me like they didn’t know me. Like I was a stranger.

“Please tell me you’re playing a sick joke on me,” Mom pleads. “Tell me you didn’t have a child and

kept him hidden from us all these years.”

I want to lie to them just so the heartbroken and disappointed look in their eyes will disappear. I

know that I can no longer do that. There was no hiding from this. There was no more running from

the truth.

“I’m sorry. So sorry,” I cry as I stumble towards her. “I wanted to tell you, but I was so ashamed.”

I go to take her hand, but she flinches and pulls it away.

This is what I’ve been so afraid of. Ava was right. I was the perfect daughter. The one who never

made any mistakes.

The one that thought things through before, except for that one time. Now their image of me is

tarnished. Now they know that I am just like them. Human. The Ace card I had over Ava was gone. 2

I was in the same boat as Ava. I made mistakes that are now hunting me. Sleeping with Calvin

remains the greatest mistak

y life.

“H–How did this happen? When did it happen…did dad now?” Travis asks as he paces, frustration

clear in his steps.

“Dad didn’t know. No one except Calvin and Molly knew.” I look at the ground, unable to face the

look on my mom’s face.

“Start from the beginning and don’t leave a single thing out. I want to know why the hell you’ve

kept my grandson a secret from his family,” Mom growls, her eyes turning fierce.

I didn’t want to rehash the past, but at this point, I don’t think I had any choice. If I didn’t want

them to be even madder than they were right now, then I had to spill it.

1/5

+15 BONUS

“When Rowan married Ava, I was broken I tried not to let it show. Tried to make you, dad, and

Travis believe I was okay because you were all so worried about me. I felt like I was drowning,

my world had exploded, and I’d been left with nothing. When I went back to

tell any of you, but

I did back then when I

with Ava.

didn’t eat, I didn’t sleep, and I didn’t attend classes. In fact,

Molly noticed this. She started pushing, and when I refused

didn’t want you to know how I

tough things

so much

out how far I’d fallen, she would have been ecstatic. It was probably

discovered she had been going through

after that. Molly became my anchor. My grades

cry or think about Rowan every second.” I take a deep

turns out we went to the same

assignment partner.” 2

all, we weren’t friends. I tolerated him because he

remnants of the obsession he had for me

him. We co–existed. He stayed out of

to stop, but now more than

some time. They weren’t perfect, but

night m alled me to let me know that Ava had

love with his son at first sight. Everything

surface.” I try to breathe through the pain

so fucking hard.

was really angry. Angry at myself for

for getting drunk and sleeping with Ava, angry at Ava for getting pregnant and

I loved and angry at the baby for

a sharp intake of air. I don’t need to turn to know

the way I

2/5

*15 BONUS

word would probably get back to Rowan, and that would have hurt him. That’s why I slept with Calvin that night, because I counted on Rowan’s friend telling him. He would have been so hurt, I would have

virginity. I was saving it for Rowan and in

had been foolish of me to sleep with a guy I didn’t even like just to get back at the man I loved. I told Calvin that it was a mistake

been wrong. I hadn’t planned for what was to

the other didn’t exist, that is, until my period was late. A cheap test. and

worst news I’ve ever received. Deep in my heart, I believed that one day Rowan and I would get back together. I didn’t want an unwanted baby to hinder that. I didn’t

of my mistake to always be in my

you get an emergency pill the morning after?” mom

from being a complete mess, everything was new to me. To

h–had s–sex so I didn’t really know that I should have.

really enough to get me pregnant. Looking back, maybe

get one, but like I said,

anyone to know.”

me that during all the years you dated Rowan, you never slept together?

a virgin?” Travis

knew Rowan wasn’t. Before we started dating, which was at seventeen, he’d previously

walked and had a vagina. When I’d told

I was ready. My biggest regret

3/5

not talk about this? It was years

+15 BONUS

still a virgin. Anyway,” 1 paused. “I told Calvin about

I wanted to get rid of it, but he wouldn’t

her voice ringing

do anything, but nod my head. “Calvin threatened to tell you and dad if I went