without me.”
“I’ll wait.”
“I’ll only be a sec.” Michael got his clothes and headed toward the bathroom, then pivoted on his heel. He walked toward her and kissed her forehead. “You’re still beautiful in the morning.” He was gone before she could respond.
Desi kept the pancakes warm on the griddle as she sipped on her coffee, then shook her head in amusement. Her husband never could make coffee right. It was always too strong. Desi doubted she would ever drink coffee again without thinking about him. In record time, Michael reappeared nicely dressed and pleasing to her eyes.
They sat. This time, she blessed the food and they dug in. Their eyes spoke volumes whenever they caught the other staring at them. Michael finished first and wiped his mouth. When he reached for her hands, she didn’t snatch them back. “Desi.” Squeezing her fingers, he stared into her eyes. “I heard you crying last night.”
Desi looked away. “And I heard you praying last night,” she said to his shocked expression.
Releasing her hands, Michael leaned back and rubbed his jaw, definitely a sign that he was in thought. “Desi, I love you more now than I did when I first married you.” He held up his hand to keep her from interrupting. “I know I hurt our marriage and you. I can never erase that. If one of us has to have regrets in life, I don’t want it to be you. If you decided to take me back, I don’t want to put you through wondering if you can trust me when I leave your presence.
Patting his chest, Michael seemed to struggle. “It’s me who should have the regrets. And I will have them, knowing I messed up and lost the one woman who loved me unconditionally. That’s my regret to live with. My prayer is for you to be happy and I don’t think you can be with me anymore.”
Michael exhaled. He uttered the sentiment she had been feeling and saying all along. So why did she hurt? She refused to cry, but that didn’t keep her eyes from watering. For a distraction, Desi stood and began to gather their plates. When he offered to help, she was about to beg him off, then thought again. This very well might be their last time together as husband and wife.
CHAPTER ~15~
Hours after Desi’s guest left, Michael’s cologne lingered in her apartment. And that night, she hugged the pillow he used to rest his head. Days later, she received flowers on her job with a message: Because you’re simply beautiful.
Sitting at her desk daydreaming, Desi accepted that they had come a long way over the months. She knew within her heart that Michael had truly repented and that she had truly forgiven him. So where was her peace?
When the bittersweet court date arrived, Desi entered the judge’s imposing courtroom. Attorney Rush was already there, sifting through paperwork. Desi slid into the second row from the front and exhaled. Bowing her head, Desi closed her eyes and prayed, but the words never came. A caress on her shoulder caused her to look up into the brown eyes of the man she had vowed to love forever, which she always would, but from afar.
“Ready?” His eyes were filled with sadness and his voice low.
How could one ever be ready to divorce the husband she loved? It was his unfaithfulness that put them there. Desi had never been inside a courtroom in her life, not even for jury duty.
“Well, I guess I better get behind enemy lines.” Michael gave her a weak smile and went to the other side where he met with his attorney. The woman was young, slightly overweight and wore a wedding ring. Desi sighed. Would she always zoom in on a woman’s right hand?
“All rise,” the bailiff instructed the courtroom as the judge entered.
Attorney Rush advised Desi that her case was number six on the docket. Great, so she had to wait and witness the bickering and heartaches of five other couples before hers. Some lifelong contracts seemed to be dissolved with a snap of the fingers while a few
“I’ll wait.”
“I’ll only be a sec.” Michael got his clothes and headed toward the bathroom, then pivoted on his heel. He walked toward her and kissed her forehead. “You’re still beautiful in the morning.” He was gone before she could respond.
Desi kept the pancakes warm on the griddle as she sipped on her coffee, then shook her head in amusement. Her husband never could make coffee right. It was always too strong. Desi doubted she would ever drink coffee again without thinking about him. In record time, Michael reappeared nicely dressed and pleasing to her eyes.
They sat. This time, she blessed the food and they dug in. Their eyes spoke volumes whenever they caught the other staring at them. Michael finished first and wiped his mouth. When he reached for her hands, she didn’t snatch them back. “Desi.” Squeezing her fingers, he stared into her eyes. “I heard you crying last night.”
Desi looked away. “And I heard you praying last night,” she said to his shocked expression.
Releasing her hands, Michael leaned back and rubbed his jaw, definitely a sign that he was in thought. “Desi, I love you more now than I did when I first married you.” He held up his hand to keep her from interrupting. “I know I hurt our marriage and you. I can never erase that. If one of us has to have regrets in life, I don’t want it to be you. If you decided to take me back, I don’t want to put you through wondering if you can trust me when I leave your presence.
Patting his chest, Michael seemed to struggle. “It’s me who should have the regrets. And I will have them, knowing I messed up and lost the one woman who loved me unconditionally. That’s my regret to live with. My prayer is for you to be happy and I don’t think you can be with me anymore.”
Michael exhaled. He uttered the sentiment she had been feeling and saying all along. So why did she hurt? She refused to cry, but that didn’t keep her eyes from watering. For a distraction, Desi stood and began to gather their plates. When he offered to help, she was about to beg him off, then thought again. This very well might be their last time together as husband and wife.
CHAPTER ~15~
Hours after Desi’s guest left, Michael’s cologne lingered in her apartment. And that night, she hugged the pillow he used to rest his head. Days later, she received flowers on her job with a message: Because you’re simply beautiful.
Sitting at her desk daydreaming, Desi accepted that they had come a long way over the months. She knew within her heart that Michael had truly repented and that she had truly forgiven him. So where was her peace?
When the bittersweet court date arrived, Desi entered the judge’s imposing courtroom. Attorney Rush was already there, sifting through paperwork. Desi slid into the second row from the front and exhaled. Bowing her head, Desi closed her eyes and prayed, but the words never came. A caress on her shoulder caused her to look up into the brown eyes of the man she had vowed to love forever, which she always would, but from afar.
“Ready?” His eyes were filled with sadness and his voice low.
How could one ever be ready to divorce the husband she loved? It was his unfaithfulness that put them there. Desi had never been inside a courtroom in her life, not even for jury duty.
“Well, I guess I better get behind enemy lines.” Michael gave her a weak smile and went to the other side where he met with his attorney. The woman was young, slightly overweight and wore a wedding ring. Desi sighed. Would she always zoom in on a woman’s right hand?
“All rise,” the bailiff instructed the courtroom as the judge entered.
Attorney Rush advised Desi that her case was number six on the docket. Great, so she had to wait and witness the bickering and heartaches of five other couples before hers. Some lifelong contracts seemed to be dissolved with a snap of the fingers while a few
Similar Books
