Chapter 7 - The Ex-Wife I Had Never Stopped Loving
Months passed.
The scandal faded.
The company stabilized.
The twins grew.
Caleb began smiling.
And Maren and I became something neither of us expected.
Friends.
Not the kind who talked about the past.
The kind who cooked dinner together.
Who argued about which baby needed a nap.
Who laughed when all three boys fell asleep at once.
One evening, Maren and I sat on the porch.
The boys were asleep upstairs.
“You're staring,” she said.
“I am.”
“Why?”
“I've been wondering.”
“About?”
“Whether I ever stopped loving you.”
She looked away.
“Rowan.”
“I know.”
“You're rebuilding your life.”
“So are you.”
“Don't make this harder.”
“I don't want to.”
She was quiet.
Then she said:
“I loved you when you didn't believe me.”
My heart hurt.
“I know.”
“I loved you when you divorced me.”
“I know.”
“I loved you when I watched you get engaged.”
I looked down.
“I know.”
“But love isn't enough.”
“I understand.”
She turned toward me.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
She took a slow breath.
“I need to trust you again.”
“I'll spend the rest of my life earning that.”
She smiled.
“Don't make promises you can't keep.”
“I'll make actions.”
That night, we talked until midnight.
About marriage.
About fear.
About the children.
About everything we had lost.
And everything we might still have.
It didn't happen quickly.
There was no dramatic kiss.
No instant reconciliation.
There was only patience.
Every day, I proved I was different.
I attended doctor's appointments.
I changed diapers.
I canceled meetings.
I listened.
I apologized.
I learned.
And Maren slowly began believing me.
One morning, Caleb took his first step.
Straight toward me.
He fell into my arms.
Maren laughed.
“He waited for you.”
I kissed his hair.
“So did I.”
She looked at me.
May you like
Something changed in her eyes.
Hope.
