Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

"Abner?"

"Yeah, you haven't come back yet, and I was getting a bit worried."

Shirley rubbed her temples, squinting her eyes to look at her screen. It was indeed Abner calling.

"Sorry, I'm downstairs..."

Her words became slurred as she continued.

Worried, Abner hurried downstairs, searching from their building all the way to the grocery store at the entrance of their neighborhood before he finally exhaled in relief.

Shirley was asleep with her head on the table, surrounded by several bottles of wine and an open box of Teddy Grahams.

His heart softened, and he almost laughed, but still, he bent down to help her up.

"Shirley?"

She seemed to wake up, yet not quite fully, leaning into his embrace as they staggered forward.

She knew it was Abner, the kid she had taken in, and though not sure if it was just her imagination, it seemed like Abner had grown taller.

When he first arrived, he was around 5'10", but now he seemed to have reached 6'.

As they entered the elevator, she stumbled slightly, supported by his embrace.

Shirley, being only 5'5", could only prevent falling by holding onto his hand.

The elevator took them directly to their apartment, where Abner helped her sit on the couch.

reeked of alcohol, and her

covered her with a blanket and, after a moment's thought, took out his phone to look up how to remove

you remove your

the couch

products,

he bent over her, meticulously

he had wiped her face clean with a washcloth did he breathe a sigh of

helped her to her bedroom and, after tucking her into bed, he knelt

her clothes, simply making sure she was under the covers before turning off the room's light. Back in the living room, he looked at the makeup-stained cotton

as he looked at his papers, the image of her long eyelashes while he removed her makeup occasionally crossed his mind.

her father's scolding, but surprisingly, Mark didn't tell on her

The kid was just so

you have good

this kid's

what a waste it would have been if you hadn't take him in. Such

of their sophomore year, Abner had shot up in height, barely noticing until he

so had his overall demeanor,

wasn't much for socializing, which Shirley only realized when she accidentally found a dozen love

cooking

are you dating

take the letters from her

these letters are from

don't know who put

spoke differently with Shirley than he

know, I wouldn't