Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ALEX

Her eyes snap to me, and I swear my soul leaves my body for a second.

"I mean, I'm...just asking! For context! Pain-level identification!" I rush to explain.

She glares.

I press my lips into a thin line.

Without saying another word.

At the red light, I quickly pull up my phone and search for the nearest convenience store. Thankfully, there's one less than five minutes away.

I park the car a little too hard in my rush.

Athena doesn't move. She's hunched over in pain, with sweat still clinging to her temples like she just ran a marathon.

I glance at her, completely useless, then I turn to her and whisper, "Baby, stay here.......ahh....I'll get what you need."

She doesn't fight me on this or the pet name I just called her.

That's how I know it's bad.

I grab my wallet and rush out. But as I step out of the car and head toward the store, a terrifying thought strikes me,

What do I even get?

I freeze on the sidewalk like an idiot, then pull out my phone again and start typing:

[ What do women need when they're in pain from the thing... the monthly thing... bleeding but not dying?]

But autocorrect turns it into [What do women need when they're in pain from the thing monthly bleating not dying]

What?

I growl under my breath and try again, slower this time:

[What do you buy for period cramps?]

A whole list pops up, pads, tampons, chocolate, painkillers, heating pads, herbal tea, dark chocolate again, midol,

I'm a grown man who has done so much, and yet this this is the most stressful mission of my life.

I'm terrified of disappointing Athena or worse, making her angrier.

I push open the glass door to the store, and it chimes.

I'm fucking nervous right now. I saw that pads have different types. What if I get

the ones she hates and it makes her even more mad.

I sigh as I step inside the store.

The cashier is a girl. Maybe nineteen. Possibly fifteen.

She looks up from her phone.

"Hi! Welcome!"

Oh God!

my voice

stand awkwardly in the middle of the entrance, not

you...

But I can't say it. I

deep secret. Is it

Fuck! I'm so clueless.

should have paid more attention to Sloane

the back of my neck. "Let's say...

intense

She blinks again. "What?"

know. Like... woman pain. In the

a very angry

I'm about to

"Ohhh," she says slowly.

"You mean period cramps?"

I wince.

not say

She stares.

Not the CIA Besides, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Periods are very normal. It's actually sweet seeing a man do this."

lean back, a smile tugging

"Are you serious?"

clue

scoff. "You're twelve. I obviously know more

She laughs at that.

21. And I'll help you. Because you do

a glare but she only

how she Is reminds me of Sloane. God I

help me? Like putting together a cute basket? I'll pay for whatever. Just make sure it says,

now. "You want me to add a sticky note that says that,

"Just the basket.

"Got it!"

know what prompts me but I find

"Are you at school?"

the ribbon she's making as fast as

I'm still trying to

do you want to

"Medicine."

rarely conversate with people. Our foundation has so many people we

mum. So

line. They

Maybe one day

meet

incred net

she is an

Van teach you a

doctor and

things.

s