Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

6. A new version

Rowan

There is something that happens inside you when you see your ex–wife, the mother of your son, shot and bleeding on the cold cemetery ground. Something I never thought I would feel towards Ava. 1

When I saw the men with guns pointing at us, I didn’t fucking think. I knew Noah was safe with my parents so my instincts took over and I dived for Emma. I would die for her and I was prepared to do just that..

I was relieved when the shooters ran after seeing the police but my relief was short lived when one of the officers shouted for an ambulance. I turned around wondering who was hurt, only I didn’t expect it to be Ava and seeing her hurt almost brought me to my knees.

It was a flurry of events after that. The ambulance arrived and the officer refused to let Ava go until he made sure she was safely in the able arms of the doctor.

I was pissed at his reluctance to let her go, she was my wife, I mean ex–wife but more importantly I was pissed at myself. I should have protected her. If something worse had happened to Ava, how would I have explained it to Noah? How would I justify the fact that I had failed to protect his mother?

So here I was pacing back and forth in the waiting room. So fucking worried because we hadn’t gotten a word since Ava was rushed to the emergency room. No one had come out to inform us of the prognosis.

“Please let her be okay” Kate, her mother whispered.

This is the first time I’ve heard any emotion in her voice when she talked about Ava I guess losing her husband and then almost losing her daughter softened her a bit.

We were all here with the exception of Noah Travis was seated next to Kate who was next to

Emma

I sat down unable to control the anxiety inside me. I needed her to be okay for Noah’s sake. I kept telling myself

I don’t know fo

ow long we were waiting, but when I looked up I saw Ava. She was over at the nurse’s station handing off papers. Her left arm was in a sling as she took her credit card and put it in her bag.

With difficulty, she managed to get out her phone, while still holding her bag. You could see that it wasn’t an easy task by the frown on her face.

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“Ava” I called as she was about to walk past us. Her eyes still on her phone.

She looked up. I immediately noticed that something about her was different. I couldn’t place my

finger on it but it was there.

“What are you doing here, did someone else get hurt?” she asked. Her voice flat and devoid of any

emotion.

“How are you doing?” her mom asked instead of replying.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m not dead yet”

Her answer took everyone by surprise. Not only because of how she worded, but because of how cold it was.

I decide to cut in. “Where are you going”

“Home” was her only answer.

“Your hand is in a sling, you can’t drive” I reason.

“That’s why I called an Uber”

need to talk. It’s about you father”

something missing. I could

mother. “I don’t see what that has to do with me, the

didn’t consider me his

doesn’t pay any

her feelings leaving nothing behind but a cruel

moved towards the door but then stopped. “Where is

mom’s house” Travis answered. His eyes drilling

sighed. “Looks like you’ll get that talk

drive you”

me a frown from Emma but she’s got to understand. No matter

she is hurt. Not forgetting

me down. “No need. I’ll use the Uber like I

and left. We stare at the place

she would jump at any opportunity to be close to

she rejected my offer.

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before we’ve had

into my Cadillac Escalade and drive off. Breaking every speed limit, we get to Kate’s house just in

out. Getting inside the house we find my parents, Gabe and Ava who was basically ignoring them. It was weird seeing this side of her. Most of the time she would try to make small

get this over with” she says in irritation as she takes

to partner with me.

wanted anything illegal to touch our companies. We knew that it would be inevitable if we continued with them so we found a way to terminate the contract, and

brows were furrowed as if

they didn’t take it well that we had ousted them so they went into hiding. We thought that since the police were involved they would

his wife and children. They blamed him because he was the one that had approached them even though he didn’t they were involved in illegal

Gabe and my parents already knew. I look at Emma to find shock

turn to Ava and the same dead and

has to do with me” her voice is cool as she looks at us. Her eyes

up. “I’m going to

not taking this

she know what this meant? How much danger she was in. How‘ things today could’ve

planning her

I don’t see how this

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frustration I was feeling. “You were

me is that

speak but Ava

not me. Everyone in this damn city knows that

use of

if she died?”

us.cold. This was

of any emotion. It’s like she was dead

at me bothered me. I hated that I

her eyes

someone you should worry about, someone whose safety should be your priority then. it’s the woman beside

faces the rest. Staring each

I’m danger I will deal with it by myself. I’d rather

mother gasps and we stare at her in

1. looks like Ava has just slapped

down, trying to intimidate her. In the past

down but not

bitch, just like always you want everything to be about you” she seethes

nothing is ever about me. It’s always you but that’s not what we’re discussing right now. I’ve lived without these people’s protection for as long as I can remember, I don’t know why they’re all of a sudden interested in my safety.