Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

11. Shooting range

“So how’s your day sweetheart?” I ask Noal

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The phone is between my shoulder and eat I was trying to maximize by talking to him while doing some cleaning. It wasn’t an easy but at least my shoulder was doing so much better now.

“It’s awesome“” he shouts through the phone almost bursting my ent drums “We just had ice cream and now we are going to the slides, they have slides here and they lead straight to the

ocean”

His excited chanter makes me happy. His happines in my happiness The fact that he is safe and enjoying himself was enough for me.

“That’s great baby…see, I told you that you would have lots of fun”

Giving up on cleaning, I take a seat on the couch. It would be better to finish talking to him first.

“What about you mommy, how’s your weekend?”

What could I say? It was boring as hell. My eight year old son was having more fun than I was. I didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to hang out with since I had no friends.

My colleagues used to invite me to things but they stopped after I kept turning them down Deep inside I knew they invited me as a formality, because I was there when they were inviting others. Not because they genuinely want to know me or hang out with me.

“Uh, it’s okay…just doing some cleaning” I murmur

I hear him sigh. “Mom, you need to go out and have fun like I am. Since I’m not there, I don’t want you to stay at home all alone”

Why the hell did I feel so chastised right now?

“I will, I just have to finish my chores first” I lie.

After cleaning I would probably just watch a movie and drown myself in junk food. Or I would just catch up on sleep. Both options didn’t seem that bad.

“Fine…I have to go mommy, Pa is calling for me”

“Okay my love, talk to you at night”

“Bye, and grandma says hi to you”

Noah calls mother grandma and used to call father grandpa. As for Rowan’s parents, he calls them

Pa and Ma

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“That’s good be careful on the slides” I say, completely ignoring the greetings from my supposed

mother.

that. Good thing he’s so excited about

character he got from his father, but not today.

I get back to cleaning but soon I’m finished. Instead of watching a movie like I had planned, I decide to go through the biology essays of my students. So far the ones I’ve marked have done really well! I don’t mean to brag but I am a damn good

subject being the best performed in

almost done when my phone rings. My heartbeat lurches when

part of me afraid that he

Ava…are you

it hadn’t been a mistake like I

“Not particularly, why?”

was told you aren’t at the station’s shooting range. I thought maybe we could drive

together”

things he said were making

I be

is there. They were all advised to train in shooting and to

license just in case they ever

to me but I guess it did make sense. I mean having a gun when dealing with a dangerous gang could come in

no one told me about this but I couldn’t

go fuck themselves for all I

pick you up?” Ethan

better to do. Plus this could be fun.

again.

“Sure”

be there in ten

hangs up and I rush to my bedroom to find something descent to

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in ten minutes like he

officer of the law?” I ask turning to

I felt at ease around him. It was

around another adult for a long

a cop” he answers with a

would turn most

but my dad wasn’t a good man and neither was he a good

firearms I was actually

was untouchable made me want to do the same thing. Make

living in

something

know that his father wasn’t just bad, he was

class. Students who had really abusive parents.

such parents. Abuse was abuse. Whether it was

emotional.

what made you become a teacher?”

myself opening up to him,

surprise.

best and I was neglected as a child. When I was around nine years, I

me, hugged me when I needed