Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

99. Figuring it out

My head was going to blow up and leave pieces of meat scattered all over my living room. I haven’t

had a moment of peace at all.

Thoughts keep running through my head. Never stopping. Never ceasing. It was driving me

insane, for heaven’s sake.

“Okay, now I want you to focus on the key and the insects we are studying,” I tell Mary, one of the students I tutor. “If you want to master the dichotomous key, you have to focus on those two.”

I’d hoped that this would distract me from my thoughts, but I was damn wrong. My head kept

straying every single damn time.

Mary nods her head, giving me the signal that she has understood.

“The first character has large wings and has small or no wings… What do you think the answer is?”

She studies the insects in the book before turning to me. At first, she seems unsure, but finally

she opens her mouth and speaks.

“Only one insect has large wings in this list, so the butterfly will go under that category”

I smile at her, glad that she got it. “Good. So since it’s the only one with large wings, the rest will

fall under the small or no wings. Given that this is like a game of elimination and they’re a lot, we

will subdivide them into categories. So what do you think the next two categories will be

according to the insects we have?”

Her eyes go back to the book. She doesn’t say anything for a while, but she keeps throwing me

glances as if she’s nervous.

“Don’t worry, Mary, just take your time,” I tell her softly.

I believe the key to being a good teacher is having patience. Understanding that not all students

will get it on the first try. There are just some that are a bit slower than others, and that is

absolutely okay.

“I don’t know if I am right,” she begins.

“And that’s okay. If you’re not we’ll find out where you went wrong”

She nods her head. “Long rear legs or short rear legs”

1/4

+15 BONUS

excellent. So which

moment her confidence comes back, and I

legs, the category will end with mosquitoes, while for short rear legs, I’ll

another two parts. Small eyes and

just to make her feel appreciate. After

they have accomplished something.

“Very good”

her smile shining as bright

that, the rest is easy for her. I give her exercises, and she excels in all

her an assignment to

at the door. “You make

“Anytime dear”

to the living room and drop down on the couch like a sack of

still wired and I wanted a distraction, I just couldn’t

Gunner’s house so I was

up with something to do. The issue

along with what Calvin told Rowan.

that niggled in my

room to change. I put on some old clothes then

will tak nind of the thoughts in my

on my knees after getting some seeds from the shed. Today I

and tomatoes.

His voice pulls me away from my

of me. I don’t know for how long I was gardening,

had been so lost that I hadn’t heard him when he

my mind. I’d hoped this would help,”

dirt from my clothes.

2.4

I can help you figure

“I don’t think so

+15 BONUS

always tight–lipped about the mother of his son. I didn’t know anything

divorced? Were they just in a relationship?

me the information I need to piece things together.

It looks like every time I mention her, either he gets really

really angry.

the time, I prefer processing things on my own,” he pauses.

you with this,” he points

while he gets down on his

hand him a pair of gloves,

boys doing?” I

It honestly surprises me how close they’ve

even imagined this scenario in

Noah’s father”

at that. He can’t even bring himself

much? Whatever happened between you

to get over it by now?” I ask him, referring to how he had

back in high school.

been

1. had been for Rowan, his had