@okiewrites​​

It seemed, by all accounts, every self help book written to aide with the aftermaths of divorce all preached the same clause. Though the wording varied it surmounted to a single expression. Love your ex the same way you'd love a stranger, no less nor more - they are your "x" - loved and buried, alive and dead simultaneously, marked with a kiss that is a cross, the seal of history passed and moved on from. This was the part Barabara O’Shea -- formerly Montgomery -- always seemed to take offense to. These supposed love gurus always spoke about the dissolve of relationship as if the significant other was nothing more than a passing fling who made so little impact on your life they could be easily discarded. But that wasn’t their marriage. She remembered when she first decided she was madly in love with her best friend. It wasn’t due to any notable action or utterance on his part. She was barely thirteen years old, they were sitting side by side on her family’s porch swing. Legs swaying in time with each other, knees knocking. Barbara peeked a glance over and thought, I think I love him. She remembered their first date. It was their freshman year of high school when everything was entirely strange and exceptionally uncertain. What they were certain of was their feelings for each other. 

Mickey Montgomery was her soulmate, nothing would ever make this statement untrue. 

Though it seemed they weren’t meant to be. Separating was a mutual decision but that didn't’ lessen the sting of being apart. No longer would she have someone to laugh with over morning coffee and snuggle into at night after a long day. Who would force a smile through a bite of whatever zany recipe she decided to try because they didn’t want to hurt her feelings; though that ziti was far crunchier than necessary. Who would spin her around their tiny kitchen while she belted a truly terrible rendition of Prince. It was only after that Babs realized how much she’d taken these precious recollection for granted. If only she’d known how much she would come to miss those seemingly insignificant nuances she would have cherished them more. Being single was a massive challenge. Barbara had never been alone before. Yet it was made all the harder for the circumstances and the enforced needling by those who felt so fit to be her judge and jury. The I told you so’s and you poor thing’s. Babs didn’t need to be reminded she was warned and she certainly didn’t appreciate being reduced to a sad sack. She’d be alright. 

Never did a piece of wood look so intimidating as the one before her. Ten minutes she spent standing in silence, gaze fixated on the buzzer as if even considering applying pressure would illicit a nefarious retaliation. Every time she lifted her fingers they felt full of sand. It wasn’t just pressing a buzzer, it was unlocking a door into a life relinquished years ago. Exchanging letters was one thing, but having her ex husband standing before her in the flesh wasn’t an occurrence she was equipped to endure. Had she not been promoted to oversea the new branch of her company it was likely they might never have laid eyes on one another again. Written word was safe, hearing said words spoken from lips she used to kiss was certain to stifle her. Barbara could at least admit the time they spent apart enabled her to become more true to myself, to resonate more deeply with her loving soul, to feel her own strength. But she was sure she’d never stop feeling as if a piece of her was absent. “Just do it Babs, it's not going to bite you”

With eyes closed tight, she hastily threw her hand against the button before she could allow any more doubt to stall her. Then there he was, filling the frame and flooding her vision with a sight she’d longed for. A stretch of heavy silence settled between them, either unable to think of the proper greeting it seemed. Finally Barbara was unable to contain her relief. “Mickey” a breathless chuckle escaped her, her head tilting to catalogue every inch of him. “So are you going to keep staring or invite me inside, didn’t Mama Montgomery teach you better than that”