Page 8 of In Every Lifetime
“Why, thank you.”
We lay in companionable silence, one of my folk albums playing softly on the record player in the background.
“I heard you guys talking in the kitchen earlier,” Nate mumbled.
“About me needing to date?” I asked with a raised brow, waiting to see if he would be the next person to convince me to try.
He nodded. “I also heard Jackie talk about finding your person. The person who completes you…” He trailed off, looking back up at the ceiling. “It’s Fai, isn’t it?”
I sighed deeply, keeping my eyes trained on him. “Yeah. It is.”
“Why did you divorce him then?” Nate’s brows furrowed in question, his tone genuinely curious.
It was a topic we hadn't broached, even as our friendship had grown. By the time Nate and I had grown close, Fai and I were already separated, so he hadn't witnessed any of our relationship firsthand.
“Because I loved him,” I confessed.
Nate looked at me, confused, and sat up, crossing his long legs under him. He reached out and helped me up to sitting, acrossfrom him. I planted my bare feet on the floor and wrapped my arms around my legs, resting my chin on my knees.
“I’m going to need you to expand on that,” Nate urged softly.
I laughed softly. "I know it seems like the opposite reason to divorce someone, but I loved him so much that watching what he was doing to himself and the people around him was killing me. The love I had for him was all-consuming. I left because I was drowning in it.”
“Do you still love him?”
I nodded. “I think I always will.”
“Does he still love you?”
I smiled sadly and shook my head, the reminder ofthatday painful to even think about.
“How do you know?”
I was saved by the bell—Scarlett, Nate’s wife, pulling into the driveway with a honk. Nate's entire demeanor lifted at just the sound of it.
“Thank you for helping me, Nate.”
He smiled and stood, pulling me up with him. “Always happy to help. I’ll be back tomorrow to help you move the furniture back.”
I waved him off. “No need. I’m too impatient and am going to do it tonight. Drive safe, okay?”
He waved his goodbye and slipped out the front door, leaving me alone in my freshly painted living room. The quiet settled around me, broken only by the faint hum of the street outside and the soft turning of the record in the background. I looked at the scattered furniture and decor, wondering how I was going to move it all back on my own. A small, tired smile tugged at my lips. I might be overwhelmed, but this was my space now, my new beginning. With a deep breath, I braced myself, ready to tackle the chaos one piece at a time.
