The Return of My Ex Wife
The events that led to my divorce years
ago nearly wrecked my entire life. My troubled relationship with my ex wife was
a valid emotional addiction. Getting over her was perhaps the most difficult
struggle I have ever faced. Now years later she has returned out of the blue!
"That woman is like a bad penny!" My mother exclaimed as she sat with my daughter, Claire, over tea and bagels. I was away on business and my 15 year old daughter was left to hold down the fort. We had compromised that she could have some girlfriends over but there were to be no parties. There was a knock at the door and my daughter answered to see a very attractive woman standing on our porch. The way the woman was dressed reminded Claire of a viper.
The woman lowered her shades and gave my daughter a head to toe evaluation. Claire was instantly made to feel inferior by the woman in one single glance. But my daughter was not taken completely by surprise. She had seen this woman before among my old pictures. The woman was her father's ex wife. "I'm sorry but my father isn't home, Ma'am. I can't allow strangers inside but I can leave him a message if you like."
Claire's deliberate emphasis on the words "Ma'am and Strangers" was a counter strike for the snooty glance the woman had given her. She pretended not to know the woman and placed herself in the center of the doorway. Claire's grandfather had once said this woman had broken a thick whiskey bottle over a girl's head and threatened her with the jagged edge. Claire studied a particularly vicious form of martial arts known as Krav Maga. The woman was older, thinner and smaller than my daughter. My daughter was very fitness conscious. She was taut and muscular and boasted of having almost no excess body fat. Within mere seconds of meeting each other it was clear neither approved of the other.
Without a word the woman returned to her beautiful black BMW and drove away. Claire rushed to her phone and called my mother who lived next door. My mother was at the door a few moments later. She inquired if the woman had said anything. She admitted that her silence was a bad sign. From previous experience, this could indicate that she had personal motives for showing up. Claire saw concern in my mother's eyes. The return of my ex wife would most certainly end badly regardless of the scenario. She warned my daughter to steer clear of the woman. She was dangerous in a way few had ever given her credit for. My mother should have noticed that my daughter remained quiet and did not say either way if she would leave the situation alone.
My ex wife worked as a nurse at a local hospital. The prospect of anyone being In the care of this woman made my mother and Claire's grandmother shudder. Unlike me, my ex wife continued to gain infamy after we split. She had remarried twice after our divorce. Her second husband's career as a police officer was destroyed as a result of their marital problems. The third husband had been shot in the back. The husband recovered and the incident was deemed accidental.
When the woman appeared in the hospital parking lot my daughter was there parked beside her BMW. She leaned against the front of our SUV. Today my daughter was not dressed in sweatpants and a flannel shirt. She was in knee high leather heeled boots, tight blue jeans and a cropped halter top. Her auburn hair was no longer in her typical pony tail but draped across her shoulders. I knew the outfit and thought my daughter had gotten rid of it as I had commanded. When my ex wife saw my daughter she stopped in her tracks. She seemed uneasy as she approached. She inquired how my daughter had found where she worked. My daughter ignored her question and stated, "I think we should talk."
Claire stated innocently that she understood if the woman was frightened to get in the SUV. My ex wife boldly accepted the ride. My daughter drove to a well populated Mexican restaurant in the mall. Claire smiled as my ex wife took it upon herself to order warm milk for the child and a tequila shot for herself. Before the discussion began Claire's phone rang and she politely apologized stating the call was important. My ex wife stared at her as Claire cooed and flirted with the voice on the phone. My ex wife's jaw dropped as Claire ended the conversation with her caller. "I'm actually having lunch with your mother at this very moment. I will call you tonight and let you know how it went."
Claire sat the phone down and informed my ex wife she had met her son. She confided that she had repeatedly reminded him they are technically step siblings. But Gage did not seem to mind, he seemed determined to pursue Claire. He had called her every day since they met at a party nearly a week ago. Claire then asked the astonished woman how a mother would feel watching helplessly as her son's life was systematically devoured by a caustic and toxic relationship. "How do you think my grandmother felt watching you destroy her son's life? How would you feel if someone were to put your son through that same hell, knowing there was nothing you could do to stop it?"
Claire sat a $20 on the table and got up. She took her glass of warm milk and gulped it down until it was gone. She pointed at the tequila shot warning that long term alcohol use will add 10 years to her appearance. Claire gave the older woman a saddened final evaluation. She left the woman at the restaurant to find her own way back. My ex wife has not returned since.
My daughter spent the next four weeks of her young life grounded. My mother disagreed with my decision to place Claire under house arrest but understood my reasons. Perhaps my daughter's approach was the only solution to the threat posed to her family. But my concern was the danger in which she had placed herself.
"That woman is like a bad penny!" My mother exclaimed as she sat with my daughter, Claire, over tea and bagels. I was away on business and my 15 year old daughter was left to hold down the fort. We had compromised that she could have some girlfriends over but there were to be no parties. There was a knock at the door and my daughter answered to see a very attractive woman standing on our porch. The way the woman was dressed reminded Claire of a viper.
The woman lowered her shades and gave my daughter a head to toe evaluation. Claire was instantly made to feel inferior by the woman in one single glance. But my daughter was not taken completely by surprise. She had seen this woman before among my old pictures. The woman was her father's ex wife. "I'm sorry but my father isn't home, Ma'am. I can't allow strangers inside but I can leave him a message if you like."
Claire's deliberate emphasis on the words "Ma'am and Strangers" was a counter strike for the snooty glance the woman had given her. She pretended not to know the woman and placed herself in the center of the doorway. Claire's grandfather had once said this woman had broken a thick whiskey bottle over a girl's head and threatened her with the jagged edge. Claire studied a particularly vicious form of martial arts known as Krav Maga. The woman was older, thinner and smaller than my daughter. My daughter was very fitness conscious. She was taut and muscular and boasted of having almost no excess body fat. Within mere seconds of meeting each other it was clear neither approved of the other.
Without a word the woman returned to her beautiful black BMW and drove away. Claire rushed to her phone and called my mother who lived next door. My mother was at the door a few moments later. She inquired if the woman had said anything. She admitted that her silence was a bad sign. From previous experience, this could indicate that she had personal motives for showing up. Claire saw concern in my mother's eyes. The return of my ex wife would most certainly end badly regardless of the scenario. She warned my daughter to steer clear of the woman. She was dangerous in a way few had ever given her credit for. My mother should have noticed that my daughter remained quiet and did not say either way if she would leave the situation alone.
My ex wife worked as a nurse at a local hospital. The prospect of anyone being In the care of this woman made my mother and Claire's grandmother shudder. Unlike me, my ex wife continued to gain infamy after we split. She had remarried twice after our divorce. Her second husband's career as a police officer was destroyed as a result of their marital problems. The third husband had been shot in the back. The husband recovered and the incident was deemed accidental.
When the woman appeared in the hospital parking lot my daughter was there parked beside her BMW. She leaned against the front of our SUV. Today my daughter was not dressed in sweatpants and a flannel shirt. She was in knee high leather heeled boots, tight blue jeans and a cropped halter top. Her auburn hair was no longer in her typical pony tail but draped across her shoulders. I knew the outfit and thought my daughter had gotten rid of it as I had commanded. When my ex wife saw my daughter she stopped in her tracks. She seemed uneasy as she approached. She inquired how my daughter had found where she worked. My daughter ignored her question and stated, "I think we should talk."
Claire stated innocently that she understood if the woman was frightened to get in the SUV. My ex wife boldly accepted the ride. My daughter drove to a well populated Mexican restaurant in the mall. Claire smiled as my ex wife took it upon herself to order warm milk for the child and a tequila shot for herself. Before the discussion began Claire's phone rang and she politely apologized stating the call was important. My ex wife stared at her as Claire cooed and flirted with the voice on the phone. My ex wife's jaw dropped as Claire ended the conversation with her caller. "I'm actually having lunch with your mother at this very moment. I will call you tonight and let you know how it went."
Claire sat the phone down and informed my ex wife she had met her son. She confided that she had repeatedly reminded him they are technically step siblings. But Gage did not seem to mind, he seemed determined to pursue Claire. He had called her every day since they met at a party nearly a week ago. Claire then asked the astonished woman how a mother would feel watching helplessly as her son's life was systematically devoured by a caustic and toxic relationship. "How do you think my grandmother felt watching you destroy her son's life? How would you feel if someone were to put your son through that same hell, knowing there was nothing you could do to stop it?"
Claire sat a $20 on the table and got up. She took her glass of warm milk and gulped it down until it was gone. She pointed at the tequila shot warning that long term alcohol use will add 10 years to her appearance. Claire gave the older woman a saddened final evaluation. She left the woman at the restaurant to find her own way back. My ex wife has not returned since.
My daughter spent the next four weeks of her young life grounded. My mother disagreed with my decision to place Claire under house arrest but understood my reasons. Perhaps my daughter's approach was the only solution to the threat posed to her family. But my concern was the danger in which she had placed herself.
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