Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2012
- Location
- Midwest
Mike looked at the divorce papers with what could best be described as a numb feeling. He could still remember the day Betsy had come home and said those words that could have no other meaning.
"I just don't love you any more."
Though she had assured him that there was nobody else, Mike had been around long enough to know that her words were code for "I'm fucking someone else, goodbye."
He had consulted with a good divorce attorney who had guided him well. He'd given Betsy the house, but had gotten his half of the money they had in the place from their savings. He had kept it as simple as possible, knowing the legal fees would have quickly eaten away any money they had.
Too stunned to think about much, he had accepted his parents offer to move back home. His work had offered to allow him to transfer from Boston back to Littleton, Colorado. He was certainly happy to be getting back to the mountains and the friendly people. The East Coast had always felt foreign to him, and he had always missed having the skyline to look to.
He hadn't even bothered with things. He wanted no furniture, nothing that would remind him of Betsy. So, he found himself driving back on I-70 with any possessions he wished to keep in the back of his Prius.
His parents had basically split the house up when he was in high school, letting the kids live downstairs. It would basically be Mike and his sister Alexis in the basement.
The basement was complete with a rec room, big bedrooms, a full bath, and a hot tub on the lower deck, plus a mini-kitchen. His parents had assured him that he would have his privacy entirely, he could even enter from the downstairs door. They knew he was 'healing' and they wanted
His parents traveled fairly frequently, so other than Lexi, it would almost be like living alone.
He actually looked forward to spending time with Lexi. He'd barely spoken with her over the years. She had been wrapped up in friends and boyfriends whenever he'd been home, and the distance had made it hard to get back very often. Last time he'd seen her, she'd been a skinny redhead with braces... and somewhat annoying, come to think of it.
Mike texted his Mom as he got close to Denver. She replied back that she and his Dad were at a barbecue with friends, but the downstairs door was open and Lexi should be home.
He pulled into the driveway with a huge bucket of feelings swirling around. His marriage was a failure, and the last time he'd lived at home regularly had been when he'd been a high school graduate, complete with all of the insecurities and neuroses that came with the territory.
He stopped the car, and took a deep breath before stepping out. Same garden path, same garden gnomes, same everything.
He took the side path and walked down the hill to the basement entrance.
He walked in to a nice welcome home sign on the door and then into the rec room.
There, on the couch, was a bundle of baggy sweats curled up topped with a head of messy cherry-red hair.
"Hey Lexi," he said softly.
"I just don't love you any more."
Though she had assured him that there was nobody else, Mike had been around long enough to know that her words were code for "I'm fucking someone else, goodbye."
He had consulted with a good divorce attorney who had guided him well. He'd given Betsy the house, but had gotten his half of the money they had in the place from their savings. He had kept it as simple as possible, knowing the legal fees would have quickly eaten away any money they had.
Too stunned to think about much, he had accepted his parents offer to move back home. His work had offered to allow him to transfer from Boston back to Littleton, Colorado. He was certainly happy to be getting back to the mountains and the friendly people. The East Coast had always felt foreign to him, and he had always missed having the skyline to look to.
He hadn't even bothered with things. He wanted no furniture, nothing that would remind him of Betsy. So, he found himself driving back on I-70 with any possessions he wished to keep in the back of his Prius.
His parents had basically split the house up when he was in high school, letting the kids live downstairs. It would basically be Mike and his sister Alexis in the basement.
The basement was complete with a rec room, big bedrooms, a full bath, and a hot tub on the lower deck, plus a mini-kitchen. His parents had assured him that he would have his privacy entirely, he could even enter from the downstairs door. They knew he was 'healing' and they wanted
His parents traveled fairly frequently, so other than Lexi, it would almost be like living alone.
He actually looked forward to spending time with Lexi. He'd barely spoken with her over the years. She had been wrapped up in friends and boyfriends whenever he'd been home, and the distance had made it hard to get back very often. Last time he'd seen her, she'd been a skinny redhead with braces... and somewhat annoying, come to think of it.
Mike texted his Mom as he got close to Denver. She replied back that she and his Dad were at a barbecue with friends, but the downstairs door was open and Lexi should be home.
He pulled into the driveway with a huge bucket of feelings swirling around. His marriage was a failure, and the last time he'd lived at home regularly had been when he'd been a high school graduate, complete with all of the insecurities and neuroses that came with the territory.
He stopped the car, and took a deep breath before stepping out. Same garden path, same garden gnomes, same everything.
He took the side path and walked down the hill to the basement entrance.
He walked in to a nice welcome home sign on the door and then into the rec room.
There, on the couch, was a bundle of baggy sweats curled up topped with a head of messy cherry-red hair.
"Hey Lexi," he said softly.
