Chapter 19
Six months after the divorce was finalized, I ran into David at the grocery store.
It was the first time I had seen him in person since the day he came to Rachel’s house.
He looked older. Tired. The confident, polished man I had married was gone.
He saw me in the cereal aisle and froze.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said, “Julia.”
I nodded. “David.”
He glanced at my cart, then back at my face.
“You look… good,” he said awkwardly.
I didn’t reply.
He shifted his weight.
“How’s Mia?” he asked.
“She’s good,” I said. “Happy.”
David nodded. He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t know how.
Finally, he spoke again.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “For everything. For not protecting you. For not protecting her. I was… weak.”
I looked at him for a long moment.
Part of me wanted to scream at him. Part of me wanted to ask how he could have let his mother destroy our family. But I was too tired for anger anymore.
“I hope you find peace, David,” I said instead. “But Mia and I have already moved on.”
He nodded slowly.
“I know,” he said. “Take care of her.”
“I always have,” I replied.
Then I turned and walked away.
I didn’t look back.
May you like
That chapter of my life was over.
And I had no interest in reopening it.
