Page 32 of After Him, There Was You
“Do me a favor,” he requested.
“Anything.”
“Come outside in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay, I can do that,” I agreed, walking in the direction of my bathroom.
After saying goodbye, I began brushing my teeth and washing the sleep from my face, doing my best to look alive. In being there for Zane, while being a mother, and maintaining my full-time job, I felt like I had been running on a little less than fumes. However, it was in my heart to be what the people in my life needed me to be, even if it meant me getting little to no sleep night after night.
Gently using my pinky fingers, I attempted to rub away the bags and dark circles under my eyes to no avail. A few minutes passed before I finally accepted that I looked as good as I was going to look and as I processed my truth, my phone vibrated across my bathroom’s granite countertop.
Reading the text message, it was a text from Zane letting me know he was outside. Hurriedly, I untied my hair scarf, straightened up the ponytail my hair was in, and headed out of my room, down the stairs, and out of the door.
When I made it out of the front door, I spotted Zane’s car parked in front of my house. Just as quickly as I smiled at his presence, the joy dissipated, taking notice of the car casually pulling into my driveway, I found myself stopping dead in my tracks.
What in the hell is he doing here?
In his naturally arrogant fashion, Jason jumped out of the car, making brief eye contact with me while a smirk graced his face. Much to my dismay, instead of heading in my direction, he headed in the direction of Zane’s car.
Holding my breath, I was attempting to wish the situation away. Of course, it was to no avail.
Making eye contact with me, Zane nonchalantly got out of his running car to meet the man who couldn’t seem to take a hint. It was like my past and future were walking toward each other, and my feet weren’t moving fast enough to keep it from happening.
“Jason, what are you doing here?” I harshly whispered, aggressively walking across my front yard.
“I have a better question to ask,” he stated, dismissively waving me off. “What are you doing outside of my house, Zane?”
“Jason, this is no longer your house. In case you have a terrible case of amnesia, I was awarded this home in the divorce.” I fussed, stepping in between the two of them facing Jason. “You should be at your home with your wife.”
“Which is exactly what I’m trying to do, Tara,” Jason foolishly declared, reaching for my hand.
Before he had the chance to grab a hold of me, Zane stepped in and pulled me to him.
“It seems like you have the wrong address, Jason. It was good seeing you though,” he stated, pulling me behind him, allowing himself the opportunity to be face to face with Jason.
My ex-husband could try to stand tall all he wanted, but he lacked in stature compared to the man in front of me. From Jason’s physical appearance and the obvious foot of difference in height, to the traits he possessed as a man, or a lack thereof in his case, he failed in comparison to Zane.
Even with Jason doing his best to square his shoulders and stand tall, he still came off as a coward in my eyes.
“I know you’ve wanted my sloppy seconds since high school, but she’ll always be mine.”
The level of audacity he possessed had me seeing red.
“Sloppy seconds!” I aggressively yelled, attempting to step around Zane’s tall frame.
In all the years of knowing Jason, even with his infidelities, I’d never felt so disrespected by him. I had tolerated far too much from him, given him too much of my life, love, and energy for him to be as comfortable as he was in referring to me as his sloppy seconds.
“Did she tell you that we are still sleeping together?” Jason had the nerve to ask with a condescending smile.
“Are you referring to the lapse of judgment she had once in the time since you threw away your family?” Zane asked, deflating his ego. “Because if you are referring to that, she told me about the mistake and her remorse behind it, so there isn’t a need for you to bring it up to me.”
“She wants to be with, me and whether she entertains you or not, I’ll always be her first. If I wanted my family back, then I could have them with little to no effort.”
How I could have ever given my heart, body, and mind to someone as repulsively into himself as Jason was, was beyond comprehensive. To think there was a time after I caught him with Amber, that I would have gladly taken him back had me doubting my own sanity because what did that possibly say about me.
“If that was the case, I wouldn’t be here,” Zane stated, taking a step in Jason’s direction. “You’re right about being her first, and unfortunately for her, it’s something that can’t be changed, but as for me, I’ll be her last, and unfortunately for you, it’s something that can’t be changed.”
“Tara, come in the house so we can talk,” Jason attempted to forcefully order.
