Page 41 of Kove and Xiah
I sighed. “No, I have one last viewing today. A townhouse in Crescent Pointe then I’m heading home.”
“You should be more excited about that, Xiah.”
“I am but after two bowls of that…” I pointed to the pan of pasta sitting on the stove. “All I want right now is a nap.”
He chuckled. “Your mother set you up.”
“She did.” I narrowed my eyes and she shrugged.
“Self-inflicted,” my mother said, grabbing my bowl, which she took to the sink.
After my father was gone, I turned to my mother. “Golf?”
“What? He loves sports.”
“He loves sports from the sofa when he can yell at the TV and drink beer. Golf is too quiet and requires physical activity.”
My dad was pretty fit but from normal daily activity. He had been an athlete in high school and college, having played baseball, but never considered for professional level. The most active thing he did now was fixing stuff around the house and maintaining the lawn.
“Well, I need less of him yelling at the TV while I’m doing my yoga, meditation, and book of the month reading. He’s disrupting my Zen. I’ll keep trying things until he finds one thatsticks. All I need is him out of the house a couple times a week so I can have my alone time.”
“Does he know that?”
“Yes, he does, and he loves me enough to play along. Marriage is compromise. Speaking of, how are things going with that?”
“They’re not. He’s still hiding and I don’t know what else to do. He doesn’t want to be married so I don’t understand why he won’t just sign the divorce papers.”
“Because he’s a selfish dick.” My mother’s tone was harsh which brought a smile to my face.
“He is definitely a selfish dick,” I repeated with a frown.
“I just don’t know how we all missed it. That man had us all fooled.”
My stomach tensed with the reminders of my happily ever after that never happened. “Yeah…”
My mother’s eyes were on me and her expression softened as she walked toward me, placing a hand on my face. “Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to ruin your mood. I just truly hate this so much. I want you to be able to move on with your life and find a man who truly appreciates and loves you the way you deserve. And I hope you know that you do deserve to be loved and appreciated.”
I smiled and nodded, covering her hand with mine. “I know but I think maybe I missed my chance. I wanted what you and Dad have.”
My parents dated in high school. They separated, going to different colleges, but always kept in touch. Senior year for both, they crossed paths coming home for the holidays and realized they still had feelings for each other and began dating again.
Once they graduated, they married, had me, and the rest as history. Thirty-four years of marriage. It wasn’t perfect, they had their rough patches but they loved each other enough to workthrough them. I had seen and experienced what true love looked like and hoped my marriage with Kaden would have been just as fruitful.
The problem was, he never loved me the way my father loved my mother. Kadenlovedthe idea of having a beautiful woman on his arm that adoredhimwhile he did whatever the hell he wanted to do. It took me so long to realize I was happily married to him while he was posing with me.
“You’re going to be cherished by a man who sees how beautiful you are inside and out, Xiah. I believe that this experience, no matter how devastating, was to prepare you for all the good things owed to you. They’re coming. I need you to trust that.”
I nodded and swiped a tear. I was emotional because failing at marriage made me feel like I failed myself, my parents, and everyone who invested in us. It hurt but I also knew I had done my part; so this wasn’t on me.
“I know. It just really sucks that I have to suffer to soar.”
She kissed my cheek. “It does, but as long as you know you’re going to soar, then that’s all that matters.”
“I have to go.” I lifted from my seat and brushed my hands down the front of my pants.
“Are you okay?”
I forced a smile. “I am.”
