'Was this allowed? Or was I, in some way, cheating on my husband?'
Photo: J.V. Aranda Welcome to It’s Complicated, stories on the sometimes frustrating, sometimes confusing, always engrossing subject of modern relationships.
Without him, I was left to manage it all solo — the chapped lips and frozen socks, the mid-week days of no school, and the slow, aching hours. I turned into the kind of mother so burdened by circumstances that I no longer saw magic in their snow angels, or beauty in their faces, pink with cold. I was consumed with one bleak thought: Will this winter ever end?
There was more to the note, about his research on tiny, light-emitting particles, and how deeply he was affected by my 50-year-old husband’s death. He was born in France, grew up in the Midwest. He had my attention. As the date neared, my foreboding escalated into dread. I felt like I’d entered an unforgiving time machine where I was 14 again, a chunky, insecure adolescent, frantically changing outfits, throwing each bad choice — the suggestive top, the all-black suit, the borrowed velvet — onto the bed and calling girlfriends to come over and help me. My brain was on fire, my body gripped by an adrenaline frenzy. He won’t like me; I’ll never have sex again. I tweezed like crazy.
I guess the outfit was okay, because we arranged a second date. We sat on bar stools at the dark, trendy restaurant across town where my husband and I had celebrated my 50th birthday one year before. Over prosecco and red lentil kibbeh, M said he wanted to tell me something. Years ago he’d been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer, he explained, but now he was cancer-free: healthy, athletic and with an excellent prognosis.I sank back into another sort of swivet.
But one thing M said kept coming back to me: “Your kids could have been destroyed by this, but they seem to be doing all right.” It was a very kind thing to say, but it also offered reassurance of another sort. If the kids were all right, maybe I would be too.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Britney Spears' boyfriend hopeful fans will see star back on stage soonSam Asghari has been a huge supporter of the Free Britney campaign and says the singer will 'absolutely' make a return to the stage
Read more »
Sam Asghari Says Britney Spears Will Perform Again Soon, HopefullyBritney Spears fans won't have to wait much longer to see her perform again, at least according to her boyfriend.
Read more »
We think Christine Lampard's high street dress will be in Kate Middleton's wardrobe soonChristine Lampard looked amazing on Wednesday's Lorraine show wearing a gorgeous brown check dress with pearl buttons from L.K.Bennett - Kate Middleton's favourite high street shop.
Read more »
Vice TV Readies ‘Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11’ Documentary for Sept. 8 Bow (EXCLUSIVE)Vice TV will debut “Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11” on Sept. 8, days before the 20th anniversary of 2001 attacks. The Pulse Films documentary features interviews with entertainers including David Cro…
Read more »
Live Updates: Pfizer, Moderna COVID vaccine booster coming soon for U.S.Anticipation of a third COVID-19 shot comes as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread and reports of breakthrough infections up the demand for additional protection against the virus.
Read more »
HBO Max With Ads Will Soon Be Included Free For Some Customers Of AT&T’s Cricket WirelessCricket Wireless plans to include the ad-supported tier of streaming service HBO Max at no extra charge for select customers. Beginning August 20, the $10-a-month offering will be part of Cricket&…
Read more »