*** Author's note: This is an alternative, more optimistic ending to the story. Because my stupid brain wouldn't let me sleep until I wrote it down. ***
For months Sarah spent every spare moment designing, planning and working on her dream house and garden. She had to do as much as possible herself to keep costs down. As she put the kids to bed in their new bedrooms she realised she had never been so happy in her life. It would have been nice to have someone to snuggle up with at the end of a busy day, but she didn't NEED a man.
One rainy autumn evening Sarah had the house to herself and she was busy painting the lounge. A fire crackled cheerfully in her brand new wood burner and the TV was on to provide some background entertainment. She didn't even hear the door buzzer the first time. When it buzzed again (more insistently) she sighed and put her paint brush in a bucket of water. Sarah had already opened the front door before she remembered that it wasn't advisable to do that at night when you weren't expecting visitors. A man stood dripping on her doorstep, holding a single red rose. He lifted his head towards the light and said, "Hi, did you miss me?"
Sarah stared in shock. "Kevin," she gasped. She flung her arms around his wet shoulders. "Of course I missed you, you moron." Then Sarah realised it was quite cold out on the front porch and she was only wearing a tank top and paint-smeared yoga pants. She quickly ushered him inside, where he took off his jacket and sat on the couch in front of the fire.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, still not quite believing it was him. He looked thinner than she remembered. "Wait, how did you even know where to find me?"
Kevin smiled wryly. "In answer to your second question, one of the photos of your house on Facebook had a street sign in the background. It wasn't hard to find." He studied her face and Sarah felt very self-conscious. She had no idea how you were supposed to act around a lover you hadn't seen in years.
"You're still gorgeous, just like I remembered," he said softly.
Sarah felt the colour rise on her cheeks as she remembered how well he had once known every inch of her body. "Thanks," she replied awkwardly. "But why are you here?"
"My wife and I are separated now."
Sarah stared at him, her heart beating faster as she considered the implications of that statement. "So you just assumed I'd be available and decided to drop in?" she asked incredulously. "It's been years!"
He smiled sheepishly. "Well, I hoped you might at least want to see me".
Part of her wanted to kiss him and pick up immediately where they left off. But the heartache she had buried for the past five years suddenly welled to the surface. She turned her head away so he wouldn't see the tears brimming in her eyes. "It really hurt when you gave me up so easily," she informed him.
Kevin took one look at her quivering bottom lip and pulled her onto his lap. Then he just held her as she cried hot tears on his shoulder. "It wasn't easy at all, you know." He stroked her hair soothingly. "The fact was, I'd made a promise to my wife when I married her. Even though I broke that promise I had to at least try to make it up to her."
"I guess I knew that," she admitted when she eventually got her emotions back under control. "What happened, then?"
Kevin sighed. "I don't think she ever fully forgave me. We just drifted apart over time."
"I'm sorry," said Sarah. "That must have been hard for you. I always felt guilty that you had to deal with the consequences while I pretty much got away with it." She moved her head from the wet patch she'd made on his shoulder and felt brave enough to look him in the eye again. "Did you ever find out who sent that email?"
"No," he replied with a frown. "I still have no idea."