"You're what?" I said, looking at him furiously.
"I'm married," he said.
I looked at him, shocked. "Get out, get out of my house right now,"
"I'm sorry sweetheart, but please can't we talk about this? Please?"
"Just get your clothes on and get the hell out," I said and went out into the living room. I was fuming. Paul and I had been dating for two months and I had no idea that he was married. I was madly in love with this man and until today, I had no idea he could go home and screw someone else.
Paul came out my bedroom. "Please baby, I-"
I went over to the front door and opened it, "Get out."
He left quietly. I slammed the door and locked it. I went over to the couch and bent over, sobbing into my hands. I was 18 years old and it had been probably one of the worst weeks of my life. Over the last week I had lost my job and my boyfriend. I had no money and now no one to cry to because I was out of money. Could I go to my family? No. My parents and I were estranged, never mind why. I had no close friends or siblings I could go to either. I was alone and worrying how I was going to pay for my apartment's rent and how I was going to get along without Paul.
Paul was 55. I mean, yes, I had just graduated high school and he was a Vietnam Vet, so obviously a huge difference. But I was in love with him just the same and I know he loved me. But I refused to even entertain the idea of dating a married man. I may be many things, but a home wrecker is not one of them. I had no intentions of breaking up a marriage.
Over the next several days Paul called me and pleaded with me to see him again, but I refused, and I ignored the phone when it rung. I turned to the bottle and drank myself into oblivion for the next year and a half.
2007
It is now two years since I had broken up with Paul. I was now over Paul and things were starting to look up. I had a great job, I had been sober for the last five months, I had lost a little weight and was now svelte and sexy and I moved into a beautiful apartment complex. I didn't have a boyfriend, but I was enjoying being single. I had even made a couple of close friends from work.
They had just built a new bookstore and I wanted to go check it out. It was one of my days off from work, and so I decided to go on over there. I was always a sucker for romance novels, so I was looking in the romance section. I felt especially good that day. I had on tight blue jeans and a white top that showed off my figure, and the day before I found out I was getting a raise at work.
"Hi Ellie," said a gentle voice to my right.
I looked over and it was Paul.
"Hello," was all I said. I hid the surprise and the happiness that I felt with seeing him again.
"Ellie, it's so good to see you again," I thanked him and he continued. "I know we haven't seen each other in a couple years, but would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?"
I looked at his fingers and noticed they were bare.
"No Ellie, I'm not married anymore. The divorce was final about a year ago. But enough about me, I'm sure that you have a boyfriend now."
I shook my head, "No, I don't, and yes," I continued with a smile "I'd love to have a cup of coffee with you."
He smiled and we walked over to the café area of the bookstore and sat at a table. He gave me a lengthy, but heartfelt apology about lying to me two years ago. It felt so good to be talking with Paul again. It felt so great to see him. To see his smile and hear his laughter.
We talked about what had been going on in our lives the last couple years. I told him how I had been a mess, but how things had been picking up for me, how I finally felt that my life was starting to come together.
"Well, you look great," he said to me.
I giggled, "Thank you."
"Really, you do. You were always a very pretty girl, and you always had a great body, even when you were a little plump, but now, being so slim and svelte, I mean, wow, you just look amazing."
I blushed.
"And it seems to me your whole attitude has changed, you seem happier."
"I am Paul, I'm a lot happier."
"That's good, sweetie."
It was just like being with him two years ago. It seems like we had picked up right where we left off. We decided to leave the café and go for a walk in the park. We took his car and chatted along the way. I looked at him as he drove. He was still so handsome. Of course, it was only a couple of years since I last saw him, so it was inevitable that he was still cute.
He looked over at me, "What is it, Ellie?"
"You're still so cute as a button," I giggled.
He chuckled, "Well thanks, kitten."
He pulled into the park's parking lot and we got out of the car and started to walk along the bike path. I still felt those same butterflies for him. Two years ago he had told me he loved me, and I knew he still did by the way he looked at me. I reached my hand out to hold his, but I backed it away at the last second in shyness. I think he saw me because he reached down and held my hand in his. I smiled. He started to laugh lightly.
"What's funny?" I asked him.
"Remember what we used to do kitten?" he asked me. I shook my head. He slid his hand into the back pocket of my jeans. I blushed and he chuckled, "Now you remember, don't you?"
"Yes, now I do," I paused. "Pauly, an honest question: where do we go from here? I mean, do we just pick up where we left off or do we start fresh?"
"I'd love to just pick up where we left off, but that's up to you."
I nodded, "Yeah, I want that too." I slid my hand around his waist as we walked along. Sometimes I was shy and sometimes I was a little bold, and it was the times that I was bold that always made me the happiest. I giggled, "Want to go to my apartment to screw around?"
"Mmm mmm, yes I do sweetheart. Let's go."
We headed back to the car and I gave him directions on how to get to my apartment. It seemed to take forever to get there, but of course we did. I unlocked the door and, holding his hand, I led him into my bedroom.
Once we were in my room I put my hands on his chest and started to kiss him passionately. Our tongues played with each other, and I could feel his hands smooth themselves up and down my back. Then they came up to his chest to hold mine. My smooth, youthful hands in his slightly wrinkled, aging ones. We talked in between kisses.
"God Ellie, baby, I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too."
"Today in the store, you looked even more beautiful than the very first time I saw you. Are you wet for me?"