He saw her at the bookstore, examining the back of a book. Her eyes moved back and forth quickly, her face scrunching slightly as she tossed it back. It bounced off the rack and fell to the ground. She quickly looked around before slipping down to gently pick it up. With two hands she placed it gently back with the other books.
He smiled fondly.
It had been quite a while since he last saw her. He tried to convince himself that he wasn't trying to avoid her, but that-that might not be true.
She took a few steps to the next section of books.
His heart clenched. His fingers itched to touch the soft skin of her arms, of her neck. To lace his fingers between hers and kiss the back of her hand. But it was too late for that.
She jumped, spinning away from the bookshelf, looking down, holding her arms out as if to shield the small child from the stacks of dirty romance novels.
The small child, a boy, he knew that much, was barely waist high. He had pink hair that stuck off his hair in wild wisps as his dark eyes twinkled up at her. He grabbed the cloth of her shirt and pulled her gently away.
He leaned back in his seat, feeling the tension roll off his shoulders as his chest tightened more.
He put his head in his hand and sighed into his palm. He'd made a lot of mistakes in his life. A lot. But her...
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
He slammed his hand on the table-not too hard to break it, but enough to startle the few people sitting around him. They shot him nervous glances, but went back to their business.
He heard a child's laugh and knew. He glanced back over to the bookstore to see the child again-pink hair bright like his mothers. A smile like his mothers. He held a small back, holding his treasures as he led her out of the store. He was soon scooped up by him.
He stomach churned as the boy let out a cheer and snuggled into the bastard's neck. At first, you'd think the boy was a doting image of his mother, but next to him-
He clenched his fist, frightening a waitress.
That should have been him. His family, his happiness.
But instead he got her. Her life. Her child. Her happiness.
And all that is left for him is his own pride and loneliness.