I don't know where this story came from. It was a little thing that I couldn't get out of my head. I wrote it in hopes that I can work a bit more on the next chapter of Hart of a Kinsella.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hart of Dixie or the characters used within this piece.
Enjoy.
"I don't get why you are doing this Zoe," Wade commented watching his wife. His 2 months shy of a year wife, pack her belongs in multiple suitcases. "You wanted to get married. I never once forced you to walk down the aisle and promise me a lifetime of love, a lifetime of fights, a life together. You did thain on your own, Zoe. So why are you going through with the divorce? We don't need to be divorced for you to live your dream in New York," he said. Talking, he didn't know what else to do. He didn't know how to make her stay, to show her that their love would get them through it.
"Because this isn't just a trip or a temporary job in New York, Wade. I am moving there permanently. I can't ask you to come with me, because I know how anxious the city makes you. This job is not one I can pass over. I don't want to regret not taking this job. This is the opportunity I have wanted since I dreamt of being a doctor. I can't walk away from my dream," she told him sadly, sitting next to him on the bed, taking his hand in both of hers. She loved the man next to her, loved him since she was 4, and he saved her from the snake. Loved him when they drifted apart through school, loved him when he showed up to take her to their senior prom when her boyfriend broke up with her the morning of prom. Loved him when he moved to be with her while she was in college only to pack up and move multiple times after that because of her. Loved him when she said I do. She loves him still. She loves him enough to let him go.
"Getting a divorce is stupid, Zoe," he sighed, bringing their joined hands to his lap. "There has to be a way to make this work." He knew of her dreams since they were little kids. He promised her that he would never stand in the way of her dreams. He would let her go with a very heavy heart.
"And what if you find someone else to build a family with, Wade?" She asked, blinking away the built-up water in her eyes. "We can't work out. I am sorry; for everything, I really am. I would stay, but this is what I have spent years working towards."
"I know it is and I don't want you to turn this down. This is your once in a lifetime opportunity, Zoe. You can't pass it up. You are the only woman, I want to build a family with."
"Regardless, Wade. My life is now in New York, and yours is here. We can't make a marriage or a family work being states apart. Getting a divorce is the only option right now. It sucks it does, but I don't see any other way around it. I hate that I am being selfish with this, but it's the one thing I need to be selfish about."
"It's fine, Zoe. I knew this was a possibility when we got engaged," he told her sadly, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Her dreams of working in New York were dashed once and a man in love does crazy things to cheer up the one he loves wholeheartedly. Marrying her would never be a mistake or a regret in his life. Marrying Zoe was the best thing in his life.
"It's not selfish you want to spread your wings and soar like you're meant to, Zoe. You will be amazing in New York, and if you really want this divorce, I will give it to you. Just know I will be here for you always," he assured. Signing his name would be the hardest thing he would ever do in his adult life.
"I am sorry," she whispered, her eyes falling shut.
Wade said nothing pressing his lips against hers in a soft bittersweet kiss goodbye.
"I didn't think I would see you in these parts again, doc," he smirked, filling a glass with wine, her drink of choice. It may have been five years that she left him with divorce papers, but he never forgot her. "You're looking good, Zoe," he smiled softly.
"Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself," she replied, taking the wine from him. "Plans change; people change," she told him. "Are you free after work?" She questioned.
"Yeah," he told her, digging keys from his front pants pocket. "I don't know where you're staying, but the house remains empty," he said, handing the key over.
"That be great," she smiled holding the key. "You'll be there when you're done here?" She asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"Yeah. Heads up the place might be a bit dusty; I don't stay there, haven't since you left. You'll need to grab food if you need it. I am not sure what's there and what's not," he informed her.
"Okay," she nodded, slipping from the bar stool. "When will you be around?"
"Around 5," he let her know.
That gave a little over four hours to wait for him. She did notice on first glance that he didn't wear a wedding ring, and she knew that could mean very little. She hoped she hadn't missed her chance, hadn't screwed up bad enough to fix things with him. They remained friends when she moved away, things between them were never the same with a divorce between them. It took a bit too long to figure out she had everything, and none of it was what she had in New York.
"It won't take long, if you have to be elsewhere tonight with someone else," she told him walking out, not letting him respond to what she said.
It didn't take long to get what she needed from the store. The longest part was being stopped multiple times and asked the same questions repeatedly. Answers she didn't quite clearly know as of yet. The second she walked into the house she built with Wade, it felt like home, a feeling she hasn't felt since leaving.
Wade left work his mind still wondering what Zoe was doing back and what she wanted with him. The one thing he didn't want to believe was that she found someone else to love. Someone who wasn't him. Seeing her again after five years, her beauty intensified, his love for her came flooding back. He let her walk away once, and he couldn't stop her from going after her dreams. Now that she chased her dreams he wouldn't let her walk out of his life again. He'd fight any guy in her life to have her back. Zoe would always be his; she wouldn't get away from him; it wouldn't happen.
Stepping through the door to the house he refused to enter since the day she walked out to achieve her dreams, memories of them together, happy to sad ones filled his mind. He noticed rather quick the place didn't reek of old dust or built-up mold; it didn't smell stale, but rather a lemon clean scent hiding under the aroma of sweet and tangy barbeque pork. It smelt like home.
"That your dad's recipe?" He questioned, stepping into the kitchen, his boots lined by the door next to her heels, the sight of their shoes electing a smile out of him. "The place looks like home," he commented, leaning across the kitchen counter.
"It is," she smiled, looking at him for a brief second. "Took a bit to clean up," she shrugged. "Dinners about done," she told him.
"If you were implying that I have a family to get back to, I don't. I've been living in Lavon's gate house," he cleared up, taking the basket of bread rolls to the table.
"I heard Lavon became Mayor," she smiled, handing him the baked potatoes. "I didn't know. When talking, we don't mention our dating lives."
"Why are you here, Zoe?" He asked, sitting at the table, once all the food was placed on it.
"Being a doctor in New York that experience was surreal to me, I just realized a little late it is no longer my dream," she told him. "Going there made me a better doctor, a better person. It showed me things I didn't know I could do; it also showed me what I gave up for it, and I don't want to give things up anymore. I want this with you. The family we talked about," she explained, sliding a metal band across the table.
"Where'd you get this?" He questioned, picking it up.
"Found it upstairs," she told him quietly. "I know things won't be the same, as we've both changed, and we need to relearn things about each other. I don't care the trouble or the lengths it takes; I want you back, Wade," she pleaded with him.
"I want that too, Zoe," he told her sadly, looking up from his wedding band. "Ya know I promised myself that I would fight for you, that you are all I need, but looking at this ring, a symbol of our love, the pain it brought it wasn't worth it, and I don't know if I can do that again, Zoe," he told her, shaking his head. He wanted to be with her; he did, but he couldn't take the pain of her leaving him again. It was too much the first time, if she did it again it would crush him.
Without saying a word Zoe got up, disappearing upstairs, leaving Wade to watch her go. He thought about going after her, he thought about getting up and walking out the door. He did neither, he remained seated when Zoe returned papers in her hand.
"Did you ever wonder why our divorce was never finalized?" She questioned, standing next to him, rather than sitting down.
"I didn't question it. Signing my name on the dotted line was bad enough. And when you said nothing about it, I let it go. I am asking now, why was it never finalized?"
"I never signed it," she told him, handing him their once divorce papers. "I couldn't do it. I thought I wanted to divorce you, that it was the only way to achieve my dreams. I was wrong and I am so very sorry, Wade."
Wade sat looking at the documents he signed dumbfounded seeing the empty line Zoe's name should have been on. For the past five years, the divorce he thought happened never did. The woman he loved, heck the woman he still loves, is still his wife. He couldn't process that.
"If you no longer want this marriage, I will sign my name, and we will go our separate ways," she told him, on the verge of tears.
"Don't you dare," he warned, ripping the papers in half and tossing them to the floor. "You will always be my wife," he growled, pulling her down to his lap, his lips enveloping hers. "I loved you then; I love you now, and I will love you forever, Doc Kinsella," he smirked, catching her silky soft lips once more.