We're halfway to our destination when I see her. She's standing next to a tree in Banks' backyard looking as beautiful as always, as lovely as the day I married her. The sunlight glistening in her hair and I can't help but sigh. I had hoped she wouldn't come, no such luck. I wonder how long she's been here, I don't remember seeing her pull up, so she must've gotten here before me. That means Banksie knew she was here, little bastard lied to me.
I excuse myself from the group and wander toward her, never in a million years thought she'd come. I'm not sure how I feel right now about her being here, we haven't even spoken since the day the divorce was finalized. I hope she doesn't slug me or something, when I met her she was a brown belt in karate now she's a second degree black belt. That would be such a humiliating headline 'Hockey Star Ruffed By Ex-Wife' or 'NHL Ex Sent To Penalty Box For Unsportsmen Like Conduct', followed by something about me being checked by some of the NHL's best enforcers only to be leveled by a women. A 5'5", 130lb, deaf women to top it off. Embarrassing.
Why am I even going over there? Because I'm an idiot, that's why. But I mean, how could I not? She's my high school sweetheart and the mother of my daughter after all. Plus there's still a miniscule piece of me stuck back in Eden Hall, where we were voted 'mostly to stay together' in the yearbook. We even beat out Connie and Guy for that one, Connie and Guy however are still married. Timidly I reach out and touch her arm, tightening my ab muscles incase she wants to punch me in the stomach. Surprisingly she doesn't though.
"Hello Charlie." Kory greets me brightly.
"Hi. What are you doing here?" I feel like such a fool, but I feel sort of comfortable around her. This girl has seen my naked before, and I'm uncomfortable around her now. Maybe I should seek help for that issue. I've never felt this way in her presence before, it's strange.
"I was here ten years ago when that thing was put in the ground, I figured I should be here when it's taken out. I can leave though if you want me to, I mean these are your friends after all."
I start shaking my head.
"No, stay. I'm just surprised you're here, I thought you would've forgotten by now."
"I did, I got a letter from Adam reminding me." Good old Banks, is anything he said to so far today a lie?
"Oh, uh where's Katie?"
"She's at your mother actually, I was in the process of bringing her to my parents, but Casey happened to be out in the front yard. I guess it's a good thing neither of our families have moved over the years."
I can't fight the grin that playing a the corners of my mouth.
"That's really sweet of you, my mom loves her. She misses her every time we leave and head back to Anaheim."
Kory shrugs.
"Kaitlyn love her too, plus I thought you'd like to see her while you're here, since you're not welcome at my parents, you mom's in the next logical place."
"Major Dad is still ticked about the divorce?"
"Yes."
"I stay on my side of the fence then."
"Good idea."
"I know it's been twelve years but that man continues to terrify me." I only part way joke
Kory gives a half smile.
"He has that effect on people."
As we walk to where my friends are standing neither of us say anything else. I guess because we really don't have to, there's nothing for us to say. We can't just sit here and keep chatting like teenagers, we've grown up. Everything has changed since our time as a carefree young couple, not necessarily for the better either. From where we are I can see that Fulton and Portman have already picked up shovels and are using their large muscles to dig out our time capsule. Well when they hoist it out of the hole, the time capsule is actually a 2 foot by 2 foot Rubbermaid tub with a lid on it, but it stood up well to the ten years in the ground.
We let Banks be the first to pull something out since it's his yard, unfortunately the thing he brings out is the object I put in. It's a small black velvet box, the small velvet box the promise ring I bought for Kory came in. If you don't know what a promise ring is, it's a pre-engagement ring, like engaged to be engaged. I remember the day I went to find it, I had to search twenty different stores to track down the right one. Her favorite color's red, I knew I needed to but a garnet or ruby for her. It just wasn't very easy to come across one that jumped out of the glass case and screamed 'I'm perfect for Kory, pick me!'. I did eventually though, it was perfect, a heart shaped ruby on a white gold band. I had to work allot of hours at the skate shop to buy it, for her nevertheless I could afford.
I gave it to her on our two year anniversary, I made her think I'd forgotten the occasion by taking her to McDonalds. The girl was so frowny and depressed the whole time we were driving and ordering, but the look she had when she reached her hand in the Happy Meal bag and pulled out that box rather then whatever plastic toy she was expecting was priceless. She almost melted and I was loving it. Kory launched herself over the table that night and nearly drowned me in kisses. All the hours of hard work and frustrated window shopping was worth it.
I loved her then, where did it all go? I'd give up anything to have it all back. I wish I could hold her again, to hear her laugh again. But things changed, neither or us are the same happy go luck kids we were then. We grew apart without my permission. I don't want to be without her, or maybe I don't want to be without the girl she was then. I thought things like this would be easier to figure out in time, but they're not. I still don't know what I want. When we were married I thought I wanted a divorce, now I have the divorce and seeing something as small as that ring box is tearing out my heart. Time has done nothing.
With a scowl I reach into the box and pull out the next article that had been locked away, a picture or Julie and Portman at the senior prom. Something tells me the story behind that, will be as hurtful for them as mine is to me.
I excuse myself from the group and wander toward her, never in a million years thought she'd come. I'm not sure how I feel right now about her being here, we haven't even spoken since the day the divorce was finalized. I hope she doesn't slug me or something, when I met her she was a brown belt in karate now she's a second degree black belt. That would be such a humiliating headline 'Hockey Star Ruffed By Ex-Wife' or 'NHL Ex Sent To Penalty Box For Unsportsmen Like Conduct', followed by something about me being checked by some of the NHL's best enforcers only to be leveled by a women. A 5'5", 130lb, deaf women to top it off. Embarrassing.
Why am I even going over there? Because I'm an idiot, that's why. But I mean, how could I not? She's my high school sweetheart and the mother of my daughter after all. Plus there's still a miniscule piece of me stuck back in Eden Hall, where we were voted 'mostly to stay together' in the yearbook. We even beat out Connie and Guy for that one, Connie and Guy however are still married. Timidly I reach out and touch her arm, tightening my ab muscles incase she wants to punch me in the stomach. Surprisingly she doesn't though.
"Hello Charlie." Kory greets me brightly.
"Hi. What are you doing here?" I feel like such a fool, but I feel sort of comfortable around her. This girl has seen my naked before, and I'm uncomfortable around her now. Maybe I should seek help for that issue. I've never felt this way in her presence before, it's strange.
"I was here ten years ago when that thing was put in the ground, I figured I should be here when it's taken out. I can leave though if you want me to, I mean these are your friends after all."
I start shaking my head.
"No, stay. I'm just surprised you're here, I thought you would've forgotten by now."
"I did, I got a letter from Adam reminding me." Good old Banks, is anything he said to so far today a lie?
"Oh, uh where's Katie?"
"She's at your mother actually, I was in the process of bringing her to my parents, but Casey happened to be out in the front yard. I guess it's a good thing neither of our families have moved over the years."
I can't fight the grin that playing a the corners of my mouth.
"That's really sweet of you, my mom loves her. She misses her every time we leave and head back to Anaheim."
Kory shrugs.
"Kaitlyn love her too, plus I thought you'd like to see her while you're here, since you're not welcome at my parents, you mom's in the next logical place."
"Major Dad is still ticked about the divorce?"
"Yes."
"I stay on my side of the fence then."
"Good idea."
"I know it's been twelve years but that man continues to terrify me." I only part way joke
Kory gives a half smile.
"He has that effect on people."
As we walk to where my friends are standing neither of us say anything else. I guess because we really don't have to, there's nothing for us to say. We can't just sit here and keep chatting like teenagers, we've grown up. Everything has changed since our time as a carefree young couple, not necessarily for the better either. From where we are I can see that Fulton and Portman have already picked up shovels and are using their large muscles to dig out our time capsule. Well when they hoist it out of the hole, the time capsule is actually a 2 foot by 2 foot Rubbermaid tub with a lid on it, but it stood up well to the ten years in the ground.
We let Banks be the first to pull something out since it's his yard, unfortunately the thing he brings out is the object I put in. It's a small black velvet box, the small velvet box the promise ring I bought for Kory came in. If you don't know what a promise ring is, it's a pre-engagement ring, like engaged to be engaged. I remember the day I went to find it, I had to search twenty different stores to track down the right one. Her favorite color's red, I knew I needed to but a garnet or ruby for her. It just wasn't very easy to come across one that jumped out of the glass case and screamed 'I'm perfect for Kory, pick me!'. I did eventually though, it was perfect, a heart shaped ruby on a white gold band. I had to work allot of hours at the skate shop to buy it, for her nevertheless I could afford.
I gave it to her on our two year anniversary, I made her think I'd forgotten the occasion by taking her to McDonalds. The girl was so frowny and depressed the whole time we were driving and ordering, but the look she had when she reached her hand in the Happy Meal bag and pulled out that box rather then whatever plastic toy she was expecting was priceless. She almost melted and I was loving it. Kory launched herself over the table that night and nearly drowned me in kisses. All the hours of hard work and frustrated window shopping was worth it.
I loved her then, where did it all go? I'd give up anything to have it all back. I wish I could hold her again, to hear her laugh again. But things changed, neither or us are the same happy go luck kids we were then. We grew apart without my permission. I don't want to be without her, or maybe I don't want to be without the girl she was then. I thought things like this would be easier to figure out in time, but they're not. I still don't know what I want. When we were married I thought I wanted a divorce, now I have the divorce and seeing something as small as that ring box is tearing out my heart. Time has done nothing.
With a scowl I reach into the box and pull out the next article that had been locked away, a picture or Julie and Portman at the senior prom. Something tells me the story behind that, will be as hurtful for them as mine is to me.