Chapter Thirteen-Jealousy

Two weeks after our conversation on Kim dating, she went out on a date with her coworker. She called me when she got home from her date. She told me that he was a nice guy and he was a perfect gentleman, but a total bore. She said all he talked about was work and all she did was smile sweetly through the whole date. There was no second night for them.

After her coworker, Kim met a guy at her gym. He was a bit more interesting. He made it to date number two, but all he talked about was his workout regimen.

The next guy turned out to be a pig. He only wanted to get Kim in his bed. She ended the date by flipping him over her body and to the ground.

When the fourth guy came along, I started to consider my own love life. I felt like a hypocrite. I talked Kim into dating while I was sitting at home reading science journals, grading papers, and preparing for my classes. Some nights, I watch Johnny.

I was beginning to feel pathetic and, sometimes lonely. I was getting to the age when a person began to think about his future. I didn't want to grow old alone. I wanted a wife, a couple of kids, a family. So many of my friends from High School, College, and at Reefside High, were married or getting married and some were starting families. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to settle down.

With my mind made up, I decided to date again. I started the old fashioned way. I saw a woman I liked at Hayley's café. She was tall and blonde with gray eyes. I spent a few awkward days building up the courage to ask her out. Hayley and Kim both laughed every time I approach her. She asked me out for dinner and Kim teased me that I was really bad at asking a girl out. I reminded her that I did ask her out. She bit her lip to keep whatever else she wanted to say to herself.

Anyway, my date with Ms. Blonde, Patricia, was absolutely awful. She was self-centered. All she did was talk about herself, her dog, her job, what she was interested in (fashion and makeup), and her home. She talked through our entire date and I couldn't get in a word edgewise. At the end of the night, I kissed her cheek and did not call or answer her calls for a second date.

The next woman, Melissa, I went out with, I met at a convenience store. She was sweet and soft spoken and, during our date, too shy and guarded. It was obvious she had been hurt before and was not ready to date. I told her that, even though I couldn't see us becoming romantic (she agreed), I would like to be her friend.

After Melissa came a Blind Date, Charlotte, a single mother with short black hair and a strong personality. She was pushy and demanding. She told me where she saw our future going and I told her that it was not going to happen. I found out from the coworker who set us up that she had viciously bashed me on her blog.

The next woman I dated, I met through Hayley. Kelly, was a software designer Hayley had met at some convention or another. Kelly and I had three dates before our blossoming relationship fell apart. Our first day, was at a restaurant. We talked and got to know each other a little. For our second date, Kelly took me to some documentary on modern technology and youth. I learned a few and interesting views on the subject. On our third date, it was my turn to choose where we went and I surprised her with a Martial Arts tournament being held inside the gymnasium of Reefside High. She hated violence, any kind. Self-defense to criminal, she didn't even stay for the first match. I tried to explain the benefits to Martial Arts, but she would not listen. She walked away and the only time I saw her was in passing.

I was on my last leg, when I met Helen at the mall food court. She was a brunette and the best out of all of the women. She was shy and sweet, but not like Melissa. Helen wasn't too shy or too sweet. She was an administrative assistant. We went of three great dates, but it was on the fourth date that we ended out romantic relationship.

On our fourth date, Helen and I went to a new restaurant in the city. We were seated at a table, our meals in front of us. Helen even made a joke that I laughed at, but in the middle of the laugh, Kim and her date, Donovan Morris were being seated at a table in my line of sight. This was the first time I ever saw Donovan. I stopped laughing as I saw the 5'6" man that was Kim's coworker. He was blond and muscular. I felt an old feeling bind my chest. Jealousy. I couldn't even remember the last time I was jealous of someone, let alone over a woman.

"Tommy?" Helen asked seeing the look on my face.

"Hm?" I turned my attention back to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said and paid attention to my food.

Helen shifted in her seat. She knew something was off.

I knew something was wrong. Not even twelve feet away my ex. Her back facing me. This was the first time, other than a few spell induced flirts with Skull in High School, this was the first time I had ever seen Kim with another guy. And now that I saw how relaxed she was, I realize that I was not ready to see Kim with another man. Nearly 9 years and Kimberly Ann Hart was still my girl.

It was at that moment that I realized that dating was not a good idea for me, not with Kimberly back in my life.

Helen looked behind her to see who I was staring at.

"Do you know them," she asked.

"Yes, no," I answered in a daze.

"Which is it?"

"I know the woman, not the man."

"Oh, so, who is she?"

"My high school girlfriend."

"And you're still in love with her." It was a statement, not a question.

"What, no," I defended weakly.

"Tommy," Helen said gently touching my hand. "You're still in love with her."

I stared into Helen's sad, blue eyes. She didn't believe me. And there was something about her, something in her face. It was like she was seeing something in me, something I refused to see myself.

"This is going to be our last date, but I want to be your friend," she said. "You're a freat guy and I don't want to NOT know you."

I smiled at her

"Yeah," I agreed weakly.

"You need to reconnect with that woman,: Helen said firmly. "I don't know you story with her, but if that man is not her husband or fiancé, you need to see how your love story ends."

With that we returned to our meals. When we left the restaurant, we ran into Kim and her date.

"Tommy?" Kim asked.

"Hi, Kim," I said nervously.

I turned to Helen.

"Helen, this is Kimberly Hart. Kim this is Helen Childe, she's a friend," I introduced.

"Hello," Helen said politely.

"Nice to meet you," Kim greeted. She turned to her date. "This is Donovan Morris. Donovan, this is Tommy and his date-"

"Friend," Helen corrected.

"Friend, Helen."

"Nice to meet you both," Donovan said in a voice that border on snobbish. I could tell he wasn't happy to see us. "Kim, we need to get going. We promised the sitter we would make this a quick night."

"Sitter?' Helen asked with a raised brow.

"Yes," Kim said. "I have a son."

Helen stared at me. I could tell she was asking if Jonny was mine. I gave her a look I hoped meant no. Relieved when Helen looked at Donovan and I tapped her shoulder twice for no.

"Okay, well, it was nice meeting you," Helen said nervously.

Kim and Donovan said their goodbyes and left.

"Well, that was awkward," Helen joked and I laughed.

After that night, Helen and I remained friends, but never dated again.

Another two weeks passed and I began to notice that Kim and Donovan's relationship was going strong. They were like the perfect couple. There seemed to be no flaws, no flaws until their third month of dating.

Kim had needed a babysitter because she and Donovan were planning on spending the weekend together. I was a little shocked by the news. It felt like they were moving too fast. But I could not say a word against their relationship. I did not want to sound like the crazy ex who didn't want their former girlfriend to see someone else.

I said I would watch Jonny and I realized how much I missed the kid. We spent the first day and night playing games and eating junk food. We stayed up until dawn and passed out on the floor, our videogame still going and our characters dying constantly.

When we woke up, we cleaned my living room and decided to sit and watch some kids' movie. I really didn't pay that much attention to what was on my TV screen, I decided to grade some assignments.

"Tommy," Jonny asked me as he got bored halfway through his movie.

"Yeah," I answered setting my glasses and papers on my lap. I rubbed my eyes.

"I don't like Mr. Donovan," Jonny said with a pout.

"Why not?" I asked.

"He doesn't like me."

"What do you mean, he doesn't like you?"

"He doesn't talk to me when Mommy isn't around. He doesn't play games with me."

"Oh," I said with a frown.

So, Donovan wasn't interested in Jonny. He only wanted Kim.

"If he marries my mom, will he make me go away?"

The question broke my heart.

"I don't think your mom will allow him to do that. She loves you too much."

"Even if they have baby?"

I put my things on my coffee table and hugged Jonny to my side.

"Your mom will always love you," I told him as I ruffled his hair. "No man will come between that and no baby will either."

Jonny nodded and began to watch his movie again. It was nearly over, but I could tell he didn't want to go back and watch the parts that he missed while talking to me.

I placed my glasses back on my face and began grading the assignments again. Ten minutes later and Jonny said something else that made my breath catch and got me to think.

"I wish you were Mommy's boyfriend and not Mr. Donovan."

END OF CH. 13