“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I couldn’t possibly take the chance that you’d hurt me like that again. You really don’t know how deeply hurt I was.”
“You seem to have recovered,” he said.
“That’s what you wanted,” she said. “After only two months, before we were officially divorced, you said you thought I’d be over it by then.” She sighed. “That was the biggest shock. I was surprised by the lying and the cheating, but that happens to a lot of people. It’s a surprise, but not a cold, heart-stopping shock. It was your cruelty.” She shook her head. “The man I married was imperfect, as I am, but you were never cruel. You walked away from me as if it was your right. As if it didn’t matter what happened to the rest of us as long as you were happy. And you weren’t kind.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m too late. That Logan guy...”
“Logan is a very special man, but the reason I won’t consider taking you back is you, Scott. Your selfishness and meanness. And you found yourself a woman twice as selfish and cruel.”
He nodded. “Well, you’re strong. You’ve always been strong.”
“I am strong. I’m glad I’m strong. But my strength doesn’t mean you or anyone has the right to treat me with such terrible, heartless malice. Let’s call it done.”
“Well, I had hoped we’d at least be friends...”
She laughed. “Do you even know what a friend is? A friend is someone you can depend on, someone who has your back, someone you share your confidences with, your fears and dreams. A friend is there for you and doesn’t betray you. A friend stays in balance with the give-and-take of life, doesn’t just take and then take more and then more.”
“You have absolutely no love for me, is that it? After all those years and two beautiful kids.”
“It’s not the kind of love that would allow me to be a fool, Scott.”
He was quiet for a long moment. “What are your plans for Christmas?” he asked.
“A quiet Christmas for us. Jake and Addie will be cooking for Christmas Eve. Christmas will be a quiet day with the girls. And you?”
“I suppose I’ll check in with the folks...”
“You should do that,” she said. “And thank you for bringing the girls gifts.”
“There’s one for you, too,” he said.
“I wish you hadn’t. I’ll give it back to you unopened. I hope you and the girls can work out a relationship, but you and I?” She shook her head. “We are now something that might have been and didn’t make it.”
* * *
Christmas morning began what Justine had come to think of as a new normal. She put on a comfortable, fleecy sweat suit and got about the business of making brunch. Addie had stayed the night at Jake’s, something that Justine imagined would become routine, but they were planning to come over for brunch and gifts. The bacon had been cooked, the sausage was frying on the stove, potatoes were ready to go, a large fruit salad was prepared and in the refrigerator. The coffee was brewed, and while Justine had a cup, she tried not to think of all the lovely Christmases they’d had as a family, nostalgic holidays that seemed more perfect in retrospect than they probably were.
Amber was the first to wander into the living room where the fire blazed in the old fireplace. Next came Livvie, who walked into her mother’s arms.
And then there was a knock at the front door. “Why would Addie knock at her own front door?” Justine mused, heading that way.
“It might be Daddy,” Livvie said. “I invited him.”
“Oh Livvie, you should have checked with me!”
“It’ll be all right, Mom. He brought our presents yesterday. We have presents for him. I told him not to stay too long, and I told him no girlfriends were invited. I think there are things we should be openminded about. If he acts like a fool, he won’t be invited back.”
“Still...”
“You don’t want us to go to his house, do you? Let’s