The next day was my last day off work, so I decided to spend it hanging out with my favorite guy in the world…my son. Since it was one of those lovely Florida days, I decided we should go outside. I took my CD player outside to the backyard and played the Beach Boys as loud as I could, without damaging my son’s hearing.
“May I have this dance?” I asked Tristan, as we swayed in the warm sun to ‘California Girl’.
After we danced to that song and several other songs we decided to take a little break.
“Whew…you wore me out, Tris!” I exclaimed, pretending to be exhausted as he just smiled his adorable little baby grin at me. “Here…you want to read a story? Let’s read this one. This is my favorite,” I said, picking up my big book of fairy tale stories that my great-grandmother gave me. I started to read ‘Hansel and Gretel’ to Tristan. After I finished the story, we played a bit. Well, as much playing you can actually do with a baby. Then, our favorite song came on!
I let out a small gasp and looked anxiously at Tristan. “Come on! It’s our favorite song. We have to dance!” I smiled, picking him up and twirling him around in my arms as I spun in the green grass with my long blonde hair blowing in the wind behind me. I sang the words to Tristan while we continued dancing to the song.
“If everybody had an ocean across the USA then everybody'd be surfin' like Californ-i-a. You'd see 'em wearin' their baggies, huarache sandals too, a bushy bushy blond hairdo. Surfin' USA,” I sang the tunes.
All of a sudden I realized Tristan and I weren’t alone. Another voice had combined with mine and was now singing along with us.
Nick walked over and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. I smiled at his sweetness and caring touch that I felt as he placed his arm around my shoulder and continued to sway to the music with Tristan and I.
“So, do you do this often?” Nick asked, giving me a funny look.
“Yes, we do actually! That was our favorite song. Tristan loves to dance and for some odd reason loves to hear me sing,” I said as we sat back down.
“You have a beautiful voice. I can see why he likes to hear you sing,” he smiled, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear for me.
“Thanks,” I replied shyly, looking down at the ground, avoiding looking into Nick’s eyes.
“Well, listen Peyton. I can’t stay long but I wanted to invite you to come to a little cook out that I’m having. It’s going to be my friends Brian Littrell, his girlfriend, Kevin Richardson, his wife, me and you, if you’ll come,” he extended his invitation to me.
“That sounds great! I’d love to come, but um…I have Tristan. Maybe some other time,” I said trying to sound less disappointed than I actually was.
“Oh…well, why don’t you bring him? I mean, you’ll only be there for a couple of hours and we’re just eating, so what do ya say?” he looked at me with pleading, puppy dog eyes.
I sighed, “I suppose we’ll be there. What time? I need directions to your house, too.”
“Come around 6 or 6:30…whichever. Okay, this is how you get to my house from here,” Nick began to give me directions.
“Ok, I got it. I’ll see you tonight then,” I smiled, standing up with him to walk him to his car.
Nick leaned down to give me a “friendly” kiss on the cheek when another voice interrupted us.
“Well, well Peyton. You certainly didn’t waste any time did you?” the male voice said accusingly.
I looked over and saw my soon-to-be ex-husband standing there.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, almost yelling.
“You didn’t waste any time before finding someone new, did you?” Craig accused, staring at Nick who was standing behind me.
“Well, at least I didn’t find someone new while we were still married!” I retorted.
“Who is this?” Craig asked, notioning in the direction of Nick.
“That is none of your business. What do you want?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
“I brought over our divorce papers. I need a signature and then I’m gone from your life forever,” he said, trying to sound dramatic.
“Give me a pen,” I stated sternly, as if signing our divorce papers didn’t bother me at all.
“I don’t have one. You think we could go inside and talk for a minute?” Craig asked, rubbing a hand through his silky jet-black hair that was cut short.
“About??” I questioned.
“I just need to talk to you, please,” he pleaded with me.
I looked over at Nick apologetically who had witnessed this whole scene between Craig and I.
“I’ll come over later. Bye,” I said standing on my tip toes to kiss him lightly on the cheek.
He nodded and silently climbed into his car and drove down my driveway.
I had been holding Tristan the entire time, so I carried him inside with me.
“Thanks Peyton for letting me talk to you,” Craig smiled at me. I really wished he wouldn’t smile at me because it made me have strange feelings of déjà vu from when we were a happily married couple. He was still just as handsome and suave as ever. He stood beside me, his 6’1” figure towering over me.
“Please, have a seat,” I said, trying to be civil.
“Thanks,” he said sitting down on the end of the couch.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked, curious to find out.
“I just wanted to apologize. I’ve thought about you a lot ever since we separated and I know that I ruined a good thing. Probably the best thing in my life, actually. I’m so sorry for all the pain and hurt I’ve caused you. I never meant to hurt you. I love you more than anything else in this world, and I would never intentionally hurt you,” Craig apologized sincerely.
I studied his face and noticed the sparkling glint in his green eyes and the little lines by his eyes that crinkled when he laughed.
“Craig, you did hurt me. You hurt me more than I can say. I don’t know if I can ever trust another man again,” I said, on the verge of tears.
“Aw…come here. Please don’t cry honey,” he comforted me, coming over and cradling me in his arms.
I let the tears flow from my eyes and then I pulled away from him slightly. He lifted his large, gentle hands to my face and wiped away the tears. The next thing I knew, our faces neared and we were lip-locked.
