This Time...Maybe - Anderson Family Series Book 2

Chapter 36: Meeting and Forgiveness

Ellie cannot remember how she left the house or how many hours she drove, she just found herself in a park inside a village. She decided to stop and park on the side of the road and sat on one of the benches. Kids are playing, and mothers are shouting every now and then for their children to behave. Such a beautiful and lively park. Nate and Ally would love it here.

She sat there quietly, contemplating what to do at the truth that she finally learned. Remembering it, the tears began to well again but she wiped it right away, refusing to let it fall. She smiled bitterly, at last she had known that it wasn't her fault. She now know that Ethan really wanted her, that she is not lacking. At last, she had proven that someone else may like her for who she really is, the insecurities that blossomed when her father left them is now replaced with confidence that Ethan doesn't want to leave her nor replace her in his life. He was just pushed and cornered by his own mother.

She is having a turmoil at the thought of Alessa. She is caught between understanding and anger towards her. She cannot deny the fact that she has been so good to her and her children. But she also cannot refute the fact that it was her doing why they lived their lives the way they had for the past years. The suffering she experienced since Ethan left among other things. Is she a bad person if she can feel rage towards her? Will it be wrong if she hate her at the moment? Will it be considered a sin if she wanted to hurt her as well? At the thought, the tears she so wanted to hold came streaming down her cheeks, the hurt and pain is too much to handle that she started to breath with difficulty.

She willed herself to be calm and thought of the baby she is carrying. Oh, her unborn baby, like a switch that turned off, she stopped crying when she remembered her baby. It will not do her good if she will stress herself out.

She smiled and caressed her flat tummy, the bump still not showing. Her musing was cut when a ball suddenly hit her leg. It wasn't painful, but she was startled that she almost jump from her seat.

A boy of about five came to her and took the ball.

"I am sorry, are you hurt?" A beautiful woman, must be his mother, came hurriedly. She shook her head to answer her question.

"Noah, say sorry to her." The woman told the boy which he hurriedly complied.

"I am sorry." came a small voice.

She smiled at him tenderly before she spoke. "It's okay, I'm not hurt at all."

The boy smiled at her as well and waved goodbye after his mother urged him to go and play again. She thought the woman will leave with the boy, but she found her staring at her intently.

"Can I sit beside you?" came the question and it made her confused, especially when she spoke next.

"You're Ellie, right?"

Dumbfounded because she doesn't know the woman, she asked.

"Do I know you?"

The woman smiled at her before answering.

"No. I think you don't, unless..." The woman smiled before continuing. "But I know you."

Her brows furrowed at her answer and she started to search in her memory if she had met her before with the many weddings and other celebrations she attended. Or if she was once her customer, but she came up empty making her all the more confused. It must have shown in her face because the woman answered her question.

"I'm Faye, Ethan's ex-wife." Her introduction made her feel as if a bomb exploded near her rendering her speechless. She swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking.

"How?"

She smiled at her before answering her query.

"Ethan. He never fails to mention your name even while we are still married and I saw your picture in his wallet that I know he still keeps."