“That’s what I’m here for. Look, I’ll be there soon, and I promise I’ll make you my chocolate chip cookies.”
When she hangs up, my phone starts ringing again. I immediately ignore the call, sending it to voicemail. Another text and I throw my phone to my passenger seat. I can’t fucking do it. I have nothing to say to him. Actually, I take that back. As soon as I pull into my apartment complex, I reach for my phone, seeing his last text on my screen.
Doctor D:Please pick up, baby. We’re getting a divorce.
A divorce?It sure didn’t seem that way. She said they were planning to have a family. She either hasn’t gotten the memo that there’s a problem in their marriage, or Alex is lying again. My money is on the latter. And even if they truly were getting a divorce, he never told me he was married in the first place. He failed to tell me he had a wife. So, it wouldn’t matter.
Doctor D:I thought if I told you I was getting a divorce, it would scare you off. I didn’t want you to think that I’m not thekind of man to commit. Based on what happened in your past, I was worried you wouldn’t give me a chance.
Now he’s going to use my past as a reason he omitted the truth. He’s such an asshole. The only thing my past has taught me is to not trust people. And what did I do? I trusted everything that came from this man’s mouth. But no longer. I don’t believe any of this bullshit.
Doctor D:Baby, please. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. You’re my special girl.
And yet he loved me so much, he lied to me for over a year. Fourteen months of excuses and canceled plans. Fourteen months of me believing that the honorable doctor was too busy saving lives that he couldn’t spend time with me. Now, I know it’s because he had a wife to get home to. He didn’t want to live with me because he couldn’t. His bed was already being warmed at night.
My phone rings again, and again, I send it to voicemail. Again and again.
Doctor D:Answer your phone, Izabelle. We can’t end things like this. You need to let me explain. Please.
Fine. If he needs closure, here it is.
Me:Don’t ever contact me again. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies. You had fourteen months to explain, but you chose to omit the truth. Thankfully, your wife enlightened me to the man you truly are. I’m done, Alex. Stop calling me.
I send off my text and head into my apartment, going straight to the shower to wash away these horrible feelings. There’s no more ice cream in my freezer to offer me comfort. I turn on the TV because the silence is too blaring. Shayna will be here in a couple of hours, and Viv will be here after she gets off work. I need my two best friends to help me get through this.
There’s suddenly a pounding on my door and the dread sinks in.
“Izabelle, please. You have to let me explain,” Alex calls through the door, pounding harder, and I panic that he’s going to draw attention from my neighbors. I don’t need everyone knowing my business.
“Go away,” I walk over and say through the door.
“Not until you talk to me. I can stay out here all night.”
Funny. He could never stay longer than an hour before; now, suddenly, his schedule is free. It’s amazing how that works. But his wife is busy shopping with her friends now, so he has the time. She’s under the impression that he’s off doing paperwork today.
“I really don’t want to hear anything you have to say. Just leave me alone. You’ve done enough.”
I walk away, but my door opens and in he barges, ignoring my request. In my upset, I must have forgotten to lock it.
“I’m serious. Get out. You lied, Alex. I don’t care whether you’re divorcing her or not. All this time, I thought you were single. I thought you were working at the hospital, when you were probably at home with your wife. And now I know why you didn’t want to live together. You were already living with someone. I’m done listening to the excuses and the lies. I want you to leave and never come back.”
He tries to pull my hands in his, but I shrug away.
“Get the fuck off me. I just watched you kiss your wife. I don’t want those lying hands anywhere near me.”
“Look, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes, babe. But when I tell you that I’m in love with you, that’s the truth. I’m in the process of finding an attorney to file for a divorce. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but work has kept me so busy, I haven’t had time. The reason I didn’t run after you at the restaurant was because I didn’t want her finding out about it in front of her friends. I may not love the woman, but I don’t want to hurt her in such a way.”
I swear, the man spews nothing but bullshit. I thought he was getting a divorce, and now I’m learning that he hasn’t even filed for one. His words were “we’re getting a divorce,” which led me to believe they were already in the process. Not that it even matters, but he’s had fourteen months to prioritize me if he wanted to, but he didn’t. And he’s already hurt her. He’s been cheating on her for over a year.
“Just go. I’m done, Alex. I mean it. I never want to see you again.”
He goes to open his mouth to say something, but then his phone buzzes and he closes it. The man actually has the nerve to check the thing before he tucks it back into his pocket.
“I’m needed in surgery, but this conversation is far from over. I’m going to earn your trust back, babe. One way or another, I’m going to fight for your forgiveness. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, and I’m going to prove that.”
I’d tell him it’s a losing battle, but I really just want him to leave. I can’t even stand the sight of him anymore. Everything I felt, everything I believed about his character has just been ripped to shreds. He’s not the man I thought he was. He’s a liar and a cheater. Because it’s not just me he betrayed; that bitchy woman has also been lied to.
There isn’t an ounce of her that suspected her husband of anything. She was cooing over him like he was the most amazing man, wanting to do nice things for his parents, smiling over the idea of them having a kid together. Why would he tell her he wanted to have kids if he was planning on divorcing her? Because he’s lying to me.
