The Promise of Change - By Rebecca Heflin Page 0,2
Today marked the six-month anniversary of their divorce.
Becca reached down and took Sarah’s hand, pulling her up. “No. She’s a pharmaceutical rep he met at the hospital. Pretty, if you like that perfect plastic Barbie look.” She gave her a wan smile.
Apparently Adrian was going through women like he did luxury sports cars. Sarah had heard he’d dated several women since their divorce, well, since before their divorce, actually. “It must have been a whirlwind romance . . . kind of like ours,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry to spoil our beach time, but I didn’t want you to find out from someone else.”
“No, it’s okay. I appreciate you telling me.”
They walked along lost in their own thoughts. The cooling breeze that had kept the thunderstorm at bay had died abruptly. With the absence of the breeze, the Atlantic flattened out, waves barely lapping the shore. The only sound was the laughter of the gulls and the occasional squeals from kids playing along the ocean’s edge.
“So she’s pretty. What does she look like?” Sarah couldn’t resist torturing herself.
“Well, she’s tall, statuesque, really, long bimbo-blond hair, blue eyes, ‘chicklet-tooth’ smile. You know the type.”
The exact opposite of her. At five foot four inches, Sarah certainly couldn’t be considered tall, and her petite frame was nowhere near statuesque. Her chestnut hair, which was currently pulled back into a messy ponytail, was thick and wavy. When it wasn’t pulled back, it fell in layers to just past her shoulders. Adrian had always been after her to get it cut in a more sophisticated style.
“What’s her name?”
“Brie something-or-other.”
“He’s marrying someone named for a cheese?” she asked, with a dash of snark.
Becca giggled. “I never thought of it, but now that you mention it . . . . It could have been worse. Her name could have been Muenster.”
They both chuckled.
After a long pause, Becca asked quietly, “Do you still love Adrian?”
“I’m not sure I was so much in love with him, as I was in awe of him.” She shrugged. If she was totally honest with herself, she didn’t miss Adrian. It was sad to say that in the almost three years of their marriage, she’d never developed a genuine connection to him.
Nevertheless, the failure of their marriage was something she was having a difficult time getting over. Failure didn’t sit well with her.
An impetuous act, and look where it got her. She gave herself a mental shake. Kind of like the one yesterday that led to the purchase a car that screamed mid-life crisis.
“Okay then, why does his remarrying bother you so much?”
“It’s just that . . . he’s moved on . . . already found someone else. Am I that easy to forget? And why is it so easy for him to find someone else?” She sighed. “My old romantic notion of soul mates is so foolish. If it weren’t for you and Mark, and Ann and Rob—”
“You forgot Mom and Dad.”
“And Mom and Dad.” She smiled sadly as she thought of her parents, and the recent death of her mother. “I’d completely disregard the concept.”
“First, you are not forgettable. Just because Adrian is selfish and shallow doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. Second, I don’t think he’s looking for a soul mate. Third, how do you expect to find someone, when you won’t even date? Soul mates don’t just drop into your lap you know. You have to date a few duds before you find the right guy. Remember Bob?”
“Oh dear.” Sarah laughed.
“Exactly.”
Becca had dated ‘Bob the Snob’ in high school. Bob was a member of one of Jacksonville’s wealthiest families, and he never let anyone forget it.
“I wish I had a dime for each time he talked about his ski trips to Switzerland, or his family’s vacation house in the Caribbean. What you ever saw in him, no one will ever know.”
“Hey, he was good-looking.” Becca shrugged.
“Thank God you finally came to your senses, and stopped thinking with your hormones.”
“Only because he went to Stanford, two thousand miles away.”
“What’s ol’ Bob up to these days?”
“According to his Facebook page, he’s an accountant.”
“Probably so he can count all his money,” Sarah said with a smirk.
“And he’s bald and fat.”
“No kidding?” Sarah turned to look at her sister. “Now aren’t you glad you didn’t marry him?”
“No doubt.” Becca put her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Never mind my youthful indiscretions, back to you. I think your upcoming trip to England is just what the doctor ordered, uh sorry, no reference to Adrian intended.