My Son's Ex-Wife: The Aftermath

by Shelia E. Lipsey

  “Same ole, same ole. Working, that’s all. How about you?” A smile played at the corner’s of her mouth. “What’s going on in your neck of the woods?”

  “Same as you, work. Trying to keep my head above water. I call it recession proofing.” Rena could hear Carolyn’s signature giggling over the phone.

  “You are too crazy for words. Any special plans for the weekend?”

  “Me and my boyfriend are going to brave through the fierce snow and go winter hiking up at Harold Parker State Forest. You and Robert are welcome to come along if you don’t have any plans made yet.”

  “Nope, don’t think so. Robert’s weekends are specifically set aside for his kids. I don’t think taking them hiking will exactly be the kind of thing he’d want to do with small kids, if you know what I mean,” replied Rena while she laughed.

  “How are the two of you doing anyway?” asked Carolyn.

  “There is no two of us, Carolyn. I’ve told you before that Robert and I are friends. That’s it. We’re really good friends, and nothing more.” Rena pushed back the covers on her bed, raised her legs and hugged her arms around them.

  “Sure. You can’t tell me that Robert doesn’t want more. He’s just taking his time because he knows the two of you have had torrid pasts. But it’s time to move on, girl. It’s not like you’re planning on ever going back to Memphis or that bum who mistreated you there.”

  Rena was quiet. She recalled her earlier conversation, but she wouldn’t dare tell Carolyn that she’d talked to Stiles. Carolyn was a good friend, always had been, but not exactly the kind of friend to tell something that was not meant to be spread around in a gossip group. Carolyn had a good heart and great intentions, but Rena knew how far to entrust her.

  “I’m not going to hold you on this phone. I just wanted to say, hi. If you change your mind about this weekend, give me a holla,” said Carolyn.

  “I will, but I know we won’t be joining you two this time. Maybe some other time, but thanks for the invitation. Talk to you later, Carolyn.”

  Rena unfolded her legs and crawled underneath the soothing warm, butter cream sheet and comforter. She turned over on her left side, picked up the copy of Girl, Naw, and resumed reading until her eyes began to droop. She bookmarked her page, prayed silently to God, then turned off her night lamp. Sleep met her and gave way to dreams of her and Stiles reuniting.

  Early Wednesday morning, on her way to work, Rena stopped to get two dozen of fresh donuts from the bakery. Every so often, one of the staff brought donuts, pastries, or cakes and placed them in the teacherslounge.

  She parked in her usual space that was reserved for staff only, grabbed hold of her usual pile of what she called, stuff, along with the donuts. She trailed through the remains of snow that the snow plows missed, until she reached the entrance of the school, where a burst of warmth immediately welcomed her inside.

  Rena went in the direction of the teachers’ lounge, deposited the donuts and received thanks from some of the teachers already huddled inside and chatting. She didn’t linger long, just long enough to fill her decanter with some fresh coffee, grab a donut, and then she was off to the library.

  When she passed by Robert’s class, Rena noticed that it was empty, and the lights hadn’t been turned on in his classroom either. That was definitely unusual for Robert. Rena stopped momentarily, and then recalled that she hadn’t seen his car outside. Oh well, guess he’s running late or maybe one of the kids made a last minute boo-boo. She smiled at the thought and continued her trek until she made it to her world of books. She would check on Robert’s whereabouts later.

  Most of Rena’s morning was spent checking in books, ushering classes in and out of the library, updating her computerized database, and delegating duties to the library assistant whom Rena determined was needed full time and not temporary. By twelve thirty, Rena stopped long enough to sit down at her desk and eat her packed tuna salad sandwich on sour dough bread, which is when her mind was quiet enough to notice that she hadn’t heard from Robert. If he had been late, he still would have called or texted her by now. She searched through her oversize bag until she found her iPhone. No messages, except one from her mother. She listened to her telling her to be careful and to have a great day. Rena smiled. No other calls.

  Rena dialed Robert’s cell phone. His phone went directly to voice mail. She found her assistant and told her that she would be back shortly. Rena went downstairs until she reached Robert’s classroom. No Robert. There was a woman teaching his class. She turned around and went back to the library and called Robert again. Still no answer. She didn’t know why she was becoming so jittery. It wasn’t like Robert had never missed a day of work before. Maybe Isabelle or Robbie had come down with something and he had to stay home with one or both of them. She finished off her sandwich with a bottle of water, then went back to work. The rest of the afternoon passed by like a breeze. She was out the door and heading for home by three o’clock. Her iPhone rang. She talked through her Bluetooth.

  “Robert, am I glad to hear from you. What happened to you today?” asked Rena. Her eyebrows raised, and she waited on his response.

  “I had an issue starting last night after I talked to you.” He sounded tired and agitated.

  “What happened? Are the kids all right?” Rena was concerned when she heard Robert’s tone.

  “Yeah, they’re fine. It just so happens that their long lost mother decided to show up on my doorstep at ten o’clock last night, demanding to see her children. Can you believe that? I am so freaking mad I don’t know what to do.” The anger was certain in Robert’s voice, and it worried Rena because Robert was a mellow, even tempered man. It took a lot to make him go off, and even then, he would do it in such a manner that sounded more like a boring lecture than anything.

  “My goodness, Robert, what did you do?”

  “First, when she came banging on the door and ringing the doorbell like her finger was glued to it, I didn’t know who in the world it could be. And at that time of night too. It woke up both Robbie and Isabelle, and I had just gotten Robbie settled down for the night. You know how much of a fuss he makes about bedtime,” Robert explained.

  “Yeah, I know. Look, before you go any further, I’m on my way over there. She isn’t there, is she?” questioned Rena.

  “No, that’s another story in and of itself. She didn’t leave until two o’clock this afternoon, and I had to practically threaten to call law enforcement on her to get her to leave then.” The frustration mounted in his voice. “Just come over here. I could use a friend right about now,” he told Rena.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Do you want me to bring you or the kids something to eat, drink, anything?”

  “Yes, that sounds great. Just pick up something for them; Mickey D’s will be fine. I’ll reimburse you when you get here. I just haven’t regrouped yet from all that’s happened, Rena.”

  “I’ll stop, get the kids something, and you just try to relax as best you can until I get there,” she told him.

  Rena changed driving directions and sped to the closest McDonald’s to get the kids some food, and then off to Robert’s she drove. She already felt sorry for what Robert and the kids must have gone through last night and most of the day. Karen hadn’t been seen or heard from for about as long as she and Stiles had been divorced, and Robert’s kids barely knew her. It was only through pictures and the positive things Robert told them about their mother that the children knew of her existence. Last night must have been an ordeal for all three of them. Robert was such a good father, a wonderful man that any woman would be proud to call husband.

  Why don’t you see him like that? Rena looked over her shoulder quickly. The voice sounded like someone was inside the car with her, which she knew was impossible, but she had to be sure. She didn’t know the answer to the question her spirit had posed. Why didn’t she want more out of their relationship? Why did Stiles’s voice last night give her a slight glimmer of lost hope, bu
t hope nonetheless. Was she mad, crazy, or what?

  Then there was Robert. A decent, loving, handsome, and perfect man who loved God and did the best by every one whose path he crossed. And even though Karen had popped up at his house unannounced, Rena knew that there was no way that Robert mistreated her or was harsh to her. He was just that kind of man.

  Rena arrived at Robert’s house. In a flash of a second, Robert opened the door. He kissed Rena on the cheek, then took the bags and sodas out of her hand. “Thanks for coming over, Rena. You know your way around here.”

  “Hello, Auntie Rena,” both Isabelle and Robbie said.

  “Hello, you guys. Something tells me that you two didn’t go to school today,” Rena said in a teasing tone and reached out to tickle Robbie’s tummy. Both of the children were still in their pajamas.

  “Mommy came over last night,” said Isabelle. “Robbie was scared of her.”

  “Nooo, no Mommy,” Robbie began to whine.

  “Okay, come on you two. Auntie Rena brought you happy meals. How does that sound?” he said and tried to put on a face of laughter, but Rena detected that it was hard for Robert to do.

  “Yay,” said Isabelle as Robbie tried to copy her every word. He was at the age of doing whatever he saw the next child do, especially his older sister. The kids ran to the kitchen and Rena followed behind them. She helped Robert with getting them seated and quiet long enough to say grace and begin to eat.

  “There’s a sandwich and fries in there for you and me,” she told him.

  “I saw them, and thanks, but I don’t want anything to eat,” Robert told her.

  “You are going to eat,” she insisted. “Come on, we can go in the family room where we can still see the kids in the kitchen. We can talk there,” she told him. She walked over to the fridge and grabbed two ginger ales. Robert always kept at least a case of in the house. She put in some ice cubes and poured the fizzling ale in cups, and then went into the family room with Robert in tow.

  Robert didn’t fight against her instructions. He did as he was told and the two of them sat Indian style on the floor of the family room.

  “Now, tell me what happened, and are the children all right? I mean, from the sounds of things, they don’t appear traumatized or anything like that,” remarked Rena, and then she took a bite of the regular size cheeseburger.

  “No, they’ve calmed down now. But when she first came last night, it was simply awful. I didn’t know how to react, what to say. I had no idea if she planned on trying to stay here; I didn’t know anything. The children woke up, and Robbie began to cry frantically. Karen reached for him, and he went totally out of control, which made Isabelle cry. She didn’t know this woman from some stranger on the street. At that time of night, she didn’t remember that Karen was the woman I talked about on the pictures I showed them. “

  “What did she say she wanted, Robert?”

  “She looked totally spaced out, first of all. She kept babbling incoherently about her children. She needed her children. She wanted her children. She kept saying that over and over again. She pulled at her hair, her clothes were smelly, and she was, she was, I don’t know what to call it, Rena. Between trying to get the kids settled down enough to explain to them who she was, and with her becoming more and more impatient because they didn’t want to go near her, it was well past one in the morning before things settled down a bit. I offered Karen something to eat, some leftovers I had in the fridge; thank God for that. She wolfed that food down like she hadn’t eaten in ages. I talked to her as calmly as possible so she could get a little more relaxed, and then once she finished eating, I suggested that she take a shower and comb her hair, that way the children would calm down. I explained that they were frightened to see her in the condition she was in. She listened to me and so I was able to convince her to take a bath. I found one of her old pair of pants in some of the things I had boxed up to take to Goodwill, and I gave her one of my shirts to put on.

  “Oh, Robert, this all sounds so terrible.” Rena rubbed his hand gingerly.

  “While she was bathing, Robbie couldn’t fight sleep any longer. He fell asleep in my arms while Isabelle cuddled underneath my other arm, like a frightened kitten. I put Robbie to bed, and then I talked to Isabelle. I told her that Karen was her mother, the lady I showed her and Robbie in the pictures. But Isabelle kept saying that she didn’t look anything like the lady in the pictures and that Karen wasn’t her mother. Isabelle cried so hard, Rena, and I didn’t know what to say or do.”

  Robert began to shed tears and Rena reached over and hugged him. She could feel him relaxing in her arms, and she rocked him back and forth.

  “Daddy, I’m finished with my Happy Meal.” Isabelle came bursting into the family room, interrupting Robert’s meltdown. Isabelle’s smile was big and showed off several gaps where she had shed her teeth. Like clockwork, Robbie came toddling into the family room with ketchup all over his face and hands.

  Robert began to stand up.

  Rena stopped him. “No, you stay parked right where you are and finish eating. I’ve got this. I’ll take care of the kids.” Rena led Isabelle and Robbie to the bathroom and helped them wash their hands and faces.

  “Mommy,” Robbie said and reached up for Rena to hold him.

  “She’s not Mommy,” Isabelle tried to explain to him, but Robbie insisted.

  “Mommy,” he said again until Rena picked him up.

  “Don’t worry, Isabelle. It’s okay. He’s just confused. It’s been a long night and day for both of you.” Rena pushed the locks of fallen hair out of Isabelle’s face, and Isabelle held on to Rena’s leg. Rena refused to let the tears spring forth from her misty eyes. Robbie laid his head on her shoulders and held on to her like he was afraid she would let him go.

  “Isabelle, come on, sweetie. Why don’t I read you a story? Won’t that be fun?” asked Rena.

  “Yes,” said Isabelle. Robbie still lay quietly on her shoulder. She led Isabelle into her room, and Isabelle picked out a book she wanted Rena to read to her. Rena carefully pulled Robbie away from her, but each time she tried to lay him down, Robbie clung to her that much harder until Rena gave in to his hold on her. She read the story to Isabelle until the little girl’s eyes could no longer remain open. Robbie was in deep slumber so that Rena could at last lay him down in his twin bed without him pulling against her. She sat on his bed for several minutes and watched both children as they slept. She started to think of how much she longed to be a mother one day, with little ones like Isabelle and Robbie vying for her love and affection. Herpes wouldn’t make it impossible for her to have children, but it sure would make it almost impossible to get a mate who would accept her once she had to tell him about her STD. Rena bowed her head and stifled her tears. She thought of Stiles’s phone call, and his voice; his words still attracted her like a magnet to him.

  “God, I thought he was the one,” Rena spoke softly. “I wanted to be a good wife to him, to have his babies, and to love him for the rest of my life, Lord.” Rena stopped her conversation with God and stood up. She smiled somberly and gazed at the children a final time before she walked out of their bedroom and closed the door.

  When she went back to where Robert was, she found him lying on his side asleep on the sofa. She noticed a coral blue blanket lying on the back of the chair. She picked it up and spread it over him up to his neck. He twitched slightly, but didn’t wake up. Rena moved around the room and started picking up some of the children’s toys and clothes from the floor. From the family room, she went into the kitchen. There were only a few items in the kitchen sink, and Rena washed the dishes and put them away. A quiet peace overcame her as she performed light chores. She was comfortable in the space where she was—at Robert’s house.

  Robert woke up an hour or so after falling asleep. He rubbed his eyes, and allowed his brain several seconds to diffuse what had transpired over the past twenty-four hours. He looked around. Everything was quiet. The family room was clean. He ya
wned, pushed back the blanket, stood up, and stretched. He quickly deciphered what had happened. He went into the kitchen and saw that it was clean as a whistle. The clock displayed 9:45. For a moment or two, Robert had to stop and gather his thoughts to determine if it were 9:45 A.M. or P.M. When he determined that it was nighttime, he went directly to the kidsroom and saw them asleep.

  “Rena,” he called out lightly and walked through the remainder of the house, peeping inside each room when he fully recalled the events earlier. “Rena,” he called once more with no answer. He looked outside in his driveway and saw that her car was gone.

  Robert turned and walked back into the family room and picked up his cell phone that was lying on one of the tables. He pushed speed dial and called Rena.

  “Rena, how long have you been gone?” he asked and yawned again. “Excuse me,” he said quickly.

  Rena giggled through the phone. “I’ve been gone for quite a while. Do you remember me telling you that I would take care of the kids?” she asked Robert.

  He hesitated like he was baffled by her question. “Yeah, and that’s about all I remember,” he answered.

  “I didn’t have the heart to wake you. You and the children were exhausted from the surprise visit, huh?” she commented.

  “Yeah, Karen’s unexpected visit threw me for a real loop. I don’t know how it’s going to affect the children.”

  “You never told me how you got her to leave. You had fallen asleep by the time I got them settled down.”

  “I’m sorry about that, Rena.” Robert’s voice took on a sorrowful tone. “I didn’t mean to doze off and leave you to see about my kids.”

  “Man, puhleeze. Those kids are like family to me. I love them, Robert. And you . . .” Rena’s voice trailed. “Well, you’re my best friend, Robert. There’s practically nothing I wouldn’t do to help you. It must have shaken you to the core to have Karen knocking on your door. And the children, I’m sure they didn’t know what to do.”