Heather didn’t need to look through the menu. She had come here enough to know what she wanted. The bartender knew her, giving her a nod as she sat down in a booth. The waitress brought her drink over and Heather started waiting. The bar was mostly empty. It was early and would probably get rowdy later. She was a parent though so she liked to get things done and get home to her daughter as soon as possible.

“I knew that you’d be early,” a voice said she was running her finger along the ring of her cosmopolitan.

She looked up and saw her ex-husband standing in front of her. She was reminded as she always was, how handsome he was and had been. He was wearing a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of nice jeans. His hair was neat and beard trim. He wasn’t sure to sit down yet or not. She slid out of the booth and hugged him. He noted that she had lost weight. Maybe that was him, the dead weight, the albatross around her neck.

The hug lasted a bit longer than friends. She squeezed him tight and then let him go. She sat down and he did as well. The waitress came in and he ordered a beer. She was looking at him from across the table. Her wide, protuberant eyes were drilling into him. Her hair was shorter than when they were together, coming to about her chin. She looked good.

“Thank you for offering to meet,” he said to her. “And thank you for what you said to Krissy.”

“She didn’t mean any of that, John,” Heather replied. “She just… she’s having a hard time understanding this.”

“I know.”

He hung his head. He tapped his finger on the table.

“How are you doing with this?” John asked.

“I mean, I was hurt when it happened but… that was a year ago at this point. I think I’m coming to terms with it,” Heather answered. “When you came out to me, I said some things that I shouldn’t have. I was not kind to what you were going through.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that,” John said. “I know it must have been hard to hear. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

“Don’t,” she snapped at him. “Don’t you fucking dare dismiss what we had that way.”

He looked at her. The slap of her words felt almost physical.

“I don’t feel it was a waste. We had ten really good years and we got Krissy out of it. I love you, John. I still do. I know that we can’t be together but that fact isn’t going to change,” Heather continued.

“I love you too,” John said struggling to keep his voice even.

“That’s why I wanted to reach out to you. Because when I talked to her about yelling at you, saying that she hated you, it was like confronting a tiny version of the feelings that I had for you. I told her that it wasn’t your fault, that this is just what happens sometimes, people fall out of love with one another and they figure out who they are.”

Heather took a sip of her drink.

“Because even if we still have things to work out between us, I don’t want you to be sad, I don’t want you to lose your daughter who despite what she was saying, loves you more than anything in this world,” Heather said and took a deep breath. “I want us to be a family and that’s going to look a little different. You, Krissy, me and whatever handsome man you happen to be dating.”

John smiled and took a swig of his beer.

“I think I’m going to stick with Barry for a while,” John said. “I really care for him.”

“He seems like a great guy,” Heather said with a smile. “I think that he’s going to be really good to have in Krissy’s life. She told me about him helping her with her pitching.”

“I’m glad we have at least one jock to help her learn.”

“Not our thing.”

“Never was.”

They shared a laugh.

“How’re you doing?” John asked her.

“I got back on the dating apps and I have a bevy of twenty-year old men looking to blow my back out,” Heather said. “I’m going to be just fine. I just don’t care, right now. It’s fun once in a while but I’m not really looking to date seriously.”

“That’s fine. If you ever want to drop Krissy off while you go on a date, feel free. We’re always happy to see her.”

“Thanks. The thing is, you know what? I really just miss my best friend.”

Her eyes were crinkling with tears. John took a wet breath.

“Yeah, I do too,” he said.

“Do you think we can get back to that?” Heather asked him.

“I would love to.”

“Any gossip from your office?”

He let out a laugh.

“If we’re going to get into that,” he said. “We need some food and more drinks. On me, of course.”

They beckoned the waitress over and the two of them ordered. They spent the next few hours laughing and enjoying themselves. They went back to their homes feeling better about the world, about themselves and each other.