New Beginnings

The cab pulled up in front of my house ten minutes after I had left the bar. I threw a twenty to the driver and got out. With a small sigh, I headed inside. As soon as the door shut, I was grabbed by two pairs of petite hands and dragged to the living room where I was thrown on to the couch.

“Where the hell were you?” Nika asked.

“Your kids were worried, and so were we.” Marcy added.

I sighed and held up my hands to stop them. “Relax, ok? I was at the bar, and…” They soon cut me off.

“You went where?” They both asked in unison.

“I had three drinks. Now are you going to listen or not?” They nodded. “I was at the bar, had a few drinks, then I felt someone watching me. So I looked around, saw no one. I turned back to the counter and there was a drink in front of me. Then I felt that there was someone beside me, so I looked, and oh my god. He’s absolutely gorgeous, like seriously girls, beyond gorgeous. He’s tall, not exactly tanned, black hair, blue eyes, lip ring…and Irish, accent and all.”

“Just get to the point already.” Nika interrupted.

“Ok, so anyways, he’s going on about how he hopes that I’m available, I say I’m not, he asks why, I tell him about Demik, he feels bad, then we get on first name basis…his name’s Kryce. We talk a little more, he has a fourteen year old daughter named Maseera, I told him about the twins, and then we exchanged numbers and I told him I’d call him tomorrow.” I finished and expected a somewhat happy resonse from them. But did I get it? No. I got two punches to the arm and evil glares.

“What are you thinking?” Nika asked.

“It’s only been two years and you’re already on the hunt for a new fuck buddy?” Marcy asked.

“What? No! He’s nice, understanding, and seemed genuinely interested in meeting my kids. It’s not for sex or anything, just a friend, and in time, maybe more, I don’t know, ok? Now get off my ass.” I stood up and stormed off to me room. I felt like I was back in high school again. Because since when does a thirty two, almost thirty three, year old man storm off to his room after an argument?

I laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. And in reality, it really was. I was thinking about Demik and about Kryce. I thought about how me and Demik first met, how we grew up together, and then how we started dating. I remembered our first kiss, our first time having sex, then when I asked him to move in with me, and then marry me. I thought about how long we looked through adoption books until we had narrowed our list down to about five possibilities. Then I thought about the first day we seen Tora and James, then how upset we were when we had to wait to bring them home, and then when we brought them home. I remembered raising them, and teaching them how to play piano and guitar.

All the memories of my time with Demik flooded back to me. And then finally, his death. The final moments with him replayed again in my mind, and surprisingly enough, I didn’t cry this time. I thought about my night with Kryce. Could there be something more there? In a way I hoped there would be, not just yet, but maybe in a few months, maybe sooner, maybe later, I’m not sure.

I wondered how the twins would take it. Nika and Marcy didn’t like it, but what about Tora and James? Would they be alright with it? Would they hate me again? I guess I’d just have to wait and see. But for now, I ws trying to focus on getting to sleep so I wasn’t tired when I called Kryce in the morning, or afternoon, whichever came sooner.

I slipped off to sleep with thoughts still racing through my mind. Happy ones though. My best memories of Demik, and thoughts of new memories to be made with Kryce. Maybe one day…if all goes well, I’ll have another daughter, and he’ll have a set of twins as well. It was a long shot, but in a way, I could see myself spending the last half of my life with him, his daughter, and my twins.