The Reunion: Emma's Vacation (The Starting Over Series) (2 page)

      "What do you mean by problems?" Claire asked.

      "Well, after being married for eight years, I found out that Dave was living a double life. It was all over the news in Houston. He had a totally separate family that included a wife and three kids."

      "Oh, my God! I remember that story. Did you guys have any children?" Emma asked.

      "No. We had infertility issues, so thankfully I did not make any kids with him... I was kind of embarrassed to come here and face you guys. I mean, here I am at forty years old with no husband and no kids. I feel like I don't have a lot to show for our fifteen years apart..."

      "Oh, Ash, don't feel that way. I have a story of my own..." Claire said patting her hand.

      "Do tell..." Ashley said with a wicked grin.

      "Alright. Confession time around the table, I guess," Claire said with a laugh. Then her face went solemn as she began her own story. "After college, I got a job in North Carolina as a nurse in a pediatrician's office. You know how I have always loved working with kids," she said.

      "Yes, you always did love that," Emma said with a smile.

      "Well, I met a man named Cameron Callahan..."

      "The actor? You mean the one who has been in the media a lot in the last few years?" Shelby asked with her mouth dropping open. Cameron Callahan was famous... more like infamous... for his wild, alcohol-fueled lifestyle.

      "The very same one. We were married for eleven years..."

      "How did we not know that?" Emma asked looking around the table.

      "Because I kept it hidden as much as possible. I didn't want to be in that kind of spotlight, and I didn't want our daughter, Aven, to be in the spotlight either. I learned quickly that being famous was not what it's cracked up to be..."

      "So, where is Cameron now?" Emma asked.

      "We divorced last year. He wasn't just a party guy. He was an abusive alcoholic. He called me names and pushed me around a lot. I finally had enough, you know?" she said holding back tears.

      "Oh, Claire, I am so sorry to hear about the abuse. But, I am glad you got out of there," Ashley said touching her hand.

      "Okay, your turn, Shelby. Four women, two divorces so far. What's your story?" Claire asked wiping away a stray tear.

      "Well, I guess I will join the divorced ladies club," she said smiling half heartedly.

      "What? I always figured that you married your high school sweetheart, Kenny?" Ashley said.

      "I did. And we are now divorced," Shelby said.

      "I cannot believe that. What on Earth happened?" Ashley asked.

      "We got married almost as soon as I graduated from college. We opted to have a small wedding with just the family at Kenny's uncle
’
s farm. Yes, we actually had goats at our wedding," she laughed.

      "Too funny...." Claire said giggling.

      "Anyway, things were good for a long time. We had two kids who are ten and twelve now. When I turned thirty seven, I knew things were over. We divorced last year. We just wanted different things. I want to travel and see the world. Kenny will never leave that South Georgia farm. After being together for twenty two years and married for fourteen of those years, it had just run its course."

      "The end of an era..." Ashley said shaking her head.

      "He's a good man. We're still friendly, but the romance and the passion that we had as teenagers is gone. He was my friend, but I wanted a lover... a passion."

      All of the women nodded in agreement. They had all wanted a romance, a passion, something amazing. Didn
’
t every woman want that?

      As the women looked around the table, it became apparent that it was Emma
’
s turn to tell the tale of her own marriage.

As the women looked at her, Emma knew that she had to take her turn at telling them all that had happened in her life. The fact that the other three were now divorced was also comforting in a weird sort of way.

“
I guess it
’
s my turn. I
’
ve been dreading this moment for days
…”
Emma said.

“
Why?
”
Ashley asked.

“
Because I have been feeling a lot like a failure. I
’
m divorced too.
”

“
Do you think we
’
re failures, Emma?
”
Claire asked.

“
Of course not!
”

“
Then why would you be any more of a failure than we are?
”
Claire asked.

Emma thought for a moment and then threw the ladies a sly smile.

“
You always had a way of cutting right to the chase, Claire,
”
she said with a grin as she smacked Claire
’
s hand on the table.

“
So, tell us your story of heartache and failure, Emma,
”
Ashley said throwing her head back dramatically as she pretended to faint.

“
Okay
…
After college, I married Henry Carlton.
”

The women gasped with shock. Henry Carlton was a world renowned surgeon, and he was known for being a lifelong bachelor that no woman could ever catch. The women had all worked with him at some point or another during their training at the hospital.

“
Seriously? Henry Carlton? THE Henry Carlton?
”
Ashley asked with excitement.

“
Yes, THE Henry Carlton. We were married for twelve years. We have an eight year old son, Samuel. Of course, Henry hasn
’
t seen Sam in months.
”

“
He hasn
’
t?
”
Shelby asked.

“
No. He is too busy screwing the woman that he cheated on me with. Tiffani
…
with an I. She is twenty two years old.
”

“
Yuck
…
What an ass!
”
Ashley shouted. She was never good at holding in her emotions.
“
How old is he?
”

“
He is fifty years old,
”
Emma said shaking her head at the thought of her ex-husband romping around with a twenty-two year old woman.

“
I
’
m so sorry you had to go through that, Em
…”
Claire said patting her on the hand.
“
Sometimes, men really suck.
”

The women all laughed, but the heartache of failed relationships was washing over the table and tainting their night of fun.

“
Is anyone here dating yet?
”
Ashley asked looking around.

“
Well, I went on a date about two months back. I forgot how many people are walking around with baggage from old relationships these days,
”
Shelby said.

“
I went out with a guy a few weeks ago. Turns out, he was still living with his mother. Yikes
…”
Ashley said rolling her eyes.

“
Sadly, it
’
s the thing I want most in the world
…”
Emma said without thinking.

“
What do you want?
”
Ashley asked looking at her.

Emma fidgeted around in her seat, nervous to open herself up to their questions and possible judgment.

“
What, Em?
”
Shelby prodded.

“
I want a man. A real man who loves me and my son. Who wants to carry part of this heavy load we call life. I want a true love, a soul mate.
”

“
You always had a way with words,
”
Claire said smiling.

“
It hurts my heart to think that I might spend the rest of my life alone. What if I never find the right man for me?
”
Emma asked searching each woman
’
s eyes for answers.

“
Don
’
t be silly, Emma. You are stunningly gorgeous. You will find someone,
”
Shelby said.

“
I don
’
t want just someone. I want HIM. Ya know?
”
Emma asked.

“
I know what you mean. I
’
ve been alone for several years now, and it never gets any easier. I cry when I crawl into bed some nights. I have no husband, no boyfriend, no kids. It can get very lonely,
”
Ashley admitted.

“
Why don
’
t you date more?
”
Claire asked.

“
I try, but I am getting tired of meeting losers. What I want is a partner. I want a family. I
’
m forty years old, and my eggs are not getting any younger.
”

“
It
’
s tough. I mean, I was with my childhood sweetheart all of those years. I don
’
t know another man like I know him. I
’
ve never been with another man
…”
Shelby said.

“
Never?
”
Ashley was amazed that any woman in the twenty first century would have only slept with one man.

“
Never. And I am terrified of trying out anyone new. I thought Kenny would always be my one and only. It has rocked my entire world to think that I have to start all over again,
”
Shelby said.

“
I
’
m a little gun shy too, Shelby. My story was all over the news, my husband was famous and I suffered from abuse for years. Looking for a new man has not been high on my list of priorities lately
…”
Claire admitted.

The women sat quietly for a moment before Ashley giggled and held up her finger like she had an idea.

“
This is pathetic, ladies. So, in an effort to improve our lives and add more light into this dark world, I have a plan,
”
she said.

It was no surprise that Ashley would come up with a plan. She was always the one leading their little pack of four. She had always been the spunky one who wasn
’
t afraid of a little adventure, but what did she have planned for them?

“
Oh, goodness, what is it, Ashley?
”
Emma asked biting her bottom lip.

“
Let
’
s set a goal to find our soul mates. We will have a time limit and meet back here at this hotel to compare notes.
”