My Ex- Husband Wants A Second Chance

“Sorry I couldn't make it down yesterday, I got so busy at the restaurant, being a Friday, it was dead busy” Maya said as we pulled out of our brief hug and gave a peck on my cheeks.

"Hey, don't worry about it," I said, smiling at Maya. "I'm just glad you made it today. Are you ready to be amazed by all this art?"

Maya rolled her eyes playfully. "Girl, I'm just here for the free wine and cheese, let's be honest."

I laughed. "Well, lucky for us, there's plenty of both. So, tell me, what's new with you? How's the restaurant going?"

Maya shook her head, a wry smile on her lips.

"Ugh, it's been a rollercoaster," Maya groaned as we made our way through the exhibition hall. "But hey, at least I still have a job. Some days I think that's all I can ask for."

I nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, things are definitely tough out there. But hey, at least you get to work with food, right? That's gotta be a perk."

Maya gave me a sideways glance, her eyes sparkling. "Girl, you know how much of a foodie I am.”

"Speaking of food, have you tried that new fusion spot down on Third?" Maya asked, pausing to admire a particularly striking sculpture. "I hear they do a killer miso-glazed salmon."

"Oh, I haven't," I said, admiring the sculpture as well. "But that sounds delicious. Maybe we should make a date for it sometime soon?"

"Definitely," Maya nodded, moving on to the next piece. "But first, I want you to show me some of this art that's got you so excited.”

"Right this way," I said, leading Maya deeper into the exhibition.

The Crescent Gallery’s exhibition had been a success, and my dad insisted I attend this charity event as a representative.

It was a chance to make connections, to network, and to keep the gallery’s name in the spotlight.

I had agreed, thinking it would be a simple enough task. A few hours of polite conversation, and I could slip away unnoticed.

But the moment I had stepped into the crowded hall, I knew it wouldn't be that simple.

The chatter was deafening, and I felt overwhelmed by the sea of people.

I tried to focus on Maya's company, on the art, on anything to distract myself from the weight of expectations on my shoulders.

"Ooh, now this is intriguing," Maya said, stopping in front of a large canvas that seemed to be painted entirely in shades of black. "What's the story here?"

I took a step closer, trying to remember the details from the gallery's catalog.

"This piece is called 'The Void'," I explained. "The artist, Jean-Paul LaCointe, said he was inspired by the darkness he felt after losing someone close to him."

Maya leaned in, studying the texture of the paint.

"That makes sense. You can almost feel the emotion radiating from it. I'd say he did a pretty good job capturing that emptiness.”

As Maya spoke, I lost myself in the painting, swept away by its depth and emotion.

I remembered our trips to art galleries, the way he would study each piece with a critical eye, pointing out details I would have missed.

I had always loved that about Liam, his passion for beauty, his appreciation for the finer things in life.

But now, all those memories felt like mirages, shimmering illusions that had vanished into thin air.

Maya's voice snapped me back to reality, her words startling me out of my reverie.

"Hey, are you still with me?" she asked, a worried look in her eyes. "You seemed a million miles away just now.”

I forced a smile, trying to brush off her concern. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about... something else."

She studied me for a moment, her gaze shrewd. “Don't tell me this is about that piece of shit?”

I bristled at her words, even though I knew she meant well.

"Maya, please," I said, my voice sharp. "I don't need you to remind me of what he did. I'm not stupid, okay?"

"I'm not saying you are," she countered, her eyes softening. "But Soph, it's been a year. You can't keep living like this, bottling everything up."

I felt my resolve crumble, tears welling in my eyes. "I know, I know. I'm just…”

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not asking you to forget. But maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to move forward, together?"

I leaned into her embrace, grateful for the warmth.

“How about you give Ethan a chance? You never can tell, even if it's just to get distracted or something? Soph, it's been a whole f-ing year! Are you gon’ keep leaving like this?? Liam doesn't freaking deserve it!”

Maya’s words hit me like a slap to the face, jarring me out of my melancholy.

"What? Are you serious? Ethan?" I scoffed, pulling away from her embrace. "He's the last person I want to see right now, let alone give a chance to."

Maya narrowed her eyes, her expression fierce. "And why is that? Because he's actually interested in you, and not just using you like Liam did?"

"That's not fair!" I protested, my cheeks flushing with anger.

"Maybe not," Maya conceded, her voice gentler now. "But you've got to admit, you've been avoiding him for a reason.

And I think that reason is that you're scared. Scared of getting hurt again, of opening yourself up to someone new."

She paused, waiting for me to respond. But all I could do was stare at the floor, lost in my own thoughts.

"Look, Soph, I'm not trying to push you into anything. But just hear me out, okay? Give Ethan a chance. Even if it's just for one date, one conversation," Maya pressed, her voice insistent but still kind. "You don't have to jump into anything serious.” She paused then continued..

“But who knows? Maybe he's exactly what you need right now. A distraction, like you said. Or maybe, just maybe, he's more than that. Maybe he's someone you can trust, someone who actually cares about you."

Her words rang in my head, a faint echo of hope.

Was she right?

Could Ethan be the one to pull me out of this darkness, to help me find the light again?