The Broken Vow: The Cheating Husband

Entering my workplace, I spot Giselle arranging flowers in the back.

"Hey, Giselle," I greet her. She looks up and smiles. "Hello, Allison. Did you have a good day off?" I nod, a small smile forming on my face as I recall the events of the previous day.

"It was nice. So, what do you need help with? Dead flowers again?" I ask, noticing her playing with one of the withered blooms. Giselle's least favorite part of owning a flower shop is dealing with the abundance of dead flowers each week. She believes they still hold beauty despite their short lifespan.

"Yes, poor things," she sighs. "Don't worry, Giselle. More flowers are born every year," I offer reassuringly. She nods in agreement, and I begin plucking out the dead flowers, carefully placing them in a large black trash bag.

"So, what did you do yesterday?" Giselle inquires curiously. I shrug nonchalantly.

"Dorothy and I went out. We went shopping, grabbed a meal, and watched a movie. Nothing too eventful," I reply. Giselle studies me, sensing that there's something I'm holding back.

"And...?" she prods gently. Sighing, I turn to face her.

"I kind of... met someone?" I say, phrasing it as a question. Her surprise is evident as she looks at me with wide eyes. "Really? Who is it?" she asks eagerly. I sigh again and continue removing the dead flowers.

"He works at the movie theater, but despite his job, he was really nice. Sweet, actually. He even gave me some free candy," I share, turning my head to glance at Giselle. A smile spreads across her face.

"At this point, I don't care where he works or how he looks. I'm just glad you've found someone. So, what's his name?" she inquires with genuine interest. Grinning, I resume my task.

"His name is Preston. Oh, and I may have mentioned to him that I'm divorced and that Hayden cheated on me," I confess, not entirely sure how Giselle will react. Her lips flatten, but she maintains her composure.

"And what did he say?" I shrug, unsure of how to interpret Preston's response.

"He didn't really react. He just said that he was also heartbroken and that Hayden didn't deserve me," I reply. Giselle looks at me, a mix of concern and support in her eyes.

"Well, at least he didn't run for the hills," she comments. Chuckling, I add, "No, he wasn't that bad, really." Preston had evoked a reaction in me that I hadn't experienced in a long time.

Suddenly, my phone vibrates, indicating an incoming call from an unknown number. Puzzled, I answer it. "Hello?" I greet uncertainly, and a chuckle emanates from the other end.

"Hello to you too," a familiar voice replies. A smile tugs at my lips. Giselle looks at me, puzzled by my expression.

"Hey, Preston," I say warmly, and Giselle's confusion turns into a knowing smile.

"Hello, Allison. How are you? I'm doing well, thank you for asking," he replies. I chuckle softly. "I'm at work, Preston. And I'm also doing well," I respond, carrying on with the task of discarding the dead flowers. I hear him sigh on the other end.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had a job. But, I really don't know much about you," Preston admits, and I continue removing the dead flowers from their stems.

"It's okay. My boss won't get mad," I assure him, hearing Giselle burst into laughter nearby. I can't help but smile. "Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go out with me sometime." My smile widens.

"Like a date?" I inquire, a hint of anticipation in my voice. There's a momentary pause on the other end.

"Yeah, a date," Preston confirms. My cheeks flush involuntarily.

"Yes, I would love to go on a date with you. When and where?" I hear some background noise on the call.

"How about tomorrow at... the park! The one on 33rd street. Around ten?" he suggests. I nod, even though he can't see me.

"That sounds perfect. I'll meet you there," I reply as I tie up the trash bag.

"Awesome. I'll see you there then. Bye." We hang up, and I place my phone back with a contented smile.

"Please tell me you're going!" Giselle exclaims. I roll my eyes playfully.

"Yes, I am going," I assure her.

"It's just so nice to see you going out again and not moping around that man who broke your heart," Giselle comments. I nod, acknowledging her words.

I'm not completely over it, but I'm taking slow steps toward moving on. I dispose of the dead flowers before returning to work. Giselle continues her tasks, and I immerse myself in thoughts of Preston and our upcoming date. It has been years since my last date.