One Two Punch - Chapter Seven: "Catching Up"

Here's chapter seven, entitled "Catching Up". Enjoy!

Chapter Seven: “Catching Up”

On Sunday, I woke up feeling rather tired having not gotten much sleep. I followed my normal routine for Sundays, which included catching my favorite NFL team’s game, the San Diego Chargers. Almost immediately after the game I heard my phone ring and saw the Caller ID read “Paul Carey”.
“Hello?” I said, answering the phone.
“Hi, Mike? This is Jennifer. I need to talk to you,” I hear Jennifer’s voice say.
“Oh, ok, sure I have some time now. What do you need to talk about?” I wonder.
“Well, I’d really like to meet in you in person… can you meet me at the high school? We could go for a walk.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I tell her.
“Great, I’ll see you then. Bye.”
“Bye.”
I hang up the phone and grab my car keys and head out the door and drive to the school. I get there and I only have to wait a few minutes before I see another car pulling up. Out comes a woman, just as I remembered as my high school sweetheart. She hadn’t changed much.
“Hi,” I greet Jennifer.
“Hi, Mike. Wow, you look great,” she says. Wow!
“So do you. So you want to walk?” I ask.
“Sure,” she says as we begin walking.
“So, what’s up?” I ask her.
“Well, I’ll just cut right to it. Paul and I are having a bit of trouble, marriage wise.”
“Ah. Go on.”
“Well, we might be getting a divorce soon,” she says.
“Why, what’s been wrong?” I ask politely.
“Well, we haven’t been spending too much time together, and we’ve been having big fights about money and the fact that I want kids and he doesn’t—”
“Woah, you married a guy who doesn’t want to have kids?” I interrupt her.
“Well, he was all right with having kids when we got married. I mean, he was like ‘I’ll have kids if you want to have them,’ but now he’s just totally against having them. He says they cost too much money and are too much of a hassle,” she says.
“Ok, Jenn, this is all news to me, but why are you telling me? And why here and not on the phone?” I ask.
“Well, Mike, ever since you called a few weeks ago, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, and all the good times we had. I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” I say.
“Well, if Paul and I break up, would you want to get back together?” she asks.
There’s a question I never thought I’d be asked. “Uh, I don’t know. I just don’t want to get in the middle of a marriage,” I say.
“Oh, ok,” Jennifer says. Oh boy, I disappointed her.
“I mean… ok, pretend he wants to have kids. Pretend you guys have a bunch of time together. I mean, don’t you still love him?” I ask. I cannot believe I am doing this. I’m such a nice guy.
“Well, yeah, I do. But that’s the thing: he doesn’t want to have kids. He’s been pretty clear about it,” she says.
“Well, then leave him. He’s obviously not good enough for you,” I say.
“But what about us? I mean, think of all the great times we had together,” she says.
“If you guys officially divorce, I’ll consider it. But I’m not dating a married woman,” I say. Me and my morals at it again.
“Ok, thanks Mike. Let me ask you something. Do you miss me?” she asks.
“‘Do I miss you?’” I repeat. “Does a bear poop in the woods?”
“Yes,” she says with uncertainty.
“Of course I miss you! But I don’t want to break up with you, ever again. And I certainly don’t want your husband mad at me.”
“I understand,” she says.
By now we have returned to the school.
“Listen, before I go, I want you to know something. I’m competing with our son in a basketball tournament. If we make it to the final game, it’ll be three weeks from now on Sunday,” I tell her.
“Ok. Wait, what’s our son’s name? His adoptive parents never told me what they named him.”
“Daniel, but he goes by Danny. Funny story… actually our son turned out to be one of my students,” I tell her.
“One of your students?” she asks quizzically.
“Oh!” I say, just realizing. “I haven’t told you. I am a teacher at this school now. I teach advanced history,” I inform her.
“Wow, really? And our son turned out to be one of your students? What a coincidence,” she says.
“I know. Listen, I gotta go, nice catching up with you, Jenn,” I say.
“Yeah, you too.”
We get in our cars and drive home.