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The Wild Edge of Love Part 9
The Long Early Winter
It was November when the provisional hearing was held. We parted ways and two weeks later, I got his garnished child support check. Finally. I had waited for fourteen months for that check. It made things almost doable, with my limited income and unemployment. The kids and I had a nice Christmas, the first without their father. My son, who had moved to his dad’s in summer spent most of Christmas break with us. Yes, it was strange, but no one really missed him.
His girlfriend and he put on a little Christmas for them the week before the 25th, and headed to Texas for two weeks for vacation together. It was a relief for us all to have him gone. There was no wondering “if” they should go see him and no feeling bad for him because he was missing out. He was exactly where he wanted to be. He was with his little ego-stroking 30-something girlfriend.
There were many moments I felt a deep grief over the break when I wished we could go back a year. Christmas 2019, he had been invited to spend with us. We had gifts for him and the kids lounged around and watched movies with him…their only real pastime with him. (I am not much of a lounger) But, I breathed out and let them go and enjoyed the time with the kids. My oldest was going to be sworn in soon with the Army, and I was trying to love every last moment with him.
