histoire

she had dyed blonde hair with natural white highlights, glasses and a maroon sweater. her voice was calming and she spoke, mildly affected with a southern accent. she told her story.

she said there were always "others" in his life, even after they married. he thought that was all women were good for, sleeping with. so they divorced when she was 46 and he moved out, of the state. she had heard he remarried someone from back home but that didn't last more than 10 years. she knew this because she would see his brother and sister-in-law around town. they rarely spoke. and while he had moved away, remarried and divorced again, she'd had offers she continually turned down. for her, there was no one else. "i remember one day" she said, "watching a movie on tv. i don't remember the name of it; i never have. but the story in the movie was about my life. he cheated on her and they split up. but she forgave him." and that's when she knew, i suppose, that she had to forgive her husband. 20 years after the divorce, she found his number through a family member. "i called him, and when i finally told him who it was, there was just silence." she paused, for effect. "he told me he didn't think i'd ever speak to him again. and that's when i told him i called to say i wasn't holding a grudge." and they talked, and caught up, and eventually she moved up to where he lived, and she's 71 now but they've been remarried for three years. it's quite beautiful actually.