The kids came home today
from a week-long vacation
with their dad,
and my big quiet
empty house was suddenly
alive with chatter and laughter
and many animated stories.
I didn't want to spoil it
by breaking their hearts.
I didn't want to tell them
that my boyfriend, their buddy
that they had grown to love,
was no longer in our lives,
but my little girl climbed
into my arms with a folder
full of drawings and
the very first one...
she had drawn "for Rich"...
a man at a gravesite
and a little Cardinal
perched on a headstone.
"I can't wait to
show Rich my drawings,"
my baby girl chirped...
so I called them both in,
said, "Sit down, guys.
Mommy needs to talk to you."
I tried to tell them
in terms they would understand
that his ex-wife was
getting re-married and
he was very angry and sad
and took it out on mommy
and said he never
wanted to see us again.
"It's not anything I did
or anything you kids did,"
I tried to explain...
and the one thing
I want you to know
is that Rich always loved you,
and I'm sure that he still does."
They nodded their heads
and I caught a tear
in my son's eye but he
quickly hid it...
I told them that people
come into our lives
for special reasons
and we needed to try
to be happy we met him
and remember the laughing times
that we all shared together.
My daughter said, "Daddy
is alone now too..."
I said, "Honey, that's different.
Daddy has had lots of girlfriends.
You didn't love them like
you guys grew to love Rich."
They nodded their heads
in agreement.
My son said, "Mommy,
maybe you'll meet someone
who isn't so sad, someone..."
"I know, sweetheart," I said
as I held them both close.
