Things worked out as Melanie related until a week before Jack died. That week I didn’t see her or the girls at all — family members came in from out of town for the last days. I was a pall bearer at Jack’s funeral and handled most of the logistics for the reception afterwards because Melanie was in a bad place. She did lean on me at the reception and thanked me profusely for all the help I had given her and the girls.
The week after the funeral I had little contact with Melanie and the girls, but then Melanie made every effort to return things to normal, including going back to work full time. However, during our love making sessions I noticed a change in Melanie. It was hard to put into words, but it seemed — ludicrous since our sexual activities had always been phenomenal — like she was even more anxious to please me, and more dependent on me for emotional support.
I didn’t mind at all — in fact I hoped that it meant that she was falling in love with me.
Things went on that way for about two more months when something strange happened. On a Saturday I was taking nine year old Jennifer home from her ballet recital that I had just attended while Melanie was at eight year old Susan’s gymnastics meet. Jennifer was really excited because the performance had gone well, and we stopped for ice cream on the way home.
As we were sitting in my car finishing our sundaes Jennifer turned to me and asked “Do you love my mommy?”
I was taken aback. Since I hoped to have a relationship with her in the future I was not going to lie to her — but I wasn’t sure that I wanted to admit it either.
“Why do you ask that, Jen?” I coped out.
“Because I think that Mommy loves you and wants you to come live with us, but she’s scared to ask. Do you love her?”
That completely bowled me over, causing me to freeze my spoon with a scoop of ice cream on it between my cup and mouth. When I recovered and stared into Jennifer’s green eyes, which were identical to her mother’s, I said “Yes, Jen, I do.”
“Did you ever tell her that?”
“I don’t think that I have.”
“Then why don’t you, so maybe she’ll ask you to come live with us.”
“Do you want me to come live with you?”
“Of course, silly; Susie and I both really like you a lot, and we’re sad with Daddy gone, but when you’re around we miss him less.”
Then, like a typical kid, she completely changed the subject and started talking about something that happened at school and I zoned out, although I nodded my head, said supportive things from time to time, and wondered about the future.
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The night after my talk with Jennifer I saw no reason to let things fester. My normal M. O. was to go home from Melanie’s house after dinner on Saturday and Sunday nights. That night I maneuvered to stay by asking the girls if they wanted me to read them a story at bedtime. Even though they were close to too old for that, once I suggest it they both were enthusiastic and Melanie would have had a mutiny on her hands if she tried to stop it. She just looked at me then snickered.