Dating after Divorce

Dating after divorce sucks, Kimly thought as she stepped into her living room.

“How do I look?” she asked her sixteen-year-old daughter, Stephanie.

Stephanie paused the video she was watching and looked up at her mom.

“Amazing, as usual,” she replied. “Turn around.”

Kimly pivoted, the skirt of her simple little black dress twirling around her knees.

“Mmm-hmm, your ass looks fat.”

“What?” Kimly gasped, glancing over her shoulder to see the object of discussion. “Really? Oh jeez, maybe I should wear pants?”

“Mom, relax.” Stephanie rolled her eyes. “It’s a good thing, a compliment.”

“Not to me.”

“Trust me mom, guys like a big butt. Be grateful you were blessed with one. Some of us,” Stephanie pointed to herself, “aren’t so lucky. We have to work for one.”

“But I’ve been working out,” Kimly moaned. “I’ve finally lost that last ten pounds.”

“Mom, you look great.” Stephanie’s eyes gleamed. “Can I do your hair and make-up?”

“Um, my hair’s already done.”

“A ponytail, mom, really? You can’t wear a ponytail.”

“Why not?” she stroked a hand down her long mahogany tail. “A ponytail says I’m low maintenance.”

“Not in that dress, you’re not.” Stephanie grabbed her hand and pulled her back into her bedroom. “Sit,” she pointed to the low bench in front of her vanity.

“Honey, I appreciate the thought, but I only have twenty minutes before I have to leave.”

“I’ll be done in ten,” Stephanie called from her bathroom.

A moment later she walked back out.

“Just getting the curling iron heated up,” she told Kimly as she started sorting through her makeup.

Kimly usually only wore mascara and lip gloss so there wasn’t a big selection to choose from.

“Be right back,” Stephanie told her as she jogged out of the room.

“Really honey, I don’t have a lot of time.”

“Yeah, but you like this one, right?” Stephanie’s voice came closer. “I mean, you’ve been talking to him for over a month. This is the first time meeting face to face so you have to be on you’re a-game.”

Kimly sighed as Stephanie set a huge makeup case on her vanity and started pulling out eyeshadow pallets, blush sticks, brushes, and tubes of lipsticks. She had no idea where Stephanie’s love of makeup came from when she herself wore next to nothing. Of course, before her marriage she’d always worn makeup and dressed up. Over the course of nearly eighteen years of marriage, her ex-husband had belittled her when she wore makeup, asking who she was trying to impress. Telling him that she wanted to look nice for him earned an eyeroll. He’d constantly criticized her weight, forcing her into diets and exercise, telling her she’d be beautiful if she’d just lose that last twenty pounds.

Filing for divorce after finding out he was having an affair was the smartest thing she’d done in close to twenty years.

“I’m going to apply a primer so the makeup will adhere.” Stephanie told her.

“I don’t wanna wear any foundation. That stuff makes my skin feel heavy.”

“Mom, trust me. Now close your eyes,” Stephanie instructed, and she obeyed.

Her daughter brushed her fingers across her face and then she felt the sweeping of a brush across her forehead, cheeks, and chin. The cool wetness of a liquid liner on her eyelids made her jerk.

“Hold still and keep your eyes closed.”

The softness of a brush drifted across her lids. It seemed to go up to her eyebrows and far past the edge of her eye.

“Um, Steph? Don’t give me clown makeup, ok?”

“Jeez mom, I know what I’m doing.” There was a pause and then the brush returned to the inside of her eyelid. “Do you know how many hours of makeup tutorials I’ve watched?”

For some reason that didn’t inspire confidence.

“Ok, open your eyes and look up.”

Kimly did and Stephanie used an eyelash curler before applying mascara.

She stepped back when she was done, eyes roaming over Kimly’s face. She stepped up and wiped her thumb next to her right eye, had her close her eyes to apply more eyeshadow, and finally nodded in approval.

“OK, hair next. Don’t look at yourself yet, please?”

Kimly sighed but when Stephanie walked into her bathroom to get her curling iron, she closed her eyes so she wouldn’t be tempted to look. She heard her daughter’s soft steps just before she felt the band holding her hair being tugged off.

“You’ve got such pretty hair, mom, I don’t know why you always just pull it back.”

“It’s quick and easy,” she replied, eyes still closed while Stephanie separated her hair into sections. “I don’t have time to mess with it.”

She heard her daughters’ soft sigh and wondered if she knew the real reason was because her ex-husband had always complained about her hair getting in the way.

“You can open your eyes now,” Stephanie said a few minutes later.

She blinked and then stared at her reflection.

Her daughter had blended charcoal and copper on her lids, giving her a smoky look, which complemented her hazel eyes. The thick black liner made her eyes look bigger than she knew they were and the blush gave her cheekbones. Soft curls tumbled around her shoulders, the light catching the natural copper highlights.

“What d’ya think?”

She glanced at Stephanie in the mirror and smiled.

“I think those hours of makeup tutorials paid off.”

Stephanie grinned back at her.

She glanced at her watch as she stood up.

“Just in time. I’ve got to get going.”

She stepped towards her daughter and they hugged.

“Love you, mom” Stephanie spoke into her hair. “Have fun.”

“Love you, too,” Kimly whispered back and kissed her cheek.

They walked out of the bedroom and she grabbed her black clutch and keys off the table by the door. Stephanie gave her a kiss before she stepped out and locked the door behind her.

The drive to the restaurant was uneventful which was fortunate because butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach.

Stephanie was right, she did like this guy.

When her daughter had first told her that she’d set up an online dating profile for her, she’d been upset and embarrassed. Most of the men she’d met with had been either uninteresting or only interested in hook-ups, but then she’d met Rodney and they’d hit it off. Starting with online chats, then phone calls, tonight would be the first time meeting in person and she was nervous.

“It’s just dinner,” she told herself as she parked. “You do dinner every night.”

Yeah, but not with a man you like, Kimly thought as she got out and shut her door, hitting the lock on the key fob. She took a deep breath, wiped her clammy hands on her skirt, and opened the door to the restaurant.

Dim lighting and the low hum of people talking greeted her.

“I’m meeting someone,” Kimly told the girl at the hostess stand. “A Mr. Rodney Jones?”

As the hostess glanced down at the list before her, Kimly felt a soft touch on the back of her arm.

“Kimly?”

She turned and there he was. Taller than expected, with dark hair, gorgeous grey eyes, lightly tanned skin visible at his throat where the top button of his navy-blue shirt was unbuttoned. His shoulders were broad, tapering down to a trim waist, long legs clad in dark grey trousers.

She flushed when she realized she’d been checking him out but when she looked back at his face, she saw his eyes skimming over her legs.

A smile quirked her lips. Some things never change, she thought, as she watched his eyes move back up. When they met hers, a rueful grin tugged at his mouth.

“You look fantastic,” he told her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you,” Kimly replied. “You look great, too.”

He gestured towards the dining room.

“Shall we? I already got a table. I just came out to wait for you.”

Inwardly, Kimly sighed. How long had it been since a man had waited on her and not the other way around?

Rodney guided her to a table in the back.

“I didn’t know what you wanted to drink or I would’ve had it waiting for you,” he said as he pushed in her chair.

“Oh, that’s fine.” She placed her napkin in her lap. “It depends on what I’m eating.”

The waiter came immediately as if he’d been signaled. She ordered a water while perusing the menu and decided on a fig pork chop with asparagus and a glass of sauvignon blanc. Rodney ordered filet mignon with roasted potatoes and a glass of cabernet.

The waiter brought them both water and a small plate of bread. The conversation flowed as they talked about their hobbies. She was embarrassed to realize she didn’t have many. He liked to hike and go bike-riding. He fished and went to the movies, read books, and loved to cook. Kimly liked to read as well, and as they ate, they discussed their favorite authors.

After the waiter cleared their plates, he brought out the dessert tray. Kimly stared longingly at the slice of chocolate cake. It looked so rich and decadent, her mouth practically watered. She’d given up sweets years ago while trying to lose the weight her ex-husband insisted she drop. She could almost hear his voice in her head, scathingly tell her she was almost pretty. She tried to push thoughts of her ex-husband away, refusing to let him ruin this night but still, she couldn’t bring herself to order anything from the tray.

“I’d love a coffee.” She mustered up a smile for the waiter even as she withered inside.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Rodney asked, gesturing at the tray.

She glanced back, her eyes drawn to the rich brown indulgence.

“No thank you,” she said even as she continued to stare. “Just a coffee.”

“Kimly.” His voice was questioning and she looked at him. “You can have a slice of cake if you want.”

She chewed on her lip as she glanced back to the tray the waiter was holding.

“I really shouldn’t.” Her voice was barely above a whisper and she hated that her ex-husband still had the power to shame her. “I mean, it’s just empty calories.”

His hand covered hers and he squeezed gently, drawing her eyes back to him. His eyes were soft with compassion and, possibly, understanding.

“Let’s share a piece, ok? It’s a pity not to indulge occasionally, especially when it looks so perfect.”

She couldn’t bring herself to speak so she just nodded in agreement.

“Two coffee’s, please” Rodney ordered. “And a slice of chocolate cake.”

When the waiter left, he drew her hand across the table and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“Kimly, you can have whatever you want. I’ll never judge. From where I’m sitting, you’re stunning and there’s not a thing I’d change about you.”

Kimly’s eyes welled and she was glad for the excuse to pull her hand back when the waiter re-filled their waters and placed two cups of coffee in front of them.

She cleared her throat, not sure what to say, or where to look so she stared down at her hands. Rodney, at least, didn’t seem to need a response. He just sat across from her, hand still on the table but it was patient, not demanding. She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to his, wondering at the sincerity she saw.

When she put her hand back into his, he smiled softly, closing his fingers around hers.

The waiter returned and placed a piece of chocolate cake between them.

Rodney cut a piece and offered it to her.

“To empty calories but not empty words.”

Kimly smiled as she accepted the bite.

Maybe there was something to dating after divorce, after all.