I was with my son on a Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago. We?d spent most of the day playing on the Champs de Mars and at La Tour Eiffel. It was a glorious day, not to cold, not to hot, and full of sunshine. As we began our long trek home, walking and enjoying the blue skies, my son suddenly cries out: ?Papa?s girlfriend lives here, Mom.?

Mind you, we?ve been apart for almost two years and I knew a little about Z?s father?s girlfriend because he?d been seeing her for months, but I never knew where she lived exactly.

?Interesting?? I said.

My cell phone rang that second and it was Z?s dad.

Speak of the devil.

He asked where we were and I told him we were walking back from the Eiffel Tower. Then I told him we were in front of his girlfriend?s apartment and he was quite surprised.

After recovering, he decided he's come and give his son a quick kiss.

Ten minutes later Z?s dad and his Parisian born girlfriend were joining us in the park. Z was riding a go cart, which left me all alone on the sidelines for when they arrived. I had expected Z?s dad only, not Z?s dad and his girlfriend.

I?d met her before, by accident. Twice by accident actually, as Z?s dad and I share some of the same haunts (we?ve got to divide those up!). But this time was the first time I saw her in the company of Z.

She came over and before I could do anything, gave me the bise (kiss on both cheeks). There I was extending my hand looking like a complete idiot after she?d kissed me.
I did return the bise however and smiled and tried to wonder what was going through Z?s mind as he made his way around the track watching the three of us stand there cheering him on. Was he confused? Surprised? Just happy?

I think he was just happy.

She and I made small talk as Z?s dad ran along side him in the go cart. I found her to be quite pleasant and sincere. Though it was a bit weird, it ended up being ?OK.? I felt better about the person Z?s been spending so much time with as I got to spend a few minutes getting to know her more myself. The most important thing for me was that Z didn?t seem to be too traumatized when we split up almost an hour later.

A couple of weeks later however, Z?s dad told me that he and the woman had broken up. Darn! Is it normal for me to mourn the loss of my ex?s ex? I don?t plan on calling her up to be friends, but I was happy that he?d found someone my son seemed to really like and feel good around.

Life is truly strange sometimes.

Comments (0)