People You May Know: My Ex-Husband's New Girlfriend
(in the form of a welcome letter)
From the series People You May Know: Essays About My Suggested Friends’ List
Hi there and welcome! Pull up a chair. You’re not the first to drop by - in fact, you may find the chair still warm.
Don’t be embarrassed - it’s normal to be curious and healthy to do your homework.
I do not want to be involved, but I will tell you - and my disposition has been fixed on this long before we divorced - my door is open and I stand ready to be friends to healthy extents.
If I were in your shoes - which, as a single woman, I kind of am- I would want to know more, too.
I’d have questions and I’d want to understand what went wrong. Starting with why our family fell apart after such a long span.
Chalk it up to resilience, or its street name: stubbornness.
There’s time to talk about it later - or not. These things are best in alternate forums. It helps if coffee is involved.
I recognized you by my daughters’ descriptions, like the last gal who went from girl friend to girlfriend to wife.
I do hope you’ll get along nicely with my kids - keep an eye out for their safety and encourage good moments with their dad.
Nothing forced or fake, just not green eyed or greedy, either. There will be plenty of time for just the two of you.
You won’t find competition under my roof - nor sabotage.
I’m not going to add you as a friend . . . just yet. Ya’ll need your time and space to figure out what it is you’d like to build together - if anything.
Feel free - when you're ready - to add me.
Just know that, for now, I see you and you're welcome here.
And I'll be rooting ya’ll on.
(313 words)
