Meg's Words

I'm writing a new story that may NEVER see the light of day, but it's been floating around in my head for weeks now. The main character is a 25-year-old woman named Meg. She's a...well, I'll let her tell you what's up.

"I met Chris when I was 14. Mom had just moved us to Salt Lake City to be closer to Granny Susie, and I was not thrilled to be starting high school with no friends. Chris had a locker next to mine and took pity on me the very first day when he saw me punch the locker in frustration. Anyway, after 5 years of being friends, we got married and had a little boy, Peter. At 19, getting married and having a kid is probably not the best course of action, especially for two people who hadn't even left home for college. I was blissfully happy in my new role as wife and mother for 6 years. Then my world crashed. Chris came home from work very late one night, and I could tell he had been drinking. He told me he couldn't hide any longer. I sat on the bed as he told me the whole dreadful truth. He had been seeing a series of 'other women' throughout our whole marriage, starting with my best friend Hannah. He didn't ask for forgiveness. He didn't say he was sorry. He said he wanted a divorce so he could marry his current floosie.

"I slept on the couch that night, numb with shock and disbelief. The next morning, I packed up Peter, and we moved in with my sister a few blocks away. In the following weeks, our lawyers came up with a separation agreement: Peter would stay with me, even if I moved, until everything was decided.

"Once I had the ok to go, I started looking for a job. By sheer luck, I stumbled upon a listing for a hot springs resort cook in Montana, not too far from the town I grew up in. I notified my attorney and the divorce judge, and Peter and I left by the end of the week. If I got the job, our housing would be provided, as would our food. The whole deal sounded great to me. Peter would grow up in the best state and get to enjoy fresh mountain air. And I would be able to make a new start."