What a blissful few days it has been watching the train wrecks who are my exes crash and burn around me.
First, I went to church on Sunday and faced xSO and old/new/on/off again girlfriend. What a joyous couple! As soon as he realized I was there, he stepped away from her. When he sat next to her he leaned as far away from her as he could and never once touched her and ignored her attempt to hold hands during prayer. He looked old and tired, never smiled, no sparkle in his eyes. Now, when we were together, we always connected physically some way, either by holding hands, his arm around my shoulder or my hand on his back and he would talk and joke with everybody. None of that now, he held his head down and was out of that church as if the devil was chasing him
.
Then, after church I stayed and talked a little and one of our joined acquaintances came up to me, hugged me, told me how happy she was to see me back at church and then, nodding his direction, said: "xSo is very unhappy. He told me he made a huge mistake letting you go. Just watch it, they will break up soon and then he has no place left to go. He knows he threw away the last love of his life and he regrets it bitterly."
About 24 hours later I receive a call from XH's uncle. XH had visited him back in the Midwest for a hunting trip. Well, guess what, XH confided in uncle that he is not happy, that he is in a very bad spot, that he made all the wrong choices, that he now is intertwined with OW financially (bought a super-expensive lot and is building, total worth about 1.7 million US$) and is stuck in the situation. Yet another joyous couple with a wonderful future ahead.....
Ding, ding, ding, we have 2 winners.
Now, hearing this stuff does not make it easier; it does not take away the pain over the loss of my family, it does not ease the loneliness at times, it does not help me rebuild my self esteem faster.
But it did somehow close those chapters for me. So when I ran into xSO at the grocery store today (and was lucky enough to be all dolled up in nice black pants, high heels, cute white blouse and black short coat with my hair and make up done because I was coming from an important customer meeting) I could flash a big smile and happy face and say "Hello, how are you?" in passing and not let it affect me any longer. Cant' wait to do the same to xH when he picks up the kids tomorrow