I never intended for it to happen, God knows I didn’t, but when it did, it opened my eyes to the fact that I don’t have to settle. This man, who had been right under my nose the whole time, showed me things that you couldn’t or wouldn’t. We made love in the sand under a pale moon. I know that’s probably not what you want to hear, but I think you need to. Those are the kinds of things that make a woman feel special. Paul, I love you to death, but you have a lot to learn about what it takes to please a woman. There’s more to keeping her around than just good dick.

I’ve tried to understand and be patient, Paul, but how long would I be forced to wait in the wings until you and Rhonda decided to get your shit together? It troubles me to know that the children who we will one day entrust our society to have parents like Rhonda as examples to follow. It’s a sad cycle, and I only hope P.J. doesn’t get caught up in the madness. No matter who fathered him, I’ll always remember him as the son I got to have for a little while.

Paul, please don’t hate me for what I’ve done, but try to understand me like I’ve tried to understand you. I needed to be loved, Paul, and you just weren’t willing to do it the right way. Don’t take this letter as a putdown or a scorn, but as a lesson learned in life. The next time you get a good woman, try to appreciate her more so that you never have to receive another letter like this one.

Love always,

Marlene

Paul’s whole body shook. Though he wasn’t crying out loud, tears ran down his face. The love he had held in his heart for Marlene withered and was reborn as a ball of hate. She had gone out of her way to take his heart and completely stomp on it. If she had been sitting beside him, there was no doubt in his mind that he would’ve broken her jaw. When a woman gets her heart broken, it hurts, but when it happens to a man, the pain is tenfold because his pride and ego is so much bigger.

He thought Marlene would be the one true love of his life, but she had turned out to be as sneaky and trifling as the next bitch. He cursed himself for not listening to Larry and keeping it as a fuck thing. This was the second time he failed to heed his friend’s advice and it blew up in his face. Not knowing what else to do, Paul laughed hysterically and cried for the rest of the ride.