Michael turned out to be an engineer who worked at a design firm, and he enjoyed hiking and photography.
He told interesting stories with a sense of humor, and Kiana found herself relaxing and even laughing several times.
At the end of the evening, he asked cautiously,
“Can I call you, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
Kiana paused.
She wasn’t looking for a relationship.
She hadn’t even thought about it.
But why not?
“You can,” she replied. “I don’t mind.”
He smiled, and there was something warm and genuine in his expression.
They called each other a week later, met at a café, talked, and walked through a snow‑covered park where kids were sledding and couples held hands under streetlamps.
Michael was an attentive listener and an interesting conversationalist.
Kiana briefly told him about her divorce.
He nodded understandingly.
“I’m divorced too,” he admitted. “Three years ago. It was hard at first, but then I realized it was for the best. Life got better. It was easier to breathe.”
Kiana smiled.
So she wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
They continued to meet once a week.
No more often.
Unhurriedly, without pressure, without commitment.
Just enjoying spending time together.
In January, an unexpected encounter happened at work.
Kiana was standing at the coffee machine in the hallway when a group of people stepped out of the elevator.
Ms. Sterling was among them.
Kiana froze.
Her former mother‑in‑law noticed her too, stopped, and turned pale.
They stared at each other for a few seconds.
Then Ms. Sterling abruptly turned away and hurried toward the exit, clutching her purse.
Kiana watched her go and smirked.
Apparently, the mother‑in‑law had come to see an acquaintance in another office or to take care of some business and certainly hadn’t planned on running into her former daughter‑in‑law.
Kiana poured her coffee and returned to her office.
