Flower Bloom 369

FLOWER Bloom 2/25/26 Wednesday By Mariann Carroll

Karen had been with Tony for 7 years. Tony started acting strangely after her surgery. He would mow the lawn in the rain and be on his cellphone. He started pushing Karen away. Tony came clean about seeing someone. Karen moved out two months later. Karen moved in with a friend. She felt betrayed.

Six months after leaving Tony, Karen got a call from Tony.

"Karen, I messed up. It did not work out with Lena. I love you. Please forgive me and come back." Tony begged her.

Karen went back to Tony since they had been together for a long time. She wondered if she would regret going back to him. Two months into getting back with Tony, Tony started dating someone again, Pearl. Tony came clean and told Karen. He even told Karen she could stay in their house, and he would move out and live with Pearl. Pearl and Tony did not work out after two years, and Tony wanted to sell their house. Karen had enough of Tony harassing and threatening her. She got herself a small apartment.

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5 years later

Tony tried to contact Karen several times to apologize for his behavior. He realized his relationship with Karen was the best 7 years of his life. Karen started her restaurant business. She always wanted to do that when she was with Tony. Karen's restaurant business was doing so well that Karen bought her dream home. She also met someone who showed Karen respect and love.

Karen and her new husband, Martin, had two children. Martin turned out to be a good husband and a good father. Karen and Martin bump into Tony at the grocery store. Tony noticed how happy Karen seemed. She was smiling and looking at her new husband with loving eyes.

That's how Karen used to look at him when they went grocery shopping together. Tony thought maybe if Karen saw him again, she might get back with him.

"Hi Karen, long time no see. How have you been?" Tony bumped into Karen and spoke to her intentionally.

"Hi Tony, how have you been? This is my husband Martin, and we now have two beautiful children." Karen responded.

Hearing and seeing Karen again was like a breath of fresh air. The pleasant memories he shared with Karen came back to Tony. Why did he feel he needed to date other women to feel complete back then? He was miserable with all the women he tried to replace Karen with. He really thought Karen would start chasing him and begged to be with him.

They talked for a few more minutes. Karen was showing Tony pictures of her beautiful children. Tony thought those kids could have been Karen's and his. Martin had one arm around Karen's shoulders the whole time.

Martin reminded Karen that they had better get going. They had to pick up their kids at his sister's house. His sister has an appointment to go to later.

"Goodbye, Tony, it was nice to see you. Stay well." Karen bid Tony farewell and left with her husband to go to the cash register at the front of the grocery store.

Tony stood looking at Karen's back as she went with her husband to the front of the grocery store. Tony thought that the arm around her could have been his. Tony took his cellphone and called his mother.

"Mom, I saw Karen at the store."

"I really like Karen. She was very nice to me. I miss her. She stopped calling me because of you." His mom told him.

Tony's mom was always telling him that, every time Karen came up in their conversations.

"Karen has two kids now. I kept holding off on having kids with her, and now I regret it. She showed me some pictures of her kids, and they are beautiful kids." He told his mom.

"I am glad for her. She deserved them," his mom responded.

" I got all you asked me to get at the grocery store. I will be home soon, Mom," he told his mom.

" See you soon. Do not forget to pick up my medication at the pharmacy. Bye, son. "Mary Kate told her son.