For the better part of a decade, Jake and I were locked in this toxic dance. He'd flaunt his feelings for his high school sweetheart, like, everywhere, while I stubbornly clung to the title of his wife, just to spite him.

Then, our whiz-kid son, Alex, who's only fifteen, invents a freakin' time machine. And he's begging me to let Jake and Sarah get together.

"Mom," he cries, "just let Dad be happy. Sarah deserves him."

I ruffled Alex’s hair. "Are you sure? If we go back, you might not even exist."

"Sarah's worth it," he insisted.

If that’s what he truly wanted, who was I to stand in the way?

Jake just scoffed. "Don't come crawling back to me when you regret this, Karen."

I wouldn't.

Because the whole reason I even married Jake in the first place… was to save my original husband and son.

…

So, Alex is there, practically vibrating with anticipation, as I dial Jake’s number.

A woman answers. "Jake's in the shower. Can I take a message?"

I knew that voice. It was Sarah. "Just tell him it's about the divorce. The sooner the better, so you can finally be Mrs. Harrison."

Sarah starts sniffling. "Karen, I never meant for..."

"Save the act. If Jake isn't here in twenty minutes, I might change my mind."

It worked. Slamming doors echoed up the stairs, and then Jake, dripping wet and furious, was standing in front of me.

"What did you say to Sarah? She was practically in hysterics!"

I just smirked. "That's my girl. Maybe next time I'll slap her, see if she can cry herself back to life."

"You're impossible." He turned to leave.

"Jake," I called out, "I'm letting you go."

He froze, then slowly turned around.

His cold eyes scanned me up and down, ending with a dismissive smirk. "Karen, are you on something?"

"Alex built a time machine. We’re going back fifteen years, pretending we never met."

Alex chimed in, eager as ever. "Dad, I'll set the date right before your wedding! Then you can finally marry Sarah!"

Jake frowned, staring at me.

"What about your son? Don't you want him anymore?"

I practically raised Alex. Jake wasn’t half the parent I was.

When he was little, he got sick all the time, coughing his lungs out every night. I’d call in sick to work, cradling him and soothing him until he finally fell asleep.

He had a sensitive stomach, so I rarely let him eat junk food. I’d make him homemade, healthy meals.

He'd always beam, saying, "You’re the best, Mom!"

But after Sarah showed up, he started looking at me with disdain.

"Mom, why can't you be like Sarah? She's so classy and elegant. You're always at the hospital or cooking, like some housewife.

"No wonder Dad doesn't love you. He never takes you anywhere."

He and his dad had the same obsession with Sarah, fawning over her like she was a goddess.

I was the unwanted interloper, the third wheel everyone hated.

I didn't feel the sting anymore. I said calmly, "He'd rather make you happy than exist. He doesn't mind. Neither do I."

Jake let out a short, harsh laugh.

"Karen, if this is real, don't come crawling back to me. Got it?"

I gave him a small smile. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Jake, Alex, and I piled into the time machine.

"Once I calibrate everything," Alex says, "you'll be back in 2008! Dad, this time, don't settle! Marry Sarah!"

"Sarah's so kind. She's way better than Mom!"

He said it with such conviction, such longing.

I looked at his eager face and couldn't help but smile.

I just hoped he wouldn't regret it.

The moment I hit the 'go' button, the world outside turned into a blinding white light, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I felt someone touch my hand, but it didn't matter.

As long as I got back to 2008, it was a clean slate.

I opened my eyes, and I was standing at a beat-up old bus stop.

The bus stop sign looked like it was straight out of 2008. I glanced around, and everything was exactly as I remembered.