Saturday started out like normal, at least what passes for normal with Nicole and I - that is we're getting up early to go do something, lol. The day was untoppable: the temperature was just right, the sun was out, and life was really good. Then in the afternoon, things got interesting... We were driving out towards St. Charles when her first ex, Mike (the one everybody hates for quite valid reasons) calls her. Before she told me who it was I knew, and a sense of dread, or foreboding, or something filled me, and I got pissed quite quickly. One...yea it was simply him, and two, he was in the area and wanted to meet her later today. Alright, guys? Who wants to meet their girlfriend's ex? Nobody? Thought so. I was no exception. So through the course of the day I calmed down and talked to our friend and he said it'd be fine and not to worry. So I did. Then...we met. Her first reaction was very curious. She said "oh my God" quite a few times, all the while walking off through aisles probably trying to figure out if it really was him. I thought that maybe he looked so much better than she last saw him that maybe she would want to be with him again. But no, that wasn't the case, Nicole was simply astounded. So we had coffee, and the conversation eventually turned to a sensitive topic that he never likes to talk about. The predicted result occurred once more (he had a short temper and stormed off, floundering in immaturity) and for the next 8 hours Nicole was aggravated, trying to think of why he's like that. Even had a period of...hmmm...well let's call it a break down and I resorted to less than favorable but unfortunately necessary tactics to calm her down. Nicole feels guilty that she couldn't get away from him, even when he was horrible to her. She let him get away with too much and thus hates herself for it. I'm in the process of trying to get her to think a little more highly of herself. But the day ended on a slightly better note than it might have. Long story short, a beautiful day that would've seemed like a day in heaven and could've been amazing went to shit. I think she learned from the encounter, but I'm not sure she's entirely convinced herself yet. We shall see.