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Emma
Hadley Cove, Georgia
Emma Wright pushed her untouched veggie sandwich away, haunted by the image of Chad, her soon-to-be ex-husband, and his new girlfriend, Ashley, leaving the courtroom arm in arm. A sigh escaped her lips as she reclined in the chair, her fingers sweeping the auburn curls away from her face. She had taken great care in preparing herself for the day’s court appearance, aware of the inevitable encounter with the man who had vowed to love her forever and the young woman who had now stepped into the role that was once hers.
Now at forty, Emma’s beauty had ripened with time. Her features, though etched with the subtle lines of life’s experiences, held an alluring charm. Yet, next to Ashley’s youthful glow, she felt the weight of the years she had weathered. Fifteen years younger, Ashley had sun-kissed blonde locks and a vitality that accentuated the striking contrast between her fresh bloom and Emma’s seasoned grace—a poignant reminder of the relentless march of time.
“You should try to eat something, Em. We have to head back soon,” Lisa said, the contours of her face shaped by worry.
“I know. I just want this all to be over.”
“It will be. We just have to hear the judge’s ruling. That’s it. Soon, today will be a distant memory.” Lisa gave Emma’s arm a comforting squeeze and rose to her feet, picking up the red plastic basket. “I’ll have them wrap this up. You can eat it later.”
Emma nodded as Lisa walked away, barely hearing her friend. She sipped the last bit of water from her cup, staring out the deli window. Her brown eyes fixed on a tree, where two birds swooped by. She watched them with a wistful longing as they soared through the air, landing gracefully on the rooftop of the Hadley Cove courthouse. Their effortless flight made her heart’s heaviness even more pronounced. Unlike the birds’ carefree flight, Emma’s life had taken a far rougher path over the past few months.
Sixteen years ago, as she’d said “I do,” she couldn’t have imagined this day would ever arrive.
“Alright, you ready?” Lisa asked, returning.
Emma stood, clutching her purse. “Let’s get this over with.”
Back at the courthouse, she took a seat next to her lawyer. He may not have been the most renowned attorney in Coastal Georgia, but he was all she could afford.
Turning to Lisa, seated a row behind, she was met with a soft smile that felt like silent reassurance. But when Chad strolled in with Ashley hanging from his arm, Emma’s heart raced, pounding like a drumbeat through her body.
Every step he took with Ashley felt like a deliberate twist of a knife. She looked on as Ashley reached up to Chad’s lapel, picked off a piece of lint, and kissed him on the lips. In return, he gave a light tap on her behind.
The color drained from Emma’s face as she swiveled around and drew in a deep, shaky breath, fighting off the tears stinging her eyes. Years that seemed like a lifetime spent beside this man, filled with memories of the relationship she thought she had—and this was how it would all end.
“Don’t let him and that homewrecker get to you,” Lisa said, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently kneading to ease the built-up tension. “You’re worth more than both of them put together.”
Emma turned and mouthed, “Thank you,” and dabbed her eyes with a tissue from her purse.
Lisa shot daggers at Chad. “That man’s audacity never ends. Just say the word, and I’ll give them both a piece of my mind.”
“Lisa, I love you, but please don’t. Remember the last time I confronted him? I can’t go through that again. I just want today to be as drama-free as possible.”
Lisa’s expression softened. “I understand. But if he sends you one more threatening message, we’re going to the police. No more excuses. I love you, Em, but you deserve so much more.”
Emma’s eyes welled up. “I know.”
At that moment, the judge walked back in from his chambers. An officer followed him out and stood to the left of the bench. “Court is now back in session with the honorable Judge Hawthorne presiding. All rise.”
Emma stood, smoothing out the knee-length black skirt she was wearing, and kept her eyes straight forward. The last thing she wanted was to look at Chad again, knowing she wouldn’t be able to control her emotions. It was bad enough her eyes were probably red and puffy. If only she could run to the bathroom to fix her face. But there was no time for that now.
“Please be seated.” Emma’s heart thudded in her chest as Judge Hawthorne spoke.
“Now that we’ve had a recess, it’s time to finalize the divorce between Chad Alan Jones and Emma Leigh Wright.”
The judge shuffled through the papers in his hands, then began to read. “The combined assets of Mr. Jones and Ms. Wright, acquired during the time of their marriage—furniture, jewelry, etcetera—shall be sold, and the profits will be equally divided. Since Ms. Wright has refused alimony from Mr. Jones, she will keep all her personal belongings, as well as full custody of Riley, the rescue dog they adopted together. Next, their place of residence at Fourteen Twenty-Two Muscadine Drive will be sold, with the profits being equally divided between Mr. Jones and Ms. Wright. This will conclude all conjugal property...”
A tear rolled down Emma’s cheek at the mention of her house. The mere thought of selling it tugged at her heartstrings, as it had been her grandparents’ home before they’d gifted it to her as a wedding present. She had always envisioned it as the place where she would grow old and spend her twilight years sitting on the porch and watching the sunset every evening. Then again, Chad had always been in that picture too. At that point, Judge Hawthorne had finished reading and banged his gavel on the wooden block in front of him, declaring the court session over.
Emma’s gaze shifted to Chad. A wry smile stretched across his face as he shook hands with his lawyer. He turned toward Emma with a shrug and flashed her a smirk. A knot tightened in her stomach.
Unable to bear the sight, Emma looked away, closing her eyes. She focused on her breathing, inhaling and exhaling in measured rhythm. Silently, she counted down from ten to recenter herself. Before she could finish, Lisa came to her side.
