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Bella
January
“Just sign here and here.”The stuffy lawyer who sat across from me pointed to the spots on the paper with the lid of his pen.
My stomach rolled as I looked over to Miles, who sat there with an impatient look on his face, waiting for me to sign us away forever. The constant ticking of the clock that stood in the corner was grating on my nerves.Tick… tick… tick…
I looked down at the forms in front of me, my hands beginning to sweat as I thought about what life was going to be like without him in my life.
“Miles, I—”
“Bella, just sign. Don’t make this worse than the last few years. This part is simple and painless,” he bit out.
I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes. “Miles, there has to be another way. Please, reconsider,” I cried. “We could always look at adopting—”
“Bella, the time for options is up. You didn’t want that and, unfortunately, I don’t want this anymore,” he said, waving his hand back and forth between us. “The last five years have taken a toll. I can’t live another day of my life being miserable. It’s time we just move on. We are over.”
I looked across the desk at the emotionless face of the lawyer.Tick… tick… tick…It seemed even the clock was getting impatient with me. I wiped my hands on my jeans, picked up the pen, wiped the stray tear from my cheek that had fallen, and signed my name through blurry eyes.
I placed the pen down and reached for a tissue. The lawyer grabbed the papers and placed them in front of Miles. He nodded, picked up the pen, and confidently signed the paperwork, a hint of a smile on his face. He probably already had someone on the side, someone he could easily plant his seed in and produce the children he’d always wanted. Perhaps she already was pregnant. I’d never really know the truth and wasn’t sure I wanted to.
After I walked out of that lawyer’s office, I didn’t look back. I went home to my small apartment and cried my eyes out one last time. Then I picked up all my broken pieces and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
Three months later, I was right back where I was now—on the couch, crying my eyes out. My boss had laid me off.
* * *
May
The first fourmonths of being newly divorced was about uneventful as the first week we’d been married. However, the first week of being unemployed was hell. I’d spent countless hours looking for employment, and by Saturday night, I was burned out. I’d curled up on the couch in my pajamas and was watching an episode of my favourite show when my phone rang. I let out a sigh, debating not answering it. After eight, I knew it wouldn’t be a job offer, so I glanced at the call display. It was the first time a smile had come to my lips all week.
“Brielle? Is it really you?” I cried into the receiver, happy to hear from my best friend.
“Bella! How are you, gorgeous?”
“I’m good. Just plugging along,” I answered, turning the volume down on the TV.
“How’s work?” she questioned.
I’d talked to Brielle over the past few months about the divorce, but I’d yet to tell her about losing my job. It wasn’t the way I wanted to start a conversation with her. I blew out a breath. “Well… it isn’t. Cutbacks, you know,” I said simply, trying hard not to allow the stress to creep up.
“Oh, Bella, I’m so sorry. How long?”
“I found out on Monday.”
“God, I feel so bad now. I was going to call but figured you might need time to yourself to get over everything, and now I feel like I abandoned you.”
“Don’t be silly. You didn’t abandon me.”
“Yeah, but you needed me.”
I grew quiet. I always needed Brielle. It had been hard since leaving Eastport. We’d been through so much together over the years. The fact that she wasn’t right here had probably been the hardest part of going through this divorce. Not that Boston was that far. I’d headed back to Eastport right before we signed the divorce papers and spent a weekend. We’d had a great time, yet I felt bad adding extra work for her. She was busy running The Cooling Rack and looking after Emma. I didn’t want to add my stresses to her day.
“Thanks. I always need you, but I needed some time, too. As for the new wrench in the gears, well, I’m just taking it day by day. Searching countless job websites for the same responses.”
“Day by day is good. It’s easier that way.”
“So, to what do I owe this surprise?” I questioned, wanting to turn the attention off me.
