“Hi.”
He set his laptop bag on the counter and frowned. “Why’s it so quiet in here? Were you sleeping again? Where’s dinner?” he asked, gaze darting around the room.
I never napped unless I was ill or had a migraine, both typically caused by him, but I didn’t let his gibe distract me. Instead, I filed it away as further proof I’d made the right decision.
“Well?” he prodded when I didn’t respond immediately.
“I didn’t make dinner,” I said. “And the house is quiet because I’m leaving.”
He huffed a dismissive laugh. “Where are you going wearing that? Not the country club, I hope.”
“No, not the club,” I agreed. “I’m going to my mother’s house, where I plan to stay.”
His brow wrinkled with confusion and his lips parted. “What are you talking about?”
I laced the fingers of my shaking hands and willed my voice not to crack. “I’m leaving you, Robert,” I said. “I’m not making dinner for you, or waiting up for you, or listening to you say unkind, underhanded things to me anymore. I’ve packed my things and hired an attorney who will file the motion for divorce this week. After that, you will be served. I left her business card on your desk. You can share that with whoever you choose to represent you in this matter.”
He laughed. “You can’t leave me,” he said.
I produced car keys from my pocket as evidence and met his stare.
His lips curled back in disgust. “You don’t have any money,” he said. “You haven’t worked since you married me. How do you expect to live?” A low, thunderous moan lurched from his lips before I could respond with any of my preplanned statements.
“Oh.” He dragged the little word for several syllables. “Right. I see. You plan to take my money. You think you’re going to get your hands on the savings and investments that I created and go set up shop somewhere else on my dime.”
I rolled my eyes and collected my purse. “I’m done with this and you,” I said as calmly as possible. “I’m tired of begging for your attention, taking your jabs, being treated as if I am somehow less when I am the one holding your precious lifestyle together. I lost my mother, and you couldn’t be bothered to come to the funeral or even ask how I’m doing once since then. You bring nothing good to my life or this relationship, Robert,” I said, sneering his name. “There’s more to life than money, and you’re about to learn that the hard way.”
I squared my shoulders and blew past him, feeling invincible. I’d never spoken to him, or anyone, that way. And I liked not being a doormat.
I strode into the garage without another glance in his direction. “Goodbye, Robert. Have fun cooking, cleaning, and managing your own life, for a change.”
I arrived at my mom’s house thirty minutes later. The cocktail of emotions splashing around in my head were of the Molotov variety.
I’d left Robert.
I told him I wanted out.
And I left.
Holy shit!
My open-mouthed smile remained maniacally wide as I pulled onto the gravel drive.
“Yay!” A big voice boomed from the backyard as I parked behind Cameron’s pickup truck.
Alicia moved into view, clapping and whistling. Her husband popped the cork on a bottle of champagne.
I got out of the SUV and went directly to my best friend, who wrapped me in a hug.
“You did it,” she whispered against my hair. “You fucking did it, and I am so amazingly proud of you.”
I held on to her for a long time as fear and doubt crept in to eviscerate my joy.
“All right, all right,” Cameron said.
Alicia wiped tears from her cheeks when we pulled apart, and Cameron handed us each a plastic cup of champagne.
“We’re fancy around here,” he said, raising his cup to ours in a toast. “May Soph’s next forty years be filled with friends, family, and fun. May she also discover she is as capable and wonderful as the rest of us already know she is. Oh, and may ole Robo Robbie gain ten pounds a year while balding prematurely.”
