“The next day, I had my parents take me to the hospital, and I got down on one knee and asked Wanda to marry me. I planned the whole wedding. I worked with the Pastor and had the ceremony after the Easter Sunday Service.”
“When did you find out it was real?” The judge asked as she held up the marriage license. Christopher went on to explain about his engagement and how he’dapplied for a marriage license in New York and was told he was already married.
“That was a week after Easter this year. The woman I was engaged to, broke up with me, and after I found out some stuff that’s not relevant to this, I kicked her out of my condo, drove to my parents’ house and questioned them. I then went to our old neighborhood in California and found Wanda’s family had moved to Oregon. I tracked them down, then Wanda here. That was four months ago.”
“The signatures of Chris Evans and Angie Perkins, who are they?”
“My father and Wanda’s mother.”
“When was the last time after the wedding did you see Ms. Perkins again?”
“Three weeks after the wedding, I went to see her, and she was sick, really, really sick. Worse than she was at the wedding. I climbed into bed with her and read her books, what I remember from them. I was only five, I made up stories to go with the pictures. I spent all day with her. Later Mom and Dad came, and when we left the hospital, we caught a plane and headed to Japan. Dad was in the military. The next time I laid eyes on her was four months ago when I showed up at her home here and told her I wanted a divorce.”
“In the last twenty years, you never saw each other again?”
“No. I never thought the marriage was legal, to be honest. It was like I said earlier. Almost like a play, Make a Wish.”
“And you, Ms. Perkins? I don’t mean to be crass and please don’t be offended, but how did you get better?”
“None taken, Your Honor. One of the people at the wedding worked for a local newspaper. He did a human-interest piece on the wedding. The story was picked up by a national paper, and that caused a huge influx of people donating platelets. I was able to find a match. I was able to have a bone marrow transplant. I stayed in the hospital for another month or two afterward, and after being in remission for two years, Dad sold his company, and he moved us to Oregon. It’s like Christopher said, Make a Wish. I hate to say this, but I don’t remember the wedding. But I do remember Christopher from before I got sick. Over the years, my family would joke that it was my wedding anniversary, but that was only when Easter Sunday landed on April 11th. But no one thought it was real.”
“And now? Are you still in remission?”
“I am, and I’m also still accepting the kidney. Oops, sorry, that’s not relevant to this.”
“Now you got me curious. What happened?”
“Short version is that shortly after I turned thirteen, I started having lower back cramps. After a couple of months, my Mom thought it might have something to do with my period. She took me to the OB doctor, and after several tests, we found that my kidneys were failing. I was immediately admitted to the hospital, put on dialysis, because of my past illness, these doctors didn’t want to take any chances of waiting, however, the dialysis didn’t really work. After almost a year and again knocking on death’s door, a donor kidney became available. My fifteenth birthday I spend eighteen hours in the OR having a kidney transplant. Along with still being in remission for the Leukemia, I’m on medication to help my body keep the new donororgan, even though it’s been eight years. I have to be on that medication for the rest of my life. But as of my last checkup, which I get yearly by the way, I am perfectly healthy.”
“Good for you,” the judge said, and looked down at the wedding photos and only shook her head. “I can’t imagine going through what you did, not as a mother or the patient.” She gave a little shudder and then sighed.
“Okay, now that I have some background, I can get on with this. I talked to a judge I know over in California. Along with reading up on things. Because the two of you were underage at the time of your marriage, it normally wouldn’t have been legal. However, due to your witnesses being your legal parents when they signed the license, that gave their permission for the marriage to be legal and binding. Hence the reason it was put in the system.” The judge looked down and went to pick up the gavel as she said her next statement.
“Okay, my questions have been satisfied. I’m comfortable granting an annulment here and now. I just have one more question, and I’m sorry if it’s personal, but it has to be asked. During any time in the last twenty years and three months has the wedding been consummated?” Suddenly it was so quiet in the courtroom that the judge could hear the second hand on the clock that was above the entrance door on the other side of the room. She frowned and looked up at the two people still standing. Both their heads were down, and all three lawyers were looking at them. Interestingly enough was that both their ears were bright red and even their cheeks. She looked over ather bailiff and saw his brows rise. She smirked and then rubbed her hand over her mouth.
“I only ask because if it was over a year from today, I could still grant the annulment. Judging by your expressions and demeanor, the marriage has been consummated.”
“Yes,” they both said at the same time and looked at each other, and they both blushed harder. It was so cute. Not wanting to put them on the spot any longer she cleared her throat and spoke.
“Okay, then I can grant a legal separation. It’ll take a year, but if you don’t have sex with each other in the next year, then I can grant an annulment. Normally, it’d be a divorce, but since these are unusual circumstances, I’ll do the annulment. That means there will be no record that you’ve ever been married. I don’t mean to embarrass you any more than you already are, but is there any chance you two would be having sex again in the next year?” She paused. “Sorry for being blunt.”
“No, ma’am,” they both said at the same time.
“When we’re done here, I’m going back to New York,” Christopher said. “I live and work in Manhattan. I own a condo on the Upper East Side, and my business is there. In the last twenty years, I’ve never laid eyes on Wanda. Our families don’t even live in the same area. My parents live south of Chicago.”
“I live and work here in Yuma,” Wanda said. “My parents, sister and her family, and brother live in Oregon. I’m so busy with my work I don’t go anywhere. Other than four months ago and this past weekend, I haven’t seen Christopher in all this time.”
“Okay then. I’ll grant you a legal separation. If anything happens in the next year, contact me. You can do that through your lawyers. I know Mr. Harris, he’s in my court a lot with other clients. So is Mr. Anderson, but I’m sorry, I don’t know you, Sir.”
“I’m Paul Thomas, your Honor. I’m Mr. Evans’ New York attorney. I knew I couldn’t represent him here, so I’m just here for moral support. If he has any questions over the next year, he could come to me, and I can contact Mr. Anderson.”
“Okay. But Mr. Evans, make sure you don’t get double billed if that happens.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Christopher smirked.
“Okay then. I’ll grant the legal separation. Once it’s filed with the clerk, a copy will be mailed to each of you. I’m sure your addresses are on file here?” She raddled them off, and when they agreed they were correct, she picked up her gavel. “If you need anything in the next year, contact your lawyers to contact me. If not, then I’ll see you both in a year.” She banged the gavel and went to stand. They all rose as she exited then left the courtroom.
Christopher looked at Wanda and smirked, and she covered her mouth as her lawyer took her arm and started yelling at her. Both his lawyers turned to him, and he held up his hand. “Stop. I know it was a mistake. I never thought it would be an issue and if you start yelling at me or belittling me because I had sex with my wife, then you’re both fired.” He turned on his heel, went up to Wanda and after lightly gripping her elbow.
