“I need to find a place to stay until I can hire a hazmat team to get rid of all the furniture, bedding, soft surface stuff, and to tear out the kitchen counters,” they all looked at me like I was nuts. Emilia was holding back a laugh, and Eddie looked like I had two heads. Amber just smirked at me like she knew the exact reason why, and Clint was just unreadable as always.
I wasn’t taking any chances. Then I was hiring a cleaning crew to give me the ‘Crime Scene Special’ because I wanted to know that there was no possible scrap left of him or her in my apartment. I didn’t want any reminders of him anymore. I’d be keeping the box of reminders, but I would take the time to go through it. I just needed to flat cleaned before I went home. I wasn’t going to let him drive me out of my apartment. I just wasn’t ready to move and list the flat for sale.
Yet.
I still had to start searching for a new flat, hopefully one that was still close to the hospital so the commute wouldn’t be too hard on me. When Amber the lawyer told me that Caleb couldn’t touch the inheritance because it was meant for me and me alone, I smiled, big and cheeky like the Cheshire cat. After she informed me that since the flat was in my name, something I had bought before the marriage, it was considered a premarital asset. Having it confirmed, face to face, that it was something he was also unable to touch or even fight for, I cried.
It was the first time in days that I had cried real tears of happiness. That I felt like everything hadn’t slipped completely through my fingers.
I could breathe easier with the firm knowledge that I wouldn’t be homeless, and I would be able to keep my financial stability. I wouldn’t have to worry about finances if he turned crazy and I needed to move right away. The relief that floodedme as my tears washed the worry away as they fell was so calming, I felt like I could easily go back to sleep. After we talked about a few more things, I thanked both Clint and Amber for coming.
Amber let me know she would draft the paperwork right away and have him served tomorrow, if I wanted. I nodded, reminding her I only wanted what was mine, and a divorce. Caleb could have whatever else if it got me away from his disgusting ass faster. Clint and Eddie talked strategy with Amber while I let my thoughts wander.
Caleb thought that I had used all of my inheritance to get the apartment, that I took out a small loan to get it. Pa had agreed that I needed to keep that specific number to myself, for my own protection, and I agreed. I didn’t want him to know how much I got from my grandparents, mainly because things had been new. But after a while, I just wasn’t sure I wanted him to know. I had heard and read so many horror stories on reddit and other sites of partners falling out of love with them and in love with the money.
I didn’t want him to love me because of the money and things I could get him. I wanted him to love me, for me.
So I lied.
And I would do it again. Whether it was him or someone new.
If it meant protecting myself from another asshat, or self-serving prick. I didn’t even want to think of what kind of trash puddle the dating pool looked like for those of us sitting at almost thirty years old. That was a long way off. THat was something I didn’t want to deal with, ever again. Not at this point at least.
I need time.
I sighed heavily, tensions easing, feeling like one more thing had been checked off the list. The feeling of tears brimming my eyes, threatening a hostile takeover of my cheeks in a quest for total destruction. I sniffled, wiping my eyes with the backs of my hands. I cleared my throat, and jokingly brought up the possibility of suing that tramp, Becky. That nasty, little hussy.
“There has to be some sort of repercussions for having an affair with a man you know is married,” I said absentmindedly to Eddie and Emilia, “I mean. She set out to, and succeeded in destroying my marriage.”
“What woman doesn’t have that intent when starting something with a man she knows is married?” Emilia chimed in, oh so helpfully.
“I’m just thinking out loud. Because they wereboththe direct cause of the downfall of my marriage,” I let the thought hang there.
One I had been trying to save.
Before leaving, Clint’s lawyer asked if I had proofsheknew, and I slid my phone over to her as Eddie held up my messenger bag along with all kinds of paperwork from inside of it. Tax documents, the deed for the apartment, and proof I was the one making the mortgage payments. He also pulled out all the paperwork involving my inheritance. She scanned the pictures I had of the messages proving she asked about me a few times.
“All this is great. I’ll get my aide to come down so we can work through this and hopefully get those papers out tonight likeI promised. I just want to make sure we get all of this entered–,” she was cut off by the doctor walking in.
“Well, oh. Hello everyone,” Clint and Amber slipped out, waving their goodbyes to us. “Devin. It seems everything’s alright with you, just a panic attack. I have that referral you asked for,” he lifted an eyebrow and a piece of paper. I nodded to him in thanks. “Labs, tests, all of it came back normal. We’re going to send you home, but we’d like you to take a few days off work.” I nodded, before shaking my head with a smirk on my face. He started to hand me the doctor’s note.
“Send the slip to HR. I’m usually down in the ED.” My voice felt scratchy, and I could feel myself getting tired again. Emotions wiping me out.
“Ah. Well, sorry you’re here on a day off,” he chuckled lightly, “I also think it’d be wise to have someone else staying with you, just in case this happens again.”
“We are.” Eddie and Emilia said together. I smiled at them, sitting in the chairs, protectively at my side, and then back at the doctor. It was time for sleepovers again like when we teenagers. Or when we were in college, all sneaking into one of our dorms on any given night like true siblings who just loved sleep overs.
“Both of you?” They nodded. “Wonderful! The nurses will be in with your discharge paperwork. I’ll go put in the order now and we can get the ball rolling. Want to shoot for getting out of here within the next say, thirty minutes? Sound good?” He asked, not looking at me, but the computer screen, clicking through the tabs, no doubt signing off on everything and getting the orders in for discharge.
“Please,” I practically begged.
“Then,” Amber popped back in the room and drawled out, “Can we go to your place? Get a head start on all of this? I think we’re all in agreement that this should be done as soon as possible, right?” I looked at Clint who was still standing mostly outside the room, but still in the doorway. I looked between him and her, when I noticed he was nodding along to everything Amber was saying, but his eyes were elsewhere with a small smile on his lips. I didn’t know how this man just seemed to know what I wanted or needed, but he did. I gave a nod to him, as his eyes flicked from me, to Eddie.
“Yes. I have to get ahold of the medical board to stop the process of changing my name since I’ll be going back to Murphy as soon as this goes through. I’d rather not have to do any more paperwork if I don’t have to.” I huffed, trying to sit up a little more, trying to move myself to the edge of the bed. The need toweewas overwhelming, but I’d rathernothave to show my ass to everyone, and these damn hospital gowns left little to the imagination.
“Added it to the list,” Eddie said, typing in his phone, “Let me help you, sis,” he said, swiftly clamping the back of my gown shut with his big hand, helping me steady myself before walking with me and my IV pole to the bathroom. I sat there and listened as papers shuffled and low voices talked about plans, and how soon we could tackle them.
I could admit it to myself.
