The last part comes out like a squeaking mouse toy. I don’t bother muffling my laughter.
“Delilah, is there anything you’d like to say before we go?” James asks. Delilah looks at me, and with a wordless exchange and a slight nod of my head, she turns back to the men. And in unison, we twiddle our fingers at the soon-to-be ex-husband slash missing person that no one in this town is going to miss at all.
“Goodbye, Earl.”
24
THE STRAWBERRY JAM'BOREE
DELILAH
Did all of that really just happen?
I mean…I knew I’d get my divorce one way or another.
I had high hopes for the prospect of Leonard Mason Jr. and his ability to get me custody of my children.
I didn’t think I’d ever live in a world where I’d never have to look into the eyes of Earl Ellis Booth ever again.
I’ve spent the last hour inconsolably crying into Ivy’s arms while she held me and reassured me that this is, in fact, real life. But even as we sit here on the window bench of Miss Pattie’s, where we got a front-row view of James leading Earl into Leonard's officeby his collar like a naughty dog, I’m not quite sure I believe it.
“More eclair?” Ivy asks around a mouthful of pastry. I nod and take a large bite of the sweet, licking away the chocolate that sticks to the corners of my lips. My eyes keep drifting across the street to the law offices of Mason & Mason. I feel like I won’t believe that Earl is out of our lives for good until the ink is dry on the papers and his Mustang is hauling ass past the ‘Welcome to Be utiful Fox Hole’ sign for the last time.
“Do you think it was, like, super un-feminist of us to bring in a man to fix all of our man problems?” I ask, taking a long sip of my iced coffee. It’s fully caffeinated since I’m truly in the home stretch of this pregnancy. Little Bean is almost fully cooked. I figure a nice afternoon jolt after an emotionally draining day can’t do much damage.
Ivy takes a bite of her eclair, thinking as she chews.
“No. I don’t think so. I mean, really, we had it under control. We hired the right lawyers and were going through all the proper channels to make sure we won the custody case. And technically, we completed Operation Goodbye Earl all on our own. We wrecked his hair, his cars, and his reputation before Leonard told us to back off. Bringing inJames just sort of made all of what we did foolproof.”
“Got it. So the billionaire backup pitcher is like our extended warranty?”
“Exactly.”
We fall into a pit of laughter, only coming up for air when Ivy grabs my hand and squeezes tight.
“Lilah, baby. Look!”
Right outside the window, Earl is being led by his collar (that image will never get old) right to his car. The defeated look on his face is so wonderfully delicious, it’s almost enough to turn me on. James spots us staring through the window and gives us a thumbs-up.
The deed is done.
My kids are mine.
As soon as I sign a few papers, I’ll no longer be married.
And the woman I love is right here by my side, ready to celebrate with me.
“How do you feel, Lilah?”
Amazing. Exhausted. Exhilarated. Embarrassed. A thousand pounds lighter.
But I don’t say any of that.
“I guess I feel…like it's time I figured out what the hell I’m going to do with my life now. That marriage, the divorce, this pregnancy. It’s taken up all of my brain space for so long. Now I’m free, so what the hell is next? Who am I if I’m not the poor chump married to The Earl of Auto anymore?”
Ivy tilts her head, a knowing grin spreading across her beautifully pale face. Mischief dances in her opal eyes, and somehow I know I might be feeling suddenly lost, but Ivy will always make sure I get to where I need to be and she’ll be by my side every step of the way.
“I might have an answer to that question. Want to take a little walk with me? I’ve got something to show you.”
