Chapter 25

She saw the man come in. He was wearing a big smile. Looked like he might have some news.

“This is a big night for me,” I said. I was so nervous and so positive, but she was looking down and seriously not happy.

“I guess it’s not going to be as big a night as I thought,” I said. I knew the look. I worked for lawyers and it had happened to me too, before. And now it was again, I was being dumped. No doubt about it.

“You’re dumping me, aren’t you?” I said, dropping into a seat across from her. She looked up.

“No, absolutely not,” she said. “But I am asking for a divorce. There is a very big difference.”

“Oh, I’m not familiar. I mean about any difference,” I said.

“Penelope dumped you. She divorced you and hid your fatherhood from you and tried to minimize your influence with Zoe once you did find out. I’m doing none of those,” she said. “But I do need, that’s need, to divorce you. I’ve thought this out long and deeply. If you let me talk and don’t just kick me out of here; well, you’ll see where I’m coming from and what I mean,” she said.

“Okay, the answer to one question will determine whether you are full of shit or I am. Okay?” I said.

“Yes,” she said, “ask away.”

“Custody?” I said.

“Fifty-fifty. Using any formula you wish, so long as it’s even up,” she said. I was nodding.

“Fifty-fifty. Half the time with you and half with me. Am I reading that right?” I said.

“Yes, you are,” she said. I nodded some more.

“Okay, then we can talk,” I said.

“You have any ideas? I mean now?” she said.

“No, of course not. I mean it’s been less than two minutes since I got the news,” I said,

I was sure something was going to screw things up. It always did for me. That said, she was about to prove me wrong, something that didn’t happen all too often, not to me.

“I have a couple of ideas if you’d like to hear them,” she said.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll listen.”

“We could just switch back and forth week to week, but it would be kinda impractical moving back and forth that much. We could alternate months of the year, same idea as week to week, but with less back and forth moving. Or we could do the switch quarterly which is the one I think would be the most practical over the long haul. But it will be totally your choice,” she said.

“Hmm, you’ve been doing some thinking haven’t you?’ I said.

“Yes,” she said.

“Okay, I like the quarterly thing, but with a wrinkle added in,” I said.

“Oh? Okay,” she said.

“Yes, this year—this is March—we do it month to month to allow our daughter to get used to our separateness, not to mention me,” I said. “There are two weeks left in this month. I’ll take those. You get next month and we alternate from then on out,” I said.

“Okay, I can agree to that, those, whatever,” she said. “But can I add that visitation by either of us can happen any time during the other person’s time of residency.”

“I can agree to that, but on a phone call ahead of time basis and with reasonableness being the controlling factor,” I said.

“Yes,” she said.

“I thought that we were going to be having dinner tonight. Obviously, we won’t be. But a drink, or drinks?” I said. she nodded.

“Yes, I could use a drink,” she said.

A few minutes later, drinks in front of us, the meat of the conversation was about to happen.

“This could take a while,” I said. “I mean since we agree on the biggee. I do want to talk and get some answers. I mean if your new man isn’t waiting for you in the parking lot. And if you will allow me a bit of your valuable time.” She looked down. “You do have a new man, right.” She nodded.

“He is outside waiting,” she said. I smiled. I loved it when I was right.

“Use that fancy cell phone of yours and tell him to go home or something. He can come back for you later, maybe in an hour or so. I mean if that’s all right with you,” I said. She got up and walked to a spot near the entrance and made the call. She returned in less than two minutes.

“Okay,” she said.

“One and only one requirement,” I said.

“The truth and nothing but,” she said.

“Yes,” I said. “If you can grant me that much respect, I will bend over backwards to cooperate. Good enough for you?”

“Yes, it’s what I’d hoped for. And I was, and am, fully aware that I would not be able to fool you in any event. You will get the truth. I just hope you won’t hate me after the fact,” she said.

“If you’re straight with me, there will be no hatred,” I said.

“Thank you,” she said. “And to answer your first question which, yes, I know you haven’t asked yet; it’s been going on for the past twelve years, a couple times a month on average and the very occasional luncheon or dinner date. Usually at the Rendezvous.”

“Does anyone know about this?” I said.

“Hell no!” she said. I nodded. “The man would like to meet with you at some point. He wants to pay you back for my operations.”

“He’s got money, has he?” I said.

“He’s rich. But before you ask that has nothing to do with me wanting a divorce, nothing,” she said. “I know you could be a millionaire if you wanted. Money was never that big a deal for you or for me.” I nodded. I knew that what she said was true.

“Of course, my answer is no. I do not want to meet him or know anything about him. And I sure as hell do not want him to be paying me back for your ops,” I said.

“Okay, I understand,” she said.

“Okay, so then why?” I said. “My legs? I assume he has his.”

“No, and yes, he has his. No, the reason is something that has been brewing for a long time, Lee. I kept hoping you’d get it and change, but you never did and you likely never will.

“You can’t get over what Penelope did to you, and especially how she did you per Zoe. I need to have a man who can focus on me, not past relationships. Lee, I love you still, but you are not that man. And Lee, you will never be able to keep a woman if you can’t figure that one out.”

She’d stung me. And I knew, instinctively knew, that she was right, and that on all levels.

We talked a little more. She would be dropping Tina by the next day. I would have her for the next two weeks, and then she would be with her mom for the following month, and then me and so on till the end of the year.

She’d been right about one big thing. She hadn’t dumped me. She was divorcing me, but not dumping me like my ex-wife had. It felt like I might be able to get along on some level with Glory. That said, we still would have to wait and see. Things happen. I knew that for damn sure, as experience teaches and had taught me.

“So, he didn’t lose it,” said Ian.

“No. He wasn’t happy for damn sure, but I was straight with him, no lies and no hiding anything from him. He’d know immediately if I even tried,” she said.

“Wow,” he said. “And the money.”

“No, not now not ever. You don’t get it. The man isn’t just smart he’s beyond smart. He could be a millionaire in no time if he wanted. I’m certain of it. He just doesn’t care about money, not that kind of money,” she said. “He actually holds it in contempt and the people who worship it even more so.” The man snickered.