“Your honour, my client has no desire to be divorced and requests that the court mandate counselling. She feels that the marriage is strong enough to get over this mishap with a little help.”

That was her lawyer speaking. Her, being my soon to be (If I had anything to do with it) ex-wife Julie.

My lawyer stood.

“Your honour, a 12-month affair with multiple men, resulting in the birth of a child is hardly a mishap, especially when the DNA proves that said child does not belong to my client. We feel that there Is no benefit in prolonging this fiasco of a marriage any longer. Counselling is not going to change anything.”

“It is precisely because of the child that I am inclined to order counselling.” said the judge” A child needs a stable home to grow...”

“If you think I’m bringing up that cheating bitch’s bastard...” I said loudly. My lawyer winced.

The judge banged his gavel hard.

“One more word and I will hold you in contempt of court” he yelled at me.

“I am ordering 1 month of counselling Two sessions per week. You WILL attend Mr. Steadman or else.” He glowered at me for a moment, then banged his gavel again “that is all.”

Julie, my soon to be ex wife looked smug as I entered the counsellor’s office.

“I’m Dr. Sullivan, but you may call me Gerald. May I call you Brian?” he smiled at me.

“No. you may not. You may address me as Mr. Steadman”

“Brian there’s no need...” started Julie

“And you, bitch, may not address me at all.” I snapped at her.

“I think we need to settle down.” Said Dr. Sullivan. Please Mr Steadman Take a seat.” He indicated one of the chairs side by side in front of his desk. I moved the chair a good six feet away from the chair Julie was sitting in and flopped down into it. Gerald Sighed.

“Ok then” he began. I didn’t hear anything more as I pulled out a set of air pods and put them in and started to listen to music from my phone. Gerald just stared at me and then started speaking to Julie. I couldn’t hear what he was saying to I just continued to play with my phone while listening to the music. After about 15 minutes I saw Julie stand up. She glared at me and stomped out of his office.

I took out my air pods.

“Ok Doctor, good session. See you Thursday?.”

“I’m cancelling the sessions and sending my report to the judge.”

“Even better.”

I left the office.

The judge was not pleased.

“Give me one reason why I should not hold your client in contempt?” he growled at my lawyer.

“Your honour, you ordered my client to attend the sessions. He attended the first session in accordance with the order. It was the counsellor who called off the rest of the sessions”

“The counsellors report clearly states that he made no attempt to engage in the session. He put in headphones and ignored them for the entire time.” The judge responded.

“The order was that he attend” my lawyer returned. “He attended. Given that the counsellor felt that there was no benefit in continuing I would like to request that you grant the divorce according to the petition.”

“Not on your life.” The judge said “I am ordering 4 weeks of counselling. Mr Steadman WILL attend, and he WILL participate.”

The office was set up in exactly the same format as before when I arrived. Two chairs about a foot apart faced the doctors desk. He sat behind it. The desk was bare barring a yellow legal pad and a picture of a pretty woman I would guesstimate in her mid thirties and a child that looked about 6 years old.

“Mr Steadman” the doctor said “Please, take a seat.”

Once again I started to move the chair. Julie put her hand out to stop me and I jumped back.

“I’m giving you both notice that any and all physical contact will be construed as an attack on my person and will be responded to with appropriate force.” I said.

Julie gasped pulling back. I went back to moving the chair and then sat in it. Once again I got out my phone.

“Mr Steadman. The judge ordered that you participate in the session”

“I know.” I said “I am using my phone to record the session to prove my participation. My lawyer says that some counsellors have been known to have their own agendas. Since my soon to be ex-wife has already been seeing you for some time, I feel that you may have already developed a relationship with her that might work against me.”

“And if I do not wish you to record the sessions?” the Doctor asked.

“Then I will go back to court and request a different counsellor.” I said “I have that option. The only reason I didn’t do that already was it would cause even more delays.”

“Julie, how do you feel about the sessions being recorded?” he looked at her

“Whatever” she said waving her hand. “Can we just start?”

“Ok then “Gerald said. “What I would like to do to start.”

“Before we start” I interrupted him “Can I ask a question?”

“Of course,” he said “you can ask questions at any time. I may ask you to hold off asking at certain points in the process but right now ask away” He smiled at me encouragingly.

“Have you fucked her yet?” Julie gasped but it didn’t seem to faze Gerald

“No. Julie and I have not had, nor will we have, any kind of sexual contact” he said mildly “It would not be appropriate even if I were not already very happily married. Does that answer your question?”

I nodded. I believed him. Although he must have been one of the few men that Julie had met in the last year, not to have fucked her.

“OK Then. Then as I was saying what I would like to do to start is to set our expectations. Since I have already spoken to Julie on a few occasions I would like for her to outline what she would like to achieve in these sessions and what her desired outcome would be. I would ask that while she is talking, you refrain from comments and questions until the end. Once Julie has told us what she hopes to achieve, I will ask you to do the same.

I refrained from comment.

I didn’t look at Julie as she began to speak.

“First of all, Brian... “She began

“DO NOT Speak to me” I growled.

“Talk to me, Julie” said Gerald “Tell me what you would like Mr Steadman to hear”

“I wanted him to hear how sorry I am that I hurt him. I know what I did was wrong it was just that he spent so much time at work and on his business trips I was lonely. I realise how much I hurt him and If I could possibly go back and change the past, I would give anything to do it. I love him more than anything else in the world. I know we can get past this if he would just give me a chance, I would show him that I can be the best wife a man could ever want. We could bring our child up together and give him a wonderful life, maybe even a brother or sister. I want us to be together. I know we can do it. We can get past this I know we can.”

Gerald smiled at Julie.

“Ok, thank you Julie. Now you Bria ... I mean Mr Steadman, what would you like to say.”

I glared at him.

“I would like to see the cheating festering CUNT getting gang raped, catching a rare and incurable STD and dying a slow and painful death.” I said.

Julie burst into tears and ran from the room.

“That was not helpful” Gerald remarked.

“I do not want to be helpful. That bitch whored around for a year with half the men in the city, got herself pregnant and tried to pass the baby off as mine. If I hadn’t already been suspicious and asked for a DNA test I would even now be stuck with paying child support for some other fuckers kid. Tell me Doc, how exactly should I be acting?”

“It’s natural to be angry, but you need to look past the anger at what you had.” He replied.

“Do you actually know what the fuck you are talking about?” I snapped “have you ever had the love of your life, the person you have entrusted with your heart and soul, and who you would literally die to protect, shit on you so completely that you question your own sanity? When I found what was going on I wanted to die. I seriously considered taking my own life. How could someone who professes to love someone hurt them so badly that they are driven to suicide?