Page 36 of Crashing Without Justice

“What if you sell it?”

My head reared back at such a suggestion. “Are you suggesting that I sell myhome?The home that I have come to love and have memories in?”

“Well, if you can’t refinance, then what other choice do you have?”

“I’m not going to need to sell it because Harding and I are going to work things out,” I finally informed her. “If you’d been around these past few days, you’d know that.”

Heady’s eyes widened. “Paige, what are you talking about? I’ve been texting you every day, asking you how you’re holding up.”

“She’s forcing him to do this,” I said, ignoring her weak attempt to support me. “That has to be it. I bet you that Harding probably doesn’t even know that his whore had me served with divorce papers.”

“Paige-”

“It’s easy enough to forge his signature,” I went on, finally realizing what this was. “I bet you this is all her.”

“Have you thought about calling Harding? You know, asking him?” she asked before taking a sip of wine, her life still a perfect little bubble of wealth and happiness.

“Will he even believe me?” I countered. “I’ll have to meet him, so that he can see the papers for himself.”

“Paige…hun, what if he’s the one that sent them? What are you going to do then?”

I stood up, then grabbed the envelope, the wine forgotten. “Why are you on his side?”

Heady quickly stood up with me. “Paige, I amnoton Harding’s side. I’m just playing devil’s advocate and trying to help you come up with a plan in case he really did file for divorce.”

“He didn’t,” I hissed. “There’s no way that Harding would file for divorce after only a week, Heady.Shedid this; she had to.”

“Okay, just…just relax,” she said softly. “Let’s just talk about this and what to do ne-”

“I’m going to reach out to Harding,” I told her. “That’s what I’m going to do next.”

Refusing to spend any more useless time on her, I walked out of the dining room, then out of her house until I was back in my car. If she couldn’tsee how Harding would never do this to me, then she wasn’t as smart as she liked to believe that she was. Harding would never serve me with divorce papers so soon after his confession. We had a lot to work through, and since he was very aware of that, either Trista forced him to file, or else she did this herself.

Sitting in my car, I pulled my phone out to send Harding a text. It was going to be lengthy, but I had no choice until he agreed to speak with me face-to-face.

Me:Harding, we need 2 talk n we need 2 do it face 2 face. I got served with divorce papers 2day, but I know that ur not the 1 that sent them. I know that ud never do such a thing when we still love each other so much. We both know that this can b fixed n I also know that repairing r marriage is what we BOTH want. Neither of us want r family hurt any more by this, so we need 2 talk. That’s the only way that we r going 2 b able to move 4ward.

Me:I know that she’s probably convinced u that I’ll never 4give u, but that’s not true. I am a good person that always has 4giveness n her heart, n u know this. Do not b afraid that I’ll reject u or ur love. I can still feel ur love 4 me, so she doesn’t have all of u, sumthing that she probably knows, sumthing that made her send me those papers. It’s safe 2 come home, Harding.

Me:Ur also still my best friend, like I’m sure that I’m urs. She will never know u like I do, and I don’t want 2 lose that. We r more than a married couple, we r soulmates, Harding. I pray 4 u and us every day, and the power of prayer is bhind all n every miracle ever performed. This marriage n r love r both miracles n I know that u still feel that. I’m begging u 2 meet me n c 4 urself how she forged ur name n sent me these papers.

Setting the phone down in the cup holder, I started my car, then pulled away from the curb. Whether or not Harding replied, I was not going to let him avoid me forever. If I had to show up at his hotel room to sort this out, then that’s what I was going to do. It was time to take control of the situation since he was taking too long to find his way back.

When my phone chimed with an incoming text, I grabbed it, not caring that I was driving. Now, while my phone automatically sync’d to my car, I didn’t have time for that shit.

Harding:I agree…we need 2 talk.

The relief that I felt nearly knocked me back. I could only imagine how angry he was that Trista had gone behind his back and had served me withdivorce papers, and so this was my chance to finally make him see the truth of what a huge mistake he was making.

I also had to admit some of my own mistakes if we were going to make this work. It was obvious that I was going to have to make more of an effort in the bedroom if I wanted to keep him from ever wandering again, but that was something that I didn’t mind doing. I had taken our sex life for granted, assuming that it hadn’t been as important as everything else, but it’d had. Men needed sex in a way that women didn’t understand, and it didn’t matter if we didn’t understand it; they needed it, so it was up to us to make sure that they got it in whichever way pleased them. It was how Trista had been able to lure Harding away from me; she’d seen what had been lacking, then had made up for it.

Me:I’ll be home n a few minutes. U can come over then.

Harding:I’m thinking 2morrow morning might b best.

I read Harding’s text, then had to pull over for a moment. My hands were shaking with anxiousness, hope, and relief because he was finally coming home. Harding was coming home, and we were going to talk this thing out, remember how much we loved each other, then finally put this nonsense to rest.

Letting out a shaky breath, I pulled away from the curb again, thinking that tomorrow was a great idea. After all, it’d give me plenty of time to glam myself up before seeing him again.

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