Page 69 of Open for Negotiation
Chapter 13
Max
Icheck my watch for the fourth time in a matter of ten minutes. Miranda is late… again.
“I’ll step out and give her another call,” her attorney says before rising from her seat and stepping into the hall, leaving me alone with my attorney and the mediator.
It’s been over a week since we got back from Savannah, and I’ve been riding that high the entire time, but there is nothing like this shit to suck the buzz right out of the air.
“If she’s not here in the next five minutes, we have to continue without her and allow her attorney to speak on her behalf. This is absolutely unacceptable,” my attorney announces, slamming his leather folder closed.
I hold up my hand, stopping him. “Relax. She’ll be here. She’s just pushing the boundaries of my patience. You know that.”
“She’s thoroughly pushing mine,” he says, completely frustrated.
I know the feeling, though I’m doing my best not to show it. If she and her attorney have come to an agreement and will settle with what we are offering on our side, this divorce can be signed by a judge and finalized this week.
That’s what I want.
That’s the endgame here.
But I know that’s the last thing she wants. Hence, the tardiness and complete lack of care for anyone else’s time, money, or feelings.
I pull out my cell, ready to call her myself when she strolls in side by side with her attorney, looking much like the woman I fell in love with years ago.
It’s a purposeful play, to be sure, because everything she does is. She's wearing a green dress that I’ve told her many times I loved her in and her hair is swept up into a style off her neck because she knows that her throat was my favorite part of her body.
But now, after everything we’ve been through and everything she has put me through, I feel nothing when I see her except anger… and sadness.
Not for me, but for her.
“It’s about time,” I hear from beside me.
“Sorry, I suppose time just slipped by me today.” She smirks, sitting in the seat directly across from me. “How are you today, dear husband?” she seethes, but somehow looks very pleased with herself, for whatever reason.
“I am ready for this meeting to be over so I can move on to things that are worth the time I’m spending on them. This should have been over months ago,” I say before Lawrence, my attorney who I don’t pay nearly enough, stops me and takes over the meeting.
“This will be the fifth time we’ve been to mediation in order to settle this divorce and move things along so my client can get back to his life as it needs to be. We’ve offered far more than we should have and your client is still pushing for more. Surely, given your client’s conduct and treatment of Mr. Duke, you can see why we are reluctant to give even more leeway on the matter?”
Rather than letter her attorney talk, Miranda chimes in immediately, “We didn’t sign a prenup. I’m not even sure why he thinks he can just walk away without giving me my dues. I’ve earned them.”
“Miranda, this is ridiculous. You’re trying to take me for everything I have, and for what? I don’t understand. Make it make sense to me.”
“Enough,” the mediator says. “Counsel,” he says to Miranda’s lawyer, who looks like she’s got a stick so far up her ass, I’m surprised we can’t see it coming out of her mouth. “Have you taken a look at the settlement set forth by the other party?”
“We have, and we have come back with a revision and terms of our own.”
I can’t help the reaction that comes next and I’m not proud of it, but I slam my fist onto the table and rise to my feet.
“That’s it. I’m done with this endless bullshit cycle. I’m not doing it anymore.”
“Max, please sit,” Lawrence begs, gripping my elbow.
“What? You haven’t even heard what we have to say, sweetie. It may be exactly what you’re looking for.” Miranda smiles.
“Doubtful.”
“Control yourselves, please. I have other hearings today and I’d like the time to be prepped on them,” the mediator says. “Counsel, please continue and present what your client is requesting.”
