Page 58 of One Last Time
She definitely is that person, and it’s why I had her come with me. Nicole may be the only one of us who stayed single, but I’m the only person who knows why. I was the one who held her hand on her darkest day, so I wanted her to see me at my lowpoint.
Today, I will endure watching the man I thought I’d grow old beside end that dream. I wanted Nicole to remind me that even when I’m down, I’m not out. She’s living proof ofit.
“Thank you for being a diamond.” I squeeze herhand.
“You’rewelcome.”
“The judge would liketo call Scott McGee and Kristin McGee forward please,” the court clerkannounces.
“This is the end.” I stand and fix myskirt.
“This is the beginning, Kris. The end to misery and the start of something you get to determine. I love you, and I’ll be here when you’redone.”
I nod and hugher.
My lawyer places her hand on my shoulder and nods. We walk in silence, my heart pounding against my chest as we enter the courtroom. I stand on one side and Scott stands on the other. It’s sad that this is where we are. After all the years of trying to close the gap between us, it’s now an ocean, and I can’t see theland.
There’s no denying the anguish that flows through me. I look at his profile, remembering how much I loved him. Memories of us when we were young assault me. The smiles, laughter, and silliness that I thought would never end. How his eyes were filled with love as I walked down the aisle of the church in my wedding dress, believing I would love him until the day Idied.
Maybe I did die. That naïve girl is long gone. I’m not the same as I was, just as heisn’t.
The judge speaks, reviewing all the paperwork, but I can’t focus on it. It seems so easy when you hear your marriage broken down into bullet points. We’re just two people. Assets, visitation, alimony, andnumbers.
We were more than thatonce.
My lawyer taps my arm, forcing my attention back forward. “Mrs. McGee, are you aware of the change of filing grounds regarding the dissolution of yourmarriage?”
I glance at my lawyer and she shakes her head. “No,” I say withconfusion.
Who changed the grounds? My lawyer didn’t say aword.
“Mr. McGee submitted the paperwork late last night claiming that you committed adultery during the duration of your marriage, and you’re not entitled to any support due to the financial constraints this caused. He claims it should be on the record that you used his finances to fund youraffair.”
My lungs won’t fill with air. I can’t believe this. He is out of his goddamn mind. “That’s completely untrue,” I tell Clarissa. “I’ve never beenunfaithful.”
Scott’s lawyer pipes up. “Mr. McGee has just learned of this, which is why we haven’t submittedproof.”
The judge shakes her head. “So, this is an accusation? One you thought you should file just incase?”
Tears fill my vision as I stare at Scott. Is he that unglued? He’d try to hurt me this much? When Danielle said this was possible, a part of me didn’t believe it. No way would he want to do that to his children. Seems I was stupid to think he gave a shit about anything but himself andmoney.
“One that, if we were granted enough time to further investigate, we could prove thevalidity.”
No, he couldn’t because it isn’t true. I’ve never done anything questionable. I loved him even when he made me feel small. I didn’t seek comfort in another man regardless of how unworthy he told me Iwas.
She chuckles. “Mr. Sheridan, am I to believe that you submitted a charge against Mrs. McGee without any sort of receipts, text messages, or testimony to back your client’s claim? You thought that by stating it to be true, then your client wouldn’t have to pay his financial share. Am Iright?”
“If we could have an extension, yourHonor—”
“No.” She cuts him off. “There will be no extension. If you actually had a shred of evidence, you would have presentedit.”
My attorney, Clarissa, grips my hand and squeezes. I close my eyes and breathe in through my nose. Scott isn’t the only one who has the ability to change the claim. Peter called Clarissa and sort of instructed her on what route totake.
We spent the last week gathering information in case he tried to pull someshit.
“Your Honor,” my attorney speaks. “If Mr. Sheridan would like, we have sufficient evidence to prove the emotional abuse that Kristin McGee endured throughout the fourteen years of marriage to ScottMcGee.”
Her eyes meet mine, and I see a flash of empathy. “Really?”
