Page 3 of Stay Here Tonight
Ten months later, Maxine found her wife in the arms of their accountant.More like beneath his dick, but you know, whatever.Two months after that, one week shy of their first wedding anniversary, Maxine filed for divorce because she knew her marriage was past the point of repair. Penelope had never shown remorse for what she had done. As it came to light during those lengthy divorce proceedings, Ms. Penelope Amarillo had a slew of lovers behind Maxine’s back. No wonder she was often too exhausted for marital sex.
Maxine made up for it, though. As soon as the relationship was officially over, she started her new life as southern California’s most promiscuous lesbian.
She had gone without, recently. Her mind was too troubled by upcoming dates. Maxine did not want to spend her Friday afternoon sitting on the balcony. Hard to find it peaceful when a snake slithered through the house, grabbing this, taking that, and pretending that a police officer was not necessary.
Because when Maxine said it wasn’t amicable? She meant she filed a divorce for one specific reason.
Penelope was a mean, nasty woman, and she dared to stand up in court to say that the one scar she got from Maxine was anything but self-defense.“She came at me like a lion, your Honor! I thought she was going to kill me! Rape me! You should have seen her!”Maxine had to spend thousands of dollars for experts to take the stand and prove that Penelope’s one injury was from self-defense. Maxine should hope so. She had never lain a hand like that on her wife until Penelope grabbed her pistol from her purse and threatened to get Maxine’s money the old-fashioned way.
Inheritance.
“Oh,myportrait of Athens thatIbought on that cursed honeymoon! That’s mine too!”
Maxine sighed at the sound of her ex-wife’s voice in the halls behind her.
“Let her do her thing.” Maxine’s lawyer leaned against the balcony railing, watching the proceedings with a judicious eye. “I’ll make sure that anything 100% yours isn’t touched.”
“I don’t care if she takes my entire diamond and pearl collection.” It had been in her family for four generations. Her grandmother had made such a big deal of passing it on to her after her mother’s funeral that Maxine refused to wear any of it in public. Didn’t match her look. “I want her out of here once and for all.”
“Understandable, but you pay me to look out for your best interests.”
You didn’t stop me from marrying her.Maxine wished she had never quit smoking.I quit for her.Penelope once turned her nose up so high at Maxine’s former habit that she quit that very day. All to have her.
Maxine hadn’t felt anything like that since the day her wife betrayed her. All of her emotions died the night Penelope threatened her with fists and firearms.
I never wanted to push you.Maxine glanced at the tall, skinny woman in a white Valentino suit, Prada heels, and a large, floppy sunhat that shielded the scar beneath her bangs.But when you pointed that thing at me, I had to do something.The pistol had been loaded, too. Maxine had spent tens of thousands on therapy to convince herself she wasn’t in the wrong to shove her wife against a coat rack. Not even the bullet hole in the hallway was enough to convince her that she wasn’t a terrible person.
Of course, the public knew nothing about this. Penelope had thankfully kept that mum as well, since it was terrible for her image as one of LA’s hottest models and makeup spokeswomen. Their lawyers kept everything quiet, and the media was thirsty enough for cash that Maxine used some of her life savings to pay them off. Good thing, too. One of the nastier scandal rags had a copy of the police report Maxine filed that ill-fated night.
“I can’t believe it!” Penelope’s voice echoed from the hallway. “The bitch kept that vase this whole time! What else has she been hiding from me?”
Hired movers carried out pieces of furniture, boxes of clothing, and supposed heirlooms that Maxine was pretty sure her ex-wife bought at estate auctions before they met. Penelope had moved to LA two years ago and already furnished her new house with all the modern amenities she could ask for. She didn’t need any of this old stuff. Then again, neither did Maxine. She was happy to donate it or auction it off for charity. Charity was the only thing that had kept her going these past three years, ever since she lost any love she once had for the business side of things. She had retainers to take care of the family business now. Cousins and family friends who cared more than she did.
“Ms. Woodward,” the police officer said from the doorway, “we need you to sign off on a few things.”
Sighing, Maxine pushed herself up from her lounge chair and retreated inside. The mugginess of her own house choked her. Penelope remained unfazed as she stood at the top of the stairs and fanned herself with her art deco nails. They did not make eye contact.
Once Maxine was done signing the final papers, Penelope grabbed her personal copies and looked them over. “Your signature has changed,” she said, flippantly. “A lot more constipated than usual. Got a stick stuck up your ass, hm?”
“Don’t answer that,” Maxine’s lawyer advised.
It took twenty more minutes for Penelope and her ilk to vacate the house they once shared. Maybe now Maxine could sell it. Except this house had also belonged to her grandmother, and it felt evil to get rid of it.
“The worst is over,” the lawyer said. He and Maxine stood in the empty foyer of the modest mansion on top of a dry hill. The views were phenomenal. The privacy on top of the easy access to the city could not be outdone. The pocket of warm weather that could cool in an instance was worth every penny the Woodwards once paid to call this plot home. Yet Maxine could not help but feel a crushing sadness whenever she looked at the grand staircase and the elaborate, circular window design at the top of the stairs.That’s where I saw Penelope in her wedding dress for the first time.Against her better judgment, Maxine kept a photograph in her room. Turned away, but still there. “Make sure to not engage her in any way. If there are legal matters yet to come, I will handle them through her lawyer.”
The cop got into his car and drove away with a wave of his hand. Maxine finally closed the front door. “I need to get back to work.”
“Ah, yes… the fundraiser, right?”
Maxine glanced at him. “Right.”
That was all she would say about it. Maxine was not looking forward to hosting the fundraiser in her golden mansion.
Chapter 3
Lydia’s mother had done it again.
“Wear this to woo a man, sweetie. I swear it works.”That’s what Lydia saw the moment she accepted the package from the UPS guy early Friday morning. She groaned, opened the box, and discovered a full, sparkling outfit sent from her mother.
