Page 48 of The One I Want
She didn’t see that coming. Though by the look on her lawyer’s face, he did and she didn’t believe him. Also, because my financial situation will be changing drastically in the coming months, the mediator, and both lawyers, agreed that it would be best for all parties if I paid a lump sum of alimony in installments. I flinched at the number, but in the end, she’s not getting as much as she thought, and I’m not going to be stuck paying her for the rest of my life.
She wanted to fight it. She actually said the words, “Well then we’ll go to court.” I don’t know what her lawyer said to her when he pulled her aside, but when they came back, he said the terms were fine and she looked pissed.
That made me smile for the first time today.
“Thank you all,” the mediator says as we all stand to leave. “And everyone have a Merry Christmas.”
I shake my lawyer's hand, who promises to update me if he needs anything else. I notice Cara hasn’t left. In fact, she hasn’t even stood up.
“I guess we’ll be in touch,” I say. “I’ll let you know when the kids’ summer vacation ends. We’ll figure out when they can come out.”
She nods, her demeanor a complete shift from earlier. She looks sad, which I can say is the first time I’ve seen her look like this all day. “I know I don’t have any right to ask this, but can I see the kids?”
This shocks me. “You want to see the kids?”
“Yeah,” she says. “I have their Christmas presents. I thought since I was here we could do a visit.”
I take in a deep breath because, fuck, am I conflicted. On one hand, she is their mother. I don’t want to be the parent that keeps their kids away from the other just because we aren’t together. But on the other hand, she’s done less than the bare minimum since she left. Why should she get to see them?
“I’m going to say yes.” She smiles, so I hurry up and finish. “But! Please be careful. They are just starting to figure out their new normal. Please be respectful of that.”
She nods. “I will. I just want to spend the day with them. Exchange Christmas presents. Have a night in with takeout and movies.”
“I think they’d like that a lot. They each got you a Christmas present we were going to send to you. Let me text Betsy. She’ll get them ready.”
The mere sound of Betsy’s name completely changes her demeanor. “Who’s Betsy?”
“She’s the nanny.”
“You hired a nanny?”
“I did,” I say. “I’m surprised you care.”
“They are my kids. Of course I care.”
Oh, that fucking does it. “If you cared you wouldn’t have left the way you did. That’s what has fucking pissed me off this whole time. You didn’t want to be married to me? Fine. But not saying goodbye to them? That was fucking low, Cara. And you better fucking apologize to them tonight for that.”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
“Well, you better figure it out, because in a few hours they are going to ask. And you better have a fucking answer.”
I storm out of the conference room and hit the elevator button. Of course, it takes its sweet ass time getting here, which allows Cara to ride down with me.
“I’d like the kids to come here. To my hotel room,” she says without looking at me.
“That’s fine,” I grit through my teeth. “I’ll drive them up. Do you want them to spend the night? They’re on Christmas break.”
“Yes,” she says shortly. “I have a suite. There will be plenty of room.”
I bark out a bitter laugh, knowing that somehow I’m paying for that. “Just text me the address and I’ll have them here in a few hours.”
We don’t say anything else as we exit the building. I turn to head toward my car, when all I see are balloons waving in the air, and my three best friends standing around a huge, propped-up sign that says “Congratulations! You’re free!”
“What the fuck are they doing here?”
I can’t help but hysterically laugh as I see Oliver, Shane, and Simon standing around my SUV, each holding up what looks to be champagne flutes. Every window is painted “Honk! I just got divorced!” They also tied balloons and streamers to every place they could.
They are idiots. But man, I fucking love them.
