Page 61 of Love Me Again

“Friendship? I don’t want to be your friend Shay.” Cole contends with a scowl.

“That’s all I have to offer, Cole.” I retort, and Cole stood stunned, looking at me morosely for a moment before he shakes his head and walks out of the bedroom. I close my eyes and let the tears flow when I hear the front door slam shut a couple of seconds later.

After that day, things between Cole and I went from bad to worse, especially when he got the notice for our divorce hearing. As you can imagine, it was dragging on between the solicitors because Cole was refusing to give me a divorce. So, here we were three weeks later standing before a judge— as luck would have it, the same judge that divorced us before.

“Didn’t I divorce you two already?” He questions, looking at Cole then at me. “You’re the young lady that refused a settlement before, am I right?”

I nod, “Yes, your honour.”

“So, you got married again?” He probes, and we both nod in response. “And in Vegas. Drunken mistake again?” I shake my head while Cole rolls his eyes. “Right, let’s see here. Mrs Hoult, you want a divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.” The judge states and Cole scoffs audibly, shaking his head. “Mr Hoult, may I ask why you are refusing to divorce your wife?”

Cole looks over at me. “Because I love her.” He states pointedly before he looks at the judge again. “I love my wife and my daughter very much and want to work on this marriage, but she’s too stubborn to see that.”

“This has nothing to do with me being stubborn.” I retort, annoyed while glaring at him. “I already told you my reasons a hundred times, Cole. I’m tired of repeating myself.”

“You’re tired of repeating yourself?! I’m tired of apologising to you.” Cole chides irritably as he sits back in his seat again.

“Then stop apologising, Cole, because it’s not making a difference, is it?” I utter, leaning back in my seat and averting my gaze.

“I’m starting to see the irreconcilable differences.” The judge mumbles sardonically as he looks through the paperwork on his desk.

“Irreconcilable difference, my arse,” Cole grumbles, tapping his finger on the desk in front of him.

“Oh no? What would you call it then?” I hiss, annoyed, watching him as he leans over, his angry gaze penetrating my own.

“Cowardice.” Cole grits through clenched teeth.

“Excuse me?” I hiss hotly, standing up from my seat.

“You heard me.” Cole throws back, rising from his seat also as we glower at one another furiously.

“You walked out on me when I was pregnant, and I’m the coward?!” I shout furiously, and the judge looks back and forth from me to Cole while we argue.

“I wasn’t in the right state of mind! Your honour, I lost my memory after I was involved in a plane crash and forgot who she was. She’s holding something I did while I was in a state of amnesia against me. Is that fair? Please tell me?” Cole asks, looking at the judge, who turns his eyes to me. “I told her I love her, but she refuses to believe me.”

“How can I? When you’re looking at me like I’m just a stranger to you. Words are meaningless without the emotion, which is something you lack, Cole!”

Cole slams his hand down on the table angrily. “You won’t let me within two feet of you! What is it going to take Shayla, what more do I have to do for you to believe that I’m crazy about you!”

“Enough!” The judge shouts, hitting his mallet on the table. “I think I’ve heard enough here.” He states, shaking his head, looking at me first, then Cole. “I’ve seen a lot of couples come through this courtroom to dissolve their marriages, but this is the first time in my thirty years as a judge, seeing a couple who love each other this fiercely so eager to walk away from one another for a second time. I granted your divorce last time even though I saw the love you both had for one another in your eyes. You both chose to get married again, and it’s truly unfortunate what happened to you, Mr Hoult, but marriage is not a game.” He expresses gravely and looks at me.

“Do the vows for better for worse, in sickness and in health mean nothing to you? I hear enough blame to go around for both of you. It’s abundantly clear mistakes have been made, but are those mistakes worth throwing away a marriage for, especially when you both love one another enough to fight with this much passion?” He questions, and Cole looks over me. Our eyes meet across the room, and I hold his gaze for a touch too long before I stare at the wall ahead. “I’m not granting your divorce.” My eyes snap to the judge first, then to Cole, who smiles.

“What? But your hon—” I try to interject, and he holds his hand up.

“You two seem to believe that marriage is all fun and games, and at the first sign of trouble, you’re quick to walk away—well, I’m saving you both from making another mistake. You will stay married, and on top of that, I’m ordering you to see a marriage councillor once a week to talk through your issues. I see separate addresses on the papers filed. You will move back in together and work on your marriage for six months—”

I gape at him, “Six months?!” I shriek wide-eyed, and the judge crosses his arms over his chest and glares at me. “Your honour, with all due respect, I can’t live with him for six months. We’ll kill each other.” I state pleadingly.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me, sweetheart,” Cole utters smugly, leaning back into his chair.

“Like hell, I’m living with you.” I hiss irately, and the judge hits his mallet on the desk again to silence us.

“It’s a court order, young lady, you will live together, and your marriage councillor will report back to the court whether you are both attending and your progress. If you refuse to cooperate, I will have no other choice but to get child services involved to take a closer look at your relationship and what effect it’s having on your child.” Cole and I exchange concerned glances, and I sink back into my seat. “If after the six months is up and you both still want a divorce, I will grant it, but not before you work on this marriage and at least try and keep your family together. Am I making myself clear?”

“Yes, your honour.” Cole and I say together.

“Excellent, now go on and face your issues because no one can fix them but the two of you.” He says before he hits his mallet on the desk again. “Adjourned.”

Cole and I living together for another six months?

Oh Christ, not again.

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