Moments before midnight

LIQUID

He stepped out of the house , he didn't want to listen to anymore of their conversation.

It wasn't the first time he felt this disconnected, but hearing it all laid out between Samantha and Mary made it feel final.When Mary stepped outside, closing the door softly behind her, she didn't need to ask if he had heard everything. She could see it in his face—the set of his jaw, the hard look in his eyes. "Guess you heard all of that," she said quietly, stepping around to stand beside him.

John nodded, arms crossed. "Yup. The whole thing."

Mary shifted awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed. "If it's any help... I'm sorry my sister's such a bitch. Look, John, you're a good guy. I wish things had worked out, but..." She trailed off, realizing she didn't have the right words. It wasn't like she could fix this for him, and if anyone knew the marriage was beyond saving, it was John.

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "You don't have to explain it to me, Mary. I've been well aware for a long time. Saw it coming before it even happened. I just didn't want to believe it. And yeah, I've been dragging my feet on dealing with it too. Too angry, I guess."

There was a pause, and Mary asked hesitantly, "So what's the next step, John? Are you going to see a lawyer?"

John shrugged, his shoulders tense. "Probably. But not just yet. I want to talk about how we're going to handle things first. Not that it really matters. I don't care much about the house, don't care much about anything at this point. We'll split whatever money and whatever I've got to pay, and I'll be on my way."

Mary glanced away, gazing out at the street, her voice soft. "So that's it? File the paperwork, pay her whatever, and be done? No talking it over? Nothing else?"

John sighed, stepping off the porch, his voice bitter. "Don't see much point in dragging it out. Your sister doesn't seem to care too much, neither do I."

He knew that last part wasn't true. He cared—far more than he wanted to admit. The betrayal still stung deep, and as much as he hated to admit it, there had been a time when he thought they could work through it. But now? Now, it all felt pointless. If this was how things were going to end, then so be it. He'd get a lawyer, call in a favor, and get someone to draw up the papers exactly as he wanted. Samantha could have half of everything. It didn't matter to him anymore. He had more than enough to live off of, and he could always make more if he needed to.

Mary watched him for a moment, the silence between them thick. Finally, she said, "You know, John, it's okay to still be upset. You don't have to pretend like this doesn't bother you."

He gave her a sideways glance but didn't respond. Instead, he just kept walking, his mind already thinking ahead to the inevitable end of it all. There was no fixing this. All that was left was to make it official.

John paused at the driver's side door, glancing back over his shoulder. "Have a good one, Mary. And hey, for what it's worth, you weren't that bad of an in-law." He managed a dry laugh, and Mary gave a small chuckle in return before heading back inside.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he should stay in touch with her. Mary was the only part of Samantha's family he had ever really gotten along with, and despite the mess, she had always been straightforward. But the thought of keeping any connection felt like dragging out the pain. It was like trying to stay connected to a wound you were supposed to let heal.

He told himself he'd talk to Samantha in the morning. They'd settle things, figure out the logistics. No more dragging it out, no more putting it off. But even as he tried to convince himself, he knew that wasn't what he really wanted. He wanted it all to be over.