For A Reason

Chapter 26: So We Beat On

Although divorces are hard, mine seems to be going pretty well.

I mean, as well as divorces can go.

Unsurprisingly, Jeremiah did not agree to my request of sole custody, and fought hard against it in court.

I expected him to have outbursts, or at least spit a little sarcasm here and there, so that maybe the judge could have ruled in my favor. He kept his composure however, and was very professional in the courtroom. We finally came to an agreement on both physical and legal joint custody of our daughter.

We're adults, and there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to properly communicate on what's best for Audrey.

I know Jeremiah loves her very much, and that's the only thing I'm sure of. Ultimately, I couldn't take our daughter away from him; that would have made me a heartless monster, and I'm sure Audrey would have resented me as she grew older.

Unfortunately, Jeremiah took full ownership of the little, gray house; the house I've called home for the past three years. His great uncle owned it before us, and let us buy it from him when we moved out of the city and into the suburbs.

It was the only thing Jeremiah asked for out of our divorce.

I had grown to love that house so much; it used to be the perfect, cookie-cutter home for a cute, little family of three. Of course I'll miss the memories and good times I had in that house, but now it just doesn't fit my style anymore.

"Ma-ma, ma-ma," Audrey babbles from her car seat in the back of my sedan, and I smile at her through the reflection of the mirror on the backseat.

She shrieks, showing her two bottom teeth, and waves her stuffed animal around in the air.

I pull my car into the circle driveway of my old gray house, and unbuckle my seatbelt as I turn off the engine.

It's so strange that I don't live here anymore; there were so many memories made in this house.

As we progressed onward with the divorce in court, I moved into an apartment in Midtown; a really nice unit with a trellis on the balcony, two spacious bedrooms and two generously-sized bathrooms. I met my next-door neighbors, Anne and Jasmine, an elderly couple that have been married for thirty-two years! They brought me over a casserole and told me to call them should I ever need anything.

I have to admit, I'm a little envious of the amount of love they share for each other.

With Audrey balanced on my hip, I walk up the steps of the familiar front porch, which is missing my usual holiday decorations, and ring the doorbell.

Jeremiah opens it immediately, he must have been waiting, and greets Audrey enthusiastically.

"Hi princess! I missed you hunny!"

I smile as I hand a squirming Audrey over to Jeremiah, along with her packed diaper bag and stuffed animal. I'm sure it's not necessary, as he keeps several toys, food, diapers and clothes in the house for her, but I feel it's better to be safe than sorry.

"I'll be back on Sunday evening. Let me know if she needs anything, or if I forgot something..." I trail off as Jer shakes his head at me and chuckles.

"We'll be just fine, V. You worry too much," he says.

I roll my eyes with a smile, and give Audrey a kiss on the cheek before heading down the steps.

"Say 'bye mommy'!"

Jeremiah flaps his wrist up and down at me while looking at Audrey, urging her to wave goodbye to me.

She giggles excitedly, and flails her arm around as I get into my car.

I smile at her, and wave back through my window as I pull out of the driveway.

***

"So, you ready for the big Christmas party tonight?" Halle asks while we eat our lunch in the break room lounge.

I look at her knowingly while taking a bite of my Caesar salad.

Halle smirks at me, and I discern exactly what she's thinking.

"I haven't spoken to him in weeks, Hal. And I don't plan to anytime soon. He lied to me," I explain to her.

She rolls her eyes at me and drops her fork into her salad bowl. As she leans back in her chair, she crosses her arms in front of her, and after letting out a dramatic sigh, she shares her opinion.

"Oh come on, V. Stop lying to yourself. Jeremiah did worse things to you, and you're speaking to him again!"

I know she's right, I just don't want to admit it.

"It's not that simple. Jer is the father of my child, I have to at least try to be civil with him."

"Jer? Oh, so we're back to nicknames with the man who cheated on you and broke your heart?" Halle asks rhetorically. "Just talk to him, Ness. At least, acknowledge his presence tonight. At the office party."

I ponder her words for a moment before replying.

"Maybe."

***

I look at my reflection in the full length mirror that leans against the wall in my new bedroom. The setting sun casts rays of light across the hardwood floors, and I fidget with my dress, smoothing the wrinkles out.

I decide to forgo the underwear tonight, not wanting to create any visible panty lines in my gown, and with one last glance in the mirror, I prepare to leave for the party. My camel jacket hangs on the coat hook in the entryway, and I shrug it on before grabbing my bag and opening the front door.

Just as I reach my car, a soft ding alerts me that I have a new direct message on Instagram. I pull my cellphone from the inside pocket of my purse, and open the message.

Thought you'd want to see this.

I tap on the linked photo, it expands, and immediately my heart drops into my stomach.

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