Feenin': The Ballad of DeVante and Serafina

Chapter Twenty-Three: "Just Let Me Go"

SERAFINA POV

Well, today is the day that I meet with Judge Renhquist, DeVante and his lawyers. I don't want a DAMN thing from him, at this point I don't give a shit if I ever see him again; the damage is done. We're divorcing after nine months. Let that sink in. Not nine days, nine years, nine MONTHS. It had been two months since I had laid eyes on DeVante. He glared at me with all the hate, disdain, and spite that anyone could conjure up. I have to admit, I was scared deep down, I know how he can get. His lawyer, Hashim Braun was a pompous jackass right alongside him. 

Evelyn: Alright Hashim, let's go over this for the UMPTEENTH time! Your Honor, The plaintiff, Serafina Phillippe-DeGrate is petitioning the court for a divorce from the defendant Donald DeGrate under the grounds of adultery, physical, sexual, mental, and psychological abuse all at his hands.

DeVante: Hold up, hold up! I NEVER sexually abused you! You loved it every single time we got down, so stop lying!

Me: I was unconscious!

The Judge banged his gavel.

Judge: Look! Talk to me, Mr. DeGrate. And Mr. Braun, please instruct your client to remove his sunglasses, this is a courtroom, not the nightclub. 

DeVante: You ain't got to instruct me to do nothin'!

He rudely took off his sunglasses and complied.

Judge: Proceed. 

DeVante: All I've tried to do for the past nine months is love my wife, Your Honor. She's not the victim here. I am! She lies, steals from me, and throws things at me when we fight. I only hit her back to defend myself. 

The judge saw right through that BULLSHIT! He had already seen the photos of my bruised face, heard the threatening voicemails, and everything else. 

Judge: Mr. DeGrate....you know that sounds absurd. I look at these photos and I want...to...VOMIT!!! You've used and abused this woman in the classic, classic sense. Aren't you ashamed!? 

I cried quietly in Evelyn's arms. I'm glad someone knows the truth....

Judge: Not only are you a liar, but a womanbeating coward as well!!! Young lady, you aren't a teenager anymore. It's time for you to grow up, wise up, and realize that there is more to man than his looks and what he can give you sexually. Now, I want you to be sure about this....you will walk out of here with next to nothing. 

Me: I don't care. Just let me go. All I want is my freedom. I could care less about money. I didn't care about the money when I got with DeVante, and I sure don't care about it now that this is over. I just need to move on with my life, and Mr. DeGrate needs to do the same. That's all I have to say.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and the judge agreed.

Judge: Alright, Ms. Phillippe will recieve $30,000 dollars. She will move out of the martial home, return to Mr. DeGrate the engagement/wedding rings, the house keys, and a 1996 Range Rover given to her on her 21st birthday. This divorce is granted, it is so ordered! 

With the bang of his gavel, I was a single woman again! I hugged Evelyn and tearfully thanked her for everything. I'll give up everything else, because my freedom is worth SO much more. 

TWO WEEKS LATER...

DEVANTE POV

I've been sitting around this house mad as fuck; not because I miss Serafina, but because this bitch fucking HUMILIATED me! The tabloids all read the same thing: "JODECI MEMBER BATTERS WIFE, FILES FOR DIVORCE." or "DEVANTE SWING-FISTS ON WIFE? TROUBLE IN PARADISE?" and the worst one.... "BRUISED, BLOODIED, BEATEN WIFE OF JODECI MEMBER PULLS THE PLUG." I'm so pissed off I could kill somebody. My kids are afraid of me, my baby mother can't stand me, and the future of Jodeci is in limbo because of this shit. And what is this broke bitch doing ever since the divorce? Working at a fucking domestic violence hotline, telling everybody who'll listen to what went down between us. Who does that shit? I'm gonna get her back for that, fucking up my reputation and shit. If anything, this bitch should be on her knees thanking me, I MADE HER!!!