TWO
1716 Words
Tara Coleman
It was only a few minutes—twenty to be precise—but it felt like an eternity to me. It was taking forever to pack my things in the three large suitcases. I would forgive Mark for anything, but cheating on me with my best friend was beyond my imagination. The two people I loved and trusted the most just ripped my heart apart and smashed the life out of it.
“Baby, please don’t leave me. I swear she has been throwing herself at me, and I just lost my control; my body failed me, but I promise I will never betray your feelings again.” Mark begged from outside the door, but there was nothing in this world that he would say to me that would change my mind.
When I walked out of that washroom after calming my heart and convincing myself that it was just a nightmare I would wake up from, I had already made up my mind. I looked at the three packed suitcases and sighed. I texted my driver to come upstairs and help me take them to my car outside.
When Mark started being cold towards me, I had a change of heart and doubted our marriage. I asked my lawyer to draft divorce papers just in case things didn’t work out between us. I was prepared for that part of our marriage, but I never thought it would be so soon. I pulled the drawers in my side of the closet and pulled out the divorce papers, and with a heavy heart, I walked out of the room.
My driver was at the door waiting. I instructed him to take the three suitcases to my car while I dragged the small suitcase.
“Babe, what are you doing? Please, Mia, you can’t be the reason we throw away our eight years just like that. I still love you.” He begged as he followed me downstairs, and I stopped in my tracks.
“You should have thought about that before you f****d my best friend on our matrimonial bed! I have been lenient and patient with you for all this time, and tonight I thought we could have a movie date, which your w***e mistress suggested, by the way, but thank you for opening my eyes. These are the divorce papers that I am urging you to sign without causing a circus because the terms are favorable. I won’t take a penny from you if that is what you are worried about.” I slapped the documents on his chest and jolted the rest of the way to the living room.
“What? You can’t divorce me!” He shouted, and I chuckled angrily.
“And why is that? My friend must sign the papers, or I will have to involve my lawyers, and you won’t like it if I do because I will take everything from you, including that company.”
“You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will if you don’t sign the damn papers. Either way, you and I are done, Mark. So, it is either you lose me or you lose both your wealth and me; choose wisely.” I demanded, and he sighed, looking at me with pitiful eyes, but my mind was made up. The earlier he signed the papers, the better it was for both of us and my healing journey.
As he signed the papers, which I knew he wouldn’t cause a fuss about because he couldn’t afford to share his wealth with me, I couldn’t get rid of the horrific scene on my mind; it kept replaying, and the more it did, the more I hated him and Mia.
God knows how much I wanted to strangle her alive, but she didn’t deserve my wrath, and neither did he.
“Is there something I can do to change your mind? I am sorry, Tara. I am.” He apologized as he handed me back the divorce papers, and I laughed.
“I am sorry too, but you and I are done and there is nothing you can do about it.” I declared, exhaling sharply, as my feet glazed against the carpet. I grabbed the small suitcase, pulling it behind me as the maids and the workers gathered around, whispering among themselves. The resonant sound of my heels made me feel free as they echoed in the hallway.
I stopped when I saw our wedding photo hanging at the side of the wall and I bit my lower lips, angrily stopping the tears from my eyes from falling. In the picture, we were standing side by side, holding onto each other with smiles on our faces, It was the best day of my life and yet the worst because I gave up my life to a lying and cheating man. I was in my white wedding gown while he stood by my side, looking ravishing in a clean black suit, the most handsome man in the room.
I chuckled and lifted the frame, My grip tightened on the white frame as I recalled all the moments, we had shared on our wedding night as I continued walking to the front door.
I was done with Mark, my ex-husband. The name sounded strange in my mouth but it was the hard truth that I had to deal with at the moment.
I was done with everything
The large, empty mansion
The sad, pitiful looks on the maids’ faces, the people who took care of my family!
The lonely nights when Mark was gone on his business trips
The silent tears when I started having doubts about his love for me
The silent prayer I made asking God to keep him safe when he was busy screwing my best friend.
I was done
With him
My now-ex-husband.
I changed my course and walked to the kitchen. I needed a glass of water before I walked out of that sham of a marriage. The workers stopped doing what they were doing and stared at me nervously. I threw the photo frame on the marble and stomped on it with my feet, making a crackling sound. “Make sure you clean this up and burn that picture to ashes,” I instructed one of the cooks and she nodded as she hesitantly reached for the remains of the picture.
I poured myself a glass of water, gulped it down, and then walked back to the living room, Mark was still at the same spot I left him and I was glad he was not trying to beg me.
As I walked out to the front door, I stopped to give the house that made me happy one last look before I walked out and closed the door behind me.
“Ma’am?”
“To my parent’s house, please.”
The drive to my parent’s house took almost forty-five minutes because of traffic but as soon as we got there, my heart churned at the thought of my Mom’s reaction. She was always rooting for our marriage but as she always told me, “If you reach a point where you have to constantly ask yourself if your partner cares for you, then you are in the wrong place, Always choose yourself and your happiness’.
I stood in front of my parents’ house and it still looked beautiful as always. The beautifully manicured gardens with flowers that my Mom loved tending to, the lush green lawns, and tall swaying trees. I exhaled sharply as I reached for the doorbell, “you can do this,” I encouraged myself before I pressed the doorbell, and Lydia, my childhood nanny, opened it.
“Tara, you are home!” She exclaimed as she rushed to hug me and I smiled.
“Yes, it is nice to see you too, Lydia. Where is Mom? And please, show my driver my room; he has to take the suitcases upstairs.”
“You are in luck today; your Mom is at home but your father is away for business, I will call her for you. Please have a seat; you must be tired.” She blabbed. I smiled and slumped my tired and frail body on the couch. Being at home made me forget about the whole Mark ordeal; I felt at peace.
Fortunately, my Mom was walking downstairs when she heard Lydia say, “Call me why?” She asked but when her eyes landed on me, she almost ran half of the stairs just to get to me.
“Honey, you are home! My prayers have been answered finally! You never visit your folks.” She cheered as she pulled me in a tight hug that left me teary.
I didn’t know I needed that hug until she hugged me, I felt at peace and I found myself crying on her shoulders.
“What is wrong, my dear?” She asked as she pulled away and that made me cry even more. She walked me to the couch and made me sit down, her hands still in mine. She reached for the tears on my face and wiped them with the back of her hands.
“Tell me, what happened?” She queried as she cross-examined me and I exhaled sharply. My voice was shaky, my hands were trembling and my eyes were teary but my Mom was the only comfort I needed at the moment. She saw my driver pulling the suitcases in the house and it dawned on her.
“It is about Mark, isn’t it? What did he do to you? Did he hit you?”
“Hell no, Mom! And yes, it is about my marriage. It is over, Mom! Mark and I are done for good. I just divorced him.” I blurted out and she looked at me confused.
When she finally found her voice, she asked, “What? why?”
“He cheated on me with my best friend, Mia. I couldn’t take it anymore, and I couldn’t stay under the same roof with him.” I emphasized and instead of scolding me for making a rush decision whilst angry, she pulled me in a hug and let me cry on her shoulders
- Writer
