I walked to our kitchen table and sat on the opposite side and finally looked at the man that once made my heart hammer. Now I just felt nauseous and all I wanted to do was just walk out. However, I knew this conversation needed to happen so I will tough this out. “This won’t take too long, but I need to get this out, which is why I asked you to give me space for a few days to think. What I walked into the other day was not what I expected after 5 years of what I thought was a happy marriage.” Mark looked like he wanted to add something and I held up my hand to stop him so I could continue. “We were building a life looking to purchase a more permanent home, have kids and that is all gone now.”
“Baby, it doesn’t have to be like that. We can work through this and I know I made a mistake, but please don’t let that end us. Let’s talk about it and if we need to go to therapy I am willing just to not lose you,” Mark desperately cut in.
“Mark, you don’t understand, my trust in you is gone, and something tells me this is not the first time you have done this even though you claim otherwise.” Mark’s eyes evaded mine for a second and that caused my stomach to drop. “Either way, I don’t want to get into that part because my decision was made. I hired a divorce attorney to handle things from here, and I hope we can make this a peaceful split. I already told him that you can have mostly everything in our apartment except for a few essentials that I will need for my move and half of our savings. I don’t want a long-drawn out divorce because it will not be beneficial for either of us.
“Jessie, don’t do this! I love you and I don’t want this to be the end of us please!” He started to get up to walk around the table, but I jumped up and held up my hands. “Mark, don’t come near me, it is taking everything in me to have this conversation right now. I have things to finalize today and I just want to get this conversation over with.” I added.
He stopped and sat back down in his chair with this look of loss. “I won’t agree to a divorce, he stated. I will fight for you and I will go to counseling, but I will not end our marriage.”
“That’s the thing Mark, it is already done. I don’t know where or when you felt the need that I was not enough for you, but your actions spoke clearly enough for me. Instead of coming to me to talk about anything you felt was missing, you went to some other random woman or women. We could have worked through that together, not this.” I got up and started walking to the door, adding, “I am filing for divorce and you will be getting the papers. I wanted to at least have the decency to talk to you first. I will make arrangements to get my things later. I will be getting it before I finalize my move.”
“Move? Where are you going?” Mark’s head shot up as he looked towards me with the question.
“I got a job somewhere else, I am on my way to school now to turn in my notice since I have been out on personal leave. I will give all my forwarding information to my attorney and you can refer any questions to him, okay. Goodbye Mark. I really do hope you find the happiness you are looking for.” With that, I walked out of the apartment before he could try to stop me, hopped into my car and drove to talk to my job.
As I pulled into the parking lot of the school, I felt nervous about talking with the administrators. I loved working here with the students, but I knew I needed to get away from here and start fresh. I walked into the office and the receptionist looked up and seemed surprised, “Jessie, what are you doing here? I thought you were taking some personal time?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.