Page 97 of Terms Of Un-Endearment
On the morning we count the last loop, I get a call from Mom as I get off the bus. We haven’t talked for a few weeks, mostly because she hasn’t had great reception, and I’ve been too busy to talk when she has.
“Hi Mom,” I say, feeling lighter knowing she only has one day left as Malcolm’s wife.
“It’s final!” she squeals.
“What?” I stop outside the Valente doors.
“I just got the notification from my lawyer. The divorce is final!”
“That’s good news.” I’m breathless for an entirely different reason from Mom.
“We’re done with the Forsythes. Finally.”
“So, the house is yours?” I ask, not quite ready to break the news to her that we’re not as done with the Forsythes as she thinks we are.
“Ours,” she answers. “What should we do with it?”
I don’t have to think twice, and I’m not going to argue with her this time about taking the house. “Sell it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely—the maintenance costs are crazy high, Mom. Let’s buy something smaller and more affordable.” I pause long enough to take a breath before dropping my bomb. “Then I’d like to use the rest of the money to launch Archie’s and my company with you as a percentage owner because of the financial investment.”
Mom goes so quiet, I can almost hear her blinking. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll explain later, but trust me, selling is the best thing to do.” I open the door to Valente and rush to the elevator. “I’ll call you later, Mom. I’ve gotta quit my job.”
“Wait! What’s happening?”
I end the call and almost lose my mind as the elevator stops at each floor. When I finally get to the sixth, I find Anna first.
“It’s time!”
“It’s time?” she repeats, a slow smile spreading across her face as she starts pulling things out of her desk drawers.
I nod. “I’m headed to HR now.”
“I’m right behind you,” she says, pulling out a folded box she’s had next to her desk for weeks, waiting for this day. “I’ll call you later and we’ll figure out our next steps.”
“Perfect.”
I rush out the door to HR and give the stunned rep my notice that I’m leaving today. I’ve been careful not to get too comfortable, so there’s not much at my workstation. Everything fits into my purse.
I take one last look at the room. Despite everything Valente’s done to me, I’m grateful I stayed another month. It was easier spending the day working for the company that had stolen from me than it was spending the day trying not to kiss Archie.
But I don’t have to do that anymore.
I’m almost back out the front doors to catch the next bus back home when Anna catches up with me.
“I’ll give you a ride,” she says, still grinning.
Archie’s working at Frothed until later this afternoon, but we’ve waited long enough. I can’t keep the news from him. I text him on the drive to the beach house: .
You’re taking me on a date tonight.
He’ll know what that means. We’ve been planning for weeks to celebrate our parents’ divorce with our first date.
Seconds later, I get:
