Page 9 of The Lighthouse Sisters
Raelynn barely heard her or the elevator music. She was too busy thinking about what had just happened.
“Why is there even music in elevators?” the young woman continued. She looked over at Raelynn, who still hadn’t replied. “Are we, as human beings, so uncomfortable with silence that our minds have to be constantly bombarded with outside stimulation?”
The young woman might as well have been talking to a wall because Raelynn was too deep in thought to engage.
Finally noticing that Raelynn hadn’t responded, the young woman glanced in Raelynn’s direction and her expression clouded with concern. She no longer cared about the low-volume jazz playing over the elevator speakers. “Hey, you ok? You look a little weird.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Raelynn lied. She was far from fine, but the question exhausted her. It seemed everyone asked her that question lately: her parents did, as did Hazel and Katrina. And depending on the moment, she would answer honestly or rush to assure her family or friends that she was perfectly fine. She wasn’t perfectly fine now. Her marriage was over. It was official. She had just signed the divorce papers at John’s attorney’s office. John hadn’t even bothered to be there. In Raelynn’s mind, he was too much of a coward to face her.
So, now she was officially single again. Honestly, she wasn’t quite sure how it all worked since she hadn’t hired an attorney of her own. Her parents had been very supportive and kind enough to offer to pay for one, but they were on a limited income, and Raelynn hadn’t wanted to burden them. As far as she was concerned, they had done enough by just listening and being supportive during such a trying time.
It had been a little over a week since she had found the divorce papers on John’s desk. She’d never thought that she would be single a week after her 47th birthday, but there she was: single, in an elevator, trying not to completely break down in front of another stranger. So far, she had cried in front of strangers in a bookstore, a restaurant, and in the movies, all within the span of a week.
She’d been so busy coming to terms with the divorce that she hadn’t given her rash decision to help Katrina with the lighthouse much thought. She was leaving that afternoon for Tybee Island. Katrina was there already waiting for her. Raelynn wasn’t one to make impulsive decisions, but she needed to regroup somewhere far from the life she had built with John. For that reason, the lighthouse was the perfect distraction.
She had arranged with John’s lawyer to pick up any belongings she still needed from the house. The house. She felt her heart ache at the thought of leaving it behind. But John had been thorough as expected. Not only had she signed the divorce papers with his lawyer, but she had signed over the house, too. Part of her had wanted to fight for it, but she knew she couldn’t afford the mortgage on it even with alimony, nor did she have the emotional fortitude to go to court for it. Her parents hadn’t understood her rationale and insisted that she was entitled to the home she had shared with her husband for the past two decades. She understood their perspective, but they didn’t understand that their daughter was barely hanging on.
If it hadn’t been for Hazel and Katrina, Raelynn didn’t know what she would have done. When she had explained to Katrina that she wasn’t going to fight for the house, Katrina had been very understanding. Hazel had seemed taken aback but had eventually supported Raelynn’s decision. As Raelynn had explained to them, the house meant the world to her, but it represented her past. She knew if she was still tied to it, she wouldn’t be able to move on.
As she stepped out of the elevator and walked to her car, she had to remind herself to just breathe again. She wasn’t ok, but she would be. She was leaving the past behind and embracing her future. She just had to make a quick stop at the house first to pick up a few things, and then she would meet Dylan for lunch at a nearby restaurant.
As she drove to the home she had just given up, she tried to focus on the good. She still had Dylan. She still had her family and friends. Life would go on. She would move on. Pulling up, she got out of the car and unlocked the house door for what she knew would be the last time. After all, the lawyer had even instructed her on where to leave the key once she was done gathering her belongings.
She opened the door and looked around the house. She had only been gone for a week, but it felt like forever. The air seemed stale, and she noted he had already collected some of her belongings and left them by the door. At the sight of them, she felt rage. Was he in that much of a hurry to get rid of her? Gathering up her things, she hauled them to the trunk of her car.
At least I get to keep the car,she thought bitterly.
When she was done, she said goodbye to the place she called home and headed in Dylan’s direction.
To be honest, she was scared to meet up with him. She had avoided his calls when he first learned from his father that they were getting a divorce. She had made John do it because, after all, it had been his idea, so why should she have been the one to break the bad news to Dylan? John had said that their son hadn’t taken it well. Raelynn hadn’t been surprised. Immediately after meeting with his father, Dylan called her. He had sounded crushed and had been too emotional to talk. She had been so relieved When she received a text from him asking to meet up. But now that the moment was near, she felt a little trepidation. Did he blame her at all?
She parked her car and made her way to the restaurant he had chosen. It was more of a deli than a restaurant. It was ideal for a quick lunch with coworkers. She wasn’t sure if it was the best place to rehash divorce proceedings with one’s son.
When she saw him, she smiled. He smiled at her, too, before standing up. His smile was hesitant, though, and his eyes were guarded. Instantly, Raelynn was concerned.
“Hi, Mom,” he said, embracing her tightly.
“Hi, my darling boy,” she said, meaning it. He was the only good thing that came out of her marriage. She could see that now.
They sat across from each other and made idle chitchat, both of them avoiding the subject that brought them there. She asked about his internship. He asked her how Katrina and Hazel were doing.
They ordered a few sandwiches and waited for them in tense silence. “So, that’s it then?” he finally said. He looked irritated suddenly.
Raelynn didn’t play coy. She knew what he was referring to. Sadly, she nodded her head, not breaking eye contact with him. “Yes. I signed the papers today.”
He shook his head and pushed his drink away. He stared at her, his eyes showing anger and buried deep down, hurt. “After all these years...I can’t believe you two are just throwing it away.”
“It was your dad’s decision, Dylan.”
He shrugged. “But you know Dad. He’s wishy-washy. He can’t even decide which sports teams he likes best. If you had given him some time, I’m sure he would have changed his mind.”
Raelynn shook her head. “I wish that were true, but he had already decided long before I even realized he wanted out.”
He continued as if he hadn’t heard her, “You shouldn’t have signed. I know Dad would have come to his senses. He’s just confused right now.”
“Maybe,” Raelynn said, sounding doubtful. She didn’t want to crush Dylan’s view of his father, but she also didn’t want to give him any false hope. After all, he was an adult, not a child. “Your dad did what was best for him.”
“And you did what was best for you?” he said coldly. “Am I right?”
