Page 40 of The Wife
We walked back down the short hallway and a few seconds later I was sitting in front of his desk. I caught myself wringing my hands.
Cheek kissing and hand wringing. He had to know something was up.
“What do you need, Ellie?”
Don’t say it. Don’t do it. You’re going to ruin everything and there will never be anyone as amazing as Jake Talley in your life again.
I took a deep breath and grabbed onto my courage.
“I need to divorce Jake. Now. I need money to do that and I was hoping you could help with that.”
Howard actually looked sad. “I’m sorry to hear that. We all knew after the storm what the situation was. For Jake too, given his house was all but gone. Are you two not getting along? You always seemed so easy with each other.”
I hate you for that, Ellie. Can you hear me through your locked door? I hate you for that!
“We’re okay. It’s just that I can’t let him do this for another two and a half years. It isn’t fair to him. He deserves to have his life back. His freedom. Now that I’m legal, there is no reason not to do this.”
“Other than money.”
“Yes.”
“Are you asking me for a loan?”
I blinked. “Oh gosh no. Nothing like that. I was thinking about the trust Dad set up for me. I know you said I couldn’t have access to it until I was twenty-one, but I’m wondering if there isn’t some legal way around that. Some kind of catastrophic clause or something I could use to get the money sooner rather than later.”
He seemed to consider that. “I’m not sure I saw any language like that when I was looking over the documents, but how about this? I promise to take another look.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I knew you would help.”
“I have to say… well, maybe I’m an old romantic at heart, but I kind of always hoped you and Jake would just stay together. You may not realize it, but from the outside looking in, you two look like… I guess you look like a family.”
That was the way I wanted it to stay. With Jake thinking of me like family. Not resenting me and hating me.
I nodded. “I hope that doesn’t change. Thanks again, Howard.”
I left with this odd mix of feelings. As if I couldn’t tell if I had done the best thing ever or the worst thing.
* * *
Iwas backin the cabin and starting to fill up the wood-burning stove. Lighting this thing was always a bitch. Finally a log caught a good burn, and I shut the door on it with the heat glove.
The cabin wasn’t much. One large room with a bathroom. It had a couch, a chair, a bed, and the stove.
I lay back on the bed and wondered what my dad used to think about when he came here alone. Sure it had been his little tryst nest with Mrs. Nash for a while, but before that I think he was telling the truth.
Sometimes a man needs a little space and time to think.
Which now that I thought about it was really sexist. Only men need space and thinking time?
My phone beeped and I reached for it.
Jake.
Hey, just checking in.
Of course he was. Because that’s what Jake did.
I’m fine.I wasn’t. I was the opposite of fine but none of that was his fault.
