Love Will Find a Way (5 page)

She returned some thirty minutes later to find Larry sitting at the desk in the living room with an open book before him. Hanging Boo's leash on a hook, Emily questioned, “Are you still doing homework?"

Ignoring her inquiry, Larry asked, “What made him change? He didn't used to be that way."

"We all change.” It wasn't much of an answer. It was all she could think of to say.

Larry closed the book and turned to face her. “He isn't coming back, is he?"

Emily sat on the couch and Boo curled up at her feet. “No, and we have to accept that."

Standing, Larry pushed his chair back and closed his book. “I'm going upstairs."

"You can't keep running forever.” Emily called out, as he rushed past her. “Sooner or later you have to face the truth and deal with it."

Larry stopped abruptly. “I can't, Mom. I can't face Dad leaving us."

"He isn't leaving you.” She got a grip on her emotions. “Only cowards run away from reality".

That struck a nerve. “I'm not leaving because I'm afraid."

"I think you are,” she answered softly.

He retraced his footsteps and sat beside her. “You're right. I'm scared, I'm really scared."

She knew what that admission must have cost him. “So am I, but running away from that fear won't change what is."

"It's not fair!” Larry struck the side of the couch with his fist.

"Nothing in life is.” She was speaking to the child she had always considered a gift from God. But he was no longer a child. He was a young adult poised on the brink of manhood. She had thought she could protect him from the pain of his parents’ breakup. Now suddenly, sadly, she knew she couldn't. “It's not the end of the world. Life will go on.” In many ways, it was the end of the world as she had always known it.

Larry pleaded, “Tell me what to do, Mom."

"Why don't we take this one day at a time? Right now you should concentrate on graduating from high school and getting ready for college in the fall. I'm going to think about what kind of a future I want for myself."

"Maybe I could forget college.” Larry's lower lip quivered. “You're going to need me here with you."

For one selfish moment she was tempted to agree, but only for an instant. “I'm looking forward to being on my own.” That was a lie. The thought of being alone terrified her.

"You don't want me?” Larry asked, obviously offended by her declaration.

She had to cut those apron strings. “I will always want you. You're my son. But a single forty-two-year old woman doesn't need an eighteen-year-old son in residence.” She was being cruel, yes, but only because she loved him.

Larry tilted his head to one side. “I hadn't thought of it from that viewpoint."

"That's because you're not a forty-two-year old woman.” She patted his cheek. “Go to bed. It's late."

He paused at the door and turned to look back at her. “I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too.”
More than you will ever know.
She watched as he vanished up the stairs.

Emily was scheduled to work at the library on Monday. Her first impulse was to call and cancel. Everyone would know that she and Robert were divorcing, and why. She couldn't face being the object of gossip and pity. Words she had said to Larry the night before came back to taunt her. Running away was not the answer. She would face the situation and deal with it. Emily not only showed up, she worked two extra hours.

Tuesday Emily visited Aunt Beth and met with the committee planning the high school senior prom. Wednesday she did cancel a meeting with the Historical Society, explaining only that she had an important appointment. She suspected the chairperson thought she was lying, but he didn't pry.

At precisely three p.m. that afternoon Emily was ushered into the presence of Thaddius T. Thackery, attorney at law. “This way, please.” The receptionist opened a heavy paneled door that led to a richly appointed office.

The man sitting behind the massive oak desk stood when she entered. Thaddius Thackery was a tall, slim man with a shock of gray hair and a charismatic smile. He exuded an air of self-confidence and charm that was at once arresting and intimidating. His piercing brown eyes swept Emily from head to toe in one assessing glance. “Mrs. Franklin.” Coming around his desk, he extended his hand. “I'm Thad Thackery.” His slim fingers clasped Emily's cold hand. “Won't you sit down?"

Emily perched on a narrow chair and Thad sat on the edge of his desk, swinging one leg. “Shall we get down to business?"

Emily said, “I want to talk to you about a divorce."

Thad seemed skeptical. “That's a serious step. Are you sure?"

"Oh, I'm sure.” Over the past few days she had decided it would foolish to fight the inevitable, “Very sure."

Thad Thackery drummed a pencil on his desk as his bushy brows pulled together in a straight line. “You're very sure you want to divorce your husband?"

"You misunderstand me.” Emily's throat was tight with tension. “My husband is divorcing me. He told me I should engage legal counsel."

"You soon-to-be ex is still telling you what to do?” Thad asked in a bland monotone, “Did he suggest you come to me?"

He was being both amiable and caustic and in the process he was making Emily feel like a simpering fool. “No. My son gave me your name."

"How long have you been married to this man who wants to divorce you?” Thad raised those expressive brows, looked straight into her eyes and waited for an answer.

She wanted to tell him that wasn't important. His piercing stare stopped her, “For a long time."

"That's not what I asked."

A hot flush scorched Emily's cheeks. Maybe she should answer his questions even though she didn't like the way he was asking them. “Twenty-four years, eight months and some days, should I be more specific?"

"That's near enough and it's a long time. The better part of your life, I'd guess.” Thad rubbed his chin with his hand. “And you, Mrs. Franklin? How do you feel about a divorce?"

"How do I feel?” Emily hesitated before blurting out the truth. “I still love my husband, but I don't think it would be wise to try to hold onto him."

"Another woman?” Thad asked, again raising his shaggy eyebrows.

A band of uneasiness tightened around Emily's chest. “Isn't it always?"

"Do you want to counter sue, or fight the divorce?"

"Neither, Robert and I have already agreed on terms for the divorce."

Thad asked, “Robert being your husband?"

"My husband's name is Robert Alan Franklin."

"Then you're still on friendly terms with this man who's leaving you for a younger woman?” He was being unnecessarily offensive.

Emily bit down on the urge to tell this man to mind his manners. “In a way—yes, I guess you could say that."

Superciliously Thad asked, “Are you sure you need me?"

Emily met his calculating gaze. “Robert thinks I should have legal representation."

"And what do you think, Mrs. Franklin?” Thad moved behind his desk and sat in his chair. “What is your studied opinion?"

Emily fought to hold onto her self-control. “I just want this over and the sooner, the better."

Thad Thackery seemed to be deep in thought. “I see.” He tilted his head and stared at the ceiling.

Emily felt her temper slipping out of control. “Will you represent me?"

With studied indifference he asked, “Do you want me to?"

Emily's anger burst like a storm cloud. “Just why the hell do you think I'm here?” Her voice rose. “And you could do with a crash course in good manners."

A wide smile creased Thad's face. “Ah, that's what I wanted to see, a little fire, a little anger.” Shall we get down to business?"

Chapter 3

Emily awoke suddenly. Sitting up, she dropped her head into her hands as a sharp pain shot from the base of her skull and traveled down her backbone. With wakefulness came a chilling thought. As of yesterday, she was a divorced woman. She had thought the divorce would be so simple. How wrong she had been.

She smiled, remembering how shocked Thad had been when she told him she wanted no alimony. “I don't want to be dependent on Robert for anything."

Thad snorted in disbelief. “Who are you kidding?"

"I mean it.” Emily was adamant. “Not one red cent!"

Thad swore in exasperation. “You and your soon-to-be ex are both crazy.” He paced across his office floor. “You won't accept the alimony that he insists he wants you to have.” Stopping, he shook his head from side to side. “Just why the hell are you two divorcing?"

"You know why. Robert wants his freedom."

"Then why can't he let go?"

"Robert feels responsible for me.” Emily shrugged. “It must be guilt."

"Then take advantage of that guilt and make life easier for both of us,” Thad pleaded.

Why couldn't she make anyone understand? She didn't want to be dependent on Robert. She wanted to stand on her own two feet. “I don't intend to change my mind.” And in the end, Robert had acquiesced.

Then there had been the long hassle over Robert's insistence that he pay Emily's health insurance premiums. On that issue, too, Emily was adamant. “I don't want Robert's charity."

"Don't you think he owes you something?” Thad questioned on the end of a whistling sigh.

"I won't accept it. That's my final word. Robert wanted this divorce. He will have to live with the consequences."

"Consequences,” Thad shouted. He threw up both hands in sheer exasperation. “There are no consequences for him. You're making this too easy."

Emily's voice lifted in surprise. “Do you think this is easy for me?"

"Not for you,” Thad grunted, “for him."

"Maybe, but that's the way it is going to be."

When it became apparent that Emily didn't intend to give an inch, Robert had been forced to capitulate once again. After that, things had moved along at a much faster pace. And now, she was a single person, a separate entity from the man who had been her husband for almost twenty-five years.

Emily pulled her mind back to the present. Larry's graduation exercises were tomorrow evening. After that, she would begin to look for a job. Last week she had, with a great deal of reluctance, resigned her volunteer position at the library.

Emily was vacuuming the living room when the telephone rang. She switched off the machine and reached for the phone. “Yes?"

A feminine voice on the other end said, “One moment please."

Emily tapped her foot and waited impatiently.

A loud click was followed by Robert's voice coming over the wire. “I hope I didn't call at a bad time."

All her times had been bad lately. Emily snapped, “What do you want?"

"I will be in your area this afternoon, showing some property. I'd like to come by and pick up the rest of my things. I'll be there between two and two-thirty."

"Robert, for heaven's sake...” The court had decreed he remove his personal property from her premises as soon as possible. “There's no hurry. You can do it later."

He replied, “I'll be in the neighborhood. Why should I make an extra trip later?” Before she could offer further objections, he hung up.

Emily was folding laundry when the doorbell rang. She took her time getting to the door. Swinging it open, she saw Robert standing on the other side. He demanded, “What took you so long?"

"I was busy.” She stepped back. “Some of the boxes are in the garage, some are in your ... the study.” After a quick breath, she recovered some of her self-control. “There are several boxes. I hope your car will hold them all."

He came out of the heat and into the cool of the dim room. “I'll get the things from the garage first."

She had once believed that his man would love her until the end of time. “There's fishing tackle and a box of tools in the shed in the back.” It was time she let go of the myth of happy ever after.

"I have no place to put them.” How cool and distant he sounded. “If it's all right, I'll leave them for a while."

"It's all right. You can get them later.” She wondered where he was living. Had he moved in with Susan? He was not her concern. Not her concern, but he was her heartache. Squaring her shoulders, she walked toward the kitchen.
I will get over this,
she assured herself,
I must, because I have no choice.

Emily made iced tea while Robert loaded boxes, first from the garage and then from the study. “Would you like a glass of tea?” she asked as he carried the last box through the living room. She knew she should let him go, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. After today, it might be weeks, even months, before she saw him again.

"Let me get this last box stowed in my car and I'll be back."

Emily poured tea into two frosty glasses and sat at the kitchen table. Play it cool, she told herself. It's over. Let him go. But it couldn't hurt, she reasoned, to say a last silent good-bye.

Robert stood in the doorway, staring at her. “You didn't have to go to all this trouble."

"It's no trouble.” She nodded toward a chair. “Sit down and drink your tea."

He dropped into a chair and wiped his hand across his brow. There was an awkward silence before Robert blurted out, “Do you have an extra ticket to Larry's graduation?"

"You don't have a ticket? I'm sure Larry put one in the announcement he sent you."

His hand gripped his ice tea glass. “I need two tickets."

She shot him a puzzled glance before understanding sharpened her gaze. “You're bringing Susan with you?"

With a defiant toss of his head Robert said, “If I can get my hands on another ticket."

His words were like a cruel blow. How could he be so insensitive? Slowly, because speaking was so painful, she said, “You could ask Larry. He might have an extra.” Her mind seemed to have gone blank.

From what seemed to be a long way off, Robert's words intruded. “I'm having trouble communicating with Larry these days. I thought you might ask him for me."

She fought a rising fury. “If you want the ticket, you will have to ask him yourself."

Robert's hand tightened on his glass. “I never realized until we separated what a stubborn woman you are."

Emily shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “I've leaned over backwards to be fair with you."