The Sword Called Divorce (Episode 6)

                 

She was grinning now, the sight of her teeth made a gruesome sight. There was nothing beautiful about her now.
Joe stood frozen to the spot. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Come to me.” She beckoned to him.
Her eyes were mesmerizing, two glinting stones in the darkness. Joe wanted to be anywhere but here.
“Come.” She said again, and lunged for him.
It was his scream that woke him up.

He was drenched in sweat. He was glad he was alone in the guest room.
The nightmare had been so real.
Yet it wasn’t the first.
He’d had the same nightmare twice since the affair with Izie had been made public. He seemed to be stuck in that moment when he’d discovered that Izie had confessed to Pastor.
To him, that was the moment that his life had fallen apart. Not the moment when he’d followed Izie to her house, or the moment when it had dawned on him that he was going to sleep with her.
None had caused him as much guilt as the moment of truth when Nike had found out.
He sighed as he pulled off his wet singlet and lay down again. He was so lonely. Nike had pushed him to the guest room a month ago, the moment she found out about the affair.
She’d claimed she couldn’t bear to look at him or even spend the night in the same bed with him. His sin was that big to her. She claimed.
As Joe lay there, he let his thoughts drift to that moment with Izie. It had been brief…the sex. But the six months he’d known her had been marvellous.
Even when he wasn’t close to her, he’d seen something different about her - that thing that had attracted Nike to her. It wasn’t her seeming helplessness…or her good looks.
It was that same thing that prevented Joe from having any sexual thoughts about her after their ‘mistake.’ It had been a onetime thing and he regretted it. He’d taken advantage of a young girl…someone who was just finding her way in her new faith.
He wished Nike could understand that he was sorry he’d ever slept with Izie. He wished for so many things. That his wife wasn’t divorcing him, that he could look his daughters in the face without feeling guilty.
But someone had once said if wishes were horses…

It was 3am when Joe managed to go back to sleep. And he didn’t get up till 9am when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
It was his wife.
“Good morning.” She said, stiffly. “We need to talk.”
He sighed. He knew he was in for a rough morning. They’d barely spoken for the past month.
She sat on the bed, leaving a gaping space between them.
“Your daughter knows about Izie.” She said simply.
Joe sat up as though he’d been stung. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. And I didn’t tell her. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Then how…”
“She came home early and heard Izie and I talking.”
“Wait. Izie was here?”
“Yes. She came to plead on your behalf.”
“Oh.” He didn’t know what else to say.
“Well…I just thought you should know. So, you’d know what to say to her. I’m the enemy to her, now.”
He wanted to ask if they were still doing the right thing. Ask for another chance…but he knew it was useless.
“Okay. I’ll talk to her.”
“And Joe…please warm her up to the idea of…the divorce.” She hesitated. “Remember it’s her birthday today.” With that she stood and left him.

Marie! Oh God! Why!

If there was anything he cherished above his marriage, it was his daughters and the knowledge that he would rarely see them in the nearest future was tearing him apart.
Bella was his bundle of joy; the one who made him laugh, Marie was his pride. Strong willed and smart, she was also meek and kind. He knew how much they’d adored Izie.
He’d forgotten Marie’s birthday. His little girl was growing fast. Fourteen years so soon.
At breakfast that day, Joe led a happy birthday song for Marie; although it was only Bella and Nike who ended up singing along.
“Honey, let’s see a smile.” Joe urged with as much gusto as he could muster.
“Smile!” Bella repeated.
“Maybe this would make you smile.” Joe went on. “Since today is your day; your wish is my command. Pick a place you’d like me to treat you to. Just me and you.”
Marie had been silent all this while, picking at her food. The last thing on her mind was a birthday celebration.
“Baby girl…daddy’s waiting.” Joe prompted, his smile slipping.
“Marie…daddy is waiting.” Bella repeated.
“What are we celebrating? I don’t need a stupid birthday treat.” She said, coldly. “Stop pretending everything is fine when it’s not. I hate you both. I hate my life and I regret knowing you!” She hauled her spoon at the wall.
There was silence at the table as they all stared at her. Nike bristled while Joe felt a pang of hurt wash over him.
“It’s a bad word Marie. Don’t say a bad word.” Bella spoke several seconds later.
“You wanna know my birthday wish?” She was on her feet now, shaking with rage. “That I’d never been born!”
With that she stormed out of the house, leaving a graveyard silence in her wake.
Joe was stunned. His daughter had changed tremendously. This wasn’t the girl he knew.
“Daddy.” Bella whimpered and opened her arms to him.
He pulled her into his arms and his eyes met with his wife’s. He could see his pain mirrored in her eyes.
“Nike…don’t do this please.” He said quietly. “Can’t you see what it’s doing to us? We’re losing much more than we bargained for. We’re losing our daughter.”
His wife was silent, staring into space.


              (To be continued…)