Tina was 30, and already divorced. She'd married her college sweetheart shortly after graduation and went to work as an ER nurse, while he'd started his career as a software developer. The sex was good to start, and they'd put off having kids until after their debts were paid off. However, as they approached their 7th anniversary, he'd started becoming more distant and spending more time out with his friends instead of being at home with her, and stopped inviting her out with them altogether. Of course the sex started to fall off since he was spending more and more time away, and when he was home he was renovating their basement into a raunchy "man cave". Not that Tina minded, although she was straight she could still appreciate the female form, and didn't blame her husband for wanting to see more of it.
One day she was allowed to leave early due to the hospital being overstaffed, and arrived home to her husband snoring next to another woman. She stopped, shocked, in their bedroom doorway. The unmistakable aroma of sex hung in the air, and both of the individuals in the bed naked and intertwined. The surprise left her weak, and Tina faltered a bit and bumped into the door frame. This awoke the couple in the bed. The woman looked around as if wondering where she was, then noted Tina still leaning against the doorway, mouth agape. Her husband started straight awake, his eyes meeting Tina's in equal surprise. Obviously, he hadn't expected her home so soon.
The woman jumped out of bed and started pawing around for her clothes, which were scattered around the floor. Without bothering to put on her bra, she jerked a tank top over her head, catching her hair in the process and giving a gasp of pain. Tina noticed that it was long, thick, and dark-compared to her own practically short and more mousy colored. She then yanked on her panties and threw her legs into the short shorts that she'd picked up, then rushed out of the room, at least having the grace to flush deeply red and apologize to Tina on her way past, bra in hand. Tina also turned to leave, not sure of what she was doing or where she'd go. The sound of tires squealing from across the street accompanied Tina's exit from the front door. As Tina opened the door to her own car, her husband came rushing up behind her, having thrown on a pair of pants while Tina was caught up watching the brunette.
"So, I guess we're done. Let me know where you want the divorce papers sent," he told her bluntly. No apology, no attempts at explaining, no warning.
Tina just looked at him, shocked and empty, then stepped into the car and drove to the house of one of her coworkers. Thankfully, Sierra had been scheduled off for that day and welcomed her inside. Sierra grabbed a couple glasses of iced tea from the refrigerator and brought them to the island before realizing that Tina had a completely flat affect.
"What's wrong?" Sierra asked her.
"I got VTO this evening, and got home to find Mike sleeping next to another woman." Tina was shocked at the sound of her own voice-completely flat and emotionless. Maybe she was still in complete shutdown mode over the incident, but she still wasn't feeling anything. "He didn't try to explain it away, he didn't try to make excuses, he didn't try to rationalize it, he didn't try to apologize, or anything. I was out the door moments behind her, and he was right behind me, and just said that he was getting a divorce." Sierra put her hand over her mouth and gasped. Obviously, she'd never considered that either of them would do such a thing; most people considered them the perfect couple, and many had come to them over the last few years looking for relationship advice.
After an interminable silence, Tina took a sip of the tea-as much to break the monotony of just sitting there as to get moisture into her dry throat. It broke the spell for Sierra at least, who reached for Tina's free hand and squeezed hard.
"Do you want me to go talk to him, or just get your stuff?" she asked quietly. Still emotionally barren, Tina looked at her and thought.
"Just my clothes I guess. I'm not sure what's going to happen," Tina replied.
After a short discussion, Sierra convincing Tina to stay with her until things were decided and offering to get all of Tina's stuff, Sierra settled Tina into one of the spare bedrooms and left to go to Mike's house. Tina took a long, not shower, and was sitting on the bed wrapped in a towel when Sierra returned with several bags, fuming.
"That asshole's already got most of your stuff packed. It's like HE is throwing YOU out!" Sierra spat.
Tina just looked at her in surprise. "Why wouldn't he? It's not like he wants me around," she said. That sent Sierra off into a tirade about how great Tina was and how much she'd done for Mike, and how much of a jerk he was for putting Tina through this sort of trauma. Eventually, Sierra realized that she was more worked up about the situation and became concerned for Tina. Tina ended up spending a large portion of the rest of the evening calming Sierra down, and eventually Sierra went to her own room to sleep since she had to work the next day. Tina did as well, and the two decided to ride in together since they were on the same shift.
Although they had been friendly previously, Sierra and Tina had never really been friends. However, with no one else to turn to since Tina was an only child and her parents had both died shortly after college graduation, the two women became close with Tina formally moving in. The divorce papers arrived within a week, and much to Sierra's ire Tina only pushed for full division of assets. "You could be taking him to the cleaner's for this and be set for life, " Sierra fumed. Tina, however, couldn't bring herself to do that. Part of the problem was that work was exhausting-they'd just entered the summer months of "trauma season", and with everyone taking vacations with their families it seemed that Tina just worked herself to the bone each shift and didn't have the energy to deal with the legal process when she was off.