Thank you Terry, careythomas and snow for all your help in editing and improving this chapter. I couldn't have done it without you.
Like almost all of my series, this one will only be understood if you have read the chapters before it. Thank you to my readers for going along this journey with me.
Threading the Needle
Chapter 9
For the hundredth time, Marika picked up the list of credit card charges and stared at it. Her face started to get red again as she looked at the number of items highlighted in yellow.
"Put it down, Marika," Yamile told her. "You know what's on it."
"I just can't believe how much money Samuel spent on sleeping around," Marika said. "There are hotels, lunches, and dinners, not to mention the gifts. He sure as hell didn't give me something from Victoria's Secret!" Throwing the paper back on the counter, she put her head in her hands. "No wonder we never get ahead," she said as tears threatened to come back.
Putting her arm around her friend's shoulder, Yamile gave her a hug. "He's a colossal asshole. I think we can agree on that. He also doesn't deserve you," she said.
"Well, it can't be soon enough until he doesn't have me!" Marika replied. "You heard the lawyer today. I just want to get this over with as soon as possible, but if he wants to fight things, it could be months, maybe years."
"He can't stop you from divorcing him," Yamile started to say.
"No but he can fight the settlement and keep it tied up in court for a long time," Marika said. "I don't know, maybe he won't, but I hate that it's a possibility."
Yamile looked at her friend. She felt all of Marika's anger and more. The loss of her husband wasn't within her control. The fates ripped Claudio from her. The absence of his love was a burning wound. The unfairness of it burnt worst of all, and she didn't even try to hide from thinking she wished it was Samuel instead of Claudio. "My Claudio loved me and showed it every day," she thought. "Samuel stomps all over Marika's love every day. How is this fair?"
Looking at her friend's face, Marika read the unspoken words. She reached out, patted Yamile's arm, and then took her hand. "I know," she said softly. She no longer truly wished Kieran's father was dead, but it didn't make her any less understanding of why Yamile felt that way. "You wish with all your heart Claudio was back and I wish Samuel was just out of my life. I just can't..."
Squeezing her eyes shut to try to hold another round of tears back, Yamile tightened her fingers around Marika's hand. "I shouldn't feel this way," she whispered. "It's horrible."
"No it isn't. It's natural," Marika said soothingly. "It isn't fair. Claudio was a good man, and he should have grown old with you. He adored you, and Samuel clearly only adores himself. I understand, and honestly it isn't horrible.
"I just wish we could avoid him fighting me," Marika said with a sigh.
"Well, I was thinking about that last night," Yamile started to say.
"Oh, sweetie, you have your own problems. I don't want you worrying about mine," Marika started to say.
As she looked at Marika, the pain in Yamile's eyes was clear. "Thank you for caring so much, Marika, but there is no solution for my problem; even time won't help. He was my Querido, my beloved. Claudio was my soulmate. I'll survive. I have to for the girls and for him, but I've lost that forever," she said softly. The tears that flowed now weren't the racking sobs of grief. They were big, slow tears that just ran down her face. Yamile was so used to them; she didn't even wipe them away. They made tracks down her cheeks, catching on her jaw before dripping down onto the counter.
"I can help you, Marika. It's something I can actually do, when there isn't anything I can do about Claudio. I can do it without ignoring the girls, or Claudio's parents. Please let me do this so I can feel some control in my life," Yamile said.
Marika couldn't help herself. Tears of her own started to flow. Her heart went out to her friend. Putting her arms around Yamile, she hugged her tight. "Oh, of course. Help all you want, sweetie," she whispered in Yamile's ear.
They stayed like that for a few minutes as both of them slowly managed to get their crying back under control. Yamile's arms around her felt good to Marika. It reaffirmed to her how, despite Samuel, she had people who truly cared about her.
"I should tell Liz," she thought. "And Winnie." She just wasn't ready yet. Liz would be angry in a completely new way. She never liked Samuel, and Marika wasn't looking forward to her saying, "I told you so." With Winnie, it was different. Somehow, in a very short time, Winnie had become quite important to her. On top of everything else, she wasn't ready to examine that.
Pulling away, Yamile grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. The bugle-like sound made Marika laugh. "Give me one of those," she said. Taking the one Yamile handed her, she copied her. Marika managed to make it sound a little daintier.
Smiling at her, Yamile leaned her shoulder against Marika's. "Anyhow, I was saying that I was thinking about you last night. I don't think I've ever told you about Jim. He was Claudio's best friend in high school. When we got married, he was the best man. He's devastated about Claudio too. He's a cop in Seattle. I had an idea and I called him. He was all in favor of it; feeling like it gave him something to do to help me when there wasn't much else."
"Do what, Yamile? I'm not sure what a cop can do for me. Samuel is a lying scumbag, but I am pretty sure infidelity isn't a crime," Marika said, feeling confused.
"No, but if you had evidence of what a lying scumbag he is, that might be helpful in your negotiations. If you could embarrass him with it in some way, maybe he would be more reasonable," Yamile told her. "You don't have to use it, but Jim is willing to take off a week and follow him. He's already told his captain he may need time off. He's just waiting for a call from me."
"It feels kind of wrong," Marika thought. She didn't need the evidence to know her marriage was over. She made it clear to the lawyer earlier today that she wouldn't consider trying to work things out. At the same time, she understood what Yamile meant. His firm was a family-owned company and if it got out that he was sleeping with his secretary, it would cost him his job. She wasn't sure whether she could use it, but having the option might be worth it.
Finally, Marika slowly nodded. "I don't like it, but it makes sense. I've never really seen the cutthroat side of Samuel, but I know he has one. It's why he likes Sales. I don't want him unleashing that on me," she said. "Are you sure it's okay? I don't want Claudio's friend getting into trouble," she asked as she looked at Yamile.
