My husband finally parked his car next to mine. I got out, kissed him, and took his left hand. We walked inside the office building.
"What is this place?" he asked with trepidation as I ushered him into the elevator.
"You said you might want a divorce, so I made an appointment for a lawyer. I know you wouldn't do it for yourself, so we are going this route, or you are going to the doctor after this appointment."
"I'm not going to the doctor. Why can't we be just normal?" He asked.
I pulled him out of the elevator and looked up into his green eyes. At six feet and fifty-five years old, his handsome face still made my heartbeat speed up a little. He has a medium frame but always made me think of James Bond.
"You suggested we try," I said.
"I suggested another man, not a woman or a couple." He responded.
"It's what I want. I researched it, just like you suggested." I said and threw my long blond hair
"I don't want a divorce...I want things to go back to the way they were. I'm embarrassed about that night." He said.
"You...embarrassed? It's too late to tell me now; I'm paying for this lawyer's time," I said, pulling him into the office with three names on the door.
"He's expecting you, Mrs. Kennedy, and ah...you said one other?" The old secretary asked as she looked at my husband. She was attracted to him.
"My husband, yes, Drew. Say 'hello', Drew," I said. My husband just looked at his feet, a sure sign that he didn't care who was in front of him. "Hello," came his weak response.
Her tone changed to disgust. "You can go right in," she said, waving us to the office to the left. I wasn't precisely dragging Drew, but I was close.
He wasn't thinking of the lawyer. He was thinking of the doctor's visit.
Mr Lowery's office was pleasant and expensive. Drew had probably talked to a hundred lawyers over the years, but not a divorce lawyer. Mr Lowery seemed to know Drew or at least understand my husband more than any individual I ever first met, maybe because he specialized in divorce for men.
"So, Drew, why are you getting a divorce? This is the first time for me that the man's wife has ever come with him into my office." Mr Lowery stated.
"I don't want a divorce. Beth made me come here because I don't want to go to the doctor." Drew said.
"Beth, let me get this straight. You want me to represent him against you because he won't go to the doctor? Is he sick?" Mr Lowery asked.
"I just don't know because he has never gone since we've been married," I said.
"There's more to it than that," Drew said.
"There usually is. Do you want to tell me, or am I just charging for the time so you can sit there? There is a nice restaurant down the street where you can sit and eat for less than fifty bucks for both of you instead of paying me three hundred and fifty dollars an hour", Mr Lowery said.
My husband's shoulders lifted. He hated to waste money.
"My wife made me go to this social, and it did not turn out like I expected. I got a panic attack after we left." Drew said.
I smiled. Even now, Drew was protecting me, just like always.
"Panic attacks can be serious." Mr Lowery said.
I 'humpfed' and rolled my eyes.
"This is going to be interesting...Beth, what are your expectations for the divorce?" He asked.
"I just want half of everything, the house, cars, and his business that I helped grow. I don't need alimony or child support since our kids are grown. Otherwise, a doctor's visit and no divorce." I said.
"But the business will fold with half its assets gone. I'll lose whatever half I have left." Drew said.
"You could pay it out over time, which may take a very long time, not to mention six thousand for noncontested divorce for me, and your lost time at work as you go to court might have to go several times." Mr Lowery said.
This man was a genius, so it's no wonder he got paid so much. He knew which buttons to push very quickly.
Drew started breathing faster.
"Relax, Drew. Your wife is not here to kill you. She seems like the type of woman that generally cares about her husband. Do you care for your wife?" He asked.
"With all my heart," Drew said. He looked at me and then back at Drew with a furrowed brow.
"Beth, tell me your story. Maybe I can figure out a different path? I'm pretty good at reading people and coming up with solutions. It may not make both of you happy, but you might be only half miserable." Mr Lowery said with a smile.
I took a deep breath and unloaded.
"My son moved out of the house two years ago, and my sex drive went into the shitter. I didn't feel worthwhile anymore. Drew had his company, but I couldn't figure out where I fit. I went to a therapist for a while, but all I got was angry at the bitch.
Then, we visited Drew's family three weeks ago. A son of his cousin was at this gathering. The kid was cute and very nerdy at nineteen. It was just the three of us in the kitchen of his cousin's house. I asked about his girlfriend. The boy said he had never had one or even kissed a girl."
"In that kitchen, my loving husband said, 'I bet my wife would kiss you if I gave her the right incentive.'
' What kind of incentive?' I asked.
' That Burberry jacket you've been looking at.' He said.
' That jacket is twice as much as a month's mortgage payment, and we can't afford it.' I said.
