(Hello all. And a big apology to all for getting this out so late. All parts of this story were written together, but I managed to find the time to flesh this part out only recently. Too busy with my real life, actually. I appreciate that many have told me they would like to see this story concluded. And as many have rightly pointed out, its not fair to start a story and then leave it halfway. Rest assured that was never my intention. I also understand that for people who have already gone through my first and second parts and then waited and waited and waited for the third may not quite get the same feeling that they did whilst reading the first and second parts as the time gap between them was too long. In that event, to get up to mark again, I'd suggest you read the first and second part again. That should, if nothing else, get you in the mood. Again, thanks for the support. Your communications and comments are what inspired me.
As always, bricks and roses to heavyheartlaments)
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ARTHUR'S SIDE
This was the first time in 15 years, that I had been without seeing Jennifer for so long. I sadly realized that this may well be the last time I am ever going to see Jennifer as my wife. I was divorcing her. Someone who is unfamiliar with my history, may be surprised that I was divorcing Jennifer over something as simple as her paying more attention to the career, after all, every couple goes through a time when either spouse pays more importance to the career. But therein lies the catch. The key here is 'goes through a time' rather than 'all the time', which was what it was in my case.
It was not that I was not sympathetic enough or supportive enough of my wife in her endeavors to reach the Vice Presidency, which was her life time career goal by the way. Its just that her passion for the post came at the cost of our married life, our sex life, including our agreement to not have children till she had achieved her goal. Its also not that I did not try to keep up with her demands. Most times, I did. When I did not, very occasionally, I apologized for my insensitivity and our life moved ahead.
But the problem was that for 15 long years, the sacrifices seemed to be one-sided. I was the one who seemed to be making them. Oh yes, there were superficial sacrifices that Jennifer made, like canceling a important client meeting because it was our wedding anniversary and so on, but I got the impression that somehow she cancelled only those meetings that were really unimportant, and she touted that it was important only because Jennifer wanted to show me that she cared about me. And let us not go into the time where she was at my side in the hospital as I suffered from jaundice, for just one day, while I was there for 2 weeks, my nurses and doctors feeling and caring for me more than she did. In case you didn't realize, after the one day of staying by my bedside, she was flying to Philippines the next day, to oversee the first month of operations of the new branch opened there. What FCB called its 'first foray' into Asia Pacific.
"You will recover and there are people to look after you here, nurses, doctors and so on, but if I miss the first month of the opening of the branch, and something goes wrong, the entire reputation of FCB will take a hit and we will have started on a wrong note in Asia Pacific, which is a very important market for us. Would you please understand?"
Of course, what's a man to say to that, so I let her go. And this was not the first time such a request arose from her. But that was the first time when I felt whether I had taken a correct decision in marrying her. The first time I questioned my commitment to her dreams. Was it not going a little overboard? Little did I know that this thought would really be proved an understatement compared to the rest of my life. And so life went on, with me doing everything I could to see her realize her dreams. And with her, also doing everything to realize her own dreams. Thinking back, I realize she had only asked me thrice during our entire married life what I wanted to do in life. I really have no idea how I finally decided upon to divorce her. I guess the little bits that grew up over the years finally culminated into this decision. I had really reached my limit.
So since last year past, I had firmly resolved to divorce her. I had a very profitable business, and had no qualms sharing it equally with Jennifer. I loved Jennifer, but I didn't have enough fuel in me to go like this for the rest of my life. I had reached the end of the road. Divorce it would be.
And the last week's incident of where she was promoted to Vice Presidency and informed me last, just reinforced my belief that I was taking a correct decision. It was, of course, entirely coincidental and unplanned that the day I chose to tell her about the divorce, was the day she was promoted. Maybe I should have stopped and thought about it. Maybe now that she had achieved her career lifelong ambition, she would realize that she was married and also had a duty towards her spouse. But I wouldn't place my bets on it. After so many years, why would she change? And I was too tired to second guess. So I decided to go ahead with it. Would this put a monkey wrench in her happiness? I really didn't care. I did not hate her. I just felt exhausted from all this life. I just wanted out.
I was really surprised the way our discussions went, my informing Jennifer, her calling out to me for a reconsideration, her parents trying to convince me of her mistake, which, of course was the totally wrong thing as that was not what took me on the road to consider divorce! My God, how misguided they were. They thought I was leaving Jennifer because she told me of the most important event in her life, last. And Jennifer thought I assumed she reached the top by sleeping her way with her senior management. What hurt me most however, was that neither my in-laws not Jennifer saw or understood what the problem was. And I was too tired to explain. Let God sort them out. I was not interested in a reconciliation. I was not interested in a catharsis. I was not interested in a revelation. I just wanted out because I was tired of being the one to step down in the mud for 15 long years. I left all of them crying as I banged the door and walked towards my car. I could hear my father-in-law screaming at Jennifer that it must be her fault, but really, he didn't have a clue and neither did Jennifer and my mother-in-law. And at this point, I really didn't care whether they would go through the rest of their lives having an misunderstanding about me or that the would never know why I really left them. I just wanted out of this marriage.
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JENNIFER'S SIDE
I walked out of Sterling's office, armed with a boatload of guilt and the desperate need to make up to my husband. But just how do I make up 15 years worth of anguish that I have caused him? How do I bring back those times he wanted to be with me and I was in the office working my ass off, trying to clinch that Vice Presidency position before someone else did? How can I repair the damage caused to my life where I have put the most important thing in my life, my husband, at the very bottom of the hierarchy of what I do? I had no idea. And that was worrying me sick.
I knew my Arthur very well. He always was very patient. But I am afraid my complete lack of empathy for his feelings and total disregard for our married life had pushed him over to the decision he had taken. 15 years is no small time by any reckoning. And most importantly, I was afraid whether I would be able to mend my relationship with him, the relationship that I should never have let go in the first place, afraid that it was already damaged beyond repair. Just what had I done to my life? I felt hot tears scald my cheeks again. I hated myself right now more than anyone else. And let us not even talk about the weight that I had on my shoulders brought on by my guilt.
But I forced those thoughts away as I caught myself from crying too much. Not here. Not in the reception. There would be a time for tears. There would be time for regrets. There would be time to beg for forgiveness, if need be, on my knees, but now, there was only time for action. I had to convince my Arthur that I understood now, how much it must have hurt to be ignored and be given a second class treatment for 15 years. To tell him that to hell with FCB and my Vice Presidency, I would put him on a pedestal and worship him forever, if he would, but, come home. But I knew that would not be so easy. Not this time. Arthur had been pushed over the edge by my inconsiderate behavior once too many times, but this time he was not coming back. I ignored the chill as it raised itself in my spine and decided to do something about my situation rather than bemoan about it. I would make it up to Arthur for the rest of my life. But before I did that, I had to find him.
I stood there at the reception for God knows how long. It was only when the cold air began freezing me that I realized I had to move. The weather had turned cold. But it could not match the cold, gnawing feeling in my gut that I may, just may, have to get used to living without Arthur, get used to living a life of loneliness. Just me and my Vice Presidency. And my realization of what I had done crystallized even further in my heart. I could not waste any more time.
I drove home as fast as possible. Once I reached there, I called Bernie.
"Jenny? Long time no hear from you girl! How's it going? Heard you made it to VP! And how's old Rock face?" He asked jovially.
Rock face was Bernie's name for Arthur. That's because Arthur took his business very seriously. It was the only thing he never did, or allowed others to, joke about. Bernie had tried a couple of times, and every time Arthur came away stone faced. Hence the name. But it was all in good humor.
