Mistake at the resort.
Final Chapter.
I originally meant for this to be a one part story, it turned into more as I went along.
Also, the second part of this story was supposed to be the last part, and you make up your own mind on the ending. But I have been P.M'd by quite a few people asking me to finish it with a third.
So, here is definitely the final part.
Mistake at the resort, aftermath and conclusion.
"Mrs. Taylor?"
"Yes."
"Mrs. Christine Taylor?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"You have been served. I am Valery Watson, I represent your husband. Have a good day."
I was handed a large white envelope, she turned on her heels and walked back down the pathway. I felt my heart quicken, a loud buzzing in my ears drowned out everything. I felt for the wall beside me but my outstretched palm slid down the vinyl wallpaper. The side table hit the back of my head as I fell and that's the last thing I remember until Sarah, my daughter helped me to my feet. She was hysterical, she thought I was dead.
Sarah had the presence of mind to phone her nan. For a seven, coming on eight year old she is smart, sometimes too smart. Twenty minutes later my mum was cradling both of us in her arms.
Billy was still a bit young to understand but Sarah knew then that her daddy was never coming home by my reactions as my mum read the paperwork. I tried to protect my children from what was to come but I had failed them, just as I failed their father. Mum stopped the bleeding and patched me up, she read over the document while Sarah and Billy sat with me on the sofa.
"It's basically what I had expected love, you married a wonderful, caring man. The only thing he is taking from you is his love."
My mother knew how to cut me in two with her words, she always had known how to. I broke down again which set off the children.
"He states he will pay for anything the two children need, 75% of the mortgage and household bills. The bank balance is to go 60-40 in your favour. You will need to find the shortfall on the mortgage and bills. I think we better get you working, and soon dear."
"I can't mum, the kids, the new baby?"
"Now, you listen to me Christine. You shafted a lovely man and god bless him, he is still not contesting anything. He still loves you and the children enough to pay the lions share even after what you did to him. It's not always about you, you selfish woman, this is about your children!"
"Mum...I.."
"No Christine! You bought all of this down on yourself, now these poor innocent mites have to pay for it."
Sarah ran into her nans arms crying. Dad came into the room to see us all in tears, mum included.
"What have you done now?" he scowled, looking directly at me.
"Divorce papers." Mum said.
Dad just stood there in the doorway shaking his head, "You cannot blame him, he is a good man and you have destroyed his life Christine."
"I fucking know dad, I fucking know alright!"
"Christine Marshal! You are not too old for a spanking!" My mum screamed at me. She always reverted to my maiden name when she was really angry with me, this was the angriest I had ever seen her.
My dad rarely heard me swear, and never ever aimed at him. He turned and quietly walked out of the house. My son Billy ran after him crying, his grandad swooped him up into a cuddle and they sat on porch as grandad comforted him.
I had ripped both of our extended families apart by my selfish actions. Mum and dad took the kids leaving me alone for the day with the baby.
I was just answering a text from Tina when a text from James popped up.
"Did you receive the letter from my lawyer?"
It was James, I rang him back immediately. To my delight he answered.
"Please James, can we meet. I'll do anything, but please can I see you. Just to talk."
After a few seconds silence he said,
"Ok, in two hours at the park. Our old park bench, no kids."
Shit, I still had the baby asleep upstairs. There was no way I could take him, James would turn the second he saw him. My sister came and sat for me until I had made my plea with James.
I was as nervous as I could ever remember walking through the old park gates, they used to hold such happy memories for me. Now they filled me with dread. I saw James, he was seated on our courting bench, he looked such a lonely figure. We used to spend our time there before we were married, I couldn't help it I leaned against an old oak tree for support choking back the tears.
I purposely walked up to him from the side, out of his vision, afraid if he saw me he would turn tail.
"James."
He turned to my direction, he looked a mess, dishevelled. He had tears in his eyes, his face was grey and puffy. He looked ten years older, he looked broken.
My immediate reaction was to run to him with my arms outstretched and hold him. He backed off almost jumping over the back of the bench. His actions stopped me in my tracks, they shocked me. What had I done to the man I held so much regard and love for, I felt sick to my stomach.
"Sit down Christine, talk if you must." He muttered.
I was heartbroken at what I had done to my man, the man I thought of as my soulmate. His eyes were dead now, I could see nothing but emptiness as he stared at me.
"Well?"
"James, I don't know what to say."
"Then, you have wasted even more of my time, haven't you."
He stood as if to leave. I reached out my hand, "Please James, stay."
He looked a shell of the man that I knew. It looked like he had lost a couple of stone, it had only been a few weeks but it seemed he had not slept for any of them.
"How are you?" as soon as I said it I knew it was the wrong thing to say.
He looked down at me, through me as if I wasn't there. He just stared, silent.
"How am I?" he whispered.
I saw his fists clench, he used one to wipe tears from his cheeks. "How am I?" he said again, only this time with menace. He was starting to frighten me.
"James."
"Shut the fuck up! just shut the fuck up!"
He paced up and down in front of me for a minute trying to gather his thoughts.
He stopped, turned to me and just said, "Why?"
I dropped my gaze as he carried on,
"Just tell me why, and if you say you don't know I leave right now. Our lawyers take care of all this shit!"
He was standing not six feet from me, fists clenched and I could see him shaking with rage waiting for my response.
As calmly as I could, trying to diffuse the situation I said,
"Please sit James, you don't have to sit near me but sit down."
His hands clenched and unclenched as he paced again then sat as near to the end of the bench as he could.
"They tricked me James."