When You Least Expect It (33 page)

             
Hilary couldn’t hide the shock in her voice.  “You went out on two dates?  You slut!” She laughed, but was quietly impressed.

             
“Yes, I had two guys who sounded interesting, so I set them both up at the same time; drinks at Nene’s place.  It was different.  Don’t tell me you never wished you could do this?” 

             
Hilary hated her sometimes.  “Okay yes, it sounds like fun.  So, was it?”

             
“No.”

             
“That’s it?  That’s all I get, just, ‘no’?”

             
“Hilary, they were both jerks.  The first date was nice, and we set up a second date, but he turned into a jerk when I wouldn’t go right then and there.  Date number two lasted a total of five minutes and then he wanted to go straight to bed!”  She sighed.  She hated the single life.  “You better hang up and go give Josh some well deserved attention.  You’re a lucky woman!”

             
Hilary laughed.  Sometimes she got tired of the married life.  It was so routine, where it seemed like Amanda’s was anything but.  “I appreciate Josh and love him very much. Although sometimes I feel, I could use a little more excitement.  Maybe I can go with you next time you meet one of your dates.”

             
It was Amanda’s turn to be shocked.

             
“No, silly, I wouldn’t go on a date, just be with you at yours.”

             
She wondered what was up with Hilary but said nothing.  “I don’t see why not. It’s usually just drinks.  It might be awhile though, I’ll let you know.”

             
“Okay.  I’m going to go and lavish Josh with attention.  I’ll call you soon.”

             
Amanda laughed.  “You do that.  Bye sis.”  She hung up the phone and looked around her empty room as she sipped her wine.  She longed for someone to lavish her attention on, even if it were her children.  But, those days were gone.  Elisa was on her own, busy with her friends, school, and work, and Alex…well Alex was too.  Good thing he still had a curfew, or she’d never see him. 

             
She went to get more comfortable and see who was in the chat room.  Maybe she would run into
Hawaiianlover
and they could exchange escapades.  She hoped hers were going better!

Chapter 26

It was ‘D’ Day.  Ray was nervous as he put on his shirt and knotted his tie.  He wondered how this day would turn out.  Would it be over?  He sighed.  He honestly didn’t think it would be.  Even though he felt he was being overly generous with what he was offering, mostly for the girls’ sake, it wasn’t going to be enough for Carrie.  He doubted that anything ever would be.

              His phone rang.  He stared at it mid-tie; why did he always have to struggle with the damn knots.  He’d have to invest in a clip-on.  He hurriedly answered the phone before the answering machine picked up.  Much to his chagrin, it was Carrie.  She was in a mood.

             
“I don’t want to go through with this Ray.”  This was her greeting.

             
Ray tried to keep his voice even.  “We have to.  We have a court date.”

             
“I don’t want to get divorced.  I don’t want to do this.”

             
Ray felt a knot, much like the one in his tie, in the pit of his stomach.  “Carrie, don’t do this.”

             
Carrie was silent. 

             
Ray wanted to hang up the phone.  He wanted to put the pain he was putting Carrie through out of his mind.  “Carrie, let’s just go to court and get this over with.  We aren’t happy together, we never will be.  You can have anything you want, let’s just make this an amicable divorce…please?”  Ray knew Carrie too well to believe she would agree to this.

             
“I’ll see you in court, Ray.  Just remember that this is what
you
want!”  Carrie slammed down the phone.

             
Ray gingerly hung up the phone.  He knew that this was only the beginning.

~~~

             
The next call Carrie made was to her lawyer.  She wanted to change her requests, no, her demands.  Ray wanted to give her whatever she wanted.  Then fine, she was going to take it.  He’d regret this.  She’d make sure of it. 

             
Carrie changed her clothes along with her attitude.  No longer was she the sad, pathetic, tossed-to-the-side wife.  She was now the defendant, and what she was defending was her life and that of the children.  Ray may have his freedom, but she’d make sure she’d have everything else.  She changed out of the business suit she had planned to wear, and put on jeans and a sweater.  She wanted to look the part of the defenseless homemaker.  She put tissues in her purse, as she planned to use them out at the opportune moments.  She looked at her self in the mirror.  She fought the urge to cry.  Was she that bad of a person, of a woman, a wife, that Ray could so easily dump her?  He could really just start over in a new apartment, a new life, leaving her to flail with the kids?  She really didn’t know if something was wrong with her, or with him. 

             
She went downstairs, got her coat, keys and purse, and with all the determination she could muster, went off to fight for her new life.

             
                                                        ~~~

              Ray sat with his lawyer waiting for the arrival of both the judge, and Carrie.  Ray hoped that Carrie wasn’t going to be a no-show, as it would delay these proceedings even longer.   

             
Before his anger began to fester, the bailiff called for all to rise.  Judge Grijalva was coming in, and still no Carrie.  He pinched his arm, willing himself to wake up from this nightmare.

             
After taking their seats, of course, the first thing the judge wondered about was the absence of the defendant.

             
“Mr. Maloney, this case seems a little one sided.  Where are the defendant and Mr. Richardson? 

             
Mike Maloney rose.  “Your honor, I was not notified of them not showing today.  I have no idea where they could be. The plaintiff requests we continue without them.”

             
The judge chuckled.  “I’m sure he does.  We’ll wait five minutes before rescheduling this hearing.”

             
Ray’s jaw dropped.  This couldn’t be happening!  Just then, there was a rustling in the back of the courtroom, Carrie, her lawyer, and her parents had arrived.

             
“Thank you for joining us Mr. Richardson.  I will not tolerate tardiness in my courtroom.  Don’t let it happen again.”

             
“I’m sorry your Honor.  Mrs. Knight had a few revisions that took longer than I had anticipated.  In fact, I would like to go over them in more detail before presenting them to the court, and would like to request a continuation.”

             
“We can’t continue something we haven’t started.  You and your client knew the date of this hearing.  If you aren’t ready, that’s your problem.”  He banged his gavel.  “Let’s begin with Mr. Maloney, since he had the courtesy and brains to be ready on time.”

             
Ray’s attorney presented everything Ray was willing to offer.  He was giving her the house, the van, a generous child support offer, and even alimony, mainly because it was mandatory by the state.  He was also leaving behind everything, except for the debt.  All Carrie would have to pay for were her living expenses.  With her job and generous allowances, she would have no problem financially.

             
When it came Mr. Richardson’s turn to present Carrie’s case, even the judge was appalled.  Carrie was requesting an enormous amount of child support and alimony for life.  She wanted a new car, and for Ray to pay for it.  She wanted Ray to continue paying her mortgage and all living expenses.  She offered almost no time with the children.  She wanted to rake him through the coals, leaving him no money to start a new life. 

             
Ray held his head in his hands.  She wanted him to suffer.  She wanted him to be as miserable without her as he had been with her.  She was punishing him.  He prayed the judge would see through this.  He got his wish; the judge was on his side.

             
“Mr. Richardson, this is ludicrous!  I cannot even believe you would put this on the table.  How long exactly have you been a divorce lawyer?  This man wants a divorce, not a jail sentence.” 

             
“Your Honor…”

             
The judge banged his gavel.  “I don’t want to hear anything.  I am breaking for lunch, and in two hours when we come back, I want to hear some reasonable requests.”  The judge got up and left even before the bailiff could say, “All rise.”

             
Carrie looked over and gave Ray a look that would scare a small child into his mother’s arms.  She turned in a huff and stormed out of the courtroom, her heels clicking loudly, hammering into Ray’s head.  Her parents and flustered lawyer followed close behind.

             
“Well, Ray, looks like we have a battle on our hands.  Even though the judge feels Carrie is being ridiculous, they will only lower their demands enough to make the judge happy.  They will still be more than what you have on the table.  How far are you willing to compromise?”  Michael looked at his client sympathetically.  He didn’t have a chance.  When Ray didn’t answer, he slapped him on the shoulder and suggested lunch.  “We’ll think about this over a huge pastrami sandwich. I’m famished.”  Ray agreed and off they went to the corner deli, Mike’s hand still on his client’s shoulder.

             
                                                        ~~~             

             
Carrie was outraged.  How dare the judge scoff at her requests?  They were perfectly legitimate.  Ray was the one who wanted this divorce, why should she have to suffer for it?  She was perfectly willing to give up Ray; she just wasn’t willing to become the struggling single mom.  She had seen it happen to too many women; it was
not
going to happen to her. 

             
Carrie, her parents, and her lawyer were sitting in the conference room pretending to eat a sandwich.  Her mother was in the poor lawyer's face, giving him a piece of her mind.  The sound of her mother’s voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.  She couldn’t take it anymore.  She stood up and banged her hands on the table, bringing everything to a standstill.  “Enough!  This is NOT acceptable.  I want what I want and I pay you to get it for me. I will not stand for the judge dismissing me as if I’m some crazy bag lady.  You get that judge to take me serious, and that’s it.  I’m not going in there again, you do this without me!”  With everyone staring at her with his or her mouth open, Carrie grabbed her purse and left the room, without so much as a glance back.

              Ray felt better after eating.  He decided not to change a thing; he was already being more than generous.  Michael agreed with him, although he still felt they were in for a fight.

             
“All rise.”

             
Ray stood and looked over at the defendants table.  The only one there was Mr. Richardson.  Ray’s heart sank into his stomach; this couldn’t be good.

             
Judge Grijalva looked over at the table.  “I’m almost afraid to ask Mr. Richardson, but where is your client?” 

             
Mr. Richardson turned beet red.  “She decided not to come back, your Honor.  She did not feel you were taking her requests seriously.  She left before I could stop her.” 

             
The judge looked at the defense attorney with disdain.  “That’s ludicrous!  You need to get a grip on your client, sir!  I am holding you in contempt of court, and your client.  You are wasting my time, the court’s time, and I don’t appreciate it.  This is my court, and what I say goes.  If I don’t want to take Mrs. Knights outlandish requests seriously, then so be it.  I still am not, she will be fined, and I will allow Mr. Knight a chance to re-do his request because I feel
he
is being too generous.”  He looked over at Ray as he continued his tirade.  “I can understand your eagerness to leave your present situation, Mr. Knight, but do not be so desperate that you give her everything.  You have a right to a normal life.”  He banged his gavel.  “Get out of my courtroom.” 

             
After deliberating with his lawyer, they decided to leave everything on the courts’ shoulders.  Ray really did want his girls’ to be able to live in their house, have the child support owed to them and for them to have the least amount of change as possible.  It would be easier for them, and that was what Ray wanted most.  As for the alimony, there he did have a problem, and alimony for life was out of the question.