by Jodi Vaughn
“I’m not so sure you’re ready for what it takes to go through with a divorce.” She crossed her arms and studied me. “You probably have never worked outside the home. How will you support yourself?”
The inside of my mouth had turned to dust. It was like she saw inside my soul.
“I see that you’ve not really thought this out.” Cherry grabbed a file off the desk and turned to leave.
“I have. I’ve made my decision, and there’s no going back,” I said.
The attorney stopped in her tracks. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you. I’m all booked up.”
“But Mr. Dover isn’t. He has availability this morning,” Sarah said cheerfully.
Cherry glared at the receptionist. “Mr. Dover doesn’t have availability. You must have read the schedule wrong.”
Sarah looked back at the calendar on the computer. “No, it says right here that he has a spot this morning.”
“I’ll take it,” I said abruptly.
“You don’t want Mr. Dover. He mainly does contractual law.” Cherry said firmly. “You’ll just have to look elsewhere. I’m sure we can recommend another attorney for you.”
“But he can do divorce right?”
“Legally. Yes.” She narrowed her eyes. “But like I said, you don’t want him.”
“No.” I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest. “I drove all the way from Charming. I’ve looked at every attorney within a hundred-mile radius, and I’m running out of time. Please, just let me talk to Mr. Dover.”
I knew that if this didn’t work, I could just glamour her into letting me do what I wanted, but I didn’t want to do that. It felt dirty and dishonest, and it was. I wasn’t going to be a liar like my husband. I had ethical standards and morals. And in the end, good always triumphed over evil. I was going to triumph, I just knew it.
“Suit yourself.” Cherry gave me a smug look and turned on her designer heels before walking back to her office.
“Did I do something wrong to make her not like me?” I asked Sarah.
The receptionist looked up and smiled. “Of course, not. That’s just how she is. Very tough. She’s the best divorce attorney in Memphis, and very sought after.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Cherry has clients coming in from all over the state as well as Mississippi and Arkansas.”
“Then I guess I’m in the right place. And I’ll take that appointment with Mr. Dover.”
“Perfect. Let me just let him know.”
I walked over to the small sitting area and slid into one of the leather chairs. The waiting area was as nondescript as the office itself. The walls were brown, and there were a couple of portraits of flowers hanging on the wall. There was a glass-top coffee table with a couple of women’s magazines. The floors were concrete and painted a light caramel color, and a potted fichus tree sat off in the corner.
The whole scheme screamed blah to me.
It certainly didn’t look like the office of one of the most sought-after attorneys in the area.
“Mr. Dover will see you now.” Sarah walked over to me. “If you’ll just follow me.”
I trailed her down the hall. She stopped at a door at the end of the hallway and opened it.
I stepped inside and looked around. There was a large, leather chair behind an ornate desk. Mr. Dover was on the phone, finishing up a conversation. He had a deep voice and was very pleasant with whoever he was talking to. The back of the chair faced me, so I went ahead and sat down.
There were two diplomas on the wall and a floor-to-ceiling bookcase with law books along the other wall. There was an expensive, Oriental rug under the desk. It even smelled pricey.
This looked like the office of a high-powered attorney.
I might not have gotten Cherry, but it looked like I’d gotten the second-best most sought-after attorney around. Things were looking up.
Mr. Dover ended his phone call and then swung the chair around.
He was an older man with thick, white hair and a pleasant smile. He looked more like a preacher than a bulldog attorney.
“Hello, my dear. My name is Ben Dover, attorney at law. What can I do for you today?”
“I’m sorry. Your name is Ben Dover?” I wasn’t sure which was worse: having an attorney with the last name of Cobbledick, or an attorney basically named bend over. Either way, I had the distinct feeling that I was the one getting screwed.
“Yes, ma’am. My mother had a sense of humor and named all her boys something cheeky.” He smiled widely and then leaned back in his leather chair. “There’s Hank Dover, Roll Dover, and of course, me, Ben Dover.”
“Ah.” I forced a smile. I licked my lips. “I was given the number of this law firm from a friend. She said that you were the best.”
His smile widened. “I’m the best for contractual law, that is certainly true.”
My smile faltered. “Well. I need a divorce attorney.”
“Again, you’re in the right law firm. Cherry is the best divorce attorney this side of the Mississippi.”
“But she doesn’t have any available appointments.”
“Not to worry, dear. I can handle your divorce for you.” He gave me a wide smile.
I hesitated. I certainly knew nothing about the law, but I knew that I wanted the best. I just wasn’t sure Mr. Dover could help me.
“I know you’re a little worried, but if anything unusual comes up or there’s something I’m not comfortable with, I will consult with Cherry.”
“Well, if you’re sure you can handle it…”
“Of course.” He locked his fingers together and rested his elbows on the desk. “Now, let me get your information and see exactly what we are looking at. I’ll need to know how many years you’ve been married, number of children, what you and your husband own jointly, as well as the reason for seeking the divorce.”
“Infidelity.” It had been weeks since I’d discovered the affair, and it still hurt me to even say the word.
“Ah. I see. I’m so sorry.” He gave me a sympathetic look. “He must be an idiot.” He opened a drawer and pulled out a legal pad.
“I’m beginning to think he is,” I agreed.
“I’m required to ask if you have tried to work it out with him.”
I blinked.
“I only ask because you have no idea how many women come to Cherry to get a divorce after discovering an affair. Then they change their minds. I just want to make sure you are set on this course.”
“I am positive,” I lied. I wasn’t sure about shit. But I knew I couldn’t stay with a liar.
There was nothing else for me to do but leave. No matter how hard it hurt.
Chapter 12
I made it back from the attorney’s office just in time to pick up the girls from the car line. I was tired and wished I had brought more blood to boost my energy.
I managed not to make eye contact with any of the other moms. I was too tired to care what they thought of me as a failure when it came to being a wife.
The girls were quiet on the ride home. Arianna kept studying her phone, while Gabby yawned and laid her head back for a quick nap.
As soon as I pulled into the garage, they each piled out and headed into the house. Gabby was digging around in the pantry for a snack by the time I made it into the kitchen.
“Don’t spoil your appetite,” I warned.
“I’m not. I’m just so hungry,” Gabby whined.
“Didn’t you eat lunch?”
“All they had was soggy chicken nuggets and veggie fries. I did eat an apple, and Lori gave me her orange.”
I smiled and walked over to the fridge. I pulled out some hummus and opened the container. “Grab the pretzels out of the pantry,” I said.
She did and then placed the bag on the kitchen island as she scrambled up into her seat.
“Do you think Arianna wants something to eat?”
“Probably not. She’s always saying she’s fat and needs to be on a diet.”<
br />
My stomach clenched. “Arianna hardly weighs anything.”
“I know.” Gabby scooped her pretzel into the hummus and stuffed it into her mouth. After she’d chewed a few times, she looked at me. “It’s just what girls her age think about. That and boys.”
I nodded and felt a wave of dizziness sweep over me.
“You okay, Mom?” Gabby frowned as she studied me.
“Yes, yes. Just a little tired.” I gave her a reassuring smile and nodded towards the garage. “I’ll be right back. Think I forgot something in the car.”
She didn’t blink an eye but went back to scarfing down pretzels and hummus. I walked out into the garage and headed straight for the freezer. Thank God I kept a lot of the kid’s frozen snacks in the refrigerator inside. I didn’t know what I would do if they accidentally discovered my stash of blood out here.
I lifted the top and dug to the bottom of the freezer until my fingertips found the plastic containers I was searching for.
I glanced up at the doorway, making sure no one was watching me. When I was certain that the coast was clear, I pulled out the frozen container of blood. I turned to head back into the house when the garage door started going up.
My heart leaped into my throat. I saw a familiar Tesla as the door rose.
Miles.
I panicked and tossed the frozen blood container back into the freezer.
Miles was out of his car and walking towards me by the time the garage door was all the way up.
“What are you doing here?” I crossed my arms and leaned against the freezer.
“I’m here to see my daughters. It’s still my house, too, Rachel.” His expression was stoic, and his voice neutral. It was like I was talking to a robot.
“I never said you couldn’t see the girls.” I lifted my chin. “But you really need to give me some notice before you just arrive, unannounced.”
“Ha. That’s rich, coming from you,” Miles sneered.
Anger flickered in my chest. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, you don’t even answer your phone half the time. I had to cancel my surgery case today when I got a call from the school about Arianna.”
“What?” I straightened. “What are you talking about? The school never called me. What was it about? Was she sick?”
“The school said they tried calling you about five times. That’s when they called me.” He crossed his arms. This time, he looked at me with such condemnation that it speared me to the bone.
“But I didn’t get a call.” I hurried inside the house and dug around in my purse until I found my phone. I pulled it out and looked at it.
Six missed called. All from the school.
“Hi, Daddy.” Gabby hopped off her stool and wrapped her arms around Miles’ waist. “Are you here to eat dinner with us?” Her eyes grew wide and hopeful.
“Hi, sweetheart. No. I’m here to talk to your mom.” He patted her on the back while continuing to glare at me.
“We’ll be right back, Gabby.” I smiled. “Don’t ruin your appetite. I’m cooking dinner soon.”
“I won’t.” Gabby hopped back onto the stool and pulled a pretzel through the thick hummus dip.
I headed to my master bedroom with Miles behind me. I suppressed a shiver that ran down my spine. I didn’t know the man who was once my husband. We had shared so many years together, yet now he was nothing but a stranger to me.
I closed the door behind us to secure our privacy in the bedroom. He walked over to one of the two high-back chairs near the window and sat. “The school said they tried calling you over and over again, but you never answered your phone. Where were you?” He narrowed his gaze at me.
“We’re not exactly together right now, so I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“When it comes to my daughter, it is my business,” he snarled.
Anger shot through me like a cannon. “So now you are acting like you care about your family? Maybe you should have been acting like that all along instead of fucking around.”
He flinched, and I was glad to see that I’d gotten a reaction out of him. Maybe he had a conscience buried deep down in the pit of his dark soul.
“Why did the school call?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“The principal said that Arianna has been acting out. It started yesterday. The teacher let it slide. Until it happened again today.”
“Acting out? Arianna has never acted out in her life. She’s always been a model student.”
“They said she’s been bullying Elizabeth Grace.”
I dropped my arms. “Well, that’s a flat-out lie,” I growled. “If anyone is doing the bullying, it’s Elizabeth Grace.”
“Did she already talk to you about this?”
“Not recently.” I let out a loud sigh. “She said last week that Elizabeth Grace was bullying her, threatening to tell everyone at school that her father had a new girlfriend.” I stared at him hard.
His eyes widened, and then he shook his head. “That’s not possible.”
“What’s not? That Elizabeth Grace would bully Arianna? Or that you don’t believe your own daughter?”
“How would Elizabeth Grace know?” He gave me a disbelieving look, and I wanted to punch him in the face.
“Because, apparently, you were not discrete with your mistress. Her mother, Veronica, knew and told her. Elizabeth is just as mean as her mom and doesn’t care who she hurts.” I took a deep breath and tried to calm my heartrate. “What exactly did the teacher say Arianna was doing?”
“She said Arianna was taking Elizabeth Grace’s lunch.”
“What? Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s hungry.” Miles said. “Have you been feeding her breakfast?”
“Of course, I have,” I shot back. Guilt raced through my gut because the last two mornings I’d made the girls eat breakfast cereal instead of cooking them eggs and bacon.
“So, what did she do today?” I lifted my chin.
“She called Elizabeth Grace a name.” His expression was grim.
“What? Bitch?” I never heard either of my girls use bad language, but if Arianna had called Elizabeth Grace the B-word, I wasn’t going to hold it against her. Knowing what Elizabeth Grace was made of and what she was capable of made her a bitch.
“No. The other word. The C-word.” Miles narrowed his gaze.
“What? She doesn’t even know that word.”
“Rachel, everyone knows that word.” He gave me a look like I was an idiot.
“She’s never heard that word in this house.” I fisted my hands at my sides.
Miles stood up from his seat and shook his head. “You are so naive. You don’t think they hear that at school? Or on social media? God knows what they’re looking at on their phones.” He shoved his hand through his hair and studied the floor.
“So, what did Arianna say when the principal confronted her?”
“The principal didn’t confront Arianna. She said she knew there was trouble in her family life and wanted us to handle it. She was just giving us a warning. She said she wants us to handle it before she is forced to do something.”
“How very magnanimous of her,” I said sarcastically.
“She was trying not to embarrass our family. Something you are intent on doing.” His voice was stern and rigid.
I took a deep breath and tried hard to control my anger. It didn’t work. My rage was back in full force and filling the cavity of my chest. “Actually, I think you’re the one that embarrassed our family by having an affair. I think that blame lands firmly on your shoulders. I was here, being a good wife and a good mother.”
“I think we should talk to Arianna.” Miles ignored my statement. He was the king of ignoring uncomfortable situations and never took any blame. It was a realization that I’d just come to accept in my life. I had lived with him for so long and made excuses constantly for his bad behavior because he was a good provider. But with my
rose-colored glasses ripped off my face, I could clearly see the toxic relationship we had. Maybe it was my turning into a vampire that had put everything into perspective. Perhaps by gaining my vampiric powers, I could now clearly see through everyone’s bullshit. Maybe I would no longer tolerate insincerity in my life after being betrayed.
All I knew was that Miles didn’t know how to handle Arianna, and I wasn’t about to let him go and grill our daughter about something I doubted she even did.
“No. You’re not. If you go in there now and accuse her without hearing her side of the story, it’s just going to make things worse.” I looked away. “I’ll talk to her. Alone.”
“Fine.” He walked to the bedroom door and opened it. “And next time the school calls, answer your phone.” He threw the words over his shoulder as he walked out.
Chapter 13
I didn’t say anything to Arianna after Miles had left. I wanted to get dinner out of the way before I approached her with what her father had said.
We sat around the kitchen island, silently eating the chicken fettuccine that I’d prepared.
“How’s the meal, girls?” I said, twirling some pasta around my fork. I wasn’t hungry, but I knew that I needed to at least pretend to eat for my girls’ sake.
“It’s the best, Mommy,” Gabby said with her mouth full. “Can I have some more garlic bread?”
“Sure.” I hopped up from my barstool and grabbed another slice of bread off the cookie sheet for her.
“How’s yours, Arianna?” I asked.
“Fine.” My eldest kept her eyes on her food and pushed her noodles around on her plate. I wondered if the reason she wasn’t hungry was because she’d had two lunches that day.
“Want some more garlic bread? What about more salad?” I asked.
“No, Mom. I’m fine.” She sighed and frowned as she picked at her food.
I bit the inside of my cheek and glanced at the clock on the wall. I needed to talk to Arianna, but I knew I needed to speak to her alone and away from Gabby.
“So, how was school today?”
Arianna’s head jerked up, and I immediately regretted asking the question.
