Divorce Paper

It's been years of pain and misery, but never for one day have I ever thought of divorcing Jerry. I have always hoped that one day Jerry will love and accept me, and our marriage will become a happy one. I wanted us to be one big family, that has always been my dream.

Deep down, I felt Jerry would be sober and filled with remorse as I had just caught him cheating, I felt at least he would try to apologize, but instead, I was slapped with divorce papers.

"Why are you handing me divorce papers?" I stuttered; he got up from the bed and moved closer to me.

"I know you're stupid, but I didn't know you had an understanding problem too," he yelled. "Now listen carefully, I am done with this charade called a marriage, I refuse to continue...," Jerry screamed, and I flinched.

"You can't just leave me like that; what will you tell the public happened to our perfect marriage? We just celebrated our seventh anniversary yesterday, people will talk," I tried so hard to sound convincing.

Jerry laughed loudly, "Do not worry your dull head about that; we already have a story to tell them. We will just tell them I caught you in bed with another man last night." he giggled.

My eyes widened in surprise, "How can you tarnish my image with such a lie, Jerry!" I screamed.

His mother ran into the room, " I heard a scream what is happening?" she asked curiously.

"Don't mind her mother; I served her divorce papers; and that is why she is throwing tantrums," Jerry replied.

"Oh that," Mrs Joy said, in a very casual way. She turned to me, "You have trapped my son enough, it's time for you to set him free." she ordered.

Tears streamed down my eyes, "Jerry... what about our daughter?" I was shaking out of fear, I didn't know what Jerry and his mother would do.

"What daughter! You must be delusional to think you have a daughter here. Beatrice is my daughter, mine! Not yours," he screamed. "Now pick up that pen, and sign the papers immediately, and get your sorry self out of my house, and life!"

I had nowhere to go, I had nobody, I knew my father would never let me move into the house, and I didn't have a dime on me; I went on my knees and began to plead with Jerry. I held his leg, begging like I was begging for life, but he just pushed me to the ground.

"Maybe, just maybe, if you had just left me alone, if you hadn't asked me to be your girlfriend, and slept with me, I wouldn't have gotten pregnant, and we wouldn't be here now." I wiped off the tears streaming down my cheek.

"You must be very stupid," Jerry grabbed my arms tightly, raising his hands to hit me.

"Hit me," I screamed, "after all, I am your punching bag; my bones have been broken severally from your beating, so go ahead, do it," my hands folded into a fist, my eyes filled with anger. "You cheated on me, you made me miserable, and now you want to throw me out just like that, like a bag of trash...Where did I go wrong? I have loved you through it all; what did I do to deserve this, Jerry? What!" I screamed from inside.

He brought down his hands immediately and released his grip on my arm.

"Don't waste your time on her," his mother said touching his shoulder. "And you sign those papers, and get your cursed self out of this house before my granddaughter wakes up."

I fell down on my knees again; I wasn't ready for my marriage to end, "Please, Jerry, I will do anything you want," I begged, tears streaming down my eyes. He just stood there unmoved, determined not to change his mind.

"See how shameless you are, you don't even have respect for yourself. I won't repeat myself again. Sign the papers and get out!" he yelled, but this time around, something in his eyes sent shivers down my spine.

I picked up the pen with my shaky fingers, and scrawled my signature across the page, as I signed it, I felt like my life had ended.

"Now get inside, pack your things —

"What things," his mother interrupted him, "she came in here with nothing, just rags, so she leaves with just the rags. Do not touch anything we bought for you, only pick your rags and get lost," she commanded.

I felt a load of anger all over me; as I got up to leave the room, I remembered all the sweet things Jerry used to say to me when we were friends, how romantic he was before he slept with me. I couldn't believe it was the same person standing in front of me. How can he treat me with such hatred and cruelty?

As I got to the door, the anger in me increased; there she was standing in the doorway, Jessica, the bitch who had finally destroyed my home, wearing a cruel smile on her face.

I felt like jumping on her and ripping her head out of her neck; the thought that she was once my best friend made the betrayal more painful.

But how could Jerry choose her over me after what she did to him? When she dumped him, I was by his side, I helped him heal. I begged her to come back to him, and she refused, even when he asked me out, I asked her if she was fine with it, and she encouraged me to date him, that she was truly done with him— now she is back, and just like that, I have been thrown out.

Tears streamed down my eyes as I stared at her, "Why Jessica? Why are you back? You told me you didn't want him."

She let out a loud mockery laughter, "Mirabel, you are so gullible. Oh! You felt getting pregnant was the best way to trap him?" she shook her head, "How foolish can you be."

"Stop it!" I screamed, I felt like I was being stabbed with  thousand knives. "I didn't plan my pregnancy, and you told me you were fine with me being with him."

"Oh, please, Mirabel stop it, with the victim act. Well, I'm not anymore, I want him back; he is mine, always has been, and always will be, I just borrowed him to you, and now your time is up." Her voice was filled with hate, her eyes cold and empty.

"Hey baby," Jerry held her waist from behind. She turned to face him, placing her lips on him and kissing him passionately.

He stopped kissing her, and just held her closely "Guess what? I'm now a free man, the witch's claw has finally left me," he said excitedly.

Her lips twitched into a smile, "I'm super happy, now I have you all to myself," she hugged him tightly.

I felt the ground should open and swallow me. In the seven years of our marriage, Jerry has never held me, or even touched me.