I fell to the chair, staring at the paper. After 21 years. After everything I have endured in this Marriage thinking it was going to get better some day. I was really waiting for my happy ending.
Agatha came and sat next to me. I could see the worries in her eyes.
“What do I do?” I said, blank staring at the paper.
“You have to fight for your marriage, don’t give up now.”
Agatha had a point, I wasn’t ready to let Lorenzo go. I loved him so much. Despite how poorly he had treated me, my love for him was still strong.
“You are right, I need to save my marriage.” I stood up.
Agatha nodded with smiles.
“I’ll be back,” I said, rushing out.
“Where are you going?!” I heard Agatha's voice.
“To save my Marriage!” I shouted.
When I got outside, I saw Carlos standing beside my GLE, so I insisted on taking my white Porsche.
“Carlos, can I have the key to the Porsche?”
“Going somewhere ma’am?”
“Yeah. But I’ll drive there myself.”
“But ma’am, that’s my job.”
“It’s fine Carlos, relax. I’ll drive myself.”
“But ma’am sir Lorenzo wouldn’t like that.”
“Carlos! The keys! Now.” I stretched out my hands.
Carlos was startled. He knew it was not in my nature to scream at anyone, but he was doing too much, and I wasn’t in my chill phase.
He handed me the key, I grabbed it from him and I trotted to the car. I got in and drove towards Lorenzo’s hotel where I left him. On my way, I tried calling him several times but he wasn’t picking up. This was strange. Lorenzo always picked up my calls. Was I a bad person? Did I offend Santa? Could this be Santa’s punishment? It was supposed to be the season of joy, but it was becoming the season of heartbreak for me. When I got to his hotel, “Welcome back ma’am. And merry Xmas,” the receptionist said to me.
“Merry Xmas…” I piped up. “Where’s my husband?”
“Ohhh. Mr Lorenzo is in his suite.”
“Thanks.”
As I was about to leave, “Hold on ma’am, he’s with a guest,” she said.
“A guest? What guest?” Lorenzo wasn’t supposed to be working today. He told me he was taking a day off. A day off to divorce me.
“Uhmm…one Miss Catherine.”
“Catherine? Who the hell is Cathrine?” I seethe.
“Ohh, there they are,” she said, looking at the hallway.
The moment I turned, I saw My husband and my best friend in each other's arms.
They walked up to me, and my eyes were fixed on Catherine. What was going on here? It was as if my brain was resetting. I couldn’t think straight.
“Sarah? What are you doing here?” I heard Lorenzo’s voice, but I was too weak to give a reply. I stood there in bewilderment, staring at my supposed best friend. Catherine couldn’t look into my eyes. I wondered if she felt the shame I was feeling.
“Sarah, did you sign it?” He asked, but I kept shut. My brain was still in shock to give any response. “Sarah! I’m talking to you.” He grabbed my arm, but I pushed him away.
“You son of a b***h! You heartless moron! My best friend!” I yelled as loud as I could. “My! Best! Friend!” With every yell came with a punch on his chest, drifting him backwards.
“Sarah! Enough.” He held my hands.
“Why?” There came the tears. “Why? Lorenzo, why? After everything we’ve survived together. After 21 years of marriage. Why?! Why my best friend?!”
Lorenzo scanned the hallway and saw people staring at us. He probably felt the shame I felt a few minutes ago.
“And Catherine. You are supposed to be my friend.” The tears filled my face, and I tasted the fluid dripping from my nose. Lorenzo asking me for a divorce was not as painful as finding out that he was dating my best friend.
“Sarah, calm down. Stop embarrassing yourself.”
“Ohhh you mean I should stop embarrassing you. I cursed the day I met you.” I said, close to his face. “I cursed the day I met the both of you!” I yell and ran out of the hotel.
I got into my car. I placed my head on the steering wheel and I cried like never before. What was the point of saving a marriage that had been destroyed a long time ago. I thought he was going to change for the better, but he changed for the worse. I was never going to forgive him for this pain he caused me. How did he go from loving me so much to hurting me so much. I hated him, I hated him for this. I drove back home and I locked myself inside my room. I heard Agatha banging on the door but I ignored her. What was I supposed to do? What wrong did I do to have such a fate. My 21 year old marriage had collapsed, so was Christmas. He was happy, and I was sad. He was always the happy one because he had his ways of doing anything he likes. And I was always the sad one he had been hitting. I endured everything he had been doing to me. But not this time. I wasn’t going to give him the privilege of ruining my life or Christmas. I needed to clear my head, I needed somewhere filled with happiness and merriment, and my mother’s house had always been a place for that. My mother took Christmas seriously, it was her favorite time of the year. It has been five years since I last visited her. Lorenzo always had plans for Christmas and wouldn’t let me go see her. But the days of him ruining my life were over. I started to pack a few things I needed for the holiday.
“Mom!” I heard Lisa banging on my door. I quickly opened up. “Mom!” She hugged me tightly, and I felt missed.
“Oh my baby girl.” I squeezed her.
She laughed as she released herself from my tight hugs. “I’m twenty, remember. Big girl, grown up right here.” She pointed to herself, and I laughed, which was strange because after what happened, I didn’t know I would be able to, not so soon.
“Mom, are you okay?” She scanned my face.
“Honey I’m fine. Come gist me,” I dragged her into my room, and we sat on my bed. “How is college?”
She smiled. “Amazing. Guess what? I met someone, and he’s…Are you going somewhere?” She saw my packed bags.
“Yeah.”
“Where?” She furrowed her brows. “Wait! Are we going on a cruise with dad’s yacht?”
“What? No Lisa, I’m going to your Nana’s house?”
“What?! Why?! Did grandpa die?”
“Lisa!”
“What?! It’s been ages since you went there.”
“Five years.”
“That’s a very long time.”
“Come with me, it will be fun.”
“Fun? Nana makes me do dishes, that’s no fun.”
I laughed. “Seriously, she’ll be happy to see you.”
“I can’t, I promise a friend that we’ll be going on a cruise on dad’s yacht. By the way, where’s dad?” She stood up.
“Lisa, come on, let’s spend the holidays together. You could bring your friend along.”
“Holidays? When are you coming back?”
“I don’t know.” I wasn’t ready to tell Lisa what had happened. Lorenzo had done enough, Lisa deserved a merry Christmas. It was getting late, so I stood up and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“Merry Christmas honey. Have a wonderful Christmas, and don’t forget to call me.” I gave her another kiss on the forehead and then hugged her.