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14
Alexis
I’m stuck in my head as I leave my lawyer’s office, not really paying attention to my surroundings. Having to sit there and file a petition for the dissolution of our marriage was hard enough, but then discussing everything from child support to the portioning of our marital assets was almost unbearable. Nausea shimmered in my gut and only increased the more our whole life, and everything we worked for together was handled and discussed like a business deal. The cherry on this shitcake was when I was told that both of us would have to complete an online parenting class. As if I didn’t know how to parent my child. As if this situation I’m finding myself in makes me a bad parent. Bridget—that’s what my lawyer insisted I call her—rushed to explain that it’s in no way a reflection of my parenting abilities. It is a state requirement to help parents understand the impact divorce can have on the family and the best way to navigate the difficult transition. Somehow that doesn’t make me feel better. In fact, it only increases my anger towards Lucas for putting Lizzy and me in this situation.
“Thank you,” I mumble when someone opens the glass doors to the prestigious offices of Kirkland, Wharton & Hamilton for me. I step outside and immediately long for the cool air-conditioning when the muggy heat hits me, making me sweaty and uncomfortable.
“Alexis?” I’m jolted out of the images of death and dismemberment running through my mind. It takes me a moment to place a name to the face looking at me with a small smile playing on his lips.
“Christian?” I parrot his name like an idiot. The smile that lights up his face at my recognition has me smiling as well. “Oh my gosh, it’s been years. How are you?”
“About…eight years. I’m good. How are you?”
“Not bad.” A quick calculation tells me that, yes, it’s been around eight years since the last time I saw him at his wedding, and I’m amazed at how quickly time has flown. “Eight years… Wow, I didn’t think it was that long.”
“Right? Before we know it, we’ll be living it up in a retirement home somewhere, smoking weed every weekend,” he chuckles.
“Wouldn’t that be a thing.”
“How is Lucas?”
I feel my smile stiffening. “He’s good.”
We fall silent, most probably both wondering why we bumped into each other at the law offices of Kirkland, Wharton & Hamilton, but too polite to ask.
“Listen, I’m running late for an appointment,” he gestures towards the offices, “but I would really like to catch up with you guys. I’m in town for another two weeks or so, so maybe we can meet up for drinks soon?”
“Oh sure, that would be lovely, but it would only be me. If you want to, I can give you Lucas’s number?”
His eyes dip and linger on my fingers that are clutched around the strap of my bag.
His smile drops a bit, becoming more sympathetic than friendly, and suddenly I just want to run away. Is this my life now? Just one of many divorced women, my bare finger screaming my failures?
“No, that’s okay. Your number is fine.”
With an exchange of numbers and a promise to meet up soon, he heads inside, and I make my way back to the boutique.
***
“I bumped into an old college friend today.”
“Oh, who?”
“I don’t think you know him. He dated one of my friends through college.”
“Is he single?” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“I don’t actually know. They got married, but last I heard got divorced. I lost touch with Stacy when she moved to Charleston after the divorce.”
“He wants to meet up for drinks to catch up.”
“Are you going to?”
“I don’t know.” I bite my lip in indecision. “I haven’t been out for drinks with a guy without Lucas since my college days.”
“It’s just drinks with an old friend to catch up. It’s not a date that leads to hot sex at the end of it. Unless you want it to, of course.”
“Shut up. It feels weird.”
