Chapter 14 #3
He pulled my hair apart searching for the gash. “You might need stitches, Mom. It’s not good.”
“I’ll have it checked out.”
The back door opened and closed. Jasper and I looked at each other, and he took a seat next to me. It was time.
Rory found us in the kitchen and announced, “You are now looking at the ex-mayor of Burlington, Vermont.”
“Congratulations,” I muttered, wondering how I would break the next piece of news. You are now unemployed and on your way to a divorce, Mr. Rory Simpson. Perhaps if he hadn’t stomped on my heart, I might have felt more pity for needlessly forcing him to resign; it didn’t matter what he did now.
“Oh, God!” Rory exclaimed, realizing what he was looking at. “What happened to you?” My soon-to-be ex rushed toward me.
I put up my hand to stop him. “I’m fine. I fell outside. It’s okay.” Never again would he come to my rescue, and I was beyond okay with that.
He reached out to touch my arm, but I pushed him away. “Stop, Rory. Just…stop.”
“What’s going on?” he asked, tilting his head.
I grabbed Jasper’s hand and found the courage I needed. “We’re leaving Vermont. We’re moving to Washington State.”
“We are?” Rory asked, still looking at all the blood.
“Not you,” I replied, maybe too harshly.
Rory was obviously blindsided. I knew the look. I’d been there before.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “but Jasper, Philippe, and I are going without you.” I approached him with my head held high. “Rory, I want a divorce.”
Wrinkles matted his forehead. “But…what about last night? About what you said?”
“I was wrong. I was trying. I don’t want to continue ‘trying.’ I wish nothing but the best for you.
I know Jasper does too. But you and I can’t be together anymore.
It was over long before this week. I’ve just been holding on for dear life.
It’s time to move on. Jasper and I need to get out of here. ”
Rory dropped his head. “Please, Margot. Let’s work this out.”
“This is not a topic up for debate.”
He stood in silence for what seemed like forever. He finally said, “Let’s talk again in a few days. We can’t rush to conclusions.” He scratched his head and left the kitchen. I could hear him break into a sob as he crossed into the living room.
I squeezed my son with everything I had, knowing that I was taking with me what mattered most. Our bond strengthened as I cried into his shoulder.
“We’ll be all right,” he whispered.
“Yes, we will, my dear. We have a long road ahead, but it will definitely be all right. We’re moving to Washington State.”
“Shouldn’t we visit first? What if it sucks?”
I locked eyes with him, ready to finally connect to that younger me who used to believe in the magic of the universe. “Do you trust me, honey?”
“Of course.”
“We don’t need to visit. I’m putting an offer on a house today. As soon as the deal’s made, I’ll hire movers to transport everything, and we’ll drive out there with Philippe and a couple of bags.”
He couldn’t believe my words. “Right on, Mom. Right on.”
Erica phoned as I mopped away my tears. I told Jasper we’d talk more in a little while and then took the call upstairs. Rory was hiding in his office with the door closed.
“I see your husband just quit,” Erica said, clearly waiting for an explanation.
“Word travels fast,” I replied, sitting back on my bed. Philippe jumped up to join me. “In other news, I just told Rory I’m getting a divorce.”
Silence.
“Did you hear me?”
Silence.
Louder, I said, “I told Rory I want a divorce. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you,” she said. “I’m just…I’m crying.”
I smiled. How nice to have a friend who cares so much for you. “You were right all along.”
“Uh, yes, of course I was! You finally see the light. Does this mean my Margot is back?”
“I am the light,” I said. “And you’re damn right I’m back.”
“Yes, you are.”
I ran my hand along Philippe’s back. “I have more news. Jasper and I are moving to Washington State.” I told her briefly about my morning. Then, “Oh, I guess you need to rescind our offer on the place near here. Sorry about that.”
“Guess what,” Erica said. “I didn’t submit it.”
My eyes widened. “You bitch.”
“I know.”
“You’re a terrible real estate agent.”
She ignored me. “So a bed-and-breakfast in Washington State?”
“In the middle of wine country.”
“I’m so coming to visit!” Erica exclaimed.
“I’ll have a room waiting. Thanks for being my best friend, Erica. Don’t ever let me forget how good you are to me and how much you mean to me.”
We both choked up and said at the same time, “I’m going to miss you.” We laughed at the timing and said two more words simultaneously, “Me, too.”
As I wiped my tears, Erica asked, “What are you going to call your new place?”
I looked up in the air for an answer, and it was waiting for me. “épiphanie. The French spelling with an accent over the E. To always remember this day. To remember what it’s like to wake up from a nightmare and realize you still have plenty of life left to live.”
Erica said triumphantly, “You do! You have so much more life to live, and I couldn’t love you any more than I do. I’m so proud of you.”
Though I knew I’d spend a long time healing, that day was the day I first tasted the greatness of surrendering to life.
It’s the first day I connected with my elusive higher consciousness.
It had taken me this entire year of trying to make my husband see me to realize that what needed to happen was that I needed to see myself.