Footsteps came from behind. It was Martin.
He glanced at the suitcase, frowning and said softly, “Still upset?”
I said nothing.
He pulled me into a familiar embrace and murmured, “We’ve been married thirty years. Can you really just leave?
“Calvin is still so little, he needs his grandmother. Wilma’s health isn’t great. Judith and the rest… they need you.
“And me—I rely on you too.”
Yes, he needed me, but he never loved me.
I remembered the man I met decades ago.
Martin came from a well-educated family, top of his class all his life. He went to Summit and Penbrooke University, then became a professor.
He had everything; brains, looks, charm, a promising future. Yet, he married me. A high school dropout who worked in a restaurant.
People said I wasn’t good enough for him. Maybe they were right. So I spent thirty years worshiping him, never stepping out of line.
Now, I wasn’t angry. Just… done.
“I’ve given you thirty years. I’ve done enough. I’m tired.” I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the living room.
Then, I heard Wilma’s voice, low and anxious. “Is your mom upset I live here? Samuel… maybe I should leave.”
Samuel gently hushed the baby and turned to Wilma. “Don’t worry, Aunt Wilma. My mom is just an idle housewife, she tends to overthink things. Please don’t take it to heart.”
“This is the Fleming home. As long as I’m here, no one will make you leave.”
He stood tall, his posture confident, his eyes steady. The little boy who used to hide in my arms was gone.
In his place stood a man—educated, accomplished, founder of a thriving gaming company and respected by those around him.
He had earned the right to speak with such assurance. I said nothing. I simply picked up my suitcase and walked out, without once looking back.
***
Later, I contacted my lawyer and had him draft the divorce papers. Then I sent them to Martin.
In just a few minutes, my phone rang. I answered, speaking softly but clearly. “I want 30% of our shared assets.”
Martin may have earned the income, but I had built the home; cooking, cleaning, raising our child. I had carried my share.
Thirty percent wasn’t asking too much. I wasn’t a naive girl anymore. I wouldn’t give up what I deserved just because I was hurt.
Though my tone was calm, there was silence on the other end.
After a long pause, Martin finally said in a hoarse voice, “Judith... I don’t agree to a divorce.”
“The house was a mess while you were gone, no one cooked, no one looked after the child. He cried for you every night until he lost his voice,” Martin said.
Calvin, my grandson, was just three. After Samuel’s divorce, he had thrown himself into work and I had been the one raising the boy.
I felt a pang of guilt hearing Calvin had suffered.
But then Martin continued, “We’ve all grown used to having you around. Judith, just come back.”
It wasn’t that they couldn’t live without me, it was that they couldn’t live without a free, dependable nanny.
So, I kept my voice steady. “My lawyer will handle the divorce. If you refuse to sign, I’ll see you in court.”
I ended the call, booked a spot on a senior travel tour and left the next day.
However, even a month after I returned, Martin still wouldn’t agree to the divorce.
