Then, I showed her the necklace and bracelet I had reclaimed.
“These are part of a set,” I said. “They’re family heirlooms, and I need the earrings back. They were not Derek’s to give.”
Her face paled, and her jaw dropped.
“Rachel… I had no idea,” she stammered.
“I thought it was a gift from Derek. I didn’t know that it was yours! I had no idea that it was your… mother’s.”
She looked down, something shifting in her expression.
Disappointment. Then realization.
“I should have known,” she muttered. “I thought he was being sweet and romantic… but,” she trailed off, shaking her head.
Then, without another word, she ran into her house, returned with the earrings, and placed them in my outstretched hand.
“Here,” she said.
“These don’t belong to me. And honestly, neither does Derek. But he doesn’t belong to you either.
Rachel, if it was this easy for him to get with me…”
I knew what she was saying. I understood it loud and clear.
“Hell hath no fury…” I said. “I know.
I’ll deal with him.”
“Rachel, I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. It was just that Derek gave me the attention that I craved.
This divorce… it took a part of me when it ended. I don’t know who I am without my husband. Ex-husband, I mean.
Derek swept me off my feet and made me feel normal again. I’m so sorry.”
I looked at her and smiled. I knew what it felt like to have a part of me missing, but mine was due to death and grief, not cheating.
“Thank you for saying that, Mel,” I said, turning away.
Later
I waited until he was back at work and the paperwork was finalized.
And then I took the divorce papers to his office and handed them to him in front of his boss and coworkers.
“You shouldn’t have given away my things, Derek.
I mean, really. You gave my mother’s earrings to your mistress?” My voice was louder than I expected. “You stole from me.
You betrayed me. And that’s your final mistake in our marriage. This cannot be fixed.
I don’t want you.”
Then, I turned and walked away.
He begged, of course.
But I was done.
He had taken the last piece of my mother I had left. He had lied. He had brushed off my pain.
And he had betrayed our family.
And now? That man has nothing. Between alimony and child support, he had little to nothing left to his name.
What would you have done?
Source: amomama
