Emma
Hadley Cove, Georgia
Emma Wright couldnโt stomach another bite of the veggie sandwich in front of her, unable to shake off the image of her soon-to-be ex-husband, Chad, and his new girlfriend, Ashley, leaving the courtroom arm-in-arm. A sigh escaped her lips as she reclined in the chair, her fingers sweeping the auburn curls away from her face. She had taken great care in preparing herself for the dayโs court appearance, aware of the inevitable encounter with the man who had vowed to love her forever and the young woman who now had stepped into the role that was once hers.
At the dignified age of forty, Emma bore a beauty that had ripened with time. Her features, though etched with the subtle lines of lifeโs experiences, held a charm that was alluring. Yet, in the glow of Ashleyโs youthful radiance, she felt the weight of the years she had weathered. Ashley, fifteen years Emmaโs junior, carried sun-kissed blonde locks and a vitality that accentuated the striking contrast between her fresh bloom and Emmaโs seasoned graceโa poignant reminder of the relentless march of time.
โArenโt you gonna try to eat? We have to head back soon,โ Lisa said, the contours of her face shaped by worry.
โI donโt think I can. I just want this all to be over.โ
โIt will be soon. We just gotta head back in there and listen to the judgeโs ruling on the divorce. Thatโs it; pretty soon today will be nothing but a distant bad memory.โ Lisa gave Emmaโs arm a comforting squeeze and rose to her feet, picking up the red plastic basket. โIโll go up to the counter and have them wrap this up. You can eat it later.โ
Emma nodded as she walked away, barely hearing what her friend had said. She stared out the deli window, sipping down the last bit of water from her Styrofoam cup. Her brown eyes gazed toward a tree, where she saw two birds swoop by. She watched in envy as they soared through the air, landing gracefully on the rooftop of the Hadley Cove courthouse. Unlike the birds, Emmaโs life hadnโt been so smooth over the past few months. Sheย neverย imagined this day would arrive when she took her wedding vows sixteen years ago.
โAlright. You ready?โ Lisa asked upon returning.
Emma stood up and grabbed her purse. โI guess itโs time to get this over with.โ
Back at the courthouse, she walked toward her lawyer and sat down next to him. He wasnโt one of the most prominent attorneys in coastal Georgia, but he was all she could afford on her own.
Emma turned toward Lisa, who had taken a seat behind her in the gallery and was met with a soft smile that had felt like a silent reassurance. But when Chad strolled in with Ashley hanging from his arm, Emmaโs heart raced, pounding like a resounding drumbeat throughout her body.ย Why did he bring her with him?ย And why did she agree to come?ย As she continued watching them, Ashley reached up to Chadโs lapel, picking off a piece of lint and kissed him on the lips. Then as she took her seat, he gave a light tap on her behind.
The color drained from Emmaโs face as she turned around and drew in a deep, shaky breath, fighting off the tears that had begun to sting her eyes. Years that seemed like a lifetime, spent beside this man, filled with the memories and the relationship she thought she hadโand this is how it all would end.
โDonโt let him and that homewrecker get to you,โ Lisa said, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently kneading to alleviate the built-up tension. โYouโre worth more than both of them put together.โ
Emma looked back and mouthed the words, โThank you.โ Digging into her purse, she grabbed a tissue to dab at her eyes, and noticed her lifelong friend staring daggers at Chad.
โWhat a total jerk. Iโm about to go over there and tell him to make that girl leave.โ
โLisa, I love you, but please donโt. I want today to be as drama-free as possible. Thereโs already been enough arguing and shouting between us.โ
Lisa sighed. โOkay. I wonโt. But let me know if you change your mind. I have no problem telling Chad exactly what I think of him.โ
A smile shined through despite Emmaโs somber mood. โI know.โ
At that moment, the judge walked back in from his chambers. An officer followed him out and stood to the left of the bench. โCourt is now back in session with the honorable Judge Williams presiding. All rise.โ
Emma stood, smoothing out the knee-length black skirt she was wearing, and kept her eyes straight forward. The last thing she wanted to do was look at Chad again knowing she wouldnโt be able to control her emotions. It was bad enough her eyes were probably red and puffy looking. If only she could run to the bathroom to fix her face, she thought. But there was no time for that now.
โPlease be seated.โ Emmaโs heart thudded against her chest as Judge Williams spoke.
โNow that weโve had a recess, itโs time to finalize the divorce between Chad Alan Jones and Emma Leigh Wright.โ
The judge shuffled through the papers in his hands and began to read. โThe combined assets of Mr. Jones and Ms. Wright, acquired during the time of their marriage, furniture, jewelry, etc., shall be sold, and the profits will be equally divided. Since Ms. Wright has refused alimony from Mr. Jones, she will keep all her personal belongings, as well as full custody of Riley, the rescue dog they adopted together. Next, their place of residence at fourteen twenty-two Muscadine Drive will be sold, with the profits being equally divided between Mr. Jones and Ms. Wright. This will conclude all conjugal property...โ
A solitary tear rolled down Emmaโs cheek at the mention of her house. The mere thought of selling it tugged at her heartstrings, as it had been her grandfatherโs home before gifting it to her as a wedding present. The house held countless cherished memories; its walls steeped in the moments that shaped her journey. She had always envisioned it as the place where she would grow old and spend her twilight years sitting on the porch and watching the sunset every evening. Then again, Chad had always been in that picture too. At that point, Judge Williams had finished reading and banged his gavel on the wooden block in front of him, declaring the court session over.
Emmaโs gaze shifted to Chad, curious about his response to the judgeโs ruling. She felt a knot growing in her stomach, watching the wry smile stretch across his face as he shook hands with his lawyer. Turning toward Emma, he shrugged his shoulders and flashed her a smirk.
Unable to bear the sight, she turned away, closing her eyes. She focused on her breathing, inhaling and exhaling in measured rhythm. Silently, she began to count down from ten to recenter herself. Before she could finish, Lisa came to her side.
โAre you alright?โ
โNo, not really. I just need to get home. While it still is home, anyway.โ
***
A few days later, Emma was in her bedroom, packing a few knickknacks and books into a box. Her heart sank into a bottomless pit when she came across the snow globe that Chad had given her on their second date. With trembling fingers, she grazed the smooth surface of the glass dome as if it had held all her broken dreams inside.
Just then, Lisa entered the room with an empty box. โHow are you holding up?โ
โI think Iโm okay. Itโs the packing.โ Emma set down the globe and collapsed onto the bed. โIโm feeling a bit...I donโt know. This is all just a lot.โ
Lisa walked toward the bed, taking a seat beside Emma. โWell, how about a break? Iโll make us tea.โ
โSure,โ Emma said, her voice almost too quiet to hear.
โOr we can go out. We could get all dressed up and grab some drinks.โ
โItโs tempting...โ A hint of interest flickered in Emmaโs eyes as she paused, almost tasting the long-overdue strawberry margarita. โBut not tonight. Iโd rather stay in. I donโt have much time left here.โ
โHow about a movie night then? We can watch something funny, get our minds off things. I can go grab some ice creamโthe chocolaty kind with the peanut butter chips that you love.โ
โOkay, I guess. Iโm not hungry though.โ
โYou might be in a little while. For starters, letโs go downstairs and pick out a movie. We can finish packing tomorrow.โ Lisa grinned, extending a hand to Emma. โCome on, letโs go get our Netflix on!โ
Before Emma stood up, all seventy pounds of Riley bounded onto the bed, sending tremors through the mattress. He scrambled onto her lap, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he whined for attention. It was as if he had forgotten he was no longer the little golden retriever pup she adopted five years ago. โRiley, be careful, boy. Youโre squishing me.โ
โAh, canine therapy,โ Lisa said. โWorks every time.โ
Emma chuckled at Rileyโs antics and reached down to rub his belly, feeling the soft fur beneath her fingers. She couldnโt imagine life without him. The judge had been right to give her custody. Chad had never been a fan of animals and had even scolded her when she picked him up from the rescue. But since Riley kept her occupied and out of his business, he tolerated him being around.
The divorce proceedings had brought to light the signs that were there all along but were difficult for her to see. Deep down, she had known their marriage was crumbling. Although she tried to hold on, to believe that things would get better, they never did. Chad, the man she had once fallen in love with, had changed over time, and the reality of it all was too painful to bear.
Emma glanced at the boxes on the ground that still needed to be filled.
โSo have you thought about what youโre gonna do?โ Lisa asked, sinking back on her elbows.
Emma moved up to Rileyโs ears, scratching behind them, and looked up at the wall. There, above the side of her bed, hung a painting of the ocean that she hardly noticed anymore. โI think Iโm gonna look for a place closer to the water. A small cottage for me and Riley. We donโt need a big place...just something cozy and quiet.โ
โThat sounds lovely. Have you started looking yet?โ
โNo, not really. I guess I should though. Itโs a lot to think about right now.โ
โDonโt let this stress you out.โ Lisa took Emmaโs hand. โIโll text a few of my realtor friends to see if they have any listings near the water. Iโm sure we can find you a place in no time.โ
โI canโt thank you enough.โ A lump formed in Emmaโs throat and her voice began to quiver. โSeriously, I donโt know what Iโd do without you.โ
Lisa leaned in, giving Emma a quick hug. โThatโs what friends are for. Now letโs go and pick out that movie.โ
She nodded and followed Lisa out of the room. As she closed the bedroom door, her thoughts ventured to the prospect of moving into a beachside cottage. The idea filled Emma with hope and excitement, a glimmer of happiness amidst the chaos of her divorce. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she pictured herself walking along the shore with a salty breeze in her hair, basking in the serenity of her new coastal sanctuary.
A growing sense of peace and possibility settled within her as she descended the stairs. This was her chance for a fresh start. Itโs going to be good, she reassured herself, feeling her heart thrumming with anticipation. Although Emma knew the road ahead would be challenging, she was determined to forge a brighter future alongside Rileyโand leave behind the life she thought sheโd always have.
