Courage Under Duress (SYTYCW)

Chapter 9

It was Monday and I had been living at the ranch for four days.  "Are you sure you want to be doing this?" Thomas asked as stood at the main entrance to the lawyer's office.

"Yeah.  Before I lose my nerve," I said.  For myself and my own sanity, I needed to know what it was that I was going to be facing.  I didn't care what I walked away with.  As long as I get to walk away.  I had heard horror stories about divorces becoming ugly and brutal.  I didn't want to be one of those complicated cases.  There would be no alimony or equal division of assets.  I wanted a clean start, a complete break.

As her reputation preceded her, Hannah Bernstein was a wonderful attorney as it turned out.  She had guided me through the entire process in filing my petition for divorce.  Informing me that mine wasn't her first divorce case that dealt with domestic abuse, she assured me that Dominic wouldn't be able to track me.

To Hannah, I had a name; I had a face.  I wasn't just a number.  She served with respect, honor and integrity, and where I thought I'd land myself in the presence of sympathy, I found empathy.  Something told me that this woman had been around the block a time or two in her past.  I gained a sense of comfort in knowing that she was willing to go through hell or high water to get the outcome I sought.

I walked out, an hour later with more information than I knew what to do with.  My freedom hung in the balance until they had served Dominic with the papers.  I had an inkling that it wouldn't go over very well.  If he failed to sign them, I would be forced to appear before a judge who would order the marriage annulled altogether.  Hannah had assured me that no judge in his or her right mind would rule against my request.

"Can I ask you something?" I started when Thomas put his truck in drive.

"Sure."

"How come you're not at work?  I mean, it's Monday and all and-"

"I took some holidays."

He explained that he hadn't taken holidays in three years.  With the type of work he was involved in, I could only imagine the slew of vacation time he'd accrued.

"Oh," I paused.  "What are your plans?"

"I'm staying put if that's what you're wondering."  He smiled.  "I meant what I said, E.  I'm not going anywhere.  If you don't want me around-"

"It's not that!"

"Then what is it?"  He turned to look at me while we were stopped at a traffic light.

"Nothing.  Just...never mind."  I looked out my window.

"No, tell me.  If it's something I said or did, I need to know."

"You've done nothing wrong," I said and heard his audible sigh of relief.  "I just didn't want you to be wasting your vacation time on me, it's all."

"It's not a waste."  He sounded annoyed.  "They're my vacation days and I'll choose to take them whenever I want, do whatever I want to do and with whomever I choose to do it with.  In this case, I want my holidays now.  What I want to do is take care of you, make sure you're back on your feet and keep you safe.  If we have a few laughs and a bit of fun, then so be it.  As for the person I choose to spend time with, well, the beautiful woman who's sitting next to me right now is more than enough to keep me satisfied and challenged both mentally and physically."

I was shocked to say the least.  "Well...okay."

He chuckled.  "Glad I could clear that up for you, sweetie."

As the day went on, Thomas brought me around the ranch and taught me a few things with regards to the upkeep of the place.  I spent the better part of the afternoon alone in the barn, brushing the horses while he tended to a few other chores.  It was therapeutic in giving me time to digest what the events of the day had come to mean.  I had gained ground on my freedom