Severance [h.s]

Chapter 4. Pull Back, Push Forward

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Jane's POV

The past couple of days since that drunken phone call to Logan asking him to be my attorney, have been emotionally exhausting. He agreed with no hesitation but insisted on scheduling a formal meeting before discussing any further and asked me to bring a bunch of paperwork with me. I'm pulling up to his office in town before picking up Willow from Harry's for my couple of weekdays with her.

I walk into the building examining the clean, modern space with glass windows. I note how different it is from Logan's home.

I approach the secretary at her desk, "I'm here for my 3 o'clock with Logan Bishop."

She gets some files together, "right this way."

I follow her down the long hallway to the last door on the left. She knocks and opens the door, "your 3 o'clock is here."

"Send her in," Logan says from behind the wooden desk. The secretary moves out of the way for me, and I take a seat across from him. "How's it going, Jane?" He asks. 

"I've been better," the honesty surprising even myself.

"I understand," the look on his face is calming, which I think invoked that honesty in the first place. "To start off, this is safe space. I have some fidget toys if you need something to keep your hands busy while we talk. A lot of my clients tell me this process with me feels a bit like therapy. I want you to feel comfortable laughing, crying, and conveying any other emotion. So, would you like a fidget?"

"Yes please," my eyes already starting to well with tears.

He hands me a cube with a bunch of different buttons on it and some tissues. "Here you are."

"Thank you." My hands immediately start pressing the buttons creating a clicking noise throughout the office, which is somehow smoothing.

"Did you bring that paperwork I emailed to you?"

"Yes," I reach into my purse and pull out the file, sliding it across the desk. My hands finding the fidget toy again.

He starts skimming over the various papers. "No prenuptial agreement, which is good. You don't want to fight for custody and you're sure about that?"

I bring the tissue up to my eyes as the tears spill over. "No, she needs her father in her life."

"Well, that's fair." He leans back in his chair, eyes focused intently on me. "If you change your mind about that, we can adjust our case. What was the reason for the separation? If you don't mind me asking."

"Um...infidelity." I answer ashamedly.

"In what way, emotional or physical?" He doesn't even acknowledge the shame, which eases it.

God, he wasn't lying this does feel a lot like therapy. "Physical."

"I'm sorry, Jane." He pauses to pull his lips into mouth, and I bring the tissue up to my eyes again. "No one deserves to go through that," a comforting sympathy is radiating off of him. "There's some good news though."

"What's that?" Genuinely, how could there possibly be good news along with that.

"First, due to the circumstances, I can definitely get you a good amount of alimony. Which-"

"Oh, that's fantastic news," I cut him off with my sarcasm.

He ignores my tone and continues, "which I know is probably not something you care about right now, but in five to ten years, you'll thank me."