Red Butterfly Mondays

Chapter XIII "A Sweet End"

It's done

With those two words in my text to Leah a weight is lifted off my shoulders.  I skip lightly across the street into the bank to collect the brown envelope in my safety deposit box.

"Here's the last copy" I drop the envelope on the table.

"We are done here, so get out" Stephen snarls.

"Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker"

I turn smoothly on my heels and walked out.

I arrive at home to find Leah relaxing on the couch reading a magazine.  She turns her head and watches me.  "So, you good?"

"Excellent!  Today has been a good day, one of the few I have had these past couple of weeks"

"Great, I am so proud of you.  You stood up to him!"

"Totally! Oh! I have a present for you."  I take the check from my bag and I hand it to her. "You could keep or destroy it.  It's all up to you."

Leah looks at the check, "why?"

"I wanted to pay you back for all you have done for me. You are a true friend and sister.  I cannot believe that all this shit started last week Monday! Last week Leah! Twelve days! Feels like a century!"

Leah is smiling while I am frantically waving my arms around, shouting at the top of my voice.  She walks closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine, and takes the check and slowly tears it into tiny pieces, she throws them into air, they flutter around us like confetti.  She smiles even harder; grinning.

"Let's go out to celebrate....Let's go...shopping!"

"You're crazy Leah." But I allow her to drag her along.  Shopping is therapeutic.  I am energized and reveal to Leah I am going job hunting in the morning.  

"Are you ready for that?  Working already?" she looks quizzically at me.

"Why not? You will be in Europe for a few months Leah.  What am I suppose to do with myself?  Working will be great!"

But I am doubtful, apprehensive even, about finding a new job.  My stomach's churning, anxiety bites down hard. I deepen my breaths trying to become calm and focus.  Come on Beths, you got this.  You faced Stephen and lived.  You didn't come a complete blubbering mess around him, begging him to take you back.  Or not killing him after that confession!  Alejandro will pee himself laughing if he only knew that Stephen was in love with him.

"Beth..I forgot..a letter was delivered earlier for you.  Special delivery from Miami"

Great!  Just what I need!  I tear open the offending envelope and dragging the paper out and unfolding to quickly read it.

"Fuck it all!" I screeched.

Fuck..I had completely forgotten.  The date of my divorce hearing and of course the dick-wad didn't mention it either.  

"What's wrong?"

"Divorce hearing"

"What day is the hearing?"

"Monday..."  Obviously Monday, the day of damnation- Monday is a fickle mistress.  Her foul breath always at my neck while she sinks her claws into my life making everything bloody.  Twisting, ripping the flesh of my sanity.  A deep, long sigh escapes my throat.

"That's not so bad, you can fly down early Monday morning..and fly back in the afternoon, you come even spend some time with your parents"  

The same parents I haven't heard from for the past two weeks - every text; unanswered, every phone call; voicemail, every email; ignored - hmm, some parents.

"Yeah I can do that, it is only a formality right?"  I didn't want a damn thing from Mr. Steel, just wanted to put the last five years behind me.

"Great plan"

"I'll book the ticket, you cook!"

I am cooking dinner, Leah's perched on a stool, drinking a glass of wine.

"What the hell is that?"  She is pointing at my arm.

"Oh, that's Stephen being a little...enthusiastic."

"It's his entire hand print! He could have broken your arm!  Are you sure this is over?"

I hope to God that it is over.  That he isn't has desperate as he seems.

"Let's hope.  But I do have the other copies, as insurance.  I will not keep looking over my shoulders for Stephen.  He is dead to me."

"Beth...did you tell him about the baby?"
"What baby?  Not the baby I thought we made through love?  He NEVER loved me Leah."  I laughed angrily.  "He was in love with Alejandro! And Alejandro's not even gay! (that man has had more women that a Victoria Secret store on a Black Friday) He Will Never Know! He doesn't deserve to KNOW!"

"Beth..the food's burning..."

"Shit!"  I frenziedly start grabbing the handle of the skillet, the chicken is on fire.  "Hell, how did this happen?!?"

I watch Leah sheepishly, "How do you feel about pizza?"
"Terrible...I'm starving! I want food now....make me dinner, slave!"  she jokingly commands.

I slowly shake my head and took more chicken from the freezer.  Leah's definitely crazy.  But she my girl.