The lies you tell

How did we get here?

Zipporah^^

"You can do this; you can do this..." Zipporah said to herself in the parking lot of the courthouse. She didn't want to be here. This day had all the ingredients to make a bad day stew. It was a Monday, and she was busy downtown at the courthouse, and she was getting a divorce, and it was an ugly grey day...did she mention she was getting a divorce?!

Could this day get any worse? She thought to herself, and as if on cue, it started raining. Zipporah got out of her car, screeching, dashing to get out of the rain. The rain was a black woman's worst enemy, especially when you were natural and did not bring any hair ties, and you just straightened your hair.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, she made it into the courthouse completely soaked, and she was wearing a buttoned-down white shirt with a black bra underneath, which was now common knowledge for everyone to see. She let out a silent curse as she looked down. Yep, everything was on full display. She brought her hands up to her hair to survey the damage. And let out a louder, longer curse when she felt curls where she had flat ironed her hair this morning.

"The weatherman should be shot," Zipporah heard her sister and lawyer say as she walked into the courthouse. Latisha looked flawless wet. She looked like a model even though she was wet; it just added to her looks. She wore a tight black dress made even more uncomfortable by the rain with black designer shoes with red bottoms. Her short hair was slicked back, making her cheekbones stick out more, making her look fierce as usual. Zipporah was jealous of her sister always had been. Not in a harmful or malicious way. Latisha was skinny never had to watch what she ate, whereas Zipporah counted calories religiously. All through elementary school, Latisha was super popular. Everyone wanted to be her and know her or date her. She was two years older than Zipporah, who blended into crowds, never stood out much. That she didn't mind, she didn't like attention on her. It made her...awkward, and God was she awkward. Latisha was one of the top divorce attorneys in their state, making a difference.

Zipporah worked at a battered woman's shelter where she pleaded with women not to go back to their husbands or boyfriends every day, and 99% of the time, they went back. It was hard to feel impactful in her line of work. But damnit if it didn't mean the world to her. The only thing she had over her sister was a beautiful sexy, successful husband, and now even that was gone.

"Hey, Tish," Zipporah said softly. Latisha's eyes widened as she laid eyes on the mess Zipporah was.

"Hey...geez...do you have a comb?" Latisha asked rudely. Zipporah shook her head and sat down in some nearby chairs, feeling drained already.

"Honey, you cannot look like a wet dog in court...you have to look your best," Latisha said, digging in her oversized name brand purse for a brush to tame her sister's hair. Latisha took out a brush and began trying to tame the curly fro into a cute bun. Which annoyed Zipporah even more, but she was thankful her sister carried everything in that bag.

"Who cares what I look like? We are here to settle who gets what today. I want this day to be over with," Zipporah said sadly. She didn't want a divorce from her husband of only a year, but things change. Alexander wasn't who ...what, she thought he was.
Latisha checked her diamond-encrusted wristwatch. It was almost time to sit and discuss the divorce. Zipporah wasn't expecting anything from this divorce. Alexander was wealthy; he was wealthy before her and gave her everything she had; she was fully prepared to lose everything. She just wanted it to be done. She never wanted to be a divorcee, but there was no choice. Alex had lied and betrayed her... she couldn't get over it.

"Don't worry, Zaza, after this, you and I will be going out to enjoy a night on the town to celebrate your divorce." Zipporah shook her head

"You know I do not drink much, and what is there to celebrate?" Zipporah asked her sister, who shrugged, already distracted by her phone. Zipporah sighed and looked away just in time to see Alexander walk in with his lawyer. Her heart skipped several beats as she saw her incredibly sexy husband walk in. It brought her back to the first time she laid eyes on him.
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Latisha had an idea to help Zipporah raise money for her woman's shelter; she thought a party that catered to the elite and their pocketbooks would raise the money she needed to build the shelter Zipporah always dreamed of. Latisha knew a lot of rich people and set the whole thing up. Of course, she forgot to inform her that it was an all-white party, so Zipporah showed in a blood-red gown, and everyone else was in white. Typical. Her sister was a godsend, always taking care of her "Lil sis," but little shit like this has happened all their life. She would do something nice for Zipporah, but somehow she would end up embarrassed.