«She’ll regret this!»
Thats what Oliver thought when his wife unexpectedly announced she was filing for divorce. Just yesterday, everything was fineshe was washing his socks and ironing his shirtsand now, out of nowhere, divorce papers! And for no reason at all! Oliver worked, never laid a hand on her, barely went out, and drank in moderation.
«What the hell was she missing?!» he fumed, cursing under his breath. «Found herself some other bloke, did she? Bloody hell! Shell regret this! Shell come crawling back in tears! Ill show her! Just wait! Shell realise, but itll be too late!»
While he stewed in his thoughts, his wife, Emily, was repeating the same things shed been saying for the past couple of years:
«Im exhausted carrying everything on my back! I work, I clean, I cook, I look after the kids. Ive had enough! I even did the mathsyou cost more than you bring home! When you disappeared for three days last month, I realised life was easier without you! The house is cleaner, quieter. I dont have to cook for youme and little Harry dont need fried meat every night! When youre gone, even the stove stays cleanerI make a stew that lasts two days, and no one wolfs it down in one go! I want my life to be easier! Im worn out! Ive turned into some haggard woman with shopping bags! I dont even recognise myself when youre around! You embarrass me, drain me, and make everything harder!»
«When was the last time you read Harry a bedtime story? Never? When did you take him to the park? Bathed him? What does he ever hear from you except ‘Go away, Im tired’? Do you even know which school Ive enrolled him in? His teachers name? When his preschool prep classes are? You dont care about your own child! You live under the same roof but barely speak to him! All he sees is either his drunk dad sprawled on the sofa with a beer or his asleep dad sprawled with a beer! What kind of example is that? Whats the point of you? Do you even remember his birthday? No? Then what good are you? I wont live like this anymore!»
«Doesnt she get tired of repeating herself?» Oliver wondered just yesterday. This same hysterical speech had been Emilys nightly routine while he wolfed down whatever shed cooked straight from the pan. «Just typical nagging,» he dismissed her complaints. «She stirs up drama out of boredom.»
Everything was fine! And nowdivorce! Just like that!
«Shell regret it! Thinks some other bloke will want her? A thirty-year-old woman with a kid? Ill walk out now, and shell beg me back in two days! And then Ill decide if I even want to go back!»
«Ive packed your things. I cant stand the sight of you anymore. Get out.»
«Fine!» Oliver mumbled through a mouthful of sausage. «Ill go! But whether I come backthats the real question!»
He gave her one last chance to change her mindlingering with his shoes, rustling the bags, hovering by the door. But she didnt budge. «Stubborn cow!» he thought bitterly, regretting not grabbing a couple more sausages before stepping out of his wifes flat.
He had no choice but to move in with his mum. She started in with the same old questionsWhat happened? Why did she throw you out? What did you do? It cant be for no reason!
«Well, it can! She threw me out for nothing!» Oliver argued. «I did everything for this family! I worked! Brought money home! But it was never enough for her! Always moaning about shoes, coats, wanting some rich bloke! Maybe shes already found one! Thats why she kicked me out! Bored, was she? Wanted more attention!»
His mum threw her hands up and called Emily, but the conversation clearly went nowhereno one summoned Oliver back.
«Doesnt matter! Shell regret it! Wheres she gonna find another man like me? Whod want her with a kid?» Oliver reasoned, picking up discounted beer at the shop.
At the first court hearing, Emily had made an effortnew haircut, maybe some makeup. She looked good. Smiling. Answered questions nervously: no real family for years, did everything alone, no help, no support. The usual womanly nonsense, Oliver scoffed, trying to steady his trembling hands. He needed a drink, but he held off before the hearing.
The judgea woman, of coursesmirked and asked, «Do you drink alcohol excessively?»
«I barely touch the stuff!» Oliver snapped. «Maybe two beers after work! Right now, Im juststressed! My wife left me!»
«Right,» she said dryly.
She gave them three months to reconcile. Oliver glanced at his soon-to-be ex-wife. Still no regret?
«God, are you ever sober?» she wrinkled her nose at his gaze. Probably still not regretting it.
«Fine, Ill wait,» Oliver decided. «Lets see how shes singing in three months! Without a man! Shell crawl back on her knees!» He loved imagining Emily begging him to return while he refusedonly coming back on his terms.
But for three whole months, Emily made no effortignored the courts suggestion, never called, never texted. Acted like Oliver didnt exist!
«Shes definitely found someone else!» But cautious digging through mutual friends and social media turned up nothing. Everyone said she wasnt seeing anyone.
So after three months, Oliver braced for triumph. She mustve realised how bad life was without him.
«Shell be bawling!» he daydreamed. Even told his mum, «Shell drop the divorce for sure! Shes realised her mistake!»
But at the next hearing, Emily wasnt smiling. Focused. Serious. Answered briefly. Still wanted the divorce. «Waiting for me to beg,» Oliver guessed. «Not happening.»
Before he knew it, they were divorced. He didnt even object. There was just one awkward momentthe judge asked about custody arrangements. Of course, Emily spoke up:
«Harry stays with me. His father never took an interest. Ask him when his sons birthday is.»
«Oliver James, when is your sons birthday?» the judge asked, smirking.
Oliver reached for the paperworksurely it was written somewhere.
«No peeking!» the judge scoffed. A woman, what else? A male judge wouldnt ask such things, wouldnt side with her.
«Third of June!» Oliver blurted out.
«Today! Its Harrys birthday today!» Emily laughed sharply. «And you dont even remember! Its the sixth of June! Hes seven today!»
«Did you at least wish him happy birthday on the third?» the judge smirked.
Who let women into these jobs? Bloody matriarchy! Oliver stayed silent.
«Any objections to the childs living arrangements?»
«No!» Oliver spat.
Naturally, the court gave Emily full custody. «Now theyll slap me with child support,» Oliver thought bitterlybut then perked up. Any second now, Emily would break down! Her life was ruined! A divorced single mumno one would want her!
But then he saw her on the courthouse steps, chatting with some woman.
«Tracey! What are you doing here?»
«Just some business. You?»
«Finally divorced! Free woman now,» she laughed.
Laughed! Oliver couldnt believe it. Her life had just collapsed, and she was laughing! «Women have no brains! No sane person laughs on a day like this! Her lifes in shambles, and shes gossiping like nothing happened! She needs a psych eval!»
He stormed over.
«cant celebrate today, its Harrys birthday» Emily was saying, but Oliver cut in.
«I thought youd be crying, but you dont even care?!» he exploded. «Youll regret this! Ill sue you! The flat! Harry! Youll see!»
«The flat was my nans,» Emily said calmly. «And why the sudden concern for Harry? Whats the problem?»
«The problem?!» Oliver ranted for agesshed ruined the family, robbed their son of a father, betrayed him, kicked him out, found someone else, would die alone with forty cats.
Even after Emily had long gone, Oliver kept muttering, «Youll regret this. He stood on the courthouse steps, the wind tugging at his coat, the weight of his empty pockets and emptier promises pressing down. Across the street, through the window of a café, he saw herEmily, laughing again, this time with Harry, a chocolate cake between them, a single candle lit. She wiped frosting from his nose, leaned in to blow out the flame with him. Oliver watched, jaw clenched, till the warmth of rage turned cold. He turned away, not bothering to finish the threat this time. The truth sat in his chest, heavy and quiet: she already had.
