After the divorce, my son helped me
win
Chapter 1
“I want custody,” Tom declared during the
divorce proceedings.
He looked confident.
“Why don’t we just ask him what he wants?”
My son, Alex, barely glanced up from his phone.
“Seriously divorcing him?”
“Yep.”
I nodded.
“Fine by me.”
He went back to his game.
“I’m staying with Mom. Make sure she gets a
decent chunk of the assets, though, or she
won’t be able to afford me.”
1
Alex’s dad dragged him into the study.
I was nervous and started to follow, but the
door slammed in my face.
I heard Tom’s angry voice.
“Alex, I’m asking you one more time, are you
sure you want to live with your mom? Don’t say
I didn’t warn you, she’s just a stay–at–home
mom. You think she can even take care of
you?”
Alex’s casual voice drifted back.
“Dad, I don’t really care who I live with. The
main thing is, Linda is pregnant with my little
brother now, right? I’m just afraid my being
around would stress her out.”
Even Tom, with his thick skin, must have felt a
twinge of guilt at having his affair brought up
by his son.
<
The voices lowered.
I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but
my face felt itchy and wet.
I reached up to wipe it, but the tears kept
coming.
I sat numbly on the living room sofa, finally
burying my face in my hands.
I don’t know how long it lasted, but eventually,
the study door opened again.
Tom walked over to me.
He seemed a little uncomfortable seeing me
crying.
He handed me a tissue.
“Alex can stay with you.”
I looked up, my face a mess of tears.
<
7:30
68
“You can keep the car, the house, and I’ll give you $500,000. If you agree, we can finalize things tomorrow.”
I stared at him blankly.
Honestly, I was the one pushing for the divorce.
But I had no idea how it would actually work.
“Maybe she doesn’t need the car.”
Alex spoke up suddenly.
I managed a weak smile.
Blood is thicker than water, after all. He’s still
on his dad’s side.
“Mom’s driving skills are…suboptimal. It’d be at
waste if she didn’t drive it and a crime if she
did. Just give her the cash instead.”
“That navla cotto haworth 70
0 arand
<
7:30
“That car’s gotta be worth 70 or 80 grand,
right? So, house plus a million seems fair.”
Tom glared at Alex.
Alex just shrugged.
Tom turned away.
“Deal. Nine AM tomorrow, the courthouse.”
2
The front door clicked shut.
My heart twisted.
Tom was gone, maybe for good.
We had been together since college.
Young love, so pure and true.
I thought we’d grow old together.
68
<
Tm starving. Dia you make ainner?
I jumped up and wiped away my tears.
“I’ll go grab some groceries.”
There was a hint of pleading in his voice.
“Mom, you’re about to be a millionaire! Can’t you take me out for once?”
I took Alex to the Korean BBQ place down the
street.
He wrapped a piece of pork belly in lettuce and
handed it to me.
“Mom, it’s all–you–can–eat! You gotta get your
money’s worth.”
“Okay.”
I took it and forced it down. It tasted like
cardboard.
I thought about those articles online about how
<
7:30
I thought about those articles online about how
divorce messes kids up.
I chose my words carefully.
“Son, even though your dad and I are getting
divorced, he’s still your father. I can hate him, but you shouldn’t.”
“I don’t hate him.”
He flipped a chicken wing.
“You shouldn’t hate him either. Hating someone
is exhausting.”
He sat across from me.
In the rising steam, I could barely see his face.
3
I was sitting on the edge of my bed, lost in
thought, when Alex knocked on my door.
“Mom, time to go! Let’s get this done!”
I startled awake.
It seemed like he was even more eager for this divorce than his dad.
I opened the door and eyed him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you at school?”
He gave me a complicated look.
“Mom, it’s July 1st. Summer vacation started.”
I’d been so out of it for the past month that I
even forgot he was out of school.
I felt guilty and straightened his collar.
“I’m sorry, honey.”
He grinned.
“If you really feel bad, take me on a trip! Let’s
go to the beach, scuba dive, and eat seafood!”
He made a peace sign.
<
“Okay.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
The shadows in my heart seemed to lighten a
little.
Linda was with Tom when they arrived.
She couldn’t wait to make it official, huh?
Alex greeted her.
“Hey, Linda. Coming all the way down here on a
hot day like this? Be careful you don’t melt my
baby brother!”
“You-”
Linda glared at him and turned to Tom for
support.
Alex hurried to explain.
“Dad, I didn’t mean anything by that. With this
hundred degree weather. I’m just worried about
く
7:30
Tom frowned at Linda.
“Wait in the car, don’t come inside.”
4
We filed the divorce papers.
Now, we had a month–long waiting period.
Tom pulled up in his car and stopped us.
“I’ll give you a ride home.”
68
I was about to refuse when Alex darted forward
and opened the car door.
“Mom, get in! I’m melting!”
I had no choice but to follow him.
We sat in the back. Linda sat in the front, in her
usual spot.
She tugged on Tom’s arm
7:30
She tugged on Tom’s arm.
“Honey, where are we going to celebrate?”
ร 68
Alex leaned forward.
“Linda, go to Little Italy! Dad loves their pasta!
He always took Mom and me there whenever
something good happened.”
I saw Linda’s face fall in the rearview mirror.
I hated to be petty, but it made me feel good.
Alex leaned back and kept it going.
“Mom, where should we go on vacation? Maybe
not the beach, what about Vegas? You might
even find me a new dad!”
Tom’s expression darkened.
“You’re planning a trip?”
He glanced at me in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.”
I didn’t want to talk to him.
I looked out the window at the scenery.
“A vacation sounds good.”
He said to himself.
“But Vegas is boring. You should go to Cancun.
A buddy of mine owns a resort there.”
Alex leaned forward again.
“Really, Dad? Can we use your name to get a
discount? Your buddy will know who I am with
the resemblance.”
Tom laughed and reached over to ruffle Alex’s
hair.
“You’re my son. Of course, he will.”
The two of them bonding.
They didn’t even notice Linda’s simmering rage.
<
LO
5
In the end, Alex and I went to Cancun.
In his words, “You can’t look a gift horse in the
mouth!”
He was excited and created a packed itinerary.
I didn’t want to be a wet blanket, so I forced
myself to join in.
Thirteen–year–old boys have endless energy.
During the day, I went parasailing, surfing, and
scuba diving with him. At night, I had to explore
the night markets.
I was exhausted.
I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I
was too tired to be sad about the divorce.
When we got back from Cancun, I wanted to
7:30
But Alex started criticizing my cooking..
“Mom, your food isn’t bad, but it needs more
variety.”
68
I gave him a look.
“You’ve been eating my cooking for years, and
now you’re complaining?”
He scratched his head.
“I’m not complaining, it’s just getting a little
boring. If you could mix things up more, I’d
grow another foot.”
