<
I stepped inside, the scent of chalk and old.
textbooks bringing back a flood of memories.
I walked to my old desk, the same one I sat at
back then, and buried my face in my arms.
“One, two, three.” This was my trick back in
high school. If I counted to three, Sean would
magically appear.
I lifted my head. A bright–faced teenage boy
stood beside my desk, extending his hand.
“Claire, let’s go home.”
The afternoon sun streamed through the
window, bathing him in a golden glow.
“One, two, three.” I opened my eyes. The dream
shattered.
I sighed, pushing away the foolish fantasy, and
stood up to leave.
<
At the doorway, I looked back one last time. In the silent classroom, a younger me smiled,
taking the boy’s hand and saying, “Okay.”
I blinked, and the image vanished like a bubble.
It was all gone.
I stayed in Oakhaven for a month. Winter came
early there. Stepping back onto Chicago’s
streets, I almost felt…warm.
“Why did it take you so long?” Sean’s face was
grim.
I yawned, rolled my eyes, and walked past him.
“What, you brought your girlfriend to our
divorce? Planning your next wedding already?” I
couldn’t help the snark in my voice as I saw
Chloe hovering nervously behind him.
<
“Watch your mouth. Chloe isn’t feeling well. I’m taking her to the hospital afterward.”
I rubbed my hands together, feeling increasingly
irritated. “Oh, okay. Take her for a check–up first. I’m not in a hurry. I can wait.”
Sean reached for my arm. “Let’s just get this
over with. Don’t start anything.”
Stubbornness flared. I planted my feet. “You’re
going to force me? Right here in public? Aren’t
you embarrassed?”
Chloe started crying softly behind him,
murmuring, “Don’t fight, please don’t fight.”
Nausea churned in my stomach. “Sean, if you
weren’t such a jerk, I would’ve signed those
papers ages ago. Now, either knock me out and
drag me inside, or get lost!”
Soan’s face turned nurnlo. Ho alarad at ma
<
Sean’s face turned purple. He glared at me, grabbed Chloe’s hand, and stormed off.
The anger simmered inside me. I bought a baseball bat, hefted it, feeling the weight in my hands, and then took a cab straight to Chloe’s
apartment.
I called a locksmith and the building manager.
“Who’s the owner of this unit?”
“Mr. Sean Walker,” the manager replied
respectfully.
I smiled, showing him my marriage certificate.
“This is our marital property. Please let me in.”
The locksmith quickly opened the door. I paid
them both and stepped inside.
Sean seemed to enjoy taking pictures with her.
<
Sean seemed to enjoy taking pictures with her.
He rarely smiled, but there were a lot of them.
After graduation, Sean had always been “busy.” We’d stopped taking pictures together. First, we slept back to back, then in separate rooms, then…apart. That’s when I realized our
relationship was truly over. When he started bringing different women back to his place.
I circled the apartment, then casually smashed
a jade figurine. It had belonged to my
grandmother. I had bought it for her, but she
didn’t live long enough to receive it. She hadn’t made it through that winter.
I’d wondered where it had gone. Turns out,
Sean had used it to woo his mistress.
“Hah.” I didn’t hesitate any longer. I swung the bat, the whooshing sound filling the air as I demolished the apartment, piece by piece.
I must have swung too hard. “Plip. Plip.” I felt
something warm dripping onto the floor. I wiped
my hand across my face, smearing the blood,
and looked up to see Chloe and Sean staring at
me, shock and rage battling on their faces.
“Claire! Elizabeth! Walker!”
“Ugh!” I pretended to gag. “Don’t say my name.
It makes me want to puke.”
I poked the bat into Sean’s chest. “Tomorrow.
City Hall. Got it?”
Finally, I felt a sliver of satisfaction. I didn’t
want to be married to him for another second.
“Claire Elizabeth Walker, I’ve had it with you!”
Sean’s face was contorted with rage. He
shoved me against the wall. My nose started
bleeding again. I tilted my head back, trying to
stop the flow.
<
“What’s wrong with you?” Sean loosened his
grip. I stepped away, putting some distance
between us.
“I’m stressed. Stressed out by you and your
little girlfriend.” I slung the bat over my
shoulder. “Sean, I’ve had it with you, too. Let’s
get this divorce over with. You go your way, I’ll
go mine. Let’s never see each other again.”
And in the next life…let’s not meet either.
It hurt too much. It all hurt too much.
Chastened by my outburst, Sean came alone
the next day. We didn’t exchange a single word.
We signed the papers, the stamps were affixed,
and we each received our copy of the divorce
certificate.
Sean didn’t spare me a glance, turning and
walking away without looking back.
<
I watched him go, a memory flashing through
my mind. A winter night years ago. He’d placed
a warm water bottle in my hands. “Claire, go
ahead. I’ll watch you walk home.”
Such warm hands, such a loving gaze. They had
kept me warm through many cold winter nights.
I exhaled, wiping away a tear, and boarded the
bus out of Chicago.
Sean, I guess we…won’t see each other again.
