Good Isn’t Good Enough – Episode 37
#37
29|06|18
8:21PM
THREE MONTHS LATER
‘Never ruin friendship to the point of beyond redemption.’ – Mils
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I stood in front of the mirror and stared at the image that was looking back at me; I couldn’t recognize myself. I was nothing but just the shadow of who I once was.
I was clad in a navy blue slim fit suit and a crisp white shirt. On my feet were black shoes that I had just bought, I put on my watch and cleaned my wedding band before putting it back on.
After making sure that I was fine and presentable, I carried the court summon on the bed, my wife’s wedding band and the divorce papers that I had refused to sign. It had been three months since I got home to the shocking papers, I had tried to reach her but to no avail. In the second month I was visited by her lawyer who told me that if I didn’t sign the papers in the next one month I would be taken to court so now here I was going to face the courts of law because I had refused to grant my wife a divorce.
In these three months I had not set my eyes on Azure because I just wanted to focus on myself, I felt like I had been making a lot of wrong decisions and so it was time for me to put everything in place. She too didn’t call or text me and I was thinking that she also wanted to put her life back in order.
In my heart of hearts I was aware of the damage I had done to her, nothing in the world I said or did would make up for those things but my prayer was that someday she forgave me.
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I drove to the Local court with so many thoughts, not once had I ever thought that my life or my marriage would take this turn. I am one person that always knew what I wanted out of life and I always made sure to work towards it but honestly I had no idea at what point all that had changed. I felt my heart ache when I thought of what I had done to Melisa, she didn’t deserve it. Yes her past was awful but everything I had done greatly contributed to it being unleashed.
I was getting to the court thirty minutes after starting off, I sighed deeply and said a silent prayer before getting out of the vehicle. I didn’t have anyone so my lawyer was the only person that was going to be there with me.
I walked into court four and took a seat, my lawyer was already waiting for me and I could see Melisa’s lawyer on his side.
‘Have you changed your mind?’ my Lawyer asked I shook my head afraid my voice would betray me.
‘Mr. Mtonga your wife was clear about this, she doesn’t want to have anything to do with you anymore so it is only wise that you sign the papers.’ He said
I looked at him then the papers, he had been telling me the same thing the past months but my heart just couldn’t allow me to do it. If a divorce was what she really wanted then she would have to face me, I wanted the woman I had been married to for eight years to look me in the eye and tell me that she didn’t want to fight for us anymore. I wanted her to tell me on her own that she didn’t want us to try and work things out.
‘Mr. Mtonga your wife might just win this you know.’
‘Let us see about that.’ I said looking behind when I heard the door open, it was Melisa. She was in a navy blue bodycon dress, on her feet were nu.de heels matching her hand bag. She had on no makeup, from her cheek bones I could see that she had lost a lot of weight. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail.
She walked to where her lawyer was without even looking at me, he stood up and she shook his hand. Her hand was frail and her nails were nicely painted in black. I stared at the finger where her wedding band once was and couldn’t help but feel pain.More interesting stories on Topster Stories App
Later the judge walked in and the proceedings began. ‘Please present your cases.’ The Magistrate said She was straight to the point.
Melisa’s Lawyer stood up.
‘Your Lordship my client here filed for a divorce but Mr. Mtonga hasn’t signed the
papers.’ Her lawyer began
‘And when was this?’
‘Three months ago.’
The Magistrate turned to look at me
‘And your client hasn’t yet signed the papers because?’ the magistrate asked my lawyer but her eyes fixed on me
‘Your Lordship the two have been married for eight years, every marriage has its problems but divorce shouldn’t be the first thing to run to.’
She sighed
‘Mrs. Mtonga please come to the stand.’
Melisa stood up and walked to the stand, after swearing she took a seat. ‘How long have you and your husband known each other?’
‘Ten years ma’am, married for eight.’ She responded without looking at me ‘Children?’
‘We have two wonderful boys.’
I saw her smile at the mention of the boys ‘Can you tell me how your marriage was?’
‘It was beautiful, the most beautiful thing that I ever had.’ ‘So why divorce him?’
‘A few months ago my husband began cheating on me, at first I just suspected it but later he confirmed it. The lady in question was also pregnant for him but unfortunately they lost the baby.’
I felt my heart break even more in that moment, Melisa was as calm as the gentle wind.
‘And what happened next? Did he leave you or hit you?’ She shook her head vigorously
‘He did mention that he would give me a divorce if I didn’t change my ways.’ ‘Enlighten me.’
‘I had taken to my old ways, alcohol, smoking and I did threaten to kill him.’ ‘After all this you decided to walk out?’
‘We are too damaged, we can’t heal from this.’ She said still calm All this while the Magistrate was quietly listening to her ‘Thank you.’
Melisa got up from the stand and went to seat next to her lawyer.
‘Mr. Mtonga.’ She said pointing at the stand
I got up and went there, I swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth before seating
‘What is your story? Why have you refused to sign the divorce papers?’ she asked ‘I don’t know.’ I told her honestly
‘You don’t know?’ she repeated after me
‘Your Lordship I have been married to this woman for eight years and I have done nothing but dedicate my life and my all to her. I hurt her and there is no justification to that, but her leaving those papers behind without facing me; now I find that disrespectful.’
She laughed making me look at her blankly
‘You find it disrespectful that your wife decided to walk away from a man that was cheating on her?’ she asked
‘No ma’am, what I find disrespectful is that she didn’t have the courage to face me and tell me to my face that she wanted out.’ I said
For the first time Melisa looked at me.
‘Your Lordship, I will sign these papers right now if that is what she wants on condition that she faces me and tells me that this is it; that we can’t walk past this. That the years we spent together are not bigger than this.’
Everyone turned their eyes to look at Melisa.
‘Mrs. Mtonga.’
‘Jason I have loved you with every fiber in me, I have sacrificed my all just so we can have the life we dreamt of but you had to cheat on me and unleash the side of me that I have been trying so hard to forget.’
She paused taking deep breaths.More interesting stories on Topster Stories App
‘If I say that I don’t love you anymore I will be lying, you are where my life begins and ends but trust me I can’t do this anymore. Each time I look at you I will be seeing that lady you cheated on me with and I don’t want to be standing in this court room weeks or days from now because I am that bitter lady who shoot her husband dead. So yes Jason I want out. For me, for my sanity and for my peace of mind. I will love you for as long as I can but I can’t do this.’ She said tears rolling down her eyes
By this time my own tears were falling, I had no idea that she would face me and tell me that she wants out.
‘Babe please.’ I begged
I saw the magistrate stand up.
‘We will leave you two alone.’ She said motioning for the lawyers to go out as well.
‘Babe we can move on from this.’ I begged trying to convince myself more than her
She shook her head
I was now kneeling before her
‘Jason you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you were my sanity.
My safe haven, I swear I would never speak ill about you even if I wanted to but
we are too damaged to stay together. Let us walk away while we still have good
things to say about each other.’
I shook my head.
‘Jason you brought out a person in me that I was trying to move away from, I don’t know why you felt the need to ruin us to a point of beyond redemption. Was it even worth it?’ she asked making me cry some more
‘My heart is heavy but I felt cornered, you pushed me to the edge. It’s not fair that I should be the one to understand and forgive you whilst you keep offending me.’ She said pointing where her heart is
‘You were cruel to me Jason, and I deserved none of it. Granted you have the right to live as you please and wish but never burn bridges. Jason you burnt down the bridge. I wish you the very best in your future endeavors and I am sorry it came to this. Am only but human with feelings and blood that flows through my veins.’ She said getting away from me
‘Melisa there is a glory that comes when you fight for something, people remember survivors of battles not people that walked away from it.
‘How can I fight for a man that doesn’t want to be fought for? Do you even know what you want? When you figure that out you will be a better man. For now let me go Jason. Let me go while I still have good things to say about you.’ She said ‘Please.’ I begged
‘Give me one good reason why I should stay.’
‘Melisa a tree that bends with the wind still stands even when it has been blown but that which is rigid will be cut down. I was wrong, I hurt you but we can work this out.’
I was there waiting for her to say something.More interesting stories on Topster Stories App
‘Please.’ I begged
‘One more shot and I promise to make things right.’ She shook her head vigorously
‘Please sign the papers.’ She said
‘I can’t’
We were there silently crying
‘We are broken.’ She said
‘Baby we are flawed humans.’
‘Are you sure we will work past this?’
‘Yes’ I nodded
‘I love you.’ She said as she cried
‘I love you.’ I responded hugging her
***
Winnie
#GOOD_ISNT_GOOD_ENOUGH
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