by Robyn Carr
“About the house in San Jose. A house that no one seems to be using at the moment.”
“We could probably have this conversation, again, over the phone.”
“No, I’d like the girls to be a part of it. If it’s okay with you.”
“It’s okay with me,” she said. “Don’t bring her. That’s nonnegotiable.”
“She’s out of town, visiting some friends. This is between us. Our family.”
Poor Scott, she thought sadly. He just can’t digest the fact that we are no longer the family we were. He thought he’d just step out, form new liaisons, step back in when it suited him and everyone would adapt to his needs. How could he not understand that they were a torn apart family glued back together in an awkward, lumpy, uncomfortable fabric that chafes and scratches.
“Your dad wants to come over and talk with us about the San Jose house,” Justine said to Amber. “He’ll be here in about ten minutes.”
“Isn’t that between you and Dad?” she asked.
“Well, it’s your home, too. I guess he wants to include you.”
“Great,” she said, putting in her earbuds, escaping back into music.
“Livvie, your dad is coming over in a few minutes. He wants to talk with us about the house in San Jose.”
“What about it?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I’d be guessing. Since he’ll be here in a few minutes, let’s just get it from him.”
“I hate this stuff,” Livvie said.
“Me, too,” Justine agreed.
She was so done with him. She hated that this Band-Aid was being pulled off so damn slowly, that the negotiations seemed never ending, that there was always one more piece of business. Since he’d made his choice, since he didn’t love her anymore, she wanted him to just go away. She wanted to rebuild her life in peace and tranquility.
She loved her little law office. She was fond of Sam and his wife. She wanted to get to know Logan better. She was sure she would never remarry and she wasn’t sure she could even entertain the idea of a serious boyfriend, but it would be nice to hold hands while walking on the beach, to talk politics without arguing, even to compare exes and learn about singlehood, something she never expected to experience. Having been with Scott so long, she felt as if she’d been born married. The ringing doorbell interrupted her thoughts.
“Hi,” Scott said. “Thanks for letting me come over.”
“Sure. I hope we can get to the end of these constant negotiations, Scott. I’d like to concentrate on other things.”
“Sure. Me, too.”
The girls sat in the living room, stiff and waiting. He kissed each one; hugged them. Justine noticed he got a little emotional and seemed to swallow it down.
“So, it appears you’re hardly ever at the house,” he said.
“Well, you’re hardly ever at the house,” Amber said. “We’re not spending any time with you. But here, we have dinner with Mom every night.”
“And you don’t mind driving so far to school?” he asked.
“Yeah, I mind it,” Olivia said. “But I also mind living alone at the big house.”
“This place,” he said, looking around. “It’s a lot smaller and older...”
“They like the beach,” Justine said. “They also enjoy the time they get to spend with Addie. And it’s very rare for me to have to work evenings. Very rare. My schedule is much more relaxed now.”
He leaned back in the chair. “You look more relaxed.”
And yet he didn’t, Justine thought. He looked stressed and a little too thin. “Have you been working out more?” she asked.
He laughed uncomfortably. “No, I’ve been busy at the shop. See, I took a look at that kayak shack, ran some numbers and I’m sure, given time, I can turn it around. I have a lot of experience, you know.”
So he kept saying, she thought.
“Let me get to the point. No one is using the house. There’s a lot of equity tied up in that house, and I could use the capital. I’m investing in the kayak shack. It’s my plan to own it. I’m investing over time to keep some of my assets available. It’s a helluva deal, really. Even if the shop doesn’t do as well as I hope, the land it sits on is valuable. But we don’t have any plans to sell it. Not without giving the business an overhaul and letting it make money. The thing is, winter is coming and with the fog and chill, we’ll experience a temporary lull...”
“We?” Amber said.
God bless her, Justine thought. She hadn’t wanted to ask, though in her gut she knew. He wasn’t just sleeping with her. He was partnering with her—possibly even supporting her. Marrying her would probably be cheaper.
“Cat owns the place. It has a little debt on it, not too much. Very affordable mortgage. And a small business loan. But here’s what I propose. I think we should let the house and some of the sporting equipment and vehicles go. I’ll see the girls more often if they live here in town anyway. As long as Amber and Olivia are happy here, it’s more convenient for me. It seems like you’re bringing more and more stuff from home—”
“Just clothes and some bedding,” Livvie said. “But I’m ready to make this permanent.”
“She has a boyfriend,” Amber said.
“A boyfriend!” Scott said. “I thought you said you weren’t getting serious?”
“Jared and I met at the beach and we have a lot in common. He’s in college.”
Scott frowned.
“His first year,” she said, clarifying.
“The girls spent so much time here over summer, they met a few local kids,” Justine said.
“But are you ready to give up a house near your school? Because it’s important to me that you be happy,” Scott asked them.
Amber laughed. “I wouldn’t exactly call it a silver lining, Dad. I mean, you and Mom are divorced. You have a girlfriend.”
“Look, I realize it’s a very difficult transition. Change always is hard. But it’s not like it’s a rare thing, people growing apart, getting divorced, starting new lives. I think once we get used to the new normal, things will fall into place. I mean, your uncle Ben and aunt Judy are managing their new family dynamic very well, don’t you think?” he asked, speaking of his brother and sister-in-law.
“They’ve been divorced for ten years, Scott. And it was by mutual choice,” Justine said. “It’s not up to the girls to create a new normal. All they have to do is create their own lives, which right now is school and friends.”
“Okay, I get that. I do. So, the question is, can you adjust and be happy if we don’t hang on to that house in San Jose? Because it’s sitting almost vacant. How much time do you girls actually spend there?”
“If they need to be in San Jose for a school event or project, I go and stay with them,” Justine said.
“Okay, then let me ask you—now that you work here, are you about ready to think about putting the house on the market?”
She was, but not for the reasons he voiced. She found that more and more she resented the place. It was like living in the scene of the crime. Everything in that house, that lovely house, was carefully chosen for their family to enjoy. She’d lived in that house for a dozen years. She had loved it. But after everything that had happened, she was not in love with it anymore.
“I’ll go with what the girls are comfortable with,” Justine said. “If they need to have that house available to make them feel more secure, I side with them.”
“Girls? What do you say? The market is really good right now,” Scott said.
“It’s a couple of months until Christmas,” Justine said. “Spring is the ideal time to sell if that’s what we want to do.”
“Usually, but real estate is doing great right now. And,” he added, looking around, “you might like some of your furniture in this place. This stuff is pretty old and beat up.”
“Don’t
you want some of the furniture?” she asked.
“I figured we’d split it up somehow, maybe sell some stuff...”
“Oh, that’s going to be a giant pain...”
“It makes a lot more sense than having a house full of stuff we don’t use just sitting there. Well? Girls?”
“I’m going to stay wherever Mom stays. I have friends in San Jose if I need to overnight for some reason,” Olivia said.
“Me, too,” Amber said. “I’m graduating in June anyway. I have a lot of friends, some I could stay with the whole school week if I wanted to.”
“I can’t believe my little girl is graduating,” Scott said.
Olivia rolled her eyes.
Justine knew they would probably get more money for the house if they waited until spring to sell it, but if it meant one less connection to Scott it couldn’t happen too soon. “Fine, right, let’s sell the house. Let’s go through and divide the property, but let’s leave it in the house. It’ll sell much better furnished. And I have to talk to Addie about this, as well.”
“Perfect,” he said. Then he stood. “Thanks, Justine. Thanks, girls.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t put your money into that kayak shack. It’s losing money,” Olivia said.
“How do you know that?” he asked, a bit of anger in his tone.
“Everyone in Half Moon Bay knows it,” she said, shrugging. “Your girlfriend is like the third or fourth owner, and no one has made money there.”
“Which is exactly why I’m needed. Believe me, I’m up to the challenge.”
Chapter Thirteen
Scott had planned very carefully. He knew the exact ways to make the kayak shack into a thriving business. He and Cat had actually discussed it for years. It wasn’t long after she bought the place a few years ago that they started talking; he was one of a few regular customers. It never really picked up speed. Cat thought the previous owner—and the one before that and before that—didn’t have much business sense or a decent business plan. But she was struggling, as well.
He told her he’d come up with a plan. Cat had been so grateful.
That’s what really started everything. His ideas, his plan. From there they became closer, and he realized that’s what had been missing in his marriage. Cat was a woman who really admired his intelligence. He hadn’t even realized how lonely he was until he began talking with Cat. Just talking. They had so much in common. The obvious was their view of exercise and athletics; naturally a woman who would buy a kayak business was into sports and the outdoors.
Scott used to engage in these outdoor events with guys he knew. Of course in these groups of weekend athletes there were some women. But now there was one woman, and he was in love with her. She excited him, and he hadn’t been excited in a long time. Before he even began discussions of divorce, he signed a lease on a sexy little beachfront bungalow. Cat had been having issues with living with her brother and his friend, so it made sense. Besides, they needed a place they could be alone. Nights in hotels became expensive. And Cat needed a place she could call home. A beautiful place.
“Not quite as nice as your house, but better than my brother’s pad.”
“But what a great view we have,” he pointed out to her.
“If you like taking in the view alone most of the time,” she said. “It’s such a waste, you living in San Jose with her where you get no moral support.”
“Soon we’ll be together, but we have to be patient.”
It was much sooner than he thought it would be. He hadn’t expected Justine to find out about his affair and demand they split. The truth was, he wasn’t entirely ready to divorce; Justine had a good job so their income was steady, their equity was growing, their investments were stable...
“If I don’t get some help with that kayak shack, I’m going to lose it and lose my investment. Honestly, I can’t sleep at night,” Cat said, crying.
“I’m helping,” he said. “I’ve given you the new business plan and I’m working around the shop for free...”
“What am I going to do when my loan is called and I can’t afford to pay it off?”
“Maybe I’ll help you get another loan? Let’s worry about that later. You know I’m in this with you.”
“But not really,” she said. “Because you’re married. At least I’m separated.”
They had talked about the state of his marriage. Cat made him realize that he wasn’t happy, he had to admit. Not that much had changed in his marriage; he was just sensing this mood of discontent. Fighting it, but still it was there. But he had two daughters, and it was only going to be a couple of years and they’d be out of the house. He was kicking around the idea of asking for a divorce when the girls were gone. He’d planned to spend those last couple of years putting away money so that when he left, there’d be a healthy pot.
Then Justine discovered Cat. They separated, worked out a settlement that gave him plenty of money, with support payments to follow, and it was over so quickly.
But Justine screwed him over by changing jobs.
“You should take her back to court,” Cat said. “She misled you into thinking she’d have a regular high income!”
“There’s no going back to court because we didn’t go to court. We both signed the paperwork, turned it in and it was uncontested.”
“She tricked you!” Cat said. “She’s a lawyer and you’re not! She manipulated the whole thing. You didn’t know what she was planning.”
“I don’t think she planned for her company to cut jobs,” he said. “I’ve known for years she was burned out on corporate law and would have liked to make a change, but she couldn’t while the kids were still in school.”
“What about your child support?”
“I’m not taking care of my daughters! They’re with their mother. They won’t come to my house because they’re not willing to be friendly with you. They’re not happy about us.”
“You should demand that they meet me and that they treat me with respect,” she said.
“I’m not going to demand anything of them,” he shot back.
“You said we’re in this together,” she yelled. “How can I let you and your lies drive me so crazy?” She ran to their bedroom.
Scott could hear Cat crying. He took a deep breath and followed her. He lay down beside her. He put an arm around her. “We are in this together,” he said.
She sniffed back her tears. “You hurt me, you know.”
“Look, we talked about this. We knew there would be adjustments. A transition. I’m hoping the girls will come around in time, but I can’t force it.”
“It’s like you’re ashamed of me or something,” she said.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I introduced you to my wife!”
“And was that her boyfriend with her?”
“I don’t know him,” Scott said. “She said it was someone she worked with. It’s irrelevant. We’re divorced. We can be with anyone we want. But the girls are young, idealistic, haven’t experienced a situation like this before, and we are going to give them time. If you push it, it’ll take longer.”
“I don’t think you really care,” she said. “I’m starting to wonder if you really love me as much as you said.”
He kissed her and asked, “Need some reassurance?”
“That might put me in a better mood,” she said, smiling.
Scott obliged, making love to her. Then they went back to the kitchen and worked together on making a lovely dinner. He opened a bottle of pinot noir, and they sat out on their deck to watch the sun go down.
They talked about how he could make things better, and he bought her a new car to prove his commitment.
There had been a couple more big blowups since then.
While Scott went to see Justine and the girls about selling the house, Cat had been off with a couple of gir
lfriends for three days in Vegas that he’d paid for. He hadn’t talked to her much, a minute here, a minute there. She just asked him, “Have you talked to her yet?”
He was saving the good news for when she got home.
He had already signed the paperwork to take over the title on the store and assume the loan payments. When they closed, he’d be giving up most of the settlement from his marriage. He thought he might even have to take another job to make ends meet, unless the house sold fast and for a good price.
Despite the fact that Cat was expensive, very high-maintenance and at times very difficult, he did not question his love for her. Their love for each other. He told himself that the best love did not always come easy. He would never be bored, and for that he was grateful. He missed her. He couldn’t wait for her to get home so he could tell her he was putting the house on the market.
That would make her so happy.
* * *
Justine asked Adele to go with her and the girls to their San Jose house to take inventory of the furnishings. Of course the girls could take all their possessions immediately—Scott would have no claim to those things. The girls also had a chance to look through some of their family possessions and choose some personal items they wanted—pictures, accessories, family heirlooms.
And Addie was expected to have a say as she helped Justine choose furniture, kitchenware, linens and miscellaneous items that would be moved into the house in Half Moon Bay. They would mark and list the items Justine wanted but leave all the furniture, paintings and decorator items where they were so the house looked well staged for showings.
“I feel terrible about this,” Addie said when they entered the house.
“Well, it was going to happen at some point. Scott is right—an empty house isn’t doing anything for anyone. The girls have decided they’d rather be with us in Half Moon Bay than here, usually alone.”
“What I feel terrible about is that this is a beautiful, tasteful home, so carefully decorated, the furniture so thoughtfully selected, and my house, our house, is old and falling apart.”
“Well, maybe we can do something about that,” Justine said. “We can make some improvements. Not a huge remodel. It’s a fine old house, after all. But it needs some repair and I have some savings. Plus this house will sell and I’ll make the mortgage payments until it does, deducting Scott’s share from the equity. He hasn’t made his payment in almost six months.”