So she decided to put it on to work for a couple hours.
Another surprise
The next day JP sends early in the morning a message with the address and the time to be present to the judge to deal with the divorce to her. She gets there five minutes earlier, JP and two lawyers immediately after. They all went into the judge's chambers. JP lawyers explained to the judge what had happened and they needed a divorce as soon as possible because everything had been a joke of bad taste made by friends, but they didn’t intent to sue them, however they needed the divorce as it was a mistake and they never intended to get married from the start.
Judge looks from one to another and asks:
"Who wants a divorce?"
"We want both the divorce sir"
Said JP a little bit hesitantly and without realizing the reason for that question, the decision should be theirs and not from the judge.
"I need to hear your opinion"
Addressing to her and waiting for an answer. She looked at his hands, she was tense and nervous, and the love for JP betrayed her voice, so she shook her head as a yes.
"I need to hear from your mouth"
"Yes"
She said finally, with her voice half missing.
The judge said he would be talking to the lawyers and would give a decision at the end of three weeks latest. JP and Carolina left the judge's chambers, and in the hallway he says:
"What was that in there? Why did you hesitate when he asked you if you want the divorce?"
He asks softly, knew he was looking for a small sign that she still wanted him, and didn’t know why he couldn’t be angry with her, he was somehow happy with it.
"I was just nervous, it's not every day we talk to a judge and ask for a divorce"
She said fixing her gaze at infinity.
"Look what happened yesterday was a spur of the moment, I'm sorry, I don’t know what came over me" trying to apologize JP.
"You are excused. Now I have to return to work. Please let me know when you have any news of the result of our meeting with the judge”
She says continuing walking without stopping, reaching the door, walking away without looking back and without giving him a chance to continue talking, she pulls from the phone and tried to look busy on the phone.
With all that was happening in Carolina’s life, she had completely forgotten about Nils, she saw missed calls and messages on her mobile phone from him.
The first one saying: Are you alright?
The second: Please explain what happened?
The third one: I don’t want to believe, is it true you got married?!
And the fourth: Why did you marry another man when you accepted marry me?
And last: You owe me at least an explanation!
She couldn’t talk to him right now because she didn’t have the strength right now and she decides to send an email instead with a request for read e-mail notice to explain what happened to her in detail. It didn’t take long for Carolina receives the message that the email is read. She even waited for an answer, but he never replied. Carolina hated the way they had finished everything, but after all what had happened, she couldn’t explain herself, because neither it had a logical explanation if someone had told her the same story she wouldn’t believe it, she couldn’t blame him.
The next day at work she sends a courier to deliver to Nils’s office an envelope with the engagement ring inside, the ring he had giving her, she even written a small card with an apology. Carolina, liked the ring very much and was given by Nils, but she didn’t felt good with herself if she kept Nils ring, because it would make no sense at all. Nils never contact her again. In the following weeks Carolina and JP didn’t also contacted each other. She had no courage or desire to talk to him because it was already enough they were going through a divorce for a marriage that they never remember happen. Although as in all divorces, when they reach a certain stage there was nothing to say. A few days later Carolina while she was at work, she receives her father’s call to inform her that he would be coming for a few days to London on business, he would like to see her and would like to see his grandchildren, because he needs to talk to her and the boys. They agreed to go to Nobu restaurant for dinner in his last night he would be in London.
Nobu was a very trendy and busy restaurant, a place where famous people would like to be seen and the food was quite nice, as in all well known restaurants these restaurant was no exception was very expensive. Carolina’s sons loved the place more for the environment to see all the famous people more than the food itself. Carolina had missed her father, but since her mother died, his affection towards his daughter had died with his wife, giving himself completely to work and it saddened Carolina deeply, making her stay away.
Carolina went to meet with her father in the Ritz Hotel where he used to stay when he was in London, the Ritz is one of the most glamorous and expensive hotels in London, from there was only a 5-minute walk to the restaurant. They arrived at the restaurant and as usual the atmosphere was frenetic, on the ground floor there was a bar where they served great cocktails, and Carolina went to the bar with her father to serve herself with a great Bellini while waiting for the table. The boys were more interested in cokes with ice and lemon, leaning in a corner to see who was in and out of the restaurant. Carolina sat on a bar stool and when she turned back to talk to her father, she saw JP with a group of friends sitting in the couch area, the girls had all the look of being models under 30 years, they were so thin, they looked anorectic, with long blond hair, big eyes, full lips, fake eye lashes and nails. They all had tiny little dresses, standing out never ending long legs with killer heels. Her heart stopped for a moment looking at the kind of women he liked to be seen with, she tried to compose herself mentally but she was inevitably shaken by seeing him.
JP didn’t see her.
Carolina’s father began to talk to her as if she were a business partner rather than trying to talk to his own and unique daughter. She is used to her father to talk that way with her, he doesn’t bother trying to listen carefully to what she wants as a daughter, but tonight she couldn’t concentrate on his conversation, she thought only of JP and every time she looked at him, there he was all cheerful with his friends and the girls almost jumping into his lap, offering themselves to him, almost wanting to have sex there with him.
Carolina felt nauseous just to watch them.
Her father told her their enthusiastic latest news in his business venture, which he was negotiating a business in London and that negotiations were going well. He needed to talk with her and the boys about that particular business, because he wants to give those business to Carolina and her sons, since they are already in London, it’s time starting to take over his business, he wants to start thinking about retiring slowly and decreasing work. Carolina never heard her father talking about retiring, it was a first. But until there, she knew she would have to start thinking taking over his business, something she was avoiding for years, but she knew it was needed at some point she needed to think about her sons, about their future. She thanks her father and they agreed to talk better about everything soon. Her father never talked about how he felt, how he was going in his personal life, Carolina never knew if he came back to have another woman or women, he never talks about his private life, and she never had seen him with a woman after her mother died.
When they were finally called to go to the table for dinner, she stands up and goes the steps to the first floor in the restaurant area, Carolina’s father says that he had seen a few people he knows and that he will very quickly greet. She waits for him in the beginning of the stairs and watches him going to the group where JP was and saw her father greet JP and another man who was in the group.
What was that? Now they know each other as well?
She had no drop of blood at that moment, she just looked stunned at the scene from the stairs to the bar area where the group and her father was. She didn’t want to believe what she was seein
g.
How did they meet each other?
She couldn’t just ask them how they knew each other for sure they have met for business, but she didn’t want to give too much importance because she was one step to a divorce with JP, there was no need to let them know the truth about her, or that they have a link which is she. In other circumstances it was different, she even thought it would interesting to introduce her father to his son in law, which would be fun to watch each other’s face.
But there was no need.
So she went up the stairs and meets the boys who were already seated with one eye on the menu and the other eye on the table full of hysterical girls in tied dresses with too much pronounced necklines, where fake boobs jumped out, Gucci bags and Louboutin sandals were in order.
When the 3 weeks time passed by, JP contacted Carolina to say that the judge wanted to see them both the next day. They got in the judge's chambers again, accompanied by two lawyers. They sat on front of the judge and he begins to talk.
"As you know we are here today to give you my opinion if I will authorize to give you the divorce before six months or not. In my experience there are those couples who aren’t worth trying reconciliation and then there are others that there is hope"
He looked at them, to make sure that they were following what he was saying.
"Okay, so you are living apart, why are you living separately? Do you argue? Don’t you understand each other? Can’t you stand each other? Don’t you love each other? What is your real problem?"
Carolina and J.P. looked at each other confused.
JP responds only:
"We want to divorce for irreconcilable differences"
The judge looked at him and then at her, and said:
"That's all very nice, but doesn’t please me. I will give you a divorce in six months, validating the documentation given to me and signed after the wedding, but with one condition: that you have to live together, you need to live under the same roof. In six months we will meet again and if after six months you still want a divorce, I will give it to you. Until then, you have to make the effort to live together. If you want a divorce now, the agreement signed is null, being obliged to proceed with the division of assets 50%/50%.”
Carolina and JP were convinced they were going to have the divorce today, and now the judge decides that they have to live together for six months to obtain a divorce.
I will go crazy living with him for six months. The judge must be high or drunk to propose that kind of condition. He can only be!
Her thoughts were a whirlwind. In complete silence both went out of the room not knowing what to say to each other, they were completely in shock.
"I think there is a bar next door, would you like to go there? I need a drink with alcohol"
Said JP.
"I am also in need of a drink urgently"
She confessed to him. The bar was right next door, they went inside the bar, as it was mid-afternoon the bar was practically empty. They sat in two on the comfortable couches, face to face and asked for two vodkas with ginger ale and lime. She asks after drinking a long sip and feeling the cool drink slipping her throat.
"What follows now?"
Looking at her from aside smiling he said:
"We can have lots of sex. After all we are really married and we have to make the most of the situation while it last"
He blinks his eye giving a laugh in her direction, causing her to regret the question:
"Stop it, this is serious. I was referring to what shall we do from now on, if we have to put up with this and live together. How will we do this? Isn’t there an alternative?"
Asks him afraid of the answer, she wasn’t ready to take JP to her house with her sons.
"I don’t think there is an alternative. We will need to stick together for a while, I can’t jeopardize and put in panic my partners, the shares of the companies to go down dramatically, we can go into technical bankruptcy and I don’t want that of course. Will you help me with that?
I don’t know how we will live together, but we have to think fast, I suggest you talk to your sons first and then decide what to do. You can come and live with me at anytime because you’re most welcome”
He told her as if guessing her thoughts.
"The judge's proposal to give the divorce only after six months just for us to try to understand each other, because face it that’s the bottom line that he intent to achieve. I confess that the idea is interesting. As I told you we could enjoy ourselves for a little bit. To be honest I miss having sex with you, miss being inside you, and possess you as on the island. I miss ..."
And he didn’t continue the sentence that ended in confession at all, while approaching his couch next to her and she reacts jumping from her couch, puts on her feet saying she needs to go.
"I'll call you as soon I talk to my boys"
She told him already walking on the way of the door. Carolina wanted to know the end of the sentence, but she couldn’t say aloud what she suspected that he missed her.
He would never admit it.
She thought.
I can’t admit that I miss her.
He thought while seeing her going away. Carolina went home, cooked dinner, she needed a distraction. Her sons when they saw the effort that their mother made for dinner they asked what was the reason for the improved dinner. Then she explained what was happening with the marriage and divorce to her sons, telling that she needs to live for six months with JP to obtain the divorce. When they hear the mother explain the judge's decision, they can’t resist and burst themselves to laugh but if they were married it made perfect sense to live together. They quieted the mother that she could move in with JP, they would be alright in the apartment all by their own, she could go there every day if she wanted to see them, and they expected to have lunch and dinner at her mother's new home frequently. They said. Carolina never thought it could be so easy to see her living with JP, and how easy it was to handle with her sons, they were just amazing to her. She was so impressed by them, so mature and so understanding.
Changes
On the way Carolina’s work she sent a message to JP:
“I have spoken with my son’s yesterday evening. I can go and live with you the six months to obtain the divorce, but I have three conditions:
I don’t want to become involved sexually with you, I sleep in a room alone, and I paid my expenses. Carolina.”
He replied immediately:
“Excellent idea coming and living with me, I’m very happy for your decision. As for your conditions I will endeavour to respect them. About the bills I pay them, first because it makes no difference to me and second I am still your husband and it's my obligation. Can you move today? JP”
“I’m going home in the end of the day to get two bags. But I will often return to my apartment because of my sons”
“Great, tell me when you arrive to be at home and receive you”
Replies JP. Carolina’s day passed slowly, she had so much on her head, she has to organize so many things that most of the time when her colleagues spoke to her, she was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn’t even hear them. They dare to comment jokingly that marriage was not doing any good as she was not paying attention to them anymore, but she didn’t give them change to chat, she wanted to avoid any kind of conversations related to her marriage. She thought about how could she avoid JP living in the same house, if he now whenever they are together he always tries to approach her, imagine when they live together. Now she had to live in a constant stress trying to control her and avoid any close contact with him.
How am I going to do that now that we are forced to live together?
Somehow she didn’t doubted that JP’s ex-girlfriend could have something to do with the judge decision, she could somehow convince the court, the judge who knows who to do such move. After what happened lately she didn’t doubt anything coming from this mysterious woman who had such power everywhere. And she felt so small when
ever she thinks about her. Finally at home, tired to come loaded with purchases to leave her sons, she arranged groceries delivery at home, organized money for them, medicines, bills to pay, packed her things and waited for her sons to give them a kiss and went to JP’s home. Before leaving home, she sends a message saying to JP she is ready to go, he confirms that he is already at home.
On the way to JP’s home Carolina tries to puts her ideas in order, but with JP constantly in her mind is impossible. She had tried at all cost to avoid him, and now she is getting in the lair of the wolf. As soon as the taxi arrives ahead at JP's house, he is already waiting for her looking anxious, he smiled at Carolina when he sees her and helps her to take the luggage to her room. As he promised her, he did it providing a bedroom only for her. The bedroom was much smaller than JP’s bedroom, but still had enough space to have a huge wardrobe wall, a double bed, bedside tables, a small chair and a dresser. It was more than enough for the six months stay and Carolina didn’t intend to be picky or demanding, she did what had to be done to solve all that confusion and in the end to help him, anyway it was not their fault, but now it is their problem to solve. She began to unpack hoping the clothes had not been too much wrinkled, arranging the wardrobe as she was taking off her clothes from the suitcases.
After about one hour, JP appeared in the room asking if she had dined, she replies that had dinner with the boys, so he says he will go out to eat something and gives her a key to come in and out whenever she wants, he also gives her the code of the internet and the code for the house alarm. Until now she hadn’t realized that the house had an alarm. Carolina doesn’t feel the urge to go to the living room to watch some television but instead she decides to take a shower, put her pyjamas on and stays in the bedroom to read one of the books she had brought. After a while she feels tired and falls asleep.
When she woke up in the morning, she tried to get up but couldn’t with the usual ease, took a few seconds to realize what was happening. JP was lying on her bed over the duvet, dressed, leaning his arm over her. He smelled of alcohol. The truth is that Carolina didn’t know anything about him, didn’t know exactly what he was doing, didn’t know who his friends were, didn’t know what were his daily habits, she knew nothing about his real life. Until then she had never been concerned with it, but as they had to live together now, it would be good to find out if he had a drinking problem or if that night had been just one night without example.
THE DEAL: Novel Page 22