by Zena Wynn
“I always wake when you’re not beside me. Why are you out here instead of in bed with me, where you belong?”
“The phone rang and afterwards, I couldn’t go back to sleep.”
“Who was it?”
“Crystal.” Her voice still held a tinge of the anger she felt.
His arms tensed when he heard the name and his voice hardened. “What did she want?’
Gail turned until she faced him and looped her arms around his neck. “It’s not important. She’s not important.”
Rashid stared at her. She knew he was trying to read her expression. He knew her well by now and probably guessed she wasn’t as unaffected as she was pretending to be. “What did she say to you?” he demanded.
She rose up on her toes and kissed him. “Shh, I don’t want to talk about her. We have better things to do.” She rubbed invitingly against him. “You can help me get back to sleep.”
She could tell he didn’t want to let it go, but she eased around him and lowered the straps of her gown, letting it drop to the floor. Underneath, she wore only a thong.
“Coming?” She tossed the question over her shoulder as she headed for the bedroom. She paused, poised in the doorway with one hand stroking her left nipple while the other dipping lightly inside her panties to tease her clit.
He closed the balcony doors and scooped her gown off the floor before following her into the room. “We both will be soon,” he promised.
* * * *
“Wait for me! I’m coming.” Gail ran down the stairs, shoes in hand.
“No, you’re not. Let’s go, Greg.” He kept striding towards the door, glancing over his shoulder briefly to see if his wife was finally listening.
“This affects me as much as it does you,” she argued as she stopped to put on her shoes.
He sighed and turned around. “We discussed this last night, and again earlier this morning. You’re not coming. Stay home with the children.”
She turned to Greg in an obvious attempt to get him to intercede on her behalf. He’d deal with that later when he had more time. “Greg, tell him to let me go. I should be there.”
“Don’t look at me. I’m not getting in the middle of this,” Greg told her.
Smart man.
His wife turned back to him, ready to argue her case. He cut her off. “You’re not going. This whole thing is making you sick enough as it is. You’re barely eating, and when you do eat, you can’t keep it down. You’ve lost weight. Your nerves are so bad that you jump at the least little thing. Stay home. If you’re here, I don’t have to worry about what the stress of this whole affair is doing to you and can concentrate on the appeal.”
“Yes, Gail. You don’t want to chance getting sick while there, do you? You know how stressed out you get. Imagine if you passed out and we had to call 911. We wouldn’t want that happening, now would we?” Greg’s tone was heavy with meaning.
She glared at Greg. Rashid ignored the byplay between the two, intent on bending his wife to his will. “There’s no sense in your being there. You can’t come into the courtroom with us. You’d have to sit outside and wait.”
“But at least I’d know what was going on. And I could sit with you while we waited for the case to be called.”
“No, you won’t know what’s going on, not unless one of us came out and told you. We don’t even know where we are on the docket. It could be the last case of the day. Stay home where you’ll be more comfortable. At least this way, if you get sick again you can lie down,” Rashid stated firmly.
“Yes, Gail, stay home,” Greg added. “It will look bad to the Justice if Rashid is stressed and distracted, worried about you. Your being there will ruin my concentration as well, knowing at any moment you could become sick.”
Rashid sighed impatiently and checked his watch. His keys were jingling in his hands. He didn’t have time for this. “We need to go. I’ll call when we arrive.” He turned on his heel and headed for the door.
“Call me the minute you know something.” She was on their heels as they walked outside.
“No need. We already know the outcome,” Greg told her.
“Call me anyway.”
“Alright.” Rashid threw his hand up in the air. “If it will make you happy, I’ll call. Can we go now? It’s a two-hour drive to Tallahassee and we can’t be late.”
Gail hugged herself, and stepped from foot to foot. “Be careful. Drive safe and don’t speed. You know the Troopers patrol heavy on I-10. Greg, you show that Davis guy up, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Greg gave her a sharp salute then got in the car. Rashid already had the engine started.
He pulled out of the drive, watching as Gail slowly turned and walked back into the house, her shoulders slumped dejectedly. “You have everything?”
“Yes.”
“Everything?”
“Boy, you’re as bad as your wife. Yes, I have it but it won’t be necessary.”
“This is the future of my family we’re talking about. I can’t afford to take any chances. In my shoes, what would you do?” Rashid took his eyes off the road long enough to emphasize his point.
“Probably the same,” Greg acknowledged. He patted his briefcase. “It’s here, if we need it.”
Satisfied, Rashid turned his attention to getting them to court on time. He would have loved to have his wife by his side, but this sickness of hers concerned him. The way she kept throwing up reminded him of when she was pregnant with the twins. She couldn’t keep anything down then either.
Gail swore it was nerves. She was certainly twitchy enough. This appeal was obviously bothering her. She lay beside him in bed at night but he doubted she slept. The strain was beginning to show. There were dark circles under her eyes and her appearance was wan. He was glad this was almost over. Any longer and he’d have dragged her to the doctor despite her objections.
The two-hour drive was over in minutes to his overly active mind. They signed in and had to wait until their case called. Crystal arrived with her lawyer, Davis. Greg told him that although the Justice had agreed to allow the two of them to view the proceedings, only the lawyers could to speak.
The Bailiff called their case number and they filed into the small courtroom. Justice Thomas Mason was presiding. He sat at the front of the courtroom, the large State of Florida Seal over his head. To his immediate left was the court reporter, a middle-aged black woman with graying hair. The Bailiff went and took his position to the right of the bench. Both lawyers went to their designated seats and the session called to order.
Since Davis represented the appellant, he presented his plea first. He was extremely eloquent in his delivery, using most of his allotted time to sway the Justice to his way of thinking. Then it was Greg’s turn.
Greg took each of Davis’s points and knocked them down, one by one. He presented hard evidence to substantiate his case. Then cited a well-established precedent that supported and upheld the lower court’s decision to recognize the Dissolution of Marriage decree obtained in Guam. Ten minutes into his plea, he was finished. Then it was time for the Justice to make his ruling.
“Mr. Davis. Mr. Richmont. I have reviewed the evidence set before me and listened to your pleas. Based upon the briefs, I’ve already denied Mrs. Jabbar custody of the children. She was never established as the legal mother, and therefore, by law, they cannot be considered children of the marriage. Mr. Jabbar was well within his rights not to petition for or establish custody of the minor children in the Dissolution of Marriage decree.”
The Justice gave Crystal a hard stare before continuing. “As to the plea of Emotional Instability on the part of the appellant, unless Mr. Davis has legal documentation proving that Mrs. Jabbar was declared incompetent by a court or court appointed doctor, she is deemed fully cognizant of her actions and legally responsible.”
“Now to the last and final plea, the question of abandonment.” Justice Mason leaned forward with an intent look on his face and planted h
is forearms on the bench, one hand on top of the other. “Florida law states that a spouse must be absent for a period of twelve months or more before a divorce can be legally obtained on the Grounds of Abandonment. Of this, I’m sure Mr. Jabbar was fully aware, having been advised by his legal counsel. It sickens this court when U.S. citizens seek to circumvent the law by going outside of the country to obtain what they want. Mr. Jabbar was not abandoned—despite all of the documents presented to the contrary as proof—as evidenced by the return of his spouse within the twelve-month timeframe. I rule for the appellant. This Dissolution of Marriage is nullified and any subsequent marriage is annulled. Mr. Jabbar, I highly suggest that the next time you file for divorce; you do it the legal way. Case closed.” He banged his gavel on the bench.
“All rise.” They stood as the Justice exited the courtroom.
Rashid sank back into his seat in stunned silence, while across the room; Crystal whooped and hollered, babbling excitedly to her lawyer, Davis. He’d never actually believed they’d lose, though he made preparations for it, just in case.
Davis crossed over to Greg, hand held out and a smug look on his face. Crystal brushed past her lawyer, headed directly for where he sat. “Rashid! Honey! Now we can be together and everything can go back to normal.”
He stopped her in her tracks with a look. “Give her the papers.”
Greg reached into his briefcase, pulled out a manila folder, and handed it to Davis. “Here’s a copy of the divorce papers we’ll be filing as soon as we get back to town. There’s a copy for you and one for your client. Oh, and Ms. Jabbar is not to set foot on the property where Mr. Jabbar resides.”
Davis sputtered, “You can’t do that. That property is the marital residence. You can’t deny the wife access.”
“We can and we will as long as Mr. Jabbar’s minor children are in residence.”
“But…I would never hurt the babies,” Crystal interjected. “I want to be their mother. Why do I have to stay away?”
Greg ignored her. “In addition, the property may have been the primary marital residence, but it was obtained before the marriage, thereby falling under the provisions of the prenuptial agreement of which I’m sure you have a copy, making it the property of my client alone. He is well within his rights to deny access. You have twenty days to respond to the petition or we’ll file No Fault. Have a good day.” He gathered his papers, placed them back into his briefcase, and turned to leave—a clear dismissal. Rashid was right behind him.
“Wait! Rashid, you can’t do this. Davis, tell him he can’t do this.” She rushed behind them. “I love you. We’re supposed to be together. I know you’re angry but give me a chance to fix what I did. I can make it up to you, just give me some time.” She laid her hand on his back.
He turned suddenly, knocking her hand to the side. “Get this through your head. I don’t love you. Nor do I want you. The sooner you’re out of my life, the better. Now excuse me. I need to get home to my wife and children.” He turned his back on her and walked off.
“But I’m your wife,” she wailed, running after him and clutching at his arm.
He snatched it away. “Not for long.” With one last contemptuous look, he walked through the door Greg was holding open.
“Twenty days, Davis. I’ll be waiting.” Greg followed Rashid out the courtroom.
Outside, Greg asked, “Are you going to call Gail?”
Rashid shot him a look that questioned his sanity. “I am not a fool.”
“She’s not going to handle this well at all.”
“You think?” He got in the car and slammed the door. The minute Greg’s door closed, he gunned the engine and shot out of the parking lot. “I fear her reaction.”
“Something about this whole thing’s not right. Davis was too cocky, too smug. He didn’t seem surprised by the verdict at all.”
“Never mind that. How long until I’m free of this marriage?” He wasn’t interested in Greg’s analysis. They’d lost. That was all that mattered, that and fixing this as soon as possible.
“Shouldn’t take too long. It’s a straightforward, no fault divorce. There’s no property to argue about, and no dependent children to slow things down. I’d say as short as six months, depending on how soon we can get on the docket.”
Rashid banged his hand on the dash. “Damn it, that’s not soon enough. Gail won’t wait that long. Is there nothing you can do to push this through faster?”
“I still have some contacts. I’ll see if I can pull some strings.”
“I can’t lose her.” He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “She means everything to me. I’m sure you understand.” He turned tortured eyes and allowed Greg to see his fear before turning back to the road.
“Yes, I do,” came the soft reply.
Chapter Seventeen
The heavy front door closed with a bang that resounded through the house. Gail jerked to a sitting position on the couch where she’d fallen asleep after fighting off yet another bout of morning sickness. The phone lay by her hand. That better be a burglar and not her husband. The same husband who promised to call as soon as the trial was over.
She rushed as fast as her unsettled digestive system would allow into the foyer. Damn, not a burglar. “Rashid, you were supposed to call. You promised. I’ve been waiting by the phone all day.”
Then she got a good look at their faces. At the grim expression on both men’s faces, her knees lost their strength. The blood left her head in a rush and black spots swam before her eyes. She dimly heard one of the men say, “Shit!” Two pairs of hands reached for her, each seeking to catch her sagging body before her head could hit the marbled floor.
Rashid snarled, “I’ve got her.”
He lifted her into his arms, carried her back into the den where she’d been and laid her gently on the couch. He sat beside her on its edge. When she tried to sit up, he pushed her back down. “Lie there.”
“Rashid, I’m fine now. Just got a little light-headed. Crystal won, didn’t she?” She looked back and forth between Rashid and Greg, who stood at the end of the couch, a concerned expression on his face.
“This is just a temporary setback. We’ve already served her with divorce papers and filed a copy at the courthouse once we got back in town.” Rashid brushed her hair off her forehead. His eyes drilled into hers, willing her to believe him.
Gail sat up and looked around the room. “I’ll have to move,” she said aloud, half to herself.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Rashid’s stern tone brought her attention back to him.
“Rashid, I can’t stay here. What if she refuses to sign? My living here looks bad. She can use it against you.”
“It doesn’t matter if she won’t sign. Florida is a No-fault state, so he can divorce her without her agreement. We filed on grounds of Irreconcilable Differences. Her refusal to sign the papers would just be considered proof of their differences.” Greg’s expression became puzzled. “I still can’t believe I lost to Davis. Based on the evidence alone, he should have lost. Something’s not right about this. I can feel it.”
“It doesn’t matter why we lost,” Rashid snapped impatiently. “Let’s just focus on doing what needs to be done so that we can get on with our lives.”
“I still need to move. What if she moves back in? I can’t live with her in this house.” The very thought of it boggled her mind.
“That won’t happen. I made it very clear to her that she wasn’t welcome here. This is our home. You are my wife. I care not what the court says.”
“But this is the home she shared with you. Isn’t she legally entitled to stay here if that’s what she wants to do?” Gail directed her question to Greg.
“If this was Rashid’s house, she could make a legal issue of it. But it’s not. He signed it over to you.”
She fell back onto her elbows on the couch as shocked temporarily robbed her of her ability to speak. “What! When?” The eyes she raised t
o meet Rashid’s were dazed.
“After we married. I offered to buy you a house and you chose to remain here. So I put this one in your name. This way, if anything ever happened to me, I’ll know you and the children have a roof over your heads.”
The surprises were getting to be too much. She unconsciously pressed her hand in a protective gesture against her stomach as she rested unsteadily on one elbow. When she looked up, Greg’s attention focused on her belly. She snatched it away.
“Tell him.”
She shook her head. “Not now.”
“Tell me what?”
“You do it or I will. It’s after the hearing. Now tell him.”
“But we lost. We weren’t supposed to lose, remember?”
“What is it I need to know?” From his tone, Rashid was becoming irritated.
Greg’s tone offered no quarter. “We had an agreement. You said after the hearing. I kept my end, now you keep yours.”
“But…”
“She’s pregnant.” Greg’s words seemed to echo.
“How far?” Rashid demanded.
“See? I told you he would think it was yours,” she accused Greg.
“At least two months.” Greg spoke over her, his attention focused upon Rashid.
Rashid glared at her. “I know damn well it’s my child you’re carrying. What I want to know is why wasn’t I informed sooner? No wonder you’ve been so sick. What does Dr. Hagan have to say about your weight?”
“He doesn’t know. She’s using her old doctor.” Greg glared at her.
Rashid’s eyes narrowed and a small vein at the corner of his eye began to pulse.
“Greg! Enough! I can tell him the rest.” She didn’t like the look in her husband’s eye and Greg was only adding fuel to the fire.
“I told you to tell him when you first found out. He deserves to be pissed.”
“How long has she known about this?”
Gail opened her mouth, but Greg beat her to the punch. “At least three weeks now. Maybe more.”
“And she told you, but not me? Her husband and the father of her unborn child?” Rashid’s voice was dangerously quiet. Gail subtly began scooting back on the couch, away from her furious spouse.