“I’m sorry, really I am,” she tried to explain it to them. “It’s just that Daddy and I have worked out this agreement and this Christmas he’s going to take you down to your grandma’s in Florida. It’s just for a week. I’ll be back right after. Before New Year’s even.”

Jamie kicked the table hard one time and then stopped. He grabbed his book bag and stomped out of the kitchen. Joellen looked at the ceiling as if she could see through to the floor above. She could hear him taking the stairs one angry step at a time until he was upstairs and then his door slammed hard. She winced a little and turned back to Noreen who was now crying openly. (more…)

“Oh, Brent,” Joellen protested, “this is so extravagant. We shouldn’t do this, especially right after . . . ”

“Right after what?” he asked, standing behind her, even as he was unbuttoning her dress and sliding his hand under her bra to unhook it.

“After just being at the lawyer. After just signing that agreement,” she said.

“We didn’t agree not to do this,” he answered and bit her shoulder as he slid her dress down over her arms. “We’re not breaking any rules. We’re married. This is just a married date. And we’re just reversing the usual date ritual. This first, then the date meal.” (more…)

“I thought we could drive together. I’ll take you over in my car,” he offered, putting his arm around her shoulders as if to lead her to the car.

Joellen backed away, turning her body away from him to release his hold on her. She walked a few steps further and then stopped again.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked before she thought about it, about what this conversation might do to their new agreement.

“I just thought it would be easier. And then maybe we could go to lunch. You know, like a . . . ” he didn’t finish the sentence because Joellen interrupted him.

“A date?” she asked. “Is that what this is? We’re dating?”

“Yeah,” Brent smiled. “That’s a good way to look at it. Dating.” He walked to the car and opened the door. (more…)

“I know,” Joellen answered, cradling the phone between her shoulder and right ear while she spread peanut butter on a sandwich for Noreen. “I can’t really talk about it right now, but can I call you later?”

“Call me at work,” Brenda said. “I’ve got to run too.”

Joellen finished packing the lunch bags and saw the kids onto their buses. This was the day she was to meet Brent at Monika’s office to sign the new agreement. Two days before the Christmas school break. As soon as the last bus pulled away Joellen looked down at her hands and realized they were shaking. (more…)

“What were you thinking?” she asked, standing up and walking around from behind her big desk. “Do you know what the statistics are on getting back with an ex once you’ve served the papers? And do you have any idea what you’ll be up against if you pull back now and then want to go ahead later?”

“But we signed an agreement,” Joellen held it up for Monika to see.

“First of all, you’re being very naïve. That would never stand up in court,” Monika argued. “Second, what makes you think he’s going to abide by it?”

“I told him I won’t remove the restraining order or the divorce papers until he complies with everything we agreed to on this,” again she waved the yellow lined paper.

“Well I’m an attorney and not a psychologist so I don’t claim to be able to get inside your husband’s head, but it seems to me he has you right where he wants you. Flowers, a little cheap talk that leads to a signature and then some sex. And now you’ve given up all your advantages. He knows exactly how to manipulate you and you fell for it,” she turned around and sat down behind her desk.

Joellen felt stupid. (more…)

“I don’t know what you mean.” Joellen had washed and was dressing methodically. She ran a hand over her hair, which was mussed. She was thinking about how to get out of here without littering her feelings all over the room. If she told him one thing, she feared she would spill everything and then she would lose him. She wondered if she could trust him, if he would see this as cheating on him. But who was she really cheating on now?

“I know there’s something,” North said, “but if you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay. I have no right to insist. Except maybe the right of someone who cares for you so much.” (more…)

One tap on the door and he yanked it open. She practically fell into the room breathless and collapsed onto the first bed.

“Oh,” she sighed. “I thought I’d never make it in time.” (more…)

She pulled away from Brent, running for the laundry room.

She yanked the dial to shut off the washer and opened the lid. Leaning down into the washer tub she pulled the water-laden rug and tried to get it to wrap around the inside so the spinning weight would be evenly distributed.

“Damn thing,” she muttered, struggling to lift the rug, heavy with excess water.

She had no idea Brent had followed her. But when she got the rug repositioned and closed the lid, she turned to find him standing just in front of her. (more…)

“If I let you come in the house, it’s only for two minutes and then you have to go,” she said. “And just so you know, I realize what you’re doing. Trying to cut out the lawyers. But it won’t work. I’ve made up my mind.”

He followed her and closed the door behind them. At the same moment Joellen turned to face him and smiled, a little knowing smile now that she had figured out his scheme. (more…)