THIRTEEN- DIVORCE IN A CAFE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN                                                                                                                                                                             The divorce papers were right in front of me. I had read them numerous times but could not bring myself to put my signature on any page that required it. I ran my hands through my hair and scratched at the scalp. It was not supposed to be this hard, especially considering everything Ashton had done to me. All I had to do was sign and give him the papers—of course, he had no idea that I had divorce papers ready.

I leaned back into the couch, lay my head on the back, and looked up at the high ceiling. Anything to get my mind off my failing marriage was interesting. I had promised Ridley that I would get this done with but a week had gone by and the papers remained in the top right drawer of the desk in my office. Ridley asked me about it on Friday morning and I managed to get away with an excuse of being busy and the divorce papers slipping my mind.

Saturday evening, and I still did not put my signature down in ink on the papers. I could not lie for being busy, I had spent the entire day at home doing absolutely nothing but lounging around the house with a cup of wine.

Another drag of air, the night seemed to move so slowly. I sat straight and looked to the door of the house when it opened and Ashton entered. Scrambling as quickly as I could, I grabbed the papers from the coffee table and folded them.

“What is that?” He asked and shifted his gaze from my face to the folded papers in my hand. He had consistently kept his façade of caring about me and our marriage, coming back home every night and trying to make conversation in the morning before work.

I shifted in my seat and tried to keep the papers from his line of sight. “Um…just some reports I’m supposed to read,” I replied and stood from the couch in an attempt to escape and go to the guest room that had now become my room- most of my things were now in that room.

“Janelle, wait…” Ashton called out cautiously and I turned around and nodded, ushering him to continue speaking. “Look, I know that I made a mistake but I’ve apologised and…well, you can’t ignore me forever.”

I wrapped my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow. He shifted closer to me and dropped the jacket in his hands on the couch. “I love you, and I am terribly sorry. I want to make everything right between us. Please forgive me.” He pled.

If this apology had come months before or before the entire Ridley thing, I would have forgiven him, ran into his arms and kissed him. But this came after Ridley gave me stability, after the scene Ridley and I had caused at Stetson Hotel and after the multiple articles and buzz from the media about Ashton and I’s failed marriage. He came to apologise only after that, he had already hurt me and chosen Dorothy.

“Where have you been the entire day?” I asked him with a piercing gaze. “Dare lie to me and say you were not with that two-faced bitch?” I challenged and he looked to the floor. I scoffed and shook my head. “You don’t know what you want, you fucking bastard.”

I walked away from him and started walking up the stairs. “Listen, Janelle, please just listen to me!” He persisted from the foot of the staircase.

“I have been here for months, waiting for you and your explanation. And even now, I am willing to listen but your actions continue to contradict your words, Ashton.” I told him with a sad face.

I ignored his calls and constant pleading and went up to my room, the guest room that is. Everything Ashton shared with me, I questioned. Had the memories and moments we had shared all been a complete lie? On days just like today, a part of me painfully realised that Ashton did not truly love me. Perhaps he had loved me at a certain point but he no longer did. True to his mother’s words, I was only but a short phase.

The notification sound of my phone made me open my eyes and move to my bed from the door. Once I was seated by the edge of the bed, I opened my phone and clicked on the new text message from Ridley after setting the divorce papers on the bed.

‘Can we meet tomorrow? I need to speak with you.'

I looked at the message for a minute or more and sighed at the two ticks at the bottom. Did he know that I had not signed the papers yet nor given them to Ashton? I felt immense guilt towards Ridley, he was only helping me albeit for his selfish reasons, it was the most help I had received from anyone other than Ashton. Oh Ashton. He had carefully and sweetly given me a foundation and pillar to lean on and abruptly took that away.

‘You’re free, right?’

Another text from Ridley came once more and I responded with an ‘okay’ before tossing my phone on the bed, grabbing the wine bottle by my bedside and taking a seat on the balcony. The night air was cold and crispy, and it hit my exposed skin with the right amount of chill. My eyes closed after I took a sip from my glass and closed my eyes. I wished I could forget and be a whole new person. Even if I started my life anew, a part of me would always yearn for how perfect my life could have been with Ashton. He was the missing puzzle in my life— at least that was what I thought.

“Sweetheart! Janelle!” I heard my name and opened my eyes. A groan escaped my throat when I saw Ashton on the balcony of our- his room which was next to mine. “Please hear me out!”

I rubbed my temples and sat straight. The last thing I needed was such behaviour from Ashton, it only irritated me more and I could feel a headache coming on. I glared at him and stood from my seat before making my way back into the room, sliding the doors closed and the curtains as well before dropping on the bed. If he wished, he could scream to the entire world, I did not care.

When morning came, I rushed through my routine, wore a bit of makeup and let my hair down. Ashton was the first person I saw when I got down, he sat at the dining table in his casual clothes and offered up a smile at me that I did not return.

Florence walked out of the kitchen and greeted me. “What would you like for breakfast, ma’am?” She asked and I shook my head as a no.

“I’ll have my breakfast outside, thank you,” I told her and she went back into the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Ashton spoke up and I turned to him.

“Somewhere where I won’t feel like I’m suffocating,” I answered bitterly before leaving.

Ridley had sent the location for another café and I drove there despite knowing that he would be late. The café had the same vibe as the last one, I took a seat by the window and a waitress came to my table.

“What would you like to have?” The waitress looked at me and gasped lightly. “Oh my god! You’re Janelle Stetson!” She exclaimed in a hushed tone.

I smiled up at her and waved. “Hi,” I greeted and her smile grew.

Since I had married Ashton, one could say I had gained fame in the city and probably to people who knew the Stetsons. I could only guess that the waitress was one of the women who were infatuated with the Stetson brothers, they both had quite a reputation in the city and I had married one of them, and that had gained some negative and positive reactions.

“Oh my god! I can’t believe my streak of luck, yesterday I saw Ridley Stetson and today it’s you.” She was so excited that it made me smile at her wider. She looked younger than me. “I must have fed hungry people in my past life,” She added and made me chuckle.

“I’m just a regular person,”

“Yeah right, and I’m Beyonce.” She rolled her eyes. “Is this place like a new celebrity hang-out place? Or it’s a Stetson thing?” She started to ask but was disturbed by the chair on the other side of the table being dragged and Ridley taking a sit. The waitress, Hannah, whose name I read on the name tag gasped, if not louder.

“Pinch me now!” She screeched but somehow only for us to hear.

Ridley looked at me and smiled. “Good morning, Jenny.” He teased knowing fully aware that I hated when people shortened my name. “Hello…” He looked at Hannah’s name tag. “…Hannah. You are quite the sight.” He smirked at her and his eyes moved from her face to chest.

Hannah blushed and avoided Ridley’s gaze. I scoffed as the last thing I expected to see today was Ridley’s flirting expertise. He looked over at me for a second with a smug look, as if saying, “I bet you don’t think I can seduce her”, and frankly speaking I did not doubt him. I had heard so much about his personality and how he was with women, he could easily seduce a random café waitress.

“What would you like to order?” Hannah stuttered out, I rolled my eyes.

“It’s okay love, you can come back in a couple of minutes,” Ridley spoke with a charming smile. She nodded and turned to me happily, confirming if I wanted the same and I nodded. She walked away and I turned to Ridley.

“You’re early,” I acknowledged and he nodded.

“My partner hates tardiness, I have to learn to fix that.” He replied with a shrug.

“What do you want to speak with me about?” I asked and my eyes went around the café. Ridley and I were not pop star famous but if anyone who knew of us saw us and took a picture, it would fuel the rumours and speculations made by the media.

“The divorce papers, have you signed them?” He asked and I remained silent in my seat and looked at the table. Ridley sighed and leaned forward. “Janelle, look at me.” I looked up and he shook his head.

“You can’t keep putting this off. Our plan can only be set in motion if you file for divorce.” He started.

“I know that,” I tried to interject but he shook his head once more.

“I don’t think you do, because if you do then those papers would have been signed by both parties and we would be in court by now.”

“This isn’t something easy for me, Ridley.”

“I know it isn’t but you can’t be so blinded by love, Janelle. The bastard continues to betray you while you let it slide. People who have been in longer relationships have gotten divorce easier…” He paused as though realisation had dawned on him. “Has Ashton already changed your mind just after merely a week?” He asked in an accusing tone.

I glared up at him. “Do you think I am that pathetic?”

“I do not know, you tell me, sister-in-law.” He replied coldly and I huffed.

“I am neither pathetic nor a pushover.”

“Then sign the damn papers.”

I closed my eyes for a second or two and then looked straight at him. “Ridley, you have never been married or shared a bond with anyone as I did with Ashton. Do not pressurize me, I will sign the papers.”

“What I want Janelle is an exact date,” He reiterated defiantly.

“I’ll sign the fucking papers today,” I told him in the heat of the moment and he smiled evilly.

“That is what I like to hear,” He put some papers on the table and moved them to me. “You can do it right now.” He removed a pen from his pockets and placed a pen on top of the papers.

I looked at him in disbelief and he gave me a challenging look. I pulled the papers close to me and grabbed the pen. The pressure Ridley was putting on me right now was unwelcome and I hated him for it but the more I thought about it, the more necessary it seemed. I opened the document and signed the papers.

“Yay!” Ridley exclaimed with a wide smile. “Give them to me, I actually have to make sure they get delivered to Ashton. I kinda don’t trust you with this.”

I scoffed but pushed the papers to him. He took the papers, smiled at me and called for a waitress.

“Finally ready to order?” Hannah asked with the same polite and excited smile.

“Yes, sweetheart. We are ready.” Ridley said enthusiastically.