6. Hands Off!

“You're joking, right?” Holland said. 'If you're doing this because you're jealous of Susie, you don't have to.' 

I ignored him and went to get the envelope. “Here, take it!”

Amanza showed him the divorce papers.“Sign it.”

"So you won't listen and let me explain myself?” 

"I don't want to hear it, Holland! Now sign the papers so I can get out of here!”

“Listen! Susie isn’t who you think she is to me! Amanza, I never told you this, but she is my sister, and she is going through something, and I can’t just turn my back on her.”

I sneered, “You have done a wonderful job taking care of her by knocking her up.”

Holland looked puzzled, asking me. “What! How did you know about that?” 

That’s when the doorbell rang. Neither he nor I expected to see Holland’s mother, Kate. My mother-in-law is a nightmare, and shortly after that, another lousy dream follows behind her through the door, Susie. 

"Good evening, son." 

"Mom, Susan! What are you two doing here?" Holland asked, surprised. 

Kate ignored him and came straight up to me, and out of nowhere, she hit me! Shouting in my face. “I dare you to put your hands on Susie! She is carrying my grandchild!” 

The slap felt like fire as my cheek burned with pain. Holland hurriedly came in between us. “Mother! Why did you hit her?  Amanza, are you alright?” 

I coldly shook off his hand.

“Holland! She came barging into my house yesterday looking for you. Acting like an extremely jealous woman! And she grabbed my collar and twisted my arm! See, I still have the bruise right here.” 

“No, not Amanza! I can’t imagine her during such a thing.

Susie pushes up her sleeve, showing him her badly bruised arm.

I stood there holding my stinging cheek! Aggrieved and so upset. “You asked me to come there, and so I did. And she put her hands on me first!”

“I never asked her to come to my house! Why would I do that?”

Holland stood there looking confused, looking at me as if he didn’t even recognize me anymore. I  felt nothing but disappointment when I saw Holland staring at me with confusion, as if he didn’t know who was telling the truth. Then Kate noticed the divorce papers on the table. 

“What is this? Divorce papers!” She asked, waving those papers in my face. “You little wench have the nerve to serve my son with divorce papers after we allowed you into our family! When you were unworthy even to marry our son! See, this is what happens when you listen to your grandfather! I told you not to let Susie go! But no! You wouldn’t listen to me! You should be married to the woman carrying your child! Not her!” Now that Susie was pregnant, I knew my mother-in-law would want me gone. They already thought I was their standard, not on Holland's level financially and socially. Now they feel I’m worthless to the Halston family. Susie is the suitable daughter-in-law in her eyes.

I no longer wanted to bear with all this; I just wanted to leave.  So, I was about to walk over to get my suitcases and go out the door.  Kate noticed the necklace I was wearing and said. “Where do you think you are going with that expensive necklace my son gave you!? That belonged to the Halston family, and you are not entitled to take that with you, missy! Before I knew it, she reached out, grabbed at my neck, and tried to take it from around my neck forcibly. But I had already taken hold of it in my hand.

I wrestled her hand from around my hand and gently broke free of Kate’s grip around my neck, but Kate screamed and fell to the ground. “How dare you push me?”

Hollands helps his mother off the floor as I move away from them both. “You people are insane! I don’t want any trouble; I just want to leave!”

“See! See, that’s the same thing she did to me! She is violent!” Susie yells out.

Susie said incredulously that I was wearing very expensive jewelry designed by the famous designer Deja Wright. Karen immediately stated that Deja was an essential partner of the Halston family and that I must have made Holland give it to me.

“Did you force Holland to give you that necklace? You bully! I see for myself that you are simply evil!”

“No! I’ve never forced you, son, to do anything!”

I was beyond frustrated and upset to the max! “Holland, tell these people if you had really bought me this jewelry!? Or any jewelry since we’ve been married for three years! Tell them!”

Holland hung his head and hesitantly said, “No.” 

That silenced his moth, er Kate. 

I haven't signed the divorce papers, but after what I’ve been through today, I have decided to do soo.’

“What are you doing? No, stop, Amanza! If you signed the divorce papers, that’s it! I’m warning you: it will truly be over between us if you sign those divorce papers! I mean it, Amanza!!" he said, trying to take the papers out of my hand.

“Move Holland! I’m signing these papers, and there is nothing you can say or do to stop me!” 

“Let her sign them!” His mother and Susie said, pulling him away from trying to stop me.

I signed them anyway. 

Holland became angry and started accusing me of cheating as his mother, and Susie gasped! Then he says, "Everything you own was provided by the Halstons, including those expensive jewelry and clothes. His words made me laugh.”Here! Take it all, I don't want it!” I took off the long gold maxi leather coat I was wearing, and I took off the matching gold knee-high boots. I was so angry. I even took off the dress I was wearing. Leaving me standing there in my black full-body slip.  I immediately threw it all at him, saying coldly, "You're the one who is no good cheater! Don't you dare spin this and make it look like it’s my fault?"

The honking of a car outside the door reminded me that it was time to leave. I picked up my suitcase and stormed out the door. Holland angrily followed, asking me, "Amanza! Where are you going? Come back here! We aren’t done talking about this! Come back here!" He walked up behind her, but his words were interrupted.

Four men in all-black suits were waiting outside on the sidewalk. Holland stopped dead in his tracks once he noticed the men waiting for me.

“Ms. Wright, I have been ordered to take you.” A pristine gentleman dressed in a suit greeted me.