Chapter 9 - THE DIVORCE
The divorce took eleven months.
Brett fought hardest over two things.
Company shares.
And Micah’s schedule.
Audrey expected anger.
What she got was sadness.
Mediation rooms.
Spreadsheets.
Valuations.
Holiday calendars.
The administrative dismantling of fifteen years.
It was less cinematic than betrayal.
More exhausting.
---
Micah spent meaningful time with both parents.
Audrey insisted on that.
Brett had failed as a husband.
That did not automatically mean he had to fail as a father forever.
But access came with responsibility.
No using Micah as messenger.
No insulting Audrey.
No introducing romantic partners into parenting time until things were stable.
Brett agreed eventually.
Sierra was gone by then.
Their relationship lasted four months after the gala.
Audrey felt nothing when she learned.
That surprised her.
Then relieved her.
---
One afternoon, Brett returned Micah after basketball.
He stood on Audrey’s porch.
“Can we talk?”
She nodded.
He looked older.
Not ruined.
Just stripped of performance.
“I found something.”
He handed her a small velvet box.
Inside were Audrey’s earrings.
And bracelet.
The ones he had given Sierra.
Audrey stared.
“I bought them back from her.”
She looked at him.
“You bought back my own jewelry.”
He winced.
“Yes.”
“Do you hear it?”
“Yes.”
Good.
He continued:
“I’m sorry.”
Audrey closed the box.
“I believe you.”
Hope flashed.
She ended it gently.
“That doesn’t mean I want you back.”
His eyes closed.
“I know.”
May you like
And this time, perhaps he did.
---
