Chapter 9 - The Divorce Hearing
Nine months after the first divorce papers were signed, Nora and Grant appeared before a judge.
Not because they wanted a divorce.
Because Nora had never withdrawn the filing.
The case was still active.
The judge looked at both of them.
“Have you reached an agreement?”
Nora looked at Grant.
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
The judge waited.
Nora spoke.
“We want to dismiss the divorce petition.”
Grant's shoulders relaxed.
The judge nodded.
“Before I do that, I need to make sure this is voluntary.”
Nora smiled.
“It is.”
Grant answered,
“Completely.”
The judge looked at the file.
“There are allegations of infidelity.”
“Yes,” Nora said.
“Do you wish to continue?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Nora glanced at Grant.
“Because what happened hurt me.”
She took a breath.
“But what happens next is our decision.”
The petition was dismissed.
Outside the courthouse, Grant took Nora's hand.
She squeezed it.
“I thought I'd feel different.”
“How?”
“Lighter.”
“You don't?”
“I do.”
She looked at him.
“But I'm still scared.”
“So am I.”
They walked down the courthouse steps.
Avery was with Elaine.
They were going to have lunch.
It felt strangely normal.
And after everything, normal felt like a miracle.
That evening, they returned home.
Grant had arranged a surprise.
The house was filled with photographs.
Not expensive art.
Real photographs.
Nora pregnant.
Grant assembling the crib.
Avery sleeping.
Caleb holding her for the first time.
Elaine laughing.
Clara sitting in the garden.
Even Martin's photograph was there.
Nora stared.
“Why him?”
Grant answered quietly,
“Because pretending the past didn't happen would be another kind of lie.”
She looked around.
“Our whole family is here.”
“Yes.”
“And the people who hurt us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they are part of the truth.”
Nora looked at him.
“You've changed.”
He smiled.
“Hopefully.”
She stepped closer.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally becoming someone I don't have to investigate.”
He laughed.
“That might be the nicest insult you've ever given me.”
She kissed him.
Not because the past had disappeared.
May you like
Because it hadn't.
They were simply no longer living inside it.
