“I know this is difficult,” he said to me. “I’m sorry. But this hasn’t been working for a long time. I’ve been unhappy for the last eight months.”
Eight months?!?! My despair gave way to anger. This statement meant that everything he’d said since I returned from New York was insincere.
Through the 20/20 vision of hindsight, I now understand that everything Jack had ever told me was a lie. He never had any intention of us working together to resolve our issues. In fact, he had no interest in doing so whatsoever. He wanted out. He wanted out months ago. Yet instead of manning up and being honest about his feelings, he concocted every bull spit excuse in the book so that he’d have a justifiable reason to leave.
Oprah Winfrey made a very interesting comment recently. When asked about her philosophies on life, she explained that she doesn’t believe in holding on to anyone who doesn’t want to be with her. She’s on her destined path. If you don’t want to take part in that journey, she’ll happily set you free.
If only I’d been so Zen about our situation at that moment. If only I’d chosen to peacefully release Jack without incident. If only the scenario had gone something like this:
Jack
Avery, I realize I don’t love you anymore.
Avery
Oh?
Jack
Yes. I’m leaving you.
Avery
That’s quite alright, Jack. Butterflies are free. They may come and go as they please. Perhaps our paths were only meant to cross for a short time in this journey called life. I wish you love, wherever your path may lead you. Godspeed.
But that’s not what I said. Instead, I asked him the questions that would become the biggest headache in this business of dividing our assets.
“What are we supposed to do about this apartment? We’re in contract to buy it, remember?”
Jack’s face turned red and his eyes widened. Clearly, the reality of his actions had begun to sink in. He’d just screwed us. Royally.
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