One Last Time(41)

She definitely is that person, and it’s why I had her come with me. Nicole may be the only one of us who stayed single, but I’m the only person who knows why. I was the one who held her hand on her darkest day, so I wanted her to see me at my low point.

Today, I will endure watching the man I thought I’d grow old beside end that dream. I wanted Nicole to remind me that even when I’m down, I’m not out. She’s living proof of it.

“Thank you for being a diamond.” I squeeze her hand.

“You’re welcome.”



“The judge would like to call Scott McGee and Kristin McGee forward please,” the court clerk announces.

“This is the end.” I stand and fix my skirt.

“This is the beginning, Kris. The end to misery and the start of something you get to determine. I love you, and I’ll be here when you’re done.”

I nod and hug her.

My lawyer places her hand on my shoulder and nods. We walk in silence, my heart pounding against my chest as we enter the courtroom. I stand on one side and Scott stands on the other. It’s sad that this is where we are. After all the years of trying to close the gap between us, it’s now an ocean, and I can’t see the land.

There’s no denying the anguish that flows through me. I look at his profile, remembering how much I loved him. Memories of us when we were young assault me. The smiles, laughter, and silliness that I thought would never end. How his eyes were filled with love as I walked down the aisle of the church in my wedding dress, believing I would love him until the day I died.

Maybe I did die. That na?ve girl is long gone. I’m not the same as I was, just as he isn’t.

The judge speaks, reviewing all the paperwork, but I can’t focus on it. It seems so easy when you hear your marriage broken down into bullet points. We’re just two people. Assets, visitation, alimony, and numbers.

We were more than that once.

My lawyer taps my arm, forcing my attention back forward. “Mrs. McGee, are you aware of the change of filing grounds regarding the dissolution of your marriage?”

I glance at my lawyer and she shakes her head. “No,” I say with confusion.

Who changed the grounds? My lawyer didn’t say a word.

“Mr. McGee submitted the paperwork late last night claiming that you committed adultery during the duration of your marriage, and you’re not entitled to any support due to the financial constraints this caused. He claims it should be on the record that you used his finances to fund your affair.”

My lungs won’t fill with air. I can’t believe this. He is out of his goddamn mind. “That’s completely untrue,” I tell Clarissa. “I’ve never been unfaithful.”

Scott’s lawyer pipes up. “Mr. McGee has just learned of this, which is why we haven’t submitted proof.”

The judge shakes her head. “So, this is an accusation? One you thought you should file just in case?”

Tears fill my vision as I stare at Scott. Is he that unglued? He’d try to hurt me this much? When Danielle said this was possible, a part of me didn’t believe it. No way would he want to do that to his children. Seems I was stupid to think he gave a shit about anything but himself and money.

“One that, if we were granted enough time to further investigate, we could prove the validity.”

No, he couldn’t because it isn’t true. I’ve never done anything questionable. I loved him even when he made me feel small. I didn’t seek comfort in another man regardless of how unworthy he told me I was.

She chuckles. “Mr. Sheridan, am I to believe that you submitted a charge against Mrs. McGee without any sort of receipts, text messages, or testimony to back your client’s claim? You thought that by stating it to be true, then your client wouldn’t have to pay his financial share. Am I right?”

“If we could have an extension, your Honor—”

“No.” She cuts him off. “There will be no extension. If you actually had a shred of evidence, you would have presented it.”

My attorney, Clarissa, grips my hand and squeezes. I close my eyes and breathe in through my nose. Scott isn’t the only one who has the ability to change the claim. Peter called Clarissa and sort of instructed her on what route to take.

We spent the last week gathering information in case he tried to pull some shit.

“Your Honor,” my attorney speaks. “If Mr. Sheridan would like, we have sufficient evidence to prove the emotional abuse that Kristin McGee endured throughout the fourteen years of marriage to Scott McGee.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I see a flash of empathy. “Really?”

“This is unfounded and ridiculous!” Mr. Sheridan shouts.

The judge looks back to him. “You see, Mr. Sheridan, it isn’t unfounded if she is able to provide documentation and such.”

My lawyer presents the various letters from friends and family, screenshots of emails, text messages, and the transcripts of a voicemail he left that proves he was screwing Jillian while we were still married.

I didn’t want to do this. It was a necessary precaution, but he left me no choice. It’s all in black in white, the years of hell I’ve worked hard to hide and the lies I’ve told everyone about how great Scott was, are all refuted in her hands.

He wasn’t great.