Page 29 of Matrimonial Merger
I replied, “I suppose I could eat, too.”
Cal
I woke to rustling in the corner of the room. I spied Daphne disrobing and throwing her clothes in the hamper.
“Is it done-done?” I whispered as she darted around the closet in near-darkness.
“I tried not to wake you,” Daphne said, coming back to bed in one of my t-shirts.
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m glad to have you back.”
Daphne settled into my arms, reseting her head on my chest and let out a long, happy sigh.
“I love you,” she said. “I missed you. And yes, it is done-done.”
Daphne had gotten on a plane late after the sentencing hearing, flying back private. By the time the verdict was released, I was knee-deep in an alderman meltdown, followed by a fundraiser. By the time I made it home, I went straight to bed.
“You didn’t hear?” Daphne asked.
“I didn’t check. I wanted it to come from you, Daph.”
“Well, he got walloped—for this charge. Two years in prison and the maximum fine.”
“Two years? That’s a joke!”
She looked up at me, “That is the maximum penalty. Judging by the way his attorneys acted, they thought he’d walk away with nothing more than home monitoring.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, baby.” I kissed the top of her head. “For what he did?—”
“He deserved worse, but he has no career left. He’s isolated?—”
“And he can live on his divorce settlement.”
“That’s unsure. His girlfriend wasn’t there. I mean, she’d just had a baby, but if you believe the rumor mill, Chandler is about to be taken to court for support.”
“Well, he’s not making money in prison.”
“Doesn’t matter. He has assets,” I insisted. “His assets will be enough to support them, I hope. I feel for that girl.”
I held Daphne tight, taking in the smell of her. I was so glad to have her back.
“It feels like home with you here,” I said. “I am glad this is over for a million reasons, but most of all because you’re home for good.”
“I was barely gone?—”
“Daph, any time I am apart from you is too much.”
“You sound like a sap,” Daphne giggled.
“I am. For you I always will be. How are you feeling?”
“Today, better,” Daphne said. “This past week has been better. I’m a little spooked, but I guess we will see what happens at the ultrasound appointment. We still haven’t gotten our results back, of course.”
“I meant about the whole thing,” I said. “The trial and life now?”
She sighed long. “I… I guess I’m okay? This is the next chapter—a new step. I told myself this would bring me peace, but… I don’t know. With so much changing, I feel like I’m leaving a part of myself behind but I don’t know the woman before me.”
“Daphne, the woman before you gets to live her life without constraints.”
