Divorced

It is finally the day of my final hearing, I have had two before this one but for each one, I was not expecting them to be how they were. Maxwell was never a mean, spiteful, hateful, lying, harmful, abusive, money-hugger, selfish, and much more that I still can’t believe he acted towards me, his family, and our parents. Aloisa couldn't attend the first two hearings because she is also battling custody with Orlando.

“We will take a short break, Mis. Rivera are you sure you want to follow this thru?” I nod my head at his statement because I saw Aloisa, if there is one friend I know can help me get out of this is here.

We are given a moment when Aloisa, takes me by my arm to the bathroom and she put me on a bathroom stool, she locks the door for full privacy, I take toilet paper to clean my face, I can feel my eyes as red and puffy from all the crying, I know she is doing this to get my attention at her.

“Okay, now that I have you fully alone I can finally tell you a piece of mind. I love you but right now I need you to stop being a victim. You are a lawyer for crying out loud Daphne, you know that the very first thing you make clear to me and any of your friends is that you hate when the client cries because it shows an emotionally unstable way of behaving, making the case extend to the point of it being dropped. So explain to me why you are doing the exact same thing?”

Alosia makes sense to me, but why is he even doing this. I have done nothing but try so hard to keep him happy, keep our family together and happy. Aloisa takes my hands and holds them to say the words that are snapping but they took me right out of my head.

You always used to tell me when I was getting divorced, Women are the power, well you need to be the woman to your power, crying is to heal yourself not to be empowered. Now when you are done you are going out there and you are going to say everything you have to say to the men who will not put you down, they will you everything Maxwell Diez tried to take away from you. And it will be the power that he will lose over you, it will be the power you will give to your kids. Do you hear me, Daphne Rivera?”

I nod at her words as I signal her to open the door, I clean my eyes one last time in the toilet. Getting out of the bathroom I get my bag to reapply my makeup, I straighten my work clothes, a brown suit I bought for my first hearing that turned into a mess and I never wore it instead I wore a blue one, then a black one and seeing myself in the mirror I look like shit but I know this too shall pass.

Walking outside of the bathroom I see Aloisa walking with me holding my hand firmly, all my friends left my side when I married Maxell, they said the way he made the wedding without anyone who I was close with was a dick move, I said we were in a hurry but now looking back at it. It was a dick move from us, mostly from him because I followed his lead, but I am also at fault simply for following him, his words, and his idea on what it was to be loved. In his definition, if I am not what he wants then I am wrong. When that's not true. And I’m about to prove that to myself, Aloisa was right, I am my own powerful woman, not a powerless one.

Taking my seat, I feel nervous, I’m shaking because now I am sitting in front of my soon-to-be ex-husband, on my side are the judge and my attorney, I owe this man so much apology for bailing the first two times. Taking in a big breath I get ready to answer all my questions, I’m ready to finish this side of my life, the side of crying, I will not cry but I will not feel towards him, if I’m going to heal I will do so on my bedroom.

Closing the door of my bedroom I hit my bed with the late of my feelings intact, two bottles of Don Q, yet I can still feel the pain that I had to pour out at the court hearing. I have a total of three months to move out to the house he has in the states, he pays for everything his children are in need of, I have full custody over all three of them, Aloisa with her girls are staying over to help me but I just can’t even get up from my bed, just like that my eyes close off to another day.

Just got in the new house, it's so much smaller than the one I had to give up, only a two-story house with a total of two full baths and a half one, five rooms with living room, kitchen, once a garage, back with a front yard. No pool, no basement or attack. This is such a small house compared to what I am used to living with. My kids run to their rooms, while I put Leo in his room with the tv on so I can put the things away, I go into my room for the very first time, it's the same size the room as my daughter had, one closet with a full bathroom.

My old house was three floors, more than eleven rooms, with a bunch of bathrooms, two living rooms, a long kitchen in doors and outdoors, a pool, three garages and so much more than this house has. Why did Maxwell have to ruin the best thing I had in my life?