Chapter 1

Richard finds out that his wife wants a divorce.

Chapter 1

I feel so angry I can just throw the telephone across my office. I rest my head against the back of my desk chair, trying to relax, keep calm, and prevent any strange and weird thoughts from entering my head. Its these moments when I regret marrying Elisa. After today, I might just grow to hate her. But, in all fairness to myself, I am crazy about her and extremely devoted of course.

She knows that my clientele is as important for my company as anything. But when she calls at 5:30pm to tell me to cancel any meetings I have because she has something important she has to tell me, I am utterly speechless. She knows that Margie Mason is coming in for an extremely important meeting of the possibility that Johnsons Inc. might just be the company that will help her expand her empire of The Sweet Tooth -  a branch of restaurants that specialize in selling pastries and cakes in New York city- with the interest of taking the branch all across America.

And now I’m sitting here, like a complete fool, trying to make up the courage to call Margie and tell her that the meeting will just have to be cancelled for today. She would be so disappointed I’m sure. This just looks so unprofessional, how can Johnsons Inc. compete with other companies if we’re this unprofessional? This gives every right for Margie to forget the deal altogether.

I stare at the phone for a couple of minutes. Well, its now or never.  With hands shaking, I put a phone through to my receptionist Linda in order for her to put me through to Margie Mason,

“Hello?”

“ Um, hello Margie?” I say, trying to buy some time.

“Yes, that’s me. Who is this?” Margie says.

“ Oh its me, Richard Johnson. Listen I’m just calling to let you know that unfortunately the meeting today has to be cancelled due to private matters. I’d really like to make it but this is important. Would you mind if we do the meeting sometime this week instead? Please? ,” I ask eagerly.

“Oh, um, ok that would be alright I suppose. I’ll let Judith contact you to put the meeting sometime next week since my schedule right now is extremely busy as you can imagine,”

“We’ll find a way to make it work I’m sure! Ok, so thank you Mrs. Mason, I look forward to seeing you sometime next week,” I say, relieved.

The next thing I hear is a beeping sound from the other end. Margie does not seem to be happy, and should I blame her? This just puts the development of her string of pastry shops even more behind than scheduled. I would be in hysterics right now if I were her. Well, come to think of it, I am in hysterics right now. And angry too. I should be thinking of going to anger management classes.

Just as I start to calm down and relax, I hear her approaching the office. I don’t know what it is, whether it’s the sound of her 5-inch stiletto heels tapping at the granite floor, or the tune she always sings under her breath when she’s bored or not speaking to anyone, but I could feel her approaching. I hadn’t had time to think on what my reaction to her would be. Should I be mad? Or maybe not mention anything?

As she enters the office, I’m in a state of panic. Not only because I’m still quite mad at the woman I’m in love with, or what I had just seen in front of my eyes. Elisa was almost unrecognizable, even to me. Her soft brown hair, which was always pulled back in a tight chignon whenever she was going out, was all down to her shoulders, messed up. She eyes were red, and accompanying them were two streaks of mascara running down her cheeks. Instead of either wearing one of her numerous designer dresses or suits, she’s wearing a jeans and a hoody. And to top it all off, she’s accompanying the whole portrayal with a cigarette hanging from the side of her mouth and her hands shoved in the pockets of her hoodie.

I’m quite speechless quite to say the least. I have never seen Elisa so untouched before, as you can call it. Not even when she wakes up in the morning does she look in such a state of despair. But then something comes to mind. Something really terrible has happened for Elisa to come to look in such a state. She works as editor and chief of The Mode Magazine for Christ’s sake, if she can’t channel fashion than no one can.

 

I wake up from my seat to greet her, but she just signals to me to sit down. She walks slowly up to my desk, looking at her feet the whole time, and occasionally taking a breath from her cigarette, which is clearly filling my office with cigarette smoke.

“Richard, its over,” Elisa says, whist shaking her head from side to side.

Wait, what did she just say?

“What do you mean its over?” I say, astonished.

“What I mean is that I want a divorce,” she says.

“You want WHAT?” I scream, at the top of my lungs.

“We’re not meant to be together Richard. We live totally separate lives ever since we got married. I mean, can’t you see that this isn’t working?” Elisa says, and she starts to sob.

“Don’t act like a bloody victim here Elisa! Don’t’ you dare! I have loved you and honoured you from far before we were married, or actually ready to get married. God, I loved you from the moment I saw you at that Christmas party John was throwing at his penthouse!” I say, angrily of course.

“And I too felt a connection for you then. But now, now everything’s different Richard! We don’t want the same things in life. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, hoping that maybe it’s a feeling that passes or I’m just stressed with work and stuff. But no, we have to face the fact that we’re not good for each other anymore,”

“Ok, explain to me this. What has made you come to the conclusion that divorce is the only solution  to our problems? I’ve been divorced twice before Elisa, I know what it feels like to throw away a marriage without trying hard enough. Of course, I was young then, I had the world at my feet, just beginning to experience the taste of pleasure that success brings you. In what way don’t we want the same things in life?” I ask.

“You will never understand,” Elisa says, shaking her head, “ I want a husband who comes home at 5pm so we can eat dinner together and have a wonderful time, I want a husband who is ready to start a family, to have kids. I want a husband who is ready to take time off to take me travelling or even to dinner. But you’re not ready for any of that. You never were. You may love me more than you love your company, but let me tell you this Richard, for the past 5 years that I have known you, you have put the company as a priority over me,” Elisa says, looking at me now.

“Well, alright. We’ll try something new. I’ll take time off when this deal with Margie is over and done with, I’ll take you travelling all over Europe. Or even all over the world if it makes you happy.  But please, let’s not throw all this away,” I say.

‘’I’m sorry Richard, but no, that won’t be happening. My lawyer will contact your lawyer for the divorce papers and such. I hope you have a good life Richard,” Elisa said.

And just like that, she turned her heel and ran out of the office, as if she was eager to run away from me. Maybe at that moment, I should have run after her, but I was so shocked and overwhelmed with what had just happened that I couldn’t come to face the fact that all that I had heard was true. But maybe this is a temporary thing, she’ll go and spend a few nights’ at her sister’s apartment to get some space, and then she’ll come back home and accepts the apology. Yes, that’s how it will all go down, and everything will be just fine.

I call Linda to get my driver ready to take me home. I had had enough of the office for a day. At that moment I felt that my huge office was just a tiny space which started suffocating me little by little. I was overwhelmed and quite numb as I looked at my office for the last time that day, and whilst locking the door I kept wondering whether Elisa was serious or not about this. She has threatened to divorce me countless times before. And I always told her that we needed to work on our marriage and not throw it all away. I have a lifetime’s worth of throwing away relationships and marriages that could have worked and could have been successful. And I always felt that this marriage would be different, that it would work out. Of course, my success began just before me and Elisa got married. Our honeymoon stage as you may call it was spent with meetings from morning till late at night and then all-nighters working in my office. There were times I never even went to bed to sleep.

I rushed to the elevator, and in a few seconds I was down to the ground floor. It seems that everyone had packed up and gone home, because the whole space of the lobby was completely empty, except for Linda which was making last minute calls from the reception area.

The lobby of the Johnsons’ Inc. building is just as magnificent as the building itself, maybe even more. The whole of the lobby area is covered in crisp white granite, adorned with beautiful paintings all around the dome shaped area, with a crystal chandelier coming down from the ceiling, and black couches found all around the lobby. A round shaped reception is found exactly in the middle of the lobby, and that’s where Linda spends all her time. I must say, she is one good receptionist. The fact that she stays there until I leave is something that I will forever be grateful for.

I rush out of the elevator, say goodbye to Linda, and rush to the revolving doors as soon as I saw my driver waiting for me outside the building. As he sees me approaching, he comes out of the SUV and opens the door for me. As I go out the door, a cool chill hits me, Typical New York winter. Snow had just started to fall and I felt a relief as soon as I entered the vehicle.

“So, where are we off to Mr Johnson,”

“Take me home please Roger,”

Author's Note

what do you think of the idea ?

Reviews

[Chris]

A relational drama - not my normally chosen genre. I see the idea as valid but wonder on the possbile length of the story. Have you mapped it out? Determined the character cast?

[Maria M]

I'm more comfotable writing in this style and genre! And yes I assure you that this will be a long enough story because i'm planning on giving it a shocking twist but more of that later on of course

Thank you for reviewing :)

[Maria M]

Ps 2nd chapter is up if you want to check it out :)

[Chris]

Then I will look forward to further entries.

[Maria M]

3rd chapter is up as well!

[WhimsicalMind]

So well written! Now, I'm curious as to what and how will Mr. Johnson win back his wife's love?? What has he done or should I be asking what is she doing behind his back?? Keep up the good work!! :)

[Maria M]

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, it means a lot ! :)

Well the reason why Elisa wants to divorce Richard is because Richard is more focused on building up his career than building his married relationship with Elisa. She emphasizes on the fact that she feels that she doesn't have a husband, and there is also the fact that she wants children but he doesn't seem to be interested.

What Mr. Johnson does to win back his wife will be revealed later on, so you'd have to wait and see :P

Thanks again ! :)

[WhimsicalMind]

Awesome! Can't wait! :)

[Maria M]

second chapter is up if you'd like to see :P thanks again :)

[AK]

Wow! I think you have had a great start with this story! It is very well written (you seem like a seasoned writer) and your plot seems intriguing too. Keep writing!

[Maria M]

Hii AK,

I'm glad you like my beginning. At first I thought it would be too much to begin this novel with such a shocker or might I say a delicate subject. I'll be posting the second chapter soon! :)

Thanks again for taking the time to read and review :)

[AK]

Anytime :)
Do tell me when the next chapter arrives!

[Maria M]

Second chapter is up AK :)

[AK]

Okie dokie :)