That night, Stella couldn’t sleep. She spent the night packing some of her clothes into an old duffel bag. She wouldn’t take any possessions if that’s what Gabe wanted. But she would go to the courthouse tomorrow with her head held high. She would face Gabe. She would show him that while he could divorce her, he couldn’t destroy her spirit.
Tomorrow was the decisive day. Stella zipped up her old bag. She had no money to take a taxi to the courthouse because Gabe had blocked her access to their joint savings account. The only car had already been taken by Gabe a week ago. I’ll take the CTA bus, she murmured softly. It’s okay. I was used to walking and taking public transit music before Gabe became successful.
Outside, the night wind blew hard, as if signaling the life storm she would face the next day. Stella closed her eyes, praying in her heart for God to give her the strength to get through that difficult day. Unbeknownst to her, God had already prepared a different scenario. A scenario that neither Stella nor Gabe could have ever imagined. A simple encounter the next morning that would change everything.
The morning sun wasn’t yet high in the sky, but its rays already felt scorching on Stella’s skin. Today was the day she dreaded most, but one she had to face, like it or not. Stella stood in front of the old mirror in her bedroom, adjusting a simple cream colored scarf that had faded slightly from being washed, so music many times. It was the scarf Gabe had given her 5 years ago when he received his first paycheck as a parallegal. Back then, Gabe had given it to her with a look full of love. But now, the item was just a silent witness to the drastic turn in Stella’s fate.
She chose a modest long dress with a small floral pattern. She wore no jewelry. Her wedding ring had been taken off and placed in the dresser drawer the night before. It felt too heavy to wear that symbol of a sacred union when that bond was about to be forcibly severed by law that day. She tried to cover her swollen face with a little powder, though the dark circles from crying all night couldn’t be completely hidden.
Stella left the tracked house that had been her castle until now. She closed the door carefully. The key to this house might soon have to be handed over to Gabe, according to her husband’s threat yesterday. Just take your clothes. Everything else is mine. Those words echoed again, making Stella’s stomach ache.
As her feet stepped past the gate, Stella saw a few neighbors gathered by their mailboxes, not far from her house. Stella tried to lower her head, hoping to pass without drawing attention, but that hope was in vain. Hey, there’s Stella,” one of the women whispered, just loud enough to be heard, all dressed up so early. “Where could she be going? They say she’s going to her divorce hearing,” another neighbor said with an obvious gossipy tone. “Poor thing, and her husband is such a successful lawyer. His cars are always new, and his wife has to walk to the courthouse.”
I wonder if Stella did something wrong to get divorced like this. Could be. Rich people usually look for someone on their level. Maybe Stella didn’t take care of herself. That’s why her husband found someone prettier.
Leave a Comment