The Divorce Papers: A Novel

The Divorce Papers: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

Book: The Divorce Papers: A Novel Read Online Free PDF
Author: Susan Rieger
Tags: Fiction, Literary, Humorous, Contemporary Women
Daniel’s a dogged one. Very competitive,
    287  needless to say. He won’t fight me for custody—if that’s where
    288  you’regoing. He doesn’t have time, and he thinks, I think, I’m
    289  a pretty good mom, or at least a devoted one. Since she was
    290  born, I’ve loved her more than anyone else. [Pause] Well, that
    291  says it all, doesn’t it. Well, maybe not all. In some way, it’s
    292  been self-protective. Daniel has always needed “his children,”
    293  those terribly sick and dying children, more than he needed
    294  me or Jane. [Pause] But I’m not being fair. He adores Jane. He
    295  calls us, or used to call us, the Three Musketeers. If we were
    296  going somewhere, out to dinner or maybe a movie, the two
    297  of them would go through this silly ceremony of departure,
    298  a kind of Monty Python changing of the guard. I was the
    299  audience. It started when Jane was about 3. He’d stand at
    300  the side door and shout out, “Musketeers on the forecastle.”
    301  Hearing those words, from wherever she was, Jane would fling
    302  herself down the stairs to join him. When she got there, he’d
    303  hold out his right hand and say, with a very solemn face, “All
    304  for one.” Jane would high-five him and answer with an equally
    305  solemn face, “And one for all.” Then he’d scoop her up, throw
    306  her over his shoulder, and carry her out to the car. Jane was
    307  in heaven in those moments; I think he was too. [Pause] The
    308  Musketeers have disbanded.
    309  Q. Was your husband’s decision to start divorce proceedings
    310  a surprise to you?
    311  A. No. Yes. He told me on January 3rd, three days into
    312  the New Year, that he wanted a divorce. It threw me into
    313  a tailspin. I thought we’d live unhappily ever after. I never
    314  thought he’d go through with a second divorce. I asked him
    315  if there was another woman. He said no but I don’t believe
    316  him. I know his modus operandi, after all. I think he’s been
    317  messing around with Dr. Stephanie Roth, a dermatologist
    318  with a private practice in New York. They were in med school
    319  together, and they’ve been intermittently in touch since.
    320  She’s apparently
the
person to see for wrinkles in the City.
    321  Her bread and butter is rejuvenating work, Botox, dermal
    322  abrasions, and the like. She had a write-up once in
Harper’s
    323  
Bazaar
. Her face looks like it’s been ironed. [Pause] Do you
    324  remember that scene in
A Man for All Seasons
, when More
    325  confronts Richard Rich for betraying him in exchange for
    326  being made Chancellor of Wales? More says to him, “I can
    327  understand a man giving up his soul for the world, Richard,
    328  but for Wales?” That’s how I feel. I can understand Daniel
    329  leaving me, but for Stephanie Roth?
    330  Q. You seem very composed now.
    331  A. Xanax. I took 3 mg. before I came. I’ve been seeing an
    332  analyst from Northeastern Psychoanalytic, for 6 years. Isabel
    333  Stokes. Over the years, she’s prescribed for me a variety of
    334  antidepressants. Right now I’m on Wellbutrin. I’ve been
    335  depressed since I was 10. I’m a pretty high-functioning
    336  depressive, but a depressive nonetheless. Daniel hates it; he
    337  takes it personally. I can’t blame him altogether. Depressives
    338  are downers. Dr. Stokes gave me Xanax back in January. I
    339  was so anxious, I couldn’t read, I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t
    340  eat. I took it pretty regularly in January and February, but
    341  now I only take it when I think an occasion calls for it. Like
    342  this. When I was given the summons at Golightly’s, I almost
    343  passed out. Since then, I never travel without the Xanax. I
    344  still haven’t gotten over it. I can’t believe Daniel would have
    345  agreed to that, but maybe I’m
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