Chapter 5 - DIVORCE

Sarah had no clue where she was going and knew that there would be hell to pay when she got back-Lorenzo liked to keep her in a little box labeled 'his wife,' to be brought out only for social occasions when he needed someone to act as his perfect hostess.

Any sign of mutiny from her was bound to have unpleasant and unforeseen consequences.

Still, it felt good just to do something so defiantly out of character. Her cellular phone started ringing seconds later and when she stopped at a red light she switched it off and tossed her wedding ring, she didn't need it anymore.

But It was still early, barely nine, and because it was Saturday, the roads were a bit congested. Still, she felt free and she headed from the relative tranquility of New York, one of the wealthiest and most beautiful cities in the united states, toward the city.

Usually he would go to Brooklyn and spend the day with Luke and Elisa but she knew that it was the first place Lorenzo would look.

Lorenzo knew how limited her social life was. Sarah had never made friends easily, her father had kept her isolated throughout her childhood, and her only real friend growing up had been her cousin Elsia Her family had founded one of the first banks in the country in the 1800s and had always been leaders in the rarefied reaches of society.

Her father maintained that someone of Sarah's "breeding and background" shouldn't be allowed to mingle with just anybody, which had left Sarah's options for companionship severely limited.

She had grown up playing by herself, with Elsia, or-when her father wasn't around to see-with the housekeeper's children.

The loneliness and isolation had carried over into her adulthood and even now, she spent most of her free time with Luke and Elsia or learning new recipes from Monica, her housekeeper.

She spent more time chatting with Monica than she did speaking with Lorenzo. The loneliness was a cycle that Sarah didn't know how to break.

After driving for several miles, she saw a likely sign, finding a parking space within easy walking distance, not that she objected to exercise.

It was just that her knees felt strangely weak... Perhaps anyone going into the battle of their lives experienced the same sensation.

Upon entering the foyer of the office, she walked up to the desk where a motherly looking woman sat, a headset clamped to her white hair.

"May I help you?"

The woman's eyes were anything but motherly, summing Sarah up in a quick glance.

"This is a divorce lawyer's office?"

The 'd' word tasted foul on Sarah tongue, but she spat it out. "Divorce and family law.

"I'm only interested in the former." She amazed herself with how crisp and confident she sounded Determined. Head tilting to the side, the speculative glint increased in the other woman's eyes.

"Mr. Harper is in his office, pls follow me.."

The lawyer rose to a crouch behind his desk when she entered his office, and the receptionist shut the door firmly behind her. He offered his hand.

"I'm Micheal Malik. Nice to see you again, Sarah." he said smiling.

Micheal and Sarah had been good friends in university and the familiarity calmed him a bit.

"I'm here to get a divorce."Sarah said.

Micheal blinked. "I see, straight to business, Sarah." He said, chuckling.

Sarah smiled sheepishly.

"As soon as possible," she added, and Micheal nodded understandingly. Pulling a legal pad toward Sarah, he asked for identifying information, jotting it down.

"May I ask what grounds you are basing your request upon?"

"Irreconcilable differences."

Sarah heard that on a legal show and knew it applied.

"I see."

Micheal paused, then asked delicately,

"Was there ... abuse involved?"

"What? Abuse? Oh, no. Nothing like that."

Lorenzo never raised a hand to her and how did one describe callous neglect? Though she supposed Lorenzo's words were abusive, they were used like weapons. But that didn't matter anymore, being in the past.

"I ... we simply don't get along, have nothing in common."

"Any children?"

"No."

Sarah swallowed. "No."

"What have you considered for financial support? I know your husband's name. He's a wealthy man. We should work out alimony per month or as a lump sum-"

"I don't want anything."

Sarah didn't need it.

Didn't want anything from Lorenzo aside from the one thing he'd never give her. The stress of not thinking about Lorenzo all day, rose up and smacked her in the face.

"Sarah?"

Micheal got up and rushed around her desk when she put her hand over her mouth, willing her stomach not to revolt.