Separate Vacations: Parallel Lives

"You mean like it was before the vacation? You not respecting him, cutting him out of your life and the lives of your chldren while you go away without him? I'm afraid you can't unring that bell, Mrs. Davis, and it may well be the death knell of your marriage. Did you really think he would remain the same after you walked out while he practically begged you to stay? You both have told me one of your intentions was to force him to grow a set of balls, and now you're not satisfied that he has. What exactly DO you want, Mrs. Davis?"

Tiffany finally lost it. "I WANT A MAN WHO'S MY EQUAL. A PROUD, SUCCESSFUL, CONFIDENT MAN, ONE THAT ISN'T INTERESTED IN MY MONEY."

Dr. Jones realized she had reached a crossroads. "So then, your declared objective is never allowing him access to anything you have. Why? Tell me, of all the married friends and business associates you know well, how many have an arrangement like the one you and your husband share? A lot? A little? My guess would be none."

She changed gears suddenly keeping Tiffany off balance. "Tell me about your parents. Did you have a good home life growing up? Did your father teach you about responsibility, while your mother taught you love?"

"My father was a flaming asshole, who left my mother when I was small, deeply in debt, after emptying the bank accounts."

"So then, so you think all men are like that. Is Bruce like that?"

"No, Bruce isn't like that. Then again, I'm never giving him a chance to touch what I've earned."

"Is that why you are so adamant that he pay the bills? Who are you punishing here, Bruce or your father?"

The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water, and she fainted. When she woke, though, she was more determined than ever to keep things as they were.

Martha Jones reviewed her notes after she left, frowning. This was going to end badly, no doubt in her mind. Her best hope was to get Mrs. Davis into long term counseling when it was over. Maybe it would save her next husband a world of grief.

...............

I sighed as I walked into Dr. Jones' office. This was the third and last one, thank God. The first two had been disasters. Tiffany couldn't see very much wrong with her behavior and attitude. She was upset that I was upset, she wanted me to come home and let her love me over my hurts.

"Tiffany honey, you're the hottest woman I've ever known. Honestly, I know I'll probably never find someone again of your caliber. I'll miss the loving, no doubt. But we can't live in bed, and still have to deal with real life. I loved you most of my adult life and it'll be a long time, if ever, before I stop loving you. But it's time to move on. I'll never be what you want me to be, and you'll never change. We'll never be as one. You'll maintain rigid control over your money, and there will always be a piece of you I'll never have. It's like you've always kept a pair of running shoes in your closet, next to the high heels, and you'll always be ready at a moment's notice to don them and take off. It might happen the next time I disappoint you, and don't live up to your expectations. Yes, I'm sure we'll be better, for a while, but sooner or later we'll go right back to the way we were. Let's stop the cycle now, try to move on. Let's raise our children to be happy, productive people at whatever they endeavor, able to deal with disappointment and struggle in their lives."

Dr. Jones joined the conversation. "Mrs. Davis, this is the last session. If I thought there was the slightest chance for a happy ending, I'd push the Judge for more sessions. But you two are so far apart on expectations now I have serious doubts any reconciliation would be short term. I'm going to recommend that the Judge let the divorce proceed. I know it hurts now, but down the road you'll see the it was the right decision. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you two, really. I can see the love in both of you, but it's just not enough any more."

Tiffany set a new high in lows with her rant, shreiking, and she actually foamed at the mouth once or twice. "You just had to try to own me, didn't you? Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you! Get your divorce, wallow in lonliness while I wallow in the throes of passion with a real man with an exceptionally large cock. Forget about the children, it'll be a cold day in hell before you see them again. I'm sure between me and Mom we can educate them in the ways of men. They will grow up to be strong independent women, beholden to no man. Forget about my money, I'll donate it all before I give you a cent. I think I'll sue you for child support. Go to hell, you bastard!"

She finally wound down, realized at least part of what she said, put her hand over her mouth and started sobbing. She'd hit me hard with her threats, and I stood. "I'm sorry, Dr. Jones. I know half the session is left, but I think you'll agree we're done here. I thought this would be a monumental waste of time, but I learned a few things about myself, Tiffany, and the state of my marriage. Unpleasant things, on the whole. Thank you, sincerely."

I walked out while Tiffany sobbed, and Dr. Jones called out to me. Three days later I got the court date.

..............

Tiffany didn't respond nearly as well to the therapy as I hoped. She went to defcon 4, a totally nuclear attack that surprised almost everyone.

"This is absolute bullshit, but it will help us in the long run. Child support, maintenance, what are those fossils thinking? I can't believe Matt went along with this. He has to know what a huge can of worms it will allow us to open." Lew looked at me hard. "Bruce, I want you to swear to me if we start this you'll stay the course. Seriously, if you think there's any way you guys may reconcile, we can stop now. If not, It's all out war. They're dumb enough to walk into this with their eyes closed. I'm going to really enjoy opening them to the real world."

"I'm serious. Make if public, make it hurtful, and make it expensive. She should have never gotten the restraining order keeping me away from my kids."

I was beyond furious when I was served. I never though Tiffany would try to poison my relationship with the girls. I strongly suspected Marge talked her into it while she was in a weakened emotional state. Lew assured me he would get it rescinded, but it would take time.

Lew, with Matt backing him, made one more try to head things off before it got to the really ugly stage. "Let it go, Tiffany. It's too far gone, too much hurt has been spread, for either of you to go back. Give him a decent settlement, write him off, and get on with your life."

She looked at him like he'd grown two heads. "You're my fucking lawyer, remember? Do your best, and I expect good things."

He just sighed and hung his head. Lew gave it a try.

"Please, Mrs. Davis, I'm begging you here. If we go to court, it all becomes a matter of public record. Years from now, your children may read the transcripts, and realize how hard it was on you both. Let's let everybody retain their dignity." The rant she went on was epic.

The action lasted four days, got national coverage, and made us both look pathetic. After the second day, a cartoonist came out with a panel that ended up in the New Yorker, after it was over, attached to a detailed article. The cartoon was a caricature of both, me as a mouse with a lion's head, her as what I think was supposed to be an eagle, with huge claws and an exagerated beak. The cation read "SUPERWIMP VS ALPHA WITCH, THE MOUSE ROARS!." When it was almost over, and the disclosure about vehicles had been made, they showed a picture of her house, the garage bays open, all her vehicles gleaming, side by side with my old dirty Volkswagen in the parking lot of the apartment building. Public opinion was definitely in my favor.

It was a cool December morning when we walked into the courtroom for the last time. Lew almost did cartwheels when he saw who was sitting on the bench. Katherine Holden had been involved in a car crash and was out on medical leave and sitting on the bench was a man, Judge Herman Herring. Normally a criminal court judge, he had presided over some of the most intensive cases in Florida history. He traveled almost exclusively with his baliff/bodygard, a huge black man who was also an excon, and totally devoted to the Judge. We found out later that he did it as a favor for Katherine, and she had to do some pretty interesting things to make it up to him.

"He's known as the 'Hanging Judge', but I've never met a more principled man. He's also still smarting over his own divorce, three years later. She really tried to do a number on him, but the legal profession closed ranks on him, exposing her lover as a mid level drug dealer, and implicating her in his business. She walked away with a third of what she was expecting, and spent most of that on legal fees. She left town broke, and rumor has it she's chosen the world's oldest profession to pay her rent."

The Judge called us to order, and looked out at the packed courtroom. Lew had judiciously spread rumors that this may be a landmark case, an almost destitute husband divorcing his rich wife and seeking a fair division of assets. There were a lot of reporters, and many from the legal field, aware of the blood feud between Lew and Martin, Devon, Bailey, and Bartley. I was surprised to see Bill Miatland's exwife in attendance. I wondered if she was getting pointers for her next husband.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it occurs to me there is quite a bit of interest in this case. I want no outbursts, no comments, and no disturbances. This is a simple divorce case like thousands of others that are happening in this country as we speak. Now, opening statements."

Matt Henry tried his best, but he had a dog of a case. It all started coming apart when Lew called Tiffany to the stand. He looked at her after she settled in, with real sympathy in his eyes. "Mrs. Davis, do you agree with the estimation of your net worth?"

"Yes." The word was said flatly, with no emotion. I knew it was going to be hard for her to control that hot temper of hers, and it wouldn't take Lew long to trigger it off.

"Do you agree with the estimation of your husband's net worth?" She nodded.

"Then why are you fighting so hard to deny him his fair due? He was married to you for eight years. Tell me, even with the large difference in your incomes, who made the house payments?"

"Bruce did. But I made the downpayment."

"Noted. Who paid the power, the cable, those sort of things?"

"He did."

'Why?"

For the first time she looked defiant. "Because it was his responsibility as the husband."

"So then. You made eight times his salary a year on average. What were your responsibilites in the mariage. What did you do with your money?"

"I took care of my girls, paid the school fees, and any other incidentals that arose."

"Did that include vacations?"

Tiffany knew where this was going, and knew there was nothing she could do to stop it. Matt jumped to his feet, objecting, but the Judge overruled him. "It's a fair question, Mr. Henry. Accounting for the money is a large part of the process in proceedings such as this. Continue, Mr. Walters"

"Do you understand what started this whole thing?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to elaborate?"

"No."

"Well then, let me explain, from my client's viewpoint. You ambushed him with the announcement that you were taking the family on vacation, to Hawaii, for a month, and he was not included unless he could pay his own way, and could arrange the time off with almost no notice. Isn't it true you told him you were deliberately leaving him out, to quote 'teach him a lesson' unquote, and that you may or may not have an affair while you were gone?"

"It wasn't like that at all!"

"Please, then, Mrs. Daivs, enlighten us. What actually did occur between you and your husband?"

"I knew it was cruel, but I needed to teach him a lesson. He wasn't holding up his end of the marriage, working a dead end job while chasing a ridiculous dream. This was supposed to be a wake up call, to motivate him."

"Well, that didn't go as planned, now did it? You barely communicated with him while you were gone, repeatedly denied him the chance to talk to his children. It was only the threat of divorce that forced you into action. Yes, you sent him a ticket, business class, while the rest of the family had traveled first class, again knowing he couldn't get the time off from work. You asked him what it would take to heal the growing rift between the two of you, and he asked, no begged, you to come home so you could work on your marriage. Did you come?"

"No." It was more sullen now, but I could see she was bubbling. it wouldn't be long now before she snapped, if Lew kept pushing.

"I'm going to ask you why, a little later. Going back to the threat of having an affair, did you mean it?"

"No! Despite our troubles, I loved my husband."

"So, the whole month you were gone, the parties, the clubs, the beach, you never did anything that would be inappropriate?"

She hesitated, and in a quiet voice admitted she'd done a lot of flirting.

"That was it, just flirting? Well, I can understand that. You were, after all, an unaccompanied beautiful woman in a tropical paradise. Your Honor, my client feared for her fidelity, and had her observed during the vacation. May I share a few photos that may shed some light on her activities while she was on the island partying, while her husband was home, working?"

Matt was up in an instant. "Your Honor! What is he doing? Those pictures were taken illegally, they cannot be allowed to be shown."

"Your honor, no laws were broken. The photos were taken while the subjects were on public property, as were the photographers. There is no right to privacy on public grounds, at least none in Hawaii. These are vital to our case your honor. Additionally, her counsel knew about the photos. We had decided not to bring them into evidence unless we had to. With Mrs. Davis being so evasive, I think it best if they're allowed."

Judge Herring thought for a minute. "All right, I'll allow the photos, but not in open court. We will adjourn to my chambers, for fifteen minutes. That be enough time, Counselor?"

"No, your honor, but we'll take it."

Matt, Lew, Tiffany and I followed the Judge, Tiffany looking like she would faint any minute.

"Well?" Lew handed him a set of 8 X 10 glossies, each more damning than the last. He would not let me see them, and I now understood why. The first was of my family at the beach, the kids playing in the sand while Tiff and Stephen sat in loungers, holding hands. It was a scene of domestic bliss, and the smile on her face was radient. The next was of her and him in the ocean, on a surfboard, waiting for a wave. Her top had either become undone or she removed it, and his hands were cupping the small breasts I had loved for so long as she leaned into him. The next was of them in a darkened club, dancing, wrapped around each other, both of his hands planted firmly on her ass as she snuggled to him. Her dress, what there was of it, was hiked until the bottom of her firm butt was showing, I wanted to hit something, really, really bad. I had to get out, now!

Lew nodded and I bolted, finding myself outside and heaving. I heard the faint echo of her scream as I hurled breakfast on to the sidewalk. Lew gave me a few minutes, and came out with a bottle of cold water. I rinsed my mouth a couple of times before chugging the remainder.

"All right now?"

"No, but I'm calm enough to come back in."

I walked right by her without a glance and resumed my seat.

Lew looked at her with real sadness. "Are you ready to resume?"

She nodded, barely. "Still maintain nothing was out of line?"

"I made mistakes, all right? I was angry and confused and let my guard down. But I never, not once, had sex with anybody while I was there."

"Would you had forgiven him if it was him in the picture with a large chested blond?"

Her eyes flew wide and her anger showed, but she calmed herself. "I honestly don't know, but I'd like to think I would, IF he didn't have sex with her."

"I believe you, Mrs. Davis. Let's go away from the vacation for a minute. What kind of cars do you own?"

"Why is that relevant?"

"Your honor?"

"Answer the question, Mrs. Davis."

" I own a Lexus sedan, a Range Rover, and another luxury SUV for family outings."

How old are they?"

"The Lexus I just bought six months ago, the other two are less than three years old."

"Do you drive anything else?"

"I have a company car, a Land Cruiser."

"Which car does your husband drive?"

"None of them. He has his own car."

"Oh, that's right. He owns a twelve year old Volkswagen, with a hundred and fifty thousand miles on it. Which one does he drive when his is down?"

"None of them. They're mine."

"So when your husbands' vehicle is out of commission, and with three more cars in the driveway, he has to find alternative transportation. Why?"

"Because they're MY cars. If he would get a better job, he could afford a better car."

"Let me distill this down to the basics. What you own is yours exclusively. What money you acquire is yours and never shared, yet he pays living expenses while you bank and invest yours. Am I right?"

"Yes, but..."

"That's all I have at this time your honor. Thank you, Mrs. Davis."

Then it was my turn. Though he sometimes had a look of distaste on his face, Matt savaged me on the stand, asking questions designed to get only one answer. Lew stayed on him, getting more 'overruled' than 'sustained'.

At the summation. Matt painted me as a gold digger waiting for the right opportunity to financially destroy my wife. It sounded a little weak, even to me.

Lew was eloquent and sympathetic to both of us. In the end, though, it was evident that I had a pretty good chance of coming out financially secure, divorce in hand.

"Your Honor, if it had been a woman in this instance, the conclusion would have been foregone before an hour of testimony. She's the breadwinner, and he gave her many good years, never complained about the inordinate difference in their income, paid most of the living expenses while she banked her money. He was the primary care giver to his children, as she often worked erratic hours. He always rearranged his schedule to accomodate her. Please, your honor, give him what's right and what's fair. And remember, this was never about the money, but he deserves a just settlement."

The Judge adjourned court for two hours to consider the case. It was seven at night by the time we all returned. The gallery was packed so badly it was standing room only.

The judge had us stand before him. "Mr. and Mrs. Davis, it's plain that you still love each other. In this case though, I don't believe the rift can be healed. Therefore I will be granting the divorce. Pursuant to the laws of Florida, I award the husband two million dollars, the Range Rover, and sixty-eight hundred a month for a period of three years or until he remarries, should it occur in less than the stated time constraint. Again, you will note that this is fair and in accordance to the laws of this state. Mrs. Davis, you will make arrangements to disburse the settlement to his account within the next thirty days, and surrender the vehicle to him immediately. The first maintenance check will be received one month from today.

Please, Mrs. Davis, be reasonable about this. I would be very displeased if I see you here in a month, for refusing to follow my ruling. And Mr. Davis, use the years wisely, and plan for your future. Court dismissed."

Tiffany fainted and the Judge called for an EMT. He advised Lew and I to be gone before she awoke, so we left.

...............

The case made the front pages of every paper in Florida, the New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times and the Chicago Times/Sun, most of all the rest of the major papers across the country, and The Wall Street Journal. The echoing banner was, "Welcome To The Twenty-First Century, Family Law". Most of the papers carried a description of our divorce and the underlying reasons. Somehow, some of the photos were leaked, and Mort's firm ended up with egg on their faces. My favorite was of the last party, a photo showing two couples, not married to each other, in obvious lust. You could just make out a woman on her knees in a dark corner, red high heels sticking out in the light. Marge had always favored red. Tiffany's bosses and the law partners were not happy with the exposure, but they didn't have a leg to stand on. I was willing to bet that company vacations would fall out of favor for quite a while. Rumor had it three more divorces besides ours were directly related to the vacation, and the law firm had to shell out a bundle to keep things quiet.