We split up a month ago. Did you forget?
“Jack, remember that today is your last day living in my house?” Emily asked.
“Already? Really?”
“Yes, why are you surprised? We agreed that by 26th May you’d sort out your living arrangements, and until then, you could stay here.”
“Time just slipped by so quickly…”
Jack and Emily had divorced a month before, but he had nowhere to go. He hadn’t found a suitable place to live. Or maybe he wasn’t trying? That’s another question entirely.
“Don’t stall. Tomorrow, you’re moving out!”
“But where to?”
“I don’t know. That’s no longer my problem.”
Jack immediately jumped up from his chair.
“How come, Emily? We’re family.”
“We? We stopped being ‘we’ a month ago. Did you forget?”
“I’m telling you, time flies so fast.”
“Stop trying to distract me.”
In truth, Jack had no place to go. He’d lost touch with most of his friends over time. Some turned out not to be very nice people.
His relatives lived far away, and he certainly couldn’t ask acquaintances for a place to stay. So, what now? His one hope was to convince Emily otherwise.
While he could sleep at the station if need be, there was another reason he didn’t want to leave the apartment.
“You know, I was hoping until the very last moment.”
“For what?”
“That we might get back together.”
Emily burst into laughter, clearly wounding Jack.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Isn’t this whole thing amusing to you?”
“Not to me.”
“It is to me. Stop playing pretend and acting childish. We’re adults.”
“Exactly! That’s why I want to talk like adults. Emily, we divorced over silly reasons.”
His ex-wife raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Is constantly lying to someone ‘silly’ in your book?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“I get it.”
“No, wait! We acted rashly; it happens. Emily, we can start over. Please!”
Emily was shocked. She couldn’t tell if her ex-husband had gone mad or he really had nowhere else to go.
“I said stop messing with my head. Pack your things. Tomorrow, you’re leaving this flat.”
But Jack wouldn’t let it go. He kept insisting and coming up with new arguments. One was completely absurd!
“You don’t get it. I stayed loyal to you!”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Since our divorce, I haven’t been with anyone else.”
Emily buried her face in her hands. Jack was losing it.
“Why should I care? Honestly, I’m not interested in who you sleep with!”
“But it bothers me. I just can’t be with anyone but you, Emily. And being with you isn’t an option…because…”
Emily interrupted him.
“That’s enough. Stop.”
She collected her things and left for a walk, anything to get away from Jack.
She had planned the divorce for a long time. But she hesitated, feeling a bit sorry. They had been together for five years, and it was a tough decision to make.
However, her husband’s constant lies about work never let her be. He’d make up stories about getting promotions and working in a prestigious position when, in reality, he was still a basic manager with a salary of £20,000 a year. That was the last straw.
Why lie at all? It’s beyond her!
Emily thought about it all evening. She didn’t want to go home. So, she decided to stay at a friend’s house. Jack, of course, bombarded her phone with calls. But she wasn’t about to pick up or report to him.
“I don’t get it, Emily. What kind of Mother Teresa are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Jack. You’re at fault here. Now he doesn’t want to leave.”
“Yeah, I know I messed up. But I can’t just kick him out on the street…”
“But you’ll do it tomorrow anyway. Won’t you?”
“I will. Because I keep my word.”
“Do you regret it?”
“No, there’s nothing to regret. I’m not kicking out a child; I’m booting out a grown man who should handle his own life.”
The next day, Emily returned home but didn’t see Jack’s suitcase by the door.
“You’re still here?”
“Emily! Where were you?” Jack exclaimed.
“It doesn’t concern you.”
“Did you stay with a guy?”
“For the last time: it’s none of your business! Pack your things and leave!”
Jack started circling her.
“Emily, listen, I really can’t do this. I was worried about you!”
“Enough! Get out, I said.”
But Jack ignored her words, pretending he didn’t hear.
“I’m staying loyal to you, can’t you see?”
Emily realized this conversation was pointless and wouldn’t lead anywhere productive.
“You have five minutes, or I’ll call the police.”
Jack didn’t believe her, so Emily did exactly as she promised. He was tossed out with his belongings because he didn’t own any part of the property and wasn’t on the lease.
Thankfully, Emily inherited the place, sparing her from more trouble if they owned it together.
If things were different, Jack might never have left. He always had that irrefutable argument: he’s the faithful ex-husband.
