Chapter 4My Husband Tried to Leave Me with Nothing But Our Son Had Other Plans

We submitted the divorce application.

Next came the mandatory one-month cooling-off period.

As we left the courthouse, Mark pulled up to the curb and called out to us. "Let me give you a ride home."

I was about to refuse, but Alex darted forward and yanked open the car door. "Come on, Mom. I'm dying out here."

I had no choice but to get in.

We sat in the back, while Nicole occupied her new place in the passenger seat. She tugged on Mark's arm, her voice dripping with sugar. "Honey, where should we go to celebrate later?"

Alex leaned forward between the front seats. "Hey, Nicole, you guys should go to Giovanni's. Dad loves that place. He used to take Mom and me there anytime we had something to celebrate."

In the rearview mirror, I saw Nicole's face fall. It wasn't very charitable of me, but I felt a small, sharp thrill of satisfaction.

Alex leaned back, but he wasn't done. "So, Mom, where should we go for our trip? Maybe not the beach. How about New Orleans? They say it's the place to go for a whirlwind romance. Who knows, maybe I can find myself a new dad."

Mark's expression soured. "You're planning a trip?" he asked, his eyes finding mine in the mirror.

"Yes," I said, not wanting to talk to him. I turned to look out the window.

"A change of scenery would probably do you good," he said, as if to himself. "But New Orleans is overrated. You should go to the Florida Keys. I have a friend who just opened a hotel in Islamorada."

Alex popped his head forward again. "Seriously, Dad? Think he'd give us a friends-and-family rate? With our resemblance, your buddy would probably recognize me on sight, right?"

Mark actually smiled, taking a hand off the wheel to ruffle Alex's hair. "You're my son. Of course, it's not a problem."

The two of them shared a warm father-son moment, completely oblivious to Nicole, whose face was now as dark as a thundercloud.