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No worries—I was ready!
I pulled out a detailed asset list, going over every cent, then handed him paper and pen to write an IOU, promising to repay within a year.
He exploded." Money-crazy, huh? Where am I getting tens of thousands in a year?"
"That's your problem, not mine."
I walked ahead with the documents. He hung back outside for a moment before shuffling forward, his head bowed.
He stalled, dragging his feet, then dropped to his knees, shameless.
"Wife, let's not get a divorce, okay? I'm sorry.I'll listen to you from now on!"
He kept glancing at the door, anxious, until my parents appeared, relief washing over him.
I hadn't expected him to tell them.
"Mom, Dad, how're you here?"
My mom, eyes red, demanded," You're divorcing and hid it? Do you even see us as your parents?"
My dad stayed silent, sighing heavily.
Robert, thinking he had backup, got cocky.
"Mom, Dad, you see, your daughter's hell-bent on divorce.I've knelt, but she's stubborn. Abandoning her husband and son—so heartless, tossing aside thirteen years of love."
"She ran off, left our son with my parents, living it up alone. Is that what a wife, a mother, does?"
"She knows I'm broke but still fights me for assets, forcing me to sign IOUs. You need to discipline her—scold her, hit her if you must, or she'll forget her place!"
My parents, small-town public servants, held traditional views—marriage was for life," divorce" wasn't in their vocabulary. That's why I hadn't told them.
My mom asked why I wanted a divorce.
Robert jumped in, saying it was over the insurance.
My dad asked," Just one year missed?"
Robert mumbled, dodging.
I sneered."Mom, in thirteen years, not once. My in-laws and he said it's unnecessary—I don't need it."
He scratched his head, lying, The village messed up. We've always paid."
He lied so easily. I shut him down." No! I asked the chief—thirteen years, nothing."
"Even if it's thirteen years, that's only $500-$600. You're divorcing over that?"
Before I could reply, he sobbed to my parents about how hard he worked, accusing me of neglecting the family, always picking fights.
He knew parents encourage reconciliation rather than separation, so he didn't hesitate to distort the truth.
I watched him coldly, in no rush to defend myself.
Let him act his heart out.
As he rambled on, his parents arrived with our son, who had just come from school.
When they saw my parents, they joined in, scolding me.
Our son, in tears, clung to me, begging me to come home.
The courthouse staff, seeing the scene, urged me to hold off, to think it over.
Robert grabbed my documents to pocket them, but I snatched them back.
Seeing our son's tears, my mom sighed."For the kid, maybe don't divorce. It's$50—we'll pay your insurance."
My mother-in-law, saying it wasn't needed, grinned like a flower.
My father-in-law added," Insurance doesn't matter much!"
My dad shot him a look." No matter? Then why's your whole family covered? What if my daughter gets sick..."
My in-laws chimed in together, " If she's sick, you're there, right?"
That line turned my parents'faces pale with rage.
