Brandon wore an expensive gray suit, and the watch on his wrist was one of the luxury Swiss models he had once dreamed of owning. Yet his face showed uncertainty because he was staring at me as if he were looking at a stranger. For the first time in ten years I was no longer the exhausted woman with messy hair and silent eyes that he remembered.
The judge cleared his throat and spoke firmly. “We will proceed with the signing of the divorce documents.”
My lawyer placed the paperwork in front of me, and I picked it up carefully because although the pages looked simple they represented ten years of shared life, ten years of sacrifices, and ten years of love that had once been genuine. I signed my name slowly at the bottom of the final page.
When I placed the pen down I felt an unexpected sense of lightness as if a heavy weight had suddenly lifted from my chest.
The judge then looked toward Brandon and said, “Mr. Parker, it is now your turn to sign.”
Brandon picked up the pen but did not write immediately. Instead he stared at my signature for several long seconds while the entire courtroom waited in silence.
Finally he lifted his head and looked directly at me.