Something to Think About

Transcript

I can't believe the audacity of him. To sit there and just lie in open court like that, what is that? My stomach dropped out from under me when he started talking about all of the things that I had supposedly done.

How is it he cheated on me, and he's sitting there telling a judge that I'm the one that stepped out on him? How's that work? What is that? That's crap.

Sorry. Sorry. I'm just really frustrated right now.

This is not okay. You're right. You're right.

The judge did see right through him, and we won. That's what I need to focus on. I know.

It's just really hard to sit there and listen to him try to completely destroy my reputation, my name, the way people think about me. Anyway, I did win. I won everything I was asking for, and the judge very clearly thought he was full of crap, so it's a victory.

It's a victory. I will remember that. I just have to let go of the garbage that he said.

Thank you, by the way. I don't know throughout this whole thing if I've even said that once, and I should, because part of the reason that I won is because I had such a great lawyer. Well, yeah, I know it's your job, but you're really freaking good at it, so thank you.

I may be out of line here, but I hope it's not ten years before I see you again like it was last time. Yeah, I mean it. We were really close in high school and just growing up, and then all of a sudden you disappeared.

And I didn't want to say anything while we were in the middle of the case and focusing on that, but now that it's over and you're technically not my lawyer anymore, or won't be once everything's signed, I just, I don't know, I missed you. I honestly didn't think you would take my case when I called, and I should have called sooner. I should have reached out at some point, but I was.

I was hurt by the way that you left. I didn't understand, and I didn't know what was going on, and you went away to school, and so did I, and I guess proximity had a lot to do with it, huh? Being on opposite sides of the country doesn't really help.

Mm-hmm. Wait, what do you mean it's not the only reason? Okay, I mean, I knew something was up, because distance isn't really an issue with the internet and such, but I was dating him at the time.

Hindsight's 20-20, right? What do you mean he was the reason you didn't want to keep in touch? That's just silly.

Sorry, I know, but I don't understand. No, I want to understand. I want to know what that means.

I mean, he was never anybody's favorite person, which should have been my first clue, but to completely lose touch over it, that doesn't make any sense. What do you mean it does if I think about it? I've been thinking about it.

Not that, but, wow, I am really thick, aren't I? Um, I may be way out in left field here, but was it him, or was it the fact that I was with somebody that wasn't you? Okay, counselor, for someone who spends their day stone-faced in a courtroom, you're not really hiding anything in your facial expression right now.

No, I can see it. That's what it was, wasn't it? Wow.

Okay. Why didn't you say anything? I mean, yeah, I thought he was everything and I was going away to school and gonna become a vet and do all the things that, honestly, I've done now, and I would have listened.

If you had said something to me, I would have listened. Now on the other side of a divorce, kinda wishing you had. I mean, sorry, that's not what I mean.

I mean, things could have been different. Again, hindsight's 20-20. I have really liked getting closer with you over the past year.

I'd even go so far as to say you feel like a friend again, which is nice. Friends isn't what you're thinking about, is it? You really need to work on that face.

It's giving you away. It's pretty clear what you're thinking. Okay.

No, no. It's not inappropriate. I brought it up.

So, no, don't worry about that. But I just got out of a really, really bad marriage. And the things that I went through with him, I'm not ready to think about anybody else in that context.

He put me through the ringer. He cheated. He was what I realize now is completely narcissistic.

He never actually gave a crap about me or anything that wasn't directly to do with what I could do for him. I'm just not ready to even think about trusting somebody like that again. Okay? It's been a year since we split.

And it's been a long year of court and all this legal crap that I don't even pretend to understand. I work with animals, not this. It's just not long enough.

Please tell me you understand that. You do? She was? Okay.

I can't believe this hasn't come up before now. But how long have you been divorced? Three years.

Okay. That's how you knew exactly what to do to get through to the judge, isn't it? I mean, you're good at what you do, but it's all kind of coming together now.

Some of the things that you said and some of the things that you put in the paperwork. Your ex was similar to mine, wasn't she? Well, that's good that you can spot a narcissist a mile away.

Must help with your cases. It is awful. It is awful.

It's terrible. You really do understand that, don't you? I mean, I'm sorry that you've gone through that because nobody ever should.

But your face is giving you away again. You get it. Completely.

And I really hope that you understand where I'm coming from. Please tell me you do. Okay.

I think that's a great idea. Being friends. Not losing touch again.

I'm pretty sure that's what started this whole conversation. Let's remember that. If it turns into something over time, fine.

If it doesn't, are you okay with that? I don't want to go into a friendship with the pressure for more, knowing that that's what you're waiting for. That's not fair.

That's not fair to either of us. Okay. Alright.

Well, I've been sufficiently emotionally wrung out today, so I'm going to go home and bury myself in a bathtub with a book and probably an entire bottle of wine. Even though I don't really drink, I think that's a great idea right now. And I'll see you next week, okay? Hey.

Do you believe everything happens for a reason? You do? Me too.

I also believe that things happen when they're meant to happen. I don't like reconnecting with someone who was important after all this time. No, it's just, um.

.. It's just something to think about. I'll see you next week, okay?