The Divorce|Short Story 3
The Divorce | Short Story 3
“I have never seen a more weird couple ever in my life…” thought Jacob Stoker. “And here they come again and now for the final time.”
Jacob, a judge preceding over divorces, never felt more useless when dealing with this particular couple. His task was very simple. This was a no-fault divorce. The grounds were lack of affection and distance. He was confounded because the couple never showed that there was no affection. Jacob had given judgement to several divorce cases but this was one he will always remember. The couple did not get any lawyer because there was no splitting of assets. There was no custody battle because they were not going to live separately. They will stay together till Samantha (14) and Jaden (17) leave for college and they get on their own.
James Laurent and Sophia Marsden have been married for 5 years. They had been dating since the last 20. According to the couple they had reached a precipice in their marriage. The biggest problem was that they had become such good friends that the romance had fizzled out. Jacob couldn’t believe it at first. He tried to probe and question and acted counsellor to the couple and found that James held Sophia in high regard. He was very respectful of her. It was as if she was some benevolent queen of someplace. Jacob noticed that James’ respect was not completely out of place. She was a highly learned woman with a very calm yet authoritative demeanour.
…..
Sophia, in turn, reciprocated the same. This was not a couple entering a divorce agreement; it was one that had come to start a new journey in their life. This divorce felt more like a marriage to Jacob. The couple’s explanation for such an event was this that it was not due to differences but acceptance of those differences that lead to their “holy separation.” They did start having arguments and quarrels but over time they came to a conscious realization that this was counter-productive. It was obvious that due to the distance that had built up later there was bound to be some resentment. They both were expecting things from each other that neither was able to provide and agreed that this was the classic example of how people change. They loved each other throughout their metamorphosis into what they are today. But this has stopped now.
The argument was that if they fight and end on a bad note now, it would be an insult to the memory of those twenty years. They had differences, “but who doesn’t?” said James. “I have accepted these changes in James but now I no longer want that in my life and he’s made me realized that I have changed too. Gosh, we are completely someone else now.”
“And then there are the kids. We also agree that they should never have to suffer for this.”
Jacob, as astonished as he was, quickly approved what was to be approved. “So what now?” he asked.
“Nothing, it is my turn to cook today,” said Sophia.
by Anant Pillai
The Divorce | Short Story 3
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