Free Interference by Maddy Roman

was ready to face the world. Well, not really, but I tried to put on a good face.
    "Good to have you back, are you ready?" said my boss as he poked his head in my door.
    "Yes sir," I forced a smile.
    "We'll schedule those dinners as soon as we can. I'll have my secretary call yours," he said. Was he leering or was I imagining it? I couldn't tell. Either way I liked him less every day.
    As soon as he left I opened the drawer and looked for my antacids.
    The day dragged on, I had piles of papers to read. Research to do for rulings that I needed to make. Finally, it was over and I was headed to my car. Turning the key in the ignition I was reminded of Daire's last visit, and a wave of sadness engulfed me. I knew it was right to set out on my own, not to depend on an undependable-superstar-hockey-god. Even if he said he wanted me around. But still I missed him. I reached up and pulled the chain from under my blouse and fingered the gold circlet he had left on my dresser. Wearing his ring made me feel better, but I didn't want to think about why.
    My apartment was cold and dark when I got there, the emptiness didn't seem as welcoming as it had once upon a time. I tossed off my shoes and headed for my room and a hot bath to wash away the day.
    The week proceeded that way, each day running into the next: work, home, bath, rinse and repeat. Literally.
    On Friday I slipped out of work early to do a few errands, and got home as the mail was being delivered. A big yellow envelope arrived, there was no return address. Inside were our divorce papers. Signed by Daire.
    I sat down hard on the sofa and held them in my hands. I had been waiting, and asking, for so long that I could hardly believe they were here.
    Having them wasn't nearly the party I had expected. They made me sad. Why did divorce papers make me sad, and my work give me indigestion. Why had being home in Bloom been so much fun? The world was upside down and taking me with it.
    Quickly I sealed the envelope back up and set it with my purse so I could take it in to the courthouse the next day. Oh, wait, Friday. Right. On Monday I'll take it …
    My cellphone chirped and according to the display it was Ally.
    "Hey," she said, "you coming tonight?"
    "Oh, God, I totally forgot."
    "How could you forget surveillance in a camper van? I mean c'mon it's not something you do every day, right?"
    "No, no it's not. But Daire and I didn't part on good terms, well you know that," I paused, "he signed the papers, I'm holding them right now."
    There was a long silence and finally she said, "And?"
    "And I don't know. It's making me sad."
    "Come back, the least you can do is help catch the asshole that's making Daire's life hell. Right? I mean, he did you a favor.…"
    "It wasn't actually a favor, signing those."
    "Whatever, c'mon, you'll be hanging with us, not with him. We can watch the game in the camper and when it's over we'll watch the parking lot."
    "How are we going to chase a motorcycle in a camper?"
    "This thing moves, you'd be surprised! Ha, no. Not really. After the game Justin will hop on his bike, and if there's someone to follow, he'll follow them."
    "God, Ally, that could be dangerous! I'm not sure I like the sound of it."
    "Well then come on down here and you argue with him! See you soon, you'd better get driving."
    I slid the phone shut and stood in my apartment, staring at the wall and seeing nothing. Surely being there would be more fun than being here for the weekend. Alone. Eating tinned soup. And if anything happened and he got arrested again, I'd be there. And if nothing happened, I could just avoid him. He signed the papers, that was that, but I could still be decent.
    I wandered around my house and filled a small bag for the weekend ahead. I wasn't going just to try and see him. Nope, huh-uh, that wasn't it at all.
    If I hurried I could avoid the Friday night after work traffic and be at Ally's in time to join her for the drive to the lot. We'd need to get there early to