Free Tears Fall at Night - smashwords by Vanessa Miller Page B

client’s dreams come true. He wants to be set free, fine. But he has to pay.”
    “But I can’t afford it,” Nelson glanced in Carmella’s direction, his eyes imploring her to understand his plight.
    She looked at the man who’d sent her flying over the cuckoo’s nest, the same man who had broken her children’s hearts, all because he was a selfish and ungrateful human being and she felt no pity for him. “Tell your girlfriend to get an after school job, or learn to live with less.”
    “Why should I live with less? You’re the one who hasn’t worked for twenty years.”
    No he didn’t. She didn’t even recognize Nelson anymore. The man she had been married to used to thank her for the way she contributed to their family. The monster seated across from her was all dressed up like Nelson Marshall, but he had to be an imposter. “I no longer feel as if I know you, and since I prefer not to talk to strangers, I’m going to ask that you address my attorney for the rest of this meeting.”
    “So, now I can’t even talk to you? Some wife you turned out to be.”
    Carmella didn’t respond to him. She turned back to Deidre and asked, “Can you please continue?”
    “Certainly.” Deidre glanced at her paperwork. Checked off a few items and then said, “We want to have the college fund for Dontae Marshall transferred into either Carmella’s or Dontae’s name immediately.”
    “Oh, so now I can’t be trusted to manage my son’s college fund?”
    “You’re a busy man, Mr. Marshall. We wouldn’t want that college fund to fall into the hands of your mistress because you failed to keep an eye on it,” Deidre wasn’t about to let up on reminding Nelson that he was the one committing adultery in their marriage. As far as she was concerned he could sit back, shut up and start writing checks, because he was going to pay for the way he discarded his wife.
    Nelson and Clark leaned close to each other and said a few words, then Clark said, “Since Dontae is seventeen and will be going off to Harvard next year anyway, Mr. Marshall has no problem with turning the college fund over to his son.”
    Whether Dontae would be going to Harvard or not was still an open question, but she wasn’t going to tell Nelson that Dontae was on the fence about which school to attend the following year. That was the reason she wanted the money out of Nelson’s care. She felt that he was in no position to dictate to her son what he should and shouldn’t do. And Carmella knew that Nelson would try to use the money to threaten Dontae. If it was up to Nelson, Dontae wouldn’t get a dime if he decided not to attend Harvard. She’d sleep better knowing that Dontae had the freedom to follow his own path.
    “One more thing,” Deidre said as she held up her hand.
    “There’s more? What do I owe you now…my kidney? I mean we are splitting everything of mine 50/50 right?” Nelson was beginning to sweat. He loosened his necktie as he shook his head in disgust.
    Carmella almost laughed in his face. With what he owed her, she could buy a kidney if she ever needed one. She was so thankful that Cynthia introduced her to Deidre Green. The woman knew her stuff and had opened Carmella’s eyes.
    “No, Mr. Marshall, we’re going to let you keep your kidney. But we will take half of the two million that is currently invested in your retirement account. We will also be asking for half of your pension when you retire,” Deidre told him with a sweet smile on her face.
    “That is out of the question,” Nelson barked. He looked at Carmella and asked, “How am I supposed to live? You’re just being vindictive… I never expected this from you.”
    Clearly, Nelson hadn’t expected Carmella to do anything but sign the divorce papers and let him go about his merry way. But her mom hadn’t raised no fool. She knew how much was in every account they had, and after twenty-five years of service, if she was being set out to pasture, she was going in