I went to the refrigerator and grabbed myself a beer. I might as well be relaxed seeing as how this afternoon will probably be the worst afternoon of my life. I sat down on the couch and flipped on the tv only half-ass watching it for the moment. 2 o’clock quickly turned to 3 and I knew that both Alex and Veronica should be coming soon. I was halfway through my 3rd beer by then. I had a little bit of a buzz going, but I didn’t really give a damn. I heard the sound of a car pulling up to the driveway and lazily waited on the couch for the unknown visitor. When the door opened, I thought it was Alex, but seeing as how everything else was going wrong today, it ended up being Veronica. A pair of conservative khaki shorts, a sleeveless white turtleneck, and a pair of white tennis shoes now replaced her navy suit from this morning. Hell at least in times of crisis she still looked like a million bucks.
“Good afternoon,” she said calmly, “God you look like shit.” She added.
“Thanks.” I said not really caring and not making any attempt to get her a beverage or speak to her for that matter.
“I can hardly wait to speak to Alex about all this.” she said sarcastically.
I raised my hand in the air, “Let me speak to her.” I said.
Moments later we heard the sound of Alex’s Camry pulling into the driveway. With moments, Alex came through the door. Her eyes immediately darted to Veronica who stood in the entryway to the kitchen. “Hey Mom.” She said suspiciously. “What are you doing here, shouldn’t you still be at work?” Alex shrugged off her backpack and coat leaving them in the hallway.
Veronica stepped forward. “Well sweety, your Father and I have something to talk to you about.”
I stood up and walked to Alex who now stood in the middle of the livingroom and guided her to the couch to sit with me. “Sweetheart, your Mother came by this morning to talk to me about us. You know that things have been different around here for the past couple months.” I said.
Alexis’s eyes darted to Veronica then back to me again. I read the dread that lingered in her eyes. “You guys are getting a divorce aren’t you?” she interrupted questioningly.
I stared at her long and hard knowing that she already knew and had probably had suspicions about it for quite awhile.
“Well honey, your Mother and I think that it’s best if we do go our separate ways yes. We both have agreed that a divorce is best for both of us.” I said to her. Her eyes glazed over lightly.
Veronica stepped forward. “Honey we know this is hard for you….” She said before being given a fiery glare from Alex.
“Hard for you?!!” Alexis yelped, standing up. “ You don’t know anything!”
Veronica stood frozen in place as Alex yelled. I watched as a single tear ran down her left cheek. “You’ve never been here. You’re always at your god damned office or out with that guy.” She started blurting out almost everything she could think of. “I’ve seen him waiting in the car for you when you come by to pick up a pair of clothes or to pick up your mail. Don’t you think I fucking see anything?!!” she screamed.