Holiday with Friends Pt. 03

"Marie, I am at the other end of the country, what are you talking about?"

"I haven't heard from him in nearly a week. Plus, Jenny moved back into their house yesterday. What the fuck have you done?"

"Sorry Marie, but your affairs are nothing to do with me now. Maybe ask next door?"

The phone went quiet, then it was disconnected.

I smiled again, contently.

Almost a year later and the divorce had gone through. It was good for me and the girls, but I lost my house.

My solicitor demanded the hearing should not be heard by magistrates, and that a Judge take our proceedings because it would get bitter and involved the law.

The court heard my testimony of the holiday and other things at the hearing. I went full tilt for custody of my kids, I had a string of character witnesses. Marie and her solicitor seemed unprepared for the case, Marie had just her solicitor. She looked broken as evidence of her two years with George were heard by the judge.

One crucial part of evidence was from a D.I. from the Met. His evidence was damning to Marie. The D.I. spoke of drug dealers and criminal activity being conducted from the premises where my daughters lived.

George, my wife's lover was being prosecuted for dealing Class A drugs and various other criminal charges. He had been viciously attacked in the home of my wife by his suppliers. He argued that it was merely a stroke of good fortune that her daughters were not in the house at the time but were with Mr. Smith's mother. God knows what would've happened to them if they had been in their mother's care.

George was in the hospital ICU at the time of my divorce hearing. The judge didn't take kindly to the words of the D.I, she made a new date for the hearing so she could take the evidence into account.

This evidence was key in my case for her being an unfit mother and a month later my girls were awarded to my care, with visitation rights to my ex-wife. I did feel sorry for her losing her children, but they were my kids too, and it wasn't me that fucked it all up.

The judge had taken into account that by now I had moved into a small three bed house near my mums. I had paid six months up front on the rent, it was near the girl's schools, so it did not disrupt them too much.

The divorce broke Marie, I took no pleasure in seeing her this way, she had lost her children. My love for her had long since gone but she was my still girls mum, she went to pieces when the judge gave me custody of our kids. After all she had done to me, I still felt bad doing this to her in that courtroom.

Karen made trips south every other week and we made trips to the hotel for weekends away once a month to see her. The girls loved her which was nice.

I signed over all paperwork for the mortgage and paid 50% of it monthly, and 50% of all household bills until she sold it. I told her I would take only 20% of any profit when it was sold. That would allow her the chance to make a fresh start. She was my girl's mother; I could not find it in my heart to totally destroy her.

She had to find employment which I got Ian to help with. Marie could see her children once a week and every other weekend. I never went back onto building sites and spent my time doing extensions and building works to private houses. That way I had time for my girls.

Jenny got sole ownership of her house once her hubby was out of the picture. The prosecution was airtight, and he got fourteen years.

Jenny was bitter and would not even look in Marie's direction. Marie tried to make peace with her, but Jenny spat in her face. I cannot blame her at all. Jen sold her place and moved on.

My life now is ok, it is not great. I would've given anything for this to have never happened and have my family unit never destroyed the way it was. To have grown old with Marie, that was how my life should've panned out.

My mum is happy, she gets to babysit her grandchildren 3-4 times a week. My dad is happy for me and overjoyed that my mum is happy.

I see Marie on handover days and am civil, she often says she wished she had never been so stupid, hindsight is a wonderful thing, right?

Ian is the best brother anyone could wish for. We had our fights when we were young, but he is my best friend by far. I have no idea what would've happened if he hadn't stepped up. I am so thankful, I love him and let him know frequently.

The End, (seriously)