Over Coffee

"Craig! No!" Roni pleaded, her hands outstretched. "We can work this out!"

"We've tried working it out for a while." Craig said, his eyes closing as memory washed over him. "It hasn't. It's over."

"Sir, can we get some of her things?" asked the woman officer. Roni was stunned into silence, realization coming over her like a plague.

"Certainly." Craig said. "She has a car, in the garage. The new BMW, not the old Subaru. She can use the BMW."

With a nod, the officer turned to Roni and said "C'mon sweetie, lets get your things."

As Roni and the officer went upstairs, Craig pulled out his phone and stopped recording. He didn't know how good the video would be, but he was certain the audio was excellent. As he stood there, he made certain it was uploaded to the right place, and then sent copies off. Copies went to his lawyer, Roni's family members, and his family members. It took a little time. He'd asked his lawyer about informing Roni's employers, but he'd been advised to hold off on that... it was better for her to be employed if the worst happened, and a divorce was suddenly on the table. Like now.

"Craig, no. We can work this out." Roni said as she came down the stairs and saw her soon to be ex-husband.

"I tried that." Craig said, slipping his phone back into his pocket after muting it. "I talked to you about how you were acting. For months I tried. At first, you listened, then you didn't. Then a couple weeks ago, after I saw you with your boss at the company party, I stopped. I've spent the last couple of weeks getting my head together about this."

"Craig, please!"

"I said that to you, remember? "Please?" Craig said, softly. "Can you remember how many times?"

"Come on..." said the woman officer, as she stood there holding one of Roni's suitcases.

Roni picked up the handles of her suitcases, and looking incredibly lost, she and the officer headed toward the garage.

Craig stood there for a while, waiting. It didn't feel like it was over. When he heard the garage door open, the BMW move out and then the garage door close, he exhaled, and felt some of the tension let go.

He collapsed onto the couch, and sighed heavily.

Then he cried for his wife, who he hoped may someday escape from the woman she had become.

In the kitchen, on the bar, the coffee was long cold.