All of a sudden, I wonder about everything. Was everything in our decades of marriage nothing but a lie? What was real? What was fake? How could he have hurt his daughter and me? The two people in the world who would have died for him. Would he have ever died for us?
I finished my coffee in one big gulp, threw the cup in a recycle bin and went inside the restroom. I clean up my tears and walk through the grocery store and head out the front door. Richard’s Accounting office is inside an old concrete building. Built -in the 50’s today it look like a carbuncle, short and squatty next to the high rises.
Parked in his nearly empty lot I walk towards his office. Before I could knock Richard came through his door and at once gave me a big bear hug. “You could have hit me over the head with a bat. I have never been more shocked” he says. “Come in, Come in, he pushes a stray gray wispy hair behind his ear. He waves me into his office, holding the door open behind him.
“Thank you, Richard, for seeing me this morning. I’m pretty scared.” “Sit. Sit,” Richard says with emphasis. Immediately greeting me is an extensive library desk, not a foot away from the front door and shoved against the picture window, mismatched chairs on all three sides. Adjacent is a row of metal filing cabinets. Law books are laid on the floor-a small table with a printer and a narrow path to the back wall.
The office smells like old newspapers. And I guess you could say Richard was…Thrifty? Tall, lean with rounded shoulders, he always dresses in the same white shirt with bowtie and gray slacks and black shoes. He had done our taxes for years. However, we had never discussed anything personally. The hug was a surprise. However, i was not going to hesitate. I had no one else I could trust with such personal information.
He reached behind him for a Kleenex box and sat down. ‘I’m sorry, Richard. I honestly haven’t stopped crying since it started. ‘Jesus, how long have you guys been married?” He said quietly. “39 years,” I said, clutching my tissue. ‘Oh, my Gawd. Jillie, I’m sorry.” “We eloped when I was 19.”
Richard grabs the yellow notepad and pen lying on the table. “Okay, let us get on to business. First off, you are going to Foreclose.
I stare at him blankly, shaking my head. “NO. NO. Richard. The property is the only retirement I have. Nick is drinking and drugging and has a whole new group of friends. I can’t believe he will be able to hold on to his job.”
“Well, you have to face facts, Jillie.” “Do you have a job?” “No. I work with Nick.” “Do you have a College Degree?” “No. Richard.” Nick has three degrees and three designations. I barey finished high school.”