Sam said he looks forward to showing me the ropes.”
Justine was commuting from San Jose because the girls were there. She was spending her days in Half Moon Bay while Adele was at the college working. Sometimes they’d have an early dinner together. Justine was getting settled into the neighborhood law office. and she was still staying at her friend Jean’s house in San Jose when it was Scott’s night with the girls.
After working in Half Moon Bay for two weeks, she texted Scott.
Sharper Dynamic downsized again and I left the company. I’ve accepted a position at the law office of Sam Gillespie in Half Moon Bay. I will be commuting to work from San Jose and keeping close tabs on the girls as usual. There’s no need to change our schedule.
Amber and Olivia shared a car, and there were times they drove down to Half Moon Bay to have dinner with Adele and Justine. In all the years they’d all lived in this close proximity, they’d never had so much togetherness or such fun.
Adele couldn’t help but notice that Justine was changing; she had always been confident but now she was also calm and self-assured. It was just a slight change. She was a friendlier, happier person.
“Is it possible you weren’t entirely happy with Scott?” Adele asked her while they were preparing dinner one night. “Because you’re more fun now. You seem better than ever.”
“I was happy,” Justine said. “I loved Scott. But there was a lot of pressure. I had a serious job and a husband and two busy girls to think about. I was keeping a lot of balls in the air, constantly afraid to drop the glass ball, never knowing which one it was. Scott wasn’t under any pressure. I think the girls have experienced real stress and pressure for the first time with our divorce. They’ve had a few meltdowns but they’re doing so well. Don’t you think?”
“You’re all doing well,” Addie said. “There’s one thing. The girls don’t seem that interested in their dad these days. They hardly talk about him.”
“He comes with baggage now,” Justine said. “He’s been pressuring them to meet the girlfriend. He asks them every week. And since they won’t do it, he’s spending more time away from home, away from the girls. I can’t believe I’m saying this but mark my words—he’s going to give up his daughters. I’ve noticed that he doesn’t get home to the girls as he should. He misses dinner with them most nights, gets home late, leaves early. That’s why I’m staying close. I check in with them constantly. If Scott isn’t going to be home for dinner, I bring them something or take them out. I’ve stocked the freezer with easy microwavable meals.”
“Isn’t he hanging out with them on the weekends?” Adele asked.
“They took a long bike ride together three weeks ago or so, but I haven’t heard of anything else. He says he’s working. You’ll never guess where...”
“I know where,” Addie said. “The kayak shack. I see his car there almost every day. I walk a little out of my way to check because I just can’t stand it. I can’t believe he can abandon his family like he has.” She snapped her fingers. “So fast, so easy.”
“It hasn’t been easy in my heart,” Justine said. “But the last couple of weeks have been great. Sam Gillespie’s practice is like the fantasy I’ve been having for about ten years. In fact, the whole town is like a fantasy. Of course I didn’t appreciate it when I was young, but after twenty years in Silicon Valley, this is paradise. Have you noticed that no one honks at a stoplight? The only people I see rushing are young mothers trying to get their kids to school on time. It took one week for everyone in the market and on most of Main Street to know me by name. When I start living in the area, after the girls are gone and the house can be sold, I’m going to spend a lot more time walking that beach.”
“You know there’s a guest room here. No bed or dresser yet, but we could take care of that,” Addie said.