Eligible Ex-husband - Marie Johnston Page 0,10
over the desk in the office of my house—of Natalie’s house. My place is a condo. A two-bedroom on the edge of downtown Fargo. It’s the perfect pad for a corporate climber who prefers minimal maintenance and easy access to the trendiest after-hours spots in town.
I’m not that guy.
I’m a house guy. I like cutting the lawn and soaking up the smell of freshly cut grass. I like seeing my kids run and play with their shoes off and cartwheel over a carpet of grass. I like hearing rain on the roof and checking my basement for water after a heavy downpour.
I like talking to my neighbors when they walk by. Or stopping on my jog to catch up with Jake Miller and invite him and his wife and kids over. I like blowing out my driveway after a snowstorm and buzzing a path down the sidewalk to help dig the neighbor out.
I don’t get any of that in my downtown condo. But, hey, it’s close to my office.
I got a lot more work done there than I am in the home office. I’ve been interrupted to look at a stick figure holding flowers, begged to play a matching game, told to “come quick, Daddy” to see the garbage truck lift our canister to be dumped. Natalie’s the one who remembered to set it out.
I have a housekeeper that my personal assistant arranges. I don’t take my own garbage out anymore.
The picture I’m presented with this time is a portrait of me. Solid yellow for the hair and the face is square. “It’s nice, honey. Now go watch a show. I’ve got to get some work done.”
“I’m bored.” Maddy twirls around and knocks down the paper shredder.
I dive for it, sending my chair into the wall. That’ll leave a mark. I right the shredder and grimace at the pile of paper bits that poured out. How quickly I forgot the constant cleaning kids come with. I’m supposed to be easing Natalie’s burden so she can be there for her mother, not leaving more work for her to do when she gets home.
“Give me a few minutes to make a call and then we’ll go to a park.” Never mind there’s practically a full-service park in the back yard. A playset that includes a slide, monkey bars, and a covered sandbox. And if they played here, I wouldn’t have to worry about what kind of condition the public toilets are in since they can’t seem to go potty without touching the entire surface of the toilet.
My delay tactic works. She runs out and I call Helena. I haven’t spoken to her since we landed. She needs to know the change in my schedule and that I won’t get to everything on my calendar for the next day or two.
When she answers, I skip the usual chitchat I might’ve done with someone else, which Helena seems to have no interest in, and begin with my instructions. “Listen, Helena, I need a few days for a family emergency. Can you reschedule my meeting this afternoon and all of tomorrow?” Natalie’s words when she told me she wanted a divorce come back to me. You do nothing but work. You don’t allow yourself a break and our family is suffering because of it. “You know what—reschedule the whole week.”
I’ll show Natalie that I can take a fucking break.
“Mr. Gainesworth—”
“I know that’ll mean overtime for you, but Natalie’s mom is in ICU.”
There’s a short pause, but Helena replies with a clipped, “Yes. Sure.”
It’s enough of a change from her normal response to make me notice. “Is everything all right? Did Milton call, irate about the shares I sold again?”
“No, Mr. Gainesworth. Everything’s fine.” She sounds more formal than usual. Everything’s not fine, but I can’t force it out of her.
“Great. I’ll have my phone on me if there’s an emergency.” I hang up and look around the office that once used to be mine.
When we were just starting after college, newlyweds with a baby, Natalie used to bring Abby to the office. The same one I have now, much to my parents’ dismay. They think I should have an entire office building to myself with a giant placard blaring my name in eight-foot font. I’m getting there. It’s only been three years since Liam’s death. The money he left me allowed me to finally gain footing in the industry. Growing beyond that, and doing it the right way, takes time. Takes competent people and the