The View from Alameda Island - Robyn Carr Page 0,100

longer needed. I’ve heard it said, very cautiously, that it’s not really true and doesn’t make sense.”

“Oh Mama, what in the world!” Cassie said. “What will you do?”

“I’ll look for another job,” Lauren said. “And I’ve asked my lawyer to turn up the heat and get your father to sit down with a mediator over the property. We need to wrap this up for everyone’s sake. So, what I’m telling you is it may take me a while before I can help you with expenses. I’ve still got my retirement funds, but I’m trying to save that for emergencies.”

Cassie grabbed her hand. “Listen, I can do this on my own. I might run up a lot of debt but I sure won’t be the first and I’ll work my way out of debt like everyone else. Jeremy is going to earn some money teaching while he finishes his PhD. You can’t believe how many law students I know whose family isn’t able to help them at all. The only ones living like normal people come from those fine old families and—”

“Lacey?” Lauren asked.

Lacey was looking down at her plate. Her hands were folded in her lap and she was crying.

“Lacey, your father will probably pick up some of your expenses since you haven’t deserted him, but if that doesn’t work out, I’ll do everything I can to at least help you. Just please be patient. I’m in a fix right now. An unexpected fix.”

Lacey lifted her eyes and a big tear spilled over. “He did it,” she said.

Cassie and Lauren just looked at her, confused and speechless.

“He did it. I didn’t get it at the time. He and Grandma were laughing about how freaked you would be, how you wouldn’t know where to turn, you wouldn’t have any income, you’d be begging him for help...”

Lauren frowned in confusion. “But how?” she asked.

“I don’t know, not really. After a minute of not understanding what the hell they were talking about, I tuned out. I remember he said it paid to know the right people in the right places and that golf was an excellent game for all kinds of favors. That meant nothing to me at the time.”

“That is not how my company operated!” Lauren said, realizing after the fact, she was echoing Sylvie’s words exactly.

“I don’t know how, Mama,” Lacey said. “This is probably my fault! I should have done exactly what Cassie did. I should have told him how much I hated what he did. But I didn’t. I didn’t because I hate this divorce!”

Lauren was quiet for a long moment. “Me, too. I waited too long. And now look how complicated and terrible it is for everyone.”

“I couldn’t figure out why he and Grandma were so happy and laughing. He wants you on your knees,” Lacey whispered. “God,” she said, a sob escaping. “This is the most horrible thing...”

“It’s not your fault,” Lauren said. “It’s not your divorce. It’s my divorce.”

“Lacey, don’t let him manipulate you anymore,” Cassie said.

“But you don’t understand. I don’t have anyone. I don’t have my sister—we’ve been on opposite sides of this. I don’t have my mother—you must hate me for the way I took his side. He’s using me, I don’t have a guy, my girlfriends don’t want to hear about it. I don’t have anyone. And I’m not in law school with some big dream. Do you know what teachers make?”

Lauren just smiled. “It’s not pretty,” she said. “But you will always have a mother. Even when we’re on opposite sides. I don’t blame you for wanting to stay on civil terms with your father, just don’t work against me. That would be hard to forgive.”

“But he says you’re trying to hurt him with this divorce,” Lacey said, clearly misunderstanding the terms.

“Of course I’m not,” Lauren said. “The law is clear. Our possessions and investments that were obtained during our marriage are divided equally with the exception of personal retirement funds. Everything accrued prior to our marriage is not part of the equation. I worked at least three jobs my entire marriage. I cleaned, cared for the children, took care of your father’s needs—professional and personal—and then held down a full-time job. Your father never volunteered in your school, never cleaned the house, never went to the grocery store, doesn’t know where the dry cleaner is, gave me lists of chores to do for him or things to buy for him, and my paycheck went into the joint account. Lacey, I