Slowly, I unfold the paper. It takes a few seconds for the words to register. As their meanings become clear, a new emotion—anger—builds inside me.
“An invoice?” I ask louder than I should. “Jack sent you a damn invoice.” No longer am I questioning. I know the answer. It’s right in front of me.
“Shh,” Mom hushes me.
“Fifteen thousand for the canceled honeymoon. Six thousand for canceled travel and lodging for members of his family. And another five thousand for my wedding ring.” Each statement was louder than the last. I shook my head and lowered my voice. “Don’t worry about this, Mom. I’ll tell him to take this and stick itup his ass.” Okay, I tone it down for my mother. “...where the sun doesn’t shine. And he has the damn rings. I gave him back the engagement ring and he never gave me the wedding ring.” I shrug. “The jewelry store had a great return policy on the ring I bought him.”
Mom takes a breath and picks up her fork before stabbing a piece of her salad. “You did the right thing, Sami.”
“I did the right thing too late.”
“No, divorcing that man and possibly fighting over parental rights would have been too late. You made the right decision just in time.” She takes a bite of her salad.
My appetite is gone as I look again at the invoice, the one that is typed on letterhead from Jack’s law firm. I look back up with new resolve. “He’s not getting away with this. You aren’t paying him a dime.”
“I thought about calling him myself, but he’s a lawyer and I already know he doesn’t think very highly of me or your father.”
Hearing her say that hurts more than if she were saying Jackson hated me.
Mom went on, “I guess I’m afraid he’ll talk circles around me and somehow make me feel responsible.”
“Mom, I’m so sorry. Don’t worry about what Jack thinks. He isn’t worth you fretting. And I’m serious about the dress. I saw the price tag and I know the cost of alteration. I’ll transfer that amount into your and Dad’s account this afternoon.” I lean back and stare some more at the invoice. My mind wrestles with my emotions.
I am pissed.
No, I was pissed when I found Jack in our bed with Ellen.
Now, I’m full-out furious.
“What does he think he can do, take you to court?”
“I would assume he thinks we’ll pay to keep him quiet.”
“What the hell” —I lean forward and lower my voice— “is there for him to say?”
“I don’t want to worry your dad, but the only way we could pay what he’s asking is to cash out some of our retirement.”
“You’re not doing that. I’ll talk to him.”
I look at my phone. After the incident in my condo when he gave me back his key, I blocked his number. I have no idea where he’s living. He’d sold his place when he moved in with me. He didn’t have a best friend with a place to sleep over unless he was staying with Ellen.
I start to nod.
“What are you thinking?” Mom asks.
“I’m thinking that I blocked Jack’s number. I have no idea where he’s staying” —a smile came to my lips— “but I know where he works. I know the senior partner and I know...” I wasn’t going to go to the subject of Ellen.
Mom wipes her lips with the napkin. “Millie mentioned another woman.” She looks at me through her lashes. “Don’t be mad at your sister. She thought I knew.”
The air leaves my lungs. “I didn’t want you to know.”
“You were protecting him?”
“No, I was protecting me.” I lean closer, lowering my voice. “If Millie told you, then you know I walked in on him and that woman. Doing. It. At. My. Condo.”
Mom nods.
“Does Dad know?”