The Divorce Club Read Online Free Page B

my
visitor.
    "So." He cocks his head.
    "So." I imitate his posture. "You'd sue me,
wouldn't you?"
    "Yep," he says, grinning.
    "Okay." I open a drawer and pull out an
application form, which I push toward him. "Fill this out, please.
It's four hundred a month." I usually charge two, but I feel as
though he owes me after all the headache.
    "Four hundred?"
    I nod, feeling guilty because my superego
tells me I'm about to cheat someone out of their hard-earned cash.
"That's quite cheap considering the kind of service you'll receive
here."
    "I thought you charged more." He points at
the scratched up chair. "You know, to get new furniture."
    "Really?" There's my chance, so I switch off
my bad conscience and go with it. "That's because I just offered
you the basic package. If you want the 'extras' you'll obviously
have to fork out more."
    "What's the 'extras'?" He looks up from the
application form.
    "A 24/7 emergency line and an employee's
constant surveillance that you stick with your goals. After all, if
you want to change your life, the changes have to come from within
yourself."
    He seems impressed as he signs the form and
hands it back to me. I read his name written in all caps: JAMES
BOWERS.
    "Everyone calls me Jamie." He points at the
form as though reading my thoughts.
    "I'm Sarah."
    "Do you do home or office visits as well?" he
asks.
    I nod, suddenly recognizing his enthusiasm.
He didn't mean to sound rude; he just wanted to join so badly that
he saw no other option but to threaten me. "Any time."
    "In that case, it's worth every nickel."
    "Five hundred," I say, hoping I'm not pushing
my luck. He doesn't even blink as he hands me his credit card and
signs the standing order form.
    As soon as I've locked all papers inside my
drawer he asks, "When do we begin?"
    "You just missed our first session, but
that's okay. You can jump in on Thursday and I'll give you an hour
longer to set up a personal timetable."
    Jamie hesitates. "I guess I can stand waiting
another forty-eight hours, but it'll be tough."
    I gape at him. He must really want to get
that divorce. I'm wondering how bad things are at home. "If you
need to talk, just call me. We've run out of brochures, but here's
my number." I jot it down on a blue sticky note.
    "So, if I wake up at three a.m. and feel like
hitting a wall or something, I know who to call." His expression is
dead serious.
    "Yep, that'd be me." I smile, hoping he
wouldn't dream of calling me at that unholy hour.
    "Thanks. I appreciate it." His lips stretch
into a lazy smile and a dimple appears on his right cheek. I avert
my gaze quickly before I look like an idiot staring at a stupid
dimple.
    "Divorce can be a traumatic event in a
person's life. Even if you believe your world's crashing down on
you, we'll keep you grounded as you progress through the various
stages," I say in the hope I might cheer him up a bit. "See you in
two days then. We start at five p.m. Don't let the missus bug
you."
    A frown crosses his forehead as he stands and
heads for the door. "I'll find my way out. Goodbye."

Chapter 4
     
    On the way home, I keep replaying the
conversation between Jamie and me in my head. I never figured a man
to want to join my club because men don't have difficulties
breaking up with their girlfriends or wives. They're the ones to
usually pack their bags and leave behind a mortgage and 2.4
children plus the dog and the bumped car. According to my
narrow-minded life view it should've been the missus standing in my
office. So, naturally, I'm nervous because I know I'm about to dab
into unknown territory here and soon explore the male way of
thinking.
    I park my old VW in front of the house and
unlock the door, hoping Sam's already home for once and I don't
have to track down her location this evening.
    "Sam?" My voice carries through the dark hall
as I switch on the lights. The clock in the living room ticks—the
only sound in the house. Mel had a point when she advised me to get
one of those GPS tracking