Serenity (Inevitable #5)(83)

"It took me almost twenty years to realize that, Dad," admitted Matthew. "And you're right. If it hadn't been for Hayley and Casey, I probably would have bailed a long time ago. Hell, if Lindsey hadn't been pregnant I doubt we would have ever gotten married, or stayed together more than a few months. I just wish she'd quit playing her little games and sign those damned divorce papers."

"What does your attorney have to say on the matter?"

Matthew sighed in frustration. "Since Lindsey has officially contested the divorce, the only options at this point are to try and reach a settlement, or to take her to court. And since certain facts would most likely be brought up during a trial, I'm putting that option off as a last resort."

"Hmm." Wade took a sip of coffee before setting the mug back down. "I assume these facts have to do with Lindsey's, ah, extracurricular activities?"

"Yeah. Except, as I've told you, her idea of extracurricular activities don't include belonging to the French Club or the debate team," replied Matthew dryly. "And as much as I'm willing to do almost anything to finally be free of her, I can't take the risk of the kids finding out certain things about their mother. Like it or not, Lindsey is still their mom, and I refuse to say anything negative about her to them." 

"That's admirable, Matt," commended Wade. "Unfortunately, there may come a time when she forces your hand to the point where you no longer have a choice. Can't your attorneys keep all that stuff sealed?"

"You'd like to think so. But I fear those sort of juicy details have a way of getting leaked, especially considering who I am. The media would love to get hold of a story like that, and the kids would suffer as a result. So for now at least I'm going to continue trying to reach a settlement with Lindsey."

Wade shook his head in disbelief. "What more can she possibly want? When you told me you were willing to give her half of everything you own, I thought for sure she'd sign on the dotted line without a moment's hesitation. How greedy can one person be?"

Matthew blew out a frustrated breath. "I don't think it's all about the money at this point. It's her pride and her ego, too. Lindsey can't stand the fact that I was the one to leave her. She's always thought she was too good for me, you know. That a nerd like myself should have been grateful that someone like her ever noticed me in the first place. My moving out and filing for divorce knocked her a few rungs off that pedestal she's always placed herself on, and she's trying to find a way to climb back up."

Wade inclined his head to the other side of the living room, where his wife Maureen was deep in conversation with Sasha. "And I'll bet the fact that you've found someone else - especially someone who's more than a decade younger than she is - really sticks in her craw."

"Probably. I certainly haven't tried to rub it in or anything like that. Especially since Lindsey continues to blame my relationship with Sasha for why Hayley is so moody and depressed."

Wade gave a hoot of laughter. "Moody, I'll go along with. But depressed?" He shook his head. "Nothing wrong with Hayley that taking her car keys and that damned cell phone away for a few weeks wouldn't fix. That sort of discipline sure helped cure your sister of the nasty disposition she developed when she was sixteen."

"Jackie?" asked Matthew curiously. "How come I don't remember her acting like that? Granted, she was always a bit of a pest when she was younger, and then a total smart ass when she started getting higher grades than I did at her age. But I never remember her being a sullen brat like Hayley's been lately."

"You were probably away at college or grad school at the time," surmised Wade. "But trust me, she was hell to live with for a few months. Just ask your mother if you don't believe me. It was her idea, actually, to take Jackie's car keys away, as well as restrict her internet access. Nothing like instilling some parental controls to fix a bad attitude real quick."

Matthew chuckled. "Yeah, I could see how that might motivate my sister. But while your idea has merit, there's no way I could make it stick. Lindsey would just override anything I tried to do, insisting that what Hayley really needs is for me to move back home and be part of the family again. I can't believe that after being separated for all this time Lindsey is delusional enough to think I'd ever move home again."

"I hate to say it, son, but I'm afraid she's not going to leave you a choice pretty soon. You're going to have to force her hand, which means going to trial. Maybe if you prepared the kids ahead of time, told them the general facts, you could spare them the worst of it."