The Countdown to Our Divorce Novel – “Mrs.Meskill, the divorce papers you commissioned me to draft have been prepared and sent to you. You should have received them by now, correct?” Tamara Bates took the documents from the local courier, sent by her lawyer, and responded with a soft “Thank you, Lawyer Macy.” By the time she hung up, the courier was already gone. Tamara turned and walked back into the room. Moments later, the sound of the door opening echoed behind her.
A man’s deep, magnetic voice drew nearer until he stood right behind her. “Tama, I’m sorry. I’ve been swamped with work on this business trip and haven’t had a chance to check my phone, so I couldn’t reach out to you.” As he finished speaking, Mallory Meskill stepped in front of Tamara, leaned close to her belly with a gentle smile, and asked, “Has the baby been keeping Mommy company these past few days?” “Mallory.” Tamara suddenly spoke, catching him off guard. He was ten years older than her. She used to call him “Daddy” in a sweet, teasing voice.
Only in bed, when he kept going too long, would she cry out his full name. Before he could think more, she had already flipped the divorce agreement to the last page, covered its contents with her hand, and held it out to him. “You once said, when the baby is born, you’d give me a gift. I’ve decided what I want. Sign here.” Her voice was calm and steady. He didn’t hesitate, taking the pen and quickly signing his name at the bottom. Tamara hadn’t expected him to sign so quickly—not even glancing at the document. Her expression faltered. “You didn’t even read it.
Aren’t you afraid I might trick you into signing something that would ruin you?” Mallory just smiled indulgently and pinched her cheek. “What’s mine is yours. Once the baby’s born, it’ll be yours and the baby’s.” Tamara laughed softly. What a pity. This time, what she wanted was freedom. As Mallory put away his phone, Tamara had already caught a glimpse of the name glowing on the screen— Pandora Erickson. “There’s something going on at work. I need to take this call,” he said casually, and when she nodded, he turned toward the study.
But after a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at her. “By the way, you called me so many times the other day. Was there something urgent?” Her heart clenched. She shook her head. “Nothing.” Satisfied with her answer, he didn’t ask further and disappeared into the study.