Falling

I kept driving, for an hour at least until I was nearly out of gas. I stopped at a gas station and filled up. The man behind the counter gave me a curious look, his eyebrow raised, but I shrugged it off. I had been crying the whole drive, my makeup most likely was smeared and my eyes puffy, but I couldn't care less. Chris and Aiden had both called but I eventually turned my phone off. Aiden, my heart ached for him, I wanted to run to him but instead I ran away. In a perfect world we could be together but nothing in life works out so simply. Chris had sent me a dozen or so text messages displaying his full fledged anger. That bastard. Why was I putting up with his shit? Why was I staying with him? No answer, so I knew the solution. Why had it taken me so long for it to truly hit me?
I worked at a law firm and I'd need a lawyer. Tomorrow, despite my initial embarrassment at having half of my coworkers know about my troubles I knew just who to talk to about this.
I wiped the makeup from my eyes and I drove to the only other place I could go besides home.
I knocked at the door and my brother in-law answered. Matthew was a broad man, tall, with a head of thick dark hair and a pretty boy face. He regarded me with a solemn face.
“Hey Dylan.”
“Hey Matt. Maddie in?”
“Yeah come on in.” I walked in and followed him to the den where the two of them had been watching a movie, Panic Room. I half watched it as Maddie took her sweet time getting off the couch.
She took in my face, “What happened Dill?”
I looked at my sisters pretty, slightly worried face as she walked over to me. “I need to ask you something.”
She had me follow her to the kitchen for privacy. “What's up?”
“Can I say here tonight?”
She sighed. “Of course you can, but tell me why.”
“Me and Chris aren't seeing eye to eye.”
“What's new?”
“I can't go home with him, not tonight. I'll be out of your hair tomorrow.”
“And where will you go tomorrow?” She knew me well enough to know I wasn't going home.
“A hotel maybe.”
“Dylan, I'm going to give you a little advise.” I rolled my eyes. “Hear me out baby sister. You need to have an actual talk with your husband, you can't just walk away every time things get rough.”
“I know Maddie. I know.”
“And yet you do it all the time.”
“Do not.” I said defensively.
“Maybe not with Chris but with others. Remember when dad died.” How could I forget? “And you locked yourself in your room and refused to come out.”
“I was thirteen.”
“And then when you finally showed your face again you had cut off nearly all of your hair and become more closed off than before.”
I didn't need a recap of my own life. “Are you going somewhere with this?”
“Yes, Dill. The point is it's never good to bottle everything inside, it'll kill you.”
“Don't I know it.” I said through my teeth. She gave me a familiar stern look. “Eww don't do that, you look like mom.”
That wiped the frown from her face. “I love you Dylan. I'm here for you, no matter what happens.”
That was Madison for ya, ever intuitive. I think she knew what I was going to do, she probably knew it all along.
We headed back into the den, Matt gave Maddie a smile and she smiled back, some unspoken conversation between them. Matt was a good guy but he was friends with Chris, so I'm sure Chris would know my whereabouts soon enough. But Matt loved Maddie enough not to give me away... I think.
I stared at the movie, my mind wondering as I looked at Jared Leto, his hair in particular and absentmindedly wondered if I could pull of corn rolls. Shaking my head of the thought I headed to the guest bedroom, leaving the lovebirds alone.

Maddie told me I needed to face the things in my life head on so I picked up my phone at three am and dialed a number. The groggy male voice on the other end said “Hello?”
“I just wanted to apologize. For earlier.”
“Hey Dylan.” He said as he became more awake.
“Hey Aiden.” I sat up straighter in the bed.
“So you decided to apologize at... three o' seven in the morning. You have impeccable timing my dear.” I heard him give a small chuckled and the sound of rustling fabric as I imagined him moving around in his bed. I stopped my mind before it began to wonder..... stay in the present Dylan.
“I know I'm sorry I just needed to let you know that I shouldn't have run away like that, no explanation. It had nothing to do with you.”
“Well I figured it had something to do with that phone call you took.”
“Yeah it did.”
“Wanna talk about it now?”
“Not over the phone and not this early.”
“When then?”
“I don't know.”
“How about tomorrow? What time do you get off?”
“Ugh, five.”
“How about we grab a bite to eat, got some place quiet so we can properly talk.”
I was going to say no but I figured what do I have to lose?
“Sure, you pick the place.”

Another strange day at work but I ignored the stares as much as one can. On my afternoon break I headed up to the fifth floor to have a chat with Mack Johnson. He was one of the nicer lawyers hear, meaning he didn't treat me as if I was beneath him. Plus he was a just the kind of lawyer I needed, a divorce lawyer.
“Excuse me, Mack?” I said as I knocked on the open door of his office. He looked up at me from his paper work. His winkled forehead smoothed out. Mack was young only about thirty five, with short cropped blonde hair and tan skin reflective of his Hispanic heritage. He gave ma smile in greeting.
“Hey Dylan, how can I help you?”
“I needed to ask you something privately. If you're not to busy.”
“Sure come on in.” So I did, shutting the door behind me and taking a seat across from him. “What can I do for you?” I was so glad he didn't ask me how I was feeling like so many other did today.
“Well I needed to know how much you would charge me for your service.”
His eyes widened, “You need my services?”
“Yes sir.”
“You want a divorce?” I nodded.
He didn't ask me as if he couldn't comprehend it just matter of fact. “Well legal separation. Isn't that how it works first?”
“Not necessarily. Actually not at all.”
“Okay then, divorce it is. So can I hire you?”
“If you are serious, then yes. How about we met on Monday when I have more time.”
“Yeah, that's fine.”
“Divorces are not fun. I'm sorry, Dylan.”
“Don't be. Thanks Mack.” I said then left the room a load lighter.