Punished by Divorce

Parents

Naomi

“I still can't believe you are leaving,” Corey remarked as he helped me load up the last box into the back of my car. I didn’t have a lot of possessions, especially since the furniture wasn’t mine to begin with. The few things I did own were mine.

“I have to, Corey,” I said as I closed the trunk. “I can’t imagine staying here…I don’t want my father to get any ideas,”

“No, I know…it’s just…Ruport? Chasea? Home of the country life?”

“Yes, I did my research. I looked around and…I like it,” I said defensively. Corey chuckled as he shook his head. “I will miss Crey and everything about it, but Cidwood? No…besides, I’ve never been a city girl,”

“No matter how much your parents wanted you to be,” he said, and I sighed. My parents were a whole other issue, one I would have to deal with before I left Cidwood for good. “Have you heard anything else from Erik?”

“No. I got a call that the divorce was finalized. He paid the money over and I got one last text,” I said as I took out my phone. “It’s done. We are no longer married, and I’ve made the p*****t over to you already. I wish you the best of luck in life. P.S. Don’t forget to move out of the penthouse, I have renters interested. Thank you, Erik,” I read. Corey scoffed as he shook his head. What more could one say? I looked up at the apartment building and smiled. “This place has never been my home,”

“No, I suppose it hasn’t,” Corey agreed. I may have lived here for just over a year, but it was never mine. Nothing inside had ever been mine. I hadn’t cleaned. Erik had sent over a cleaning service twice a week. That included my laundry. I was lucky enough to be allowed to cook and prepare my own meals. “I can’t wait to see what you do with yourself out there in Chasea,” Corey then said, and I smiled.

“I have some ideas…but first…my parents,” I said as I opened the driver’s side door.

“Good luck,” Corey said as I climbed into the car. “Don’t forget me,” he added before he closed the door. I smiled as I started the engine. The drive to my parent's home was quick. They had moved out of the house I had grown up in about three months ago. They were now living in a duplex in the heart of Crey. Oddly enough, it was relatively close to Billora headquarters. I didn’t want to think about what that meant now, since they had been cut off from the company. I had no idea if they had heard about the divorce, but I was hopeful that they hadn’t. I was going to tell them myself. After all, I had to tell them that I was leaving. I managed to find a parking space close by, so I parked my car and got out. I wasn’t looking forward to this, none of this, but I wasn’t about to simply disappear. I may not be close to my parents, but they could be rather dramatic.

“Naomi!” my mother suddenly called out, and I looked up to see her waving at me through the open upstairs window. “Come on up, the door is open!” she added. I couldn’t believe she was yelling out of her window in such a manner, but I wasn’t about to call her out on it as I nodded and headed for the front door. The door was unlocked, and I headed inside.

“What brings you by?” a deep voice said, and I tensed up immediately. I glanced over to see my father standing on the landing just above me. My father, Bob Scott, stood tall and proud. His dark brown hair was short and perfectly styled and those light brown eyes watched me with open curiosity. He had a bit of stubble, which was rather unusual.

“Um…hello,” I said awkwardly. “I…um…” why was it that whenever I was around my father, he rendered me silly?

“Goodness, Naomi, just spit it out already,” he snapped. “Come up, your mother just brewed a fresh pot of tea,” he didn’t wait for me to answer as he walked away. I took a deep breath and hurried up the stairs. I had only been here once before, but I already knew they would be in the room my mother had named: the sunroom. It was just an open space, barely a room, but the large window did give a wonderful view of Crey.

“Naomi, darling, what a pleasant surprise,” my mother remarked the second I entered the space. She was seated close to the window, teacup in hand. She wore a long white dress, and her feet were bare. Her hair was done in an up style and her face was void of makeup. It was oddly humanizing to see her without the mask that she normally applied.

“Hi,” I greeted. My father had taken a seat next to my mother and I stood there, waiting.

“Don’t just stand there, Naomi, take a seat and tell us why you are here,” my father growled out. I quickly took a seat and then the silence stretched on and on. I had no idea what to say or how to say it. However, as I was trying to gather my thoughts, my father decided that I was just taking too long for his liking. “Is this about us being cut out of Billora? Or is this about the secret divorce?”

“What?” I asked, surprised. How could they possibly know about the divorce?

“Divorce?” my mother echoed, confused as she looked between me and my father. “Bob, what divorce?”

“It’s the only explanation,” he said, but I had no idea what he meant by that. Not that it mattered. I had my opening. Now was my chance.

“That’s right. Erik and I are no longer married, and I’m leaving Cidwood. I came to say goodbye,”