The City Held Its Silence byIrel Knx 63

63 Handed in divorce 

Why were his words affecting me this much? Get it together I told myself. I’d never been in love, never had a lover. Keith, unfortunately, was my first and only everything. My first kiss, and there was no love behind any of it. It was all strictly formal. 

I thought of him and Diana as well as Mike and Megan. I kind of felt jealous of them. Though I was content with being in a friendship couple, I too yearned to be loved by someone. Keith’s words about me being too stiff and lacking the warmth of a woman got to me. It made me feel unlovable. 

The tears kept pouring down my cheeks and I was trying to get myself to calm down. It’s okay, I told myself. 

“Jasmine,” I then heard a familiar voice from outside the bathroom and my heart sank in my chest. It was Keith. I didn’t want to talk to him or for him to see me crying right now. Perhaps, it was Edward whom I’d bumped into who had informed him that I was crying. 

“Jasmine, can you hear me?” he asked me. “I’m coming in.” Then the sound of the door handle moving filled the room. 

“Keith don’t!” I told him not to come in. There was a moment of silence before I heard him release the handle. What a relief I thought to myself. 

“Jasmine I know you’re mad at me but I want to apologise. What I said about you being robotic and emotionless wasn’t true. I spoke out of turn, and I’m sorry about that,” he said to me. 

Why was he apologizing now? I thought to myself. You’ve been insulting and saying hurtful things to me all this time, why do you care now? 

I didn’t respond to him though and instead focused on stopping my crying. 

After another pause of silence, Keith spoke up again. “That’s all I wanted to say to you, I’ll be leaving now,” he told me. I then heard footsteps from the door moving away. 

I eventually managed to calm myself down and I retouched my makeup before leaving the bathroom. 

I found the bodyguard waiting for me outside the bathroom, and Keith was gone. And he took me to where Tony was and we left together. 

12:19 

1/4 

63 Handed in divorce 

“Were you crying, mum?” Tony asked me as we made our way out of the building. 

My eyes widened in surprise. He noticed? Tony was just too smart I thought to myself. There wasn’t much I could keep from him was there? 

“Just a little,” I told him. 

“Is it because of dad?” he then asked. 

“We just had a little disagreement,” I told him.“Did you talk to dad?” I then asked, wondering what had happened when he’d been collected from school. 

He nodded his head. “When I got here Dad greeted me and told me to wait for you in the lounge,” he explained. 

Along the way home I received a message. “Ms. Towers your divorce papers are ready for collection.” It was from my divorce attorney Elisabeth. 

Perfect timing I thought to myself. I would collect them early in the morning and drop 

them off at Keith’s office. 

That night I sat on my bed. Thinking about my marriage to Keith, over. 

I couldn’t 

*** 

**** 

The following morning I dropped off Tony at school and went to my attorney’s office. I had sent a message to the manager last night to notify him that I was going to be late for work. I picked up the now–ready divorce papers and made my way to the Acland HQ. I went to the receptionist’s desk where I found the usual two receptionists whom I saw yesterday. 

“Mrs Acland, I’ll call to see if the chairman is available,” the one called Cassie told me. 

“Don’t bother,” I stopped her. “I’m not here to see him.” 

I then took out the large envelope containing the divorce papers from my bag. “Just have this delivered to him please,” I requested as I handed her the envelope. 

“Of course,” she replied. The two receptionists then looked at each other in confusion. 

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen her.” one of them whispered as I walked away. 

“She used to come here all the time.” 

“Yesterday, she was escorted in to see the chairman. I wonder what that was about?” 

12:19 

2/4 

63 Handed in divorce 

“What’s going on between them?” 

Lignored the rest of their conversation and made my way to the exit. I just wanted Keith to sign the document and we could go on with our separate lives. I was tired of all this. I left the HQ building and made my way to work. 

Midway through my shift I got a message. Checking it, I saw it was from Louis. For a second I was worried it was Keith. My face immediately lit up. 

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” the text read. 

I smiled as I read it. “Yes,” I replied. 

“Good, I’m looking forward to seeing you again,” he responded. 

I’m looking forward to seeing you as well. 

I was actually excited to see Louis tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to get a break from the Keith and Diana situation I’ve been going through all week. 

Later that day he then gave me further details of when he would come to pick Tony and me up from our home. He also told me the program for the day. 

* 

** 

The following morning, I had Tony and I wake up early, at 8:30 am to get ready for the day. Louis said he was coming around 11 am to pick us up./ 

Tony was so excited that he kept bouncing up and down as we got ready since he loved cars and racing. Louis had really outdone himself in choosing something Tony enjoyed thoroughly. I certainly wasn’t as passionate about cars but nonetheless, I was happy to do something with my son. 

I dressed myself well, putting on one of my best dresses. I also had my makeup match the dress. As I looked at myself in the mirror of my bedroom I realised it had been a long time since I’d gone for an outing with someone. I didn’t have any friends after Diana turned them against me and I was kicked out of Keith’s home. In my past life, I didn’t make any friends afterward. 

So, today I planned and hoped to enjoy my day. 

12:19