A Second Chance 109
Posted on March 07, 2025 ยท 0 mins read
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Chapterย 109ย  Inย theย courthouseย lobby,ย Josiahย wasnโ€™tย alone.ย Heย hadย broughtย Gibertย withย him, โ€œItโ€™sย likeย this.ย Gilbertย glancedย atย Josiah,ย whoย wasย leaningย backย inย isย chair,ย lookingย completelyย detached. Heย pulledย aย stackย ofย papersย fromย hisย briefcase.ย โ€œSienna,ย theseย areย forย youย fromย Mr.ย Flynn.ย Youย neverย gotย aroundย toย takingย careย ofย theย paperwork,ย soย whileย weโ€™reย here,ย goย aheadย andย signย everything.ย Iโ€™llย handleย theย rest. โ€˜Alimony?โ€˜ย sheย wondered.ย Siennaย quicklyย shookย herย head.ย โ€œTeacceptย it Itย wasnโ€™tย thatย sheย wasย beingย overlyย dramaticย orย actingย highย andย ighty.ย Whenย sheย wasย homeless,ย itย hadย beenย theย Flynnย familyย thatย tookย herย in.ย Sheย hadย toย admit,ย theyย hadย takenย veryย goodย careย ofย herย duringย thoseย years. Theย truthย wasย thatย theย Flynnย familyย didnโ€™tย oweย herย anything.ย Asarย asย sheย wasย concerned,ย thisย marriageย wasย herย wayย ofย repayingย aย debtย ofย gratitude.ย โ€œRepayingย kindnessโ€ย wasย somethingย youย couldย doย withย money, Josiahย wasย gettingย impatient.ย โ€œJustย takeย it.โ€ Afraidย sheย mightย rejectย itย again,ย heย addedย inย aย cold,ย firmย voice,ย Thisย isย fromย me.ย Josiah,ย toย my exโ€“wife.ย Itย hasย nothingย toย doย โ€œwithย theย Flynnย family,ย nothingย toย doย withย Grandma.โ€ Siennaย wasย takenย aback.ย Hearingย himย sayย itย likeย that,ย sheย didnโ€™tย knowย howย toย refuse. โ€œComeย on,ย Josiahย muttered,ย frustrationย evidentย inย hisย voice.ย Heย pulledย outย aย cigaretteย andย lighterย fromย hisย pocket,ย butย theย courthouseย didnโ€™tย allowย smoking โ€œIโ€™mย goingย to stepย outย forย aย smoke.โ€ย Withย that,ย heย stoodย upย andย walkedย towardย theย smokingย room. โ€œSienna.โ€ย Gilbertย handedย herย theย pen.ย โ€œHere,ย signย it.ย Ifย youย donโ€™tย sign,ย weย mightย notย getย theย divorceย doneย today.โ€ Itย seemedย thatย wasย theย case.ย โ€œAlright,โ€ย sheย nodded. Siennaย nodded,ย tookย theย pen,ย andย signedย herย nameย onย theย papersย oneย byย one. โ€œHereโ€ย Gilbertย handedย herย theย inkย pad.ย โ€œYouย needย toย putย yourย fingerprintย hereย too.โ€ โ€œOkay,โ€ย saidย Sienna. Onceย allย theย signaturesย wereย inย placeย andย herย fingerprintย wasย stamped,ย Siennaย wipedย herย handsย withย aย wetย napkinย justย asย Josiahย returned. Gilbertย checkedย theirย documentsย oneย lastย time.ย โ€œEverythingโ€™sย inย order.ย Youโ€™re goodย toย go.โ€ Theyโ€™dย beenย separatedย forย fourย years.ย Itย wasย anย amicableย divorceย withย noย disputesย overย property,ย andย noย childrenย involved,ย soย theย processย wentย byย quickly. โ€œHereย youย go,ย bothย ofย you.โ€ย Theย clerkย placedย twoย certificationsย inย frontย ofย them. โ€œThankย you.ย Siennaย heldย hersย tightly,ย herย fingersย tremblingย slightly. Isย sheย reallyย thatย happy?โ€˜ย heย wondered.ย Josiahย watchedย her,ย aย strange,ย unnameableย feelingย wellingย upย insideย him. Heย hadย wantedย thisย divorceย forย soย manyย years.ย Butย nowย thatย itย wasย finallyย happening,ย itย seemedย likeย theย oneย whoย feltย relieved wasย Sienna โ€œWell..โ€ย Siennaย carefullyย slippedย theย bookletย intoย herย bagย and,ย withย aย faintย smile,ย added,ย โ€œIfย thereโ€™sย nothingย else,ย Iโ€™llย beย onย myย way. 1/3 20:47ย Mon,ย Janย 6 Chapterย 109 โ€œSienna.ย Butย Josiahย calledย wayย toย herย beforeย sheย couldย leave. โ€œHuh?โ€ย Siennaย wasnโ€™tย asย intimidatedย byย himย anymore.ย Herย expressionย hadย softened,ย andย herย eyesย wereย brighterย now.ย โ€œIsย thereย somethingย else?โ€ โ€œSorry,โ€ย heย said. Forย aย moment.ย Siennaย wasย stunned,ย almostย notย sureย howย toย reactย Isย heโ€ฆย apologizingย toย me?ย sheย wondered. Josiahโ€™sย browย furrowedย deeply,ย hisย faceย darkened,ย butย whenย heย spoke,ย heย gaveย aย bitterย littleย laugh.ย โ€œWhatย areย you staringย atย meย for?ย Iย knowย Iย wasnโ€™tย aย goodย husbandโ€ โ€˜Soย what?ย Notย everyย apologyย deservesย toย beย forgiven,ย sheย thoug Siennaย pulledย herย lipsย intoย aย tightย smile.ย โ€œItย doesnโ€™t matterย anymore.ย Itโ€™sย allย inย theย past.โ€ Yes,ย itย wasย allย inย theย past.ย Josiahย tookย aย deepย breathย andย letย outย aย lowย laugh.ย โ€œYouย mightย notย believeย thisโ€ฆโ€ โ€œWhat?โ€ย Siennaย asked,ย confused. โ€œBackย thenโ€ฆย Josiahย lookedย atย herย face,ย soย naturallyย beautifulย ever withoutย makeup,ย andย saidย hoarsely,ย โ€œWhenย weย gotย married,ย Iย reallyย didย wantย toย tryย andย makeย itย workย withย you.โ€ Otherwise,ย heย neverย wouldย haveย sleptย withย her.ย Evenย though,ย atย thatย time,ย heย didnโ€™tย exactlyย feelย affectionย forย her.ย responsibilityย aloneย wasย enoughย toย keepย aย marriageย together. Ifย itย werenโ€™tย forย theย wholeย incidentย withย Yvetteโ€™sย miscarriageย laterย on,ย itย wouldย haveย beenย different. โ€˜Isย thatย so?โ€˜ย sheย wondered.ย Siennaย smiledย faintly.ย Sheย usedย toย believeย thatย kindย ofย thing,ย butย notย anymore,ย notย aย singleย wordย ofย it Sheย pointedย towardย theย door.ย โ€œSo,ย canย Iย leaveย now?โ€ โ€œYeah.โ€ย Josiahย gaveย aย smallย nod.ย โ€œYouย canย go.โ€ โ€œGoodbye,โ€ย sheย said. Siennaย wavedย herย handย andย turned,ย walkingย towardย theย exit.ย Herย stepsย wereย light,ย andย sheย quickenedย herย paceย untilย sheย wasย running. Runningย soย fast,ย sheย foundย herselfย outย ofย breath,ย gasping forย air Atย theย door,ย Cedricย sawย herย andย hurriedlyย gotย outย ofย theย car.ย โ€œSienna!โ€ โ€œCedric!โ€ย Siennaย brightened,ย runningย towardย him. Rightย now,ย sheย neededย aย friendย toย shareย thisย joyย with.ย Sheย stoppedย inย front ofย Cedric,ย andย he liftedย hisย arm,ย gentlyย steadyingย her,ย worriedย sheย mightย trip. โ€œBeย careful,โ€ย heย warned. โ€œTinย fine.โ€ย Siennaย grinned,ย showing herย whiteย teeth. โ€œIโ€™mย soย happy!ย Iโ€™mย really,ย reallyย happy!โ€ย sheย calledย out. โ€œYeah,ย Iย know,โ€ย Cedricย lookedย downย atย her,ย smilingย andย noddingย Iย canย tell.โ€ Sheย wasย smiling,ย butย thereย wereย tearsย inย herย eyes.ย โ€œIsย thisย whatย theyย meanย byย cryingย tearsย ofย joy?ย sheย wondered. Mon,ย Jan Chapterย 109 Finally,ย Siennaย couldnโ€™tย holdย itย inย anymore.ย Sheย coveredย herย faceย withย herย handsย andย startedย toย cry.ย Slowly,ย herย shouldersย trembled. โ€œSienna?โ€ย Cedricย wasย stunned,ย notย knowingย whatย toย do. Whatย shouldย Iย doย inย thisย situation?โ€™ย heย wondered.ย Heย pattedย hisย pocketย andย realizedย heย hadnโ€™tย broughtย anyย tissues.ย โ€œWaitย here. Heย hurriedlyย wentย toย openย theย carย door.ย Thereย wasย aย boxย ofย tissuesย inside.ย Heย grabbedย oneย andย handedย itย toย her.ย โ€œSienna, here.โ€ โ€œNo,ย donโ€™t.โ€ย Siennaย shookย herย head,ย crying.ย โ€œIย justโ€ฆย Iย justย wantย toย ry.ย Iย wantย toย cryย itย allย out.โ€ Cedricย didnโ€™tย tryย toย stopย her.ย Thoughย heย wasnโ€™tย inย herย shoes,ย heย triedย toย understand,ย endingย aย lovelessย marriage thatย hadย longย sinceย fallenย apart. Maybe,ย thisย wasย herย wayย ofย feelingย relief.ย โ€œGoย aheadย andย cry,ย Gedricย saidย softly.ย โ€œIโ€™mย hereย withย you.โ€ Josiahย satย inย theย car,ย watching themย fromย aย distanceย forย aย longย while.ย Heย suddenlyย feltย anย emptiness,ย hisย faceย expressionlessย asย heย lookedย away. โ€œZaid,ย drive,ย heย ordered. โ€œGotย it.โ€ย Zaidย nodded. Theย carย pulledย away.ย Inย his peripheralย vision,ย Cedricย gentlyย heldย theย tissue,ย carefullyย dabbingย atย Siennaโ€™sย tears,ย treatingย herย likeย sheย wasย fragile. Atย Lightningย Dance,ย afterย gettingย toย knowย Siennaย overย theย pastย fewย days,ย Brendaย finallyย madeย anย announcementย forย her.ย โ€œAlright,ย getย readyย toย startย practicing.ย Sereneย Joysย Groupย Dย willย beย ledย byย you,โ€ย sheย said. Brendaโ€™sย toneย wasย calm,ย butย toย Sienna,ย itย feltย likeย aย thunderclap,ย ringingย inย herย ears. Siennaย wasย stunnedย forย aย moment,ย unableย toย processย itย becauseย itย wasย justย tooย hardย toย believe. โ€œWhatโ€™sย wrong?โ€ย Brendaย frowned.ย โ€œIsย thisย somethingย youโ€™reย notย willingย toย do?โ€ Siennaย snappedย backย toย herย senses.ย โ€œNo,ย ofย courseย not.โ€ Sheย wasย willing,ย ofย course.ย โ€œMs.ย Scott,ย Siennaย said,ย beingย honestย 1ย justย joinedย theย group,ย Wonโ€™tย thisย causeย problems?ย Wonโ€™tย theย othersย beย upset?โ€ โ€œHuh?โ€ย Brendaย letย outย aย smallย laugh.ย Thatโ€™sย somethingย forย youย toย figureย out.ย Ifย youโ€™reย worriedย aboutย themย notย acceptingย you,ย thenย makeย themย acceptย you.โ€ โ€œButโ€ฆโ€ย Siennaย hesitated. โ€œButย what?โ€ย Brendaย raisedย anย eyebrow.ย โ€œYouโ€™reย hesitatingย likeย this,ย areย youย planningย toย justย stayย inย theย danceย studioย runningย errandsย forever?ย Ifย thatโ€™sย theย case,ย youย canย leaveย now.ย Iโ€™veย gotย plentyย ofย peopleย doingย theย gruntย workย aroundย here.โ€


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