Printed Paper

The look in Lilian eyes already told Tony there was something wrong, he entered into the house and shut the door behind him, his eyes not leaving Lilian, but she was already looking away, her hand caressing the glass cup filled with golden brown vodka.

He sighed and walked briskly to the dining, wondering what in the world could have happened; maybe she had a bad day at work, but Lilian never told him about her job ever since she started, so it was just an hopeful thought.

“Hey dear, what’s wrong, you look devastated,” Tony was already frolicking behind her, his lips almost touching her ears. She shoved him off, giving him a look that said she wasn’t in the mood for cuddles.

“Sit down, Tony, we need to talk.” Those were the first words that escaped Lilian’s lips.

The words felt hard on Tony, he could feel his chest tightening, for a second; he stared at her with curiosity before pulling out a chair and sitting down inches away from Lilian.

There was an empty cup next to the bottle of vodka, she must have left it for this moment, Lilian poured the vodka into the cup and slid it towards Tony.

“For what I’m about to say, you’re going to need that.” She said, sipping her drink, and feeling the hotness in her stomach.

“What do you mean, Lilian, you’re starting to scare me,” Tony worried look covered his face. He and Lilian hadn’t been having the best relationship for a few months now, she was always acting up and angry all of the time. He was keeping up with it because she was the one who technically owns the house now.

“I’ve tried, Tony, but we both know this isn’t working,” Lilian’s voice was almost a whisper, and her eyes were focused eagerly on Tony.

“What isn’t working, Lily?” Tony thought calling her pet name would calm her down, even though he was starting to understand what was happening.

“This marriage, I’ve grown tired of it,”

“Because you’re the one sorting all the bills, do not-“

“Oh! please don’t bring up the past, Tony. It’s not about Money, I’ve fallen out of love for you,” Lilian cut him short, gulping down the liquid in her cup.

“We both know that’s not true, Lilian. If you’re going to dump me at least do it with honesty.” Tony wasn’t buying her story, he knew the only thing that could make Lilian want to dump him was the fact that he had grown poorer by the day, and maybe she had just met a rich man who’d replace him.

She was right, he was going to need the vodka.

Lilian didn’t speak for a few seconds, staring at the liquid she just poured into her cup, contemplating if she should go all out.

Tony swallowed all the vodka in his cup in one gulp before speaking again; “Tell me, Lilian, is there another man who wants to take my place.” His voice was low and soft, but it didn’t move Lilian, not like before.

“I can’t continue to live like this, Tony. You don’t seem like you’d ever bounce back from your predicament, yeah, I don’t need to tell you anything about my private life anymore, cause already you’re a stranger to me.”

“If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be here, Lilian, I hope you know that?”

“Told you to leave those things in the past, it won’t save you. The biggest mistake of my life is falling in love with you, didn’t even know how it happened.”

“All I need is a few more months, Lilian. I swear to you, I’d be back to the man you always knew,” Tony pleaded, his heart was heavy; he now understood what the printed paper on the table was.

“I’m sorry but I don’t have that luxury of time, Anthony Marcellus, I want a divorce!”

The words went straight to pierce through Tony’s heart, he couldn’t believe it. Lilian was filing for a divorce, just after he went broke and couldn’t take care of her anymore.

It was unbelievable.

“I’m not signing those papers, Lilian. This marriage can still work, if you give me a little more time,” Tony voice broke as he spoke, drop of tears fighting to stay at the corner of his eyes.

“Oh you would, and if you do not, all I have to do is file for a divorce petition, and then I wouldn’t need your input any longer,” Lilian smiled, moving the papers closer to Tony, with a pen on it.

“Why go this far?” Tony was almost in tears, he placed his forehead on the dining table and fought back the tears that was trying to embarrass him.

“Because, I do not feel anything anymore.” She replied, it was so obvious that she was done with him.

Tony thought about everything and it hurt him so bad, who would have thought that he’d came home to meet his wife wanting to divorce him, it was totally unexpected. His life was going from bad to worse, Lilian was the one paying for his mother’s care at the home for adults. It would be so difficult to live without her.

“You don’t have to worry, I’d leave the house for you, you deserve that at least, now sign the papers let get this over with, I’ve somewhere to be,” Lilian urged him, rising from her chair and adjusting her blouse.

She hadn’t changed since she got back from work, she was waiting for this.

Tony was starting to feel ashamed, he took the pen and quickly signed the papers and tossed it towards Lilian. “After all I did for you, this is how you pay me back?” He yelled and scurried off, without waiting for an answer.

“This is just the beginning of pay back, darling.” Lilian whispered with a grin, packing up the papers.

***

It was almost two hours after Lilian had left, she had packed her bags already, all she was waiting for was for him to sign the divorce papers, and he did.

Tony sat in front of his house, drinking the vodka straight from the bottle, maybe he should just end his life; he thought, it was a good idea.

It would free him from all of his misery, this life was not something he could manage anymore, the torment at his menial job was there and now his wife had left him for good.

He stood up and was about walking inside the house to hang himself, suddenly there was a loud horn in front of the house.

A man came out of the black Cadillac, dressed in fine black tuxedo suit, his hair was dark and his shoes were shining, two able bodied men followed behind him wearing suits too, but it wasn’t tuxedo.

“You must be Anthony Marcellus?” The strange man said, handing over his hand for a shake…..