From Grass to Grace, he rose

1. prologue

Alexander pulled into the driveway of the familiar Rockefeller's. He'd been summoned by his mother-in-law for dinner and he knew it wouldn't be a pleasant dinner.

As usual, his wife, Angelica had gone before him, saying that his car was too old and rusty for her.

He watched her leave earlier, feeling a mixture of sadness and frustration. He knew she was right. The car was on its last legs.

But he couldn't help but feel a bit hurt by her words. It was as if she was judging him for his lack of wealth.

Sighing, he made it to the front door. He quickly rehearsed his responses in his head.

He'd learned from experience to stay calm and not take the bait when his mother-in-law, Mrs Rockefeller starts her usual taunts.

As he knocked on the door, he could hear the familiar sound of the TV blaring on the inside. His mother-in-law opened the door, a sneer forming on her face.

"Well, if it isn't my son-in-law, come to grace us with his presence" She smiled then with a frown, she said "You're late"

Alexander bit his tongue and eventually offered her a forced smile "Sorry, traffic was awful this evening"

"Or the junk you're driving happened" he heard Angelica say from the inside.

"Come in" Mrs Rockefeller said rolling her eyes at him.

Alexander stepped in and took a deep breath trying to prepare himself for the evening ahead. His father-in-law who's always away wasn't around for the dinner so were the rest of the family.

He took a seat at the table across from his wife. He already knew what might unfold.

His mother-in-law will go on asking him if he had found a new and better job and his wife sitting there hissing and scoffing. The usual thing. He offered Mrs Rockefeller a small smile of thanks as she served the food.

"So, Alexander, how's business?" Mrs Rockefeller asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Alexander took a deep breath and forced a polite smile choosing to be calm.

"Business is going well, thank you for asking"

"Really?" Angelica raised an eyebrow. Angelica who was always skeptical of her husband's success shook her head.

"So, tell us about this amazing business you do"

"What exactly is it that you do for a living?" Mrs Rockefeller questioned as though it was his first visit here and he was going to marry her daughter.

Still, he kept his tone, calm and friendly "I'm still a mechanic"

Angelica snorted from where she sat.

"Mom, see what I told you? A poor mechanic" then when she turned back to him, she said "Well, isn't that a fancy way to say you don't actually do anything"

"Angelica, I'm very good at what I do. My clients testify to that"

"Oh really?" Mrs Rockefeller said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Tell us something new. That sounds like bull crap. You don't do anything at all" Angelica fired,, a smirk etched on her face.

Clenching his fist under the table, he tried to stay calm and not give them the reaction they wanted to get from him.

Angelica used to be his supportive wife. They've been together for such a long time until she started making bad friends and craving for money. He still harbored hope that she'd change and be the woman he once used to love.

"I actually enjoy working with my hands" he said, hoping they finally understand how much he loved his job.

"By getting your hands dirty and expecting to touch me with them? No way!"  She said, wrinkling her nose in.

Alexander, seeing no need to keep the conversation going any longer tried to change the subject. "I'm glad we could get together for dinner tonight as a family" he said, looking around.

"Yes, it's so nice to spend time as a family" Mrs Rockefeller's tone of voice was anything but sincere.

"So, Alexander" the woman began, a malicious glint in her eye "how does it feel knowing your wife no longer loves you?"

His face turned red, and he felt a surge of rage rise within him but he knew he had to keep his cool."I don't know what you're talking about" he feigned.

"Oh come on Alexander" her tone, now filled with mockery "You can't satisfy my daughter in every aspect. She's bound to fall out of love"

"Angelica and I are still in love with each other" he protested.

"Love? Oh puh-lease" she stressed, laughing hard "You're just an unfortunate fellow"

"We have something special. We..."

"If you still believe that then you are more naive than I thought" Mrs Rockefeller argued, a smug smile on her face.

"You're a complete loser" she went on, voice dripping with contempt. "You're so poor that no sane woman can ever love or want to be with you"

"Mom, this is too much on him" Angelica piped in softly. Then after seeing the triumphant look on her husband's face assuming she was trying to defend him, she burst out laughing.

"Mom, you are right. He's nothing but a huge burden. I should never have even agreed to this marriage in the first place"

His world shattered. He could remember how content they were with what life had to offer. Who knew the woman he called wife would be the one saying all these things?

"You're finally seeing sense, my dear" Mrs Rockefeller said to her daughter "I knew you would one day come off it"

He listened to both mother and daughter tearing him down, his anger rising. He knew he couldn't change their view of him but he refused to let them walk all over him.

He straightened his back and raised his chin "I'm not going to let you destroy my self worth"

Mrs Rockefeller laughed, a harsh sound tearing through the room.

"Oh please, You're so pathetic. You're nothing but a child playing at being a man. Well, I'm glad it ends today"

Confusion arose in him as he looked from the mother to the daughter.

"I want a divorce"

Angelica announced.

"What? Angelica, I don't understand. I thought you loved me. What do you need a divorce for?"

"I've been trying to make us work for so long" she never had. With her voice now weary, she said "You're never going to change. You're just like a stagnant gutter. I need more from life than what you can offer"

He felt like he had been punched in the gut.

"So, you want to leave me? After everything we've been through together. Six years of marriage, Angeli..."

She interrupted him.

"Look Alex, I know this is hard to hear but I've been seeing someone else" She added "He's a very successful business man and he can give me the life I always wanted"

"So, you've been cheating on me then?" He asked, his voice laced with disgust and rage. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Call it whatever you like. We've never been together"

"I can now see your true colors. The one you've always hidden even before our marriage. I, like a fool thought you loved me. I pleased you however you wanted"

His heart wrenched in pain.

"Can you end this speech and sign the divorce papers?" She sent some papers flying in his direction.

He couldn't help laughing. How could he have been so blind? This had never been a marriage. She had been a poison in his life.

Good thing, she reached out to remove herself from his life.

He will make sure they eat their words very soon and regret everything they've said to him.

A smile broke out of his lips as he grabbed the pen and then stopped to say to her "you know what I haven't told you yet?"

"What?" She asked in a duh tone.

"Better you know. I'm glad my bad luck is leaving my life today"

She slowly absorbed what he said and by the time she realized what he meant, her mouth was hung open and he had signed the divorce papers. Good riddance!