vGina spends the weekend with her parents after she and Brendan break up. However, she returns to discover her possessions scattered across the lawn. Gina finds her ex-husband\u2019s priceless item by chance. Read on for her retaliation\u2026<\/p>\n
Brendan, my spouse, changed suddenly after we divorced. The man I spent years with was gone.<\/p>\n
His replacement was nasty and spiteful.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re criticizing my behavior? About my speech? Brendan shouted.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m only saying you should relax when chatting to me. Screaming won\u2019t help you communicate, I said, holding my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, please, Gina,\u201d he yelled. \u201cYou shaped me! All your foolish demands and whining. Please live your life.\u201d<\/p>\n
So I did.<\/p>\n
While the divorce was pending, Brendan and I organized our belongings to start over.<\/p>\n
Brendan said, \u201cJust let me pack these things up, Gina,\u201d while searching through my bookshelf.<\/p>\n
I replied, \u201cYou\u2019ll just take my things with you. \u201cI have to settle my own things first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSuit yourself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It only got worse. I was always queasy from the emotional rollercoaster. I planned to spend the weekend with my folks to clear my thoughts.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, run away to your parents,\u201d Brendan snidely muttered as I packed an overnight bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re better than you,\u201d I left.<\/p>\n
And honestly? The choice was right. I needed time to comprehend everything, even being alone for the first time in twelve years. Even though Brendan and I needed to be apart, I couldn\u2019t see my future.<\/p>\n
I also wanted my parents to babysit me all weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Gina,\u201d my mother remarked, bringing out a dish of exquisite roast lamb. \u201cJust eat and rest. Tell me what you want to eat and I\u2019ll create it. Just tell Dad what you want from the store. He\u2019ll run for you quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slow exhalation. Just where I needed to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure a divorce is the way to go?\u201d my father questioned over dinner.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I said sad. \u201cIf reconciliation was possible, it was long ago. We certainly missed it. Brendan and I no longer agree. I doubt love remains.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do what you need to do, baby,\u201d my mother said. \u201cIf your mental health needs a clean break, do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I went on long walks with Pippy, my parents\u2019 dog. To clear my brain and breathe, I needed distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re doing the right thing,\u201d I said. \u201cA fresh start is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday morning, I pulled into our driveway expecting Brendan and his stuff gone, but I found something much more unexpected.<\/p>\n
All my furniture\u2014from before I met Brendan and some from while we were together\u2014was spread around the lawn. In the chaos, a big, hand-painted sign reading \u201cFree Stuff!\u201d openly invited passersby to take my possessions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell is this?\u201d I mumbled, closing the car door.<\/p>\n
This is impossible. I looked at my coffee table, my flea market couch, and my grandmother\u2019s rocking chair. Everything laying there in the sun, waiting to be stolen by strangers.<\/p>\n
The sign was flattened by my kick. When I called Brendan, my hands shook frantically. The phone rang three times before he answered.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s up, Gina? He replied with a smug, casual tone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d I repeated. \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, that\u2019s what I asked,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou kidding me? Why is my furniture on the lawn? Is your mind gone?\u201d<\/p>\n
He paused before replying.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cYou were going to sue for all my money anyway. I overheard you talking on the phone. I know you wanted everything. Or half of everything! So you might as well experience losing what\u2019s yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unable to speak.<\/p>\n
I considered taking him for a ride and taking his money, but the weekend with my parents taught me to let it go.<\/p>\n
I said, \u201cYou\u2019re absolutely unbelievable,\u201d finally. Think this will solve anything? You\u2019re hurting yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scoffed loudly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever. Your problem now. Maybe you should charge for your stuff instead of giving it away.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to shout but realized it wouldn\u2019t help. Brendan chose, like any dog with a bone, without reason.<\/p>\n
After hanging up, I gazed at my life belongings on the lawn. I could not carry all the furnishings inside. Finally defeated, I kicked the bedside table I bought and painted months earlier.<\/p>\n
I heard jingling when it fell.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat now?\u201d Crouching to open the drawer, I sighed.<\/p>\n
I found something inside that made me smile despite my fury.<\/p>\n
I remarked, \u201cStupid Brendan,\u201d since he neglected to grab his belongings from the bedside table.<\/p>\n
Among the loose coins, stray pencils, and receipts was Brendan\u2019s father\u2019s watch. He valued the family relic and rarely wore it for fear of losing or breaking it. After generations, Brendan inherited it.<\/p>\n
But now I held it hostage.<\/p>\n
\u201cCheckmate,\u201d I thought.<\/p>\n
I felt a little satisfied as I put the watch in my pocket. He had offered it for free. Not stealing anything.<\/p>\n
I then texted my friends to help me bring everything home.<\/p>\n
Jenny, my companion, held a lamp and remarked, \u201cBrendan is the worst, Gina.\u201d This is new low.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I agree with you there,\u201d I answered. Never fear\u2014I\u2019ll get back at him.\u201d<\/p>\n
I told her about the watch and how I kept it in my car. I knew Brendan would realize the watch was missing soon.<\/p>\n
When I was finishing up the furnishings that night, my phone chimed. It was him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Gina,\u201d he said. \u201cI may have forgotten something important. May I take it?<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know,\u201d I responded, taking another pizza from the box.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease,\u201d he said. \u201cJust the bedside tables.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe neighbors took some things. Also gone are the bedside tables. However, Cathy will sell it back if you\u2019re polite.\u201d<\/p>\n
The silence was long.<\/p>\n
My dad\u2019s watch, Gina. My grandfather\u2019s watch. I need it back.\u201d<\/p>\n
I paused before speaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see. Yes, with Cathy. I expect her to be sensible. For the right price.\u201d<\/p>\n
He saw my bluff. I heard it in his voice. But he couldn\u2019t prove it, and I wouldn\u2019t let him off the hook. Nope. Brendan had to struggle.<\/p>\n
He asked \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much is it worth?\u201d I requested. \u201cA few hundred dollars, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d he gritted. \u201cReturn it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll try, but no promises.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned over the watch after hanging up. My son would have gotten the watch had we possessed one. Thankfully, we split before discussing babies.<\/p>\n
Brendan arrived the next morning when I was enjoying coffee on the porch.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere,\u201d he handed me an envelope. \u201c$500. But you realize its value.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks. Leave now, I said.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll contact you regarding divorce. My lawyer has some questions for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just \u201cCool,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Brendan double-taked, but he took the watch from me and walked away slowly, almost as if he wanted to say something but couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
vGina spends the weekend with her parents after she and Brendan break up. However, she returns to discover her possessions scattered across the lawn. Gina finds her ex-husband\u2019s priceless item by chance. Read on for her retaliation\u2026 Brendan, my spouse, changed suddenly after we divorced. The man I spent years with was gone. His replacement […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28956"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28957,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28956\/revisions\/28957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}