Sweet Thang [COMPLETE]

Love Under New Management

Suzette

I took a deep breath as I stood on the outside of Cortez's office door before knocking. Any fool with a brain could tell that before he found those divorce papers stashed away in my vanity, I was still hesitant about leaving him. But it was because I truly didn't think I could. There was a small part of me that was worried I'd be breaking my kids' hearts. But an even larger part of me was afraid that even if I did try to go through with it, Cortez might not let me walk away.

But after this trip to Paris and getting a short preview of what the rest of my life could look like... I couldn't keep pressing pause on it. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that when I said yes to marrying Sammy on that balcony, I was cutting Cortez out of my script for good.

Plus, knowing that the most attached of my children was here for me moving on with my life made it so much easier to make my peace with that and just do it.

After a brief moment of silence I heard Cortez say, "Come in," and I entered swiftly with my back straight and my head held high. I was surprised by how bright the lights seemed to be in here in comparison to my perception of them over the last twenty-six years. But I guess you can only see but so much light when you're always looking down, huh?

Cortez stood to his feet smiling as he approached me.

"Suzette, you're home. How was Paris, baby?" I couldn't help but chuckle. "Paris was great. Listen, I came in here because I wanted to talk to you ab—," Cortez cut me off, "Wait. Before you say anything Suzette... I need to apologize to you." I stood before him confused and I was sure it was probably written all over my face. "Uh... okay. For what?"

"One... for dragging you through hell and back these last twenty-five —," I cut him off and corrected him, "Twenty-six. You been puttin' yo hands on me for twenty-six years." Cortez huffed like he was disappointed. "Right... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for putting you through that for so long. For the times when it didn't stop for days and... for the times when we were doing alright and you wouldn't have seen it coming. You never deserved to be treated like anything less than a queen. And two... for giving up so easily."

Cortez wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me in and I felt so stuck that I could do nothing back but hold my breath.

"When I saw those divorce papers... and I saw that they were signed... instead of listening to what you were saying and fighting for our marriage I started having a pity party." He shook his head. "Cortez," I tried to stop him before he went any further but he held up his hand to stop me. "No, let me finish. I'll do whatever it takes to get us into a happy place. And I promise I won't stop until you're satisfied and God is pleased. Every day that you've been gone I've fasted and I've prayed and God has shown me things about myself that make me sick on the stomach. I want us to heal from this baby so if I gotta get down on my knees and be—," Cortez slid to his knees and took my hands in his and it was like he froze in place from seeing the foreign diamond ring on my finger that I had stacked beneath my old wedding ring and band. I thought I even saw a tear in his eye.
"What is this Suzette?" His voice cracked as he looked up into my eyes and I took a deep breath while shaking my head. "Cortez... it don't matter what you say or what you do. We gettin' a divorce." I let go of his hands to try and remove his rings and give them back but he started shaking his head, latching onto me. "Please, Suzette," Cortez wailed as tears started to stream down his face and I shook my head no once again. "I'm tired of doin' this witchu," my voice cracked but I held my composure.

"You right, I deserve to be treated like nothin' short of a queen, and now that I know that I'll never settle for anything less."