One Drunken Mishap ✔️

Ben

I sat in my car, contemplating how I wanted to tell Lina something important. I thought back to when we met at fifteen. We became friends, then dated. I fell in love with her as we grew up and married her. After we had Kami, I wanted her to stay home with our daughter. I thought I was happy during the first year, married to my best friend and daughter.

Lately, I realized that I wasn't in love with Lina like I thought. It's not that Lina was a terrible person. It was far from it. Lina has all the qualities that any man would want in a woman. She's kind, funny, smart, beautiful, and an excellent mother. I felt something lacked and couldn't understand what.

How do I ask my wife for a divorce? Our child is two. I sighed as I got out of the car and went inside as I saw Lina and Kami on the floor, playing with Kami's toys.

"Hi, hun. How was work?" Lina asked as Kami put a block into a sphere.

"It was okay," I answered, feeling torn.

"Are you okay?" Lina asked, looking at me suspiciously.

I walked over and sat down in a chair. "Lina, we need to talk." The dreaded words no one wants to hear from their significant other.

"Okay," she said, unsure of what I wanted to say.

I sighed. "I want a divorce."

Lina looked at me, unsure of what I said. "What?"

I didn't look at Lina. "I want a divorce." I couldn't look at her.

"Why?"

I hated what I had to say next. "I'm not in love with you." I looked at Lina as she stared at me in disbelief. "I know it makes little sense, but I don't see you in a romantic sense."

I hated telling my wife that because I know how tender her heart is. No woman wants to hear their husband tell them that they don't love them romantically.

"Is there another woman?" Lina asked.

"No," I replied, shaking my head.

"Is it me?"

I heard the hurt laced in Lina's voice.

"No, it's not you. I've been struggling with this decision for a while. I can't explain it."

Lina looked at me with a look I never wanted to see, a look of devastation. I didn't want to stay in a marriage and end up resenting each other. Too many couples did that, and I didn't want to destroy a friendship. Plus, we have a daughter.

That night, we slept in separate rooms. I listened to Lina cry, knowing I caused her pain. I hated myself for it.

*********
The next few days, we barely spoke, and I contacted an attorney. The attorney advised me how to proceed with the divorce, but everything he said didn't seem right. I didn't want a nasty divorce or hurt Lina more than I did.

The judge ordered us to have a mediator before he would oversee our divorce proceedings. Our mediator's name was Rob Miller. He brought us into a room to discuss the divorce and negotiate custody.

I sat at a table in the room across from Lina. Rob sat on the side. I looked at Lina as she sat there, not looking at me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood, the point of mediation is to negotiate assets, support, and custody of children. The State of Michigan divides all assets fifty percent while the mother retains full custody of the children," Rob explained.

"I don't want full custody," Lina said, surprising me. She looked at me as a tear fell down her cheek. "It's not Ben's fault that he doesn't love me. I don't want Kami to suffer, not seeing her father regularly."