And The Winner Is...

Possibility Number 2. Brett did not show up. So my lawyer and I ran down all the assets and debts and child support plans and how we wanted it all divided, and the judge said "sounds fine to me. you're divorced." I'm not even required to notify Brett or anything. She does get 30 days to claim I pulled a shenanigans, but the burden of proof would be on her, and since I didn't she would lose. I just, you know, didn't go out of my way to act as her unpaid personal secretary.

I am still in shock. It was over so damn fast...

So, What's Gonna Happen?

Today is the day of my divorce trial. I read recently that only 15% of divorces in the US end up going this far, and half of those involve allegations of abuse. All I can say is, my lawyer and I have tried repeatedly to negotiate a settlement, only to be met with hostility or silence. The most recent attempt was eleven days ago, when my lawyer and I were up half the night assembling all the financial documents Brett said she wanted to see before she would sign the agreement, only to have her cancel the meeting at the last minute with a truly vitriolic e-mail.

No wonder we couldn't make the marriage work.

I figure one of four things will happen today:

1) Brett shows up with a recently hired lawyer, who immediately asks the judge to postpone until she's had time to prepare. Brett asked me for $1200 just a week ago to hire an attorney, so it could happen.

2) Brett doesn't show up. I win by forfeit, but Brett gains another platform to tell our daughter how I screwed her. Since the check I gave her for the lawyer hasn't been cashed yet, it could happen.

3) Brett shows up without a lawyer, and begs for more time and rants about how unfair it is that she is going to have to, you know, get a job some time in the next couple of years. Probably would be awkward as hell.

4) Brett and her newly hired lawyer spring some sneak attack that neither my lawyer or I anticipated. I don't see how, but that is the nature of sneak attacks.

Meanwhile, Julie is getting her first chemotherapy treatment today. I would so much rather be with her.

Serious But Not Dire

Julie got the full diagnosis and treatment plan from her oncologist yesterday. Her cancer is in Stage 3 and has spread to two lymph nodes. She's going to need months of treatment, first chemo and then a bilateral mastectomy, but she will probably beat it (survival rate for people at this stage is something like 60%). This is tough, but it's much better than if it had metastasized and gone to Stage 4, in which case we'd be looking at a survival rate closer to 20%. So, we are both feeling relieved and optimistic today.

Many, many thanks to everyone and their kind thoughts.

Time For Something More Light-Hearted

Past time, in fact. So here's some pics of Taylor's Halloween costume. She decided she wanted to be an Ent, and designed and assembled her costume in the space of a few hours Saturday.