Divorcing My Husband Was My Best Deal

The warm lights in the restaurant's private room made my eyes dizzy, and the sweet and sour fish on the lazy Susan had gone cold, its eyes clouded white. Today is my dad's sixtieth birthday. Seated at the table were my mom, Lana, my brother Sol Harmon, and my husband, Henry Jackson. I had just picked up a piece of braised pork for my dad when Lana's voice interrupted. "Cindy, your brother needs to buy a house; he's short 100,000 dollars for the down payment." Her chopsticks paused mid-air, her tone as if she were announcing an indisputable fact. My hand holding the chopsticks turned pale, and my knuckles ached. "Mom, I just paid off 30,000 dollars on Sol's credit card last month. I don't have that much cash right now." "If you don't have it, doesn't Henry either?" Lana glanced sideways at Henry. "You two have been married for so many years, and you can't even come up with 100,000 dollars?" Henry put down his wine glass and wiped his mouth with a wet wipe. "Mom, our family follows the AA system. Cindy covers her own expenses, and I have other obligations for my money." His words stabbed into my heart like an ice pick. I looked at Henry, the man I'd been with for five years, who, when my birth family pressured me for money, only thought about drawing clear lines between us. Lana blew up, banging the table and scolding me for being useless, saying that since I have a husband, I have turned my back on my family. Sol sided with her, saying I was an irresponsible sister. My dad wanted to speak up but was silenced by Lana's glare. That birthday party ended on a sour note. On my way home, the cold wind blew into my collar. Henry walked behind me without saying a word of comfort. A week later was Henry's mother Hailey's promotion party, held at an upscale hotel. At the table, Hailey raised her glass and smiled, saying to everyone, "My son Henry is so capable; he handles all the family's big and small decisions, unlike his wife who earn a little money only to spend it on herself and always end up causing trouble." Her gaze swept over me, brimming with undisguised contempt. I shook the glass of juice in my hand, and some spilled onto the tablecloth, leaving a small wet stain. Henry didn't defend me; instead, he sided with her, saying, "My mom is right, the family really needs someone to make decisions." The eyes of everyone around me were sharply fixed on me, some filled with sympathy, others with ridicule. I suddenly felt utterly exhausted, too tired to keep enduring. After the farewell party, I sat in the car and said to Henry, "Let's get a divorce." Henry was stunned for a moment, then frowned. "What are you making a fuss about? Just because my mom said a few words to you?" "Not a few words, but five years." I looked him in the eye. "I've had enough of this five-year AA system marriage." Henry disagreed, saying divorce would have bad consequences, and added that if I dared to mention divorce, he would make me leave empty-handed. I know this divorce won't be easy, but I've made up my mind to climb out of this mess.