Too Much Too Soon

Phil received a text notifying him that the deed was done. He knew it would only be a matter of time before the phone rang. And before he could finish that thought, he heard the sounds of All My Life by K-Ci and JoJo playing on his phone. His wife's ringtone. "Hello Devin."

"Hello, Devin. Is that all you have to say? Why did you have me served, Phil? What did I do?" Her words tumbled out. She had just been served divorce papers.

They had been married for only three years. Phil Clinton and Devin, formerly Harper, we met at a party hosted by a mutual friend. Phil worked as a Captain in the Greenville Fire Department. Devin was a Realtor with Princeton Reality. While Phil was physically in great shape, he was very shy when it came to women and in social settings. His friends were always trying to hook him up with this woman or that one.

Devin, on the other hand, would be called bubbly and very outgoing. Besides a great personality, she was gorgeous. She was tall for a woman at five feet six inches, 38C breasts, and a full butt. She was immediately attracted to Phil. It was one of the few times she had to chase a guy. At 24, she was ready to settle down. She wasn't a party girl who had to be out every weekend. With her looks, she never had a problem finding a date when she needed one.

"Are you home, Phil? We're going to talk. You'd better have a good reason for this." She hung up before he could answer. He knew he had about twenty minutes before she got home. He wasn't going to run. He thought he was ready.

Phil was wrong on several counts. It took her only 15 minutes to get home. He heard the car door slam, and she came busting into the house.

"What the fuck is your problem, Phil? She yelled, waving the manila envelope. Are you cheating on me? Leaving me for some whore?"

"I did it because I had to. I had no choice." He said.

Her anger dissipated suddenly, and she broke down crying. "Why would you do this? What have I done to make you file for divorce? I love you, you have to know that?" She said with tears cascading down her face. Her makeup was running, leaving black streaks on her cheeks.

It hurt him to see her this way. But this was something he had to do, for his own sanity, even if he still loved her. "I have no doubt you love me, Devin, at least for now.' Her head shot up when he said that. 'I can't wait for you to break my heart. So, I'm divorcing you now."

"Damn it, Phil, that doesn't make sense. She said, confused. People don't get divorced if they love each other. And what is this shit about for now? Make it make sense."

Gesturing to the chair at the dining room table. "Sit down, Devin. I'm not trying to argue. I admit I love you. I know you love me. But we're two different people. You're outgoing and vivacious. I see men hitting on you all the time. You love the attention. I know that one day you will meet someone more like yourself and not a wallflower like me. You're going to get tired of sitting at home or having to drag me kicking and screaming to some party or social event. I can't and won't wait until that happens. It would kill me to see you walk out of my life. I'd rather cut the cord now and be done."

She jumped out of the chair and slapped him across his face. He reeled back in shock, rubbing his cheek. She had never shown a violent streak before. "Are you fucking stupid! God Damn Phil. Don't you think I know how you are? I knew the kind of person you were before we married, for Christ's sake. I married you because I love you, you dumb ass. Yes, I like attention. All women do. But I will never ever let another man have what I freely gave to you in front of God and family.

You're a firefighter for the love of God. You run into burning buildings for a living, and now you're afraid. You know what I'm afraid of, you realizing that you're too good for me. I try every day to be the wife you deserve. So, there will be no divorce. You can divorce me when I'm dead. Now take me upstairs and let's make a baby."