Jenny Carlson was 45 and she had been married for twenty-seven years. Most of those years had been happy, raising her children. That was back when Jenny believed her husband loved her. But Brad had changed. While Jenny had dedicated herself to their children and their home, Brad had dedicated himself to making money, a lot of money. He always said, “Jenny, we’re partners, 50/50, and don’t you forget it! I couldn’t be such a success without you.” Jenny believed him, and she also believed he’d be honest with her, just as she was with him.
It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly Jenny realized her marriage was over. Maybe it was when Brad forgot her birthday twice in a row, and it no longer hurt. Sitting alone in her bedroom, waiting for Brad, Jenny realized she wasn’t in love with him anymore. She loved him, she respected him, he was her best friend, but the romance was dead.
Brad pressed his hands to his forehead and closed his eyes. “Oh, Jen…” he whispered. “Please, babe, can we talk about this in two weeks’ time? I have a huge deal…I want to be able to give us my full attention.”
“Please, babe,” Brad said with tears in his eyes. “Please don’t give up on us. Just give me a little time, okay?” So Jenny did, and did she get a surprise! Two weeks later, Brad breezed in. “The deal went through!” he cried. “Can we talk tonight,” Jenny asked. “About us.” Brad sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs nonchalantly. “We can talk now!” he said. “So… do you want a divorce or not?” “Oh, you know!” Brad waved a hand. “The things we say under pressure…”
“I see,” Jenny said. “In that case, I will contact a lawyer and file the motion…” “I already did,” Brad said smiling. “And I also filed for bankruptcy. You’re not getting a CENT of my hard-earned money.” “But you always said we were equal partners,” Jenny gasped. “50/50, you said.” “Forget it,” Brad said. “That’s just one of those things I said. It didn’t mean anything. “By the end of the divorce process, Jenny was left with nothing. All she got was half of the equity on the house and most of it went towards legal expenses.
Fortunately for Jenny, her three children were all grown up and out of the house. She had only herself to worry about, so she found a tiny apartment and went looking for work. Unfortunately, Jenny had no qualifications and no experience. She had married Brad straight out of high school with her eldest already on the way. She had been the best mom, but now that was worth nothing. After a day of pounding the pavements, Jenny sat on her second-hand couch and cried.
The last woman who had interviewed her had been kind. “Find something you do better than anyone else,” she advised. “What can I do better than anyone?” she asked herself. Then she grinned. Her grandmother’s chocolate pie! Jenny had inherited her grandmother’s recipe book and the chocolate pie was a family favorite.