formed in Ella Mae’s throat. “I just don’t know why I wasn’t enough for him.”
August patted her hand. “At the end of the day, you’re only responsible for your own actions, my dear.” He glanced at the notepad resting on his right thigh. “In your voice mail message you, ah, detailed your husband’s infidelity and that you were a legal resident of New York state.” He looked at her, his face kind and sincere. “Therefore, you must hire a New York attorney and file for divorce in that state.”
“I am
not
going back there and I want you to represent me,” Ella Mae stated firmly. “How can I file from Georgia?”
“You’ll have to establish residency here, which will take about six months. But are you certain this is what you want to do? You may change your mind. Perhaps after the initial blow has faded…” Seeing the set of his client’s lips, he trailed off. “Will this be a no-fault divorce?”
Ella Mae shrugged. “Probably, I gave Sloan a chance to fight for me, for us, but he declined. I don’t believe he’s truly sorry and that makes me think he’d cheat on me again. I’m assuming he’d relish the freedom to do as he pleases. All
I
want to do is move forward and find happiness here in Havenwood. My gut is telling me that this is where I’m supposed to be. It’s like I left my dreams in a jar on a shelf in my childhood closet, and now I only need to reach up and open the lid so they can come true.”
Emitting a wistful sigh, August clasped his hands. “What a lovely image. And if that is the case, may I speak on behalf of the entire town by saying that it is an honor and a delight to have you back.” The lawyer beamed at her and then efficiently outlined the steps he would take to begin securing Ella Mae’s liberty.
By the time Ella Mae left her attorney’s office, it was lunchtime. Her mother and aunts planned to meet her at The Porch, a tiny, hole-in-the-wall barbecue restaurant favored by the locals.
Verena was seated at one of the dilapidated picnic tables out front when Ella Mae arrived on her bicycle. Seeing her niece, the robust woman gave a regal wave, as though Ella Mae were a courtier being granted approval to approach the queen’s throne.
“You should be wearing a hat!” Verena’s voice boomed over the sidewalk. “You’re as pink as your mama’s First Blush of Love rose.”
Leaning the bike against a streetlamp, Ella Mae laughed. “I bet! It’s been so long since I felt the full force of the Georgia sun on my skin.” She took one of the paper napkins off the table and wiped her damp forehead. “How did things go this morning?”
Verena handed Ella Mae a menu. “Pick out what you’d like for lunch first. Dee and your mother are in line and Sissy should drift in any minute now.”
Ella Mae took a quick glance at the laminated menu. “Fried catfish sandwich. Hope it’s as good as I remember.”
“It is, but I’m
ravenous,
” Verena answered. “Had some god-awful fiber cereal for breakfast and was hungry again by ten. It’s going to take both the pulled pork
and
the ribs to calm the beast today. I’ll let the others know what you want, Ella Mae.”
A few minutes later, Adelaide and Dee came out the restaurant’s side door carrying plastic red trays piled withplates of barbecue and glasses of sweet tea. Dee put a serving of fried chicken, hush puppies, and slaw at the empty place at the table and shot Verena a quizzical look. “Where’s Sissy?”
Verena shrugged, reaching for her sampler platter. She paused only long enough to arrange a napkin over her black-and-white floral skirt before attacking the baby back ribs with gusto.
“How did it go with August?” Ella Mae’s mother asked.
“Getting divorced is more complicated than I’d hoped. I need to establish myself as a Georgia resident as soon as possible. In six months, I can fill out all the paperwork required to become single, but that wait is going to drive me crazy. It’s bad
August patted her hand. “At the end of the day, you’re only responsible for your own actions, my dear.” He glanced at the notepad resting on his right thigh. “In your voice mail message you, ah, detailed your husband’s infidelity and that you were a legal resident of New York state.” He looked at her, his face kind and sincere. “Therefore, you must hire a New York attorney and file for divorce in that state.”
“I am
not
going back there and I want you to represent me,” Ella Mae stated firmly. “How can I file from Georgia?”
“You’ll have to establish residency here, which will take about six months. But are you certain this is what you want to do? You may change your mind. Perhaps after the initial blow has faded…” Seeing the set of his client’s lips, he trailed off. “Will this be a no-fault divorce?”
Ella Mae shrugged. “Probably, I gave Sloan a chance to fight for me, for us, but he declined. I don’t believe he’s truly sorry and that makes me think he’d cheat on me again. I’m assuming he’d relish the freedom to do as he pleases. All
I
want to do is move forward and find happiness here in Havenwood. My gut is telling me that this is where I’m supposed to be. It’s like I left my dreams in a jar on a shelf in my childhood closet, and now I only need to reach up and open the lid so they can come true.”
Emitting a wistful sigh, August clasped his hands. “What a lovely image. And if that is the case, may I speak on behalf of the entire town by saying that it is an honor and a delight to have you back.” The lawyer beamed at her and then efficiently outlined the steps he would take to begin securing Ella Mae’s liberty.
By the time Ella Mae left her attorney’s office, it was lunchtime. Her mother and aunts planned to meet her at The Porch, a tiny, hole-in-the-wall barbecue restaurant favored by the locals.
Verena was seated at one of the dilapidated picnic tables out front when Ella Mae arrived on her bicycle. Seeing her niece, the robust woman gave a regal wave, as though Ella Mae were a courtier being granted approval to approach the queen’s throne.
“You should be wearing a hat!” Verena’s voice boomed over the sidewalk. “You’re as pink as your mama’s First Blush of Love rose.”
Leaning the bike against a streetlamp, Ella Mae laughed. “I bet! It’s been so long since I felt the full force of the Georgia sun on my skin.” She took one of the paper napkins off the table and wiped her damp forehead. “How did things go this morning?”
Verena handed Ella Mae a menu. “Pick out what you’d like for lunch first. Dee and your mother are in line and Sissy should drift in any minute now.”
Ella Mae took a quick glance at the laminated menu. “Fried catfish sandwich. Hope it’s as good as I remember.”
“It is, but I’m
ravenous,
” Verena answered. “Had some god-awful fiber cereal for breakfast and was hungry again by ten. It’s going to take both the pulled pork
and
the ribs to calm the beast today. I’ll let the others know what you want, Ella Mae.”
A few minutes later, Adelaide and Dee came out the restaurant’s side door carrying plastic red trays piled withplates of barbecue and glasses of sweet tea. Dee put a serving of fried chicken, hush puppies, and slaw at the empty place at the table and shot Verena a quizzical look. “Where’s Sissy?”
Verena shrugged, reaching for her sampler platter. She paused only long enough to arrange a napkin over her black-and-white floral skirt before attacking the baby back ribs with gusto.
“How did it go with August?” Ella Mae’s mother asked.
“Getting divorced is more complicated than I’d hoped. I need to establish myself as a Georgia resident as soon as possible. In six months, I can fill out all the paperwork required to become single, but that wait is going to drive me crazy. It’s bad
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