Ax collapsed onto the sheets, Hayley following right on top of his chest.
She smiled. This was right; it had to be.
"Can I ask you: why can't you leave her?" she snuggled into the nape of his neck. "I just..." he turned his head away. "She lost both her parents this past year, and since she's just completely distanced herself from me. We never spend time together anymore, and she's always in bed asleep every night I come home."
"She's never even given you a chance to be there for her?" Hayley was shocked. "I've tried, but no." Ax sighed. "I'm sorry, but that's totally crap!" she insisted. "Why stay married to someone who just completely shuts you out?!"
Ax shrugged.
"Look, you shouldn't have to deal with this," she continued. "She doesn't deserve someone she takes for granted, and you certainly don't deserve to be treated like that."
She ran her fingers around his pex. "It's better than you having to see her so miserable all the time, and in a way, it might help her move on from her parents."
"By becoming upset over me divorcing her?" Ax said puzzled. Hayley looked over her shoulder nonchalantly.
"It's worth a shot."
...
Sure enough, after more talking and encouragement, Ax finally went to the Chimdale Courthouse to file for divorce. Without any resistance or protest, his wife signed the papers, and the settlement was finalized surprisly within the month.
Hayley invited her home for dinner and introduced him to the family, and with no surprise her dad was immediately hooked. Ax immediately became part of the family, bonding with Francine, Steve, and Klaus from the start. As for Roger, he had spent the evening locked drunk in the attic.
Only six months went by until the couple went to dinner at Pricey's, indulging in Sole Meniere, panzanella salad, fresh fruit drizzled in chocolate, glasses of champagne and cream puffs. After finishing their meal, they retreated to Ax's car and he drove them out past the nature center until they had reached the Langley Falls. They sat on the hood of the car for a while, watching the stars sparkle in the sky around the full golden moon as they listened to the falls rushing through the crevices of the Cliffside.
Then, lifting Hayley from the hood and setting her on her feet beside him, Ax went down on his knee and fished an engagement ring from his suit pocket. "Hayley, will you marry me?" he asked sincerely.
"Oh my God, yes! Hell yes!" she cheered throwing her arms around him.
Both families insisted on giving the couple the most spectacular wedding yet. Francine and Ax's mother sat with Hayley for hours at a day, selecting color schemes, flowers, and dress designs. They gave her a lavish bridal shower, with decedent desserts and cocktails and every item checked off the registry. Roger put together the bachelorette party, consisting of a limo and rest stops at every popular strip club stretching from Langley to Chimdale.
The morning of the wedding, Hayley and her family drove down to the beach club and separated to get ready; Stan going to overlook the balconied courtyard's decoration setup, and Francine and Hayley going off to the bridal suite with their garment bags and makeup kits. Steve offered to wait for the bridesmaids and help them find the room once they arrived, which soon was realized by his mom and sister to be a huge mistake. Much to their surprise, he kept true to his word and insisted ruining Hayley's special day by perving on her friends was the last thing on his to do list.
With a string quartet playing a slow ballad version of "Gangsta's Paradise", Hayley walked down the aisle on her dad's arm with a content gaze at her groom. She wore a trumpet silhouette gown adorned with lace and delicate silver trim on the bodice and hem, and a sparkling veil tucked into her hair. Ax could not take his eyes off of her.
The reception went until midnight with the best DJ in Virginia at the turntables overlooking the dance floor, and a nonstop open bar, buffet, and dessert table. All guests and members of the wedding party partied hard all the while.
The happy newlyweds honeymooned in Paris for six nights, taking in the culture of the city through its historical art, succulent cuisine, and unlimited romance.
For two years, Hayley and Ax lived in his small house between Chimdale and Langley. He continued his work with BICI while she, with a little added help from her husband, started a new feminist group for the state of Virginia.
On a warm autumn afternoon, Hayley found out she was pregnant. Knowing their new family would need more space than they had, the couple moved into a brand new two story house in Hillside Acres, finally completed after several months of stalling.
Six months later, little Rachel Rose Jenkins came into the world and became the light of her parents' lives, with the additional spoiling from both sets of grandparents.
It was official; Hayley's life was complete.
