He had taken a drive just to clear his head. He needed it. A long walk by the beach seemed just what the doctor ordered to take his mind off everything. And then just when he was most at peace, just as the water cool water ran over his toes and he could see a seagull flying, Nathan's oneness with nature was abruptly halted. The ringing of his cell jarred him back into the real world and he answered it before bothering to check the Caller ID.
"Yeah?"
"Nate, it's me. It's Luke. Where are you?"
"Just out. Doing some stuff. Why what's up?"
"I dropped by Dad's looking for you and uh…your lawyer is here."
"What?"
"Yeah, man. Look everyone is here including Meg. I think you better get back."
Nathan sensed the urgency in his brother's voice. It made his own heart pound as well.
"I'm on my way", he said, hanging up and dashing back to the car.
Once inside, it was hard to breathe. His hands literally shook as he attempted to turn the ignition. Nathan took a deep breath as he passed the portion of the beach where he and Haley had taken their wedding vows. He fought the urge to throw up. How painfully ironic he thought as he headed back to town.
Nathan's brain was a zillion places at once. Then he noticed that spot down by the River. It was where they had that first tutoring session. Nathan could see the table from the road. He could see her sitting across from him. He could smell her hair blowing in the breeze.
The handsome young jock opened the Cracker Jack box, praying that maybe a cheat sheet was the prize buried at the bottom. It wasn't but instead was a bracelet. Colorful and made of plastic so cheap it might break just by looking at it, Nathan grinned. It was time to pour on that classic Scott charm.
"It's for you. Come on."
She looked seriously annoyed, angry almost even but despite her protests, he slipped it on her wrist anyway. Her hands were so tiny and her skin felt so smooth.
"Don't say I never gave you anything", he smirked as they began.
Beeeeeeppppppp!
"Fuck!" Nathan yelled as he swerved in the nick of time to avoid rear ending the car in front of him. As the mini van drove away, Nathan's heart thumped when he saw hints of what was a car seat in the back. He had almost hit a lad with a possible baby in her car. It took a bit to regain a normal breathing pattern but finally he made it to his parents' house in one piece.
"Nate, you okay?" Meg asked as she hastily greeted him at the door.
"I'm fine."
"You sure, babe? Your skin is flushed. Maybe you're coming down with something…"
"I'm okay", he sighed. "Just anxious to get all this crap over with. Luke called. Are the lawyers still here?"
"Just your main attorney, Mr. Adams and your dad called someone in too. Douglas Hill, I think was the name."
Great! Just perfect! Why couldn't Dan stay out of things that didn't concern him, Nathan thought as he grabbed his fiancée's arm and hurried to the study where everyone was. So much for privacy if that was the intention. Sitting at the large table with bated breath were the two lawyers, Dan, Deb and Lucas.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Scott family", Nathan joked as Megan pinched him and Dan shot him an evil glare.
"This is not a joking matter, son", Dan warned in an agitated tone. "I suggest you take a seat."
"Fine", Nathan sighed. "Mr. Adams, Mr. Hill, what's going on? I hope you have some kind of news for us."
"Yes we do, Nathan", Mr. Adams began. "The Public Records office was right. You still are legally wed to Haley Joy James Scott and have been for the past seven years."
Nathan's fists clenched.
"Great! Just fucking great! How did that happen? What, she didn't sign the papers?"
"No. Mrs. Scott in fact…"
"Don't call her that", Nathan interrupted in a steely tone.
"I'm sorry, sir. Ms. James did sign the papers, however it appears she turned them over to her own attorney for verification."
"And…"
"There is a statute of limitations so to speak. That means that the paperwork was filed properly and both parties signed without contesting the manner but the paperwork was not turned in on time."
"What?"
"By North Carolina law, you had 30 days to have everything signed and completed. You failed to comply with that. Ms. James' attorney returned them approximately two to three weeks after that deadline."
Nathan was furious.
"Wait. So you mean, all this happens because her attorney turned in our paperwork too late?"
"I'm afraid so."
"That's bullshit!"
"Calm down, son", Dan coolly interjected. "How could this have happened? There was no confirmation, no follow up paperwork…"
"That is a mistake on the state's end, Mr. Scott. Once the paperwork was filed late, the state immediately should have forwarded certified letters to your son and Ms. James notifying them of such. It would have also provided an extended deadline for them to explain the tardiness as well as resubmit the package."
"Let me guess, that letter never arrived."
"I'm afraid not. Apparently there was a bit of an office mix up. Somehow the paper was filed as 'completed' which explains why there was no follow up. Then it was never changed in the computer but the system didn't catch the error until Nathan and Miss Powell applied for a marriage license. I'm sorry."
"That's stupid! Fucking incompetent jerks! How hard is it to look over some stupid papers and verify everything was done right?" Nathan continued to grumble.
"It's okay, honey", Deb intervened. "I'm sure it was an honest mistake and we can't change the past. Mr. Adams, Mr. Hill, just tell us what our son has to do to get this annulment taken care of as quickly and hassle free as possible."
"Mrs. Scott, I'm afraid it's not that simple this time around."
"Excuse me?"
"We have researched and called around and done everything legally to see the quickest way for Nathan to file annulment papers but uh…it appears he can't."
"What do you mean, I can't? Look, dude do whatever you have to do and I don't give a shit how much it costs but I don't want to be married to that girl a second longer."
"I understand, Nathan but annulment is no longer an option."
"So what do we do?"
"Divorce."
Nathan sighed. Divorce. That sucked! Divorce meant the marriage actually had taken place. It would mean legally that she once had been his wife.
"Fine. Whatever. How long?"
"You have to be legally separated for a year."
"Dude, we've been separated like seven!"
"No. From the time you file. If you file tomorrow or right now even, the 365 days would begin the minute you signed."
Nathan jumped up so fast it looked as if he were having a seizure. A barrage of four letter words spewed from his mouth. Megan almost had to physically restrain him.
"Nathan, I'm sorry. We did all we could. I promise to continue to look for any loop holes that might speed up this process but…"
"I don't care what you have to do! I don't care if you have to throw the bitch in the Hudson, I want a divorce for her in eight weeks!"
Kicking the table in frustration one last time, Nathan left the room, slamming the door of his father's study hard enough to almost dissemble the hinges. It was Lucas who went after him.
"Calm down, bro."
"Calm down? Did you just hear what was said? I'm still married to her! Know why? Because her attorney was an idiot! Now I can't annul it so I have to divorce her ass! Now I'm supposed to wait more than a year? Dude, my fiancée is sitting right there! I'm marrying Meg in less than two months."
"I know, man. And Megan is upset but you are not making the situation better with this tantrum. Calm down, okay? Look, we'll figure something out. There has to be a way. We'll all sit down and brainstorm and settle this and figure it out but you have to pipe down, dude. Seriously."
Nathan nodded. It was hard to even think or breathe. For years, seven whole years she had haunted him. In sleep she was everywhere and in the waking hours ever so often something would come along to refresh the memories. Now she was back. The memory was back with a vengeance and Nathan could no longer take it. It would have to be over. He had to rid himself of her. It was time to put the ghosts of the past to rest.