Chapter 2

It smelled like a dentist office which immediately put Nora on edge. An uncomfortable knot formed in her stomach and she could feel a small lump rising in her throat. She glanced around anxiously taking in the hardwood floors and the light green walls. Certifications were framed and hung proudly on the walls. On top of the front desk there was a potted cactus placed next to a sign in sheet.

"Hi there! My name is Agatha, how can I help you?" A sweet, grandmotherly voice hit her ears.

Startled, Nora's eyes dart over to a little old lady wearing a light pink dress suit. Her gray hair was styled up in a ballerina bun. She had crows feet in the corners of her brown eyes, and laugh lines next to her kind smile. She was a small lady, probably around five feet tall with a slender build.

Nora gave her a small smile before clearing her throat, "I uh… I have an appointment with Jordan Briggs?"

Agatha gave Nora a sad smile. The only people who came to see Jordan Briggs were the ones looking for a divorce. "He'll be with you shortly dear. Please sign in and you can have a seat if you'd like. Can I offer you a peppermint or some water?"

"Some water would be great, thanks." Nora could use all the help she could get to dislodge the lump out of her throat. She hesitated briefly before signing her name on the sign in sheet.

Agatha reached into the small mini fridge by her desk and grabbed a bottle of Dasani water. She walked around the desk so that she was standing next to Nora and handed her the bottle before gesturing to the two black leather chairs that were positioned in front of the window.

"We could have a seat while you wait if you'd like." Agatha offered sensing the nervousness coming off of Nora.

At Nora's nod, they made their way over and took a seat. Nora's legs bounced rapidly and her hands shook as she worked on opening the bottle of water. She frowned as some of the water sloshed out onto her shirt. She swore under her breath as her eyes darted around trying to find something that she could use to clean up her mess. Her eyes caught sight of Agatha holding out a box of tissues wearing a sympathetic smile.

Grabbing three tissues out of the box, Nora gave her small smile, "Thanks."

After setting the box of tissues back on the table beside her chair, Agatha shifted in her seat so that she was fully facing the woman beside her. "What's your name, dear."

Dabbing at the wetness on her shirt, Nora glanced at Agatha from the corners of her eyes, "My name's Nora."

"Well, Nora, everything is going to be okay." Smiling warmly at Nora, Agatha clasped her hands together in her lap and crossed her ankles.

Nora took in a deep breath before giving the lady a tight lipped smile. She wasn't so sure that everything would be okay. She wasn't sure how Jax would react when he learned that she had filed for divorce. She didn't know how bad the fallout would be. Then there were her kids, how would this affect them? Would they look at her as if she were the monster that tore their family apart? And to top it off, she still loved Jax. He had been her world since she was sixteen. Jax was all she knew. Would she be able to make it without him?

She didn't know, but she was furious enough to try.

Because as much as she loved him, in that moment she hated him with equal measure. Nora hated Jax for the pain he had caused her in the last twelve years. She hated the way his infidelity made her feel as if in some way it were her fault — that maybe she just hadn't been enough for him.

The only thing that Nora knew for sure was that she was just so damn tired of it all.

Having given up on the wet spot on her shirt, Nora balled the tissues up in her lap. "I hope you're right."

Agatha glanced around the office making sure that she didn't see Jordan before she leaned her head closer to Nora conspiratorially. In a quiet voice she offered some advice, "You know, sometimes we make hasty, life changing decisions based on what we are feeling at that moment. My father always said 'Aggie, when you need to make a decision don't let your emotions get a vote'."

Nora was stunned, her eyes widened and mouth dropped slightly as she stared at Agatha. She wasn't sure how it felt to hear that wisdom dropped on her. She felt a tug in her heart, making her momentarily question if she was making the right decision after all. "He sounds like a very wise man."

Agatha's smile widened, her eyes shined with sadness but also pride. "That he was, God rest his soul."

After a moment, she gave Nora a knowing and sympathetic look. "Twenty years ago, I was so mad at my husband. I wanted a divorce immediately. I swore I couldn't go another day being married to him. My father told me to go and get the papers written up and hold on to them. He told me not to sign them but to put them in a safe place for six months. After the six months was up, I could then make a thoroughly thought out decision that wouldn't be clouded by my anger. Listening to my father was one of the best decisions that I ever made."

Nora smiled at her, "Are you and your husband still married then?"

Agatha's lips pursed in disgust, "Hell no. I divorced that bastard the moment those six months were up." She grinned at Nora and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "But, I wasn't angry when I did it."

Nora smirked as her eyebrows raised in amusement. She hadn't been expecting to hear those words coming from Agatha. "No regrets, huh?"

Agatha shook her head with a small smile, "None whatsoever. A couple years later, I met a man who treated me like a queen. We've been married for seventeen years now."

Before Nora could respond, Jordan Briggs made himself known as he came to stand in front of the two women. He held out his hand for her to shake, "You must be Nora. I'm Jordan."

Nora looked away from Agatha to take in the sight of Jordan. He was a tall man, although she was almost sure that he would be shorter than Jax. He brown hair was balding and he had a round face with aristocratic features. His dark eyes were beaty reminding her of a rat. His navy blue suit didn't have a single wrinkle.

Standing up, she shook his hand with a tight smile. "That's me."

The look he gave her made her shift uncomfortably. He was judging her, the same way others did in this town. She could tell that he knew who she was — knew who she was married to.

Jordan finally turned and gestured for her to follow him. Nora swallowed thickly before she sent a glance back at Agatha. Agatha gave her a reassuring smile causing Nora to give her a small smile in return.

Agatha's reassurance seemed to give her some strength. Nora followed behind Jordan with her shoulders back and head held high.

There were a lot of things that Nora wasn't sure of. But at least after talking to Agatha she knew where to start.

Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! Please continue to let me know what you think! This chapter is shorter than the first, I hope no one minds them being varying lengths.

Thank you to UnderElectricCandlelight, lilyann17, RebornRose1992, britt, LunaEvanna Longbottom, and all of my guest reviewers. Thank you for your kind words and I'm so glad that you are all enjoying this story so far! I hope that you will continue to enjoy!