His Love Is Not Visible Chapter 20
After I was discharged, I filed for a no-fault divorce in the Utah district court.
Garrett didn’t object. The lawyers and a mediator handled the division of property and debts.
Once the waiting period ended, we went to the courthouse to receive the final judgment.
My body had recovered, and I had put some weight back on.
So much had happened in the last six months.
In a few days, it would be Independence Day.
Ethan had officially moved to Salt Lake City and started a new job.
Garrett was no longer as cold as he used to be, but he looked like he hadn’t slept properly in a long time.
He used my old nickname.
“Laurie.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Garrett.”
He handed me an envelope.
“I don’t want to split every debt between us so clinically.”
“When you said you wanted to repay that old medical bill… it always made me feel like you were telling me we’d never have any contact again.”
“Though… we probably won’t.”
“You don’t need to pay that money back.”
I didn’t argue with him on the courthouse steps.
The clerk called our names.
“It’s our turn. Let’s go.”
We signed the papers, and the clerk handed each of us a stamped copy of the final decree.
The marriage was officially over.
A few days later, it would be the Fourth of July.
Divorce was a new beginning, too.
As we walked out of the courthouse, Garrett hid every trace of emotion.
We were about to part ways at the bottom of the steps when he suddenly asked, “You used to have a crush on Ethan.”
“If he told you now that he loves you, would you say yes?”
I had never seriously considered the question.
After Ethan came back, I could sense his feelings.
I had once told him, “Ethan, if you don’t want to lose our friendship, then don’t say certain things.”
“I’m willing to be your friend. But you and Garrett aren’t the same. There’s too much history between us.”
So he never said the words out loud.
And I believed we would only ever be friends.