30 Days Till I Divorce My Husband

Chapter 7

The bar was dimly lit, a cacophony of voices blending with the pulse of music in the raucous night.

Before Estrella could utter a word, the girl blurted out, “Jason’s not home again tonight. Bet he’s shacked up with some other dame.”

Jesse, hands casually tucked in her pockets, flashed a wry smile. “Paula, are you also drowning your sorrows in alcohol? But seriously, you should. I mean, Jason’s flavor of the week changes faster than the specials at Joe’s Diner, and you’re still not on the menu. after two years.”

“Jesse, you…” Paula’s face turned beet red with anger. “So what? You honestly think Estrella is Jason’s wife? Let her call Jason ‘hubby’ and see if he even acknowledges it.”

Paula thought it was her who should have been cozying up with the Nelsons. Her dad and Jason’s dad already toasting to their kids’ impending nuptials, but then Estrella swooped in and stole the show. So, behind the scenes, Paula had tried to trip up Estrella more times than she could count, stirring up all kinds of trouble.

Now, with this chance encounter, Paula wasn’t about to let it slide.

Jesse replied, “Whether Jason answers to Estrella, I couldn’t tell ya. But if you call him, I bet he won’t give you the time of day.”

Jesse raised her eyebrows, her tone firm. “Paula, you lost the game. Better quit those sneaky moves.”

Paula was livid. “Lost to her? If it weren’t for Landon’s momentary lapse of judgment, she wouldn’t stand a chance! Can she even keep Jason? He doesn’t even treat her like a wife. They’ve been married two years, and no wedding bash. All the while, Jason’s had a parade of women. Doesn’t Estrella know? This is nothing but Jason’s protest against the marriage and against her clinging on. If I were her, I’d have killed myself by now. She’s so shameless.”

Jesse’s expression darkened, and Paula continued, “As for you, Jesse, you mother must be so disappointed seeing you like this. What are you? Really Are you a woman or a man? Do you even know it yourself?”

the Paula’s ranting didn’t bother Estrella at first, until she insulted Jesse. Estrella picked up full glass of wine on the table, without saying a word, and splashed it on Paula’s face. “Had enough, Paula?”

even a blip on Jason’s

and fuming, Paula hurled her purse at Estrella. “You splashed me with your

15:20

Chapter 7

drink?”

it was on. Estrella and Jesse, outnumbered, took on Paula and her posse. But they didn’t need numbers – Paula and

phone and dialed a number. “Officer, it’s Estrella from

other end was the deputy chief of police. He admired Estrella’s brilliance after she

got home, the news of Paula’s arrest for causing a scene at the bar was trending everywhere. The internet, that fickle beast, turned on Paula as former classmates came out of

stolen their boyfriends.

managed to pull some strings, getting Paula out and the trend squashed, but

certain satisfaction. As for her bond with Jesse, well, that went back a decade to a harrowing event in early high school, a

a shower, just as Estrella was ready to turn in, Jason burst into the bedroom. “Estrella,” he began, “I think it’s

stirred up trouble. His father had even called him asking what happened.

bed, retorted, “Don’t play the

pants.”

why she and Paula had clashed. And she was tired of Jason not giving her the respect

up his sleeves and looked at her with a smirk “You’re giving me orders

approached, Estrella snapped. “I don’t want

off the baby plans?”