“So do you want me to pick you up or do you want to meet there?” Howie asked.
“We should probably just meet there,” I muttered.
“My mom's going to watch the kids, right?”
“Yeah – I was going to drop them off on the way.”
“And I was going to keep them tonight, right?”
“Yep. I gotta pack their stuff, then I'm leaving.”
“Okay – I guess I'll see you in an hour or so,” Howie mumbled.
“Yeah – bye.” I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. I knew this day was coming, but I couldn't believe it was here. Howie and I were going to the attorney's office to sign our papers.

“You okay?” Nick said startling me. I looked up into his eyes and he pulled me into his arms. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No – Howie and I need to do this alone.”
“You guys pretty much have everything worked out, right?” Nick asked.
I took another deep breath. “Yeah – we agreed on joint custody with the kids living with me. We've pretty much agreed that we're taking what we brought into this...” I felt the tears form in my eyes. I stopped myself before I let a tear fall. I have cried too much over Howie and I ending – I couldn't do it anymore. “I should get the kids ready to go to Paula's house.”

Howie was already at the office when I arrived. I sat down next to him and neither of us said a word. The receptionist finally came over and showed us to the conference room where the attorney was with the papers all ready to be signed.

He informed of us of what was in the documents, everything that we already agreed upon. He handed Howie a pen. His hand was shaking.
“Could you give us a minute alone?” Howie asked not looking up from the papers.
The attorney got up and left us alone in the room.
“What are you doing Howie?”
“Do we have to do this?” he asked.
“We've been over this before. It's not like we haven't try to work things out...we just...”
“I know...but is this what's best for Nikki and Jacob?”
“How good is it going to be for them if they have to watch us fight every day? Howie, they are only one and they know what's going on.”
“But what if they think I don't love them anymore?”
“They know that you love them Howie. I don't think that they would ever doubt that.”
Howie finally looked up from the papers. “Promise me that I'll always be a part of their life.”
“I would never keep them away from their daddy. I couldn't do that to them and I wouldn't do that to you.” Howie took a deep breath, signed his name and slid the papers over to me.

I sat in the car in the driveway. I knew that my life would never be the same after today. A part of me felt so sad for having to end my marriage to Howie, but the other part of me was relieved that it was over. I tried to make things work, but I knew that I was just going to get hurt over and over again. I knew what I wanted and I knew exactly where to find it.

I got out of the car and went into the house. I walked upstairs and found Nick packing up the kid's bedroom.
“So...is it done?” he asked.
“Yep – it's done,” I said picking up some stuffed animals and placing them into a nearby box.
“Are you okay?”
“Actually, yeah I am. I'm a little sad that things had to get so bad and that feelings were hurt so much, but...I know we'll both be happier this way.”
Nick pulled me into his arms and kissed me. “I definitely plan to make you and the kids happy,” he said looking deep into my eyes.
“You already do make us happy.”
“Do you think they'll be happy living at my house?”
“With all the stuff you had put in there for them? What kid wouldn't be?”
Nick laughed, “I have to try to make them like me!”
“They already love you Nick...and so do I.”