Shayla
As Chase and I stepped out of the taxi and into the bustling streets of New York City, I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension wash over me. Today was the day we were scheduled for mediation to discuss the terms of our divorce, and the thought of facing Terrence in such a high-stakes situation filled me with a mixture of dread and determination.
"Are you okay, Shayla?" Chase asked, his voice filled with concern as he reached for my hand. I forced a smile onto my lips, trying to push aside the knot of nerves that had formed in the pit of my stomach.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... nervous, I guess."
Chase squeezed my hand reassuringly, his touch grounding me in the present moment.
"Don't worry, Shayla. I'll be right here with you every step of the way."
As we made our way into the mediation center, my mind raced with thoughts of the long and arduous process that lay ahead. We found our designated meeting room and Chris stayed outside the room while we negotiated.
My lawyer had compiled a list of what I wanted – the vacation home upstate, a fair share of the assets, and custody arrangements that prioritized the well-being of our children. But I knew that Terrence would have his own demands, and I braced myself for the inevitable clash that was sure to come.
The mediation began, the air tense with anticipation as we laid out our respective positions. Terrence's lawyer presented his list of demands, which included keeping the house and the majority of the assets, leaving me with little more than scraps.
I felt a surge of anger rise within me at the unfairness of it all, but I pushed it aside, knowing that I needed to remain calm and composed if I was going to get through this.
For hours, we argued back and forth, each side unwilling to back down from their demands.
The mediator tried to facilitate a compromise, but it quickly became clear that we were at an impasse. Frustration boiled over, tempers flared, and before I knew it, we were taking a much-needed break to cool off.
I stepped outside, the cool breeze of the city streets washing over me as I tried to collect my thoughts. Chris followed close behind, his presence a comforting presence amidst the chaos.
"Shayla, are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft with concern.
I let out a weary sigh, running a hand through my hair as I leaned against the wall.
"I don't know, Chase. This is all just so... overwhelming. I just want this to be over so I can move on with my life. Terrance is being an ass just fighting me every step of the way taking everything i say as a personal attack on him. I just want whats best for the kids."
Chase wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close as he whispered words of comfort
"Don't worry, if it goes to court you have a much better chance at winning anyway." As I leaned into his embrace, a sense of gratitude washed over me, knowing that no matter what happened, I had someone by my side who would be there for me.
The mediation continued after our brief break, but the tension in the room seemed to have only escalated. Terrence was adamant about keeping the upstate vacation home, despite my repeated attempts to reason with him and his lawyer was clearly annoyed with Terrence's stubbornness as well.
"Why do you need the vacation home, Shayla?" Terrence's voice dripped with disdain as he stared at me across the table. "You've never even liked going up there. It's always been my thing." I clenched my fists under the table, struggling to maintain my composure in the face of his blatant disregard for my wishes.
"It's not about what I want, Terrence. It's about what's best for the kids. They love going up there, and I want them to have a place where they can spend time with their grandparents." Terrence scoffed, rolling his eyes in disbelief.
"Oh, please. You're just trying to get your hands on the property so you can sell it and make a quick buck. Well, it's not going to happen. I won't let you take that away from me." I felt a surge of frustration welling up inside me, but I knew that losing my temper would only escalate the situation further. Taking a deep breath, I tried to remain calm as I responded. Trying an alternate option
"Terrence, this isn't about money. It's about ensuring that our children have a stable and loving environment to grow up in. Can't you see that?" But Terrence was unmoved, his stubbornness and pride standing in the way of reason. And as the mediation dragged on, it became increasingly clear that we were at an impasse on this.
As the mediation continued, I could feel the weight of the unresolved conflict regarding the vacation home lingering in the air like an unspoken truth. But for the moment, I decided to set it aside and focus on the matter at hand – custody of the kids and visitation.
"Alright, let's move on to discussing custody arrangements," the mediator announced, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was sure to be another difficult conversation.
"I believe it's in the best interest of the boys for them to stay with me during the school year and spend summers with you in New York," I stated, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising nerves.
Terrence scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Absolutely not. They belong here with me, Shayla. I'm not going to let you take them away from me." I felt a surge of frustration bubbling up inside me, but I pushed it aside, determined to remain calm and composed.
"Terrence, you know that I've always been their primary caregiver. I'm the one who takes them to school, helps them with their homework, and attends their parent-teacher conferences. They need stability, and that's what I can provide for them."
But Terrence wasn't having it. His pride and stubbornness rearing their ugly heads once again as he refused to entertain any compromise.
"No way, Shayla. They're my kids too, and I'm not going to let you dictate when and where I get to see them." I could feel my frustration reaching a boiling point, but I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.
"Fine, then let's talk about visitation. How about you get them every other weekend and two weeks during the summer?"
But Terrence's response was swift and uncompromising.
"That's not enough, Shayla. I want more time with my kids, and I'm not going to settle for anything less." Feeling defeated, I racked my brain for a solution.
"Okay, how about this – I'll agree to joint custody, but they'll primarily reside with me during the school year. And in exchange, you'll pay $1200 a month in child support."
But instead of considering my offer, Terrence's anger only seemed to grow.
"You've got to be kidding me, Shayla. You think you can just buy my kids from me? No way in hell." I could feel the tension in the room reaching a breaking point, and as the mediator attempted to intervene, I knew that the mediation had reached an impasse. It seemed that no matter what I said or did, Terrence was determined to make this process as difficult as possible.
Fine, if that's how you want to play it," Terrence spat, his voice laced with venom. "But mark my words, Shayla – you'll regret this."
I watched helplessly as Terrence stormed out of the room, leaving me feeling defeated and drained. I knew that our divorce was far from over, and that there would be many more battles to come. But as I gathered my things and prepared to leave, a sense of determination flickered to life within me. No matter what obstacles lay ahead, I would do whatever it took to ensure that my children were taken care of and that justice was served. As I walked out of the mediation center, I knew that I wouldn't rest until I had secured the future that they deserved.
A sense of defeat washed over me, knowing that the battle for custody of my children was far from over.
After the emotionally draining mediation session, I found myself overwhelmed with tears as the weight of the failed negotiations settled heavily upon my shoulders. Chris, ever the steadfast companion, wrapped his arms around me in a comforting embrace, offering words of solace and reassurance. "I'm here for you, Shayla," he whispered softly, his voice a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves. "We'll get through this together, I promise." And as I buried my face in his chest, allowing myself to release the pent-up emotions that had been building inside me, I found a measure of comfort in the warmth of Chris's embrace, knowing that I wasn't alone in my struggles.