But just when I was pulling up my bank account to see what was left, my phone vibrated and Ronan’s text popped up, instructing me to meet him out front at ten-thirty. I had to be at work by eleven for the noon, five, six and six-thirty newscasts, even though I wasn’t an anchor. My manager wanted me to be around to watch the production in case something happened to one of the anchors and I needed to pinch-hit since I had the experience.
It was one reason I wore a suit every day. Unfortunately, dry cleaning could get costly. Thankfully, I already owned an extensive suit collection from my years at WGAL and could put that off for a bit.
As he said he would, Ronan picked me up outside the entrance of River View Heights, this time in the black Maserati with the heavily tinted windows. The car was sleek and smart, but didn’t fit Ronan. I could see him in something more rugged than an overpriced luxury coupe. Even so, the car was a magnificent and powerful piece of machinery.
He jerked his chin up at me in greeting once I slid into the passenger seat. And when he hit the accelerator, the horsepower pinned me back in my seat. It also purred like a well-fed lion and still had that new-car scent.
Unlike the rotten food stink that permeated my old Corolla.
If I was smart, I’d just junk it. But I couldn’t afford decent transportation, which was why I sold my former fancy gas guzzler with the higher insurance premiums and bought the Toyota in the first place.
I was also still making payments and paying for the insurance on Dahlia’s Lexus LX, the one she insisted we buy. More because of optics, not because of reliability or affordability. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to pay for both of our newer vehicles.
She had always wanted to impress and be the perfect “trophy” wife. Unfortunately for her, she picked the wrong man to get her there.
Like Ronan both loved and hated me, I felt the same about Dahlia.
She was a great mother. She had been a decent wife. But deep down I could never get over what she did to become that wife.
Trickery did not make a trusting relationship. She learned that the hard way. Especially when I finally confessed to meeting up with random men because…
Well, the list why was long. And none of the reasons were acceptable.
Not unexpected, she immediately tossed me out of our home, and while she was still furious—not because I was cheating on her with men, but because I had finally gathered enough strength to leave her—she went about destroying my career at WGAL.
I ended up being “reluctantly let go” for everything she told them, some of it she made up. She caused drama that the station didn’t want any part of.
Because of the stench left behind, I couldn’t find another job around the greater Harrisburg area. That was how I landed back in Pittsburgh and, this morning, in Ronan’s car.
I had needed a fresh start with my career in a city that still felt like home, and ended up unexpectedly pursuing a fresh start with Ronan.
The only issue with being back in Pittsburgh, I was about three hours away from my kids. That was the most difficult part.
Since I was still paying for the divorce, alimony, the mortgage, her car payment and for just about everything else, the nest egg I had built was quickly depleted.
However, not arguing over covering almost all the expenses in trying to maintain Dahlia’s lifestyle at least softened her hatred toward me to the point she became cooperative with the kids.
She’d usually meet me on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the Sidling Hill Service Plaza. It was a little more than halfway for her but it was a sensible and safe, easy-on, easy-off meeting spot to exchange the kids for the weekends I had them.
I only hoped she’d follow the custody orders and let me have my allotted time with them this coming summer. Before I left Harrisburg to start my job at Burgh Media, she had, but that didn’t mean she’d continue to remain agreeable. She knew I didn’t have squat to hire an attorney to fight her if she decided to go against the judge’s visitation orders.
My goal was to recover financially with this new job, even if it was a slow climb. I planned on working my ass off and doing a great job so I could climb the ladder as soon as possible.
One of the news anchors was slated to retire this fall and if I played my cards right, when they hired me they said I had a good chance of taking that spot.
Unfortunately, I’d have to deal with living on a string budget until I saw fatter paychecks. I should also consider getting a second job once I got a reliable vehicle or found something within walking or biking distance. My work hours kind of messed up my day, though, so it might be tough.