Debts of gratitude

ithout a doubt DF's failure to disclose the status of his accounts meant there could be no equitable distribution of assets and liabilities in the divorce process. What I knew he'd absconded with was not returned and the Consent Judgment of Divorce only called for him to deliver the keys to my properties, my marriage license and a laptop computer that he'd been using that belonged to the joint business. I was awarded the home (that is, my home, that now had an enormous mortgage and less than 10% equity remaining) the businesses (one the target of DF's breach of fiduciary duty and thoroughly abused) and the other business, in which I had a significant investment with an additional stock option maturing later that month for which I would need to place my hands on a sizeable sum of money.

The justice system did not serve me well in the dismantling of my marriage, principally due to this failure to disclose, while I had complied with Court mandate and had itemised all the assets in my possession at the time. In summary, my ex-husband had taken all he needed from me ~ all the cash he could place his hands on, all of the liquid assets and left me with, yes, all marital liabilities. To liquidate would mean selling my businesses and losing the source of any future income. It was too precarious to consider that option, leaving myself without a means to live in a small sleepy community. I'd be faced with strict and harsh limitations on my lifestyle, often requiring me to go without many creature comforts to meet my obligations until such time that I could find a way to recover that which had been stolen. A shocking and totally disparate resolution considering the career path I'd followed to place me in a top executive position in business and the short term of the marital union.

Nonetheless, I emerged from my divorce with something worth far more than goods and chattels - I had "hope". Hope that I would find happiness in the future. Hope that my trust, compassion, sincerity and friendship would be appreciated. And finally, hope that I could believe sentiments, words, promises and gestures offered to me, once more....and, additionally, a chance now to finally meet Doug, who'd been so supportive, comforting and kind to me. I owed him a debt of gratitude and of course I wanted to see where the friendship we'd developed would take us.....