— These patterns are amazing! And so affordable! they’d say at county fairs.
Word spread, and the shop hummed with life. But Valerie needed more seamstresses and a bigger space. She dreamed of expanding, but the divorce had to come first. The first court attempt got stalled because of Mikey’s age, but Valerie kept pushing. She was done with Ethan’s last name. For the first time in forever, she felt free, fierce, and ready for anything.
At last, the court scheduled a hearing. Valerie geared up to return to Springfield. Margaret, fixing Mikey’s little hat, gave her a pep talk:
— Valerie, keep your chin up! Show Ethan he can’t push you around!
Paul added:
— I’m coming along, kiddo. Who else is gonna back you up? I’ve got a law degree, don’t forget.
Andrew, who’d become a regular for coffee chats, grinned.
— Then I’m driving us all. I’ll be there to support you, whatever it takes.
Valerie looked at them, tears spilling down her cheeks.
— You guys, thank you, she whispered, her voice trembling. — Thank you for being my family.
Andrew blinked, thrown off by her tears. He couldn’t stand seeing her upset. Margaret sniffled, hugging Mikey close. Paul stood up.
— Alright, enough crying! You ladies are something else. Everything’s okay, so what’s with the tears?
Back in Springfield, Ethan was livid. His quilt shop was crumbling—he’d spent years blowing the cash on wild nights with Sophia and her pricey tastes, and now he couldn’t pay his seamstresses. They were quitting, bad-mouthing him as they left. And now Valerie was back, pushing for a divorce! Ethan hadn’t expected her to fight.
He’d figured she was off sulking somewhere, not dragging him to court.
— She thinks she can take something from me? he grumbled in the courtroom. — The condo? I made it clear what’ll happen if she tries.
Sophia sat next to him, watching the room like a hawk.
— Ethan, look, she’s here, she whispered.
Ethan glanced up. Valerie strode into the Springfield courtroom, head held high. Her new look—short, dark-blonde hair, a sleek blazer instead of her old sweaters—left him speechless. His phone nearly fell from his hand, his jaw dropping. If he’d seen her on the street, he might’ve missed her, but he’d have stopped to stare.
— How’d she do this? he wondered.
Valerie wasn’t alone. Paul Harrison walked beside her, ready to fight for her rights.
— She got a lawyer? Ethan thought, rattled.
Then there was Andrew, the Peoria taxi driver. His presence threw Ethan for a loop.
— No way she’s got a new guy already. She wouldn’t, he told himself.
Sophia leaned over.
— Your Valerie’s no pushover. Four months, and she’s got a boyfriend?
— Shut it! Ethan hissed.
Sophia pouted and turned away, leaving Ethan to dread smoothing things over with her later.
Paul handed the judge the documents, including the condo’s property deed. The judge studied them, nodded, and banged the gavel. Ethan sat through the hearing in a fog, unable to process it.
— You’ve gotta be kidding! That’s my condo! I’m not giving it up! he yelled, charging toward Valerie.
Andrew stepped in front of her in an instant, and court officers grabbed Ethan seconds later. The hearing was done.
Ethan realized he’d lost the condo. Valerie didn’t just win it—she listed it for sale to sever all ties with him. Sophia stood beside him, frustrated.
— What’s the plan now? she asked. — I’m crashing at my mom’s till you fix this.
— Your mom’s? I thought we’d handle this together! Ethan snapped.
— Your mess? I’ve got my own issues, she shot back, walking off.
Ethan stood alone, his world falling apart. His only shot was selling the quilt shop. The business was a wreck, but he’d heard about a successful shop in Peoria doing similar work.
— I’ll head there, offer to sell mine, maybe get them to buy me out to cut competition, he decided.
Two weeks later, he found the contact info and booked a meeting.
At the Peoria quilt shop, a cheerful young woman greeted him.
— Come on in, they’re waiting for you.
Ethan noticed construction out back—the shop was growing. He heard the owner was a young woman, and he even pictured charming her. But when he walked into the office, he stopped dead, his face twisting in disbelief. Valerie sat behind the desk.