some measure of closure?

Michael had contacted me while i was washing clothes.
Was it possible for him to come by and talk with me this evening?
I assured him that would be fine, but it would be at least 6 PM before I would be home.
That would be fine, he told me.

So, while the laundry whirled and twirled, I puzzled over what might be up.
Was he interested in moving back in with me?
Was he trying to see about his girlfriend moving in with me?
Just what was he wanting to see me about?

I had no idea it would be about her.
The last I had known was she had pleaded guilty to the federal charge and was to be sentenced last week.
I had not known the sentencing had been postponed until yesterday.
I had not known how fraught with concern Michael had been over the delay.
He needed this chapter of his life to be closed, to have an official stamp of "done" on it.
I could understand completely.
When I was getting divorced, I had been told it would be finalized on 14 December 2007.
Instead, my lawyer told me it was being postponed and might not be completed that year.
I had nearly lost my mind.
I had needed it to be "d-o-n-e", to no longer be part of a broken couple.
Then, the new date had been set: 21 December 2007.
I lost my mind again, as I had not wanted it so close to his birthday.
He had not minded that at all, not even coming to the court proceedings.
I remain ever grateful to my fsilm, Beverly, for being there with me.
I shared all of that with Michael.

At least I had not had to deal with my news splashed all over the television news.
When Michael had picked up the girls this afternoon, the sitter had greeted him with that.
Melanie's sentencing was on the afternoon news, which meant it would be on the evening and late-night editions as well.
Damn.
His biggest concern was about his daughters not hearing about all of that.
His biggest concern has always been about the care of his children.
I tried to explain to him that the repercussions of the wife's actions are not ended.
She still faces multiple counts in state court and that will likely drag on for years.

There was some good news for him, though.
Now that she is a convicted felon, he can get divorced with no red tape.
She will be in federal prison, with no parole ever, for thirty years.
That means there will never be a possibility of her having custody of their two daughters.
With that possibility being null and void, he can eliminate her as his wife, no contest.
i thank You, God.

I pray that the girls are young enough to make a recovery from her actions.
I pray that they will have guidance and good counsel as they grow older and mature.
I am grateful that they will be in their mid-thirties by the time she is released on probation.

i thank You, God, for my time with the twins.