Episode 10

Susan Cooper was having breakfast, it was mid-morning, and she had slept longer than usual. Amelie had called her the night before, as well as Ava.

"How are you feeling today, ma'am?" Doris asked as she served the coffee.

"I won't lie to you, I feel a great emptiness. You know, I hadn't realized that my life revolved around him until this morning when the alarm clock rang, and I realized that I didn't have to get up anymore. I didn't have a suit to choose or a breakfast to prepare. I don't have to go to the dry cleaner to drop off suits. I no longer have someone to take care of!"

"Of course, you still have to take care of yourself, that's important too. Your friends called you early, take the opportunity and go out with them," Doris suggested.

"No, how am I going to explain what's happening? They were here over the weekend witnessing the show of being a loving husband," Susan said bitterly.

"Maybe you don't have to explain anything. I wasn't planning to tell you, but..."

"Tell me, Doris. You've always been part of this family, you know you can tell me anything," Susan replied.

"Alright, I suppose you deserve to know. Today, I went grocery shopping and I ran into Carmen. She takes care of the Morris house, and she mentioned that during breakfast, Mrs. Morris commented about seeing Mr. Cooper being very affectionate with a young girl last night."

"He dared to show himself with her a week before our anniversary. I truly don't recognize that man. The David I married is so different," Susan said, her voice filled with bitterness.

"That David lost his mind because of a pair of panties, excuse me for saying it, but it's the truth. Don't worry, life will charge him for such a betrayal, and he'll regret how he treated you. As soon as the illusion fades away and he sees everything as it really is, I bet he'll come back without you even calling him," Doris said while washing the dishes.

"Well, he's not coming back here! I'll never forgive him for what he did," Susan responded, surprised to hear her own voice. "I could have understood if he had told me how he felt about our marriage. If he had been honest and gone away for a while, I could have forgiven him, because the truth is, I still love my husband. But I'll never forgive him for bringing another woman between us, especially someone the same age as our daughters. I'll never forgive him for the deception, for months of lying, for the humiliation and ridicule he subjected me to. I'll never forgive him. One way or another, I'll learn to live alone," she declared.

"That's right, ma'am. You're a strong woman," Doris told her.

Susan handed the cup to Doris and then went to her room, determined to move on with her life and call her friends. It was then that the phone rang.

"Hello," she answered.

"Is this Mrs. Susan Cooper?"

"Yes, it's her. What do you want?"

"I'm Robert Adler, and I'll handle your divorce."

"I see. What do you need?" she asked.

"I know David gave you the papers. I wanted to know if you had time to read them or consult with your lawyer," he said.

Susan looked to the table in the corner of the room, the folder still there, unopened.

"I'll be honest with you, I haven't had time to read it, let alone find a lawyer. Besides, I don't see the point in hiring one. He wants a divorce, and I have no intention of becoming a burden in his life."

Robert Adler was surprised to hear her response. Another woman in her place would be furious, seeking to annoy her ex. After all, David Cooper deserved that.

"So, tell me what the document says, and I'll sign it," Susan continued.

"Of course, if it's not too much trouble, I would like us to meet, and I'll explain it to you personally."

"Sure, whenever you want," she agreed.

"If it's okay with you, I'll wait for you at my office tomorrow."

"Alright, tell me the time and the location," she replied.

"At 10 am, my office is in the same building as Mr. Cooper, tenth floor," he said.

"Okay, I'll see you there tomorrow at that time. Have a good day," she responded, before ending the call.

Susan stared at the folder for a moment, then picked up her phone and called her friend Joanne.

"I can't believe it, but he's gone crazy."Susan, I'm so sorry. I'd like to see you today,"she said."

"You know where I live, come over for dinner. It'll be nice to have company," Susan replied.

"You don't have to tell me twice, I'll see you tonight. I'll bring an extra plate and some alcohol for company. Susan couldn't help but laugh; she had known Joanne for thirty years."

"I'll be waiting for you," she said, grateful for a bit of distraction.

...****************...

In the cold city of Vancouver, Ava Cooper was gathered with Alexander Cavelli. They were reading the scripts they would be filming the next day. Ava's expression had Alexander intrigued.

"What's bothering you, Ava?" he asked.

"In my short experience, I would say these scripts are disastrous. But last night, watching the first few episodes, I saw the potential. I wonder what changed for it to end up in a disaster like this."

"A bad review," he said. She looked at him, surprised. "Believe it or not, a bad review can destroy you. If you don't know how to deal with it, I'm telling you from my own experience. In this line of work, you have to learn to handle it. She could have taken that bad review and turned it around unexpectedly. Like you said, it had potential. You'll always encounter people who don't like your work. In those moments, you have two options: you can ignore the bad review and continue on the established path, or you can twist it to try to please everyone. But remember, you can't please everyone all the time."

"How did you learn to deal with those critiques?" she asked.

"Through many failures, even personal ones. Hitting rock bottom sometimes motivates us even more. Let me give you an example: during my worst personal moment, when it felt like my soul was breaking and I couldn't afford heating, and every night I felt the cold piercing my bones, I wrote my best work from that deepest agony. It became my most cherished masterpiece today."

"That's astonishing. I'll try writing tonight, see if my sadness inspires me," she said.

"And why would a young, beautiful, and talented woman like you be sad?" he asked.

"My parents are getting a divorce," she said.

"I understand. I suppose it took you by surprise. Is that the personal issue you mentioned?"

"Yes, that's the problem. And yes, it took me by surprise. Just a week ago, they celebrated their anniversary with a big party. What bothers me the most is how my father handled everything, seeing him discard my mother to be with a woman my age is frustrating and it causes me great disappointment. He was my idol, and today he broke my heart." Ava fell silent, amazed at how much she had revealed to a complete stranger who also happened to be her boss. "I apologize, Mr. Cavelli, I spoke too much and forgot that we're here to work."

"We're human beings, and sometimes life overwhelms us. And stop calling me Mr. Cavelli, call me by my name, Alexander or Alex. We'll work shoulder to shoulder; just see me as another colleague, Ava."

"Thank you, Alexander. Well, let's get to work because otherwise, this won't progress. After watching the episodes, we could pick up from Episode 3 as a story that starts from that day. That would explain the actress leaving and also..."

Alexander listened to every word Ava said, marveling at her idea. He took out his notebook and began jotting down the main ideas; later on, he would start writing the script.

...****************...

After attending to some clients, Robert Adler decided to stop by David Cooper's office. He was waiting for David to finish a phone call. Steve Tremon, a friend of both, walked into the conference room.

"Robert, what are you doing here?" Steve asked.

"I came to talk to David, but he's on a call."

"I'll keep you company. Do you want a coffee?"

"Well, Steve, order the coffees. How's your family?" Robert asked.

"They're doing well. Rose is getting married, so we're dealing with that. They're driving me crazy," he said, amused.

"That's great news, congratulations! It's incredible that she's getting married. I still remember when that girl was born," Robert commented. He and Steve had studied together. Steve had a twenty-five-year-old daughter named Rose while Robert, on the other hand, had a twenty-year-old son who was studying at Harvard University. His wife, Anne, had passed away five years ago. At 55 years old, Robert Adler was single and nearing retirement.

"It's amazing how time flies," Steve said.

"Sorry for the delay," David apologized as he entered the boardroom.

"Don't worry, I have free time and the conversation was entertaining. I spoke to your wife," Robert said.

"Speak openly, Steve is aware of everything. What did Susan say?" David asked as he took a seat.

"She hasn't read the proposal yet and hasn't hired a lawyer, but she says she'll sign. She'll come to my office tomorrow," Robert replied.

"Let me know once you've talked to her tomorrow."

"Alright, but think about the possibility of conceding something more," Robert suggested.

"Not a penny more," David firmly replied.

"David, at least consider the possibility," Steve said.

The three of them continued talking, but David remained firm regarding the money.

...****************...

That night, Doris prepared a dinner for Susan's friends. Joanne arrived with Sally, and Margaret, Steve Tremon's wife, the four were close friends who had known each other for years. Joanne was a 50-year-old widow while Margaret, aged 47, was married to Steve, David's business partner. Sally, also married, was 45 years old and had two 15-year-old children.

"Oh Susan, I'm so sorry. But tell us, how do you feel?" Sally asked.

"Lost. It's like I've been left without direction, realizing that my whole life revolved around him and his needs. And now he's gone," Susan replied.

"That reminds me of when Alfred passed away. I didn't know how to move forward after all those years," Joanne responded.

"But at least you had that consolation, he was dead. David is out there frolicking with a twenty-something," Sally said.

"It would have been better to be a widow," Susan said, and the four of them burst into laughter. She poured glasses of wine.

"We have to admit, the scoundrel has some nerve leaving to chase after a twenty-something," Margaret said.

"The one with nerve is her because, at her age and with so many options, she chose a man in his fifties. If it were me, I would have chosen a hottie in his thirties," Joanne responded.

"I thought you'd say someone in their twenties!" Susan replied.

"No, twenty-year-olds are like rabbits, they only think about one thing and go for it without caring about their partner. On the other hand, those in their thirties know what we like, there's time and quality," Joanne explained.

"Twenty-year-olds are similar to fifty-year-olds, they only think about that," Margaret added.

"Sooner or later, that relationship will fail, or when she's done dissecting him, trust me, she'll leave," Sally predicted.

"In the meantime, you need someone in his thirties who can give you time and quality," Joanne advised.

Susan started laughing. _ Not in a million years! Besides, a man of that age would never...

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