Mildred Pierce - James M. Cain [42]
"He's an original incorporator, and you're married to him, and there goes your restaurant, and the prettiest deal I've had a chance to put across since Pierce Homes folded."
It was ten minutes before Mildred could get through her head the ramifications of community property, and the fact that Bert, by merely being married to her, would be co-owner of the restaurant, and therefore subject to a ruling. Then she argued about it, indignantly and passionately, but she could see by Wally's face that the point was serious. He left presently, saying he would talk to his colleagues and look up the law, and she went to bed frantic lest this, her first big chance, would be lost on a legal technicality. She had a recurrence of her bitter fury against Bert, and -the way he seemed to thwart her at every turn. Next night Wally was back, looking more cheerful. "Well, it's O.K., but you'll have to get a divorce."
"Is that the only way?"
"Well? Bert left you, didn't he?"
"I wish there was some other way."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know how Bert's going to act about it. You never can count on Bert. If it was just his heart, that would be all right. But he's got some twist in his head, and you never know what he's going to do. He might make trouble."
"How?"
"He'd think of some way."
"There's no way. If he'll let you get a divorce on the ground of cruelty, do it nice and quiet, all well and good. If he gets tough, you spring that Biederhof woman on him, and he's got to give way, because on infidelity he can't block it. You don't ask him. You tell him."
"It takes a year, doesn't it?"
"You getting cold feet?"
"No, but if it's no - use, why do it?"
"It takes a year before your decree becomes final. But as soon as it's entered, that ends the community property, and that's all you've got to worry about."
"Well—I'll see him."
"Cut out that 'well' stuff. Look, Mildred, you might as well get this thing cleaned up. Because even if it wasn't for this federal thing, you'd hardly dare go into business, still married to Bert. You don't know where he gets his money. For all you can tell, you'd no sooner hang out a sign than you'd have more judgments and attachments and garnishees slapped on you than you could count. You'd be broke before you started. But, soon as you shake Bert, you're all right."
"I said I'd see him."
"If it's money that's worrying you, forget it. In court, I'll represent you myself, and the rest of it's nothing. But get going. The deal's hot, and you haven't got one day to lose."
Next Sunday, when the children were invited to dinner by. the Pierces, Mildred knew Bert was coming over. She had sent word to him that she wanted to see him, and this obviously was an arrangement that would insure his finding her alone. She started her pies early, in the hope she would be done before he got there, but she was up to her elbows in dough when he walked in the kitchen door. He asked how she had been, and she said just fine, and she asked how he had been, and he said he couldn't complain. Then he sat down quite sociably and watched her work. It was some time before she could bring herself to broach the subject, and when she did broach it, she did so after considerable beating around the bush. She told about the model home, and the legal points involved, and quoted Wally in places that became difficult. Then, gulping a little, she said: "So, it looks as though we've got to get a divorce, Bert."
He received this statement with a very grave face, and waited a long time before he spoke. Then he said: "That's something I'll have to think about."
"Have you any particular objections?"
". . . I've got plenty of objections. For one thing, I belong to a church that's got some pretty strict rules on this matter."
"Oh."
She couldn't keep the acid out of her voice as she spoke. That he should bring up his perfunctory connection with the Episcopal church struck her as pretty far-fetched, particularly as her understanding was that what his church objected to wasn't divorce itself, but remarriage of divorced persons. But before she could