Tuesday 13 July 2010

Once upon a time

A long time ago, in a town far away a young girl prepared for her Prince. She dressed in the finest white lace, a tiara in her hair, silk shoes and stockings on her feet and was driven to meet him in a vintage Rolls Royce. After being showered with rose petals and oohed and aahed over, she walked to the end of the aisle with her father at her side to where her Prince stood. She looked up at him, with tears on her cheeks and surrounded by family and friends she made a solemn oath in front of God to always love him.

Yesterday what remained of that young girl dressed head to toe in black walked down an alleyway with the jakeys and junkies and the great unwashed to the courthouse. She avoided beer cans and rubbish, went through a scanner, was searched and had her perfume removed. She went into a dingy room and waited on hard plastic municipal chairs. And then completely alone, she faced an anonymous court employee through a window, like she was buying stamps at the Post Office. She held a bible in her hand and swore an oath on it that the affidavit she'd brought was the truth. What remained of the young girl cried as the affidavit was stamped and filed to allow the decree nisi to be applied for and the fairy tale to be brought legally to an end.

She emerged into the pissing rain and went to the train station where her fairy godmother of a friend was there to love her. She spent the day warmed by the kind fairy godmother and her hatbox of special goodies and treats bought to cheer. Touched to her very core by the thoughtfulness and blessed that she has love.

And that she won't be alone because she has family and friends who love her.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sweetheart - that isn't part of the fairy tale! How cruel. But wait! Who knows how many frog there are waiting to turn into Prince Charming with a kiss? (Alright, it does mean you have to snog a fair few toads, but I am still, only just but still, hoping for a Frog Prince)

xx

Fondant Kiss said...

I have been in this fairy tale twice, without happy endings too, which means if I do it a third time I would not be learning anything. Oh LIFE! Love and hugs to you on your journey x

Ayak said...

Well like Deborah, I've done it twice, but unlike Deborah, I've taken a chance on "third time lucky" and after almost 12 years I don't regret it.

It's a sad and very upsetting end of an era auntiegwen. But be optimistic...your REAL prince is out there waiting for you!

How lovely to have such a good friend waiting for you to get you through the day. I wish I'd had the same the first time!

Sending you enormous hugs (( ))

Gigi said...

That's not how it ends - this is only a part of the fairytale. Keep your chin up and your heart open - the best is yet to come. Even so, I know it still hurts. Many hugs to you. x

Rarelesserspotted said...

Thank goodness for friends - head up chuck - today is the first day of the rest of your life...
XX

mannanan said...

As Rare Lesser Spotted said "This is the first day of the rest of your life". Keep on in there I'm sure it will change. It might not be tomorrow, it might not even be next week or next month but change it will.And in all probability when you least expect it. I was down when my marriage of 25 years ended in acrimony then a few years later I met my present wife and I can honestly say I've never been happier. Chin up chuck.x Traa-dy-liooar as they say in these parts..

Mrs Worthington said...

Oh Auntie Gwen I feel your pain. Have been there , t shirt etc. Your friends will get you through this, virtual or otherwise. When my decree absolut came through I ended up getting quite pissed with my girlfriends as we commemorated a sad day.

Blue Sky said...

So sorry Auntiegwen, and this touched a raw nerve with what is going on for me right now. It sounds like a horrible day to get through, but it is almost over now. Things can only get better from now on ((hugs))

Sueann said...

Oh dear! What a sad sad fairy tale...but I don't think the ending has been written yet. Still miles to go! And the real prince charming to meet!
Hugs
SueAnn

AGuidingLife said...

shitty shitty day, even if you're so over it it still hurts to the core. It will pass and the sun breaks through the clouds. Your fairy godmother deserves a big hug for being there for you. Friends are the backbone of life xxx

Jon Storey said...

Just the end of one part of the fairy tale.

The tale continues with the children and your friends, and the future....

Perhaps it was a good day after all?

Laura said...

We do love you!

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

It's a horrible thing - been there, too.

I'm glad your friend looked after you. It's times like these you find out who really cares.

Much love.

XX

Chic Mama said...

Sorry, it's horrible! I did that last year having to run into a solicitor's with the children in the car waiting.I got out and sobbed and then had to hide the tears from the children. I found that worse than when I found out we were actually divorced earlier this year. Thinking of you. XX

Lib572 said...

gutted for you - so kow the feeling. and tho i was prepared for the divorce day - i felt terrible for 48 hrs. but then ... i got a very good life .. without ex. tho if you have kids unfortunately you never lose them !! all the best and arrnage some care for divorce time hugs! ps it does get verry much better - i know you have heart and soul!!! x

katyboo1 said...

Just one crappy day in what is going to be a very long and very happy story. Chin up. Hooray for boxes of surprises.xx

Shirley said...

Aching for you, love. Sending love and warm hugs.

Becky said...

I'm late to this post Gwen. Just remember that feelings change a little bit every day, and week by week you will feel better and stronger,
Hugs from me x

Madame DeFarge said...

Do take care of yourself. Sometimes it's better marrying one of the dwarves and not the Handsome Prince. Worked for me. But don't tell M. DeFarge I called him a dwarf. He gets humpty.

auntiegwen said...

Mud - you and me both :) x

Deb - scary how many of us have been in the fairy tale

Ayak - beautiful timing to remind us that people can have a happy ever after if they're brave enough to take the chance

Gigi - I shouldn't grumble really, I have great children, great health and am surrounded by friends, it's not a bad life and I feel I have to have the sad to appreciate the happy

RLS - thanks my friend, you always are so very kind to me xx

mannanan - I do love to hear the second time around happy endings, so thank you for your kind words and looking out for me, I appreciate it muchly xx

Mrs W - I hope I can put you on my list to come help me through that day xx

BS - onwards and upwards for us both, I hope, sending you the love xxx

SueAnn - thank you so much xx

Kellogsville - how true, friends are precious xx

Jon - It was a day I survived and I am so lucky to have what I have, I know that, it was just one sad day out of a lifetime of many more happy than sad, not too shabby is it?

Lolly - and having you all makes the shitty stuff so much easier to bear

Suzanne - thank you, I hope you have found happiness afterwards xx

CM - so hard at times isn't it? xx but we will get through and one day we will be truly happy again

Libby - thank you, when people tell me they get to be happy again it really does make it easier for me to bear xx

Mrs Boo - my friend helped me more than she will ever know xx

Shirley - my dear dear friend, I thank you most sincerely xx

Becky - thank you, most days I do great but some are sad, I'm lucky that I have more happy than sad

madame - and what a great note to finish on, that made me smile so much, I thank you x

Eddie 2-Sox said...

We all get divorced. You had a fairy godmother there. Woop.

Taz said...

I totally messed up my fairy tale right from the beginning - I married the pumpkin and am still waiting on any happy ever after.
(((((AuntieGwen)))))

scrappysue said...

hugs auntie :) thank goodness for friends eh?

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Beautifully written, BAGgie, even tho' it must have been shite...

You are strong and resourceful and you are on the right side of knowing that you are surrounded by love. I know that counts. Get those high heels on, girl, and go out and flaunt your beauty to the young...

(No mention of the word 'cougar'!) Sending you love and a tight northern hug x

diney said...

Just catching up with blogs - I'm so sorry you had such a shite ending to what appeared like a fairy tale. My Mum went through a hideous divorce a long time ago, just after the war in 1946, and it was hideous for her as he had been brutal and tried to kill her on 3 occasions so she left him, taking her 3 young children (I'm the youngest of 5)but, in those days, she was the guity party for leaving HIM even though he had made her life intolerable. She was left with nothing from the marriage (he was a wealthy man) as he took two of their 3 children with him, as the court saw him as the most reliable parent!!! LUCKIY, she met her knight in shining armour, my Dad, who was the total opposite to her first philandering and sadistic husband, and he saved her and her children (then they went on to have 2 of their own) and we all lived happily everafter. Divorce must be hellish, but you've got great friends and family, as my Mum did. Hope your future is happy ever after too! xxx

auntiegwen said...

Soxy - ever thought of counselling as a career choice?

Taz - thanks sweetie, hugs right back atcha ((((taz)))))

Sue - yep, you gotta have your friends xx

Fhina - thank you me dear, I so love how you think I'm glamorous, I'm a very wee, very fat mammy xx

Diney - I do so love to hear the 2nd and 3rd time around happy endings, it's so lovely for those involved. xxx