The Divorce Game: The 99th Is Final

A divorce filing does not end a marriage right away. There is a cooling-off period first, and the filing can be withdrawn before it runs out. Ray Crane and Ella White have been through this ninety-eight times without the marriage ending. On the ninety-ninth trip to the courthouse Ray means to go through with it. Twenty-five days remain. While packing his things he finds love letters Ella wrote and hid, and learns that she has loved him for a long time. He cannot stand how she has used divorce to control him for years, and the letters do not change that. He thinks back on chasing her in college and on the compromises he made after the wedding, and the decision hardens. Ella still spends her time with her childhood friend and lets him needle Ray. The friend frames Ray more than once and Ella does nothing about it. At the foot of a mountain the three of them run into thugs. Ella moves to shield Ray, and the friend is stabbed. At the hospital she tells Ray she will withdraw the divorce if he gives 1,000 cc of blood for the friend. Ray faints. When he wakes up there is an invitation from a teacher overseas. He decides to go abroad after the divorce.