The truth was that the outcome of this divorce had been determined long before he sat down across from me. He simply had not realized it yet.
The mediation process felt entirely surreal over the next few weeks. Every time a new legal document was placed in front of me, I picked up my pen and signed my name on the line.
“Are you sure you do not want to contest the vehicle titles?” Mark’s counsel asked during one session.
“I am fine with the terms as written,” I responded without hesitation.
Mark grew noticeably more arrogant with every document I signed. I could practically see him visualizing his new life unfolding inside his head. He believed the entire property would belong to him without question, the expensive cars would remain parked in his driveway, and the bank funds would provide him with a comfortable cushion.
He assumed Tommy would live primarily with me, leaving him with only the minimal parental duties required by law. To Mark, it appeared to be the ultimate personal victory. To everyone else, it looked as though I was making the most catastrophic mistake of my life.
