Chapter 5
The divorce battle between Paisley Logan's Mom and Dad lasted for two years. They finally caused trouble to the government and went to court.
Finally, the court ruled that Greyson should compensate Madison for 70,000 dollars, and that Madison should have the custody of Paisley Logan and the ownership of the house in Plence. Since now, the two had nothing to do with each other, and both of them could start a new relationship. Paisley sat in the auditorium. She looked at the man and woman standing in the plaintiff's and defendant's box in the court and thought, "Finally it's over..."
Paisley wanted to cry but she didn't. In the past two years, she had cried too much. But tears couldn't affect anyone.
Only those who loved you didn't want to see you cry. If he didn't care about you, no matter how much you cried, nothing would change.
On the day of the verdict, Greyson came back to pack up.
It was his last night in this house. He was going back to Oakwood, where would be his new home.
Greyson was in the bedroom, and Madison was sitting in the living room. Paisley was standing at the door of the bedroom, biting her lip and looking at the man inside.
She looked at her father. Somehow, she felt like he was a stranger but not her father in her memory.
Greyson didn't have much stuff here. He finished packing up soon. Paisley called him quietly, "Dad!"
Greyson looked at his young daughter with complicated expression. He squatted down and touched her hair, "Paise, dad..."
He was about to leave. Paisley couldn't help crying. She grabbed his clothes and sobbed, "Dad, it's late. Leave tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow?" Madison said angrily. She came in and pushed him. "Go, now! This is my house! My bed! You're not allowed to stay here for one second! Go! Get out!"
Greyson was pushed back several steps. He said angrily, "I'll leave right now. You crazy!"
"What?" Madison was so angry that she trembled all over and shouted, "Stop!"
"What!"
"I'll check! This is my house. I'll check whether you have taken my stuff!"
Greyson said angrily, "What do you take me for? A thief? Madison, we had been a couple for so many years. Don't you think you are going too far?"
"Too far? Speaking about 'too far', Greyson, was there any man going farther than you in the world?!"
Greyson threw his luggage in front of Madison and looked out of the door with red eyes.
Madison squatted down to check. She looked determined, but her hands were trembling. She took the clothes out one by one, "This one was bought by me. You can't take it away. And this one..."
Madison used to like buying clothes for Greyson, but seldom bought clothes for herself. She thought Greyson was a businessman. He must need many decent clothes. She never cared about the price when buying clothes for him. She would match clothes and prepare everything for him.
Shirts and suits were all over the floor. Although they looked messy, they were the symbol of happiness. The suitcase was almost emptied. Until Madison took out a photo, she froze. It was a family photo. The three of them were facing the camera and smiling happily, though they led a hard life at that time.
Greyson froze too. He said, "I won't take anything but this photo."
"No! You can't take anything from this house!" Madison gnashed her teeth.
A tear fell on the photo, but the next second the photo was torn in half. And Madison tore it again. Greyson tried to stop her, but the photo had been torn to pieces. He looked at Madison and said angrily, "You can't leave me even a photo?"
"You don't care about the family. What do you want a photo for? If you really care about the family, why did things go like this?"
"I won't talk to you!" Greyson kicked the suitcase aside, "I won't take anything. I'll leave now!" Then he just ignored her and walked out without looking back.
Madison stared at the photo. Until Greyson was about to walk out the door, she suddenly ran to grab him and cried, "Greyson! Greyson! Don't go!"
She didn't realize until that moment that Greyson was really leaving, they were divorced, and they had nothing to do with each other. But she refused to accept it. How happy they were before. They had been together for more than ten years. They had a daughter. They were family. In these years, he was the only man in her heart. She put her full attention on him. How could he leave her behind?
She grabbed him like a drowning person, "Don't go, Greyson. Let's not divorce."
She even begged him, "I'll forgive you. Just forget everything. Let's live a good life."  
As soon as she thought that this man had nothing to do with her in the future, she felt she was dying. She couldn't live for one more second. How could he do this? When he proposed, he said he would love her forever even she got old and ugly. But before she got old and ugly, he abandoned her.
Greyson gave her a disgruntled look. He tried to get rid of her, "Madison, we are divorced. Don't make yourself a joke!"
Madison didn't care at all. She shouted at Paisley who was crying, "Paise, hold your dad. Don't let him go."
Paisley came and grabbed Greyson, and then cried, "Dad, don't go! Don't go!"
Greyson wanted to get rid of the embarrassing situation. He tried to prise their hands, "Let go of me!"
Madison didn't notice the disgust in his eyes but still begged, "Please, Greyson. Don't be angry. I can keel down to you. Don't go."
Then she knelt down, held Greyson's leg and begged him not to go.
Paisley was stunned. She was thrown to the floor by her father. She stared at her parents, lost for words.
Her mother, who was so proud and stubborn, couldn't stand any violation of principle and loved her father wholeheartedly, was now kneeling on the floor and begging her father not to leave. What did she do wrong? It was her father who cheated!
How much should a woman be humble for love? As humble as dust? No, that was not enough. Men would step on you. Even you threw all your dignity away, he would only feel tired and bored.
Greyson was trying to get rid of Madison. He walked towards outside to escape, dragging the thin body of his wife.
Paisley despaired. She didn't know it was for her father's coldness, or for her mother's humbleness.
She stood up, ignored the bruises on her face, opened the door, pointed out and said, "Greyson Logan, go! And don't come back!"
It was the first time that she called her father by full name. Both of her parents were shocked. Madison said in  panic, "Paise, what are you doing?"
"Mom, let him go!" Paisley shouted. Tears kept falling down, "What did you do wrong? Why do you  kneel down to him? He did the wrong thing, and he's the shameless one. Let him go. We can also live well without him!"
Madison loosened her grip. Greyson soon escaped. When he bypassed Paisley, Paisley looked away and cried. 
When Greyson stepped out of the door, Madison wanted to chase him.
Paisley stopped her, "Mom, wake up. He won't come back. He abandons you."
It was the first time that Paisley understood that when a person was determined to abandon you, it was useless no matter what you did. When a person didn't love you, your love would only make him feel disgusted and your humbleness would only make him more self-righteous. Paisley held her desperate mother. There was only one thought in her mind: She would never indulge herself to love someone! Never!
In that year, Paisley was twelve years old. She realized the cruelty of love for the first time.
Madison was on the verge of derangement. She shouted, pushed Paisley away, picked up something and threw it at Paisley, "Why didn't you stop you dad? Why did you just let him go? Paise, you lost your dad, you know?"
"So what? Without him, will I die?"
Paisley covered her forehead. She felt something wet and hot. She took a look at her hand. It was blood. That was a teacup.
It was not the first time Madison beat Paisley. Since they were divorcing, Madison would beat her when she was in a bad mood. Paisley hated her very much. But every time after she beat Paisley, she would hold Paisley and cry. And Paisley's hatred would disappear. Because Paisley knew that mom didn't want to do so either. It was just too hard for her.
But today, Paisley looked at the mess in the room and her mother, who had gone crazy. She could no longer stand it. She stood up and ran outside.
She needed redemption. She needed to hold someone and cry.
Paisley ran to Allen Poe Park.
Cottony's brother was not here. He was very mysterious. It depended on Paisley's luck whether she could meet him every time. She always met him when she came here before. Paisley thought if she needed him, he would appear. But today he was not here. There was no one sitting on the bench. Cottony was not here, and Cottony's brother was not here too.
Paisley shouted helplessly, "Cottony! Cottony's brother!"
No one answered her, but some passers-by pointed and talked about the little girl who was crying like a maniac with blood on her face, hesitating to go over and ask about what had happened. Paisley shouted, but no one answered her. She lay on the bench and cried. Until her tears were all exhausted, she raised her head. Her eyes were swollen and she couldn't even open her eyes.
She sat in a daze and suddenly noticed some words carved on the bench. The marks were very new. The handwriting was very beautiful and gentle.
He wrote: Goodbye, Paise. Dawson Grant.
He told her his name finally. They were friends, but they would never meet again.
Because he said goodbye, they were friends.
Paisley looked at these words. She didn't cry. Cottony's brother left. But at least he said goodbye to her.
He was not like Greyson, who was ruthless and sloppy.
She touched the marks and sobbed, "Goodbye, Cottony's brother."
She knew Cottony's brother. But Dawson Grant was just a stranger to her.
After that night, Paisley didn't seen Dawson in the next few years. He seemed to come from the future. He would accompany her through the hardest time, and then return to his time. Paisley seldom went to Allen Poe Park, because they said goodbye to each other.
After sitting in Allen Poe Park all night, Paisley returned home. Madison had calmed down. Paisley washed away the blood on her face. It was a deep wound. But it was nothing. It would be okay. Paisley looked at Madison's guilty eyes. She hugged her, "Mom, my friend left a word to me."
"What?"
"Goodbye."
She said, "Mom, let's say goodbye to Greyson."
Madison nodded. They held each other. From then on, Paisley learned to say goodbye to the loss of life.
Cottony's brother said, "Paise, life is full of separation."
Yeah, but you should learn to get used to it.
Love was always accompanied by hurt.