NO!
By
Bobjj123
No, I didn’t come home from work unexpectedly to find my wife in bed with my friend screwing her brains out as is usually portrayed in these kind of stories. I wish I had as I might have reacted differently and save a lot of hurt and disappointment later.
Rather, my marriage situation after 16 years had been a good one. My wife, who I’d known since pre-school, had always been a happy, fun-loving, carefree individual who was liked by all who knew her. I’d adored her! Melanie was my lover, best friend and life support as we brought our three kids into the world. She and I had been virgins until we married; at least, I thought she was!
Life had been good to us as I had a good job with steady advancement and substantial pay increases and the hours were not long. Mel and I had found a nice five bedroom ranch style home and furnished it well as we brought three children into our family. Of course, there wasn’t much in the savings accounts - our investments were in our home and family.
It was in January or February when I began to notice subtle changes in her. Mel seemed to have lost some of her happy, carefree attitude. While I noted this phenomenon, I never really considered it. Then, she seemed to lose interest in our home and family. Again, I felt no real concern and began bringing her flowers and chocolates and even proposed date nights but concerns about the kids seemed to always interfere with those!
As the months passed, Mel seemed to distance herself more and more from me and the family. Since this change was gradual, I felt no concern and sought only to make our family whole and free Mel of whatever was troubling her.
By fall, the situation between Mel and I had taken a serious hit and our family was being ignored by their mother. Several times I tried to speak to her but she brushed my attentions aside with assurances that it was all in my mind. I soon became a bit frustrated as well.
It was late May when I approached Mel once again, “Mell!. . It’s about time we talked and you tell me what the hell’s going on. I want know now . . right now!”
Mel responded with a stunned silence as she considered. Then, obviously shaken by my blunt words, she replied, “How long have you known?”
Known what? I wondered! To continue the discussion, I replied, “Long enough. You can’t deny it.”
Now, obviously shaken, she replied, “I’m sorry. You were never supposed to know! I love you and only you. Jack was just exciting and fun and I guess I couldn’t resist.. . .”
As she spoke, I saw my world dissolved in front of me. It’d become apparent that my one and only lover, wife, had been violating our marriage vows and bringing disgrace to our family. I needed to respond as she continued, “How’d you find out? What more do you know?”
“Never mind how I found out and I’ll just keep what I know to myself.” So, where do we go from here? Do you want a divorce?” I said.
When her tears fell she reiterated what she’d said about the affair being only a fun and exciting thing and she didn’t love Jack Pranz. She’d break off all relations with him immediately. She’d promised over and over to be a good and faithful wife.
Hearing her words and wanting my kids to have a traditional family, as well as still loving her myself, I agreed to her pledge and the family was whole again or so I thought although, I felt no trust in her any more. I was wary. While life returned to the usual, it wasn’t the old normal. I covertly installed cameras in our living rooms and bedroom and attached a tracking device to her car. Then, I managed to install a listening device to her telephone while she was in the shower. Somehow, I should have felt guilt but I didn’t.
A week had passed before I picked up a telephone message on my office computer which said, “Meet you at your place in an hour” was all that was spoken but by it’s very nature, I suspected. I left my office and followed the tracking device in my car. As it left the suburbs and moved into the small ranches, I followed my device to a ranch where the entrance had a sign, “Pranz Ranch”. There, I parked on the road and walked to the ranch house a few hundred yards away. As I peered into windows and open doors, I saw Mel, my wife talking to a man which I assumed to be Jack Pranz. As they talked, they grew familiar. When Jack kissed her and began removing her shirt, I’d seen enough.
On my return to the office I began formulating a plan. My construction crews were some pretty tough customers. Most were ex-felons and familiar with the life in the streets. Most weren’t adverse to picking up an extra buck or two for actions outside the law. My foremen were cut above their men but fully understood the people that worked for them. It was to such a foreman that I turned to with my request. The men selected to hurt Jack Pranz were to receive the next two Saturdays overtime pay for their services.
Strangely, it was the morning of the day after Mel and Jack had sex that Jack Pranz was found deep in the mountains suffering from extreme chemical burns to his genitals and buttocks; then tarred and feathered. He had been taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition according to the news
As we at sat breakfast the news on the radio headlined the spectacular story of Jack Pranz, Mel and I listened as
I saw her face go ashen and a look of fear came over her.
Suddenly, Mel spoke, “You did it. How could you do that to anybody. I know that you did it! They’ll put you in jail and our kids’ll be without a father.” Then, she arose from her chair and left me.
I left for work as usual.
It was perhaps 9:30am when the police officers walked into my office trailer complex and sought to question me. Where was I between the hours of six and midnight” Who were my witnesses? Did I know Jack Pranz? And on and on .
As the lunch time approached, I suggested that we adjourn to the nearby restaurant for lunch and the officers complied. Of course, I was at home with my wife and kids during the hours in question and they were all a witness. No, I never met Jack Pranz. When he asked if I was aware that he had been friendly with your wife I replied truthfully that I was and felt no remorse about the fate of Mr Pranz.
A police audit had just completed an audit of my firm’s accounts - no large withdrawal that couldn’t be accounted for. Then, with my permission, they went over my personal accounts. The police had a busy day.
That night, on my return home, I found Mel cold and unapproachable. She managed to speak only a few words away from the kids - words like bastard, animal, SOB, etc. and often, “How could you?”
He had been taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition according to the news
It was then that I responded with some authority, “Mel! You went back to him after promising me faithfully that you’d never see him again. I had several options. First, I could have killed you both but that’s just land me in prison and the kids un-cared for. I could have just allowed your little trysts to go on and bring disgrace and dishonor to our family or I might hurt your lover real bad. Fortunately somebody did it for me.”
It was after some silence that my wife replied, “I love you and only you. I’ve tried to explain that Jack was just exciting and fun. I want to remain with you and our family.”
My response had been thought out and I responded that she had broken the trust between us twice and that I’d never trust her again. Without trust, there can be no real close intimacy so we’ll live together for the kids sake but, as I said, there’ll be no love between us. You will behave like a normal housewife and work with me to raise our family. We’ll sleep together for appearances and the kids sake and you’ll provide me with sex when I need it but, it’ll be strictly recreational.
As the tears began to fall she spoke, “I’ve really screwed up, haven’t I?” and my curt, ”Yes,” brought more sobbing. I felt no joy in what I spoke - I still loved her!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Many years have passed since that fateful time. Mel and I’d become friends of as we maintained our loving parental relationships. We’d become content with the arrangement. We still maintained a very active sex life though it was recreational sex and lacked the old intimacy and love we’d once known. In the community we were known as a normal married couple.
I had advanced in my profession to the point of Chief Engineer in charge of construction with a very nice salary increase. . . one that earned me enough to insure that I’d live well forever. It also came with very flexible working hours and a comfortable life style.
Of course, our kids were the greatest joy of my life. All had become serious mountaineers early by the age of twelve and had been on 50 mile back country treks by the time they were fourteen. While Brent excelled in soccer and was named to the all conference soccer team several times his sister Pauline excelled in volleyball. Sammy, our youngest was more inclined towards forensics. To say that I was proud of them would be an understatement.
At the university Brent was not big enough to play college football so he changed his emphasis to astro-physics with a minor in math. There, in the world of pure science, he found his life’s calling. Always a superior math student, he’d been fortunate enough to have had excellent mathematics instructors. In college he’d met people of his own kind! Pauline found her calling fairly early at the university. When she took her first biology course her mind centered around physical life. The nursing program had come easily to her. Sammy, on the other hand, entered college undecided as to what her life’s calling might be. College life had been a blast with lots of party time and fn and games. On graduation, with a degree in international relations she still remained undecided as to what to do with here life.
So it was with Sammy’s graduation from college, it appeared that Mel and I done our parenting job well. We were both proud and elated as her university graduation date approached. It was then, as Mel and I sat in our spacious family room talking casually that Mel suddenly brought up our sham marriage. She spoke, “With the kids grown, there was no more need for the sham. We were really no longer obligated to put up with each other,” and I gave the matter no real thought as I replied, “Guess not.”
It was as we sat in silence that I realized that we’d become close friends and my off hnd comment had hurt her. I wanted to make amends. . .to un-hurt her. Maybe it was vanity or maybe it was for some hidden need for revenge or maybe. . .” The moment passed.
It was the week before Samnmy’s graduation that Mel told me of her and Sammy’s plan to take an extended Eurasian tour together. They’d travel for two months and see the world. It was clear that I wasn’t invited.
A month later, after they had departed for their trip, I waited anxiously for their daily telephone communications. Each day, the two travelers reported back on their travels and on their adventures. Each day, they described the men who had approached them and of the fun and games in this mixed society. Suddenly, I was jealous of those other men’s fun and games with my wife.
Then, circumstances caused our telephone conversations to become less frequent and then rare. Slowly, it dawned on me. Mel had left me for the free and independent status she could enjoy without any remorse. After consideration, I realized that it was a status I’d assigned her over the years. Then, the hurt and depression set in and I seemed to lose interest in any kind of life.
I worked, returned home, survived and slept irregularly, ate junk food and lived with my depression. Time seemed to stand still; as I lost interest in everything. My job suffered as I failed to fight to keep abreast of the challenging work. Then came the word that Mel and Sammy had decided to extend their vacation another month.
It was the morning after receiving word of their decision that I was driving to work - my headache was splitting!
The next thing I was aware of was laying in a comfortable bed in a gray room with the sound of distant voices and the hum of the hospital machinery. It was as though I was fixed to the bed as I could not move. I felt strangely calm as I lay wondering what had happened. Obviously, I was in the hospital but I couldn’t recall the circumstances.
Suddenly there was a face appearing in front of mine and the woman’s voice called out, “He’s awake!” Then the face disappeared. I was left to ponder!
Some time later, a man’s face appeared over me and he spoke, “I’m Doctor Frankle and I’ve been treating you. You’ve just had a stroke while driving and crashed your vehicle into a highway barrier. We were concerned at first but we were able to handle the stoke. Your arms are both broken and casted and we’ve sutured up a number of small cuts. Too soon to tell about your recovery but all looks pretty good.”
The doctor was gone as quickly as he’d arrived and I lay piecing together what I’d been told. Then, a hospital nurse began to feed me and it was a messy affair as she good naturedly fed me spoonful by spoonful and I was hungry. Seems I’d been unconscious for three full days and the nurse began to fill me in moeon my condition. Then, sh said, “You’ve had no visitors. Are you alone?” I responded that I was and she continued, “You’re employer was asking about you and offered all the necessary health insurance information.”
Then, it was nothing. I lay staring at the gray ceiling. Again, time stood still and I slept as my body was filled with pain killers. Maybe days or maybe just hours passed and nurses moved to bathe me, change my bed cover and perform their routine duties. I became aware of wires and tubes all around me and of needles into my arm.
More hours, or maybe it was days, weeks or months passed as I lay motionles and I was constantly being disturbed by hospital staff who wanted to interrupt my sleep.
Suddenly, I was aware of someone standing by my bedside and since I was unable to move, I could only wonder. Who were they and why?
Then, I heard Mel’s voice, “Why didn’t you notify us? We’d have been here sooner! Are you comfortable?” to which I replied, “I guess I’m comfortable but I’ve been kind’ out of it lately.”
For the next few days, I lay motionless and was usually aware when Mel or the kids were there. Then I began to regain my movements and my head cleared and my thinking returned. After a month I was able to walk and care for myself and discharged from the hospital. There, I was left in the care of Mel.
Shortly after I’d returned home Mel began to speak. There was something on her mind and I’d sensed it during dinner. Then, after dinner, she’d poured us snifters of brandy and settled in a chair facing mine. She began, “I’ve got to get this off my chest before you find out anyway. I’ve just spent five weeks in an affair with Demetrie Armathos on his Greek Island. You thought I came back because you were in the hospital but the reaql reason is that after five weeks Demetrie threw me out. Sammy knows all about it and she’s been quite socially active herself.”
Hearing her words, I sat quietly trying to frame a response. I didn’t know how to respond. Actually, I still loved her - just couldn’t trust her! Over the nyears, craising kids, we’d become close friends. . . or had we? Then, I remembered her greeting when she’d arrived at my bedside in the hospital. She’d lied to me. What do I say?
Mel continued, “Sammy and I’ve leased a small condo down in Cogstown.”
Suddenly, I had no alternative. I was alone.
Within a week, Mel was gone from our house. Within a month, I was back to my old good health status and my mind was depressed. My wife had deserted me and my kids were aware of her mis-deeds. Although there were occasional visits from my older kids I was alone. Brent and Pauline came occasionally to visit it was always alone, never with their family, and always quick visits.
My life had turned to the dumps and it was dependence on my own resources that were required to start my new life. I planned. Then, I placed much of our valuable property in trust. It could never be changed or altered and placed in an off-shore account with a fictitious name. I filed for divorce willing to settle with Mel receiving just under $950,000. Then I began to plan for myself. Travel might be in order. Certainly, herfe was no need to go back to work!
It was when the divorce papers were served that things changed suddenly. My kids, who had little interest in me before, were suddenly by my side, begging me to change my mind. Then charging that I had given Mel only a pittance of the fortune I’d amassed. It was then that I noticed how uncaring and mercenary those kids were being!
Mel, on the other hand, seemed content with a comfortable living for the rest of her life and agreed to the divorce. We never spoke as the proceedings went smoothly and I began my trip. Always wanted to see Mongolia and a month there found me new interests and lots of good food and exercise. I told no one where I was going and I was learning to enjoy being alone. Then, it was northward to Russia and Lake Balikal where I stopped to bury myself in this new culture. Similarly across Russia and to the islands of Svalbard where I enjoyed the arctic tundra. It was in Oslo where I enjoyed the Norse culture.
Suddenly, with winter approaching, I had a yen to return home. . .just to see the old lace again. Of course, all the remnants of my past there had been eradicated. My old company had moved on without me. The house and property that I’d once inhabited was no longer mine. I made no attempt to contact my family although I did meet many former acquaintances as I moved about.
It was as I returned to my room in the hotel that I was met by Pauline who had been waiting in the lobby. She greeted me exceptionally warmly as she expressed concerns about me when I’d disappeared. She’d heard that I was in town from a friend.
Then, she seemed eager to fill me in on the family. Brent was going to be a father. Pauly seemed particularly proud of the fact hat her husband had joined senior management in his company. At first, she neglected to mention her mother and sister. Then, as the talk moved to Mel and Sammy, she seemed kind of cagey. Sammy had been in rehab for alcohol addiction and some mental problems and seemed to be doing better. Her mother had become sickly and they were worried about her.
With that, she hit me with the big one, “You need to go have yourself tested for STD’s.”
Your wife needs you to comfort and console her as she struggles with her disease.”
With that, I was overcome with surprise. My wife, the only woman I’d truly loved had an STD. I wondered! How could she have been so stupid as to not use protection? Perhaps I’d never known her real self. Still, she’d been a big part of my life and I must owe her something. Then, I wondered, “What was the right thing to do?” I thanked Pauly for her visit and we parted. Hearing about Mel left me feeling strangely uneasy.
Next day, I went to the health department and had myself tested for STDs. Then, I went to my old gym and worked out. It felt good as I became reacquainted with several old friends. I relished the aches and pains that appeared from my lack of working out and felt the fun of just working. It was as I was dressing after my workout that my cell-phone rang and Pauly was asking me to dinner with her and her husband. It would be a catered dinner in her home and There would be ample booze for a good time.
That night, as I arrived for dinner, I found Pauly and her husband entertaining Brent and his wife and kids. As I entered the home, I was greeted warmly by all. Bent seemed to want to talk and suddenly he’d bought forth an apology for his behavior in the past. He spoke openly and directly to the subject and asked for forgiveness. Shortly, Pauly did the same and In saw tears in her eyes. “I made a terrible mistake when I listened to Mom and Sammy’s version of the troubles between you and my mother,” she said.
The dinner went beyond delicious and the wine and brandy was superb. I felt my family around me again. Still, I felt that I needed to do something to comfort Mel. . . she was the mother of my children and my ex-wife and I owed her something.
Next day, I went to Cogstown and sought Mel and Sammy’s condo. On finding it, I went directly to the door and rang he bell. Shortly, when the door opened I caced her - Mel, my ex-wife looking like a very old woman - poor hygiene, shoddy dress, and sour look all made her barely recognizable. As our eyes met she spoke, “What the hell do you want? You’re not welcome here!” Then, she shut the door.
Obviously, the condo was a mess. The odor had been simply bad. It needed cleaning and I realized how I could help her. Next day a cleaning service arrived at her door and performed housed cleaning, clothes washing, cleanup and a thorough review of her dishes and cupboards. They even changed the bed linens and remade the bed.
This service was performed weekly after that at my expense, of course.
Then, the word came back from the health department that I was disease free.
After our first Pauly organized a family dinner I arranged a second one in a private room at my hotel. This time I made sure that Sammy and Mel were invited. Sammy came as requested but reported that Mel was too sick to travel. Slowly, Sammy was reincorporated into our family again with frequent family gatherings.
It was early fall when Sammy reported that Mel was in the hospital and would probably never leave it alive. The family should plan accordingly.
Just three weeks later, I stood facing the newly erected grave that marked Mel’s final resting place. As I stood there, I felt sorrow. . . the kind that one feels when the person they loved has passed. I wondered, “What could I have done diferently? How mightI have helped her avoid this horrible outcome?”
It was I stood tere that a voice from within me seemed to shout, “NO. You’ve lived your life as best as you coiuld. Now get on with it!”
