Caroline Alone Ch. 02

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It was shameful to think how much she looked forward to the weekend. Instead of two disgruntled children, there was handsome Jack and her children so excited they could barely sit still to eat dinner. She cooked a family meal and Ben didn't complain and Jack told them – the children – about his week. He worked in the library all morning, ran at lunchtime and lectured some afternoons. Caroline listened with interest, but made no comment until later.

When the children were in bed, she said, "Jack, I'm really struggling to manage without any financial contribution from you. They're your kids as well as mine and deserve better than they're getting. You must see that."

"No problem. Cut out the champagne and smoked salmon lifestyle and you'll have plenty to get by. If that's too much to ask, then divorce me. I'm sure the courts will make me pay something, even on my tiny salary."

She was shocked. She couldn't see why he had to speak with such venom, especially after being so nice at table.

"Jack, will you be serious!"

"My kids are always starving when I meet up with them. Do you only spend your money on your lover? Maybe they should stick with me. What money I have I spend on them – I fill them with soup and bread when I'm short. They love it."

"They're never starving. I feed them all the time. Everything I have I keep for them."

He looked hard at her and she looked away. He said, "Can you honestly say they're your top priority? I don't think so."

"Good try Jack to make me feel bad but it's you who gave up your job and walked out of the family home. Why is it the woman who has to take the blame?"

He shrugged. "Because this situation was made by you."

Fights like this were pointless; they could only serve to drive Jack further away and Caroline cursed herself for her poor tactics. She really believed that abandoning his career was a feeble response from Jack and punished the children unnecessarily. Before, they'd divided the bills and Jack's share was the mortgage and the household utility bills. Together those amounted to more than the spare part of Caroline's salary. It made her feel bitter even though, she told herself, she still had a home, children, job and lover. All that was missing was her husband and she would bring him back. She must keep her temper and give him time to get over the anger and petulance that led him to move away and quit his job. He was hurting the children and he'd realise his mistake. As for going back to university – that was ridiculous for a man of his age with family responsibilities. She'd thought better of him – that he'd stand and fight to overcome their temporary problems. She'd tell him she expected better from him.

Difficulties crept up on her. She could no longer pay off her full credit card bill each month. She cut down on non-essentials, including treats for the children. She had to arrange for after-school care and that was a new expense. Long lunch breaks were now out because she could not stay late to make up the hours and collect the children. The children didn't help and misbehaved and were needy when she wanted time to herself.

At first Damian was phlegmatic about the new obstacles to their meetings. He told Caroline he was pleased Jack was gone because he didn't have to share her.

"I shall get Jack back," she retorted. "This doesn't change our relationship in any way and I want things as they were."

He wasn't allowed to come to the house "because of the children" and, after the first unsatisfactory attempt, they gave up meeting at lunchtime. They could now only meet at the weekend when Jack was at home with the children, but Damien played rugby on Saturday afternoon, with travel before and after when it was an away match. And on Sunday lunchtime he met with male friends at a pub to watch a football match and play cards. And the weekend was the time when Caroline really needed to work on Jack. It hurt that he acted as if pleased when she went out.

The first weekend of this new regime she planned to spend Saturday evening to Sunday lunchtime with Damien. They would go out to dinner and have a whole night together. She would then return to prepare Sunday lunch for the family and Damien would go out with his friends. Jack announced that it didn't fit his plans.

"I've not seen my kids all week and I intend to be with them. I'm taking them to Whipsnade Zoo on Sunday. If you want to come I won't stop you, but we're leaving at nine and will be home late afternoon. Go fuck your lover but don't bother about lunch. We'll eat out."

Caroline was stunned and momentarily at a loss for words. This was a key decision. She couldn't give up her time with Damien after promising to be with him, yet she hated the idea of Jack taking the children on an outing without her.

"You should have said earlier," she replied eventually. "I'd have liked to come but I can't change my plans."

"No problem." He went into the garden and threw a cricket ball with his son.

She knew she'd been outmanoeuvred and made coffee while she thought it through. When it was ready she went to the back door and watched Jack throwing the ball for Ben to hit.

"I've made coffee," she called out.

"Thanks."

But Jack continued the game and she drank her coffee alone, his mug growing cold. Eventually she decided if that was going to be his attitude she'd go through with her plans and not waste her efforts on Jack until he was more receptive. He needed more time to accept the new order.

She emailed her plan for the next weekend to Jack so he was forewarned and couldn't claim it was inconvenient. It had required careful negotiation with Damien. He'd given up his Sunday lunchtime and she would be with him from midnight Saturday night, to five the Sunday afternoon. To Jack, she wrote, "The children loved their visit to Whipsnade. It was a great idea and I'm only sorry I wasn't able to come. But there's no problem this weekend. The children have said a number of times they want to go to Fantasy World, which is a thirty mile drive. So we'll set off early Saturday and make a day of it. It'll be great to be a family together again."

He didn't reply at once and when the email came the next day it was brief. "Great idea but count me out. I have to do some shopping Saturday and prepare a lecture in the afternoon."

She phoned him at once. "Really Jack, don't play games. The children will be so disappointed."

"Not if you take them."

She wasn't going to admit her plan would only be acceptable to the children if Jack came. All week they pestered her with comments about how long it was to the weekend, how they wished they were at the seaside, how her meals were horrible and what they would do with Jack when he came. She knew Jack wouldn't change his mind about the weekend and that his plan must be to do everything he could to stay apart from her. For the first time she began to consider that winning Jack over might be impossible unless there was a change in her relationship to Damien. She needed to spend the whole weekend with Jack. She needed time and space in which to work her magic. She emailed back: "Okay, not this weekend then. Everyone disappointed."

A day's leave solved the problem for one weekend. She was with Damien for a whole delightful day midweek from when she dropped the children at school to the moment she left to collect them from their after school clubs. And in return she would be home to care for Jack the whole weekend. It was a brief respite in the unremitting bleakness of her new life. Jack and Damien had to understand how much she needed their company.

To be continued

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159 Comments
Ridiculous69Ridiculous699 days ago

Becoming similar to a run on sentence. Husband is becoming a putz. Hard to respect a man who doesn’t fight for his children and do what he can to provide for them. You now have two self centered and selfish people as your Main Characters. Wife was not likeable and now hubby is joining her.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 1 month ago

I believe in standing up for yourself and what's right but don't mess with the children's minds.

oldpantythiefoldpantythief2 months ago

What a fucked up narcissistic psychotic bitch she is. At least Jack is doing what he feels is right about the way she is cheating on him.

AnonymousAnonymous2 months ago

She’s nuts. Clinically looney.

.

4 ****

AnonymousAnonymous3 months ago

Sort of wondering if there are really such delusional women in the world and if any of them are still married.

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