Emails

Chapter One – Supper and the First Email.

What I cooked for supper isn't important to the story, but what I cooked it in is. When it is my turn to cook I sometimes make stir-fry. I don't have a wok, but use a large skillet. Well, I don't know if skillet is the right word. It's not one those heavy cast iron things, but a no-stick pan with fairly high sides. It is sturdy and a bit heavy, and it works great for my version of cooking.

I finished cutting chicken breasts into small pieces and was carefully coating each piece with corn starch. Chicken pieces when coated with corn starch fry up nice and crisp. My wife, A.J., and I enjoy them with stir fried vegetables on a bed of rice. Anyway, as I was coating the chicken pieces the phone rang.

"Hi there, sexy babe!" I answered.

"Hi, your self, Mark honey." AliciaJane answered.

"What's up A.J.?"

"Just checking on supper. Have you started cooking yet? I'm wondering if I have time to stop at the gym for a bit of serving practice."

I replied, "I am just getting started. I have the chicken cut up, but not the vegetables, and I haven't started the rice yet. What time would you be home? It takes about forty minutes for the rice cooker to do its thing."

"If you don't mind waiting that long, how about if I come home at seven?"

"Sure thing, sexy babe."

My wife, AliciaJane, is better known as A. J. Anderson in the women's tennis world. She was state champion in high school. She played tennis most of her college career, too, but an elbow injury kept her away from the courts her senior year. That was good for me.

I wouldn't have met her if not for that elbow injury. Instead of playing tennis that year she spent time at the library. I helped support my college by working part time shelving books in the North Dakota State University library. That's where I met A.J. I won't bore you with the details of our romance, except to say we were married the summer after graduation.

A couple of years ago she took up tennis again and played in a couple of amateur leagues here. During these cold North Dakota winters she tried to get in some practice two or three times a week after work. The gym over by NDSU has a room that is set up for tennis serving. There's a half court and a net. The other side of the net is some netting that catches tennis balls. A. J. liked to keep her serving arm in shape. More about that later.

I put the rice in the cooker and started it exactly 42 minutes before seven o'clock. Forty minutes later I heard the beep, beep, beep of rice being done. I also heard the sound of the garage door opening. A. J. was home! I rushed to the side kitchen door to meet her – almost tripping on the shoes that I left there when I came home.

"Hi, Sexy babe!" I exclaimed just before planting a big kiss on her cold lips.

"Brrr....it's cold out there," she said when I released her, "but your lips are hot."

"You can have more of my hot lips later, but now let's eat a hot supper," I said. "Speaking of cold, the last time I looked it was a minus thirty-three wind chill out there, and that was before it got dark."

I divided the rice into two bowls and then covered those white grains with chicken tidbits and veggies from that skillet. You do remember about the skillet being an important part of this story, don't you? So is my wife's tennis ability, but I won't get into that just yet. Let's have supper first.

A.J. put some soy sauce on her meal. I chided her for it. "Hey, you didn't even taste it first. Maybe it didn't need anything else.

She bantered back, "I tasted it first last week when you cooked the same thing, and it needed soy sauce."

I put soy sauce on mine, too. It needed it. We have this same discussion every time. I think it is a tradition. She might think I didn't love her anymore if I didn't mention tasting first before adding salt or anything.

"Hey Mark, why is your laptop on the kitchen table?"

"Oh, I left work early so I could buy some chicken and celery for supper. I need to finish checking my work emails. I will do that for a few minutes after my nap." I proceeded to the living room where my couch awaits. I take a nap after supper every night. It's for just 15 to 20 minutes, but enough to refresh me.

When I woke up AliciaJane was sitting on a kitchen chair right by the couch. She had my laptop on her lap.

"Mark, who is Betty Schultz?"

"Huh?"

"Betty Schultz, who is she? And why is she sending you messages to your office email address?"

"I don't actually know Betty Schultz, but I think she's one of the newer people in our accounting department," was my reply. "People at work send emails to each other all the time. It's quicker than talking on the phone or visiting in person."

"OK. Lover boy, explain this email from Betty," a now angry wife blurted at me. She read:

"Hi Marc, Lover Boy! I sure enjoyed what your lips did for me last night. You owe me a new pair of panties to replace the ones you ripped off me. Tee hee. See ya Friday night!"

I tried to tell A.J. "I have no idea why anyone would send me such an email. I don't know this Betty person. There must be a mistake."

"You're right about there being a mistake. You made a couple of mistakes, Lover Boy! That's what your slut at work calls you, isn't it? Well, Lover Boy, it was a mistake for you to leave your laptop on the table right where I could see it when I cleared off the supper dishes. But that's not the biggest mistake. You screwed up royally when you screwed that bitch!"

"A. J. I haven't screwed anyone but you ever!" I was almost shouting.

"Liar! I have the evidence right here on this computer."

She continued "Get out! Get out of my sight. No, better yet, get out of my house and out of my life."

"I am not going anywhere. I have not done anything wrong. There is some sort of mistake." I cried as I stood up.

She stormed out of the living room and came back with the skillet. "Get out!" She swung it at me. I lifted my left hand to protect myself. Smash. I think I could hear bones breaking in my hand. She swung again. This time the full force connected with my head. I was stunned. I staggered a bit. Then I saw the blood flowing off my face and down the front of my shirt.

I decided to get out, as requested. And, of course, you now know why I mentioned the skillet and the tennis ability.

Out the front door I ran. No coat. No shoes. Wind chill of at least thirty below. It didn't take me long to realize that I needed some protection from the cold and wind. I thought maybe I could beg her to give me my coat and shoes. I went back. The door was already locked and the lights were all turned off. No answer to the doorbell.

I took off walking as quickly as I could. University Drive is only about four blocks away. I think there is a fire station a bit north on University Drive. Fire stations have emergency respond people, don't they?

I don't know how long it took me to walk to the fire station, but I suspect it was close to a half hour. When I saw the sign with "Safe Place" over the door I was relieved. I entered.

"I need help," I told the man at the desk just before I fell over.

****************

Chapter Two – The hospital

I woke up. It didn't take me long to realize I was in a hospital. My left hand was in a cast. My head was hurting. I felt it, or rather I felt the bandages. My feet didn't feel right either. I looked down to see them bandaged, too.

"Hello, out there" I called to the open door. No response. I called again.

A woman walked in. I concluded she must be a nurse. The smock was a give-away, I think.

"Hello, Mr. Doe," she said.

"My name is Mark Anderson, not John Doe."

"Your chart says you are John Doe, and that the doctor authorized pain pills if you need them."

"I need them."

"Oh, Mr. Anderson, I think no one knew your name when you were brought in."

She gave me two tablets and a glass of water. "I will let the head nurse know that you are awake." She left.

A few minutes later another nurse came in. I think this one is the boss lady.

"Hello, Mr. Anderson, I let Doctor Smith know that you are awake. He's doing his rounds, but will be here shortly. Meanwhile, I need to do some paperwork on you. First, who should I call?"

"Call? What do you mean, nurse?"

"You know, who should I call to say you are here? We didn't know your name until just a few minutes ago, and someone must have been worrying about you these three days."

"Yikes!" I exclaimed "Three days! You mean I have been out of it for three days?"

I pondered my situation for a bit. Should I tell them to call my wife? No way! She wants me out of her life and out of our house. Oh, crap, my boss must be furious by now if I haven't been to work for three days.

"Call Jack Mason of Mason and Sons. He's my supervisor at work."

Jack Mason is one of the sons of Mason and Sons. He is vice-president and is my boss in the engineering department. Mason and Sons believes in nepotism, as long as you are a Mason or married to one. I think at least ten family members work there. That's actually a small percentage of the work force though. There must be about 200 of us in the company. We build things. Not houses, but things like bridges and factories and office buildings. My job in the engineering department is to review plans and blue prints to assure the structural strength and safety of projects. Hey, but that has little to do with my story.

The nurse asked if any family should be contacted. I said, "No."

Just then a young man came in. "Hello, Mr. Doe, I mean Mr. Anderson. I am Doctor Smith. I am one of the people taking care of you. I am a resident here at Sanford Hospital."

"Hello, Doctor, the nurse here said I have been here three days."

"Yes, the Fargo Fire Department First Responders brought you here Monday night. You passed out, probably from the loss of blood from your head wound. When the nurse was drawing a bit of blood for checking your type she noticed your hand. We did x-rays on it and examined the rest of you. You have some broken bones in your hand, some frost bite on your face, but the most serious situation is your toes. They were frozen. Dr. Henderson had to remove three from your left foot and one from the right."

Dr. Smith talked a few minutes more about the recovery process and then left.

The nurse person then proceeded to gather the insurance and other information that hospitals seem to need for patients.

I slept after that.

I awoke to see my boss Jack Mason sitting across the way.

"Hey, Jack, I might not be to work this week, sorry I forgot to call you sooner," I weakly smiled.

"Mark, I called A.J. on Tuesday when you didn't show up for work. She said you walked out on her Monday night after a little argument," said my boss.

"Little argument, my foot! She chased me out of the house because she thinks I screwed some other woman. I didn't, but she wouldn't listen. I walked shoeless over to the fire department. They say I fell down when I got there. That might explain my injuries." I did not want to admit that my wife beat me.

"Mark, I can't imagine that you would be unfaithful. You just don't seem like that type of guy."

"I am not that kind of guy, but she apparently doesn't believe it .Jack, thanks for coming by, but I am starting to feel pain in my feet and my head again. I am going to ask for more pain stuff, and take a nap. Thanks for coming. Thank you for believing me even though my wife doesn't."

Jack said goodbye and started to leave. I called him back, "Oh, Jack see if you can get my company laptop from A. J. It has files for that South Dakota pipeline project."

***********

Chapter three – The visits

Visit 1 – Jack and A.J.

Jack Mason immediately went to my wife's workplace.

"A.J." he said, "I need Mark's laptop. There are some important files on it."

"You can't have it,' she snapped at Jack, "It has the evidence of Mark's infidelity."

"A. J., that laptop belongs to Mason and Sons so you really can't refuse to give it to me, but I will let you hang onto it for awhile. I do, however, need those files. Here's a thumb drive. Please copy everything in the documents folder to it. When Mark gets out of the hospital I will get another laptop for him to use."

A. J. looked surprised. "Mark's in the hospital? What happened?"

Jack responded, "You kicked him out of the house when it was freezing out. He froze his toes and apparently got hurt some other ways, too."

"Serves him right! He's been screwing one of your employees, and tried to deny it when I showed him the evidence. See for yourself. Here's a printout of the email that slut, Betty Schultz, sent to Mark." was A.J.'s bitter reply. "Now I think it is time for you to leave. At least now I know where to send the divorce papers."

Jack said, "That's hardly likely about Betty. All she ever talks about anymore is her wedding plans."

Jack left. He headed back to his company to have a visit with Betty Schultz. More about that later, but let's get back to me at the hospital.

Visit 2 – A.J. and me

At about nine in the morning on Friday I had a visitor. It was AliciaJane. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or be irate to see her. I decided being pleasant would be in order.

"Hi Sexy Babe."

"Don't go Sexy Babe with me you cheater," A.J. grumbled. "Are you going to get out of here soon enough for your rendezvous with Betty tonight. Did you buy her new panties yet?"

"AliciaJane! I have not had an affair with Betty or anyone else. I really don't know why I got that email." I was starting to worry about A.J.'s intentions with her visit.

"Get off it, Mark. You know you have been screwing around," she loudly proclaimed as she started to stomp closer toward me.

I panicked. Was she going to hit me again? I pushed the little button for calling the nurse's station. I shouted "Help! Help! Somebody help me!"

I didn't know nurses could respond so quickly. Two of them showed up right away.

"Get this woman away from me," I cried. "She's the one who hurt me before, and I think she's trying to do it again! Get her out of here! I never want to be the same room with my wife again."

"Fine, I will leave." A.J. handed a large envelope to one of the nurses. "Give this to that bastard."

One of the nurses asked, "That was your wife? She caused those injuries?"

"Yes, she hit me with a skillet after supper on Monday. She smashed up my left hand and then split my head open!"

The other nurse gave me the envelope. In it were divorce papers. Reason for divorce: adultery and willful desertion.

"I need some pain pills," I told her.

Those pills do more than just lessen the pain; they put me to sleep.

Visit 3 – the policeman

A Fargo policeman was standing by my bed when next I awoke.

"Mr. Anderson, I am Officer Swenson."

"Hello, officer. Was I driving my wheelchair too fast?"

"Real funny. I am here because the nurse's station reported that you might have been the subject of physical assault. Please tell me what happened Monday night."

"Officer, my wife, AliciaJane also known as A. J. Anderson was angry with me. She hit me at least twice with a large skillet."

The officer frowned. "A. J. Anderson, the tennis player? I often see her practicing at the gym. She has a wicked overhand!"

"I know. She used it on me." I mumbled.

We talked several minutes more. The officer took down a few notes and left.

A couple of hours later I got a message from the police department. They will not pursue the matter anymore because A.J. said she was defending herself from me. It apparently is one of those "he said / she said" domestic quarrel situations.

Visit 4 – Jack and Betty

After Jack met with A.J. and learned that the so-called other party was Betty Schultz he went back to Mason and Sons. He asked Mrs. Jones, his fifty year old personal assistant (fancy term for secretary) to come with him to see Betty. "I need you to be a witness to a conversation," he told her.

"Hello, Betty." Jack said when entering her cubicle in the accounting department of Mason and Sons.

"Hello, Mr. Mason, how can I help you today? Or did you just want to hear more about my wedding? It's only three weeks and a day away now."

"Later, Betty, but please look at this copy of an email. Did you send it to Mark Anderson?"

Betty blushed. "Yes, it looks like one I sent to Marc, but that's kinda personal, I think."

"Betty, why would you send such a suggestive email to Mark?"

"Mr. Mason, I don't think it really is any of your business, except for me using company email for personal messages, I suppose. Anyway, why wouldn't I send romantic messages to my fiancé?"

Jack pondered that briefly. "How can Mark be your fiancé? He's been married to A. J. for at least ten years. What's going on here? A. J. apparently was very upset when she saw that email.

"Ahem." Jack's personal assistant interrupted. "Jack, I think there has been a mix-up."

Mrs. Jones continued, "Betty, show us your address book on the company email."

They examined the alphabetical listing of all Mason and Sons email addresses. There was at least one more address that Betty had added.

Jack exclaimed, "Mystery solved. Now let's go save Mark's marriage."

**********

Chapter four – the second email

Late Friday afternoon I was moved from my hospital room to a nearby nursing home. It seems that the nursing home has a wing for surgery recovery people. I was in a wheelchair. I can't walk yet due to having toes chopped off, and I can't use crutches because of the cast on my hand.

I got a delivery from Mason and Sons. It was a laptop for me to use. The IT department set it up so I could retrieve all emails for the past couple of weeks.

I just wanted to see for myself this alleged evidence of my screwing around.

The very first message – at the top of the page – was one from A.J. with an attachment. I opened it. What did I see? A picture of A.J. with her legs wide apart. Some man was on her. A sheet covered their lower body parts, but it looks like A. J. found someone to screw.

The message was, "Revenge number one. How many more do I need to do?"

I quickly responded. "AliciaJane, you have already done one more than you should have. I have never been unfaithful to you, and I am disappointed that you now are unfaithful to me. I will have a lawyer read those divorce papers you left with me."

They don't have any beer at this nursing home. I want to get drunk.

****************

Chapter five – meetings with lawyers

Another email popped up. This one was from Jack.

He said, "I took the liberty of asking our company attorney, Bill Schlafly, to represent you. He found out the name of A.J.'s lawyer and arranged for us to meet with A.J. and her attorney on Tuesday morning."

Tuesday morning.

A.J. and her lawyer were already at the conference table when Jack, our attorney, and two other people arrived. They exchanged pleasantries and then got down to business.

Our attorney explained, "Mr. Anderson has made it very clear that he does not wish to be in the same room with Mrs. Anderson. He fears for his safety. I suggested to him that he was being unreasonable, but he insisted that he not be here. Please notice the camera in the corner. Mr. Anderson is watching on a closed circuit TV next door. He has a microphone in case he wishes to speak."

A.J's attorney said, "We accept that situation, Mr. Schlafly, but I am not sure about including these other people." He pointed to Jack, Betty Schultz, and the third person.

"Jack Mason is Mr. Anderson's employer; next to him is one of his employees, Betty Schultz." The attorney didn't get to introduce the next person when A.J. burst out.

"That's the slut that Mark is banging!" She shouted. She started to get up.

A.J.'s lawyer firmly said, "Sit down."