I Love the Mountains

Belinda called Ted's office and asked for him. Ted's secretary Myrna often worked Saturday mornings to make extra cash. Myrna was a single mother and was friends with both Ted and Belinda. If anything was going on with Ted, Myrna would know it. Belinda waited until the phone was answered, then before anyone said anything she started talking.

"Myrna, this is Belinda, is Ted still there in the city or at the office?"

"Are you crazy, girl, he left early yesterday to go home?" said Myrna.

"Myrna, I need to ask you a very serious question and I need to count on you to keep this between us."

"Anything you need, you know you can count on me, you and Ted are like family." said Myrna.

"Myrna, is there any chance that Ted has fallen in love with or is having an affair with someone there?" asked Belinda.

Myrna's only reply was a fit of hysterical laughter that even Greg could hear from across the room. "When he left here yesterday he was singing Belinda, Belinda, like he made up a little song using only your frigging name. All yesterday morning he was plotting out a faster route to get home and he even changed into his climbing gear while he was here at work so he could join you there earlier," said Myrna. "That doesn't sound like a man who is cheating, and believe me, I know cheating men."

"Why would you ask me that Belinda, What's going on?" asked Myrna. Even over the phone Belinda could tell that Myrna was upset her normally cheerful disposition was gone. Myrna was on edge and very professional. Belinda could see that if there was some kind of court going on and everyone had to make their own decisions as to the guilt or innocence of the parties involved, Myrna was now firmly on Ted's team.

"It's nothing he's just acting a little odd," said Belinda. "Bye Myrna."

Belinda started crying again and Greg came over to her and hugged her. Belinda pulled away from her son's touch and saw his face change as he tried to hide the hurt and anger he felt. He pulled out his cell phone and called his Dad's number. He waited and heard the message that said that his dad was on another call and would return his call as soon as possible. He turned to his mother and said, "Fine I was only trying to comfort you while you're hurting, but remember pushing me away when you need me. Right now it seems like Dad may be sick of you, but he's still talking to me."

Belinda looked at her son. He was right, even if he'd found another woman Ted would never abandon his son. Greg could probably get some answers from Ted. "I'm sorry Greg," she said, lying to her son for the first time since he'd been an adult. "But right now, I'm more upset, more hurt than I've ever been in my life, and I have to question your motives after last night." She let out a big sigh, and thought she hated herself for doing it asked him. "Could you please call your father and ask him some questions for me?"

Greg smiled and told her what was going on. "I'm guessing that Dad's secretary called him right after you got off the phone with him. So either she's the one he's fucking or she's still on good terms with him. I got the busy on an important call message so he'll call me back as soon as he's done," said Greg. "So while we've got a minute we may as well talk about last night. Just what did I do that was so wrong?"

"Greg, if you don't know then we have a bigger problem that I thought. I'm your mother, and we both know that what we've been doing is wrong as hell. I thought that it was only a tiny sin because you were helping me while my sex drive is out of control. But it was only sex. Except for a mother's love for her son, I have no feelings for you. It was just us sharing bodies like we share food and shelter and everything else. In terms of anything else I belong totally to your father, and no one will ever replace him or take his place including you. I'm too old, and not able to have kids anyway, but if anyone could get me pregnant I'd only let him. You should be having those kinds of thoughts about Emily, not me. It only goes to show you that we let this get out of hand and carried it on for far too long," she said.

"But Mom, Emily, while I do love her, you're the person that I dream of fucking all the time. And when we do it, I want us to be one entity. I don't just cum, I'm giving you my essence so we can make babies, and I want us to. Maybe all those years ago when they said you couldn't have any kids they were wrong, the doctors know more now. Maybe it was Dad who just couldn't make any more." He reached out and before Belinda could stop him he rubbed her tummy. "I want to feel our babies growing in here."

Belinda slapped his hand away from her stomach and moved around the table. "Gregory," she snapped with a dangerous edge in her voice. But before she could complete her statement, Greg's cell phone rang. Greg smirked and held up the phone in front of her. He put the phone into speakerphone mode and held it up. Before he could say anything he heard his Dad's voice coming from the phone loud and clear. "Greg, don't say anything just listen," said Ted. "Sometime today you'll probably hear from your mother if you haven't already. She'll probably be very upset, or maybe not that much who knows. At any rate it's your job to take care of her now. Don't worry about your wedding, as my final gift to you I'll still pay for it, just as I said I would. But I won't be there and you and I will never see each other again. I have nothing to say to you, and there's nothing I want to hear from you, just take care of your mother, but from what I saw yesterday afternoon, you're already doing that," then there was a click and he was gone.

Belinda started screaming at Greg to get out of her house. As he got near the door she called him. "Leave my key on the table," she screamed. For the next 10 days Belinda never left the house, she sat by the phone and constantly called Ted. She finally stopped calling his cell phone when she got the message that his number had been changed. Then she just sat by the phone until she got sleepy. Whenever it rang she looked at the caller ID, if it was Greg she didn't answer. Whenever he came to see her she didn't go to the door. She stopped taking care of herself and barely ate. Then the call she had been dreading came. The Caller ID read Ernest Banks Atty. at Law. She picked up the phone, she had been waiting for this call. "I won't do anything or agree to anything," she snapped. "I won't sign any papers and I won't even go to court."

"Belinda, this is Ernie, you know me," said the voice from the phone. "If you really love Ted as much as you claim, you can look at this as a chance." Belinda was intrigued.

"How is this, a chance?" she asked. "I haven't had any kind of a chance since this all started. I haven't even been allowed to speak to him. I tried to call his cell phone a couple of times and the number got changed. I don't have the new number I have no contact information; he will not even speak to me. I tried calling him at work, I'm sure they've used their phone system to automatically disconnect whenever I call. I could be dying and no one would tell him, or vice versa. He doesn't even know my side of this. God damn it Ernie, I gave myself body, mind heart and soul to that man on my 18th birthday, 24 years together without one unhappy day and he just throws me away without even giving me the courtesy of telling me in person. I don't want a divorce, I can't live without him. Ernie did you know that I met him when I was 4 years old and we've been together ever since. Maybe we didn't live together until I was 18 but I've known him for all of my life. We grew up right next door to each other. We walked to school together every day. Don't I at least deserve to explain my side of it before he throws me away?"

"Belinda, this call is only to let you know that the papers are ready and will be served today. It is in your best interest to accept the papers whether or not you choose to accept the divorce. When you look at what Ted is asking for, you'll find that he is being very generous. Under the circumstances, he could have reported you and Greg and you could both be looking at serious jail time, but he didn't. He could have separated your finances and cancelled the credit cards and all of those other ugly things that men do when their pride is hurt, but he didn't. He could have asked for the house, and by letting the circumstances of the divorce be known probably gotten it, but he didn't. He does have pictures, but he's chosen not to use them. He's chosen to state irreconcilable differences as the grounds for the divorce, when he could have easily proven at least infidelity on your part. The financial arrangements he's looking for are giving you the house free and clear, with spousal support for the next 8 years which is double the amount any judge would have given you and probably 8 times what they'd have given you if the infidelity was brought up. And you'd have gotten literally nothing if the circumstances had come out and you'd gone to jail. He also could have sued you but all he wants is his freedom. Belinda he still loves you, he just can't ever trust you or be with you again. A divorce is bad but it's not a death sentence. And I've represented a lot of clients who ended up back together after a divorce. So just look at this as what it is, it's just a legal process that says the two of you will no longer be married. If everything you say is true, then no piece of paper or legal decree will be able to separate the two of you and I'll pay for the preacher when you remarry, but Belinda just accept the papers and look at what Ted is offering, because whether you know it or not, he's hurting too and he was the victim here if there was one."

Belinda had never thought about that before, all she'd considered were her own feelings in all of this. She'd felt betrayed by their son, and abandoned by Ted, but truly Ted was the one who really got hurt here. She had been a very large part of hurting the man she loved and she'd never considered it.

"Belinda," said Ernie. "Are you still there? How about this? If you sign for the papers today, it is not an admission of guilt, there is no guilt on either side in this kind of divorce. You can still refuse to sign the final divorce decree. But if you sign for the papers today, I'll guarantee you a face to face, not over the phone, meeting with Ted."

"I'll sign for the papers," she said immediately.

The meeting with Ted didn't go as she'd expected. They sat across a very large table from each other, and he didn't say a word. She poured out her heart to him and told him how much she loved him and always would. She told him why, and how she'd started having sex with their son and assured him that it was over. She begged and pleaded for him not to divorce her, and to give her a second chance. They could move out of the house and to a different state. She would do anything he asked, anything just for a chance to try again. Sometime during her talk Ted had started crying too. She'd never seen him cry before, no matter how happy or sad he'd been. He hadn't even cried when his father died, but there they were as clear as day, tears running down his face uncontrollably. Then he had simply nodded to her and left the room. A few minutes later Ernie came in.

"When is Ted coming back?" she asked. She was sure that he'd been so overcome with emotion that he'd needed a break before he told her his side of things and how he felt, and whether or not he'd accepted her apology.

"Belinda, you meeting is over, Ted is gone," said Ernie softly. "You really don't need a lawyer, but Ted will pay for one for you if you want."

Belinda did hire a lawyer, a cut throat scorch the earth lawyer who tried to delay and halt the proceedings at every turn. He suggested and got counseling. They went to counseling and Ted refused to speak. Belinda again poured her heart out week after week. Ted started bringing his laptop and working during the sessions. The therapist finally demanded that he pay attention and participate. He told Ted that he'd seen plenty of divorces but never one that was so one sided. He'd never seen a case where one of the parties absolutely refused to even entertain the possibility of forgiveness. Ted calmly looked up and said that the doctor had the wrong idea about their divorce. He still loved Belinda very deeply but they could simply never be together again. Every time he saw her, he pictured her with the other man, and he didn't think he'd ever get over it. The therapist then told him he'd seen a few couples in similar situations, who with a great deal of work and time had managed to save their marriages. Ted finally looked up at the therapist. Ted asked him if what they said during their sessions was covered under client confidentiality rules. The doctor assured him that not a word that was said would ever be repeated. Ted calmly asked him if any of those couples who'd managed to save their marriages involved the wife cheating on the husband by fucking their own son. The therapist submitted his report to the courts the very next day and the divorce went forward. Belinda refused to sign the papers but the final decree was given anyway.

One year later I was just beginning to start some semblance of a life. Even though well meaning friends had tried to fix me up, I've never dated. I've also never climbed again. Belinda was worse she lived like a hermit, and literally cried anytime someone mentioned her dating. Even though she didn't need the money, I had been truthful about the support agreement, I was literally giving her half of my salary, Belinda took a job as a climbing guide on the beginner and intermediate level routes. Greg had gone ahead and married Emily. Belinda called and spoke to them sporadically, but she never saw them. If they came over she never answered the door and called and told them that she was asleep, the next day. Belinda actually spoke to Emily more than she spoke to her own son. She even met Emily for lunch a few times. Belinda didn't want to see Greg, partially because she blamed him for his part of her divorce, but also because she still didn't trust him to behave himself around her. The biggest reason of course though was the uncanny resemblance he had to me. It was literally painful for her to lay eyes on him.

I had never climbed again instead I took up running. Almost every day I ran along the paths in the parks near my new home. Belinda had heard about me from mutual acquaintances and was dying to see me, I heard. She often hid in her car outside my job just to catch a glimpse of me, especially on our anniversary, and our birthdays. On her birthday I heard she asked some of our friends if I mentioned anything about her.

One day as I was running along a bike trail I slowed down as I came around a bend and found a woman trapped under her bike. Her pants leg had gotten caught in the chain guard and when she went down her leg was still stuck in the chain so she couldn't get up or get the bike off of her. I bent down and pulled and yanked until I got the material free of the chain and then lifted the bike off of her.

"Thank you so much," she said. I thought I heard just a bit of an accent. I loved the animated sound of her voice. I helped her to her feet and was immediately flabbergasted. She had long flowing wavy dark brown hair and dark brown eyes that just always seemed to smile. This woman didn't even need her mouth to smile, the expression in her eyes seemed to radiated happiness and joy.

Her body also amazed me. Her body was an architectural study in extremes, She had literally huge breasts, but her waist was incredibly tiny. It swelled out to form the biggest roundest ass I had ever seen. She was built like one of my favorite porn stars Daphne Rosen, but everything on her seemed to be real. On her part she saw the reaction that I had to her, and smiled because I was trying very hard to look into her eyes, but the tent in my shorts told her that my mind was further below her eyes. But I guess she thought I deserved a reward for trying.

"Veronica Munoz," she said as she smiled and extended her hand.

"Oh shit," I exclaimed. I knew instantly who she was.

"That's a very unusual name you have," she said smiling.

"We kind of know each other," I said quietly.

"No, I think I'd remember someone named Oh Shit," said Veronica.

"We're actually, kind of related," I smirked causing her to smile again. We walked together for a while talking about everything and nothing, until finally when we got to her car, I asked her out.

Veronica accepted, only on the grounds that I'd tell her who I am and how we're related. But she also wanted to thank me for rescuing her. "I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time," I said. "Any guy coming along here would have considered himself lucky just to see someone as beautiful as you are." My words caused an even bigger smile to explode from Veronica's face.

"Until Tomorrow, Oh Shit," laughed Veronica as she pulled away.

Veronica went straight home and called her daughter. Emily was overjoyed that her mother had met someone finally. This was the first time she remembered her mother even considering going out on a date. Her mother considered herself, with her large breasts and ass to be fat and unappealing. "What's his name Mom?" she asked.

"Oh shit," laughed Veronica. She explained the whole meeting to her daughter who also laughed and they arranged to go shopping the next day to get clothes for Veronica's Date. Emily had been putting off telling her mother but she sensed that things were not as they should be in her own relationship. Greg was attentive to her and they spent a lot of time together, but in the bedroom, things were not the way she'd been expecting them to be. Well she didn't want to cast clouds over her mother's happiness so she decided to wait a while before she said anything.

The next day after they'd shopped for hours before finding the perfect dress for her mother, Emily insisted on waiting to meet the mystery man. She peeked at him as he got out of his car, it was really nice. A midnight blue Mustang GT with chrome rims, not bad for an old guy she thought. There was something familiar about that car though. Nice looking guy too she thought seeing him from a distance. He rang the bell and when it was opened stepped into the living room with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Her mother looked stunning coming down the stairs. Her large breasts restrained and covered but cleverly outlined by the dress. Just as Veronica got to the bottom of the stairs, Emily got a good look at his face as he put down the flowers to look at her mother. There were clearly stars passing between the two of them as they looked at each other. That was the way that Emily wanted Greg to look at her. She was happy and excited for her mother because this could possibly be very good for her. Suddenly she knew who he was. "Oh Shit," she exclaimed loudly.

"That's him," smiled Veronica.

"Mom, this is Greg's Dad, Mr. Sanderford," said Emily.

"I thought you said, his name was asshole," said Veronica.

"Well that was only because of the way he treated Greg's mom," said Emily. "And because he paid for that entire beautiful wedding that he never showed up for. Since then we've heard from Greg's mom often but he just disappeared, as if he didn't like me marrying his son or something. That's why he's an asshole. And he never calls her, never even sends a card for her birthday or their anniversary after all of those years that they were married. That's why he's an asshole. That poor woman sits there day after day, just hoping for a word or a phone call from him. He's terrible. I don't think you should go out with him, he's an asshole."

Veronica was shocked, she'd never heard an outburst like that from her daughter. She looked at Ted, and he just looked at the floor and nodded his head. He didn't say anything. He didn't deny Emily's accusations or offer any excuses. The he just put that beautiful bouquet he'd brought her down on the table and excused himself and left the house.