Life is Too Short

Life is too short to let the bad guys win!

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The Oxford Dictionary says

Pride - a high or overbearing opinion of one's worth or importance.

Temper - habitual or temporary disposition of mind esp. as regards composure.

Passion - strong barely controllable emotion.

Obstinacy - firmly adhering to one's chosen course of action or opinion despite dissuasion.

Put pride, temper, passion and obstinacy together, add a villain or two, and stir vigorously. But, don't forget to throw in some patient friends and family.

There is no sex in this story.

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From my seat in the back of the limousine I watched the hearse pull up in front of my brothers house! As arranged, I had joined the cortège at the chapel of rest so that I would not have to wait in my brother's place with the others. She would be there with my children and I had no intention of seeing her. Even at my fathers funeral! I was not going to let my eyes even fall on her. One look at her would break my heart again. I had been so near to suicide over that woman, and I new that just seeing her could take me back down that road again!

There were small groups of people standing around awaiting cortège's arrival. I got out of the car so they could offer me their condolences on my fathers passing. I thanked those that did so. But I was also aware of the ones that surreptitiously moved further away. There were some that I could see who were thinking of approaching me. But they had been there that night! I had told them then what I thought of then; when they're eyes met mine' They thought better of it.

Then suddenly my two lovely young daughters, Jema and Elaine, were on my throwing their arms around me and saying how much they loved and missed me! I was crying as I hugged them both. It had been over a year since I had seen them. I was telling them how much I missed them, and they (as always,) asked me why I had to live in Australia? Why couldn't I live at home with them and mummy? It amazed me to realise, that my ex-wife had still not told them why I had gone. I had never given them my reasons; I had thought that if I told them of their mothers behaviour, It would appear that I was trying to turn them against they're mother and no mater what else she was, June was a darn good mother. I knew that the girls would have more need of her, as they grew up! Than they would have of a depressed, sometimes near suicidal father. I had left it to June to tell the girls, whatever she wished!

My brother Tom and his wife Mary appeared. They both came over and gave me a hug, and then Tom announced it was time to make a move. The girls would be travelling in the lead car with us. He did not mention with whom June would be riding; everyone, even my girls knew that I did not wish to know. Although in my heart I did wish to know, I had loved that woman so much, that I had been slowly dying inside for the past eighteen months. I fort my every waking moment to keep her out of my mind and every night was filled with nightmares, of seeing her with that bastard.

On the way to the cemetery, I was crying again.

"Don't cry Dave! He had a good life; he's with mum now. You know how much he missed her. You know. The last thing he said was, 'I'm going to see my Alice again!'" My brother said to me.

My brother wasn't to know that my tears weren't for my father. They were for me. Knowing that the only woman that I could ever love was so near, and I was too proud and obstinate, or was I frightened, to even look at her!

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It had all started nearly two years before. My life up until then had been virtually perfect. I had been married for thirteen years, to what I thought, was the most wonderful woman in the world. I had two lovely daughters, a good job, and we owned our own house in a nice neighbourhood. Our social life had been great and we had a large circle of friends. Nearly every weekend we would be at some gathering or party. We appeared to have everything we wanted.

Then George Mason. He was one of, what you might call "hangers on" of our group. A small insignificant sort of bloke. His wife had left him some years ago and I think most of us felt he was lonely, and invited him along, more out of pity than friendship. Had brought a friend along to one of the Thompson's parties.

Talk about chalk and cheese! John Laslett. Stood a good six foot, and had the "Gift of the Gab!". Within minutes of arriving he was the centre of attention. Jokes flowed out of his mouth one after the other. When the party was over, he had been accepted as one of our group. Everyone seemed to like him. Except me!

I must admit he was a handsome devil. But there was something about him that I didn't like. Maybe, it was jealousy at first! That's what June claimed it was. But think I spotted the lecher in him right from the start. My mind was asking, what was this handsome man who obviously had an eye for the ladies; doing hanging around with a creep like George Mason and what was he doing at a party were there were nothing but married couples.

I was sure I could see that Casanova look in his eye. I noticed the way he looked at the women. Not the normal checkouts all the husbands gave each others wives; making sure that their own, was the best looking. Or maybe even with a little jealousy that some of the girls had kept they're figure better than they're own wife had. No his looks, were the lecherous looks of the travelling salesman, who fancied his chances!

Maybe I was insecure and didn't realise it. But by the end of that party I had the nasty feeling that in near future someone's marriage was about to go "Tits up", and that was to cause me to make, probably my biggest mistake. I voiced my unease, first to June and then to some of our friends.

June told me I was being stupid, John was just a nice man. He was funny and made everyone feel happy and good about themselves. His personality seemed to have captured most of our friends as well. They almost all dismissed my opinions, as me being paranoid and it soon became common knowledge that I didn't like John. But it also became clear that I would just have to tolerate him, or else June and I, would have to change our circle of friends.

John became aware of my dislike for him very rapidly. At first he tried to make friends with me. All the usual stuff, if I expressed an opinion, he would agree with me immediately and back up my argument. He was always throwing compliments in my direction, and all of our friends kept telling me, that they couldn't understand my dislike of him. As he was always saying how sorry he was that I disliked him. He was telling them that I was a really nice fellow, and so clever as well.

Over the following weeks I kept my cool. I did ask June to stay away from him, but that only got her annoyed with me. John was the centre of the fun at the parties by then and she said I was being stupid; John would never do anything to upset anyone.

So I could only watch and wait for him to pick his first target. Six weeks after he first showed up I spotted her. Sheila Montgomery! George Mason who had acquired a video camera and would drive just about everyone crazy, recording almost everything that happened at our gatherings. I was also becoming suspicious that George, were something more than a friend to John Laslett. George's camera seemed to spend most of its time pointed at John and whichever woman he was talking to, or to my mind chatting up. I had noticed John had become quite touchy feel'y with the girls, especially on the dance floor. But to my mind on this particular evening, he appeared to be paying just a little to much attention to Sheila.

I felt compelled to mention it to her husband Bill. He just said that I was reacting way over the top. He and Sheila had been married fifteen years; If Sheila was going to stray she would have done so years ago. Not now just as she was beginning to lose her figure!

"Shit man!" I said, "Don't you realise that's the time a girl is most likely to stray! Sheila's a beautiful woman. If she thinks her figure is starting to go; she might start to feel she's losing the power to turn heads and some Prat like Laslett is halfway there! All he's got to do is give her ego a nice big enough boost and she won't know what has hit her. Until she's in his bed!"

"Don't talk so much bloody rubbish Dave. I know my wife she wouldn't go jumping in any mans bed, but mine! To be honest, I find it offensive to me and a bloody insult to her that you should even suggest that she would"

Bill refused to speak to me after that.

I had to give up and never had to chance to broach the subject with him again.

Only a month later the Montgomery's suddenly moved away. The word went around that they had a big fight; people had heard them out in the street. Then a "For Sale" sign went up outside they're house and they were gone! Everyone commented that they hadn't said goodbye to anyone and it appeared they had told no one where they were going.

The day they were rumoured to have actually moved out, June told me that Bill had called my home on the phone and asked to speak to me; but I had been away on a business trip. June asked if there was a message? But Bill just said she was to tell me "He was Sorry!"

I now new I was right about John Laslett. I didn't know whether Bill had caught John and Sheila "At it!" so to speak, or he had realised which way things were going before they got too far. After our row, he had obviously been too embarrassed to admit to me that he was wrong and I had been correct. He had arranged to remove his wife from further temptation. But that unfortunately left me with little ammunition, when it came to warning the next victims husband. All I could do was watch and wait!

Two weeks later it became apparent that the arse-whole Laslett, had apparently chosen his next target and it was the one that I feared the most. It was another of the Thompson's parties. From the moment we arrived, I was aware that George's camera appeared to pointing at June much more than normal. Careful observation of John; showed he spent almost half the evening with the group that my wife was with and it seemed that every time I looked at the small dance floor, June and John were dancing together. After the first couple of dances I made a point of butting in and separating them. But that kind of backfired, as June got annoyed with me again.

When we got home I. I told my June that I thought she was his next target. As a result, June flew into a rage at me and told me I had gone completely off my head. She said I was paranoid; John was always the perfect gentleman and didn't go around slandering everyone like I did. I lost my cool and said,

"It's not slander! Why do you think the Montgomery's moved away? Bill's phone call was to let me know that I had been right when I told him I thought Laslett was after Sheila. That is what Bill and I had the row about. He was convinced I was wrong as well. But I know that Bill now knows I was bloody right! And now John Laslett has got it in his head to get into your knickers and I'm bloody sure he will. Whether you want him to or not! That mans a bloody expert at getting women into bed. I know! I've seen his sort operate before!

June was totally livid with me and said that there was no point in trying to reason with me. She reckoned I had convicted her of something, which I thought she was going to do in the future. She would never dream of breaking our marriage vows and was terribly angry that I thought she would. I tried to tell her that I loved her and trusted her completely, but this bloke Laslett was an expert at seducing women. If he set his sights on a girl, he would get her in bed one way or another.

The row got completely out of hand after that, and I finished up being locked out of our bedroom for the first time in our married life. For the next few days June didn't speak to me at all. All communication between us was passed through our daughters. By the middle of the week things had quietened down and we seemed to be back on speaking terms.

Saturday there was a big party to celebrate someone's thirtieth wedding anniversary. It was held at the Marriott, one of the local hotels. June and I attended but I don't think she said more than two words to me all evening. I also became aware that Laslett was apparently backing off on June a bit. I noticed he was hanging around Paulette Simmons.

While I was thinking on the subject, I realised I had not seen Barry Simmons. A few enquires soon told me that Barry was in the States on business and that explained John's change of target. A lonely wife. Probably a dead cert. for a man of his talents and Paulette appeared to me to be looking quite the worse for the drink, I noticed. Surely John didn't stoop so low as to get the woman so drunk that she didn't know what she was doing.

But then John wasn't a gentleman was he, all he wanted was to get them into bed and it was beginning to look to me, like he didn't care how he did it!

Sure enough around ten-thirty, I found I could no longer locate John or Paulette. I wondered out of the function room and but they where not in the bar or the lounge. Then I spotted George Mason coming down the stairs; he was putting yet another tape in his camera as he did so, and he never noticed me. 'I don't believe this.' I thought, 'That arse-whole has been up there filming John and Paulette in bed.' The sick bastard must be keeping a record of his conquests and George Mason is his fucking cameraman. They must be the sickest pair of individuals I've ever come across. I had no proof this, but what else would George be doing upstairs. He can't have a room he only lives a couple of hundred yards away.

I decided I would hang around in the bar for a bit, as I could see the stairs and lift from there. Half an hour later George went back up. Then ten minutes later, John came down on his own looking quite pleased with himself. It was nearly eleven thirty when George came back down and returned to the function room. George had a smirk on his face, that I couldn't remember seeing before.

I was just about to go back into the function room when Paulette came out of the lift. She was looking a dam sight more sober than she had been a couple of hours ago. But she was crying and obviously very distressed. I called out to her, but she rushed straight out if the front door. I made after her as quick as could, but she was nowhere in sight when I got outside.

I know it was all speculation, but I assumed that John had seduced Paulette whilst she was to drunk to realise what was happening. The only reason I could come up with for George being up there was for him to film the episode; then I assumed that when John had had his fill. George had got his turn with her; most likely under threat of being exposed by the video! Why else would George go back up or Paulette be so upset. These were a sick couple of bastards!

I went back in the function room and located June. I told her that I thought something was terribly wrong with Paulette, as I had seen her leaving and looking very distressed. I told June, as Paulette was on her own at home because Barry was in the States, I thought we should go over to her place to make sure she was all right. I did not mention John or George to June; I knew that I only had to mention John's name to her and she would have gone ballistic at me.

I was hoping that Paulette would confide in June as to exactly what had happened; then my worries would be over. Unfortunately Paulette was either not at home, or was so upset that she would not open the door. We banged on the door and called through the post box all to no avail. As we drove home, I kept telling June how worried I was about Paulette and got her to promise, that she would get in touch with her over the next few days.

Every night when I got home I kept on at June about Paulette. But June said had no luck contacting her. When Barry returned on the Wednesday he told June that Paulette had left him a note saying she had got lonely and gone to visit her sister in Scotland. She would probably be back in a few days. Dam I thought, if has Paulette confided in her sister she's not likely to spill the beans to June. The bluddy game was still on!

Thursday there was a disaster at work. For me that is. The company I work for is part of a large multinational. One of our factories, just outside London, had just been completely refitted with updated plant. All the old machinery had been shipped out to Hungary, and put into a factory that company had recently acquired there. The Hungarians were having teething problems getting things up and running. Michael my boss, wanted me to go out there and get them sorted, He wanted me to fly out on Friday morning!

I was worried about what was going to happen between John and June. There was a party at George's house Friday night. If I wasn't there to keep June out of harms way. God knows what could happen. Thursday evening I asked June if she would mind, giving the party a miss, as I would not by able to accompany her. But she got angry with me again and said that she was going whether I was there or not. She could look after herself, and I was getting unbearable, constantly going on about John. She said she loved me and would never do anything that would affect our marriage.

As there was no way I was going to be able to stop her going to the party. I called Michael and told him straight. I would not be going to Hungary until Saturday, as I had had a 'situation at home!' If the company didn't like it that I wouldn't go on Friday they could sack me! Michael was shaken by my attitude. I had a reputation as a company man who could be relied upon. He said Saturday would do fine but would I mind calling in to see him tomorrow. June told me I was stupid, and asked what would I have done if he given me the sack. I said,

"I would rather be without a job than without my wife!"

June then went completely off the deep end, and once again I slept in the spare room!

Friday morning I went in to see Michael. I gave him the whole ball of wax, right from the beginning. He asked me if was sure that this guy was after June. I said sure enough to throw my job in over it. He said he was sorry, but he had to ask me to go to Hungary, as I was the only man with the relevant experience available. I told him that I would go as I didn't think June would do anything silly. She wasn't that daft, if Laslett was to approach her or show up at my place; I was sure it would put her on her guard. He seemed to like his ladies to be the worse for drink. Who knows he might well spike their drinks with something, Paulette had got very drunk rather quickly, and then appeared to sober up quite fast. It could be, he had slipped her something?

Friday night, was what I can only call, torture. June was making it very obvious that I was "Persona Non Gratis" with her. And for the whole evening I was never more than five feet from her, I even stood outside the door when she went to the loo. There were only two subjects of conversation. My neurotic behaviour, and Bill Thompson's fiftieth birthday party, that was to held the following Saturday at the Marriott Hotel.

John kept out of my way and George wasn't using his camera very much. I figured that I was the fly in the ointment for them. June and I went home about ten-thirty; June said that I had ruined her evening and if I carried on like this, she would have re-think our future. I told her that I loved her more than anything I the world. But I knew that John Laslett wanted to get into her knickers, and that would certainly destroy our marriage anyway. June once again told me I was being neurotic and that I should go and see a shrink, before I had a breakdown. We slept together but didn't have any sex. We hadn't had sex for months, not since we started to fight over June's friendship with John.