Merry Little Christmas

"How are we feeling Mr. Fischer? I'm Dr. Seger." Then without really waiting for my answer he removed the bandages and looked closely at my head. He turned to his nurse and said, "We'll need to keep a close eye on these Ms. Harrison. I want the bandage changed at least every two hours until this seepage stops." He then looked at me and asked "Do you have any blurry vision or headaches?"

"I have had a headache from hell for a while now. My vision seems to be fine."

"Hmm. Headache is no surprise; you lost a small piece of skull along with most of your blood this morning." He looked over at Josie and asked "Are you Mrs. Fischer?" She told him that she was. "Has he been on any kind of a diet recently?"

"I don't think so Dr. Why?"

"You see, I have read his blood panels that we took before we transfused him this morning. I am concerned because his blood is showing us signs of mal-nourishment. Some of these fad diets will cause this. I may have been a contributing factor to his collapse, aside from the loss of blood." He turned back to me and looked over the top of his glasses at me. I felt like I was in third grade receiving an ass chewing from Mr. Dobson our elementary school principal. "We are going to keep you here at least tonight. The nutritionist is working up a diet for you right now and a special tray will be here within the hour. You do realize that you and I would most likely not be here together right now had you been wearing a helmet?"

Josie chortled from her seat.

"I see I have an ally in this. I'll order you some Percocet for the pain, and I expect you to clean your plate when it's brought to you. I'll see you again at the end of my shift in four hours."

He walked out and the nurse set to changing the wrapping on my head. I hadn't realized how mummified I was.

After the nurse left Bob and Mel said something about going to eat. They asked Josie to come but she said she was fine and needed to be here with me. They left and she fixed me in her gaze. "I was so scared that I had lost you. You stumbled off of your bike, and didn't even shut it off, then staggered across the lawn and fell. I saw that you were covered in blood and looked as white as a sheet. I thought you were dead and I screamed. Bill came running over and Corey came running out of their house. Bill and I carried you into their Jeep and Corey killed your bike. All I could think of was you were dead and I was the cause."

She paused as if trying to think of something else. "I know why you're not eating. I know you're depressed about something, I just don't know what. I am always here for you darling. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

I just smiled at her and told her I'd be OK. I couldn't stand the thought of making her feel worse by letting her know I still cried for our baby, and I suspected something was going on with her and Derrick Miller.

I was in and out of sleep all night long. I remember her phone ringing around nine and her answering it. She thought I was asleep so she crossed the room and was talking to someone in hushed tones. "I can't tonight."

"No, I'm at Mercy with Marty."

"No, they're keeping him overnight."

"He almost died today you insensitive asshole."

"I don't know, he was on his bike on the highway this morning and something almost cut the top of his head off."

"No, I'm staying here tonight with him."

"NO!"

"You're where?"

"No."

"Damn it I said no."

"Fine, I'll meet you in the coffee shop in ten."

"Bye"

I tried to ask her what was going on but I couldn't wake up. When I did wake she was sitting beside me dozing in the chair. I decided the phone call must have been a dream.

Teri stopped in a couple of times on Sunday to see how I was doing. Josie said she wished someone else would take care of me. "Jealous much?" I asked her.

"I see the way she looks at you babe. She might have had a crush on you back then, and might want to try you now."

"So what if she tries? I am quite happily married and have no thoughts of stepping out." She seemed to breathe easier at that, but still bristled up whenever Teri came into the room.

The doctor still wasn't happy with my blood panels Sunday afternoon so they held me until Monday morning. Josie called in and took all week off. I also called in to work and spoke to Tara Bennet. I told her I was out until further notice but I would do everything in my power to be back ASAFP. Josie didn't like that much. "You need to make sure you are 100% before you even consider going back to work, and we won't even begin to discuss the future of that bike."

I had looked at the bike earlier, while Josie was in the bathroom, and I saw a lot of blood on it. I wasn't going to push Josie on this issue for a while. I was lucky indeed to be alive.

We were inseparable the rest of Monday and all day Tuesday. Tuesday evening she got a call on her cell. She looked at the ID and took the call in another room. I caught bits of her side. She told whomever that I was laid up and she had no intention of going to the meeting. Then she got really quiet and I thought I heard her talking like she does to me when we talk sex on the phone. She came into the room and told me. "That was Mel. I have to go to work just tomorrow and attend the meeting tomorrow night. Do you think you'll be OK here by yourself for the day? I promise I won't work the rest of the week."

Mel huh? She couldn't let her new guy ride one day while attending to me? I hid my true emotion; a few years'practice had made me a wiz at it. "I'm sure I'll survive the day hon. You just go do what you gotta do."

"Hey bro, you got your perv gear on you?"

"Nice Marty, you go get scalped and leave me with a shit pile of work and now you want porn?"

"I wish it was that simple. It's more like you're cheaper than a PI. Josie she's.." I choked back a sob. I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud.

"Oh fuck man. Hey I'm so sorry. Are you sure?"

"99.9% sure, that's why your perv gear is needed. Meet me for a beer later?"

"Yeah man. Jose's at six?"

"Works for me bra."

Josie had left the house that morning at ten. She's usually off to work by seven. At noon, I got the'66 Vette that I was currently working on out of the paint booth. She wouldn't recognize this car. It had been a shitty color of green when I bought it. I had re-painted it a pearl white with a translucent pearl essence in the clear coat. I wasn't really supposed to be driving, but I had to know.

I went to the Statler Brothers'to hang out. I looked over the parking lot for the brokerage and didn't see Josie's Candy Red Camaro anywhere. "Damn, they must have left already." I thought to myself. I didn't know what Miller drove so I couldn't tell if he was there or not.

I sat with Harold and Gene in the front showroom, bullshitting about cars and such when I saw the Camaro arrive. I told the guys I had to run and left. I sat in the Vette and watched as a shit brown suit wrapped around some preppy dickhead came out of the brokerage and climbed into Josie's car'I saw him lean over and kiss her. I wanted so bad to go over there and pull him out and kick the ever-loving dogshit out of him.

I followed them as they went through town and headed to the outskirts. They pulled in to the Value Inn, $16.95 a night or 2 hours for $10. These people were supposed to ooze money and class and here they were in a place I wouldn't let Papi stay in. They had parked directly in front of room 10. He went into the office and got a key. As he came out I got a good look at his face. I recognized him from some old photos Josie had. Derrick Miller then led my wife into room 10. I sat and watched the room until a quarter'til six and then went to Jose's.

"So what are you gonna do bro?"

"Fuck. I don't know. I need you to get me proof first. Stupid as it sounds, they could be in there playing cards."

"I'm sure they are. Or rehearsing for the brokerage house's summer play "Our Town."

I tried to laugh, but I couldn't. He kept staring at the mummy dressing on my head. I had already explained to several drunks what had happened, and now I was ready to start making shit up. Josie usually got home from her Wednesday night "meeting" about eight. At 7:30 I left and sped home. I had just gotten the Vette back into the booth and grabbed a bucket of hot water so I could wash some of the blood off of my Harley. She walked right through the garage like she didn't even see me there.

I heard her walking through the house calling me. I hollered that I was in the garage and she came out. "NO! God damn it Marty NO! I don't want you even looking at that fucking bike for a long while. I'm gonna take a shower. Did you eat yet?"

I almost asked her if pretzels and peanuts at Jose's counted, then thought better of it and just lied that I had eaten. She told me she was going to shower and then go to bed. She went in and I stood in the garage and cried.

The next week on Thursday Jarred called me and said he had something. I told him to meet me at José's again. He brought in a manila envelope.

"Do yourself a favor and don't look man. I'll tell you what you need to know but please spare yourself the extra pain. You were right. I hope you can get her to stop and work this out."

"Fuck that. Fuck her, and fuck him! I'm gonna divorce her ass. I'll sue Arthur Eastwood as well for letting this start. Fucking cunt."

We drank a bit too much and staggered out of the bar at around midnight. I got into my Vette and headed home. When I got there I parked but didn't get out of the car. I picked up the envelope and opened it. I pulled one picture out; I just had to see it with my own eyes. I felt like my lungs were trying to draw in lead. I couldn't breathe and I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to punch something or someone. I felt like my world ha just ended and my soul had died. I looked and in the picture Josie was in the throes of passion as Miller had his face in her ass. She looked absolutely stunning. Her skirt was nowhere to be seen, and her sheer white blouse was wide open as she tweaked her nipples. "If you liked that why didn't you ask me to do it? I'd have done anything for you." I sat in the car crying for half an hour at least. When I finally managed to stop I went into the house and passed out on the couch. I now had a plan.

As soon as Josie left for work, I was on the phone. I called the law firm of Abraham, Martin and John and was set up with an appointment to see a man named Dion Belmont. He had a good reputation. I found all of our financial stuff and made copies and put it back where Josie kept it. As I was looking for clues around her home office I came upon a loose flap of carpet under her desk. Under there I found three bank passbooks. The accounts had my name on them. I didn't have any accounts at that bank though. I added up the totals and came up with $1.4 million dollars. "What the fuck?" I was suddenly really uneasy. What if Josie and her guy were setting me up to take a fall so they could be together? Not that they needed to do that, he could fucking have her.

She had her girls'night out as usual Friday night. I was asleep on the couch when she came in. She didn't even try to wake me; she just went to the shower.

On Monday I bribed a doctor to release me to go back to work. I was on a restricted duty and did mundane shit. On Tuesday afternoon I had my meeting with Mr. Belmont. He told me there was a good chance that I could keep the house if I used the photos and DVD's Jarred made me. I told him I just wanted out and I didn't care how much she fought it.

I got home and she was already making dinner. She wasn't talking to me much. I figured she was upset I went back to work so early, as if she really gave a shit. We were just about through eating when she hit me with "We gotta talk."

"You have been acting weird these past few weeks Marty. I don't know any other way to put this, but I think you are having an affair with either Laura or Tanya from work."

I had a mouthful of tea when she said that. It looked just like a spit take on TV. As she was wiping the spray from her face I asked, "Are you fucking stupid?"

She looked as if I had slapped her so I pressed on with my attack. "Those two are already in relations....with each other! Yep, they are full on carpet munching dykes! How about that old cow Rosa? Am I fucking her too?"

"Well you..." I cut her off.

"Just when am I supposed to be fucking them? Do I stop off at their house on my way to and from work every day? Would be possible, except the fact that it takes me twenty five minutes to drive to work, and I leave here half an hour before I have to be there. Not to mention the fact that they live in the opposite direction from work."

"There are a lot of low life pieces of shit out there who cheat on their spouses. I am truly hurt that you want to lump me into their category." At that I got up and went out to the garage.

I got into my car but realized I had left my keys inside. Not wanting to go back in I remembered my spare keys to the bike. I opened the top of my tool box and pulled one of the keys out and got on my bike. As soon as the V-Twin rumbled to life I realized the garage door was still closed. I got off and went to hit the opener. I turned around and stepped right into her embrace.

"I'm sorry baby." She said over the sound of the idling bike. "Please forgive me. I know you wouldn't cheat. I'm just under so much stress at work and I don't mean to take it out on you."

"It's not that," I said. "You're choosing him over me and I can handle that."

"Choosing who over you baby? There's no one to choose over you."

"Derrick Miller," I spat. Her face paled just a bit but she had control quickly. "She's one cool character" I thought.

"He works with me. I don't choose him over you. Is this because I went to the meeting while you were laid up?"

"That didn't help."

"Well baby if it helps, I'll cut back at work in January. I'll tell Arthur to hire me some help so I can spend more time with you."

I believed her. NOT! I don't know why I didn't call her out on her bullshit right then and there. It dawned on me that I would give her a chance. I wasn't going to come out and tell her about what choices to make or consequences, but I had a deadline in mind and I knew what I was going to do.

We went to my half-brother's house for Thanksgiving. I was thankful that Arthur went back east with Derrick this time instead of Josie going. He had told them it was a meeting for the higher levels of management.

Josie seemed back to her old self, but I was spiraling down into a pit of despair. I knew that if he was to call her, she'd probably go with him. I was so afraid that Josie would choose him over me. She already had on a couple of occasions, so I was going to look for opportunities to conflict with her Derrick schedule.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time. We watched football all day long. When dinner time came I just couldn't force myself to eat. My appetite had gone to shit and my head hurt like hell. At some point I slipped out of the house and walked home and passed out on the couch.

It was dark outside when Josie shook me awake. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming home? What's wro...." She stopped mid sentence and had a funny look on her face. She laid her hand on my head and I winced back. "Oh god you're burning up baby. We need to get you seen."

She stood up and called someone, I just faded out. Next thing I knew, Bob and Mel were helping Josie walk me to Corey's Wagoneer. "Hang on baby; we'll get you fixed soon."

The next thing I knew, someone was shining a bright light in my eyes. More doctors? I couldn't see Josie anywhere, but I cold hear someone soothing her, "Shh, He's going to be fine. They'll figure it out real soon."

Meanwhile my sore head was being poked and prodded. I cold feel some kind of towel on my face.

"Doctor he seems to be conscious again."

"Put him out. We need him still as possible."

A warm feeling shot up my arm and then I closed my eyes.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital room. Josie was sleeping in the chair next to my bed. I heard movement by my feet and looked to see Teri.

"Did you miss me so much you had to get yourself back in here?"

"Something like that," I said. "What's wrong with me now?"

"Your scalp wound got infected and we found foreign material in the wound. Doctor Campbell thinks they missed it when you were here originally."

Josie woke up and looked at Teri. "Oh, you." She said with venom in her tone. She looked at me and hugged me "Babe you have got to quit scaring me like that. How are you feeling?"

"Like warmed over shit. My head feels like it's going to explode."

"I'll get the doctor in here soon. Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"Not really. Just tired I guess."

"OK, I'll be back in a while to check on you."

Teri left and Josie stared after her, "I just don't like that bitch. She seems too interested in you."

"At least someone is."I thought. "She's just doing her job baby. Besides, I would never do anything to hurt you sweetheart. I'd sooner die."

"I know baby. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you, but I'd do it all over again."

"Sure ya would. Only if I was Derrick." Half an hour later Dr. Campbell came in.

"Nurses say you're still having the headaches." I nodded to him. "They should have gone away. I want to keep you overnight and run some tests tomorrow. We need to see why these headaches are persisting."

Josie and I decided that she didn't need to be here for the night, so she left and told me she'd be here bright and early before work. My heart sunk when she mentioned work. I knew I was being chosen second again. After she left Teri came back and sat.

"I'm on my lunch break so I decided to come play catch up with you. Your wife doesn't like me much does she?"

I felt a tear run down my face as I spoke. "I don't know why. She seems threatened by you I think. Funny she worries when she's probably out right now getting some."

"She's cheating on you? Are you sure?"

"Yes. She doesn't know I know. I have an attorney already. I'll be out of town before Christmas, if my slow healing head doesn't get in the way."

"Where are you going? Are you sure you don't want to work things out with her?"

"Maybe. She's going to have to stop first. Then I'll think about it. If not I'll go to Vancouver. Lots of work up there."

We chatted for the rest of her lunch break. She told me that JT and Sheila each got five years in prison for their failing to report me missing in a timely manner. It seems to that at least one of the girls who picked me up was looking for me for a while and disappointed that I had left town.

"How's your uncle Ted?"

"Oh, he passed a few years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry Marty. I loved that bike he used to ride along the piers. What happened to it?"

"His '57 Pan Head? He bequeathed it to an adoring nephew....me."

"You'll have to take me for a ride sometime. My husband has a helmet I can use."

"We just might have to do that."

Her lunch break ended and she was about to go back on duty.

"Thank you for wasting your lunch time on me Teri. It's nice to talk to someone who I don't have to wonder if she's lying to cover something up."

"I didn't waste a second Marty." She scribbled something down and handed it to me. "Here's my cell number, in case you need a friend to listen to you."

"Thank you. Hey, at least this time I won't have to swim."

Bill and Corey picked me up Friday afternoon and took me home. Josie had stopped by that morning and gave me fresh clothes. She had several accounts to deal with today and had to work late. When I got home I sat down and planned things out. I knew where I was going, Pensacola Florida; I had been headed there when I ran out of money last time.