Statute of Limitations

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radk
radk
1,353 Followers

How could someone say that they love two people at the same time? I just can't imagine it. How can you give one-hundred percent of yourself to two people at the same time? Don't you end up giving fifty percent of yourself to each? And what about the lies she told? To keep her lover's existence from me she had to lie to me and lie a lot. She had to lie about where she was going on the days she met him. She lied to me when she said she was going on her lab convention trips. She lied to me when she said that she loved me and only me. She obviously didn't lie to her lover about me... he wrote that he didn't want to upset our family. She just lied to me. What else did she lie about? When we made love did she think of him? That's the same as lying. Did she lie to me about Marc? Is he my son? It's all bullshit! The lies and the deceit that I now know about makes me question everything she ever said. What was lies and what wasn't? I can't tell. How will I ever know for sure? It's all bullshit!

Richard now knows as much as can be learned from the contents of the little cosmetics case. Joan had an affair with a married doctor from the hospital for more than three years. He can't tell exactly when it started but it appears to have started about the time he came to work at the hospital. It may be before Marc was born and it may have been shortly afterwards. It ended abruptly with his death in August of 1991. They met at hotels around the area and sometimes in Joan's office at work. After he moved to San Diego they met every few months either at a hotel near home when he would come back to visit his parents or they went away together for a few days. On their out of town rendezvous Joan would say that she was going to a "Laboratory Conference." They went away to Roanoke, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and possibly other places. Nobody else knew about them. They said that they loved the other very much. Both seemed conflicted about their relationship and how it could affect their families but neither of them wanted to break it off.

Richard looks to the front window and its dark outside. The clock says ten PM. He has been there all day reading and thinking.

"I need to take a walk."

So outside he goes into the night air; confused, hurt, and alone, not even bothering to lock the door behind him.

**********

Friday October 8, 2010

"Damn it, where is he?" When the answering machine picks up Joan leaves a message this time. "Rich where are you? I tried to call yesterday but your cell phone was off and I didn't want to leave a message because I've just got too much to tell you so I sent you an email. Are you there hon? Please pick up. I'll call again this evening. Damnit! Be there or I won't come home at all. I'll just stay on this ship with all of these cute young guys and go round and round the Caribbean. Please be there. I miss you and I love you."

This is the longest time I've ever been out of touch with Rich since we've been married Joan thinks. I'm beginning to get a little worried. If I don't talk to him tonight I'll call Marc and see what's up.

Now let's go see if I can find that slutty sister of mine.

**********

Huh? Joan. Hon, where are you? Oh shit. It's the answering machine.

Richard listens to the message as its being recorded. She says she loves me and misses me. Yeah, right. Liar! Bitch!

He falls out of the lounge chair where he slept and stumbles into the bathroom. While peeing he hears Joan's voice in his head over and over. "I miss you and I love you." I love you too you two-timing bitch, he answers back. But I can't ever believe another word you say. You hurt me. I can't go on like this. I've got to figure out what to do. OK, so that's my job for today; figure out what I'm going to do.

Now that that's settled Richard shakes and looks at himself in the bathroom mirror. "GOD!" he says out loud. You look like death warmed over. You haven't showered or shaved in three days and I don't' remember eating since Denny's. That's the first order of things. So after a hot shower and shave and a hearty breakfast of cold cereal Richard sits down at the kitchen table and starts thinking about the future. An hour later he has the outline of plan and gets a pad of paper and starts making a list of things he needs to do. First order of things is to see if Marc is his son or not. He goes into the den and opens up his laptop and finds a site offering a home DNA testing kit and orders it to be shipped by overnight mail. The entire list will take a few days to accomplish but Joan won't be back until next Friday and he has a week, so there's time.

I've just got to keep from thinking too much and getting depressed. I'll just do every chore around here that I've been putting off. That should keep my mind occupied today. And he begins.

**********

"Now this is getting to be a bit worrisome. I can't get hold of Rich and he isn't returning my calls. I tried two times today. I even left a message for Marc to check on his father and call me back. I hope something hasn't happened."

"Joan, stop worrying. He's just probably gone fishing or out drinking with his friends at work or shacked up with that brunette down the street." Brenda has always had a way of comforting her sister.

"You aren't making me feel better you know, so just shut the fuck up or I'll come over there and shove that Pina Colada umbrella up your ass." When it comes to Richard, don't mess with Joan!

**********

Saturday October 9, 2010

I've got to spend a perfectly good Saturday morning babysitting my old man. If mom hadn't left me a message last night I'd be in bed now all warm and cozy next to Brandy. Marc can be cranky at times.

Knock, knock. "OK old man, open up, I know you're in there." Now where in the hell is he. If he isn't in the back yard I'm going home and back to bed.

"Why don't you answer the door?" Marc said to his father.

"Because I'm in the back yard trimming a damned tree? Are you blind as well as stupid? Why don't you just shut up and get me a bottle of water. "

"And pretty damned angry too I might add. Give me a break will ya?" Marc goes inside and get's his dad a bottle of water.

Richard takes a break and downs half of the bottle of water. "Hey, go out and see if we have any mail."

"OK anything to get away from you." Marc brings the mail around back and in the pile is an overnight mail envelope for Richard. Richard goes into the house and opens the envelope and the kit and quickly reads the instructions. "Hey, Marc, come here," he yells. "What now?" comes Marc's not so pleasant reply. "I just got this testing kit for the new strain of the Swine Flu virus and want to test you. You gave it to me last year and no way in hell I'm going to go through that again. That was a miserable few days. So open up and let me swab the inside of your mouth and I'll send it off to be tested. If it comes back positive then you and I should get the new flu shot." Of course Richard was dishing out a load of bullshit. This was really the DNA test that would prove if Marc was his son or not. And if not, well, he hasn't quite thought that far yet.

"Would you please call mom back and let her know that you aren't dead. She called me last night and asked me to check on you to make sure you weren't laying in a gutter somewhere. Just call her and get me off the hook, OK?" With another pleasant visit over with, Marc heads out the door.

Richard finishes up with the testing kit swabbing the inside of his mouth and sealing everything in the return kit. Since it's Saturday and there's no mail the rest of the weekend it can wait until Monday to be mailed back. "Well, back to work." He spends the rest of the day and most of the night working around the house, anything to keep his mind off of his troubles, and Joan.

Before going to bed Richard has the first substantial meal since he found about his cheating wife. The pizza delivery boy drops off a large deluxe pizza. That and a six-pack of beer is the first decent food he's had in a week, that didn't come back up.

**********

Sunday October 10, 2010

Early in the morning Richard calls Joan's cell phone. He leaves a voice mail message that goes something like this. "I'm OK. I'll try to call you on Monday from work. Don't worry. I'm fine. Have fun with your little boy toys but don't bring back anything communicable."

The rest of the day he spends at the park watching the ducks and the happy families.

**********

Monday October 11, 2010

Richard is up and out for work at the usual time but today work will not be the usual fare. On his way to work he stops by the post office and drops off the overnight mail envelop with the DNA test samples. At work he goes directly to the human resources office and applies for retirement. He's been eligible for a couple years now but never planned to retire until Joan could retire along with him. Those plans are down the toilet now. Afterwards he stops and sees his bean-counter of a boss and tells him that he's retiring effective immediately and to take the next two weeks from his annual leave. Before he leaves for the last time he places a phone call to one of his oldest and most trusted friends, and also his attorney, Luke Pauley.

"Hey guy, long time no see. What's been happening in the Alexander household?"

"Luke, can I come over to see you today? It's kinda important and I need some of your time and a lot of your advice."

"Sure, anything for my godson's cranky old man. How about one o'clock? Good. See you then."

An hour later and a couple handshake good-byes at the office and Richard's 30 years with the county government are history. And sadly everything that he's accumulated over those years fits into just two boxes.

Richard stops at the bank and takes care of his checking and saving accounts dividing the money into a new checking account in just his name. He also takes his passport and a few important papers out of their safety deposit box. The bank is also able to help him with his credit cards. He sets up one for himself and takes his name off of the one that Joan uses. Then he writes a check to pay off the balance.

Richard then stops at the insurance agency to change the beneficiary on his life insurance from Joan and Marc to just Marc. He changes the insurance for Joan's car to her name only and his truck to his name only. Once the finances are in order he shows up at Luke Pauley's office.

"Rich, we've got to get together more often, dinner and some beers, or something with you and Joanie. I can't have you making an appointment to just come shoot the shit. It makes me look bad. Hey, what's up? You look like you've got a problem. What can I do to help?"

"Luke I need your advice. Tell me about the statute of limitations on divorces."

"What are you talking about? The statute of limitations applies to crimes and the time that can elapse before they can't be prosecuted any more, but that just doesn't really apply in a divorce case. Every state is different in the way that they handle divorce laws. Some states consider a marriage to be a contract which can be entered and dissolved at will. Other states still have laws on the books that say the dissolution of a marriage can only come about when a crime has been committed. Adultery is considered a crime in a lot of states. Why are you asking?"

"Luke, if Joan did something a whole lot of years ago and I didn't find out about it until now has too much time passed for me to do anything about it? I mean, are there a statue of limitations on adultery?"

"Adultery? Bull shit. No way could Joanie commit adultery. It's just not in her nature. What's going on Rich? Tell me as a friend before the lawyer in me kicks in."

For the next hour Richard dumps everything he knows on his friend. At the end he even puts the cosmetics case on the desk.

"What you told me is unbelievable. I can't imagine any better couple than you and Joanie. There has to be another explanation. What do you want to do?"

"I feel like the woman I married has betrayed me. The only thing I can think of now is for you to write up divorce papers. I don't know what's going to happen when she finds out about them but at this point I don't really care. I just want away from all of this shit, all this pain. It's not too late is it? She did this almost twenty years ago and there is no statute of limitations on her crime?"

"As your friend I say to talk to her and listen to her side of the story. Get into counseling. Do anything you have to to save your marriage. Just work it out. You two are meant to be together. As your lawyer I'll write up the divorce papers as you ask, but I won't like it. I'd recommend a fifty-fifty split since this state has no fault divorce laws. Marc's too old to be an issue and there isn't anything else to consider."

"Except my will. Luke, I want you to change it so my beneficiary is Marc and take Joan out altogether."

"Again as a friend I say talk to her and maybe get some help. But your lawyer will make the changes. Come back Wednesday and I'll have everything ready for you to sign. What are your plans now?"

"I don't have anything concrete yet. I want to be alone for a while to think. Maybe after some time when the shock and pain has worn off I can talk to her. But for now I just can't face her. I may be a dick but that's what I've got to do. I'll call you when I've settled somewhere."

Richard is not able to sleep in the newly redecorated bedroom. So later that night he grabs a beer, turns on the television, and settles into the lounge chair for another night of restless dreams. He thinks about the next few days. Sleep doesn't come easy.

**********

Tuesday October 12, 2010

Today is another day and there is another message from Joan on the answering machine.

I need time to get everything set up properly. If everything is done today then it's over. I just can't be here when she comes home. Today or tomorrow at the latest and it's done.

He doesn't bother to call her back. There just isn't anything more to say.

**********

Wednesday October 13, 2010

Richard has his new credit card and everything is set up at the bank. The only thing I've left to do is sign the paperwork with Luke.

"Hello, Luke? This is Richard. How's everything coming with the paperwork?"

"Rich, I've had a little administrative help problem here and getting the final paperwork ready for your signature will take another day or two." What Luke didn't say is that he is deliberately delaying the paperwork until Richard has had time to talk with Joan. It will all go away when they do he's sure. "Can you give me a number where I can reach you and I'll call when it's ready?"

"I'm going to leave my cell phone home. I'll have a landline that you can call but only in case of emergencies. And under no circumstances are you to give that number to Joan. Call me and I'll come back and sign everything."

"Listen Rich, when Joanie get's back I'll talk with her and see what I can do. I won't give her your number but I will hear her side of things. If you two want I'll act as a go-between. God, I'll help in any way I can. You guys are family."

"I appreciate it Luke, I really do. I'll call."

The rest of the day Richard spent preparing. He picks up the mail in the afternoon and is disappointed that the DNA test results were not there. He needed to know if he had a son or not.

At nine o'clock that evening Richard quietly disappears.

**********

PART 2 -- Pain Of Discovery

Thursday October 14, 2010

"Marc? Get your ass over there and see what's going on with your father. I haven't been able to talk to him since we left. You call me right back when you get there and let me know what's going on. I need to talk with him before I get home Friday. Somebody's got to pick us up at the airport. Listen. Brenda had this little excursion to see Aunt Dee and Uncle Ted planned from the beginning. If I didn't go she would have had a major fit. We're in Naples Florida at your great aunt and uncle's place and will be flying home tomorrow morning. Call me when you know something about your father."

"Yes mom. I've got it. I'll call you as soon as I talk to dear old dad. Bye." He drops the phone on the floor, turns over and puts his hand back between Brandy's legs, and drifts back to sleep.

**********

Friday October 15, 2010

"OK sleepy head, wake up and get a move on. We're here," Joan nudges her sister in the airport shuttle van awake.

"Already? Oh, it's just your house. Let me sleep until they get to my house." With that Brenda turns away from the door and goes back to sleep.

"Thank you ma'am. Your luggage is by the front door. Please call us on your next trip." The shuttle people are always nice.

Joan unlocks the door and hauls the two large suitcases and two smaller bags into the foyer and sets them at the bottom of the steps. "Hello! Rich! Honey, I'm home. Where are you?" No reply. Nothing. She walks into the kitchen and looks for a note. Nothing. She opens up the back door and calls for Rich again. Again nothing. It's too quiet. "I'll bet he's at the airport waiting for us right now." She calls his cell phone and hears it ringing on the counter. "Just like him to forget to take his cell phone with him. I'll get unpacked and start some dinner. By then he should be back."

She manhandles one of the larger suitcases up the stairs and opens the bedroom door. The first thing she sees is the large banner on the wall saying SURPRISE. When she looks around the room her heart skips a beat. Everything is totally different. This is it, she thinks. This is my dream bedroom. It's amazing. It's just what I wanted. Oh, Rich, you little schemer. You had this planned all the time. You just wait until tonight. I'll thank you so hard that you'll be sore for a week. She goes over and rubs the new oak dresser. She sits down in the rocking chair. She kneels down and rubs her hands over the new carpet. She touches everything. She's so happy that tears start to form.

Joan goes into the hall and gets the suitcase and lifts it up onto the bed. She sits down beside it, opens it and starts to unpack. After a minute or two her attention turns back to the beautiful room. "Even the colors are perfect," she says out loud. "Where is that man? I want him to see this smile before it wears off. I want to try out this new bed." She scans around the room and her attention turns to the SURPRISE banner. Attached to the bottom of the banner is a small photograph. When she scoots closer to get a good look at it she what she sees causes her heart to sink and her smile to disappear. She sees a photo of her and Tim at the Chicago awards banquet. It's stapled to the banner. Over her face is the written word WHORE. "OH MY GOD NO! Please God say it isn't so. No. No. No." She tears off to her closet, throws open the door and starts to throw everything around looking for the cosmetics case. It's not there! Tears start to cloud her vision and she can't see what's she's doing anymore. Quickly she runs downstairs and looks in the living room, kitchen, den, and garage... no cosmetics case. Dejectedly she goes back to the bedroom and sits down on the new bed and starts crying. "Oh my God NO. Please don't say Rich found it." But he must have otherwise how would there be a picture of Tim and me up there.

Joan picks up the phone and calls Marc. No answer. She calls her sister. Again no answer. She can't call Rich because his phone is downstairs. Now she's starting to feel desperate and quite alone. The tears are flowing down her cheeks now. She can't stop mumbling about Rich and the case and sobbing.

After an hour of crying and wailing, Joan gets up and tries the phone again. She calls Marc, her sister, his phone at work, all of their friends and nobody, but nobody knows where Rich is. She's close to panic when her sister shows up at the door.

radk
radk
1,353 Followers