Surprise Visit

"I've already made reservations for a flight that leaves at noon. I should be back there by 4:30. For my sake I need to find him and talk with him. I'll let you know how it goes."

"I'll have to stay here until negotiations are finished. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

We said our goodbyes and hung up. Picking up my bag and laptop I hurried down to the lobby, checked out and took the hotel limo service to the airport. I prayed all the way back to St. Louis that I get get Jack to talk to me. I had to explain it was just sex and did not affect him at all. I had to stake everything that he could be unemotional about my infidelity and accept it for what it was; nothing but meaningless sex.

When I arrived back home I didn't notice anything out of place at first but when I went into our bedroom and saw that all his clothes and personal items were gone. I realized he knew for sure and had left me. I had to find him. After many fruitless phone calls I finally decided to go over to his folks to see if he was there or they had an idea where he was.

He was at his folks and the reception I received from him made me nauseous in its unfeeling brutality. He informed me he was in the process of filing for divorce and had no desire to talk with me, that there was nothing I could say that would change his mind. After he sarcastically told me to write him a long letter explaining my position I left and I sat out in my car and cried. The family we had planned would never happen. We would never grow old together or enjoy grandchildren together. From a selfish viewpoint, what grieved me even more was the thought that by the time I found another husband I might be too old to conceive. Finally, I started the car and went back to our empty house.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

JACK

After a sporadic sleep in which I kept having visions of Anita and Sam together in bed I got up early and went down stairs in my folks home and put coffee on. Then I went and got my lap top and camera and proceeded to down load the pictures from the camera into the computer. I had been thinking that I had to see if I could identify Sam in the pictures somehow. Looking at the pictures I couldn't see Sam's face clearly at all but then I spotted something on his right arm as it was reaching up to Anita breasts. Blowing up the area I saw what I needed. A tattoo and by blowing it up further, I was able to see it was a heart with the word MARIE on it. Sam's wife was Marie. That's all I needed so I went back upstairs and showered and got ready to go to work. When I came back down my mother was up and preparing breakfast.

Later at work, I burned a couple of CDs with the pictures I had taken and a blow up of Sam's tattoo. Additionally, I printed several sets and put them all in a folder. Then I walked to our Human Resources Department and asked to see the manager. Phil and I knew one another, after all - it wasn't that big of a company and we'd played golf together. I took a set of pictures from my folder and laid it out in front of him.

"What's this Jack, pornographic pictures?" he asked with a grin.

"Sorry Phil, they may look pornographic but that's my wife and Sam Harris and you can see by the date and time on them that they were taken Tuesday evening and in Sam's hotel suite in Denver. They were there on a negotiation trip for the company."

"Oh shit Jack, I'm sorry. What can I do?"

"You can terminate both of them for cause under the antifraternization clause in their contract with the company."

"We've never enforced that before. Are you sure you want this? Its going to bring this affair out in the open. I assume this means you're pursuing divorcing Anita over this?"

"I already have my lawyer drawing up the papers, but if you don't pursue this I will be bringing suit against the company."

"OK Jack. I'll take it to our legal department and get the ball rolling."

Next I went in to see my boss, Evan, to let him know what was going on in my life. He was appropriately horrified at what I had to tell him about my wife and Sam Harris. When I asked for the rest of the week off as vacation time and he readily agreed. In parting, he congratulated me on a job well done on my trip to California. The customer had called with praise about how quickly I'd solved their problem and got their production line moving again. He also asked if I would consider taking over the California territory as the current field engineer was retiring because of ill health. I told him I'd consider it and give him my answer when I returned to work the following week. On my way out of Evan's office his secretary, Kathy, stopped me.

"Jack, your wife was around looking for you. She said she'd be back later."

"Kathy, I do not want to see my wife under any circumstances. Please inform her of this when she comes back."

Oh god, Jack. I'm sorry. I didn't know there was a problem."

"There's a big problem Kath, we're getting divorced. She and Sam Harris have been doing the horizontal tango."

I knew it would be all over the plant by noon. Kathy liked to spread gossip.

Then I went back to my desk and called Marie Harris, Sam's wife. I knew her from company picnics and I knew that my revelations about our spouses could be very hard on her.

"Marie? Its Jack Fillmore."

"How are you Jack? I was talking with Sam last night and he asked if I'd heard from you but wouldn't say what you might be contacting me about."

"Marie, we need to talk as soon as possible."

"All right Jack. Can you come over now? I have a hair appointment at 1:00 this afternoon, but I'm free now."

"Do you still live on Fremont St?"

"Oh yes."

"OK, I know where you live. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

When I arrived at the Harrises' I had a feeling of dread about what I was going to be doing to this woman and her family but I knew Sam should not escape retribution on this and let Anita take all the fallout.

"Hi Jack. Come on in. Would you like coffee? I just made a fresh pot." she asked as she waved me into their living room.

"That would be fine Marie. Just black please."

She was back in a moment with the coffee and sat down in a chair facing me.

"Now what's this all about?'

I thought about breaking my news to her gently but then decided to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Marie, I caught your husband and my wife making love in Denver and I'm pursuing a divorce from Anita and having them both fired from their jobs. I hate to tell you this, but its going to be in the common knowledge very soon and I thought I'd prepare you. I have photos to support what I'm telling you if you care to see them."

I watched her face to determine the impact of my words and was surprised at the lack of any real reaction.

"Jack, I guess I've suspected he's played around on his company trips for years but hoped it wasn't true. Sam has always been a loving husband and father and I didn't want to rock the boat but I realized something would happen some day to bring their affair to the light of day. I guess this is it. I'm sorry for you and your marriage and from my own point of view, I'm sorry Sam may be fired. He's getting up in years and may find it difficult to get another job that pays as well. Now I have to decide what I'm going to do."

"Would you like a set of photographs I have?"

"Yes, leave them and I'll try to get up the strength to look at them."

"I'm really sorry Marie, but I just couldn't let this go. Anita and I were about to start our family but I can't live with someone I can't trust or respect. The mother of our children has got to have both of those."

"I understand Jack. Thank you for telling me. I wouldn't want to hear about it from other sources first. And let me tell you again how sorry I am about you and Anita. I'm sure she's just as devastated and remorseful as Sam will be when he finds out that I know all about his affair. I just wish it were a one time thing it would be easier to forgive but I believe its been going on for years and that's hard to take now that its out in the open. I have my pride, and I have to be able to hold my head up."

"If there's anything I can do, let me know." I told her as I left and headed back to my parent's house.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

EPILOGUE

Its been six months since I initiated divorce proceedings. I received my copy of the agreement dissolving my marriage to Anita this morning. I never talked with her or saw her again after the time she came to my parent's house. My lawyer handled it all. I gave her the heavily mortgaged house with the highly financed furniture and furnishings to release all claims on me. I also had my name taken off the mortgage. She assumed full responsibility for making the payments. Of course without a job she had to put it up for sale and lost her shirt on the deal. She tried to contest the divorce but I threatened to change the reason for divorce to adultery and release the pictures of her and Sam to the internet if she didn't sign the papers in 48 hours. She signed them within the required time and that is why I'm a free man today. I guess she decided that she didn't want me that bad. Anyway, she was terminated from her job, but she's a smart lawyer and negotiator so she found another one within a month - not making as much or with the benefits seniority brought her in her old job but I hear she's getting by and dating again. Lot's of luck to the boy- friend if she lands him. I wonder if she's told him about our divorce and the reason. Maybe I should enlighten him.

Marie divorced Sam and took him to the cleaners financially. He found another job too after he was terminated but he's struggling to make the alimony and child support payments with his new salary.

I'm now living in Santa Maria, CA; a quiet place near the coast about half way between the bay area and LA. This positions me pretty well to cover both southern and northern parts of the state. I moved here about four months back and have an apartment in a complex with other singles and young couples; most trying to save money for a down payment on a house. Housing costs are high out here and it takes big bucks to buy into the market. I have a steady girl friend who lives in the same complex. She's divorced like me but we're comfortable together and I think we'll see how it goes in the future. With me traveling so much, I really need to trust the one I marry but I need to make a move before too long if we want to start a family. Biological clocks keep on ticking.