The Bitch

Susan tried everything she could to get Maria to talk to me, but she simply refused. We requested a meeting with family court services -- I felt, and Susan agreed, that if I could just get Maria to talk to me, whatever the hell she was thinking could be cleared up. Maria flatly refused.

As I knew that Maria thought that I hadn't tried to call her, I got a package together with a copy of our phone bills, both home and my cell phone, which showed all the calls I had made to her mother's cell phone, and sent it to her. Susan was madder than hell that I had violated the court order, but it didn't matter. The envelope came back marked delivery refused.

Susan was able to get the no contact order dropped a little after my letter to Maria came back, so I immediately sent her another letter, with more copies of the phone bills, this one requiring her signature. Delivery refused.

Susan and I had, of course, figured out that Estella was behind Maria thinking that I hadn't called her, but we still had no idea what the hell the reason was that she thought I had been cheating on her.

We fought the divorce in every way we could, but it didn't matter. Under California law, if one spouse wanted a divorce and the other didn't, the divorce happened.

Maria finally got her divorce, and custody of the children. My visitation rights were improved considerably, and I made damn sure I took advantage of every single hour. The twins were now seven, and I thought they were old enough to try to go camping a bit, at least in a motor home. I rented one, and took off work for two weeks.

When I went to pick the Robby and Stella up from Maria's condo, Maria came to the door with them. We had always talked about taking them camping, because that was something we had both enjoyed, but hadn't done since they were born. They were jumping around, helping me load their things into the RV, and I noticed that Maria's eyes were moist, like she was trying to hold back tears.

"You know that you would be more than welcome to come with us."

Maria just shook her head and started to close the door.

"I really wish that you had been willing to talk to me. I'm still not sure what information you thought you had, but whatever it was, it was wrong."

"I saw the damn pictures of you with that blond puta. Now leave me alone."

I still had no idea what in the hell she was talking about, but wound up chalking it up to something that I figured I would never really know.

We had been divorced for over a year now. I made every effort to be at all of the kids functions and milestones in their lives. I was never invited to their birthday parties, so I would have a small birthday party with them, together with Susan and Ralph and their kids.

I had heard from the twins that Maria was dating some guy from the Spanish consulate in San Francisco, at least that was what I got out of the few comments they made. Whenever I asked them about their mother, they would get pretty quiet, and not really respond. Finally one day Stella told me that she thought that her mother might marry this guy, and Robby immediately shushed her, reminding her that their mother had told them not to tell me anything about her at all. That really tore at me, but I didn't let on to the kids.

I did find out from some of the things that the kids said, and didn't say, that this Ramon would spend the night at Maria's every once in a while, but not on a constant basis.

I guess it must have been four or five months later, when I was having dinner with my boss, Bob, and his wife, Julie, along with representatives from the latest investor group that wanted us to build another office building. One of which was a striking blond woman, who was an absolute whiz at financing. It was strictly a business dinner, but my boss had wanted it to be a little less formal, which was why his wife was along.

In any event, we were just having drinks and waiting to order, when I saw Maria come in with someone I assumed had to be Ramon. I took a big gulp of my drink, and Julie looked at me with a bit of pity in her eyes.

"Isn't that Maria?"

"Yes, damn it."

"You're still carrying the torch aren't you?"

"I probably always will."

All of this had been said extremely quietly, and I don't believe that any of the other people at the table had heard us.

I saw that Maria had noticed me, and she deliberately turned her head away, putting her hand up to hold Ramon's arm as they were escorted to their table.

I did overhear one of the investors saying that she was an extremely pretty woman, and then Bob, shushed him, explaining that it was my ex-wife.

**************************** Maria:

I saw Tom at the table with Bob and Julie, along with the blond witch, and wondered what I had ever done to make him choose her over me.

Ramon had gone off to the bathroom, and I was left here to watch my husband, actually ex-husband, making nice with someone that I would like to kill.

I remembered the first time we made love. Neither one of us had been a virgin; but that first time with Tom, as far as I was concerned, was the first time I had ever made love. Tom had been so gentle, so loving, so caring, so -- I didn't even know how to describe it.

He played with my breasts, which was nothing that hadn't happened before. But with Tom it was different, he made love to my breasts. When my nipples were fully aroused, he suckled, he nibbled, he made them the focus of my entire world.

Then he begin playing with my clit while his mouth nuzzled my breasts. When he finally moved on top of me, and as I reached down to spread my vagina lips I felt as though I couldn't wait another moment. I guided him into me, and felt a fullness that I had never really experienced before. Obviously I had had a penis inside me before, but this was different, I don't know why it was so different, or really how to describe it.

I was a glove to his penis; I almost couldn't stand it, and climaxed almost immediately. Tom, however, moved slowly, thrusting slowly into me, and before I could believe it, I came again. The fullness, the warmth, the throbbing, it was almost more than I could stand.

Sex with us was like that more often than not. Of course we couldn't always have those feelings, but Tom sure made sure that I felt them as often as possible.

After we bought the sex manuals, there wasn't much that Tom wouldn't try, or do. The first time his tongue touched my clit I almost went through the roof. The first time I gave him oral sex (he absolutely refused to call it a blow job), and he came in my mouth, he apologized. I simply told him that I loved it, and wanted more.

Our sex life was absolutely wonderful; I couldn't imagine having sex with another person. I wanted Tom with all my soul.

Then the report from my mother, and I was damned sure that I didn't want sex with Tom again. I didn't want to see him again. I didn't want him to dirty our children with his so-called values.

Sex with Ramon was just that -- sex. Ramon thought he was the world's best lover, but he wasn't. He wasn't even close. He would spend himself, lie back and go to sleep. Tom had always wanted to cuddle, kiss my breasts, make sure I had achieved climax, and would assure me that he loved me. I could still remember his hands roaming over my body after making love, and giving me chills and very, very warm feelings.

Ramon came back to interrupt my memories, and moments later my cell phone rang. It was my babysitter telling me that Robby had been hit by a car, and was being taken to the hospital.

I jumped out of the chair, told Ramon that Robby was hurt, and started running. I don't know where I was running, but when I saw Tom I told him what had happened, and he immediately said that he would drive us to the hospital.

**************************** Tom

I don't think that Maria had been seated for more than about twenty minutes, when she suddenly jumped up from the table and started running out of the room. She paused for a minute, then ran over to our table.

"Robby's been hurt and they are taking him to the hospital."

"Come on. I'll drive."

Nothing was said in the car, both of us were too upset, but I will admit that I was secretly pleased, very pleased, that instead of asking Ramon to take her, she had come directly to me.

We got to the hospital, apparently not too long after the ambulance arrived, and found out that Robby had been riding his bike, and been hit by a car. He had been taken directly into surgery, but nobody could tell us what his condition was, other than that it had to be pretty bad if they took him into surgery immediately, without waiting for a parent.

Maria's parents arrived with Ramon after about 45 minutes, and Estella sneered at me: "So you can at least be there when your son is in surgery. Too bad he can't have you there for him every day."

I lost it, I really lost it -- this woman had been after me ever since I married Maria, and there was really no reason for me to hold back any more.

"You bitch, I know God-damned well you convinced Maria that I had never called to talk to her, but I talked to you and left messages on your phone every single day that she was gone. But oh no, instead you deliberately tried to destroy my marriage, and take my kids away from me."

With that, I turned to Maria, telling her that I would be back in a little bit, as soon as I cooled down.

Maria did ask me what I was talking about, but I just told her to hang on and I would show her.

I went home, changed into more comfortable clothes, then rummaged through my desk, pulling out all the envelopes that I had sent Maria during the divorce. I don't quite know why I saved them, but I had, every single one. I stuffed them into my jacket and headed back to the hospital.

When I got back, Maria, Ramon and her parents were still sitting in the waiting room.

I walked over to Maria, took the envelopes out of my jacket and told her that these should answer her questions. For some stupid reason, Ramon seemed to take offense and told me to quit annoying his fiancé, then took the envelopes I had given Maria out of her hands, and threw them at my feet.

I could have told him that was not the way to get along with Maria, but I didn't need to. Maria blew up.

"I am not your fiancé, and I am not going to be. You and my mother seem to think that is just such a wonderful idea, but I sure as hell don't."

I picked up the envelopes, handed them back to Maria, and I sat down across the aisle from Maria, and didn't say a word. Maria kept looking at the envelopes, finally opening the first one I had sent, looking at what I had mailed her.

About this time, a doctor came out of the elevator, came over and asked if we were Robby's parents. I stood up and told him that Maria and I were his parents. The doctor told us that Robby was out of immediate danger, and in the recovery room, but asked us to come up to his office with him. Pablo, Estella and Ramon stood up to come also, and I told the doctor that I didn't want them with us. He looked a bit confused, until I told him that they had nothing to say about his treatment, that it was completely up to Maria and I.

Robby had had major injuries, several broken bones, and internal bleeding. The doctor thought that he was going to recover with no permanent damage except for a couple of scars, which would go away with time, at least to some extent, but he would be in intensive care for the next several days, and would probably spend the next week or ten days in the hospital. Robby had been taken to recovery, and would probably be there for the next several hours before he could be moved, and we could see him.

We went out to wait again, and this time neither Ramon nor Maria's parents were there. We sat for a few minutes, then I told Maria that she might as well go home, check on Stella, and get changed. I also called Susan and asked her to go get Stella and keep her at her house until we could get things straightened out. Maria said that she would take Stella to Susan's house, so that was resolved.

Maria was quiet for a moment or two, then asked: "Tom, what was that about my mother not telling me that you had called?"

"I assume that the phone bills in that envelope were explanation enough."

Maria looked at them again for several minutes, then looked up with tears in her eyes.

"I have never seen these before, ever."

"Just go read them. I'll be here when you get back."

Maria returned in a little over an hour. Instead of the cocktail dress, she was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, but she still looked awfully good in them. Actually she looked like a goddess to me.

Maria didn't say much, just handed me a manila envelope, and asked me how did I explain that.

I opened it and found two photographs and what appeared to be a private investigator's report. The report wasn't very long, but it essentially said that I had been followed for a week, and starting the day after Maria had left for Spain, I had met with a blond woman every evening. It wasn't until several days after she had left that they were able to get photographs, and while they couldn't confirm that we were having sex with videos or pictures, they were able to get the attached pictures. I looked at the pictures, and at first I couldn't figure out who in the hell the blond woman was. There were only two pictures, one of her kissing me, and the second was her entering a hotel, with me holding the door open for her. Then it hit me -- this was the dingbat that mistook me for her boyfriend.

Even though it was now close to midnight, I pulled out my cell phone and called Bob. Bob wanted to know how Robby was, and I gave him a brief summary of his condition, and then asked him if he would come down to the hospital for a few minutes, that it was very important to me. Bob seemed puzzled, which he should have been, but agreed, saying that he any Julie would be there as soon as they could.

I hung up, told Maria that she would get her explanation in a few minutes, and didn't say another word until Bob got there, Julie in tow.

I thanked him for coming down, then handed him the pictures.

"Bob, what can you tell Maria about these pictures?"

I crossed my fingers, hoping that Bob would remember the incident, even though it was a long time ago.

"Tom, I don't think I have ever seen this woman before."

He thought for a few more minutes.

"Oh that's who she is -- the bimbo in the parking lot. Christ, that must have been a year and a half ago, maybe two years ago. She thought you were her boyfriend when you were coming in for that meeting."

"Have you ever seen her before or since?"

"No, I don't think so, certainly not that I remember."

Then I handed him the P.I. report.

He read it, laughed and handed it to Julie.

"This is utter bullshit. You weren't out running around on Maria. Hell most of those nights you were either having dinner with me, or at my house with Julie and me."

I looked at Maria, and told her that she now had her answer, and walked away.

Bob caught me before I went more than a couple of steps.

"Hold on here, you drag us down to the hospital in the middle of the night, then walk out? What the hell is going on here?"

"Apparently Maria's mother convinced her that I wasn't calling her, and that I was out running around with that dingbat blond. I have tried everything I could to get Maria to listen to me and she flatly refused to even talk to me. I sent her copies of the phone bills, and she returned them to me unopened. So now she knows she destroyed a good marriage because she couldn't trust me enough to even listen to me. I am going down to the cafeteria and get some coffee. If Robby comes out of recovery before I get back, I would appreciate it if one of you would come get me."

With that I left.

I found out later that Bob and Julie took Maria aside and spent a fair amount of time telling her that I had been with either Bob or both of them virtually every single night that Maria was gone, and had complained bitterly that I wasn't able to get ahold of Maria, despite daily messages left with Estella. Bob indicated that Maria was completely taken aback, and kept saying that she hadn't known any of this.

I got down to the cafeteria to find Ramon and Maria's parents there. I got a cup of vile coffee from one of the machines, and sat down as far from them as I possibly could. I was drinking my coffee, and ignoring the looks that Estella was shooting at me. If looks could have killed, I would have already been in the morgue.

Eventually, Ramon got up and swaggered -- I swear, he really did -- over to where I was sitting.

"You will apologize to the Senora for your crude remarks."

"Go away Ramon."

"You will apologize, and you will do so now."

"I wouldn't apologize to that bitch if my life depended on it. Now go away."

I don't know quite where this would have gone, but Maria suddenly appeared at the table, and sat down.

"Ramon, go away, I want to talk to Tom."

Ramon sputtered, then announced that he was not leaving his fiancé with anyone as crude as I was.

"For the last time Ramon, I am not your fiancé, I am not going to marry you whatever my mother says, and I will do as I damn well please. Now go away."

At this point, a very large man came up to Ramon, and told him that he was asking him to leave quietly.

"Do you know who I am?"

"I really don't care who you are. You have been trying to start something with this gentleman, and both he and the lady have asked you to leave. Now leave them alone."

"You can't tell me what to do, I have diplomatic immunity."

"Well, that may be, but I can sure as hell arrest you for causing a public disturbance, and have you taken downtown. You might get out by morning, once we are able to get someone from your embassy down to verify just who you are, but you sure will spend the night in jail. Now, lets just do this the easy way rather than the hard way."

I guess Ramon figured that a night in jail wasn't worth it all, and walked back to the table with Pablo and Estella. I thanked the officer, and he just smiled and nodded his head before he went back to his table.

Maria looked at me, her eyes sparkling with tears.

"Tom, I never knew any of this. Mother swore that you had never called, or left any messages. She said that she had her suspicions about what you were doing, so she hired a detective agency to follow you while we were gone, and had the report sent by fed-ex as soon as they had anything. I was madder than hell about not getting any phone calls, but when mother came up with the photographs and the report, I was convinced. Mother spent the rest of the vacation telling me what a complete shit you were, and how she had been certain for years that you were playing around on me, and now she finally had the proof she had been looking for."

"You know, if you had just even tried to find out for yourself none of this would have happened. Whatever happened to the love and honor part of our wedding vows? And what about the trust that is supposed to be part of the marriage, whatever happened to that?"

"Tom."

"Your mother set this up deliberately to destroy our marriage. Then she went the next step in trying to keep my kids away from me. How many birthdays and Christmas mornings have I missed because your mother decided that I was unfit for you and our children. How many evenings have I missed being able to play with the twins, or read them books? They are old enough now to read themselves. They will never be able to remember Daddy reading to them. How many weekends have I missed? How about the mornings that they wake up, and find Ramon in Mommy's bed, but not Daddy? Since you walked out without even trying to talk to me to see if there was some other explanation, I haven't had a Father's Day. I made sure that they had something for you for Mother's Day, but I never got a damned thing, not even a card. My sister had to take them shopping for my Christmas and birthday, because it sure as hell wasn't ever remembered by you and your family."