The Fifth Day: Another Ending

I remained in bed, all the lights in the house were off. There was a deadly silence throughout the dark house. The silence was broken by the sound of a car engine starting up and then driving away. I got out of bed and looked out the front window. The van was gone. Where to? I didn't know nor did I care.

Sleep didn't come easy to me. I lay there in our marital bed, a place where Sally and I had some fantastic sexual adventures. The room now seemed to have a gigantic void right in the middle of it.

Sunday morning I woke up more tired than when I had gone to bed. The stress and tensions were having their toll on my mind and body. I knew I would have to do some strenuous exercising to get my body back to normal shape. It would take a lot more to get my mind and emotions back into shape.

There was no use in fixing breakfast for only one, so I got dressed and decided to go to IHOP for some food. When I opened the front door, I saw that Sally had written something on the notice that I had taped to the door.

Please, Peter, don't do this to us.

Don't end our marriage this way.

I still love you and want to remain your wife.

Please, we need to sit down and talk this through.

Please, call me on my cell phone. We need to talk.

Please.

Your loving wife.

Sally

For a moment, I could feel my defensive walls start to crumble slightly as I read her note. But then, my bruised and tattered ego came roaring back and bolstered those defensive walls back up. The small voice kept shouting at me.

"There are too many unanswered questions here! Too much spitefulness, to be pushed aside! Too much hatefulness to be reckoned with!"

I knew the voice was right. My emotions are easily swayed by my love for my wife. But, there was the hard glaring fact that she took her revenge far beyond the point where it was just evening the score. There was something there I never knew existed inside Sally's psyche.

As I read the note again, there was no apology, no 'I'm sorry' in the words she wrote. Come to think of it, there was no apology or 'I'm sorry' in the 2 phone messages she left me. Why not? If she wanted to smooth things over, why was she not at least offering up an apology.....even if she didn't mean it?

Something had happened to Sally last week that pushed her to move beyond her initial tryst with her revenge lover. My mind tried to grasp what it might have been. Nothing immediately came to mind. I would have to dwell on those questions a lot longer and harder to come up with an answer.

Breakfast was very enjoyable. I was starved and the food was good. My spirits began to lift a little as I read the morning paper. Nothing exciting in the news. The middle east was still in turmoil. So what's new? Nobody seemed able to broker a peace over there. All it was over there was seething hatred and retaliation over and over again.

The thought just hit me. Broker a peace. Why didn't Sally want to first broker a peace between us? Why did she feel that she had to retaliate as viciously as she did? Why was her love for me so thin that my one fall from grace demanded her to totally humiliate me?

As I paid the tab, the young lady at the cash register gave my a special look and smile. "Have a great day, sir!" She said as she handed me my change. Would this be a great day or not? Only time would tell.

The drive home was a little easier. My hunger for food was satisfied and now my mind was focused on the up coming events of next week. What about the divorce? Should I start it now? Should I wait a little while?

Just as I turned the corner onto my street, I saw Sally's van parked in front of the house. Not a good time for me to have a face to face with Sally. I had not completely solved my dilemma or reached a place in my mind where I could find justification for all her actions. I quickly turned to car around and drove away from the house.

Unless she broke into the house, she would have to sit in her van waiting for my return. Just like she wanted me to wait in that bar yesterday. She could sit there all day for all I cared. I drove up to the health club and got dressed into my work out clothes. This was something I knew that I needed. A strenuous work out would take my mind off the problems which were facing me. At least for a couple of hours it would.

During my workout, I met a former college buddy of mine, Frank Keen. We chatted awhile and he told me he had recently been divorced. My antennas peaked up and I began to question him about the mechanics of filing for divorce and what pit falls a guy should look out for. It was a very informative half hour discussion which ended with Frank giving me the name of the attorney who had handled his divorce.

Now, I had some direction to focus my next actions on. I would call the divorce attorney the next day, Monday, and get the paperwork started. Maybe I would be better prepared to have that face to face confrontation with Sally which I knew was inevitable.

After the gym, I had a light lunch at Fresh Choice and the decided I needed to relax a little more. I drove to the movie complex and selected "Seabiscuit" as the movie that might take my mind off my current problems. It was a good movie, a distracting movie which I really needed.

When I got home later that evening, Sally's van was gone. No van, brought a sigh of relief from me as I pulled into the garage and closed the garage door. Checking the house, I found everything in order. When I opened the front door, I found another note from Sally pleading with me to sit down and talk with her. Still no apology, no 'I'm sorry'. I closed the door and locked it.

A warm shower, a couple of Excedrin PM tablets and it was off to bed for me. I needed the rest, I needed to bolster my physical and mental acumen for the events of the coming week. Sleep was deep and peaceful, I woke up totally refreshed.

After getting dressed and ready for work, I noticed that the message light on the phone was blinking. I must have forgotten to check it last night. There were two messages on the machine. Both from Sally. Both pleading with me to meet with her and talk. Neither one had any form of apology or hint of regret in her voice. It dawned on me that she was holding back on any apology in order to try and keep the guilt monkey on my back. What a shame that our once idyllic marriage had come down to trying to dodge the blame for our actions.

At the office, I instructed the receptionist, Anne, and my secretary, Alice, I would not take any calls from Sally, nor did not wish to see Sally if she came to the office. Both women looked at me strangely, but I did not elaborate. Let them gossip if they wanted to, the fact of the divorce will soon be public knowledge.

About 10:00 I called the divorce attorney who had handled Frank's divorce. An appointment was set up for 2:00 that afternoon. I went about my regular business for the rest of the morning. I even skipped lunch. At 1:30 I told Alice I would be leaving for the day and she could reach me on my cell phone if there were an emergency. As I was turning to leave, she said Sally had called four times during the morning. I said nothing, just walked over to the elevator.

The meeting with Larry Finley, divorce attorney, went very well. He told me about his fees first and then we got into the details. I handed him the photos and the stained panties which Sally had given me. I did not go into details on just how I obtained them, I only told him Sally knew that I had them. He was about to ask for more details, but then stopped. The evidence I had given him and the brief story about Sally going off to meet with her lover was enough facts for him to proceed with a divorce based on her adultery. I did not tell Larry about the tryst with Tina. My hope was that I could make a better denial if Sally brought up the affair. If Tina and I both denied it, there would only be Sally's word it ever happened. I was still hoping Tina would see fit to move into my corner and support my denial.

Lastly, I asked Larry to file for a restraining order against Sally. I wanted to have her put on notice she would not be able to contact me again. Larry said he would do that and all the paperwork would be available for me by the next afternoon. Leaving Larry's office with all the wheels now in motion made me feel I was once again in control. The cuckold feeling was beginning to dissolve itself and my masculinity was beginning to heal.

On the way home, I decided to drop back at the office to pick up a couple of reports I needed to read for tomorrow. As I pulled into the driveway from the East side of the building, I noticed Sally's van pulling out of the parking lot on the North side of the building. She pulled into traffic and drove away from the office without noticing me.

Alice was surprised to see me come back after I had told her I would be leaving for the day. Again, I offered no explanation, let her keep wondering. As I was putting the reports into my briefcase, Alice came in and handed me an envelope that she said Sally had told her to give to me. I took the envelope and slid it into my briefcase without opening it. I'm sure Alice was dying of curiosity about the whole situation with Sally and me. Alice would just have to speculate a little longer.

I was about to leave the office, when I thought I should check my emails one last time. After logging on, I saw there was an email from Tina. Opening the email I read:

Hello Peter,

I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from you after that scorching email I received two weeks ago. I was shocked and truly hurt by that email. Now that I know it wasn't you who sent the email, I feel very relieved.

I'm sorry (maybe) to hear about your marital troubles that seem to have started because of me......and you. Its too bad that your wife seems so full of revenge she had to do something as destructive as she has done. I know you will do what is in your best interest.

As far as us ever having an affair, its a secret I will never acknowledge to anyone. You can count on that.

And if I'm ever in town, I will certainly call you and we can discuss old times.

Good luck.

Your Friend,

Tina

Now I had my back up denial I had hope for. Knowing this, I would be able to fend off any counter attacks Sally might throw up during the divorce proceedings. I sent off a quick reply to Tina, thanking her for her support and mentioning I was looking forward to us meeting again. After hitting the send button, I deleted both emails.

Once I got to my car in the parking lot, I opened my briefcase and took out the envelope Sally had left at my office. The letter inside was much different than her previous note or phone messages. This letter was much more defiant and more threatening. No more pleading to sit down and talk.

Peter,

This will be your last chance. I have tried over the past two days to get you to call me and for us to sit down and talk this out. You seem bent on ignoring my calls and throwing me out of our house.

Now you can either call me on my cell phone and arrange a meeting for the two of us, or you will be served with a divorce notice this week. There will not be another chance for us if you do not call me today.

Your wife,

Sally

Instead of being upset or feeling threatened, a smile came across my face. From her initial pleading "to meet and talk", she had now moved to a threatening "meet with me or else". Sally was again trying to gain the high ground. But, the threat of a divorce from her was almost a hollow threat since I signed the note at the bar "Your Ex-husband". That should have made my intentions very clear to her.

Driving home from the office, my mind was wrestling with several scenarios on how to respond to Sally's letter. I could just ignore it. The divorce papers were in the works right now. I had started them today. Sally was locked out of the house and for the moment I did control the high ground.

Or, I could set up a meeting with her in some public place and have the last face to face with her. I would have the divorce papers with me and I could serve her with them during the face to face meeting.

There was no van parked in front of the house when I drove up. That could be a good thing I thought to myself as pulled into the garage. Once inside the house, I could see that nothing had been disturbed and there were no signs that someone tried to break in. I was sure that if Sally had thought about it, she could have gotten a locksmith to come out and open the door for her. Maybe that thought did not occur to her. Maybe.

The message light was blinking on the phone. Only one message this time from Sally.

"Peter. I left a note at your office today. I hope by now you have read it. If I do not receive a call from you tonight, I will have no other choice than to go see a divorce lawyer."

The message was short and sweet. Again the hollow threat she thought she could use against me. Finally, the thought that I should meet her one last time and serve her with the divorce papers won out. But, I was going to have supper before I called her. Let her "stew" for awhile longer.

It was almost 8:00 when I finally picked up the phone and dialed her cell phone number. It rang a couple of times and then I hear her sweet voice answer.

"Hello."

"Hello, Sally. Its me."

There was a silent pause on the line before Sally responded.

"I wasn't sure you would call this evening. It must have been my threat that gave you the courage to call me." Her voice was full of sarcasm.

For a quick moment I wanted to slam her down and then hang up. But, I was in control of this call. I would not let her take it away with one sarcastic remark.

"You could be correct, Sally. You keep wanting to sit down and talk about this. Do you think there is anything we can say to each other now?"

"Maybe not, Peter. But, I want to have you say it to my face that its all over for us. I don't want notes and a cold freeze from you if our marriage is going to end. We were fantastic lovers together, if that's going to end, it has to be done in person."

"OK. Then let's meet. Tomorrow soon enough for you?"

"Yes. Where shall we meet?"

"Let's meet for dinner at Mario's tomorrow night, if that's all right with you?"

"That would be fine with me, Peter. We'll meet at Mario's around 6:30 tomorrow night. Agreed?"

"Yes, Sally. That will work for me. I'll see you then."

"Good. I'll see tomorrow. I still love you, Peter." She said as the phone disconnected.

Well, there it was. Her final words were she still loved me. I thought for a moment about trying to play that card out a little longer with her. But then, I gave way to common sense. End it once and for all. Stop the game playing.

So now, the final scene of this very tragic situation would be played out in less than 24 hours. Now it was time to mentally rehearse what I want to say and what I wanted to find out from Sally before I hand her the divorce papers.

Sitting in the den with some smooth jazz playing in the background, I sipped my JD slowly as my mind went over and over the questions and the statements I wanted to say when I sat across the table from her. After about four hours, I headed to bed with a fairly solid script in my mind. Sleep was surprisingly deep and restful.

It was a usual busy morning for me at the office. I made a quick call Larry Finley's office to find out when the papers would be ready. The sweet voice on the other end told me to come to the office after 4:30 and all the papers would be ready.

I arrived at the attorney's office a little before 5:00. The sweet voice also had a very sweet face. She told me that Larry would like to see me and explain the papers and the procedure that would follow my giving them to Sally. It took a little over 45 minutes for Larry to cover all the fine points of the process I had initiated. He told me the final divorce would take at least 3 months after both parties agreed to the divorce and the papers were officially filed with the court.

It was almost 6:00 when I left Larry's office. The drive from there to Mario's would take about 15 minutes, enough time to be there for the scheduled 6:30 meeting with Sally.

I entered the restaurant, the young lady at the seating station greeted me with a big warm smile. My ego wanted me to think that she was impressed with me and her smile was proof of that. I flashed back my most award winning smile and then asked her if she had seated a Sally Harper. Her smile diminished a little and told me to follow her.

My first glimpse of Sally sitting at a table near the window was one of amazement. Sally had gone all out to dress and preen herself to look like the hottest woman on the planet. I must confess she certainly hit the mark. We walked up to the table and just as Sally looked up and gave me her best smile.

"Hello, Sally." I said as I sat down across from her.

"Hello, Peter. Don't I get a kiss tonight?" She asked as her smile turned to a pout.

Using her own words that she threw at me in the bar on Saturday, I replied.

"That hasn't been decided yet."

My comment immediately put Sally on her guard. I was sure she thought her beautiful image would overcome my coolness toward her. Now she needed to develop another strategy to try and capture the high ground. The waitress came over and asked if we would like a drink from the bar. Sally ordered a white wine and I ordered a double JD on the rocks.

Sally started the conversation as soon as the waitress left. It might have been that she wanted to be on the offensive and not the defensive side tonight. It didn't matter to me, I wanted to hear what she had to say before I went into my well rehearsed speech.

"I want you to know, Peter, this is not the way that I had intended our marital problems to end up. You know very well what started this whole sorry mess. I was only attempting to put things back in balance so we could restructure our marriage before we moved forward." Her voice was very steady. No signs of emotional distress. Just a slow monologue intended to set the initial ground work for her next verbal assault.

The waitress came back with our drinks. We both took a deep sip and then Sally looked at me very hard and continued.

"I don't especially like being treated like the villain in this situation. I only acted out of hurt and frustration by your sexual misconduct with that whore Tina. If it wasn't for her, you might have kept your cock in your pants and none of this would have happened. I hold you to blame for this disaster." Her eyes were very intense now. She wanted to keep me on a guilt trip and overlook all of her subsequent sexual indiscretions.

The waitress came back to see if we were ready to order. I told her to bring us some appetizers and another round of drinks. Sally sat there quietly waiting for an apology or rebuttal from me. None was forthcoming. My gaze never left her face as I took my last sip from my glass.

"So, its all my fault. There's nothing you have done that merits recrimination is there?"

My words were direct and firm. No hint of an apology from me.

"Yes, Peter. It is all your fault. You even tried to hide your tryst from me. Probably so you would be able to see her again and have another four day fuck session with her." Sally's words were more bitter now. The stinging bite of a angry cobra.

"I only wanted you to see that two can play the same game of marital infidelity. How does it feel now?"

Our drinks and appetizers arrived and I told the waitress not to bother us for the next fifteen or twenty minutes. She walked away with a cold shoulder attitude. I didn't want to be interrupted during my speech. It needed to have the full impact weighing on Sally's shoulders.

"First of all Sally, let me tell you this whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. Yes, I did have a tryst with Tina at the resort. I won't deny it to you. My only defense was the fact I was a victim in that tryst and not the seducer. I would have confessed the whole thing and told you exactly how it all happened, but now that's irrelevant."