The Rings

The afternoon appointment with the lawyer was as I'd hoped. He told me that we were in a no- fault state as far as divorce was concerned but that since I was the primary care-giver for our children I would most likely be given custody but I would have to face up that Clare would be granted generous visiting times. We would split assets 50/50 but no alimony since our incomes were approximately equal. With me granted custody Clare would have to provide child support. Regarding the inheritance that Clare had received she would retain all of that, which I didn't care about. Our kids were my primary concern. I told him to go ahead a prepare the paperwork and have it ready to serve on her by Monday based on irreconcilable differences but I asked for a stipulation that Clare must move from our house immediately after being served.. The lawyer said I would be within my rights as custodian of the children to ask for that. When the children turned eighteen the house would be sold and we would share the selling price. I left the lawyers office feeling satisfied that life would go on for me and the kids and that Clare would reap the punishment she deserved for her infidelity.

I didn't do anything with our finances, insurance or will right away. I felt there would be time after she was served. With her inheritance I didn't think she had to worry about her share of our savings. It was almost time for the kids to get out of school so I headed home to be there for them when the bus stopped.

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When she got back Friday afternoon I offered to do her laundry for her but she thanked me and said she'd take care of it later. I just smiled to myself thinking what a rotter I was to be teasing her like that. I knew why she wanted to do her own laundry. The smell of sex on it would be a dead give-away and she had to hide her extra-marital activities at all cost.

We had sex again that night even though my heart wasn't in it. She seemed to sense some reticent activity on my part when we finished.

"Is your stomach still bothering you honey? Maybe you ought to see a doctor. Its been going on too long now."

I thought I was being a little cute when I responded.

"I'm going to try some new medicine a friend told me about and that should solve my stomach problems."

"Well, I hope so. I want you back running on all your cylinders as soon as possible." She told me as she spooned against me to go to sleep. God, I was going to miss her.

It was Monday after the kids left for school and Clare had gone to work when I got the call from the PI's office telling me they had a report ready for me. I told them I'd be right down and half an hour later I was sitting with the office manager. He told me the report had been faxed in that morning from Denton and some photos had been sent also. He told me he hadn't had time to read it all but what he had gotten from scanning it and looking at the pictures seemed to be damning. I took a copy of the report from him and began to read:

Subject: Clare Barton

I picked up my observation of the subject female at 5:17pm, Wednesday, June 16 in the lobby of the Denton Mariotte. Identity was established by means of photo received from the Merrickville office and a company name tag on the subject. Subject was carrying a brief case and went into the elevators. My associate went up with her in the elevator and confirmed she went into her room(414) at 5:23. Subject was alone. Picture of the subject dressed before entering room is provided as exhibit 1A.

I looked at the photo 1A and saw she was dressed in her business clothes. I could plainly see that she was wearing her rings. He or she must have taken the picture with a cell phone.

Associate stayed in room rented across the hall from subject. At 6:31 subject alerted me that subject had left room and taking elevator. At 6:32 subject exited elevator into the lobby. She was dressed as noted in exhibit 1B.

Exhibit 1B photo showed Clare in her little black cocktail dress, high heels with a necklace I'd given her on our tenth anniversary and looking like a tart on the prowl. The photo had enough detail to reveal that she had no wedding rings on her left hand.

Subject entered dining room and had a light dinner with a glass of wine. At 7:13 subject left dining room and entered adjoining lounge where she took a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine. At 7:17 subject was approached by a single male and they talked for a few moments. See exhibit 1C.

Exhibit 1C photo showed a tall, good-looking male standing talking with Clare at the bar. After a few minutes of conversation subject nodded and followed male to a booth near the dance floor. Subject spent 1 hour and 43 minutes with male in booth. Danced six times with male and intimacies occurred. See exhibit 1D.

Exhibit 1D photo showed Clare and the male in exhibit 1C seated in the booth in a tight embrace kissing. Her short dress was pulled up her thighs and his hand appeared to be underneath.

At 8:51 subject and male left lounge, took elevator up to subject's floor and entered subject's room(414). See exhibit 1E.

Exhibit 1E showed Clare and the male from the lounge entering her room. She looked a little tipsy but very happy.

At 11:13 male left subject's room and departed the building. Licence no. of male's car: MBS2892. Registered to Alexander B. Tate, 1424 Azalea Dr., Denton. Male is married and has two infant children.

I glanced through the rest of the story and the report indicated that she repeated her activities the next night with a different man. It was signed by the investigator in Denton. My wife was a slut when she traveled away from home. There was no way I could tolerate what she was doing. Even the loss of her rings hadn't scared her enough to stop.

After paying the PI the balance of my bill I thanked him and left. I took two extra copies of the report, all on CD with me and drove straight home. At home I immediately called the divorce lawyer and asked him where he stood on the divorce paper? He told me they were ready to file and I told him to proceed with filing and asked if he could have them served publically at her work the next day. He said that it wouldn't be a problem and I provided him with her work address. I wanted to hurt and humiliate her and having her served at work would go a long way to give me some revenge for what she'd been doing.

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That night we didn't have sex. I think she knew something was wrong and maybe realized I knew something but was afraid to voice her concerns other than to say she hoped I'd be better soon. Oddly, she seemed a little reticent in her own right, but I let it pass without comment.

In the morning I was up early as I hadn't slept too well during the night. I worked at my computer until I heard the kids stirring and then I went and started breakfast. After breakfast I saw her off to work and she came to me for a hug and a kiss before leaving for work. I gave her a half hearted hug before urging her out the door. I think at that instant she knew. There were tears in her eyes as I closed the door behind her and her whispered "I love you.". I felt a great sadness overcome me as she left and wanted to cry myself but the kids needed organizing so I could get them ready for the school bus.

The call came at about 10:45. Caller ID said it was Clare's work place and I picked up the phone without acknowledging the call. There was a moment's pause while the caller accepted the fact I wasn't going to speak.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice said in a whisper and then the line went dead and I hung up.

She didn't come home that night and I wondered if she was playing her sick little game without worrying about a husband anymore. I knew I was being hard on her but I retained a certain amount of justifiable rage. The kids wondered where mommy was but I took them out to Mickey Dees for dinner and by the time we got home they were very tired and ready for bed.

The next morning she called.

"Honey, can I come home and get some of my things and can we talk?"

I felt a qualm of conscience but it quickly passed.

"Why don't you come between 9:00 and noon. That way the kids and I won't be here. As far as talking, I will talk with you one on one at my lawyers office once you've signed, notarized and returned the divorce papers. I will listen to anything you have to say then."

A sob, then, "Alright."and the line went dead again.

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POSTSCRIPT

She signed the papers and we were divorced became final in six months. She'd been pregnant but had an abortion before then. While fucking her last lover the rubber had broken and it was near her fertile time so even though I'd discovered her adultery because she lost her rings she would have most likely been found out anyway.

I hear she's back in the dating scene too. I think if she gets close to marriage again I'll give her husband-to-be a heads up on her faithfulness. No sense in having her cuckolding two of us.

We did have a meeting, as I'd told her, in my lawyers office. She asked me to please give up on the divorce. Not having unlimited access to our kids was hard on her but I told her I just couldn't trust her anymore. She explained she's been having seeing a psychologist and he's diagnosed her with a form of nymphomania and had been receiving help in coping with her addiction. She had her urges under control now. I told her that wasn't good enough for me if she still had the urges and if she'd sought help about her urges in the beginning she wouldn't be in the position she was in now. I left her crying in the lawyers office.

I'm dating again and I think I've found a woman that I like and I think I could easily fall in love with. She's my age and a divorcee. Caught her husband cheating and wouldn't put up with it. My kind of woman. A big plus for her is that the kids like her too. I suppose its only a matter of time until I pop the question.

THE END