Thoughts Ch. 05

She did come and see me while Tom was gone. I laughed when she told me I didn't look sick. I told her the pills did wonders. She was a good looking woman and reminded me a lot of Carol.

****

On New Year's Day I called all the kids and wished them a Happy New Year. I knew I was going downhill. I woke up and my stomach felt like it was on fire. I kept taking my medication but it wasn't helping. I waited two days before calling Tom. I told him the pain was unbearable and it was probably time to go to the hospital.

I called my doctor and he said he would make arrangements for me at the hospital. Tom picked me up and we were there in just over an hour and a half. I went to the University Hospital in Columbus. That's where my doctor wanted me to go. Again, I didn't want to be in the area hospital where I knew everyone.

The doc put me on strong doses of morphine. Now I knew why so many people took drugs. Anytime I felt a little pain I just pushed the little button and got relief.

Tom had my Power of Attorney and would be the executor of my will when the time came. He had all the necessary documents he needed. I was not to be on any life support other than food. I wasn't going to starve to death.

The next day I really felt bad. I told Tom it was time for him to take over. I thought I might have a couple of weeks but my doctor said it wouldn't be that long. When you're in pain that's a good thing.

****

Tom Speaks:

I'm Tom and I promised to finish Bob's story. He'd been there for me through my first divorce, my best man at my second marriage and always there for the problems and deaths we all have in our marriages and families.

It was hard sitting there, watching him take his last few breaths. I called Linda to let her know I was at the hospital with Bob. She told me I should call Carol and I told her that I promised Bob and I was keeping it.

She hung up on me and a few minutes later I got a call from Carol. Linda must have called her.

"What the hell is going on Tom?! Linda said you are with Bob at the hospital."

"Carol, Bob is dying."

"What! Why didn't you tell me? I knew something was wrong."

"Carol, Bob told me I couldn't tell anyone. I just recently told Linda but she was supposed to keep it a secret. He has pancreatic cancer and was diagnosed in October. He didn't want anyone to know."

"But, I was his wife!"

"Exactly, youwere his wife. There is nothing anyone could do but feel sorry for him and he was too big of a man for that. He got everything in order so nobody would be burdened."

"Let me talk to him," said Carol.

"He's on his death bed, Carol. The hospital minister just prayed with him. He's pretty much out of it; he's all drugged up."

"Put the damn phone next to his ear, damn you! I want to talk to him damn it!"

I did as she asked and place the phone against Bob's ear.

"Bob, if you can hear me, I'm so sorry. I love you Bob, I always have. Be safe my love, you'll always be in my heart."

I could hear her conversation. She was crying. After a minute or so I took the phone back and said, "Carol, Bob just took his last breath. Whatever you said to him was the last words he heard." Carol was crying.

"Carol, I'll stop by around noon tomorrow and let you know what plans Bob had made. I'm sorry Carol, I loved him too." I hung up my phone.

I talked to the doctors and nurses about what I needed to sign and where they could transport Bob's body. I gathered up the few things he brought to the hospital, which was his few items of clothing and the pictures of his family and the drawing from his grandkids. I called Linda and told her it was over, Bob had passed away; she cried and I headed home.

The next day I met with Carol and her three kids. Of course they weren't kids anymore. I gave my sympathy to all of them and explained why I had never told any of them about their father. Dawn was there with Carol for support.

Carol spoke. "Tom, I'm so sorry for yelling at you yesterday. You are a good friend of Bob's and didn't deserve it."

"Thanks Carol, I understand we all say and do things that we regret later." She just looked at me.

"Bob was a strong man. He loved each and every one of you. He found out he was dying of cancer last October. He needed someone to take him to the doctor and he also named me the executor of his estate. He didn't tell anyone because there was nothing anyone could do but feel sorry for him, and he didn't want pity. You would all find out soon enough, he would always tell me.

"He made sure he was there for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He wanted to share it with all of you." There were a lot of tears while I was talking.

"Your dad took care of all his final affairs. He didn't want any of you to have to deal with his funeral and settling his estate. That's why I'm here now. He made a new will and I will carry out his wishes. There were a few things that he wanted to give each of you.

"Kelly, he said you always liked the piano and he is giving it to you. Kyle, his truck he has willed to you. Kim, he said you were always the movie buff and liked to watch movies with him. He has given his entire DVD and VCR collection to you. Oh, so you know, he gave me all the porno tapes." It got a smile from Kim.

"Tom, what about the house and everything else in it?" asked Kelly.

"He told me to sell the house. He had it appraised at two hundred thirty thousand but was told because of the housing market he could only hope to get around a hundred seventy five thousand. He did say that if any family member wanted to purchase it, he said they could have it for a hundred fifty thousand.''

"As far as all the material things he said that Carol could double check and make sure she has everything that she wants or needs. The rest of the things will be sold at an auction.

"The division of money will be as follows. After all sales are done and money received Carol is to receive fifty per cent, all three of his kids are to receive ten per cent each. He has five grandkids and each will have two percent put away for their future. Their parents will oversee their accounts.

"That leaves ten percent. I'm to hold on to it and make sure all his debts are paid. What remains is what I will receive for being the executor. I can assure you it's a very fair settlement for everyone."

"Does anyone have any questions?" I asked.

"What about dad's services and where will he be buried?" asked Kim.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that first. His funeral will be at the Miller Funeral Home in three days. He will be shown one evening and the funeral the following morning. He wanted to wait a couple of days in case someone from out of town wanted to attend.

"He will be buried in the Mt. Olive cemetery. Carol, he mentioned that you and he have adjoining lots there. You can either keep yours or sell it." Carol started crying again.

"The funeral service and burial is already paid for. He even put money aside for a dinner after the funeral for any guests that might come. I have to contact Roger's Restaurant to reserve the banquet room. Bob even had that set up."

"If any of Bob's relatives want to stay at his house to attend the service it's ok. He did mention that he spent a lot of time packing his clothes to give to the Salvation Army. He planned everything. I was just named executor to carry out his plans. He was my best friend and I loved the man."

****

The funeral went just as planned. I couldn't believe the number of people who attended. I saw and talked to a lot of his relatives that we had visited. There were a number of women and men that I didn't know. Linda had talked to them and they were friends of his from the trips and tours he had taken.

I watched some of the women and had to wonder which ones he might have been with. I stood by the casket and greeted his family and friends. I was surprised that Carol and her kids stood there greeting people with me. You would have never known he and Carol were divorced, the way she greeted people. Bob would have been proud of them.

After the funeral most everyone went to the restaurant and they had a buffet set up in the banquet room. Many stayed for a while and talked about what a good guy Bob was.

Kelly came up to me and asked if she and her husband Ted could purchase the house. She said it was the home in which she grew up and she had so many good memories living there. I told her I would inform her mother, brother and sister. She was the first and only one who said she was interested.

It would be a hundred fifty thousand dollars. The new refrigerator, stove, dish washer, and trash compactor all went with it. There would be no need of her removing the piano since it would now stay in the house.

I mentioned to her that if she wanted anything else she would have to ask her mother. Other than things like curtains everything would have to go up for auction, seeing her siblings and mother would all be getting a share; she understood.

I contacted the bank a few days later and Kelly and Ted's homeowner loan was ok'd. They could start moving in as soon as the auction was over, which was to be in two weeks.

A lot of the people from the funeral came back for the auction. I guess everyone knew that Carol and Bob bought quality items. Even their kids bought things they had remembered growing up.

Everything was sold. I called in a cleaning crew who washed all the walls and carpet. The house looked like new when I handed the house keys to Kelly and Ted. Kelly cried as she entered the house, the place she spent her growing up years. My job was now done other than dividing the money.

****

I sat in my den checking out the balance sheets and figuring how much money each person would be getting. Counting the money remaining from his pension and savings, Bob had accumulated nearly three hundred thousand dollars.

As I was sitting at my desk my wife Linda came in and sat in a chair near me. "Are you glad it's all over?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sure happy that he made it so easy for me. He had almost everything taken care of," I responded.

"Did you ever tell him about you fucking Carol?" she said in a very stern way.

"Linda, we talked about that over and over again. No! I didn't tell him. Why would I hurt him like that? It was a mistake and you know it. I guess I'll be paying for it the rest of my life."

What happened was during their separation before their divorce decree came through I went over to talk with Carol. Her sister went to see her son for a few days. When I got there Carol was drunk or pretty much on her way. She invited me in. She was crying and I put my arms around her, to hold and comfort her.

We've always flirted just like Linda and Bob used to but no one ever went any farther. We were all best friends. I was really trying to soothe Carol. She must have just gotten out of the shower and all she had on was a robe. During our hugging it came open.

One thing led to another and I was touching her breasts and kissing her. Before long I had her lying on the couch and was fucking her. As soon as I came I knew how wrong it was and so did Carol. Carol started crying and I kept apologizing but she asked me to please leave. I kept telling her how sorry I was.

It was my best friend's wife and we had this kind of bond that we wouldn't go after each other's wife. It was later that I found out that Bob hadn't been with another woman for nearly twenty years. I felt like I stabbed my best friend in the back even though they were getting divorced.

When I got home it was even worse. Carol felt so bad about what she had done that she called Linda to apologize to her for her actions. When I walked in the door Linda let me have it. She was crying and trying to slap me at the same time.

I did my best to tell her it was a mistake and I really regretted it. I apologized over and over to her. I didn't know what else to say. Finally I asked her if she wanted me to leave.

"No, I love you Tom, but you cheated on me with one of my best friends and worse even than that it's Bob's wife. Carol felt so bad that she was afraid of losing me as a friend. I could tell she had a lot to drink so I figured you took advantage of her situation. You're a fucking bastard Tom."

"So, where do we go from here?" I asked. "I wish I could take it back, but I can't."

"We'll stayed married but I'm going to get even with you. I've never cheated on you as long as we've been married and you know it. I'm going to find a man and screw the hell out of him one time. I promise you it will only be one time. I'll never tell you who it is or when it is going to happen. You'll just have to live with that thought or you can move out. Your choice."

That was what happened and Linda was still sitting there. "Did I tell you that I heard at Bob's funeral that he was quite the lover? I heard a few women talking about it. Did you know that?"

I looked at Linda and remembered her and her revenge statement. "So, did you fuck Bob to get even with me?"

"Let me tell you something about Bob that you might not know. After you fucked Carol I was really pissed and thought about going after Bob. I went to his house and offered myself to him. I told him you had cheated on me, but I never mentioned Carol, and I wanted to extract my revenge. Do you know what he said?

"Bob told me, 'Linda, if I could choose any woman to have sex with beside Carol it would be you. I haven't cheated on her for twenty years. I haven't had sex since our separation hoping she might come back. I'm not going to cheat on her again while we're still married'.

"He hugged me and said he loved me but he wouldn't do that to Carol or to you Tom. That's the kind of guy he was."

I sat there a minute, then said, "I know he's been with a number of women since his divorce. He hadn't mentioned anyone that I know. He usually went out of town but did have a couple of friends with benefits locally."

Linda spoke. "Do you know what Carol said to me one time? That Bob gave her the best sex that she ever had and she divorced him because of it. Afterwards she cried."

"I don't know for sure if he's been with anyone since he discovered the cancer. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, you're my husband and I love you."

"Did you ever take that revenge on me? I really would like to know."

"Yes Tom, I did. It was just before New Year's. I wanted us to start the new year with a clean slate. I promise I'll never see him again. It was a one-time thing. No one needs to know."

*

Thank you for reading my story

Comments are welcome and appreciated

DG Hear.