What a Mess

Hayley cringed, her face now a bright red. "Okay, okay, Marty. I understand, but it's just so hard to believe. Okay,okay, Marty. Don't get angry," she exclaimed as she saw his expression. "Oh, shit...you poor guy. No wonder you've been so miserable. Oh, what a mess.

"But what do you intend to do? You say that you caught them a few weeks ago? You've been going through hell for weeks now? Marty, you can't continue like this, it'll kill you. What on earth are you going to do?"

Marty sat up straight, took a deep breath and faced Hayley again. "Kid, that's the very question that I've been agonizing over and I've made up my mind. This evening when I return home I'm going to sit down with Rita and tell her that I know everything. Maybe we can get by this, I don't know. There are a lot of unanswered questions. When did it start, how often do they meet?"

"Marty," Hayley spoke softly. "Whatever happens, just please remember. You really do have a wonderful marriage to a woman who truly loves you. Think very carefully about what you are doing before you make any hasty decisions. I don't know what's going on with Rita, but I do know that the worst thing you can do is to leave her. It would kill you and I know that Rita would be totally devastated."

Marty's mouth turned downward again and he nodded impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, but what about Kate, Rita's sister, Hayley? Does she know what's going on? Doubtful...she would castrate the sumbitch. . You see how sticky this is? Okay, Hayley, it's coming to a head tonight. One way or the other, there will be a resolution. In a few hours I'll know whether I'm going to remain a married man or heading for the single life," and as he said the last few words he could feel himself getting cold...so cold.

At five o'clock on the button Marty closed his briefcase, slipped on his suit jacket and left his office. He nodded to Hayley and the other girls and quickly left the building. He didn't see the sympathetic eyes follow him as he trudged to his car.

As he turned out of the parking area, he saw the sign: Halloran's Bar and Grill. Marty smiled and thought that a quick beer or two would really help. So he would be a few minutes late, big deal. It's not like he was truly anxious for what was coming. Seconds later he walked through the Halloran's front door and strode to the bar where he took a seat in the far corner.

"One cold Pabst, Ollie," he told the bartender jovially. "I am in desperate need so make it quick, buddy."

"Comin' up, Marty. Got one with your name on it," Ollie returned as he fished out a cold bottle, the ice running down it's side. He quickly uncapped it and set it down neatly, along with a frosted glass.

Marty sighed as he poured the amber liquid down the side of the glass admiring the color of the brew. Taking a long swallow, he burped and took another deep breath. "Shit," he thought, "I could stay here all night. I know, I know, I'm just avoiding the inevitable. I'll just take a few minutes and then I'll go."

"Yo, buddy! How the hell have ya been. It's been a coon's age since I've seen you in here, or seen you period for that matter," a voice boomed in Marty's ear. Turning he looked into the bearded face of Jake Childress, a friend since high school.

Jake hadn't aged well. He was bald, what little remaining hair he had had turned gray and stringy. He was short, wiry and always looked like he needed a bath, but despite his slovenly appearance, Jake was rich as Croesus. Jake may have looked a mess, but he had a brilliant mind. He had majored in information technology in college and had invented, while still in school, a device that Microsoft salivated for. Marty couldn't even begin to understand the theory behind it all, all he knew is that Jake had his own consulting business and was making another fortune in the IT field.

"Hey, Jake. How's it going," Marty replied a bit listlessly.

Jake stood quietly beside the stool for a long moment then picked up Marty's glass and nodded to a back booth. "Ollie, bring another couple of these over to the booth, ok?" he boomed to the rotund keeper of the bar.

He then put her hand under Marty's elbow and gently steered him to the booth. Marty didn't resisit; he almost welcomed Jake's intrusion, it would delay his homecoming.

"Okay, Marty," Jake began. "What's wrong and don't give me any shit. It's obvious that something's amiss. You look like you've lost your best friend. Tell Uncle Jake your problem and I ain't going to stop bugging you until I get the whole story."

"Goddamnit," Marty thought. "I'm gonna have the whole fuckin' town on my ass. I can't turn around without someone else hammering me with this shit. Oh well, here I go again. Maybe Jake'll have some good ideas."

He then looked at Jake and the whole story spilled out of him in a rush. Jake blinked a couple of times and then shook his head sadly. "Marty, Marty. You're in a world of shit...what a mess."

Marty laughed wryly. "Ya think, Jake? What gave you the first clue. I'm on my way home now and I'm gonna have it out with Rita. Maybe we can get by this. Maybe we can salvage something. Maybe we can still have a marriage."

"Maybe, maybe, maybe?" Jake sneered. "You're nuts, Marty. Open your fuckin' eyes. The bitch has been cheating on you. It's as simple as A, B. C. Only one thing you can do, buddy. You gotta get rid of her and you gotta do it quickly. No discussion, no counseling, no bullshit. Get yourself a lawyer and ditch the bitch. Ooops, another thing, get yourself checked by a doctor. Make sure she hasn't passed any little somethings to you, like the clap or something even more serious."

Jake now leaned over and stared at Marty, looking him squarely in the eye. "You got no other choice, Marty. You've got to get rid of her. If she cheated on you once, it's odds on that she's done it before and/or will do it again. You gonna be a fuckin' wimp? You gonna be her cuckold? Jeez, Marty, man up. Do the right thing. You've got no other choice."

Marty could feel the coldness creeping up his spine again. He put a hand to his forehead and rubbed absently, his mind awhirl again. He heard what Jake had said and understood his rationale. Is that what it was going to take? Did he have no other choice? Would he be labled a wimp forever if he tried to salvage anything of his marriage? Goddamnit, he didn't know, he just didn't know.

Jake stood suddenly. For a long moment he just stood there, looking at Marty, sympathy evident on his face. "Marty, you gotta do the right thing. Now it's up to you. She's had her fun, now it's time for you to dump the whore," and with that he turned and left the bar.

"Shit," Marty mumbled. "Thanks, Jake. You've been a load of help. With friends like you who needs enemies."

***************

Back at the ranch....ooops, sorry about that, let's start again. Silence pervaded 77 Wistful Vista Lane. Even though it was now close to 6:30 p.m. there were no lights on and the aroma of food cooking was absent. Marty drove up the driveway and into the garage. He noticed the dark windows and had an uneasy feeling. Entering the house, Marty called out and received no answer. He turned the light on in the living room and in the kitchen. He called for Rita again with no result.

"Jeez," he mumbled to himself. "Where the hell is she? She with George? It wouldn't surprise me. Wait, wait Marty. Don't start making up jack stories. It's probably something very innocent. Don't make mountains out of nothing."

Marty went into his bedroom and changed out of his suit into more casual clothing: chinos and polo shirt. Slipping into his soft moccasins, he started to return to the living room when he heard...

"Marty, Marty, where the hell are you?" He recognized Rita's strident tones and sighed.

Rita caught sight of him coming down the stairs and immediately confronted him. "Marty, come here. Into the living room, we have to talk. Here, sit on the couch and let me sit opposite you on the chair. We're going to have a conversation which you won't like one bit."

That opening gambit caused Marty to cringe. He then straightened his shoulders and strode into the living room looking a lot more confident than he felt.

"Okay, Okay," he thought. "Now is the time, now is the hour. No more fuckin' around. Let's get it all out and let the chips fall where they may. Be a fuckin' man, Marty. Let's face the music, strike up the band. Let's get this shit on the road. I'm gonna tell her that I know all about it. No more fuckin' around." By this time he was seated on the sofa facing his wife, clearing his throat for the opening words, when...

"Marty, I've been having an affair," he heard, as from a distance. His jaw dropped and his throat tightened, his words swallowed. He sat and just stared at his wife.

"Marty, did you hear me...I've been having an affair, and here's the proof. This will show you where I've been this afternoon. I've been getting laid, Marty. You won't do it, so I've found someone who will," and with that she lifted her legs, raised her skirt and showed Marty her sodden panties. She quickly shed them and spread her legs, displaying her labia, reddened vaginal lips and semen soaked pubic hair.

Marty sat, still and unmoving. His face showed absolutely no emotion. He seemed frozen in time - it almost appeared as if he were in a coma. He then started to shake, tremble, as if he were chilled to the bone. Suddenly he rose and literally ran for the garage and his automobile. Luckily the garage door was still open for he, without looking, put the car in reverse and roared down the drive and into the street. Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic. He jammed on the brake, put the car into drive and burned rubber, never even noticing Rita running after him, screaming his name.

For some reason, Marty headed for the Interstate. The traffic was moderate and he barreled down the highway exceeding the speed limit by at least 15 miles per hour. As he caught his breath, he slowed to a steady 70 and drove. His mind was totally blank. His entire attention was on the road and the traffic around him. He drove like an automaton, part of the steering system of the automobile.

As the time passed, he heart rate and respiration became normal. He looked with interest at the surrounding countryside, noticing that the traffic had become a lot less congested. "Where the fuck am I," he wondered.

Trying to recall the past few hours seemed to confuse him. Oh, he knew what had happened. He recalled in stark detail the events that drove him our of his house and onto the highway. But he had absolutely no idea where he now was, geographically that is. Signs with unfamiliar names zipped by him until finally he saw a sign that told him that Richmond, Va. was 20 miles ahead.

"Geezus," Marty exclaimed. "What the fuck am I doing here?" He glanced at the dash clock and noticed it was almost midnight. "Fuck me, I gotta pull over. I need some coffee and I need to take a leak really bad."

Marty left the highway at the next exit, found a Denny's, used the rest room and ordered toast and coffee. Sitting in the booth he tried to focus on what had just happened. His wife had openly admitted to her affair; had in fact shown him the results of her last liaison, her semen smeared pussy still vivid in his mind.

His mind seemed to go blank to events that followed. Somehow he wound up in Richmond, Va. although he hadn't the foggiest idea how he had gotten there. Well, he had obviously driven but he had absolutely no memory of that drive. He mused about that for a bit then recognized why he was spending time on that conundrum.

"Well," he sighed. "There it is, right up on the table. No getting around it anymore." He smiled bitterly. "Can't avoid it now. Can't make believe any more. Got to do something now, I guess."

"Geejuz, you stupid fuck. What does she have to do, rub her wet, used cunt in your face? What's next, you eating her out after she's been used by her lover? You make me sick to my stomach. Ooooooo, I love her so much...I can't live without her...ooooooo. Goddamnit, I'm ashamed to be in your head. If I could, I'd split so fast it would make your eyes spin."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. Okay, first thing tomorrow I call the lawyer and get things in motion. Gotta get advice about who gets what. Oh, what about the business? Gotta figure out how that's gonna work. Jeez, it's gonna get complicated," and Marty shook his head.

"Good, good, you finally getting your head outa your ass. Divorce the bitch and try to make sure she doesn't get shit. Don't give her anything you don't have to. The house has to be sold and make sure she doesn't get a goddamn dime from the business. Make her go out and work for a fuckin' living for a change instead of sponging off you. Let her live in a squalid little hovel..."

"NO, NO, THAT IS NOT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN", Marty yelled out loud. People turned and stared and Marty shrank back into the booth, clearly embarrassed. He knew that he wouldn't, he couldn't, leave Rita in penury. He loved her despite what was happening and nothing would change that. He would divorce her, but he couldn't hurt her in anyway, physically or financially.

Marty left the diner dispiritedly and wearily trudged to his car. His next steps were without any thought. He needed to get back to familiar surrounding, he felt like a fish out of water down here. He needed to get back to where he lived.

The drive back was long and boring. He didn't need to have any further conversations with himself. He knew that he needed to take the steps necessary to end his marriage. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he drove. Despite his alter ego, he loved Rita desperately and he knew that divorcing her would be the most painful thing he had ever done. He knew in his bones that his life would be pitiful now, but he really had no choice. Not after that display, not after she spread her legs and he saw the results of her infidelity. His pride just wouldn't allow him to stay and find a way out of this morass. He was a broken man.

It was still dark when Marty drove into the parking lot of the motel. He was only about two or three miles from his office, but he knew that he just couldn't go to work today. He had been up all night and his brain was foggy. He felt hung over and terribly tired. He would call Hayley and tell her that he wouldn't be in today.

Marty felt in his pocket for the cell phone, then looked around him in the car. "Shit," he thought. "I left my damn cell phone at home. Okay, no big deal, I'll call from the room phone later this morning."

He checked in and it wasn't long before he was in his room looking around him. A standard room with a standard queen bed. A room that was like a million others in motels across the country. Nothing pretentious, but clean and it would do.

"Shit," he muttered again. "No clothes, no underwear. I gotta get something to wear. At least clean shorts and socks. Maybe a couple of polos too. But first, I really need a couple of hours of shut-eye - just a few winks." He took his shoes off and stretched out on the bed, shut his eyes and ten seconds later started to softly snore.

***************

Back at 77 Wistful Vista Lane we find the beauteous Rita Kramer sprawled on the couch, out like a light. Her skirt had risen almost to her waist and the evidence of her "affair" was still very visible.

After Marty had disappeared so precipitously, Rita had been like a mad woman, roaming the house, cursing under her breath. She had immediately called Marty on his cell phone and then heard it ring in the bedroom.

"Damn," she muttered. "Stupid shit forgot his phone. Now what's he gonna do?" Rita could feel her self control slipping and she quickly ran into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. Standing, looking into the mirror while patting her face dry, she finally came to the realization that she had screwed the pooch.

"What a stupid, idiotic idea," she thought to herself. "Where the hell were my brains? Geez, Sandy warned me - why the hell didn't I listen to her." Shaking her head, Rita dragged her self to the living room. She saw the bottles of booze in the bar they had in the corner of the room.

"What the hell, a drink is what I need while I think about what to do next." She filled the ice bucket, splashed a half glass of tonic water over a couple of fingers of gin and sat back on the sofa. "Okay, this scenario sure went over like a fart in church. Gotta think of something else. When Marty gets home we'll have another discussion," she said to herself.

Then, suddenly and without warning, the tears came. She sat and sobbed and sobbed. "Ohhhhh, my God. Maybe he's not coming home. Maybe I just went too far." Rita gulped her drink, rose and made another. Sat back on the sofa again and tried to stop her tears.

"Damn, damn. I've got to think of something - anything," she muttered again as she gulped her drink, upending the glass. Again, she rose and made herself a drink. Back to the sofa, back to her ruminations. And so the evening went until she finally and mercifully passed out.

***************

Marty woke with a start, looking about with confusion. He wondered where he was, befuddled by the strange environment. Clarity quickly returned and he sighed heavily. Looking at the bedside clock he saw that it was almost 10:00 in the morning. "Shit, I gotta call work," he muttered as he picked up the hotel phone and dialed.

"Hayley, it's Marty. Yeah, yeah, I know. Look, I'm not feeling too great so I won't be in today. Yeah, just take care of things. Yeah, I'll be ok, just a bug or something. Yeah, look, I gotta go - talk to ya later," and he quickly ended the call.

At the other end Hayley just sat, lines of worry evident on her face. She had noticed that the call had come from the Comfort Inn and not Marty's cell phone. She knew that things were not good but did not know what on earth she could do. She had to think this over, but one way or the other, she would be there for her boss.

With effort Marty dragged himself to the bathroom, shed his clothing, peed and moved into the shower. Wiping himself dry he noticed a new toothbrush and toothpaste included with the other freebies on the lav

counter. "Damn," he thought. "Finally a place that knows what they're doing."

He finished in the bathroom, dressed and grimaced as he donned his soiled clothing. "Okay, first thing after something to eat is to get some clean stuff to wear," he said to himself as he exited his room.

He discovered that the motel had a small dining room which was still serving breakfast. He quickly ordered and ate without tasting a thing. His mind wasn't on his food. Marty was trying to put his life in order and found that he was having more than a bit of difficulty with the agenda.

"Shit. First things first. Breakfast and then get some clothing. Back to the room...and then what? Oh yeah, gotta call a lawyer, get the divorce under way. Okay, okay, I got the first steps down pat. Let's get this thing underway. I got the makings of a plan here."

Marty drove to the nearest strip shopping center and entered a small department store where he acquired the necessary underwear, polos, etc. He also bought a razor, blades and shave cream and a small gym type bag to hold it all. Leaving the store he felt a bit better.

"Damn," he said to himself. That went well, I did that pretty good. This plan is working just fine." Looking around as he exited the store he noticed another establishment just a few steps away. The sign read XYZ Spirits.

Marty's eyes took on a bemused glint and he frowned just a bit.

"Wait, hold on just a sec," he thought. "Isn't that what I should be doing? I should be boozing it up a little now. Goddamnit, this is a crisis in my life. My wife is fuckin' around on me and I'm getting a divorce. Shit, a few drinks is what I should be thinkin' about. Hey, new plan. Get a little boozed up before anything else."