Yellowstone Discovery

Infuriated I said, "You love me? What the fuck does that mean? You are a lying cheating slut who doesn't know what love is!"

She collapsed crying onto the floor with her arms around her head. I picked up her sandals and grabbed her wrists and pulled her back onto her knees and started dragging her to the door. She stumbled to her feet as I got to the hallway and started down the stairs. She fell again before we got to the bottom but I continued to drag her on her butt into the kitchen.

When I let go she just sat on the floor with her hands over her face sobbing. I got a glass of water and dumped it over her head. She sputtered and struggled to her feet. She had to hang onto the counter to stay standing she was so distraught.

Just then a horn sounded from the driveway and she looked up blankly and whispered, "What's that?"

"That's your cab. You're going for a ride!"

"But, but what about my jeep? I, I, have a jeep."

"No, I have a jeep. It's in my name, remember?"

She watched in horror as I picked up her key ring and took the house and car keys off. I then tossed the key ring into her purse and stuffed the purse into her hands.

"Come on, let's go!" And I took her by the arm and pulled her toward the side door. She kept trying to talk through her sobbing and hiccupping but I wasn't listening. I pushed her into the back seat of the cab and shut the door.

I leaned into the cab and handed the driver a fifty and told him to take her to 5935 West Barnes Road. The driver looked back at the nearly hysterical woman in the back seat. "Are you sure?" He said.

"Yeah, that's where she lives now. And here's another twenty to make sure she doesn't come back here!"

"You got it." And he quickly put it into reverse and backed out of the driveway.

I watched them pull away and then slowly walked back into the house.

I got a beer out of the refrigerator and collapsed into a kitchen chair and stared blankly at the wall as my rage subsided. It was over. It was really over. For nearly three years my life had revolved around thoughts of Debbie. All my actions had been predicated on what would make her happy. I felt empty and lost as I realized that was all over. For a awhile I just sat there, with tears running down my face.

Eventually I started thinking about what I needed to do next, and what I had to do next after that, and so on and so on. And then I laughed in relief as I realized I had a plan. And my life hadn't ended!

I grabbed the phone and dialed. "Carl? It's Dave. I wanted to let you know Debbie's on her way over to your house. She's not welcome here anymore. You can send someone over to pick up the rest of her stuff. And no, I don't want to talk about it right now. Bye!" And I hung up.

I sat there and sipped my beer and felt the tension leave my body. When the beer was done I went upstairs and took a long hot shower, shaved and put on clean clothes. I stood in our bedroom thinking about where to start. I got some boxes and emptied all of Debbie's toiletries into them. Then I started emptying the contents of Debbie's closets and drawers into trash bags. When I finished I had a huge pile on the floor.

I took a box into the den to pack up Debbie's college books. As I did I noticed John's wallet on the desk. Thoughtfully I picked it up and idly leafed through the contents. Making up my mind I picked up the phone and dialed his number. After several rings Kathy picked up the phone. Now I had always liked Kathy. She was intelligent, cute, hard working and fun to be around. I felt bad about what I was about to do but she deserved to know the truth.

"Kathy? It's Dave. Is John around?"

"Hi Dave, he's still in bed. Can I have him call you when he gets up?"

"Nah, just tell him he can come over and pick up his wallet anytime."

"His wallet? How did his wallet end up over there?" She said sounding puzzled.

"I think he lost it when he took off his pants last night."

"Is this some kind of joke?" She said starting to laugh.

"I don't think so." I said dead serious.

"Okay, why was he taking his pants off?"

"Well he had to take them off to get into the hot tub to fuck Debbie."

"Dave, that's not very funny."

"I told you it wasn't."

"Is Debbie there? Let me talk to Debbie."

"Debbie doesn't live here anymore, Kathy."

There was silence for a moment. Then "Oh god...oh god. He...he didn't ..."

"Oh yeah, he really did."

"I've got to go." She whispered into the phone.

"Tell John I would really like him to come get his wallet. I would like to have a few words with him." I said savagely.

Without another word she hung up the phone.

An hour later I was dragging another trash bag with Debbie's stuff out to the garage when a car pulled into the driveway. I stopped what I was doing and watched Sarah get out of her car and walk up to me. She stopped and put her hands on her hips and said, "She finally screwed you over, huh?"

"Yep" I admitted grudgingly.

She looked at the pile of bags I was adding to and said, "No chance?"

"No chance in hell!" I said firmly.

She nodded in acceptance.

"Did you come to pick up her stuff?" I asked.

"Nope, I came to see how you were doing."

"Huh?" I said confused.

"Oh I will take it with me when I go but I really came to see if you were really done with her. And if you were to put my oar in the water."

"I don't understand?"

"Dave, I've been half in love with you ever since you started dating Debbie. When the two of you reconciled after your breakup, I told her she had better treat you right or I would. I now it's a little premature to think you might be interested in dating your soon to be ex-sister-in-law but I just wanted you to know I am interested. You give it some thought. Now help me load her crap in the car and I will get it out of here."

Before she got back into the car she said, "By the way, Debbie is at home. Dad and Mom are trying to prevent her from having a nervous breakdown. I guess finally getting caught destroyed her little fantasy world. I guess there really is justice in the world." She laughed, kissed me on the cheek and drove off.

I watched her leave totally bemused. I hadn't known what to expect when she pulled up but certainly not that.

A couple of days later Kathy came over to get John's wallet. I played the tape for her and she cried. As she wiped her eyes she said, "I know this wasn't the first time. I'm pretty sure he was fooling around a couple of years ago with the wife of his previous business partner. He quit the business suddenly and John couldn't explain why." When she left she asked if I would make her a copy of the tape. I said sure.

Carl starting calling nearly every day talking about getting Debbie and I together to talk. After about the fourth time I had told him not only no, but hell no, I got the tape duped onto a cassette and sent it to him. He only called once after that and that was to apologize to me.

I also sent a copy to Kathy and my attorney. I heard later that Kathy and John had separated but were going to marriage counseling together.

I had never gotten around to adding Debbie to the title of the house. And I had kept a record and receipt for every dollar I put into it. I finally agreed to give up the jeep as there was some question that it was a gift from me to her. A few items of furniture and splitting the cash in the checking and savings accounts completed the property settlement. I think the existence of the tape discouraged Debbie and her attorney for going for more. They certainly didn't want me to play it for a judge.

I had put the house up for sale as soon as I was sure it would not be considered community property. I had no desire to live in it. I had bought and remodeled it for only one reason and that reason was gone. It was a painful reminder of a part of my life I wanted in the past. It sold fairly easily and as I expected I netted a hefty sum. About the same time as the divorce was final I earned my journeyman's card.

With everything coming together I decided to return to my dream of going back to school. An Electrical Engineer with an Electricians Card is always in high demand. I took a leave of absence from the auto plant and enrolled back in college. With the money I received from the house I had more than enough to pay my tuition for the three semesters I had left and to cover basic living expenses.

I continued to work for the partnership fifteen to twenty hours a week. With that and my savings I could live comfortably. So I rented a condo not far from the college I enrolled in. The college just happened to be the same one Sarah was attending.

Coincidence? Well maybe. They do have an excellent engineering school. Sarah and I had continued to get together about once a week for lunch, drinks or just to talk.

She kept me up to date on Debbie without my having to ask. Carl and Angela were so disgusted with her that as soon as she got her jeep back they asked her to move out. And shortly after the divorce she transferred down to a store in the Detroit suburbs. They don't see her much anymore.

Debbie attempted to get me to talk to her before and after the divorce was final. A message she relayed through Sarah as I refused to take her calls. I told her to tell Debbie I was moving on and there was nothing she could tell me that would change anything.

Sarah and I continue to grow closer. I admit there is an undeniable attraction. And every time we get together she teasingly reminds me of her interest in having a relationship. I have reconciled myself to the idea of starting over and she is looking pretty good.

Recently she has coyly suggested we move in together to save money while we both finish school. So far I have resisted. But I think she senses I am weakening.

Is there a 'K-13' curse? If there is, I think I'm positively screwed!