You're Not Going Anywhere!

Damn thought Ben; his leg and head both really hurt. But shit, this was the break he needed. He looked around, "Olivia is that you?"

Olivia looked at him. She knew God damned well there wasn't that much wrong with him, "Don't bullshit me you son-of-a-bitch!"

Then he really did pass out.

The ambulance was there in no time. They got him in. Olivia reluctantly agreed to follow them in her car. On the way she called her mother who was at home watching the kids. She told her she'd be a little late because her asshole ex-husband had been hit by a car on the parking at the IHOP.

Grandma told the kids and they went into panic mode.

Angelica cried out, "Daddy was hit by a car!"

Jr. burst into tears. "I bet he's really hurt."

Grandma tried to calm them down. "It's all right kids your mom and dad were on a parking lot. It was no big deal. Your mom said it was just a little thing. He got hit. His leg was bent and he hit his head."

Angelica fell into her brother's arms, "If we'd been good they wouldn't have had to see our teachers. If we'd done right dad wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Jr. was crying, "Oh Angelica, we've killed our father. Mom will hate us even more for this."

Grandma tried the best she could, "No, no. It's not your fault."

Jr. started crying, "I want to see my dad."

Angelica joined in, "I want to go to the hospital. I need my daddy. I want my mommy."

Grandma was lost, "OK, come on. I'll take you, but I promise you he's all right."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Grandma had them bundled together, and they were at the hospital in no time.

Outside the Triage area Grandma spoke to the nurse at the desk, "We're here to see Mr. Hawthorne. We hear he's been in an accident."

The nurse saw the children, she was sympathetic, but firm, "His ex-wife is with him right now. I'll send back and tell her you're here."

A few second later Olivia was outside in the waiting area, "Mom, what are the kids doing here?"

Angelica didn't wait, "Where's daddy. I want to see my daddy."

Jr. wasn't any better, "Mom we need to see dad before it's too late."

Olivia was incredulous, "He got hit in a parking lot. He's hardly hurt."

Angelica, like Ben Jr., had no idea what the real reason was for their parent's separation; they'd been protected from the sordid reality of their father's adultery. Now all they knew was their father had been sent away, and now he was in the hospital and hurt, and hospitals were places where people went when things were bad, really bad.

Angelica was crying, "I want my daddy." She was on the verge of hyperventilation.

Olivia had no choice, "Mom you wait out here." She looked at her two kids, "Well come on." She led her children back to see the fornicator.

Ben was on his back, his leg was already wrapped, and his head open with an angry red gash visible for all to see. The children walked into his cubby and both choked.

Angelic ran over, "Daddy!"

Jr. was a little more circumspect; maybe the added year gave him a little better appreciation that his dad wasn't as bad as they'd originally thought. He walked up a little more slowly, "Hi dad."

They both hovered around him like two protective dogs. Olivia glared at him, but Ben had already hatched a new plan.

Ben decided to go the distance. Above all he wanted to get back home; more than anything he wanted his old wife and old home back. He could care less what Abby would want or thought. He held out his two hands, and took one of his children's hands in each, "Your mom and I spoke with your teachers today. Everyone agrees you need both of your parents at home with you." He gave Olivia a surreptitious glance, "We decided just before our accident that I should come home for a while."

Ben Jr. asked, "What about your new wife?"

Ben replied, "Oh I'll call her; she'll agree."

Olivia was furious. The bastard had lied to their children in order to get back into her house. She wouldn't allow it. She'd already turned a bright shade of red when Angelica said something.

Angelica let go of her father's hand, ran the short distance to her mom and hugged her, "Oh mommy that's a wonderful idea." Without hesitation she looked at her brother, "Did you hear, daddy's going to move back home."

Ben Jr. looked at his dad, then his mom; based on the look on his mom's face and the way grandma and his aunt had talked he knew mom was really mad at dad about something. Yeah dad had just said something that probably wasn't true. He didn't care. He walked over to his mom. He gave her a very meaningful look, "That's the best idea I've heard in a long time mom. I'm glad you agreed to it."

Olivia shot Ben a look that would have killed a lesser man; she looked back at her babies, "Well we agreed he could stay for a few days, just long enough to sort a few more things out." Then when the children weren't looking she gave her ex-husband the most baleful look she could muster. She saw Ben was crying.

Just then the emergency room doctor appeared and told them they'd be keeping Ben overnight just to play it safe. Olivia agreed, and ordered the children out of the room. Then she turned on her ex-husband, "One week you bastard, one week, and then you're gone. One week, and then I never want to see your ugly ass or face in my house again."

He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. He whispered, "I love you Olivia, now I've got a week." He thought; 'who knows? After a week she might change her mind.'

She scowled, "You think after a year you can come in and change things in a week? You're a bigger asshole than even I imagined."

He frowned; then he growled at her, "Come here."

She made as if to leave.

He started to climb out of the bed. Buzzers and beepers started to go off. He was too weak and too drugged to walk. All he could do was fall down. Olivia caught him as he hit the floor.

She held him and started to help him back up, "Asshole! Pimp! Whoremaster!"

He had her and he wouldn't let go. Two nurses, one male the other female rushed in. They tried to pry his arms away from his ex-wife. Ben had Olivia in a death grip. He whispered in her ear, "I love you. I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I tell you I'll never let you go. You're my wife; my true wife. I love you. Our children need me. Olivia just one more chance."

With the help of the nurses Olivia was able to get free. She snarled, "Get off me." She whirled about and left.

On the way home Olivia explained that their father's accident wasn't all that bad, and he'd be up and about in a couple days. She further lied and said her bosses had been after her to put in quite a few extra hours at work, and it was just a shame that she'd be out most days and most nights for the next week or so, but that grandma had agreed to stay on and help out while she was out.

Adelaide wasn't exactly sure what that was about until Angelica said that their dad would be spending a few days with them while he got better. Then it made sense, Olivia planned on making herself as scarce as possible as long as Ben was around. Adelaide also knew if she didn't stay her daughter would only get her sister to do it. Adelaide figured it was better her than her other daughter. God knows when it came to Ben Olivia's sister was always out for blood.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ben slept through the rest of the night. The next morning Olivia's father was there to pick him up. Her dad explained Olivia had to go to work, and she wouldn't be home till late that night.

Olivia's dad wasn't very sympathetic. He got Ben to Olivia's and dropped him off. Adelaide was there though, and said she'd be there for the kids. She further explained they didn't expect Olivia home until very late that night.

Once Ben got to Olivia's he called in to work and told them he'd been hit by a car and wouldn't be in for at least a week. They were sympathetic and told him to take his time. Then he left a message for Abby saying he'd been in a minor accident, nothing to worry about, but he'd be laid up for a day or two. He'd call again later with more details. Last he called the private investigator to find out what they'd turned up, if anything.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ben's trick to stay at Olivia's backfired big time. First he was a lot more hurt than he knew. He needed a fair amount of pain medication. The medication left him pretty doped up. Olivia and her mom had it planned out. Olivia came home once Ben got to sleep, and left before he awakened the following morning. The only thing the accident accomplished was to keep him incapacitated for about a week.

Worse Olivia spent an inordinate amount of time at the office; just what he was afraid Brandon Weller wanted. Even worse Abby insisted on coming out, and for two straight days she played the loving doting wife, and that only made his position with Olivia even less promising especially since Adelaide gave her daughter a blow by blow account of each and every minute.

Then worst of all at the end of the week he got a report from the private investigator. They'd tracked his wife pretty closely, and never found anything conclusive. She took no men to their house so any video or listening devices they'd installed there were useless. The GPS on her car revealed nothing; she was a reliable as the sun. The only thing they had were her repeated visits to her supervisor's condominium, but since the P.I. never got inside they had no evidence of anything wrong, and though she spent hours there two or three times each week, they had no proof of anything. Further, when they were out in public there were no displays of affection of any kind. Ben had spent a lot of money and had almost nothing to show for it.

At the end of his week at Olivia's he packed up the few items he had and left. He did leave Olivia a short letter. It was just about his last pathetic attempt to get things back.

My Dearest Olivia:

I love you. You know I love you. I know I did the absolute worst thing any husband could do to his wife. I'm sorry. I'll be sorry the rest of my life. I've already contacted my lawyer; yes the self-same lawyer I used when you divorced me. I'm leaving Abby. She was my second biggest mistake. I know Abby has been unfaithful to me, but I could care less. All I want, all I ever wanted, is you. I'm selling my shares of ownership in my company. I'm setting up a trust fund for you and our children. Believe me; you'll have more money than you'll be able to spend in two life times. I just can't go on. I'm sick of life. I'm leaving. You'll get your wish. You'll never see me again.

Please forgive me.

Ben.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When Olivia got home she found and read the letter. She considered, just like the son-of-a-bitch. It wasn't enough that he cheated on her, that he lied like a dirty dog to try to get back in her house, that he'd tried to pull just about every trick in the book to get back in her good graces, now he planned on running out on his kids. Yeah she bet there'd be plenty of money. She started crying; what if he went somewhere and blew his fucking brains out? She sat back up, well he wasn't getting away with it!

She sat down on the side of her big king sized bed; the bed they had to have, the bed she hated. She thought about how much she loved him, and how much she hated him. What did she want? Did she really want him gone; out of her life forever? No of course not, and the bastard wasn't getting away with it. She'd fix the whoring bastard once and for all! She had his number!

She thought about her shithead ex-husband. She said out loud to no one in particular, "I'll bet he thinks I'll hook up with my dumb fuck supervisor who's been trying to get in my pants since the divorce," well she'd punish him for that too!

She'd make his life a living perpetual nightmare. She'd make his current existence look like a paradise. He didn't know it yet, but his future would be a continuous trip to Devil's Island! She'd never forgive him. She'd never let him forget. She'd punish him every single day for the rest of his life. Yeah, she'd put him to work. She'd fix it so he'd never have another free minute for the rest of his loathsome conniving cheating life. Cut out again; leave her again? Never!

She walked through the house looking for something, anything. She knew the bastard wouldn't leave without taking something, some memento, some reminder. She found what she needed; he'd taken a family portrait.

Olivia called the police, "Hello I'd like to report the theft of a priceless heirloom."

The policeman on the other end replied with a bored apathetic voice, "Yeah, you'll have to come down to the station and make out a report."

Olivia replied, "I don't have time. I'm certain the thief is trying to escape even as we speak."

The policeman replied, "There's still not much we can do. Just tell me where the culprit is, we'll send someone to pick him up, but you'll have to come in right away and file a report."

Olivia replied, "His name is Benjamin Hawthorne." Then she gave them his address, hoping he'd still be there, "I'll be right there to file the complaint."

Ben was still at Abby's house packing the few possessions he planned to take with him when he heard the knock on the front door. He went to the door and opened it. There were two policemen there. He asked, "Hello, can I help you."

One policeman asked, "Are you Benjamin Hawthorne?"

He replied, "Yes I am, is anything the matter."

The other policeman answered, "We've had complaint. We don't have a warrant, but if you'd come with us it would make things a lot easier."

Ben was completely nonplussed. Who would file a complaint against him? He replied, "Sure, just a minute I'll get my coat."

Four hours later, seated on a bench at the police station he heard a familiar voice. It was Olivia. One of the policemen said something. He heard Olivia say, "Yes, that's him. I'm sorry for the trouble."

The policeman came back, "I'm sorry Mr. Hawthorne. There seems to have been a mistake, the person who filed the complaint said she found the item she believed you had stolen from her house the other day. I think the lady is here right now."

Ben turned around and saw Olivia. He didn't know quite what to say.

Olivia looked at him. She smiled grimly, "Thought you'd get away didn't you?"

He answered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

She cut him off, "That's right you're sorry. You're one sorry husband, a poor excuse for a father, a real loser. Now go out there and sit in my car till I straighten this out." She shook her finger at him, "Don't try to go anywhere. I'm not done with you Mister, not by a long shot!"

He still wasn't sure, "Olivia I..."

She pointed toward the stationhouse door, "Out, you'll have the rest of your life to explain and fix things."

At last the lights went on, "I'll be in the car."

About an hour later Olivia had him in the car. He was seated on the passenger's side; he had a big smile on his face. That's when she started, "Buckle your seatbelt Mister! When we get home you'll have a lot to do. You'll have to put that monstrosity you call a house back up for sale. And don't get cute; you're not going anywhere. I want something smaller and closer to the city. Then I want you to start some kind of new business, maybe a hardware store, something close by where I can keep an eye on you. We'll need new furniture. Run out on me will you-not in this lifetime! Oh and I want something smaller in the bedroom; a queen sized bed will suit me fine. Oh yeah, and we'll have to start planning a new nursery. I want more children. You better be able to get it up too; I've been doing without for quite a while now because of you. Now I understand there can't be a marriage until you've settled up with Abby, but we can start to work on adding children tonight. Be sure to take your vitamin E. Then there are our children; they'll need a bedtime story tonight, something positive and upbeat, you'll have to do that. You can plan on something like that every night from now on. Oh yeah, I want a condominium down by the ocean. It doesn't have to be ocean front, but I want someplace where we can go and get away every now and then, just the two of us. And Angelica's dance lessons are overdue. And Jr.'s little league will need another coach. I want to join a church. You'll become a deacon. I'll sing in the choir. And...Oh by the way...I'll never forgive you. And yes you'll have to spend the rest of your life taking care of me and trying to make me happy. And one last thing," she held out her arms. "Come here and kiss me you stupid fool."

And he did.