Becoming a Slut Wife, Maria - Sequel

"I suppose you told them."

"Yeah."

"What'd they say?"

"They said hi." I didn't wait for any of her shit, "The doctor's office contacted me. Except for the HIV, which we won't know about for a while, I'm clean. Did you get checked out? You ought to make sure that guy Terri's clean too."

Maria turned her head to hide what I thought looked like a tear but couldn't exactly tell, "Rob I ..."

I went on, "Left the BMW at Shane's," Shane was an older man who had a garage back home, "he's going to clean it up and put it out. I brought my Pick-up back. My guns are in the back. I'll be bringing them in later."

"Rob you know how I feel about guns..."

"Mom sent you some eggs, ham, and some jams and jellies if you want any. She says to tell you she loves you."

"Rob when Terri comes tomorrow I'm going to tell him to find another model."

I figured that might come up, I said, "That's up to you."

She really was close to tears, "Rob I'm sorry. I thought that maybe. I didn't know..."

"What, how I'd feel? Forget it. You keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about me." 'Hell', I thought, 'it hadn't stopped her before.'

"You hate me don't you Rob."

I went over, sat beside her, and took her hands. I didn't let her get any closer, "No I don't hate you. I love you."

She murmured, "I was afraid it would be like this. I'm so sorry. I just knew."

To myself I pondered, 'If you knew then why'd you do it?' I said, "I love you Maria, but to be honest, things are different." Looking back, 'Jesus damn, it'd only been a week, but it seemed like a lifetime. I guessed it was a lifetime.' I got up and started for the truck, "I've got some unloading to do, and then I'm going to bed. What you do about that guy Terri is up to you," I was going to say boyfriend but didn't intend to display how hurt I really was. I added, "You've got to live your life."

"You think I should..."

I interrupted her, "You should do what you want."

"Then it doesn't matter?"

She didn't get it. Did it matter? It mattered once. It still mattered some. "Maria I need to unload and get some sleep." I left for the truck.

~~~V~~~

She was up when I got up Monday morning. I came down in all new clothes. Maria noticed but didn't say anything. I thought, 'Yeah pretty soon you'll get to see what you threw away.' She'd fried up some of mom's eggs. We ate together. I talked about my job. She talked about her day's sittings. Neither of us mentioned Terri.

Once I got to work I had another meeting with my supervisor. I was wearing all new clothes. The secretaries all noticed. At our firm there were different genre of workers. I was an engineer and committed to the more technical aspects of the business. I and my immediate colleagues spent a lot of time in front of computers. We had an accounting section, and we had what I guess someone might call a PR section, those were the ones who were out securing the contracts or selling what we had.

In the meeting with my supervisor I made some suggestions. I proposed how it wasn't that important if we 'back personnel' were so spiffy every day. I suggested if we were a little more casual things might go better. To my surprise he agreed. I also politely but firmed asked to be allowed to leave work a little earlier the next several Mondays. At first he went to the wall, but when I came clean about my marital problem he tacitly agreed as long as I openly and visibly stayed later other days. I felt good.

I was finding as long as I kept busy planning and working the problem Maria laid on me didn't hurt quite so much, but I had to be honest with myself, it still really hurt. I loved her, and I knew I'd miss her.

So thank my lucky stars; I found myself outside and down the street from where we lived just after 2:00 p.m. We rent a nice but small two story townhouse in one of the better communities in the eleventh richest county in the country; the home of the better Mercedes and high end Escalades. Hell the high school kids drove the Escalades. This was liberal Maryland at its bluest! Our house was small, minuscule compared to the surroundings, just a flea sneaked in by a socially concerned builder amidst an ocean of the most vulgar wealth.

I parked my truck down the street and watched and waited. Maybe I should have stuck with the BMW because a late model Chevy Silverado stuck out like a 'Trump' sign in a sea of Hillarys. At least the damn thing was black, scratched to shit but black.

I watched and waited. Just to be perverse I rolled my window down and played some Toby Keith. This was Katy Perry country. Sure enough several young people, all men, started leaving shortly after 3:00. I hung out; there might be one more. I didn't know what to expect.

Hope springs eternal they say. I was ambivalent about the whole thing. If Maria turned 'Godzilla Penis' away with the others then I might have to recalculate. It might mean she'd had a change of heart. If that then I'd be like cousin Rafe's wife for the next knows God how long; never sure, always afraid, but if she let the bastard stay then I'd know it really was over and there'd be no going back. So I waited.

By 3:45 I had my hopes up. Maybe? Then she broke my heart. The door opened and out came Adonis. She even blew him a kiss him as he turned to leave. He sort of confidently walked, no strutted down to a red Jeep Cherokee. What else would a creep like that drive? A Prius? He climbed in, started up and pulled away. I started my truck and, at a safe distance, I followed.

He was in no hurry and easy to trail. He tooled right along Md. 198 through Burtonsville to Md. 200, down 200 to #29, over 29 to 410 and right in to Chevy Chase. He had no idea I was behind. He pulled up and in a drive in what by any man's definition was an honest to God mansion. I drove on past getting the number.

Who was he? The guy was young; somebody's kid, somebody's rich kid. Maybe he was a student? Maybe just a really rich bum. I knew one thing; other than size he was most likely on the dole, momma's and daddy's hand-outs. Of course that was what I was doing too. He looked good though; healthy as a horse.

I pulled a U-turn and started back. Hate to admit it; that was the first and only time I cried. It really was over. I didn't go home right away. I stopped at another Denny's and got some eggs and sausage. It was time to figure out how to cut bait.

Mom and dad had extended a 'loan' of $10,000.00. That was bullshit; it was a gift, they knew it and so did I. All I was supposed to do was not get into any fights, treat everyone with respect, and at some point give Pauline a call. The amount of money was a dead giveaway; it was separation money. They liked Maria; just not with me.

I got back a little after 10:00. On the way I took my wedding ring and stuffed it my wallet. Maria had given it to me, and when it was finally over she'd get it back.

When I got in we had a short talk. I asked her, "What did you decide?"

She said, "I told him we had to stop. He wanted to stay for one last good bye, but I made him leave with the others."

'A liar to the end.' I smiled and kissed her cheek, "I'm proud of you." She didn't answer; she started to cry and went upstairs. Me, I walked around the house a little bit looking the place over. There were a few pictures, a handful of mementoes, an odd trinket or two; they all meant something once. The hardest was the pictures; one when we went to Harper's Ferry, the time we visited her mom and dad in Virginia, Maria was an only child, she grew up not far from Luray, and then there was the Fourth of July picture at my parents. That last was probably about when the thing with Terri started. Oh well, what a week, what a hell of a week!

It was time to start reeling in the line. I started in at a gym. For all her beauty Maria never got into the gym thing. I guess I had good muscle memory; farm work will do that. I was getting back in pretty good shape in less than a month. I lost the pounds, and with the new casual approach at work the suits gave way to Tee-shirts, jeans, and loafers. Maria noticed.

I kept tabs on Terri. In fact I guess one might say I started to stalk him. He was a lot younger than I think Maria believed. He was a Georgetown boy, and he belonged to a fraternity so he had rooms at home and on campus, a real free spirit. For me the fraternity thing had always been a no go, but young Mr. Terri also frequented some of the local college taverns. He was easy to follow and easy to spot. Give him credit; the kid was popular, a real all-star.

Did I want to hurt him? I thought sometimes yes, and then sometimes no. Sure he'd ruined my marriage, but as the days went by it sort of added up, Maria would've eventually pulled the plug anyway. Thinking back; she probably never did have the complete fidelity thing in her. It just wasn't there. She went for Terri because he represented an opportunity she hadn't had. I liked her parents; I felt sorry for them. Honestly, I started to feel sorry for Maria; I sort of knew where she was headed.

Just the same I thought I'd put the fear of the Lord in my philandering nemesis. Knowing he was a frequent visitor at one of the nicer college bars just outside D.C. I paid him a visit. He was at the bar, leaning back like he owned the place, a Sam Adams, label out, was drooping casually from his left hand. I sidled over and with my left hand knocked his beer to the floor.

"Hey what the..." he started, but just as quickly stopped. I didn't think he knew who I was, but I think he had his suspicions.

I smiled, "Here let me buy you another," I dropped a $5.00 on the bar, the matron scooped it up and handed him a fresh one. Just as he finished his first swig I knocked the second from his hand. It too fell to the floor. Of course by then we'd attracted some attention, including one of the bouncers.

My quarry looked at me. He was scared.

I said, "Oh shit. Here, you need another," I plopped another $5.00 on the bar, and again the matron exchanged it for another Sam Adams.

This time Terri left it on the bar. He said, "Who are you?"

I smiled, and closed in real close and whispered, "I'm the fucking husband you slimy cunt," I thought he would shit his pants.

"Hey man. She came on to me. If you can't..."

I growled, "Don't go there unless you're prepared to take it outside."

He looked away, "All I'm saying is it was more her than me."

I said, "Let's leave it there and don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. She's not worth it."

He looked at me; partly I think in defiance, partly in disbelief, and partly in relief, "You're going to give her up?"

I stepped away from the bar, "I already took out the trash." I smiled at the bouncer who was standing beside us, and then I walked away.

Back at the house she made a few more timid attempts to get me back in the sack, but I held her off, HIV or not that was a no go. I kept after her to get checked out, but she wouldn't do it. Was she afraid? Had there been other guys? Didn't matter.

It took me about eight weeks to get up the nerve. Yes, I saw a lawyer; it looked like alimony, she'd stay on my health plan, and I'd keep her on my car insurance for a few months for old time's sake.

At last the day came, sad in the end really. I got them to serve her at home, on a Monday right after Terri left. I waited down the street and watched the server go to the door. About five minutes later my cell phone clicked on. She was crying, "Rob."

I told her I'd be home in a few minutes. Up to that day she thought I worked late on Mondays. Twenty minutes after her call I pulled to the curb and went in. She was on the floor next to the sofa crying. She held up the folder, "Rob, I thought things were working out. I thought once you got the HIV report we could go back."

What could I say? Did I want to crush her? Make her miserable. Yes, I did. For weeks she'd still been screwing her college boy and pretending it was over. Did I pay her back? Well yes and no.

I sat down beside her and lied, "Maria I got the HIV report weeks ago," I hadn't but I was confident it would be clean, "I've known I've been clean for a while."

She was sobbing, "Then why didn't you tell me. Why haven't you...why haven't we made love?"

"Come on Maria, you've been fucking your boyfriend all along," She started to deny it, but I stopped her, "See here Maria. I found out about Terri. He's still in college, goes to Georgetown, parents live in Chevy Chase. He belongs to a fraternity. He has a girlfriend; they're even engaged. I've been to some of the places he goes. No one knows about you. You're just his Monday afternoon, and that's all."

She was doing some serious crying by then, "If you knew all this why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you make me stop?"

I put my arm around her, "Would it have mattered? It's about trust Maria. Trust is a fragile thing. Back on that first Monday; even back then when you confessed your infidelity and then told me you planned on keeping it up I knew it was over."

"Oh Rob, I didn't mean it. I love you."

"I know you love me. I love you too, but I can never trust you. And don't tell me you didn't mean it. You meant every word. Maria, sweetheart, marriages are built on trust- trust and fidelity. Darling I love you. I do love you. I suppose I'll always love you, but that day, that Monday when you said the things you did you put a bullet in my heart. You killed our marriage."

She was really crying now, the waterworks certainly were on display, "Rob I made a mistake. Please don't leave me. I don't know what I'll do. I can't live without you. Stay, oh please stay. Even a sexless marriage with you is better than anything with anybody else. Please stay. Don't leave me. You can't leave me. Oh Rob..."

I wiped her cheeks with my fingers. I could've stayed, but it wouldn't have mattered, if not Terri then someone else. I whispered, "I've got to go now Maria. You needn't get a lawyer, but if you do I'll pay for it," I'd have to pay anyway. I kissed her tear streaked face, "You'll have to get a smaller place. Maybe your parents will help you, and you need to finish school."

She went into full panic mode, "Oh no! Mom and dad!" She reached both arms around me and grabbed for all she was worth, "My mom and dad love you so much! This will just kill them! Oh what can I tell them? Rob you just can't!"

I got up, "My lawyer will set up a meeting. Divorce in Maryland takes time. This could go on for months. I'll help where I can. Let me know when you find a place. I'll help with my truck." I started for the door. She followed, crying and begging all the way. It did and didn't break my heart. I'd loved her. I'd given her all I had, but she'd thrown it away. Now when she had to face what she'd done she was a mess.

I walked out. Got in my truck, and I moved on.

There has to be an epilogue:

The divorce went through. Maria tried to fight for a while, but there wasn't anything she could do. I called Pauline French, and yeah I dated her a few times, but she hadn't changed, same old nagging know-it-all bitch. Made mom happy though.

It's been a while. All that occurred back in 2005-2006. It's 2016 now. I never heard from Maria again, but I did sort of haphazardly keep track. She went back to school, but I don't think she graduated. She found another guy, married him, cheated on him, and lost him too. Last time I saw her she worked at one of the D.C. taverns carrying drinks to college kids, nice costume.

It took a while for me. What's the old adage; "Once bitten twice shy?" I dated here and there. Finally I found someone; she was the sister of one of my colleagues, a school teacher, pretty girl, nice but crusty personality. After a few months I proposed. Funny thing, Maria was so open and easy going; this one's a jealous possessive bitch. We go out I feel like she's timing me if I go the bathroom. I kind of like it.

The new one's kind of small, barely five feet, maybe a hundred pounds, red hair, freckles, green eyes, skinny, fiery temper. Sometimes she scares me. Came at me with a skillet once.

After we got married I found out she had some deep dark secrets; one she loves kids, two she hated work. Who am I to argue; we've got three already and she wants more. It's a mystery, I don't know how anybody with a tiny body likes hers can produce the jumbos she's turned out. Oh and my six inches makes her very happy. Am I happy? You ever seen Emma Stone?

One last thing, for years I never changed wallets. Then one day I found Maria's old ring. I still have it. I keep in my jewelry box.

*****

Thanks to Just Plain Bob

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Thanks again,

Jedd Clampett