Caught: Jenny

Epilogue:

Johnson and Associates was slammed with multiple charges from both state and federal agencies. On top of that, the class action lawsuit for defamation and other civil torts now involved well over 700 men, some of whom had been incarcerated and labeled sex offenders over convictions stemming from the false charges from the firm.

The firm and the senior partners were eventually ordered by the court to pay out over $2.5 billion in fines, fees and restitution, with the lion’s share going to the attorneys and the tax man. All of the attorneys with the firm were disbarred, their licenses to practice law suspended for life.

For years, debate raged around the divorces handled by the firm. Some said they should all be reviewed, given the circumstances of the scandal. Others said only those involving the men named in the class action should be reviewed. In the end, nothing was reviewed and nothing changed.

The partners who survived the shooting ended up getting sentenced to life in prison. Max Johnson, the senior partner in the firm, ate a bullet in his home before his trial was over.

Jenny plead out, having turned state’s evidence. The judge gave her 20 years in prison and said she would be eligible for parole in 10. She was a shell of her former self when she was released, scarred, blind in her right eye and unable to walk as a result of the shooting. She lived with her parents and collected welfare when her savings ran out. The last I heard, she was writing a blog -- on the dangers of infidelity, of all things.

Jenny’s betrayal hit me hard. For some time, I remained something of a hermit, only going on an occasional date. I had real trust issues where women were concerned. Three years after the divorce, I met Carol, a former Marine who also worked as a disbursing clerk. She was about two years younger than me and had just buried her previous husband, who died of a sudden heart attack.

We dated several times before I felt comfortable enough to talk to her about my previous marriage. Carol listened quietly as I explained what happened. Once I finished, she nodded her head.

“That explains a lot,” she said. “I know it was hard for you to tell me all that, but I’m glad you did. You know, not all women are like Jenny. Like you, I believe in the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis. And if you give me a chance, I’ll prove it.”

And she did. Multiple times, and in multiple ways. And she’s still doing it, even after all these years.

I finally retired from the Reserves as a Master Sergeant, and began collecting my retirement when I hit 55 years of age. Carol and I plan to spend our retirement traveling across the country in a new RV we bought with some of the money I received in the class action against the firm. And, Carol tells me, she intends to fuck me to death. I believe her, and I can live with that.