Christmas Miracle

Once Melinda and the kids left for the day, the man breathed a sigh of relief. Corey breathed a sigh of relief. The man talked to the Corey part of him. "Everything is going as planned. Almost everything we have hoped for while we were walking around after the carjack and mugging has come to pass. I don't know about you, but I'm still pissed that the car jacker had gotten our $1000, but there was nothing we can do about it now.

"I can't believe how hard it was to get discovered. We did almost everything but call home and say, 'Come get me.' We went to doctors several different times. We talked to law enforcement officers several times. It took almost a year after we decided it was time to go home before someone finally 'discovered' us. Now we get to finish our revenge on Melinda. I guess you noticed how grown up the kids look now. I can't wait until we can get involved in their lives again."

The man was taught all the things their father did around the house. He attended school events as their father. He was now responding to being called Corey. He shaved his beard and was shown around his old office. A job, not his old one, was offered to him. He accepted.

Melinda was feeling good about how things were progressing. One night she came into Corey's room. "I'm ready to be fucked now. Love making can come later." She was surprised that he responded with making love. It was déjà vu all over again. Life as it had been was returning. It was getting time to think about getting married again. Then it happened.

Corey sat down with Melinda one night after the kids were in bed. "Melinda, we have to talk." Her heart fell into her stomach. She well remembered what had happened when she had said those words to him almost four years earlier.

"It has been wonderful to become a part of this family for the past few months. The kids are fantastic, and you are a wonderful mother and lover. I hate to break the spell we have been under. I couldn't help it, but I have fallen for a woman where I work. We have talked, had several lunches together, and now want to plan a weekend together. We have not had sex yet, but we will on our weekend getaway. I realize that this will change things with us, but I hope you will allow us to stay friends and I can stay connected with the children."

Melinda's head fell onto her arms as she bawled uncontrollably. "Why Lord? Why do you punish me so for one mistake? Can't you forgive me? Must I always suffer for my transgression?" She continued to cry and wail for over a half hour. Corey didn't try to console her. He just let her wear herself out.

Corey spoke once she was quiet. "Melinda, I don't think I'm the Lord, but I finally believe I have punished you enough. If you can forgive me for tonight's last act of revenge, I would like to resume being your husband and father to our children."

"What? Are you telling me that all this was just a damn a put-on? You bastard. You prick. You miserable excuse of a human being. You pile of shit. You made me feel like . . . like . . ."

"Like I did when you announced your affair?"

That statement jolted her. "Did I make you really feel this bad?"

"Yes."

"How so I know you really mean it and aren't planning on punishing me more?"

"I figured you might wonder about that. I have an early Christmas present for you." He brought out a package from under the tree.

"This gift is supposed to buy your way back into my good graces?"

"Hopefully it will."

She opened the box. It was the emerald and diamond necklace that she had to pawn to make ends meet after Corey's disappearance. Melinda started crying.

"Melinda, is this enough for you to forgive me?"

"Maybe with some matching earrings and lots of makeup sex."