Conversation Overheard

"I used that to leverage a job we are building, it was for materials." He said.

"You didn't ask me!"

"I didn't think I needed to, we will make at least 50% on the deal." He said.

I thought that that sounded all right, let it go.

After Tom left the next day, I started calling, checking on accounts. There was one hell of a lot of "leveraging" going on.

Now I knew. It hit me all at once. Deposits coming in were nowhere near capital going out. Plus everything going out was into accounts with Tom's name on it, or to companies that he controlled.

I had stupidly just married Tom, happy and overwhelmed that he wanted me. Now I had doubts.

Like I said earlier, I really wasn't very good at keeping track of things, I just let Tom handle it all.

I started checking on the companies listed. Most of them were legitimate sounding names, but Frank's name started popping up on the paperwork, too.

Now what the hell?

Tom wasn't exactly broke when we met, but he was still just a contractor. Money came in and went out, I mostly paid little attention. I went to work at the clinic, came home.

Now I was paying attention.

One nice thing about online transfers, they work both ways. I set up a different account and used my own passcodes. I started moving my money out of the other accounts and into mine. I added up the total Tom and Frank had moved, it was over a quarter million dollars. Tom was showing monthly cash flows of around $40,000, why in the hell had he moved so much?

And into accounts in just his name? His one mistake was using the same passcodes, that was stupid.

But one thing about Tom I had noted, he tended to not be able to remember things like passwords, even his email couldn't be opened without him digging in his desk drawer to find it written down.

But afternoon, I had all but $20,000 back. That seemed to have been spent. Then I sat down and waited for the fireworks. I didn't have long to wait, Tom stormed through the door at 4 O'clock.

"What the fuck did you DO?" he yelled, the first words out of his mouth.

"I put things back the way they were, if you need money, use your own goddam money!" I shouted right back.

"Jesus Christ, I have to pay the crew, I have to pay the union, I have materials coming in!"

"You have enough to cover that." I replied, as calm as I could.

I happened to know that was true, I had taken the time to check. Tom still had close to $60,000 in accounts that I knew had nothing to do with me, so I just left that there.

Even though I was still short $20,000.

"You owe me $20,000!" I said, smugly.

I thought for a second he was going to hit me, his face darkened. But Tom is slight, I was ready and if things got physical I knew I could hold my own.

I also knew my marriage was over.

Three time loser, that is me.

Tom stormed out, I sat thinking.

Tom didn't offer much resistance to the divorce papers, he really couldn't. I had given my lawyers, yes, I hired several, all the documents.

I also had copies of the emails back and forth with Sara, unlike Tom I had no problem remembering passwords.

The final straw was the line from Tom. "We will need to be more careful."

I realized that Tom and Frank had tried to set a trap for me. All of the love, the tenderness, just a front to get at the money.

Of course the calls from Sara stopped, she knew that I knew. Tom and Frank still work together, all that did was confirm what I already knew.

I am back to living alone. I am still at the clinic.

I still have 15 pounds extra I battle.

"I want to fuck your wife." Frank had said, loudly from the room next door.

For my benefit, of course. To place the idea in my head. I never knew the entire plan, but I suspect it involved me getting caught "cheating."

Men are bastards.

"I want to fuck your wife!" Frank said.

Well, he didn't get to.

Me? I am just Sally.

I will be just fine.