Day Tripper

"There's more, Dad. Sarah has been complaining since last winter that her father has been away a lot. Last week she told us they were moving after Thanksgiving because the insurance company where her father works was transferring him. Last night, Trudy's mom saw Sarah's dad pick her up after practice and guess what? She recognized him as the stud-muffin porking mom. Tonight, I walked with Sarah to her car and verified it," Brook revealed. "He's the guy that was with her that night I saw them."

My head swam with all the information! How could kids figure so much out? Could this all be coincidence? Was there even such a thing as coincidence? Can our kids know us that well? Why did I even pretend to think? All I had to do was ask Brook.

"What do I do now, Brook?" I groaned. "I can't think straight anymore."

"Well, I'm glad you asked, Dad! I knew you'd look like a pretty good catch to most soccer, or softball moms. Those ladies pretty much confirmed that today. You don't have to put up with a woman that lies and cheats. You deserve better and I'm going to help you get it," Brook asserted. "First, though, you have to get rid of the deadwood."

It was the night before Brook's first game in the state play-offs and Natalie had to make another trip for work. She promised Brook she would drive all day if necessary to be back in time for the game. That final lie helped ease our consciences.

Room service knocked on the door. He was carrying a bottle of champagne. I had convinced the management that the couple in 402 was very close to us and we wanted to surprise them. It had all sounded very friendly and loving.

As the door opened, I stuffed a twenty into the guy's shirt and grabbed the champagne and pushed in. Brook, Sarah, and Sarah's mother followed me in. Natalie was in bed, clutching the sheet to her neck. Shitwad had a robe on and seemed totally bewildered.

"We hate to bother you two at work," I began. "It's just that Sarah and Brook wanted to celebrate winning districts with all their parents. The fact that Sarah smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and then made a game-saving catch in the top of the eighth, while Brook pitched a one-hitter and tripled in the ninth and scored the winning run seemed to have escaped you two."

"Try to imagine how proud Susan and I are of the girls and then imagine what you missed. Truthfully, you can't. You had to be there, and you weren't."

Susan held the four glasses up and I poured champagne into each. I had actually opened the bottle before room service had knocked on the door. I handed a glass each to Natalie and Dickhead.

"Here's to the truth and to our daughters accomplishments," I toasted. "Here's to the new direction our lives will take and Sarah and her mom not having to move this fall. Most of all, here's to smart kids and good lawyers!"

Sarah's mom, Susan, and I gulped the bubbly while the girls sipped their sodas.

"Don't bother coming home, Steve. Sarah and I will do fine without you. My lawyer assures me that the settlement will allow me to keep the house and live comfortably. Sarah won't have to change schools again. You get to keep this whore, so it all seems pretty fair to me," chuckled Susan, but without any mirth.

"Tim! Brook!" cried Natalie. "I love you both! Don't do anything rash. This isn't what it looks like!"

"Well, I for one am glad to hear that, Natalie," I responded with relief. "It looks like you're bare assed naked in bed with this shithead. Which part did I get wrong?"

"Look at the bright side, Mom," added Brook. "You won't have to lie to not attend any of my activities. You'll be able to screw anyone, anytime, without guilt. You won't have to worry about giving Dad aids, or STD's. You won't ever see how sad he was when he found out he was a cuckold. I know you want the same as me for Dad, and that's for him to be happy. Somehow, I think he will be now. Thanks for everything, Mom. Just don't embarrass me by showing up at anything I'm involved with, okay?"

All four of us filed out the door as Natalie sobbed softly.