Dear John Ch. 03

Ch. 3 and still no sex.

So that was how my life went into the toilet and back to normal again within the space of a few days.

The visit to her attorney was brief and to the point. The divorce papers had already been signed and her signature notarised. The conditions of the divorce were exactly as she had put in her letter. Her admission of guilt meant that the divorce would be fast tracked. I did retain my old classmate for representation. Angela remembered me from school and was more than willing to help me out. I took a copy of the paperwork to her to look over. She was amazed at the terms that Sandy had requested. She was okay with the terms so I signed the papers then left the details in her hands to file. She told me in this case I probably wouldn't even have to go to court.

The money had been deposited as Sandy had said it would be. Unless you consider the fact that my best friend had left our marriage with no input from me, my life was looking up.

I still didn't know why though. Why did my wife suddenly decide to abandon her family?

I decided to talk to some people.

First, was a visit to the local sheriff. They were no help because with the letter Sandy had left behind, as an adult, she was free to leave as long as she had not been forced. Even with the sudden departure there was nothing to point to abduction. There were no signs of struggle so in their mind no laws were broken. I wasn't convinced though. It took them a few days to finally break into the box I had found in Sandy's trunk. The box, however, was empty.

Sandy's friend Debbie was as floored as I had been. According to her, there was nothing Sandy had shared with her of the affair. She was positive that there had never been any office hanky panky as all the guys that Sandy worked with were too old or had young wives at home. Another dead end. That only left her sister Alexa. She wasn't answering her phone though.

I was slowly recovering from the shock of Sandy's disappearance by the following weekend. Karen had been a godsend. I didn't realise what life would be like without a partner until the little whirlwind that was named Karen Fisher unleashed herself on our household. She did the laundry, cleaned the house from top to bottom, supervised the homework from our two teens, made sure that our beds had clean sheets, did the shopping for food, and speaking of food, man she could cook. Every day when Sunny and I returned home the house was clean and a meal was prepared. Cindy had begun coming to our home after school with the day's homework for Sunny and by the end of the week it was like we were a family of sorts.

But there was still an empty spot in my bed and in my heart.

We four were sitting in our kitchen the following Saturday morning discussing the mystery of Sandy's disappearance when the elephant in the room was brought up. By my daughter if you can believe it.

"Dad are you going to try to find mom?" Sunny had really impressed me with her maturity this week. Although the family had been torn apart Sunny had been my rock. "You know you won't let her go unless you at least try to find her. There has to be a way to at least find out if she is ok. She might be a sex slave in some third world country or something else just as bad."

Karen spoke up, "Sunny how can you say something so hurtful about your mother.'

I spoke up, "Karen she's right. If Sandy left us for a lover she has that right but if she was abducted for other more nefarious reasons we should find out if we can help her escape. This whole affair excuse just doesn't sound like her but I do have to admit that our sex life had went way downhill in the past six months."

"Dad! TMI. I don't want to know about your sex life." Sunny said loudly.

"You brought the subject up Sunny. In fact you are the one that mentioned the possibility of her being a sex slave. And where did you hear of third world sex slaves if I might ask?" I asked my worldly 13 year old.

"Dad we do have the internet you know. I know how to do word searches. I've been researching the reasons why a women would disappear online. That is one of the more popular reasons. The US has had an increase in women and young girls disappearing and then surfacing in some sleazy whore house overseas. I'm sorry if that upsets you but you have to consider that possibility." I once again was amazed at how mature my 13 year old daughter was.

I was watching Karen as Sunny recounted her recent online activities. When Sunny mentioned whore house Karen's face lost its color and she had a sad look come over it. I had a feeling that the exploits of her ex had come to mind.

I spoke up. "Ok here is the plan. I will contact Angela and see if she can put me in contact with a private detective or at least someone to look into her disappearance. I agree that we should try to find her. No one is invisible forever. Is that ok Sunny?" I wanted my little girl to be onboard with my plan.

"Yes. If she has found someone she loves more than us and wants to be with I have to be ok with that." Sunny suddenly had tears running down her pretty cheeks. "But if she has been kidnapped I want you to help her. I want my mom back daddy," her voice quivered. Sunny leaned over onto Karen's shoulder and sobbed.

"Ok baby if she can be found, we will find her. If she is held against her will we will bring her home, so help me God."

"Thank you daddy," Sunny sobbed.

I looked once again at Karen's face as her tears joined Sunnys. She had one arm around Cindy and was stroking Sunny's hair in comfort with the other hand.

I left a message on Angela's business number not expecting a response until after the weekend. I was surprised to get a call back within 30 minutes. I explained my issue of wanting closure with Sandy and asked if she could refer me to someone competent to find her even if she was no longer in the country.

"I do have someone I have used in the past but they normally don't work outside the workplace. By the workplace I mean a letter agency. That's all I will tell you. I will forward your request to her and if she thinks it's something, she will be in touch. I normally use local private investigators but I think this person fits your needs better. I don't mean to sound mysterious but she must be discreet because her company frowns on anyone working solo," Angela finished.

"Thank you Angela do you have a contact number?" I asked.

"She will contact you. Just be ready. I will give her your situation and all pertinent information. Unless you want to settle for a local PI.

"No that sounds okay. Have her contact me. I want some type of closure. My daughter needs closure. Money won't be a problem as you know but I won't bankrupt what is left of my family just to find out she is living with some Greek stud on a private island."

"Ok John I understand." Angela concluded our conversation.

====

It was several days before I got the call. We met in some smoke filled honky tonk bar in the country. The music was loud and the crowd was lively. I went to the bar and ordered a beer. I had only taken one sip when I felt the presence of someone beside me. I looked down into the ice blue eyes of a very pretty, and very short woman.

"John I presume?" she asked.

"Yes," I said after I gulped my mouthful of beer.

"Follow me."

I followed her to a booth away from the dance floor. She introduced herself as Sam. no last name, just Sam. I started to explain what I wanted but she put her hand up and stopped me.

"I know about your wife and the letter. Tell me what you know about her before you met. Did she tell you of any old love affairs that might have ended badly? Do you know of anyone at all in her past that would want her back? Even after all these years?" Sam took a sip of her drink.

"We didn't share anything of our past, ever. Sandy wanted both of our past lives to remain just that, in the past. I do know that neither of us were virgins so there could have been a previous lover that never got over her. She had a four year college degree so she could have had a love affair in college but like I said she never gave me any names." I told her.

"Angela says you are trustworthy and she has never steered me wrong so I believe that you are serious. I will find your wife or I will at least find out where she is now. I will give you everything I find out about her and her so called lover. Is there anything you don't want to know? Sometimes what you imagine is better than reality." Sam looked at me with those cold ice blue eyes. I thought that her face would be very pretty in a different setting and circumstance.

"I want to know anything you find. If she truly wants to be separated from her old family then so be it but I want her to look me in the eye and tell me. Not read it from a letter. Our divorce is on fast track because of her letter so if possible I want something before she has a chance to remarry."

"Okay I'll find her. My price to you is $10,000. If she is dead I'll find her grave but it's still $10,000. If she can't be found it won't cost anything. I won't collect until I have proof of her whereabouts. Deal?"

"Deal," we shook hands. Her hands were as cold as her eyes. I asked her how I was to pay her and she told me that Angela would handle the payment.

In the weeks to follow the meeting with Sam my life was surprisingly calm. I went back to work without telling anyone what had happened at home. Karen went back to work also and was as close to a substitute wife for me as I could want. Except for the sex part that is. She and Cindy had moved some clothes and women things into our home. Karen moved into the third bedroom and Cindy was bunking with Sunny. The girls were getting along like they were sisters.

I felt better in some ways than I had felt in 15 years. My daughter had accepted the fact that her mother was no longer a part of our family. I had really worried about Sunny but she had surprised me again at how ambivalent she had become concerning her mother.

Sandy had been gone for a little over six months when I overheard the two thirteen year olds in a conversation one day.

Cindy: "Sunny do you think we can get your dad to marry my mom? That would be sooooo cool. Then we could actually be sisters all the time for real. Besides I want a daddy again. Even though my real dad was an asshole he was still my dad and I miss that and if we both loved your dad he wouldn't look so sad all the time. If we could get them to marry it would be perfect."

Sunny: Yeah I agree. But I don't think my dad is ready to marry anyone, yet. He was really hurt by what my bitch of a mom did. Your mom has been so nice though. I think if he ever decides to remarry it should be to your mom. We need to get them together, like in the same bedroom or something. If we let both of them know we are okay with it and push them a little who knows what will happen." Sunny finished.

'The little shits' I thought. 'Here I am just beginning to be able to deal with an empty bed and these two conivers are getting me hooked up already. 'I had to smile though. I could think of worse ways to deal with the abandonment of her mother than to get with Karen.

She had been totally exclusive with her ex husband. Not seeking any romance until after her divorce and her hormones drove her to seek a fwb. Since the day my wife left I don't believe she had dated anyone. She wasn't lingerie model beautiful but from what I could see she had everything else going on. Honestly she was the exact opposite, body wise, than my ex had been. Where Sandy had been an okay cook, Karen was a whiz in the kitchen. Where Sandy was short, Karen was taller. Where Sandy had been petite and small breasted, Karen was very well endowed. Where Sandy was petite, small waisted and had a cute bubble butt, Karen was well, bigger, in a well rounded mature way. Not fat mind you just more to love.

'Did I just think that? More to love? love? Oh god what am I going to do?' Suddenly I had an epiphany.