Dearly Beloved

"Ordinarily, I would say to make him pay for filing, but I don't want to delay you getting your share of his money. Find a cheap lawyer and ask for 70% of everything. I still can't believe you signed over a check to his sister for 50% already."

"I'm sorry. I was wanting to get out of the house as quickly as possible. I thought it sounded fair at the time. Isn't that the standard split?"

"There you go, thinking again. Look, divorce is basically a business transaction, a bargaining transaction, not a 'sticker price only' transaction. They make an offer, you make a counteroffer, and it goes on until there's a settlement. You offer 70% and they offer 50% and you settle for 60%. You'll see. By the way, is there any furniture or jewelry you can claim, and we can sell?"

"There might be some, but I don't think it's really that much."

"Good grief woman. That's not the issue. You need to get all you can. You wasted five years with that faggot cuckold. You deserve to get paid compensation for putting up with him that long. I know about business. Just do what I told you."

"Yes, Chuck. You're right, of course."

They went to bed that night and Chuck fucked her. For the first time she understood that he had always just fucked her and had never made love to her. Rod had always done that. She cried herself to sleep careful not to disturb Chuck's slumber.

The divorce went through but not without some problems. Astra, as guardian, stuck to her guns about an even split. Chuck finally agreed to let Marlee sign off as her attorney fees mounted up. His agreement didn't stop him from fussing at her for making a bad deal.

The months passed by. Things with Chuck, however, never got to a place where Marlee was truly comfortable. She felt like she was treading water in her relationship with him. Next month her divorce from Rod would be final, but Chuck had said nothing about getting married afterwards. He had no incentive to do so. All of her money had gone into Chuck's account for which she had no access. He paid all the bills and gave her an allowance. She began to feel like she was a maid, cook, laundress, and whore to Chuck instead of his potential wife. Marlee couldn't remember him saying he loved her since she left her marriage. And now, Chuck had been wanting less sex lately. Marlee was afraid to admit what she secretly feared.

Marlee almost had a wreck going into work one day. She saw a man who looked like Rod but with a beard and long hair. He seemed to be walking and talking to someone in the air. As soon as she got to her office, she called Astra.

"Yeah, that was probably Rod. At least physically. He was judged not to be harmful to himself or others, so they let him out of the hospital. He goes to the bathroom by himself now and gets dressed. Rod has been making cereal for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch. He goes to the Salvation Army for supper.

"Even with all he can do now, I couldn't obtain enough help supervising him at my home. My husband and kids were tired of dealing with him. My marriage and family were in jeopardy. I found out he could get more help from different agencies back in your town than here. The mental health center has him in an apartment and is supposedly supervising him. He spends most of his time walking the city, picking up aluminum cans, and minding his own business. That's his life now."

"You mean he's not going to get any better?"

"He's seeing a therapist and is on medication. They say since it was probably caused by the sight of his wife and her lover fucking in his marital bed and not an ongoing mental illness, potentially he could have a breakthrough at any time or never. I would say his chances for returning to normal again are slim and none."

"I can't believe there's nothing more that can be done to help him."

Astra got angry, "Oh spare me the histrionics bitch. You made him this way. It didn't bother you to tear his heart out and betray him. Don't pretend you give a flying fuck now. Tell me just one thing he ever did to you that warranted killing him because that's what you effectively did... I didn't think so."

Marlee could only cry at first. "He never did anything wrong. I swear I didn't mean to hurt him."

"'He didn't do anything wrong' Now that's certainly a good reason for destroying a man who loved you more than his own life. I hope you're happy now - NOT." She hung up.

Marlee wasn't happy. She wasn't sure she would recognize happiness anymore even if it hit her in the face. Her life was a mud pit where every day was like taking a step trying to remove one foot from the mud that was trying to suck the foot down. After finally getting the one foot out, she placed it in the mud again and repeated the process with the other foot.

After seeing Rod on the street several times, she stopped one day and stood before him. He tried to get around her, but she kept moving in front of him. "Rod, it's me, Marlee."

There seemed to be a glimpse of recognition but that was followed once again with a recitation of 'Dearly Beloved' much to her chagrin. She started crying and ran to her car.

Chuck started 'working late' more and more often. Their sex was less and less frequent. His complaints on how she performed in her daily chores and sex grew more and more. She was relieved and not surprised when he told her they needed to talk.

"Marlee, you know I love you, but..."

Uncharacteristically, she interrupted. "Stop right there, Chuck. You have never really loved me. You probably lusted me for a while, but you don't treat someone like you treated me if you loved me. I was a new toy for you to play with for a while and now you've got tired of me. My greatest attraction for you was probably that you stole me away from someone else.

"There's no reason to lie now. I bet your recent 'overtime' has been wearing a short skirt and a blouse buttoned too low. Don't bother with the lame excuses. You're tired of me and I'm tired of the way you've treated me. You don't have to ask me to go. I'm ready to leave. I'll be out by the weekend. She went upstairs and moved some of her stuff into the guest bedroom." Chuck didn't try to stop her. He just went upstairs and hit her in the face several times.

*****

Marlee was able to get a few thousand dollars out of Chuck to keep from her pressing charges. It was enough to get started in an apartment. While taking her last load out to her car, a young woman with big tits came and asked where Apartment 5-G was. That was Chuck's apartment.

Marlee asked, "You moving in?"

"I was supposed to wait until tomorrow, but I couldn't wait. My boyfriend is so special. It looks like all my dreams are coming true."

Marlee couldn't resist. "You know, another word for dreams is nightmare." The woman looked like she was confused at what she had said.

At that point, Marlee saw the landlord coming. "Hey Bobby, get another residency form for Chuck's Fuck House." She walked away from the woman smiling all the way.

*****

Marlee got settled in an apartment of her own. With help from a raise at work, she gradually furnished her apartment. Meanwhile, she had been stopping Rod every day at lunchtime once she figured out his usual route and schedule. She would tell him to sit down, hand him food, and tell him to eat. He followed the directions. She would spend the time talking to him. Memories of good times together were brought up in hopes of bringing him back to life. After lunch was over, she would tell him to continue his walk. Any time she tried to get him to speak, he would say, 'Dearly Beloved, we are..."

Marlee followed him home one day and found out who his case manager was at the mental health center. She wanted to make sure she was not inferring with any of the treatment going on. The case manager informed her that Rod was not taking his medication unless prompted to do so. Some days the regular aide would not be able to show up and no substitute could be found. Marlee offered to help. The case manager said she would check with Rod's guardian.

Astra called Marlee soon after. "What are you up to now, slut?"

"Nice to talk to you too, Astra. I am now living on my own and have been having lunch with Rod most weekdays. I like having him in my life again, even if he doesn't communicate much. I would like to help him. I have offered to check on him each morning to make sure he takes his medication. I would appreciate it if you would let me."

"What's in it for you? I'm not going to pay you."

"You would probably say I'm doing it out of guilt, and you would be partially correct. I would say I'm doing it out of love, and I would be partially correct. Look, whatever my motive making sure he gets his medication will help Rod. I solemnly promise I will never hurt him again."

"Yeah, we all know your history on keeping promises."

"Yes, Astra. I broke my wedding vows and committed adultery with a jerk, but that neither guarantees I will break or not break my promise of helping him now. You'll just have to see. You can only see by giving me permission to do it. You can stop it anytime you want if you're disappointed."

Astra paused before responding. "All right, Marlee. Let's give it a try. You better not be trying to pull anything, or I swear I'll tear every hair... , well, whatever I do won't be pleasant for you."

"Thank you, Astra."

Marlee started going over every morning before work and on weekends. She would give Rod his medicine and watch as he prepared for his daily walk around town. One morning as he was getting ready for the day, he came into the room where Marlee was. She asked him, "What's the matter, Rod?" She soon saw. Rod had morning wood. She wondered when the last time was that he had had sex. Marlee figured it was probably the last time she had had sex with him before the day he saw her and Chuck in bed.

Marlee asked Rod if he would like to have sex. When he didn't say anything, she got down on her knees and pulled his penis out of his underwear. Marlee made love to his penis, using her tongue and lips to show how much she cared about her former husband. After some time of her head bobbing up and down on his tool, Rod started to thrust in rhythm to her head motion. Soon he ejaculated. Marlee gobbled up every drop and savored the moment.

Marlee stood up with tears on her eyes and looked at Rod. "Thank you, Rod. That meant a lot to me." The episode began to repeat itself on a daily basis. One day Rod presented her with his penis but turned away when she sought to put it in her mouth. She was puzzled for a while before she figured it out. Marlee took off her clothes and lay down on the bed with her legs spread. "Fuck me, sweetheart. This is your pussy and no one else's." Rod eased into her and made slow love to her. Marlee had three orgasms to his one. When he got up, Marlee thought she saw the beginnings of a smile on his face. She told him, "That's yours anytime you want it."

In another month, Marlee called Astra again. "Astra, I have another favor to ask of you."

"Like I owe you favors."

"No, you don't, but you have Rod's best interest in your heart. Rod and I have been getting along very well. We've even made love again."

"What? You took advantage of him?"

"No, I swear he wanted it. It's better in some ways than when I remember when we were married. The reason I'm calling you is that I would like Rod to move in with me. I want to be with him and take care of him without having to go back and forth between places. I think I love him more now than ever. I think I need him more now than ever."

"You want his money that bad?"

"Fuck you, Astra. Yes, I would like some financial support to help pay for his share of expenses. You can still manage his money and I'll hand you a receipt before I ask for reimbursement. I would still take him, however, if there were no money involved. His case manager has agreed it would be beneficial for him."

"She called me already and told me that Rod has started to focus on the person talking to him and nodding for yes and no. She recommended I let him stay with you. You know I don't trust you. I would feel like killing you and myself if you hurt him again. But I am hoping he and you return to the time before you got too stupid. Go ahead. I can give you $500 a month for his care."

"Thank you, Astra. That should be plenty. Please come and visit us when you can."

*****

In the following year, Rod returned to normal as far as taking care of himself and performing the duties he had previously done as husband without prompting. Still, there was no voluntary speech. Just the standard 'Dearly Beloved.' Marlee had learned to operate on yes and no nods from him. Her proudest moment was when she was able to get him a volunteer job filing documents in charts at his old Child Protection Office. Everyone was briefed on his speech problem and worked around it.

Marlee's life was content in many ways. As time went on, one issue became paramount to her -- her biological clock. She confronted Rod. "Rod, I have had a wonderful time living with you again. There is only one thing that would like for us to consider. This is hard to say, but I want to have a child with you. Sweetheart, do you want a child?"

Instead of a head shake or nod, Rod yelled out clearly, "Hell yes!"

Marlee almost fainted upon hearing Rod speak. They cried and kissed and screamed and jumped around like two crazy people.

Once the initial breakthrough happened, his speech came back in in spurts. Soon he and Marlee went to a local preacher at a church where some of their friends attended. They talked about the upcoming wedding ceremony to re-unite the couple. After they finished, Marlee asked Rod to wait outside while she talked to the minister a moment.

"Did you have another question, my dear?"

"It's not a question, pastor. Actually, it's a threat."

"A what?"

"Listen carefully. If you say the words 'Dearly Beloved' in the ceremony, I will cut your balls off with a rusty knife."

"I assume there's a good reason for that, but I will not ask what."

EPILOGUE

FIVE YEARS LATER

Marlee sat on the bench watching Rod play with their four-year-old son on the playground. She was thanking God for the second chance she had been given. She rubbed her stomach as she prayed. Her daughter-to-be was kicking and the rubbing seemed to sooth her. She had now moved up into management at her job and Rod was back in his old job as a Child Protection Case Worker. Aunt Astra and they exchanged visits and trips to fun and educational places with her and her kids.

Rod returned home early one day from work. There was a strange car in the driveway. Rod went upstairs and saw Marlee in bed having sex with Chuck. Marlee screamed at seeing Rod. Rod went over and hit Chuck knocking him to the floor. He then proceeded to hit and kick him repeatedly. Finally, a shot rang out. There was a red spot growing on Chuck's chest. Rod looked at Marlee, but she wasn't there. There was another woman with a gun. She pointed it at Rod and fired.

Rod suddenly rose up awake in the bed sweating profusely. Marlee yelled, "Rod, what's the matter? Did you have a nightmare?"

Rod felt himself drawing the familiar protective cocoon of silence around him. His body began to stiffen. Just then his son burst into the room. "Daddy, Daddy, are you all right? Did you have a bad dream?"

Rod was pleased to hear himself speak. "Yes, son. Even daddies have bad dreams some time."

"Do you want me to sleep next to you, so you won't be scared?"

"I would love that." His son got under the covers on one side while Marlee turned so her stomach was touching the other side of Rod's body. He reached down and rubbed her belly. His daughter kicked out in response. It appeared everyone in the family was glad it was just a dream.

The next day on the morning news, it was reported that the woman living with Chuck had shot and killed him during the night. In fact, it was at about the same time Rod had his nightmare. Rod wondered if it was just a wild coincidence or a matter of a wish being granted. He chose to believe the latter.