Discarded and Forsaken - A Reality Pt. 02

Sarah returns, a second part to Discarded and Forsaken.

Words: around 19k

Tags: conflict, angst, therapy, family, relationships.

Persona dramatis:

Mark, abandoned on a special night when his wife Sarah goes off with a celebrity sportsman. Two children.

Catherine and her husband Ron, Mark's doting parents.

Simon their Psychologist

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I was asked in one of the comments if there was to be a follow up to the story I wrote about the aftermath of a 'February sucks' type situation. When I finished my original I felt that there was nowhere to go with the story that hadn't been done before. Then I thought that maybe it didn't matter what had been done before, so the following is what has come from a lot of thought about the hours and days after Sarah arrives at his parents house. Some might feel that the epilogue could go further, I'm sorry but after deciding on one ending, the plot just took a hold of itself and something different happened. Maybe I read too many depressing LW stories that left me feeling melancholy. After reading the epilogue to my better half she told me that my grammar needs improvement, can't be helped I'm afraid. It's taken me a long time to put together and I'm sure there's all kinds of errors and ideas that the nitpickers will have fun with but I hope you enjoy my resolution.

As always this is an entirely fictitious story and any unattributed connection to any person or place is entirely unintended and coincidental.

I'll try not to mix my metaphors in this one, although in the first part I thought my mixtures were better than the originals.

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Recap: The end of Discarded and forsaken - a reality:

I was sanding the bow to prepare for painting on a quiet Sunday afternoon when a voice said, "Need any help Sailor?" I looked around slightly startled, we didn't get visitors apart from Mum or the little ones. An apparition stood before me, she wore white capri pants and a loose yellow t-shirt. She looked as fresh as a daisy and as good as I could remember for a very long time. I picked up another piece of sandpaper and said, "You can have that side," indicating to my right.

"Have you seen the children yet?" I asked after a suitable period to gather my thoughts.

"No, not yet, I want your permission first."

I stopped and looked across, she stopped too and was holding a sheet of paper towards me. It was a letter to me, from the Psychologist, telling me about her progress. Maybe it was enough, maybe it wasn't, but my heart broke almost nightly when they asked when Mummy was coming to see them. I nodded in the direction of the house and she grinned infectiously then kissed me on the cheek before running to the house like an excited schoolgirl. It would never be the same again but a good life for my children was enough for me, at least for the foreseeable future.

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Sarah's return

Sarah thought she ought to enter by the front door, she wasn't sure what kind of reception she faced from her 'in-law'. Mark's mother opened the door and her face tightened to a disapproving matronly expression that resembled the hardness of stone.

"Mark said I could see the children," she tried a little white lie.

His mother let the statement lie for a moment before saying, "You better come in then," without any warmth whatsoever.

"They are in the den playing," she said, waving a hand in some general direction that could have been anywhere to the left side. But she continued, "We better have a little chat before you go in, I expect that they will dominate your time once they see you."

The last thing Sarah wanted to do right then was visit with her mother-in-law but she knew an order when it was given and it behoved her to do as she was told right then.

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They sat at the breakfast bar, a mug of fresh coffee warming their hands and Sarah waited for the first bolt of lightning to come down from above. She tried hard not to look impatient but she was fast running out of that commodity. She felt she hadn't seen her babies for so long now, her heart ached and a myriad of worries kept going around in her head. 'Are they ok? Have they been fed properly? Not too much time in front of the TV or the games machines? Where are they going to school?' The questions went on and on in her head. She was sure they must be pining for her and she imagined them crying themselves to sleep every night.

Of course it was silly really, she knew that her husband; 'could she call him that any more?' Well anyway she knew that he adored them as did her in-laws. Now she worried whether they had forgotten her.

"What are your plans for the future?" Catherines question broke her meandering worries.

"I suppose it depends on Mark."

"Well then, how long will you be staying? When do you go back to this celebrity dickhead you have taken up with? What is he? Some kind of sportsman or some kind of useless TV celebrity?" Catherine knew exactly who or what he was but wasn't giving Sarah the satisfaction of thinking he was anyone important enough to be worthy of her knowledge. In her mind he was a scumbag and that was all she needed to know and her facial expression said all there was on the subject.

"I came here to be with my family and there is no one else."

Catherine scoffed, inside she knew she shouldn't, the children needed their mother and let's face it, she needed her. She wasn't getting any younger and the two loveable tykes had more energy than a healthy woman of her age could keep up with long term. And there was the rub, she wasn't herself. She ought to see a doctor but was afraid of what they might say. Ron knew it and nagged her daily to get looked at. Inside Catherine was pulled between needing this woman and hating her for what she had done to her family. She made a supreme effort. "So where are you staying?"

"I've booked into a cheap hotel not far away. I'm hoping but I am afraid....." Sarah felt the fear and the tears began to rise and collect in her eyes. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry, at least until she saw the children, 'if she saw them,' she reminded herself.

"Well my dear, your children have had a terrible experience, they aren't slow, they caught sight of the news feed. It was everywhere and you are infamous. Quite rightly they asked if you had left them."

The tears were coming faster now, Sarah's guilt overwhelmed her sometimes and it was all coming back. "I never meant to hurt anyone, my friends all said that Mark loved me so much he would forgive me this one time," and she was on a high of a few drinks and a lot of honeyed words. She never thought it through, it was like a wave that carried her away and she didn't understand why.

"So, is it over?"

Sarah was emphatic, "Oh definitely, I feel like it was just a bad dream that I never woke up from. The therapist is helping of course, well he's helping me to realise how deluded and selfish I was. I have cut all ties with my so-called friends who led me into trouble, not that I wasn't culpable, I just have to cauterise myself from that kind of stupidity. My future is in Mark's hands and yours of course; I am throwing myself on his mercy."

Catherine made up her mind then, of course she didn't really have a choice regardless of whether she believed this woman's story or not, "Come with me." she said emphatically. She led Sarah through in the direction generally indicated before and opened a door to peek inside. Sarah could hear the babble of the children evidently arguing over some point or other with sage input occasionally from their Grandfather who was valiantly trying to keep the peace.

Catherine caught her husband's eye and mouthed "Sarahs here." Ron was startled for a moment, there was no warning. Then after a moments thought he stood up. "Children, I think Grandma has a big surprise for you, can you guess what it might be?"

Of course, children being children it took time to drag their thoughts away from their squabble but then their faces gained attention at the seriousness of their grandfather, and then hope and finally excitement as they read more in their grandfather's expression. All of a sudden they were on their feet and rushing to the door as grandma stood aside and opened the door wider. The children jumped into Sarah's arms as one and they collapsed to the floor amidst cries of, "Mummy, Mummy, your back."

Catherine and Ron couldn't help themselves, despite everything, the pure joy of reuniting children with their mother was inspiring and they couldn't help but grin. 'It was a pity that Mark wasn't here,' they each thought in their own way 'or was it?'

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Mark

My Dad arrived after a while, obviously sent by Mum to keep me company. As we worked together we chatted convivially about everything and nothing but mainly about plans for the boat. We each suggested places we wanted to sail to and wondered if we would ever reach them. For my parents sake I really wanted them to break loose and enjoy the benefits of their years of work. Ron, my father and Catherine, my mother, had been selfless in building a life for us and I was deeply aware that my troubles could easily become theirs and prevent them from venturing forth on their great adventures.

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Ron

"The day had to come eventually, you know. You must realise that the children won't let her out of their sight now she's back. Be prepared that they may even blame you for the absence, they won't mean anything by it, they just have to find their own way of understanding why she should leave them. They couldn't possibly understand so will blame either themselves or you. Do you understand that Son? It's not your fault, it's hers, but I know you want them to be happy. So you will find the transition very painful."

Mark didn't respond to my words so I changed tack saying, "Have you decided what you're going to do about the offers you have received yet?"

"I'm thinking that I might take up the offer of free legal council, it strikes me that I ought to force Sarah to claim rape or abduction if she wants to come back."

"But she wasn't Son, we all know that."

"I know but I feel that she should do something to prove that she is repentant."

I thought about that for a good long time and we worked silently for a while.

Mark continued eventually, "The lawyers don't know that any action will be successful but since it became high profile they want to jump on the bandwagon. I think they want to try to establish a new legal principle for foreseeable consequences, especially when there are children involved. I think it's pie in the sky but in Sarah's case she was whisked away quickly and others conspired for it to happen. Additionally I was physically prevented from talking to Sarah and that made it abduction from a marriage while the wife wasn't in her right mind. Well that's the angle anyway. There's lots of possible arguments but the lawyers are hoping to establish a precedent and get some kudos, as well as get rich. If the dickhead has done this to other couples there's a chance of getting others to join in the action and the lawyers are imagining the dollar signs racking up. I've also had offers of funding if I give an exclusive to the press."

"It sounds like 'kite flying' to me." I said. "As you say, people are just jumping on the bandwagon. I expect it will peter out as reality strikes"

"Me too, my big concern is how much of my time they will need, dragging me away from work or time with the children."

"Yes, especially if we go forward with your plans to start a new business. Any more news on that front?"

"There seems to be plenty of firms dabbling in the investment market but none offering the level of service we are planning, especially in property investment. Seems to me that there is an opportunity to offer an across the board investment brokerage spreading the investment between traditional stocks and shares to shared interest in property and local business investment. I've talked to a few firms while looking for jobs and some are prepared to refer clients in return for a commission on sales. Said Mark.

"Sounds encouraging, when do we start?"

"Are you still happy to convert the old garage for an office?"

"I am and I am thinking of converting the loft for a living unit."

"Ohh?"

"Let's just say I have an idea for the future," I said secretively.

'What was he up to?' Mark speculated in his mind and they again settled on companionable work. Then he changed the subject abruptly. "I'm worried about Mum, I don't want her getting ill just when you have a chance to retire and follow your dreams."

"So am I son, if she doesn't arrange a doctor's appointment this week I will physically drag her there myself."

"Count me in if you need any help carrying her kicking and screaming to the car."

I laughed and just then Catherine came in with a beer, so we quickly changed the subject but she looked at us with a worried frown.

Fortunately she thought that we were discussing Sarah, "Be strong son," I said, to strengthen her assumption and turned to take a beer.

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Mark

I think I must have sanded down that boat for hours as my muscles were really beginning to ache. My Dad went to see what was happening and brought me another beer, or was it two, and I drank them almost without noticing. I suppose I would have continued until I dropped if Mum hadn't dragged us away for a meal. My Dad looked shattered and I berated myself for being so self centred with no regard for him.

Entering via the Kitchen door I was enveloped in delicious smells that made me realise just how hungry I was. "That smells good Mum," I said, trying to act naturally. She looked my way with just the slightest of smiles and tilted her head towards the den where the kids kept their toys and books. I grimaced and she gave me a look that said, 'I know how you're feeling but you're going to have to bite the bullet.' So I did as a good son should, went and washed up. Returning I grabbed a can of dutch courage before making my way towards the den.

The scene I was met with was like something out of a Hallmark movie. The children were sitting on cushions in a corner either side of their mum, heads resting on a shoulder each and her arms around them. Sarah was reading quietly to them and they held on tight to her, afraid that she might up and leave.

I leant against a door jamb trying to let my misgivings be replaced by acceptance of the scene and eventually I must have allowed myself to relax, because I made a sound that caught the children's attention. Their faces lit up and they squealed, "Daddy, Daddy, look who's here. Mummies back." I saw an unintended grimace cross Sarah's face as she realised what the children had said might not match my view of the situation. I matched her grimace with one of my own and said, "Don't let me interrupt you, finish your story but dinner won't be long." Then I stayed just long enough not to give the children any false impressions before I slid as quietly as I could out of the room.

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Mark

Mum acknowledged my presence as I returned to the Kitchen by asking, "Everything Ok Son?" I nodded so she continued, "What are you planning to do next? You knew this day was coming."

"I know Mum, I thought I was prepared but then she was there out of nowhere and all my preconceptions have gone. Why does she have to be such a good Mum, it makes it so hard."

"Do you still feel the hurt so much?"

"I do, but differently. When it first happened, it was like she had completely changed. I couldn't relate the person I knew to what she had done. I've heard about women needing to feel young again and desired. I've also heard about women going through a change of life but I never realised that a woman could be swept away in a fairytale forsaking all others, and that's describing it nicely."

I took a breath for a moment before continuing, "The worse thing was the feeling of being abandoned like I didn't matter and wasn't worthy of consideration, particularly how I felt for the kids. I think I may have overreacted but I think I had a right to. What she did to us is unforgivable. There is no way we can ever go back to what we had but I have to find a way that gives the kids a happy family and a secure future. I think they have been affected enough."

Mum looked sad as I spoke but acknowledged the logic of what I was saying. Her expression still asked the same question though, so I said, "Oh I don't know, I guess I have to talk with her.

Mum nodded sagely as if that was where she expected my answer to lead then said. "You know they are not going to let her out of their sight."

I looked at her for a long moment realising that this was going to be a lot harder than I imagined.

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Mark

Dinner was a raucous affair. As might be imagined the children were over excited by their Mum's unexpected return. Sarah looked awkward but did her best to indulge their excitement and endless questions but every now and then her face would look to me with a sense of that awkward uncertainty and worry. I wondered if she feared that the children's expectations exceeded possibilities. As moments passed any hopes of keeping Sarah at arms length dwindled and I felt like my choices were evaporating.

After polishing off the children's favourite after dinner treat Mum suggested that Daddy and Mummy had a lot to talk about so the children were going to help clear away while we went for a walk in the garden to have our 'chat.' The children looked worried by this and looked to me with pleading expressions that implored me to let them keep her.

I smiled to myself that it was a bit like wanting to keep a puppy but I was being facetious when they were so serious. It was just a moment's brevity that allowed me to relax from worrying about where we go next. Mean time, they were having nothing of the idea of her leaving them clinging to their mum like a couple of limpets. They cried, "Mummy won't come back, Daddy won't let her."

I said, "Perhaps we can talk later Sarah, they have been missing you so I think you better stay with them." For a moment she looked overcome with joy mixed with sadness at the children now fully crying as they clung to her and tried to worm their way onto her lap.

"But," she stammered, "I didn't know what to expect. Didn't want to assume."

I sighed, then resigned myself to what was going to happen. "OK, where are your things?"

"I booked into the Sun Hotel."

I grimaced, it was a cheap place with a bad reputation and for a moment thought 'That's just the right place for a slut.' And then involuntarily my protective instincts kicked in. Dad and I locked eyes and silently agreed. "What's your room number?" he asked. She looked bewildered but answered automatically. Mum wanted to say it and I could see it in her face so I spoke her thoughts for her,"We'll get your things then we'll see what is to be done about a decent room tomorrow, they are obviously not going to let you out of their sight so you better sleep in with them.