Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

Dear Readers,

It has been fourteen long years since I submitted a story for publication on this website. My writing style, choice of genres and author name have changed.

Inspiration comes in many forms and the story "Wife Re-Trains Her Husband" by Freakboy80 was very entertaining and gave me the idea to write my own version. Many thanks to Freakboy80.

The tale of a cheating husband and suffering wife is theme that has been explored many times. This is not a BTB and borders on the RAAC genre. You'll have to judge for yourself.

There are graphic depictions of anal sex and coercive anal sex. If that offends you, read no farther.

This story is the property of the author. Any semblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Does The Punishment Fit the Crime?

The Starbucks was strangely empty for a Tuesday mid-morning. My feet nervously tapped on the floor. I'd just come from a meeting with Martin's father and the packet he handed me contained very damaging evidence of my husband's infidelity. My father-in-law was grim faced and apologetic. He owned one of the most prestigious and sought-after investigative firms in the Tri-State region.

"I'm sorry Claire...I don't know what to say. The investigative team was very thorough. I'm truly ashamed of him!"

"Don't be George. I've suspected for some time now."

"If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

"Thanks, but I'll take it from here."

My coffee was cold as I pondered my options.

One: Divorce my cheating bastard of a husband and throw him out on his keister.

Two: Try to save my marriage.

To save it, I'd need some concrete proof from Martin that he was more than willing to cooperate. One avenue might be through marriage counseling.

Despite everything I loved Martin. He'd hurt me beyond measure, but my love was deep for him.

We met as undergrads at Temple University in Philadelphia. I was very athletic and academically gifted. Tall with short dark brunette hair, a sleek muscular physique and what some say is my best feature, intense green eyes.

Martin could be best described as a geek, but he had a lean build, and was very handsome. One his best features was a large, circumcised cock that rocked my world. He knew how to use it!

We fell in very much in love and were inseparable from Junior year on. After undergraduate, we both went Villanova Law School.

My husband was always very kind, caring, affectionate and saw to my needs in the bedroom and in our home. An excellent father to Tessa and Harry, he adored his children.

We'd been married almost twelve years when the trouble started.

The catalogue of signs is cliché. Staying late at work, poor communication, sex dropped off in the bedroom to nil, attitude took a 360, and his arrogance was palpable.

I'm not the push-over type, far from it. I'm well versed in martial arts, still practice almost daily, and was a skilled amateur boxer while at university and law school, known for my knockout power. I KO'd several women and a few overconfident guys. I'm not a violent person, far from it, but I did get a kick out of seeing my male opponents flat on their backs. My father was a police captain in Philadelphia, and I learned how to box at the local Police Athletic League. I could easily take my husband in a fight but when you love someone, that's the last thing on your mind.

Martin's crappy behavior led to some very heated arguments until I was convinced that he was cheating on me. Every time I confronted him; he'd say I was paranoid, but I knew otherwise. I'm nobody's fool! There were times when I contemplated kicking his egotistical ass, but I could never bring myself to hurt Martin physically, at least that way.

Just prior to any of this he'd settled two very large legal cases that netted him a tidy six-figure bonus. It was the beginning of the end because his arrogant behavior took over almost immediately. It annoyed the hell out of me, and no amount of arguing or pleading could change his demeanor.

When I arrived home, I took my two kids to my parents for an overnight stay. I didn't want them in the house when I confronted their father as it was not going to be pleasant. A thick brown manila envelope was placed at the spot where Martin ate dinner which was unmade and likely to remain so.

Well, the "shit the fan" as soon as Martin arrived home. As soon as he sat down, he saw the envelope and his face paled a little, but he got back on his high horse immediately.

"Is this supposed to scare me?" he asked haughtily.

I gave him my best evil glare.

'Oh, it should Martin. There is a great deal of damning evidence inside. Perhaps you should look at it."

"No thanks. It won't change anything."

"This how this is going to play out. Listen up because I'm only going to say this once. If you want to save our marriage, if you're even interested, we must go to marriage counseling. The counsellor of my choice. The information provided by your father's firm will stay in my safe keeping. If you aren't interested, then this packet of information will be sent to the senior partners at your firm. So, you have a choice."

Martin's attitude was unchanged.

"What's it gonna be?"

"I don't believe you'll do anything with the info you got. You won't jeopardize our children's future by damaging my professional life."

"Try me!" I spat the words out.

My husband's face looked uncertain for the first time.

"Do you even care that you've hurt me, embarrassed me, humiliated me by having affairs with two legal assistants. Am I that unimportant to you now? Do you still love me at all? Can you remember the last time we made love or had any kind of romantic moment?"

Martin flinched from my questions.

"Why I want to save this marriage is beyond me. Maybe because I still love you and I'm hoping that somewhere in that conceited heart of yours, you have feelings for me."

The silence was deafening as Martin twisted in the wind. I figured a little reverse psychology; a threat was in order.

"You obviously don't care so, I guess I'll just call it quits and courier the packet to the senior partners tomorrow morning."

"Wait Claire, I'll go to counseling. I'll agree to that."

"Are you even a little sorry or are you scared that your little world, the love nest will come crashing down. Because, husband, the investigative team is still watching you. All your extra-curricular activity ceases now. If it doesn't, then say goodbye to your job! This is not some idle threat."

"Ok, I'll do as you ask. I'm sorry but I just got carried away."

For the first time, Martin looked recalcitrant. Getting caught will do that to a person.

"That's it! You just got carried away? What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Look Claire, I guess I got a big head after I settled those cases. I never thought I'd get caught."

My husband had a sheepish expression but slowly it turned to a sneer.

"Where's dinner? I'm starving."

I walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a frozen NY Strip and threw it towards him on the table.

"There you go! Enjoy!"

With that bit of theatrics, I walked out of the room. As soon as I got to the master bedroom, I took all his clothes and threw them in the hallway. His toiletries were next and out they went.

I heard him coming up the stairs from all the commotion.

"What the hell! Why are you doing this?"

"You will sleep in the guest bedroom for the foreseeable future. I don't want you near me right now. Get tested for STDs as soon as possible. If you don't, well that damning evidence goes right to the senior partners. Got that? Now, get away from me, I'm going out."

"Where are you going?"

"None of your damn business!" I shouted.

I had no idea, but I needed to get away from my husband before I did something I'd regret. Of course, that's what happened next. Martin tried pushing past me in the hallway and shoved me against the wall. I turned and hit him with a solid left and right that put him on his ass. He had to be seeing stars and his hand went immediately to his left eye.

I retreated to the kitchen and found the frozen steak, wrapped it in a dish towel and took it upstairs.

"Here, hold this over your eye, it'll keep the swelling down."

As Martin brought the steak to his eye, I saw tears on his cheeks.

"If you ever try a stunt like that again, I will take great pleasure in kicking your ass, up one side and down the next. Got that!"

All he could do was nod.

By the time I got to my car in the driveway, I was crying. Why didn't I show restraint? My martial arts sensei would be appalled by my behavior. I drove to my sister Olivia's home and as soon as she saw me, she knew something bad had happened.

"Claire, you look awful. What's going on? Jack and the kids are just sitting down to dinner. Come inside."

My sister had to practically drag me into the house and our first stop was the powder room in the hall. Tears were streaming down my face. In halting sentences, I recounted what transpired between Martin and myself.

Olivia had me sit on the toilet seat and with a washcloth soaked in cool water, gently toweled my face and neck. It was very soothing. My sister is the earth mother type. After our mom died when we barely tweens, my older sis unselfishly took great care of me. I owed her big time.

As Olivia tended to me, she hummed a tune that was very calming.

"There now, feel better?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry sis."

"Let me get you something to eat. Ok?"

I simply nodded. Olivia believed in food as a restorative. Looking at her svelte body, one would never guess that this very pretty mother of three was a gym rat. When I stood up, she put her arms around me and lightly kissed a sodden cheek.

"Feel better?"

I simply nodded.

After dinner Olivia took me to the back patio to talk.

"I feel ashamed of myself and...I lost control. I physically hurt Martin, something I never did before. He's bound to have a huge shiner."

My sister was looking at me with a great deal of sympathy, but violence was something she would never condone.

"Claire, I know very well that you've been through hell with your husband and his cheating...but hitting him is...I'm shocked at you...that's never a way to solve a problem."

I hung my head shamefully; she was right of course. We sat quietly for a while as it grew dark.

"Do you want to stay here tonight? Let things cool off some?"

"No, I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"Obviously!" Olivia said with a smirk.

"I better go. Love you sis, thank you."

"Next time, think before you act, ok?"

By the time I arrived home, Martin was already in the guest room. I saw the door was open a few inches and I wanted to say something to him, some sort of an apology. But, when I was right outside, I heard soft crying. Was he having regrets or crying because I struck him?

The next morning, I was in the kitchen making coffee when he walked in sporting, you guessed it, one heck of a black eye. Since it was Saturday, neither of us had to be at work and I was grateful for that. He avoided all eye contact with me and sat silently drinking his java.

"Martin...umm...I'm...ah...sorry that I hit you."

He looked at me and there were tears in his eyes.

"I guess I had it coming. I should never have pushed you. Sorry about that but I guess you got even with me."

I had nothing to add and for the rest of the weekend, we were civil to each other. But Monday morning the asinine arrogant Martin returned. I was livid by the time I got to work. At one point, it struck as to how he would explain the black eye. Then I thought, that's his problem.

That very morning, I made an appointment with Dr Amelia Greene, the marriage counselor. The first three sessions were an exercise in futility. My husband looked disinterested, and I did most of the talking but by the fourth, he was opening more.

However, it was during the first session that Dr Greene noticed Martin's shiner. He tried to make it sound as though I was totally to blame but I told my side of the story too. He continued his one-sided argument until Dr Greene held up her hand to stop him.

"Mr. Fitzgerald, I don't take sides on issues. I give both parties the opportunity to give their part of the story and I usually find that the truth exists somewhere in the middle. I'm of the opinion that you were both at fault. Can we move on?"

Martin sulked like a spoiled brat after her comment.

No progress was achieved until session four when Martin finally started contributing to the conversations. At first, he came across as an egotistical, self-important jerk. But Dr Greene frequently asked him thought provoking questions.

Little by little, it was obvious that he was having second thoughts about his destructive behavior. The why's especially. He had great difficulty explaining his reasoning because when he tried it sounded incredibly selfish! All me, me, me. That he had a right to pursue extra marital affairs. Frankly, it made me sick to hear it.

"What about your wedding vows? Do you feel as though you violated them?"

That stumped him.

"Ah...well...ah...I...yeah, I guess I did."

It was his first honest admission.

"Martin, have you tried to put yourself in Claire's shoes? How would you feel if she did the same thing to you?"

Now, we were getting somewhere. Oh, he hemmed and hawed but...

"I guess I'd be totally pissed off at her; angry as hell."

At the fifth session, I vented my spleen and unburdened myself of a great deal of anger.

It was during our sixth session with Dr. Greene that Martin had his "change of heart" revelation. My frustrations and anger were still boiling over from the last session and seemed to have no effect on my husband.

"Perhaps Claire, we can change tac here. Martin, can you tell me about when you met Claire. Your relationship...anything that comes to mind."

For the next thirty minutes he told the story, from his perspective, of our meeting and courtship. The entire time he smiled, often looking at me as he recalled what obviously was a very happy memory. As he was finishing, taking the story up to when he asked me to marry him that he positively beamed with joy.

"Well, Dr Greene, I was overjoyed that she said yes, because I thought then and still do, that she's the best thing that ever happened to me..."

Martin was looking at me as he mouthed that endearment and his face dissolved to a mask of pain and anguish.

"Oh god! What have I done! Oh no...why did I do it!" he sobbed.

Tears streamed down his face. His shoulders shook and he buried his face in his hands.

"Oh god...Claire, I'm so sorry! How could I do this to us, to you, to our children!"

Dr Greene looked stunned and so did I as my husband bawled like a baby.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry...Claire, please forgive me!" he kept repeating like a mantra.

To say I was speechless is an understatement. Dr Greene pulled her chair forward facing Martin and handed him a pack of Kleenex tissues.

"I believe we just witnessed a breakthrough." She said in a soft voice looking at me.

My husband was crying his heart out as the awful sadness of our situation descended on his shoulders. But I was born a skeptic and while a part of me believed him, the cynic in me was not appeased.

After the revelation in Dr Greens office and Martin's apology I was not about to just forgive and forget. I'd suffered through months of his arrogance, heartless behavior, lack of affection, generally piss poor attitude, and of course, the infidelity. One hell of a laundry list!

As much as I wanted to believe his apology, I was still angry as hell and felt he needed a much harsher punishment. Normally, I would have sought my sister Olivia's counsel, but I needed someone with a more hard-boiled nature.

Regina, my legal assistant, knew all about my "problem" with Martin. As a team we dealt with the harsh realities of the law, and it tends make those of us involved in the legal profession, very cynical about people in general, their motives, their honesty, and concepts of the truth. In other words, we meet all kinds!

"I want to believe he's sorry and I think he is but I'm just not sure I can forget everything that's happened. It's too easy for him. He'll behave himself for a few weeks and then we'll be back to square one."

"Boss, I have an idea. You want him to have a complete attitude adjustment, right?"

'Yes, something that will have him questioning his manhood. A punishment that will fit the crime as we attorneys are so fond of saying. Now, I don't want to hurt him too much, but I do want to make him suffer physically and mentally. I want our relationship to return to an equal partnership. Both of us share in the responsibilities. I'm at a loss as to how to accomplish that."

Regina looked thoughtful and wrote something down on a note pad, then handed it to me.

"Take two or three hours and read these stories. That's the website and after you're done, ask yourself if you think it will work for your situation. A close girlfriend swears that it was the answer to her problem. She spent a weekend "readjusting" her husband's attitude and in the past two years has not complained about him once. In fact, when I go over to socialize with them, he treats her like gold. That's how I know about this because she confided in me. Close your door

and I'll see no one disturbs you."

For the remainder of the afternoon, I read several stories about abused wives whose husbands treated them like dirt, cheated on them and/or were physically abusive. The punishment or attitude adjustment was incredibly interesting. First destroy his manhood, his superior to thou attitude, and above all his manly pride and the rest will fall into place. Wow was I intrigued and the more I read, the more I knew that this was the course of action for me. But would it work? If I didn't try, I'd never know.

When I emerged from my office, Regina could tell that I wanted to proceed. I had to come up with a plan that would work. She volunteered to help and I'm glad she did because I would need some hardware for my project. We spent some time researching the internet. During a break, I was curious about something.

"Regina did you ever do anything like this with Dennis?"

"Oh gosh no! my dear husband loves me and shows me every day that he does. He's a great stepfather to Samantha. At first, she called him Dennis but about a year after we were married, she asked if she could call him daddy. My god, Dennis cried tears of joy. Loves that kid like she was his own. For my second rodeo, I was incredibly lucky."

"I'm hoping this works. I have my "ace in the hole" the investigation packet that I'm hoping will make Martin comply with my program."

Regina found the damning evidence report envelope on my desk and held it up.

"This is perfect. If Martin doesn't want to get with the program, threaten him with this. I know you already have but make sure he understands beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will use whatever means necessary. If he tells you he wants a divorce, use the report. The last thing he'll want is this getting into the hands of the senior partners. He'll lose his job, that's a certainty, not to mention the lawsuits from the injured parties if they decide to sue the firm. Bad for business if the press gets hold of it. The State Ethics Board would have a field day with this. He could have his license suspended or perhaps lose it altogether.

"Remind me never to cross you, Regina!"

"Look Boss, I say "nothing ventured, nothing gained" that's what my dad always said to me when I was having doubts about something. Considering everything that he's done, I'd say you have nothing to lose."

"I just want the man I married back, I want to stay married and despite everything, I still love Martin, a lot"