Each Day

Leslie was of no help. She simply would not put her foot down forcefully enough with Stephanie. She wouldn't take the girl's side, but also would not take Vince's side in any argument.

Then it rained. Not a light drizzle, the kind that wet the flowers and the grass, but quickly evaporated from the street. Not even the hard, pounding rain that soaked everything, but soon wore itself out.

This rain lasted for nearly four days straight. It was a steady, constant pouring rain, a rain that pelted the ground relentlessly. In the ninety one hours that it rained, thirty eight inches of rain fell on Colfax, Missouri.

Soon the ground became saturated. When the ground became saturated, the relentless rain had nowhere to run off to. Streets became small rivers. Residents in low lying homes had to be rescued as their homes flooded.

And North Lake's Hospital parking lot became a lake. Supplies had to be airlifted in, but no patients could leave, no new patients were received, the staff was also stuck there.

Vincent Davis took the brunt of the blame for the failings of the hospital's drainage system. Pointing out that no one's drainage system had worked for the duration of the rain did little to dissuade the administration of the hospital. Colfax Water & Sewage shrugged sympathetically, but terminated Vince's employment.

Stephanie all but screamed triumphantly when she found out about Vince's termination. She also pointed out to her mother, now that Vince was nothing but an unemployed free-loader, Leslie was having to support him.

Vince was unemployed for much longer than he had anticipated. Weeks turned into months. During the time of searching diligently for a job, Stephanie continued her barrage of insults and snide remarks and Leslie never once came to his defense. And woe to Vince if Leslie denied any of Stephanie's request/demands. Stephanie always brought Leslie's refusal around to their lack of money. And, their lack of money was Vince's fault.

Their sex life also suffered. The few times she acquiesced, Vince could tell Leslie was just going through the motions. Orgasms were rare for her during his period of struggling.

St. Angelo, Illinois had a fledgling Public Water system. The rural community wanted to develop an irrigation system cooperative that could handle the area. The job was a government job, not a private sector job. Therefore, it paid nearly seven thousand dollars less annually than his previous job. But it was a job.

"Hmm, like you one made it rain, huh?" Burt Yates asked when Vince was honest and upfront about the reason for his termination.

"Agreed, but I am the one that designed the drainage system," Vince told the county commissioner.

It was now a two and a half hour commute, each way. But, as Vince liked to say, it was five hours a day he did not have to put up with Stephanie. Stephanie seemed to agree; their screaming tirades were confined to the weekends.

Because of the long commute, Vince bought himself a modified Harley-Davidson fat boy lowrider. It was more fuel efficient, and it was more pleasurable a ride when the weather was nice. Leslie hated the motorcycle, complained bitterly about it. It was too noisy, it was too dangerous.

Vince almost suggested that he would get rid of the Harley when she got rid of Stephanie.

Leslie also harped on the fact that the Harley was an expense when Vince was making seven thousand dollars a year less than he had been making. Any savings on fuel was eaten up by the added insurance costs.

He finally talked Leslie into climbing onto the back of the beast and took her for a ride. He drove slowly at first, letting her get used to the motorcycle. Then he opened it up a bit more and felt her breasts mash against his back as she held on. Out on the interstate, he had no choice but to really open it up, zip along.

When he returned them, safe and sound to their suburban home, Leslie did not wait for them to get out of the garage. She unzipped her jeans, pulled jeans and panties down and bent over the hood of her car. Vince slid his erection into her and began to hammer her fast and furious.

"Mom, I...EEEEeeeewwww!!" Stephanie said, jerking open the inside door.

Leslie tried to straighten up, but Vince was extremely close to ejaculation. He held the struggling woman down until he finished.

That was Leslie's one and only time on the motorcycle. It was weeks before Vince could persuade Leslie to make love again. When they did, the lights had to be out, the door securely closed and locked. It was another few weeks before Vince could persuade Leslie to adopt any other position besides missionary.

Chapter 6

Stephanie graduated from high school, was legally now and adult. She'd graduated near the top of her class, and had academic scholarship offers from five colleges. She also had two athletic scholarships from two colleges; she was quite good at basketball.

Vince prayed fervently that the girl would accept the offer from Norman's College in Lowridge, Texas, or The University of Louisiana at DeGarde; one being nearly twenty two hours away, the other being fifteen hours away. He even tried some reverse psychology; he pointed out that Missouri River State was right there in Colfax, and was also his alma mater. Harvester's College was also in Colfax and if she went to either college, she could live at home, rather than have the freedom of being out on her own.

To Vince's shock and dismay, Stephanie did decide to go to Missouri River State. She sneered when she informed Vince that his being a graduate of that school had nothing to do with her choice.

"It's probably because of Billy," Leslie guessed.

"Don't know who this Billy is, but I hate him," Vince grumbled to himself.

Upon meeting Billy Hunt, though, Vince did not hate the young man. He actually liked him. And Billy seemed to like Vince as well. Both men would sing the Pioneers' Fight Song together, each trying to sing it a little louder, a little more off-key than the other.

"It's a guy thing, Honey," Leslie giggled as Vince and Billy stood in the living room, singing together. "Next thing you know, they'll be pulling each other's fingers."

"Hey, Billy, pull my finger, huh?" Vince said.

"Why, sure, Pioneer, O Pioneer," Billy agreed, sticking out his own finger for Vince to pull.

"Quit it, huh?" Stephanie shrilled at Billy.

"Remember, courtship? That's the best it'll ever be," Vince reminded Billy.

"What? What's that mean?" Stephanie snarled at Vince.

Now, three years later, Vince sat in a bar with Billy, David, three others from the bridegroom's party, and Stephanie's father.

Vince had been genuinely pleased when Billy proposed to Stephanie. Stephanie had been in such a happy mood as she tearfully showed off her ring, she'd even mumbled a 'thank you' at Vince wishing her congratulations. And Vince wisely stayed out of the way, wisely agreed with whatever Leslie and Stephanie decided they needed for the wedding.

His only suggestion had been that they might want to wait until they graduated from college before actually marrying. That suggestion earned him a scathing remark from Stephanie about staying out of her business; he was not her father. And a dissatisfied glare from Leslie.

"No, no, you're right," Vince agreed and left the room.

"Best marry him now before he figures out what a hateful little cunt you really are," Vince said as he closed the door of the master bathroom.

When Darren had suddenly, miraculously reached out to his baby, it was hard to tell who was more excited; Leslie or Stephanie.

"Wow, that really is something," Vince agreed. "Just out of the blue, huh?"

Upon meeting the man, Vince was less than impressed. Darren and Leslie had managed to have three children together. All three children were attractive young adults and at least two of them seemed to have good heads on their shoulders. Stephanie was intelligent as well, but didn't seem to have much common sense.

The first night Darren was in town, Leslie dressed in a red dress Vince had only seen twice. He'd seen it at Christmas time when she wore it for her office Holiday Party.

"Can remember when it was Christmas," Vince had commented before Leslie stepped out of her closet.

When she'd stepped out of her closet with that dress on, Vince had stopped talking. His cock sprang up, wanting to do the talking for him.

"Down, Boy, maybe later, if you're good," Leslie had tittered, patting Vince's hard cock.

The next time he'd seen it had been at their anniversary.

"I remembered how much you liked this dress," Leslie smiled when she met Vince at the House Of Mei restaurant.

"Happy anniversary to me!" Vince had agreed.

Now, she slithered herself into the dress, complaining about the few extra pounds she'd gained since the last time she'd worn the dress.

"Where we going?" Vince asked as Leslie hopped around, trying to put her pumps on.

"Stephanie and Darren and I are meeting to talk about the wedding," Leslie said.

"What I have on okay?" Vince asked, indicating his usual office attire of dress slacks and dress shirt.

"Honey, Stephanie and I are meeting with Stephanie's father," Leslie had said, meeting Vince's eye.

She lightly kissed Vince's lips.

"And let's face it," she murmured. "You're not exactly Stephanie's favorite person."

"And uh, you're wearing that dress meet with your ex-husband?" Vince asked.

"Let him see what he threw away, huh?" Leslie smirked.

"No," Vince snapped. "He doesn't need see what he threw away. He knows what he threw away."

Leslie ignored Vince's protests and swept out of the room. A moment later, the garage door slammed.

Since Leslie wasn't there to complain, Vince went to the Rooster Pull, a gentlemen's club and had a half pound hamburger, add shoestring onion rings on that, atomic house fries, and an ice cold draft beer. The strawberry blonde on the stage was hot and she knew it. She didn't dance as much as she just wiggled and jiggled her succulent flesh.

"Anything else, Cowboy?" the attractive Asian-American waitress asked, vacant smile on her pretty face.

"You guys still have that mint pie?" Vince asked.

Even after eating a large slice of the mint pie and drinking two mugs of their fresh ground coffee, Vince still made it home before Leslie and Stephanie. He watched a little television but there didn't seem to be anything on worth watching.

Leslie returned, without Stephanie, and was revved up. She was very much the aggressor as she shoved the dress down and off, leaving her in only thigh high stockings and tiny lace panties.

Vince briefly toyed with the idea of refusing Leslie's advances but the sight of her in panties and stockings negated that idea.

Over the next few weeks, there seemed to be more and more times Stephanie and Leslie and Darren had to meet, to discuss the wedding. Each time, Leslie dressed in her better dresses, took just a little more care with her make-up. The dinner meetings also seemed to take quite a while. Often, the clock would be chiming ten thirty, ten forty five and Leslie would just be coming in.

The one time Vince put his foot down, stated that he was accompanying Leslie and Stephanie, it was a very stilted meal. And Leslie, Stephanie, and Darren did their best to shut Vince out, talking only to one another.

During the dinner, the two times Vince did attempt to offer his opinion, offer a suggestion, Leslie clamped her hand on his.

"Vince, Honey, Darren's speaking," she hissed.

"And Darren's wrong," Vince hissed back. "We'd already contracted with Ann-Marie's Floral Designs."

Vince also received a glare from Leslie and Stephanie when he asked why Billy wasn't there. After all, it was Billy's wedding also. And the smirk Darren gave Vince pissed him off royally.

Unlike the previous times, Leslie was in no mood to make love after this dinner meeting. She did let Vince know his presence and his interruptions were certainly not appreciated.

"Don't worry; won't happen again," Vince shrugged.

Vince had known, he would never, ever win Stephanie over. In the spoiled child's eyes, he would never measure up to her father. But, somehow, he seemed to be trying to win Leslie over as well. He seemed to be trying to measure up to Darren James, and Vince was not measuring up in his wife's eyes.

During one of the dinner meetings, the last one before this bachelor party, Leslie had called Vince's cell phone.

"Sweetheart, in the desk? Top drawer? Could you look and see if we told the caterer fifty or sixty people?" she asked.

Vince went into her home office, slid open the desk drawer and located the contract she was asking about. He read the particulars to her.

"Uh huh," he mumbled when she cheerfully thanked him.

Underneath the bill of Stephanie's wedding dress, Vince was astounded at the amount, underneath the bill for the dress for the mother of the bride, underneath the catering contract, had been the bill and the statement from the private investigator.

Vince read the report, read that Leslie had been the one to hire the firm to locate Stephanie's father. It had taken the firm four days; Leslie had very little information about the man. Darren James obviously believed the computer was only for surfing for good porn; he had no Social Media pages.

"Has no social skills either," Vince muttered.

"But why would Leslie lie? Darren didn't just pop up; she went looking for him," Vince muttered to himself as he made himself a microwave dinner.

Chapter 7

The night of the rehearsal and the dinner following the rehearsal had been an exercise in diplomacy for Vince Davis. If he had thought Darren James was an arrogant prick at the dinner meeting, at the bachelor party, the rehearsal and dinner following that solidified Vince's opinion of the man.

At the rehearsal dinner, Stephanie, Leslie and Darren sat with Billy, Billy's step-father and mother and Billy's step-mother and Father. Their table was slightly raised above the other tables.

Vince was seated at a table with Leslie's sister in law, Meg Wooten, and Meg and Al's daughter Bernice. Bernice was afflicted with Down's syndrome, ate like an animal, and insisted on talking to Vince with her mouth full of food.

Debbie and David both apologized to Vince about the seating mix up.

"I honestly thought you were going to be up there," David mumbled, nodding toward the elevated table.

"Not wanted," Vince stated, not bothering to lower his voice. "No room for me, apparently."

He lightly slapped David on the shoulder.

"Make sure your mother gets home okay?" he asked, then left the restaurant.

David attempted to chastise his mother for her, Stephanie's and Darren's boorish behavior.

"And putting him with Bernice?" David said, voice thick with disdain. "Really? She's my cousin and I wouldn't want to sit with her."

"Sweetheart, it's Stephanie's dinner," Leslie said weakly. "I had nothing to do with that."

"But minute you saw what was going on, should have done something about it," David snapped.

In front of her house, David looked at Leslie. The silence stretched for a few minutes.

"May I remind you, I'm your mother?" Leslie snapped, ashamed at her lack of consideration.

"Not acting like it, are you?" David replied.

"I'll make it up to him after the wedding," Leslie snapped.

"Don't see how you could," David said.

"Just a few more hours then it'll all be over," Leslie said and strode to the front door of the home.

The next morning, Vince stayed out of the way as Stephanie, the hairdresser, the attendants and Leslie all ran about screaming, whining, complaining. He drank a cup of coffee and ate a bagel on the back porch, well out of the way.

"Honey!" Leslie shrilled, opening the door. "You're not even dressed? The wedding's in..."

"Take me five minutes get dressed," Vince replied.

It actually took him nine minutes. There were pins jammed through everything and Vince made sure he'd removed them all before dressing.

Then he sat and waited for nearly an hour. Just when he was about to slip the shoes and coat off, the photographer insisted on some photographs of him with the bride, with the bride's mother.

Either the photographer didn't notice, or she had taken all she was willing to take from Stephanie, but there was no comment about Vince's obviously extended middle finger when he posed with Stephanie.

"Smile, sir, it's almost over," she joked when Vince stood with a beaming Leslie.

"Yep it is," Vince agreed and smiled sadly.

The limousine whisked them to the chapel and Vince sat, ignoring Darren, Stephanie, and Leslie. But when Darren moved to assist Leslie from the rear of the limousine, Vince forcibly elbowed the man aside.

"My wife, not yours," he glared at the lout.

"Honey, please," Leslie snarled at Vince.

The photographer motioned for them to smile and the two did. The smiles looked more like glares, though.

Inside of the building, the photographer again motioned for them to smile. Both had their emotions under control and both did smile.

Vince gave a nod to Billy and looked around the building.

"Did a beautiful job on this place," Vince complimented.

"Really did," Leslie agreed.

"Hey, watch my hat, huh?" Vince said, then stepped out of the pew.

"Honey, it's about to start," Leslie complained as the music built to its climax.

"And I'm about pee down my leg," Vince said. "Just watch my hat, huh?"

He rapidly strolled toward the front of the church, then stepped down a hall just as the first bridesmaid and groomsman began to walk down the aisle. He took one last look around, then stepped outside.

His motorcycle was right where he'd left it the previous evening, underneath the tarp. Vince had driven it there after the debacle of the rehearsal dinner, then had an Uber driver take him home.

He pulled the tarp off, dug his keys out of his pocket, and started the bike.

Inside the church, the organ's music drowned out the roar of Vince's Harley as he rode away. Leslie was not smiling, quite irritated with her husband as the doors opened and her daughter appeared on the arm of Darren James. Vince should be here with her, celebrating this moment with her.

At the home, Vince wiggled out of the rented outfit, carefully put it back into the plastic covering, then sent Leslie a text message, reminding her to bring the top hat home.

Then Vince wheeled the four suitcases down to the front door. He'd packed them while everyone else had been racing about, trying to get ready for the wedding. He smiled tightly; Stephanie had borrowed the suitcases, had packed them for her and Billy's honeymoon in Barbados.

They were his suitcases. He'd had them before he and Leslie had ever started dating. Leslie had no right to give Stephanie permission to borrow them. Stephanie had not even bothered to ask Vince; had just gone to her mother.

Vince had neatly stacked the contents onto Stephanie's bed. He had not done anything to the clothing, had not done anything to Stephanie's cosmetics, had not even tampered with her birth control pills.

Vince took one last look around. He'd taken the framed photograph of his and Leslie's wedding that had graced his chest of drawers. He clutched it under his arm as he walked down the stairs. Then Vince decided he didn't want it. He didn't want the reminder of his failure. He placed it, face down on the kitchen table, placed it at the chair he normally sat at.

"Good bye Leslie," he said to the empty house, then wheeled the suitcases to his truck.

The bike was already on the trailer. Vince checked everything again, then made sure the front door was locked, the alarm switched on. He then dropped the house keys into the front door's mail slot and stepped down to his truck.

"Take care now," Old Man Carmichaels said as he and his ancient beagle slowly ambled past.