Eleanor Rigby: Choices and Consequences

The following sequel to the story"Eleanor Rigby"posted by 'Harddaysknight'is submitted with full permission and encouragement of the author of the original story.

Any readers unfamiliar with the original work should read that story first before continuing.

(There is little to no sex in this story.)

No part of this story may be published at any other site without the express permission of the author. © October 2005

*

"Ultimately, we are each responsible for our actions. You knowingly, willingly, even eagerly, jumped into Dan Wilkins' arms and bed. It was no accident. I tried to convince you not to take up with him, but you did anyway."

"Ted! I was wrong! I know that now. He means nothing to me. Please believe me when I tell you that I love only you!" pleaded Ellie. "I haven't seen him since that day. I will do anything to make this up to you!"

"That is good to hear, Ellie," I replied as I reached into my briefcase. "I have come to realize that you are not too good for me. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Just sign these divorce papers for me and I won't ask you for another thing."

(Last three paragraphs of Eleanor Rigby by Harddaysknight)

Eleanor Rigby - Choices and Consequences

Ellie looked like she would faint then got up and ran to the bathroom I listened as she lost her breakfast. It took a few moments but she came back and knelt next to me. Looking at her I was taken aback at how broken and humiliated she appeared.

The emotions boiled up out of her and she sobbed uncontrollably, shaking her head she managed to blubber out. "Oh god please no Ted, please I made the most horrible mistake of my life. Please don't do this. We have 16 wonderful years together I know you love me. I wasn't showing you the love I truly have for you when I went to him. I thought I could control myself... that he was only in my past. Only when you found us having sex did I realize how obsessed I still was with him."

She let out a long low wail as she said, "Please!! Don't do this I beg you, I am so sorry let me make this up to you, please. I love you so much." Then she deteriorated into a blubbering heap.

Putting the divorce papers away I stood and said, "We will see how things work out Ellie. It would be better if you moved into the spare bedroom." I stood and went to the front door, then taking a deep breath I opened it and walked out.

After meeting with my crew I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we were ahead of schedule and the city inspector had already passed our current work at two different job sites.

I gave my foreman my cell number and headed to the doctor's for a check up. Then I traveled across town to meet with a counselor that my lawyer had set me up with. Our first session was a fact finding affair and I told Dr. Carolyn Jones even though I am still leaning heavily towards divorce I won't rule out anything. She even suggested joint counseling in a few weeks. I told her I would consider it.

I was amazed at how good I felt when I left her office and headed out to lunch to meet with my Private Detective. I was building a great case against Mr. Dan Wilkins and I intended to cause a great deal of pain for the asshole.

The tension in the house was horrible for the next week and Jen and Audrey noticed it too. About 10 days after I got home the four of us were at the dinner table, Ellie was just pushing her food around on her plate. Audrey finally said, "Ok what's with you guys. First why did mom move into the spare bedroom? Secondly why is there this feeling of impending doom hanging over the family?"

Looking up from my plate I caught Ellie's gaze, "You want to answer that or do I."

The fear and utter humiliation showed in her eyes but so did her love for me. The same love that had she been holding it close to her heart, she would never have been in the situation before her. Ellie took a deep breath then slowly let it out then replied, "I'll talk to them Ted. Do you want to be present when I do?"

Shaking my head no, I stood up; I wasn't all that hungry anyway and left the table for the computer room to get my e-mail. Over the next hour I heard all three girls crying and early on I heard my daughter Jen yell out "Mother! How could you?"

Sometime later Jen and Audrey came in to see me. Jen's sweet voice filled the room, "Daddy can we come in and talk to you." I could hear the tears in her voice.

"Yeah babies, come on in."

Both girls buried their faces in my shoulder one on each side of me and cried. Soon I joined them in the waterworks. When we all calmed down one of them kneeling on either side of my chair Jen looked into my face. "Daddy I know you're mad and so angry at Mom, but please look at your options before you divorce her."

"I will baby, but it's more than anger its total loss of trust, and the realization of my worst nightmare that she would leave me for someone who has more. Better looking, money, prestige, I can't fight against that."

Audrey replied, "That's stupid Daddy, mommy loves you and knows this was the worst possible thing that she could ever do. But she loves and wants you. Are you going to go to a counselor? My Advisor in school says it helps people a lot."

I marveled at how grown up the kids were and I knew they didn't give their mom any squirm room. Ellie had betrayed us all and I knew the girls were hurting right now, but needed to know I was alright and they focused on me not themselves.

"First off, yes I started seeing a counselor today. Secondly if you want I'll get you set up for time with her also. I still love mommy but I don't know if I can forgive her enough to and try to rebuild what we had before herlittle tryst."

I didn't feel it was right to let my kids deal with my pain so I just allowed them to talk back and forth and I answered a multitude of abstract questions they came up with. When they were talked out I kissed them both and sent them to bed.

A few minutes later Ellie knocked on the door, "Do you need anything else, I am drained and need to go sleep."

I looked up at Ellie she looked bad, probably worse than at anytime I had ever seen her in my life. I nodded, "Yes but it can wait until tomorrow."

Ellie looked at me and blubbered, "Please, please don't divorce me let me win back your love and trust, win back your pride in this foolish woman. I do love you more than life itself. I know you're hurt and angry right now but please wait for a while and see if we can work through my foolishness."

Her eyes were so full of fear I knew I felt so many things for her at this moment. Love, disgust, heartbreak, fear of her loss, concern for the kids, every conceivable emotion that could be imagined was running wild inside my head. But through it all I was not fully convinced that throwing her away was the best thing. I was damn close to that decision but not absolutely.

I spoke slowly and with great determination, "I am leaving my options open and will do nothing for the next few days or weeks. All I can say is I am not going to do anything foolish for or against you, wife." I emphasized 'wife' and let it sink in. I wasn't talking to her as a lover or a friend but as the empty hollow shell of a person I felt she had become when she stooped to bedding that asshole.

Ellie's eyes fell to the floor and she answered, "Thank you Ted that gives me a little bit of hope. Good night." Turning away she quietly went to her bedroom leaving me with a tidal wave of emotional backlash to deal with.

The following morning I was up early sitting at the table drinking my coffee as the girls came rushing down to grab breakfast and get out the door for school. I made some phone calls and went into the living room to apply some heat to my arm while relaxing in my recliner.

Ellie came down and poured herself a cup of coffee; she came in and sat on the couch. "Ted you said last night that there was something you needed. What can I do for you?" There was a strange mixture of hope and fear in her vocal response, her voice raised and quavering dropping off to almost a whisper. She was hopeful I would reconsider our marriage and give her a chance. But scared at what I said I was considering, and with good reason.

"Ellie, although the raw pain is ebbing I am still not decided on what to do. I know your confession to the girls was hard for you to do. Thank you for telling them the truth."

Ellie nodded and replied, "You're welcome!"

I waited to see if she wanted to say more and when she didn't continue I did. "There are a few more confessions that need to be done in the next few weeks. Your Mom and Dad and my parents are two of them. I also am demanding that you and Helen break all ties."

Ellie looked at me with a questioning stare. "I don't understand Ted, Helen is my oldest and dearest friend, I've known her since we were four or five. She hasn't done anything in this mess I've created."

The slight grin on Ted's face was definitely his sarcastic flip; Ellie knew his anger was building so she lowered her eyes to the floor hoping not to incite his temper any more.

Ted just looked at her until she met his eyes, "I warned you on at least two occasions that you being around Wilkins had me bothered. You told me I was being silly, even admonished me." Ellie winched at how complete her betrayal had been.

Trying to gently defend herself she calmly replied, "Ted I believe I told you if you say the word I would resign."

Ted held up his hand, "So now this is my fault? What you did leading up to and at the fundraiser would just have been postponed not stopped. You moved the line Ellie and that brings me back to Helen. Your best friend isn't supposed to come into your home and tease and taunt you with the 'forbidden fruit" of a past lover. The guy who claimed your cherry and to whom you ran back to and moaned with many times afterwards."

Ellie blanched at the realization of how much Ted knew and how deep her attachment to Dan Wilkins had been, and in some ways still was. Only now could Ellie see how deep her betrayal had driven the knife into the heart of the man she truly loved.

Ted continued, "I will not have that woman come into my house and all but purposely tempt and taunt you about your past with him. I can't imagine that you just blew it off. She planted a seed and it grew... quickly. Don't think for a moment I blame her for your horrific choices and actions. You alone went against our marriage. You choose to go to him and his bed, no one forced you. But she pushed that seed when she didn't have any reason to,

I know from listening to my sisters and other women that girls seldom forget and will usually hold a soft spot in their hearts for the guy that claimed them first. As long as it's a pleasant memory and obviously yours with him was. There is something you long for with him or something he does better or at least is better at.

Anyway, I don't want you around her at all, even on the phone. She all but egged you on, I don't trust you much right now, but I don't trust her at all. Why couldn't she say are you going to be all right with him in town. Maybe suggest you can put me on the board so there would be no way the two of you could be alone. But no, she all but puts you in the mind set to get with him.

Funny how you forgot to talk to me about all of this when she came over," His voice dripping with sarcasm covering a deep hidden pain.

Ellie's mouth was suddenly very dry as more of her betrayal came to light, "I'm so sorry Ted, please tell me how to make this up to you, to make it better."

"Sure how many times do you need to gargle or douche with Holy water before you're going to be back to how you were when I married you? I can't help wondering now how many others were there; you seemed to jump at this chance."

Clearing her throat she replied, "Ted there was never anyone else, I have been faithful to you up until two weeks before you caught us. I was positive I was completely over Dan and thought I could control the situation - I am an adult now. I was wrong; he blew past all my defenses. It was as if we were in high school again.

I felt like I was young and beautiful and desired... then suddenly you were there and the fabric of my dream tore through. I have never felt more humiliated in my life and I knew that when you turned away you had spared Dan a beating and probably spared his life.

I know our sex life had dropped off before that, but I was so confused and constantly at war with myself. Neither of you were getting anything. He was pressing and you were so loving, but I could feel the tension and you were getting very pointed in your disgust. You never said anything but you don't live with someone for 16 years and not know them. I suppose that's why you knew something was wrong.

Dan and I were talking alone a lot while working on the fundraiser and we were going out to old haunts after we were done with work. That's why I was so late some nights. He was always talking about how it used to be and how proud he was to be with me, I was lapping it up. I even let him kiss me a lot after the fourth or fifth week.

I finally gave in a week before the Casino Night. That Friday I gave everyone else off as we prepared to push towards the next weekend. Only Helen, Dan and I were in the building and Dan soon had me cornered in the office. I let him have me twice that night on the big over stuffed couch in that office and Helen only smiled at me when I came out smelling like sex and disheveled. Just like she had the nights when Dan and I would have sex in high school, Helen knew then too - like she and I were sharing deep secrets and we both knew it.

I gave my self to him on Sunday again at his place, twice and then the Thursday night you caught us was the last time. He was so pissed that you had interrupted us. I was frantic when I saw you I didn't let him finish, bucking him off and out of me and he wasn't happy.

It was when I saw the look on your face that everything became crystal clear. One moment in time and the terrible betrayal I had allowed to happen, not that I had purposefully tried to get it to happen. My mind was spinning I was screaming at Dan who was trying to get me calmed down.

Helen came running in as I was pulling up my pants and panties. Dan was still standing there with his pants around his ankles his stiff cock pointing in whatever direction he faced. He asked me "Since hubby already knows let me finish at least." Then I slapped him across the face and on his cock and said get dressed I need to go after my husband you ass. You're lucky Ted didn't just kill either of us, you didn't see his face unlike my dad if he had attacked he wouldn't have stopped.

You could see no one had ever talked or done that to him before. Dan suddenly began to dress and we hurried out to his car. As we walked along Helen, who had a shocked look on her face was with us she asked me, "What were you doing?"

I remember snapping back "What do you think?"

Helen stood by me the whole time Ted even when I was so inconsolable the first two days."

Ellie fell silent.

Ted looked at his wife she seemed genuinely broken, "First choice Ellie, Helen or me."

"That isn't fair Ted... "

"Neither is what you did to me. Ellie I have no trust in nor desire towards you right now." His voice sounded like the out like the blast of a cannon, all his fears, anxieties, insecurities and helplessness in this situation were contained in that outburst. Then taking a moment to calm himself down he continued. "I used to think of you a many times every day and think about making love to you. How you touched and pleased me, how I did the same to you. Now when I think of you all I see is him buried inside of you taking what you had freely promised to only me. Now I get sick thinking about touching you all I can see is the two of you." His voice trailed off the pain evident in his words.

Ellie blinked then stared intently at her husband she thought, 'Oh god what have I done? My blatant acts of over the top selfishness and betrayal have gutted my life and the lives of my family and friends for a long time to come.'Choosing her words carefully she replied, "If that is what it takes to get a second change with you, then despite what I would like I agree to your terms."

Ted had a hardened angry scowl on his face as he retorted, "Make sure you know all my demands before you agree." He snarled at her.

Ellie moved back at the sudden show of the anger that she now was convinced was just under the surface of her husbands uncertain demeanor. "What other demands Ted?"

Ted sat back and replied, "You will go to Wilkins's office and make a full confession to the HR department accusing him of a moral breach of conduct. You may use Helen as a reference to the circumstances."

Ellie sat back in her chair her pain obvious as she shook her head, "I don't know if I can do that Ted. It means telling some stranger I was a slut." Tears began to roll down her cheeks again.

Ted was silent as he watched Ellie, he contemplated his next action, 'Come on Ellie I am giving you the chance, don't crush all my hope and force my hand right now.' He watched for long moments and finally said, "You don't have to worry about friends and strangers thinking you are a slut, your boyfriend Dan, is already talking about you to his friends and associates, many of whom have never met you."

Taking a piece of paper off of the table in front of him Ted read the names of over twenty people to whom Dan had already bragged to about his little tryst with Ellie. At least my Private Investigators are getting stories to that effect already, from a number of sources.

Ellie stared at her husband with horror, "Why would he do that?" The color drained out of her face at the revelation.

"That's the kind of guy your ex-boyfriend and new lover is, wife. It's all about him. I'll bet he never told you he was divorced and run out of town because he couldn't keep his hands off his associate's daughters." Ted let that news sink in before he continued, "At least two of the kids were borderline on legal age. His wife took that a bit negatively. That is only the public knowledge the Private Detective's I've hired have turned up."

Ellie shook her head. The shock of Ted's revelation about Dan was almost too unbelievable for her mind to fathom. But Ted had no reason to lie; she had done enough of that for both of them.

Ellie looked at her hands, "He said he and his wife just grew apart. He said he hadn't been unfaithful even though many people here in town thought that way. Oh Ted I'm so sorry, I let him lead me down a primrose path."

Ted's face didn't show any hint of satisfaction; there was none. What his P.I. had uncovered told him the story but it didn't make the situation any better. "Ellie I am ashamed of you here. He says he had never cheated and he wants you to cheat. Big contradiction don't you think? By the way I am sure you ate up his line of him being so sorry he dumped you after high school. That only after his now failed marriage did he realize you should have been his life mate or some such bull shit."

Ellie looked at Ted and gasped, her husband had just repeated almost word for word what Dan had kept telling her for the month leading up to the first time she cheated. "How did you know he said that to me?" Her face registered the shock of Ted discovery.

Ted answered without emotion, "It's the same line he used on at least three other of your classmates he has been actively seeing since returning here. They All three have been contacted and two were kept from repeating your problem, one already had given in."

Shaking his head Ted continued, "You weren't even special enough to be his only affair. You were only the flavor of the week."