Family Business

"Nothing much Bro," he said, "she's a hell of a woman. I'd try to keep her away from Donovan." He added.

"Why, what did she say?" I asked.

At that instant my mom called for Taylor. He walked away and I was never able to follow up on that conversation with him.

I guess I was in a bit of a funk at the airport the next day. This trip had not accomplished the goal of helping Brittany and I get closer. I knew there was something going on with her, and I was fairly sure it involved Donovan. Once we got home I was going to redouble my effort to get us back on track.

First things first, I was going to find out whatever it was that she may be doing, particularly if it involved Donovan.

No I didn't hire a private detective, and no I didn't get a buddy's car and follow her. I just watched her. I called her more often, trying to see what she was doing. I popped in every so often at odd times. Since she worked out of the house, my house, all that seemed appropriate. I don't think this behavior came off as suspicious..

There were still some large unexplained gaps in her days. I questioned her about things right up to the point of actually accusing her of something. I learned nothing new. She could get irritated if I probed too much.

One day leaving a job site I noticed one of my tires on my truck was low. On the way home I dropped it at the tire store. Albert followed me to the tire place and gave me a lift home. I asked Brittany if she'd drop me by the tire shop in the morning.

The next morning we got in her Outback and headed for the tire shop. She plugged her phone into the USB port in the Subaru. One thing about Apple Car Play is that it interprets your destination based on where you normally drive. It flashes your most common destination up on the screen and then gives the ETA for that destination.

When she plugged in her phone it immediately flashed up the address of Donovan's building in Redmond. Yes, I know there is a newer Fitness Plus at that same location and all the rest of Donovan's development, and also his office. She saw me notice that address.

"I guess my Subaru thinks I need a workout," she half laughed with a nervous lilt to her voice.

I considered my options at this point. I knew something was up. I highly suspected it had to do with Donovan. The phone call in Hawaii, the comments from Taylor, and their past relationship. And then you had to add in her unexplained actions. I know it was all circumstantial at this point, but I didn't normally believe in coincidences.

The next few weeks went on with nothing suspicious or unexplained occurring. And then one night, out of the blue, she said she was going to Vancouver to visit her sister Claire, Claire's husband Mitchell, and their three children. My antenna was up.

Brittany and Claire were never particularly close. Claire was five years older than Brittany and firmly settled in as a mother and housewife. Mitch was a nice enough guy, a fireman, just different from us. I also knew Brittany was not close with her niece and nephews. I think other than the wedding I'd only been around them a handful of times.

I questioned Brittany about the trip. Why was she going, what were they going to do, what brought this on all of sudden. Her replies were non specific, and I sensed slight nervousness in her answers. Still there was nothing concrete to validate my suspicions.

Her plan was to leave Thursday evening and be back on Sunday. It was about a three and a half hour drive to Vancouver Washington from central Oregon. Brittany was particularly nice and attentive towards me in the days leading up to the trip. She seemed in a good mood, excited to see her sister.

She called me mid day on Friday and everything seemed fine. She updated me on her sister and her family and I thought I heard her sister in the background at one point. Everything appeared normal.

Friday evening at home and I couldn't find a particular ingredient I needed for my dinner. Quick call to Brittany. It went straight to voicemail. I didn't leave a message, I knew she'd see the call and call me back. By nine-thirty that night, no reply.

I tried to call her again, voicemail again. At this point I was more curious than concerned. The next day I tried her mid morning, and then again at lunchtime. Same result.

By mid afternoon I decided to try her sister. Better yet, I'd try Mitch, Claire's husband. He answered immediately.

"Tim!" he sounded slightly alarmed. Understandably, I never called him, he assumed some sort of emergency.

"What's going on?" He quickly asked.

"Mitch, sorry to bother you, but I haven't been able to get a hold of Brittany." I told him.

"Ummm," he started, "well she stopped by yesterday when I was home, but to my knowledge, she and Claire weren't scheduled to get together again." He added.

"Do you mean," I asked, "she's not staying with you?"

"Staying with us? No, I never knew she was supposed to. She told us she was meeting some college friends in Portland." Mitch replied.

I digested this information. Okay, I knew something was up, now the thread was starting to unravel.

"Tim,... Tim? Are you still there?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here. Hey Mitch, I must have been confused about her plans. You're right she did say she was staying with college friends. Sorry to bother you." And I hung up.

I sat there and thought. Okay, she lied to me. She told me she was staying at Claire's. She tells Claire she's with college friends. I was pretty sure I knew which old college friend she was staying with. She would have never suspected I'd contact Claire or Mitch. Just then my phone rang, Brittany.

"Hi honey," she greeted me. "I missed your calls, is everything okay?" She asked.

I knew I'd have to put on my best acting job.

"Yeah, I was just looking for the teriyaki sauce, I finally found it." I said as neutral as possible.

"How are Claire and Mitch?" I asked.

She went on to tell me everything was fine, she updated me on the niece and nephews and talked about normal stuff.

"So are you sleeping on their couch?" I asked, knowing their house was only a three bedroom.

She told me she was, but it wasn't too bad. Okay, any thread of a logical explanation was now gone. She was lying to me.

I quickly got off the phone.

I was sad and angry throughout the afternoon knowing that she was spending the night with Donovan somewhere. A couple of times I picked up the phone determined to call her a cheating bitch. But I stopped, I had to get my emotions in check. I needed proof. I needed a strategy.

All afternoon and evening I thought. There was no way my marriage would survive this. I became sad and emotional a few times, but more than any other emotion, I felt anger.

Sunday afternoon she arrived home around four o'clock. I had to pretend all was okay and act calm. I did my best but churning below the surface was a hot rage at her lying and probable infidelity.

We had a normal evening, I was reserved to a point that she asked me if everything was okay. I told her yes, and I used the old preoccupied at work excuse to explain any unusual behavior. She gave me a long look as if she was gauging the honesty of my reply.

Fortunately that night there were no sexual overtures by either of us. She was probably too worn out and I didn't want Donovan's sloppy seconds.

The following night, Monday, Brittany was not home until after seven PM. When she arrived she seemed out of breath and her hair was damp.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"Um, I was at the gym." She stated and watched as if to gauge my reaction to the answer.

"Is your hair wet?" I questioned.

"Oh, yeah," she said and reached up involuntarily to feel the dampness of her hair, "I showered at the gym." She said, once again watching my reaction.

"Huh," I said, "I thought you told me you thought the showers there were gross." I added.

She began some type of further explanation about her gym and shower experience, but I'd had enough. I walked out the back door and through the fence to Hilda's old place to putter around. I could hear Brittany calling after me. I ignored her. I worked on the property until dark.

I thought as I worked. I could tell something large had shifted in our relationship. I knew she was lying to me, and I think she was beginning to suspect that I knew of her lies. Something was going to have to happen soon, I was just not sure exactly when.

It happened two days later. I had been quietly trying to work out what to do next. I knew Brittany was lying to me and likely having an affair with her ex-husband, Donovan Mims. I just needed some proof. I was in a negative mood thinking about my situation. I was on edge, anger constantly simmering below the surface.

We were on a job outside of Redmond and I needed to grab a few things from the lumber store. As I was waiting at the light to turn left toward Redmond, I saw what looked like Brittany's black Outback heading away from Redmond toward home. As she passed I saw that it was Brittany, and the thing that bothered me most was this big happy smile on her face as she sped past me oblivious of my presence.

If I hadn't been in the far left hand turn lane I would've followed her home and had it out with her. Instead I made the turn and headed directly to Donovan's office. My anger was white hot and it was fortunate I didn't get a ticket. I skidded into the parking lot in front of his building. I leapt out of my truck, not bothering to close the driver side door.

The receptionist was alarmed as I slammed in.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Mr Mims is on a conference call," she stammered, shocked at my aggressive attitude.

I marched past her toward Donovan's office. She called after me, but I ignored her. Donovan looked up in surprise as I slammed open his door. He was on the phone, headset attached, listening to whoever was on the other line.

"Excuse me, " he began, not immediately recognizing me, "Tim? " He began as he saw it was me.

I was around his desk and grabbing at his white shirt in anger. I knocked him back in his chair. I had the surprise advantage on him for a moment. We ended up wrestling on the floor and me getting one good shot to the face in.

Donovan's superior size and strength eventually gave him the advantage. He held me in a bear hug, pinning my arms.

"What is your fucking problem man?" He asked me, both of us breathing heavy from the exertion.

"Stay away from my wife!" I hissed at him, still struggling to get free.

He stopped, shoved me away, and just stared at me.

"Brittany?" He said with a confused expression on his face.

"Yeah, I know you've been seeing her." I claimed.

"Look Tim, I'm not sure what you've heard, or what you think you saw, but other than her working with Jan out front on the website, I can't tell you the last time I saw Brittany." Donovan said.

I studied him. What he said had the ring of truth. He was not a good enough actor to pull this off. He wasn't lying. I sat there, disheveled, sitting on his office floor feeling embarrassed and stupid. After a minute I stood up.

"Sorry Donovan," I said to him as I quickly walked out of his building, embarrassed.

I headed for home.

On the way I called Brittany. It went to voicemail. I left her a message, coming just short of accusing her of lying and cheating. I told her we were going to have a long and honest discussion about our marriage when I got home. If it wasn't Donovan, who was it or what had she been doing.

The problem was, she wasn't home when I got there.

Whatever was going on seemed to be coming to a head. She had been up to something that likely violated our marriage vows, I was sure of it. Furthermore I think she knew that I knew, and I think that's why she wasn't home. She was not prepared for the confrontation.

I tried to call her exactly twice and I texted her once. I just told her we needed to talk. I received no reply.

The following day I was less than effective at the jobsite. It was a big project near Redmond. I was working with Roman and his crew on this particular job. I messed up a few times and expected some type of harsh comments from Roman. Instead he just watched me, with almost a look of concern on his face.

Finally, mid afternoon Roman came up to me.

"Go home," he said to me, not in anger but in Roman's version of concern.

"You work out problem, come back with clear head." He said to me.

I thought for a moment and realized he was right, I wasn't doing any good here.

As I turned he gave me a friendly pat on my shoulder. It was as if Roman sensed my troubled mood. I felt a warmth from him I had never experienced before. Despite my severely negative mindset, I found the flicker of compassion from Roman ever so slightly brightened my dark mood.

Driving home I half expected Brittany to be there. I was rehearsing mentally what I would say to her. I had a mixture of emotions. Certainly anger, but also sadness. I wondered if there was any way our marriage could be saved. Was there some acceptable explanation as to what had been going on? I'd thought it was Donovan. I now knew it was not.

When I arrived home there was no sign of Brittany. I tried calling, it went straight to voicemail. I texted:

'where R U? We need to talk. If you care one bit about our marriage call me'

If that didn't get her attention I'm not sure what would. I sat on my front porch and thought. What had I done wrong? Was she playing the same type of disloyal game she played in college? Was there any situation possible where the marriage was salvageable?

As these thoughts swirled around in my head. Just then I heard a car drive up. I really expected it to be Brittany. It was not her black Subaru, but a shiny white Audi sedan. It stopped in front of my house. Through the tinted windows I couldn't see who was inside.

To my surprise, out stepped Donovan.

"Hey man," palms up in a disarming gesture, "no wrestling, no fighting, okay?" He said to me with a half grin on his face.

"Donovan!" I said, surprised, "I'm sorry about yesterday. But, what are you doing here now? How did you even know where we live?" I asked.

"You forget, I helped you refinance this place." He told me, "I just looked up your file," Donovan said as we walked up on the porch.

I was confused by his arrival and still a little embarrassed about yesterday. I asked him if he wanted water, a beer, or anything.

"No man, but I have some information for you." He said.

"Okay?" I slowly said, curious to what he might say.

"Now don't shoot the messenger," he said looking me in the eye, "but I got to thinking about Brittany after our little tussle yesterday. And I remembered seeing her around in the past month or so." Donovan added.

I looked at him, as if to say 'go on'.

"And I recall her hanging out with a guy that lives in my building. I never thought much about it, because of who it was. I thought everything was all above board, but after what you accused me of yesterday, well that's when I thought you and I needed to talk." Donovan said to me.

"Who is it?" I demanded.

He gave me a long look, paused and then told me.

"Your brother." He said.

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Physically I doubled over. A hundred thoughts swirled through my brain, all trying to determine if there was any innocent explanation to what Donovan had told me.

Finally I said to Donovan, "did they look like they were," for a moment I couldn't think of the right word, "affectionate?" I asked.

He took a deep breath and said to me, "I'm not exactly sure how affectionate they were, but I know this. I wouldn't want my lady hanging on some guy like that without me knowing." He told me.

I sat there on my front porch stunned. On one hand I couldn't quite believe what Donovan was saying. Taylor wouldn't do that, would he? On the other hand everything he said made some kind of twisted logic. I flashed back to Brittany in her bikinis in Hawaii, and some of the looks he had given her.

But I thought even as self absorbed as my brother was that he would at least have the decency not to go after his own brother's wife. It sounds like I misjudged what an asshole he could be.

"I guess things just don't change." Donovan said to me as he slowly shook his head.

It took a minute for me to absorb his words.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean with Brittany." He said.

I looked at him searching for what he was telling me. He must have seen my confusion.

"The reason she and I split up was over adultery." He told me.

"Yes," I said, "but this time it was her that did it, not me." I added.

He stared at me, his head shaking side to side.

"No, you don't get it," Donovan said, "it was Brittany that cheated on me. I loved her, I'd never do that. She broke my heart." Donovan told me.

I had thought she told me it was Donovan that cheated on her. Or had she just said the reason they split up was adultery, and I just assumed it was Donovan.

"What happened?" I asked.

Donovan told me a story of Brittany and the general manager of the local BMW dealership. She was doing their website and began working with the guy. He was married and had two kids. He told me he became suspicious, too many unexplained things had been going on.

"One night I followed them," he said, "I caught her giving him a blowjob in the parking lot at Table Rock State Park. I felt like killing the guy. I didn't kill him, but I kicked his ass pretty good. Over time I got over being pissed off at her. But I never trusted her again." He told me.

Donovan got up to leave and gave me a bro hug, and told me if I needed anything to let me know.

"That's why I drive the Audi. Can't stand to even look at BMW's anymore." He told me as he walked back to his car.

.

Deep in thought I watched him drive off.

My fucking brother I thought. The more I thought about the angrier I was at both of them. Could something have happened in Hawaii I wondered? They were certainly together enough there. Without even thinking about it, I grabbed my keys and started driving to Taylor's apartment in Redmond. All those times she was supposed to be at Fitness Plus she was probably with Taylor I fumed.

Part way there my phone rang, it was my mother, I ignored it. A few minutes later it rang again, Brittany, I quickly answered.

"Where are you!?" I barked into the phone.

"Tim, it's your mother," my mom replied, "I've got Brittany's phone," she explained.

"Where's Brittany!?" I roared into the phone.

"She's here, she's at the house," she told me. "We have a problem we need to work out. You need to come over so we can sort all this out." My mom told me.

"We, sort this out? This is between Brittany and me and my asshole brother," I yelled at my mother.

"I know you're upset, but Timothy," she said, " you don't need to use that tone with me. We will figure this out. It's family business. I'm sure we can.... "

I hung up. I didn't want to hear her bullshit. My phone rang again, likely my mom trying to call me back. I ignored it. I turned around, now I was heading to my parents house. What in the fuck was Brittany doing there.

Once again I was fortunate not to get a ticket. Pulling up to my parents home, the place I had spent so much time working on, I saw Brittany's Outback as well as Taylor's shiny red truck.

My anger was white hot as I approached the house. My mom opened the door and tried to stand somewhat between me and Brittany and Taylor.

"Now Timothy," my mother started, " this is an unfortunate situation, but we can work it out." She told me.

I looked at Brittany, she wouldn't meet my eyes.

"How long have you been fucking this piece of shit?" I asked her, nodding toward Taylor.

"Hey!" Objected Taylor.

"I will not have that type of language in my house," my mother added.