February Really, Really Sucks

Another slow song, a ballad this time. I could see the band leader watching my wife and her partner, taking his cues from them. Marc was smiling as he held Linda in his arms; he was clearly pleased with whatever was going on. I'd seen enough. I rose from my chair and felt Jane's hand on my arm.

"Wait, Jim. Let her have this. Don't ruin it for her."

I jerked my arm free, and then I looked at Linda's face. She clearly wanted to be exactly where she was, and nowhere else. She did not want any interference from me. I slumped back into my chair. Finally, the song ended. Marc nodded at the band leader, who started a faster song. He and Linda left the dance floor, smiling at each other, but not touching, not even holding hands. Linda gave him a last brilliant smile as she turned toward our table and Marc turned toward his.

The difference between a woman's best smile and her second-best smile isn't much. Unless you know the woman well, you probably wouldn't notice it at all. As Linda neared our table and our eyes met, her best smile faded to her second-best. I knew then that we had a problem.

"I keep telling you that you're the most attractive woman in here," I whispered in her ear as I seated her. I reached for her hand and held it in both of mine. "Is it time to take the next dance back to our room?"

For just the tiniest moment, I could have sworn Linda was afraid. Her eyes widened and I could feel her hand trembling. She covered the moment quickly, though, and looked away from me, across the table.

"I'm sorry, everyone, I just have to go to the restroom right now. Linda, come with me?" Dee's voice could be heard far beyond our table. I was too preoccupied to wonder why she had to broadcast this to the room at large. Linda looked at me apologetically.

"Sorry, Jim. I can use some freshening up, too." She rose and left, without answering my question. Of course, the conversation immediately turned to why no woman who is out with a group can possibly go to the restroom by herself. I had just started to wonder why my friends were working so hard to keep the conversation going on that topic, when Dee came back. Alone.

"Where's Linda? Is she okay?" I practically shouted.

"Relax, Jim," Dee said, smiling. "Linda is fine, she just has something to do. You don't need to worry about her. She is a grownup woman, you know." Upon which my friends started teasing me about how much I worried about Linda. It's true, I did; she worried about me the same way. I put up with it for about five minutes, and when Linda still hadn't returned, I'd had enough. I got up and headed for the bar, taking an empty plate with me as an excuse. I approached one of the female bartenders.

"Excuse me, but my wife went to the restroom about fifteen minutes ago and hasn't come out. She never takes that long. Could you please go or send someone to be sure she's all right."

The bartender gave me a dubious look. The plate in my hand gave me an idea.

"The wings are great, and she likes spicy food, but every now and then she gets a reaction. Really, I just want to know she's all right. Her name is Linda. Here, let me show you a picture of her." I put down the plate and pulled up Linda's picture on my phone. The bartender was beginning to look somewhat sympathetic when there was a voice at my elbow.

"She's all right, you don't need to check on her." Dee was addressing the bartender. "Everything's fine. I'll take care of this." She placed a five on the counter. I wondered why the bartender looked at me with what seemed like sympathy as she pocketed the bill.

"What... why... but she went there with you? because you asked her?" I was completely confused.

"Jim, she's not in the restroom. She has left the club."

"Left? Without me? Why? What's the matter? Why didn't she tell me? Where did she go? Is she all right?" I still didn't get it.

"Let's go to the end of the bar where there's some privacy." I just went where Dee dragged me. It was quieter in the dark corner at the end of the bar. Dee looked me in the eye.

"Jim, Linda loves you. She loves you and the children more than anything else in the world, and she always will, and you know it. But she is spending tonight with Marc."

I stood there with my mouth open, looking stupid as my world ended. Pictures whirled madly through my mind, or what was left of it. Linda at the top of the stairs in her beautiful blue dress. Linda at dinner; Linda at the club; Linda as we fed wings to each other. Linda in asshole's arms. My anger rose.

"So on what was supposed to be our special night, she left me for some asshole jock." I glared at Dee as I growled the words.

"Jim, she hasn't left you. She'll come home to you tomorrow, and you'll have plenty of other special nights together."

"She didn't even have the guts to tell me to my face that she was leaving me. She just snuck out the back door."

"Jim, listen to me. She hasn't left you..."

"Well if she hasn't left me, then where the hell is, she? She sure isn't with me now, is she?" I was getting loud and didn't care who heard me.

"Please settle down, people are looking at you. Listen, I know this hurts for you, but it's just tonight. Linda knows, we all know, that you're the only man for her and you always will be. You're the good guy."

I said, "Dee let's go back to the table." Dee turned to her right and started walking toward the table. I pivoted left and made a beeline for the front door. I was already headed out the door before she realized what had happened. Once outside, I made a left and headed for the entrance and exit to the parking lot. I hoped that I could catch Linda and the asshole before they left the lot.

As I made another left and headed toward the parked cars a large vehicle started out of the parking area. I noticed it was a Land Rover Defender and the asshole was driving but Linda was nowhere in sight. He hit the bright lights and blinded me as he came barreling toward me at about 30 MPH. There were cars parked along the walls of the club where I was standing with nowhere to go and I hoped he saw me and would stop. However, he just kept coming and I tried in vain to avoid the oncoming vehicle before I heard the thud as he hit me and sent me flying.

I flew about 20 feet in the air and landed on the sidewalk at the entrance. Luckily, I missed the gate mechanisms as I flew over them. I laid broken and bleeding on the sidewalk and watched as the Land Rover slammed on the brakes, slid on the ice and snow covered pavement into two of the parked vehicles before coming to a stop just before the parking gate at the exit. I saw the attendant rush not toward me but toward the Land Rover. I saw both the driver and passenger doors had opened and two silhouettes exited and headed for the rear entrance.

Finally, I saw the attendant rush to my side. I was in excruciating pain and my head was in a fog. Later I learned I was concussed. The attendant grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911 and called for the police and an ambulance. The few paparazzi that were hanging out in front ran over to see what the commotion was all about and started snapping photos of the scene as I heard someone yell, "That's Marc LaValliere's vehicle.

As I laid there awaiting the ambulance, not sure if I would survive, I had a half dozen parasites leap over my slightly a skewed prone body to get to the vehicle. While the photogs were examining the vehicle I witnessed a car pull up to the front entrance and watched in object horror as the asshole and my wife piled into the car and sped away without even checking as to my condition after that fucking asshole hit me. I believed it intentional.

Dee, Dave, Phil, and Jane saw Marc and Linda run through the club and out the front door. They got up to follow and saw them as they closed the door to the waiting car. They noticed the commotion near the parking entrance and came over to investigate where they saw me laying on the frozen concrete. At least the cold from the snow and ice seemed to help numb the pain.

Dave said, "My God Jim! What happened!"

I groggily told him, "The fucking asshole tried to kill me."

They all stood there in shock and Dee just had to run her cocksucker and said, "Are you sure Jim? It's Marc LaValliere."

I said, "Yes, Marc "the Fucking Asshole LaValliere" wife stealing attempted murderer!" I began shivering uncontrollably as I heard the squad car pull up followed by the ambulance. I saw the EMT do an assessment and I thought I heard him say, "He's hypothermic as he covered me with a blanket and started an IV. The solution felt warm and I was still shivering as they loaded me onto the gurney where I promptly passed out.

The EMT gave me warmed saline solution and covered me well with blankets to counteract the hypothermia and gave me a morphine push for the pain. During the ride to the hospital, I woke up and I knew I had some serious injuries and despite the morphine, I was in a tremendous amount of pain. I told the EMT where I hurt and how my head was aching and ringing. After I arrived at the hospital, I heard the EMT tell the ER nurse I complained of nausea, headache and disorientation and pain in my left hip, left leg, pelvis, right shoulder, and head.

I was transferred from the gurney to the hospital gurney and soon after a doctor came in and she asked me for my name, I told her, "Jim Andrews." She looked me over, checked my heart, blood pressure and ran a flashlight across my eyes. She reassured me and said, "We're going to take good care of you Jim." I heard her order a complete blood work up, an ultrasound of my lower abdomen, a complete set of x-rays of my leg, hip, and shoulder and a CT scan to check for head injuries. They performed the ultrasound and used a portable x-ray to take the images while a nurse drew my blood for the lab. Doctor Landon informed me that I had a bruised spleen, a fractured left tibia, fractured hip, and dislocated right shoulder when I hit the sidewalk. She told me I had a possible concussion but needed the CT to rule out any other head trauma such as a brain bleed.

I was scared as I was wheeled up to have the CT. I also knew that while I was lying injured in the hospital I was all alone and my wife was out fucking the asshole who put me here without even as much as a check on my welfare. About an hour later I returned to the ER and Dr. Landon told me that there was no sign of a fractured skull or bleeding in my cranial area. I would be prepped for surgery to repair my hip with some titanium screws and then would have my leg set. She asked who they could call and I told her, "No one." With that I was wheeled away.

When I woke up, I was in a recovery room and heard the nagging beep of the monitors and noticed I still had an IV and some type of plunger had been placed in my hand. I saw the call button and pushed it to summon a nurse. The nurse told me that my surgery went well and that as soon as the surgeon came in, I would be moved to my room. She gave me some ice chips as I was parched and I laid there still foggy and with a tremendous headache.

She told me the plunger was for a morphine drip and when I felt pain coming on to push it and it would release a small dose of pain medication. The nurse asked me once again if there was anyone she needed to call. I told here to call my father Bob and have him call me here. I gave her the number and she left.

I pushed the plunger down and felt the pain subside a bit which allowed me to doze off. I was awakened by the phone ringing which set my head thumping in time with each ring. I reached over and answered the phone and listened as I heard my Dad, "Are you all right son? Where's Linda?"

I answered, "Dad, I'm hurt and in the hospital for a few days, it's a long story. Listen, I need you and Mom to pick up the kids and keep them for a few days. They're with a babysitter I'll give you the phone number and address."

"Is Linda hurt as well?"

"No Dad. Come by the hospital and I'll explain everything okay?"

"We're on our way son, don't worry about anything." With that he hung up and I laid there wondering how I'd be able to explain what had happened."

Before my parents arrived, Dave, Dee, Jane, and Phil came into my room. I had IV tubes sticking into me, monitor leads stuck on me and my fractured leg in traction. I looked a mess. My face had scrapes and contusions as did my hand. Dave spoke up, "My God Jim, are you okay?"

I looked upon the sorry bunch and wondered what I ever could've have seen in this bunch of shallow self-serving people little lone called any of them friends.

"Dave, you and the rest of these miscreants have a lot of balls coming here. You set me up so that murdering asshole could steal my wife and paved the way for her and her boyfriend to run me down. They left me lying on the sidewalk broken and bleeding without a care or concern for my welfare as she ran off to fulfill her fantasy fuck. Get the fuck out of here!"

Dee spoke up, "Jim, there is no way any of us could've known that this would happen. If you stayed with me in the club you wouldn't be here now! I'm sure Linda didn't know it was you!"

I became incensed. "Dee you stupid fucking cow! Even if that were true, the very least they could've done was to have checked on the person they hit. Except I didn't see her until they exited the vehicle, so what in the hell was she doing? Blowing the asshole that's what! Blowing him while he tried to kill me! Now get out and don't come back!"

I pushed the call button. Dave continued, "Jim, given what happened I know things got way out of hand but it was an accident. No one intended for anyone to get hurt."

"Except for me that is! I was hurt both physically and emotionally, so how'd that work out for ya?"

Dave looked down dejected and at a loss for words when the nurse and two individuals came into the room with her. "Mr. Andrews, these are the detectives in charge of the investigation into your accident. You need something before I leave?"

"Yes nurse, please remove these people from my room and make damn well sure they are kept out of here in the future."

"Yes Mr. Andrews! Please leave now or I'll call security!" The four of them left with the nurse as the detectives walked up to the bed.

Mr. Andrews, My name is Andrew Peters and this is my partner Lana Deveraux. We need to find out just what happened outside Club Rideau this evening and need to ask you some questions, okay?"

"Sure detective."

Detective Deveraux asked, "Sir, what was that all about with them four? Are they involved?"

I told her, "Indirectly." I went on to explain the events that led up to my being hit by the car. How my wife and the asshole Marc LaValliere had hit me and left the scene of the accident where in addition to nearly killing me had damaged two parked vehicles.

Peters said, "Yes, we saw the Land Rover and found it belonged to Marc LaValliere. Mr. La Valliere denied he was even at the club this evening. He claimed his vehicle was stolen and that he had been home alone all evening. The security cameras at the club happened to be down for maintenance last night so there was no video of the incident."

"Well, I'm sure that one of those four that just left wouldn't lie about the fact that LaValliere was indeed at Club Rideau, that he seduced and left with my wife in a car after he fucking tried to kill me with his Land Rover! I'm not sure about the staff at the club or the band. It seemed that the asshole uses that club as his preferred hunting grounds for picking up married women and has a history of humiliating the man he cuckolded in public. Also, I noticed while I laid on the ground bleeding that there was a camera on the business adjacent to the club in the alley and it faced the parking entrance. I'm sure LaValliere couldn't have known it was there. That is unless you're also in his pocket!"

Deveraux spoke up, "Mr. Andrews! We are interested in finding justice no matter where or to whom the evidence leads us to!"

Peters told her, "Ease up Lana. Mr. Andrews has reason to doubt the course of justice. Mr. LaValliere is a popular figure and it seems extremely convenient that all the cameras were down and that his vehicle was reported stolen only a few minutes before we knocked on his door and well after the incident at the club. Also, this man doesn't know us and given all he's been through can you blame him if he questioned anything and involved?"

I saw the sincerity in their eyes as well as heard it in their voices. "Listen, Detectives, I apologize. I'm a bit out of sorts, I suffered a concussion and I'm under the influence of pain medication. Please, forgive me. One more thing, nail that smug condescending bastard!"

My parents entered the room and my mother came at a dead run for the bed crying, "Jimmy are you okay baby!"

I said, "I'm fine Mom. Mom, Dad these are detectives Peters and Deveraux, they're looking into the incident that landed me here."

Peters shook hands with my Dad and said, "A pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. Mr. Andrews, we'll be in touch. Get better soon."

As the detectives left the room my Dad asked, "Son what the hell is going on?"

I explained to them what had transpired that evening. They looked as shocked and surprised as I was at what had happened. I asked Mom to go and call Mrs. Porter and let her know I had been hospitalized and that they would be picking up the kids. After she left, I told my Dad, "Dad, can you do me a big favor?"

"Anything son!"

"Please stay at my house tonight and in the morning please buy some new locks and install them and have a set of keys made for you and me. Also please reprogram my garage door opener code. I don't want her to get back inside my house. On your way home please bring the kids by to see me after you explained about "my accident" and do your level best to keep that bitch I'm married to from finding or taking my kids. I'm going to call an attorney and arrange for a restraining order as well as have a court grant you temporary custody if you and Mom are okay with that?"

My Dad had tears in his eyes and said to me, "Son, I'd be proud to protect and care for my grandchildren until you get back on your feet. Don't worry a bit. I know a family law attorney and I can call him right now and get him to work so he can file the necessary paperwork in court Monday morning as soon as the court opens up."

"Thanks Dad. I'll be waiting for his call." We exchanged a bit of small talk. I had him get my ATM card out of my wallet and gave him the pin number so he could withdraw funds enough for the locks and groceries to feed the kids. I didn't want them to be burdened financially with the added mouths to feed since it was my responsibility. Mom came in and said everything was arranged to pick up the kids from Mrs. Porter. Mom said she wished me a speedy recovery.

We chatted a bit more but I grew tired and the pain forced me to push the plunger for more pain medication. The morphine relieved most of the pain and I began to drift off. I felt my Mom as she kissed my forehead and my Dad as he squeezed my hand and said, "Rest easy son I've got your back." For the first time in quite awhile I felt safe and surrendered myself to the arms of Morpheus for a well-deserved rest.

I was poked and prodded throughout the night and awakened by a vision of loveliness in white who checked my vitals, gave me some meds, and then gave me a very enjoyable sponge bath. Despite the lack of restful sleep, the bath helped to restore my vim and vigor or at least as much as I could muster given my current situation. Once she finished the phlebotomist came in for a blood draw and then my breakfast arrived. I was famished and even the cold and bland scrambled eggs tasted wonderful.