Forgiveness

I said, "Looks like I'm too late."

He said, "Yeah, you are man. There's a boat load of free ladies on this ship. This one's mine. Piss off."

I said, "Sorry to intrude." I looked at Melinda who looked pale and was about to faint. She tried to say something but nothing came out. I just walked off.

I went to my cabin with the intention of flying home at the next port of call.

Melinda couldn't believe Robbie was on the ship looking at her being kissed by another man and devastated knowing that he saw it all. She was speechless. There was no doubt that he was thinking the worst. Martin has been hitting on her all week trying to get in her panties. She had already told him there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell but he's been persistent. He finds her no matter where she's at and walks with his arm around her like they are a couple. Buying her drinks, asking her to dance with him, etc...

Melinda shoved Martin away from her and tried to run after Robbie but he had disappeared. No one would give her any room information. She turned on her cell and found many missed calls from him and Jack. She tried to call Robbie but knew he wouldn't pick up. He's hurt...again and it's my fault again, even though it's innocent this time.

I saw that Melinda had been trying to call me. There's nothing I can say to her right now. There was a time if I had seen her kissing some guy, my attitude toward her would been the guys gonna get lucky but now, it hurts...a lot.

I decided to take a walk around the boat. It wasn't likely I would run into her with three thousand people on the ship. I found a bar boy and got a drink then sat in a lounge chair in a nice secluded area. I was just watching the ocean when I spotted her with her boy toy in tow. She saw me...shit. She came toward me with boy toy beside her.

I said, "WOW! Didn't take you long did it, Melinda but as beautiful as you are, it never did. We aren't married anymore. You're a free woman, Baby. Feel free to do whatever you need to do. Don't mind me. I'll be leaving in the morning."

She said, "Robbie, it's not what you think. I...I just met Martin here early in the week. He's been someone to talk too. Nothing more.

"Well, Honey, I think your Boy Toy there would beg to differ. From what I've seen the last couple of days, he's doing his best to get into your panties. Melinda, you don't have to justify anything to me. Who knows, maybe I'll find someone to talk to and get lucky tonight myself."

Boy Toy finally found his balls and decided to stake his claim in front of me.

"Hey Man, We are leaving now. She's my date this week and I'm going to continue to have fun with her. You're just an ex husband she tells me so butt out."

I said, "You are right, Bubba, I'm just the ex. You two have a good time."

He took Melinda by the arm and said "c'mon, Melinda." He jerked her away. It hurt and she winced. I got up and at 6'4", I towered over him.

I said, "Boy Toy, touch her again like that and you'll need to visit the infirmary. Anything about that you don't understand?" Melinda, do you want to go with this gentleman?"

"No, Robbie, I'm with you. I enjoyed our talks, Martin but you can piss off now. Enjoy the rest of the cruise. Good Bye"

He started to call her a "bitch". I said, "Don't say it and save yourself some pain, Boy Toy." It was the last we saw of him.

"Melinda, I'm flying home when we dock tomorrow. I needed to talk to you about Jack but I really don't see the point if your back to trolling. I'm sure he'll be waiting when you get back."

I turned and walked away.

She followed me and yelled, "Robbie Hammer, stop right there. I'm going home with you tomorrow if it's ok. Robbie, Jack's called about 25 times. I haven't picked up."

I said, "Suit yourself, Melinda. What ARE you gong to about your boyfriend when you get back? I've done some checking on him. He's not a very nice guy."

"Robbie, I need your help. He's not my boyfriend. Jack is a douchebag. Please, you are my only man. I was lonely. Martin was just someone to kill time with. I know he had other goals but they weren't mine. Please don't be mad.

"What am I supposed to think, Melinda. You profess your undying love to me and your commitment to a future with me then suddenly you disappear without a word. I find your on a cruise, right after your visit from Jack, which is who I expected you to be with when I got on board. Instead, when I finally found you, your in a dark, secluded corner of a ship's bar with a strange man. I watch awhile and watch you two talking and laughing, walk around like a couple with his arm around you then the kiss was the last straw. So yeah...I'm ready to call it a good try and leave it at that."

"Please, Robbie, it wasn't like that at all. You saw me turn away from the first attempted kiss. I'm sorry, I ran away thinking we were over anyway after I told you I had lied about Jack and the condom. I just needed to get away and Martin saw a lonely woman when I boarded the ship and tried to take advantage. I have not had sex with him or anyone."

"Robbie, I want to be in your bed tonight. Safe in your arms."

" Melinda, I'm still pissed at what I saw but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt... this time. Let's go to bed. I'm beat."

She slept in my arms, never moving with her beautiful nude body against mine. I listened to her breathe. God, how I loved this woman. I awoke and I felt her warm lips on my cock. She kissed the head and mounted me cowgirl style. She came twice before I unloaded deep in her vagina. I finished inside her, through her off me and went down on her sloppy pussy.

She said, " OH MY GOD, Robbie. You left a big mess in me. You don't have to do th...Jesus, I'm cumming again."

She squirted all over my face as I sucked and licked her clit. As she came down from her orgasm, She rolled over and kissed me licking our mixed fluids off of my lips.

"Robbie, promise me you will leave me in a quivering heap like this regularly for the next 50 years or so. I can't move, Baby."

We told the crew we were flying home and left the ship. On the flight home, I told Melinda that I have a plan for Jack.

"When he calls, I want you to meet him at the bar he chooses where I will be waiting for him. You will be recording the whole conversation. I want him to admit that he has raped some women and possibly threaten you on tape. I have their names from my police contact. We just need more proof. I will have a State Police Investigator friend of mine with me. We will be close."

We went straight to my condo when we landed. She had plenty of clothes with her from the cruise.

No sooner than we got to the condo, her cell rang. Looks like Jack was going to be persistent. '

He said, "Where the fuck have you been. I told you to be available this week. You haven't answered your phone in nearly a week. Looks like you're not too concerned if I tell ex hubby that you begged me to squirt my potent jizz in your cheating pussy that day."

I told her to tell Jack exactly what I told her to say when he called.

She said, "Sorry, Jack, I had to get away for a few days. No, please don't tell him."

Jack said, "Shut up, Ok, here's the deal, Melinda. Meet me at The Iron Horse on the other side of town at 4 o'clock. We'll have a drink. There's a little motel across the road where we can reconnect, if you know what I mean. No pun intended. Unless, you want ex hubby to know about you, show up and don't be late."

"Fuck you, Jack," she replied.

He said, "Well, Yeah. That's the idea." He laughed and hung up.

They disconnected. She looked sad and distraught. I heard it all.

I said, "Melinda, since he doesn't know me from Adam, I'll get there early with my friend and find a booth. Just let him talk his shit. Hopefully he'll say something that incriminates him. The police have reports from women he's supposed to have assaulted. Get him to talk about him hitting you and how you're just a notch on his bed post. Ask him if his usual technique is to get something on his fuck buddies then blackmail them or does he just beat them into submission."

We were early and sitting where we could hear but not be seen. Jack arrived and sat down in the booth across from Melinda.

He said, "Hi Baby, you're early I see. You're anxious to have this dick in you again, I bet. Let's have a drink, then take care of that itch."

She said, "Jack, you're a douchebag, you know that. The only reason I'm here is to try to save my relationship with my Ex. Just so you know, it's not by choice I'm here. You're blackmailing me by threatening to ruin my reconnection with my Ex-husband if I don't fuck you. Don't expect any fireworks, Asshole. All you got is a blow up doll to stick your pathetic dick in."

"Is this how you treat all your whores, Jack. Housewives who you sweet talk into fucking you so you will have leverage on them or do you rape them, knowing they won't tell because it will ruin their life. You get off on forcing your slimy dick in them and then threaten the women if they tell, don't you?"

"Baby, you're just one of many married sluts over the years. I've had to persuade some of them that fucking me was their best option a few times. A few refused. It did not turn out well for them. Melinda, you don't want to cross me. I'm not very nice when I'm pissed off, so just fuck me and keep that pretty mouth shut."

She said, "Or What? Jack, you going to kill me after you rape me."

"Let's just say, it would not be in your best interest to run to the police or your lawyer friends and relate what you know about me. It would not end well for you. I could make you disappear in a heartbeat. You wouldn't be my first to meet an untimely demise."

"Jack, you're scaring me."

He said, "You should be, now let's go see if that pussy is as good as I remember it"

Robbie scooted in the booth by Melinda and said, "Honey, you can go now. We have all we need."

He said, "Who the fuck are you."

Robbie said, "Hello, Jack, I've heard so much about you...all bad, I'm afraid. I'm the ex and I know the whole story. You ruined my life, Melinda's and our marriage. It's time for you to pay for your sins. By the way, she wont be able to make today or any other day. Now...let me explain something to you. If you should bond out of jail and I even think you're looking for Melinda or me, I will hunt you down and we won't need a police officer when it's over. Do you understand?"

Jack just sneered at me. He was so mad he was blowing snot.

He yelled at Melinda as she walked out, "Remember what I said, Bitch. I won't forget."

I slapped Jack hard with my open hand. I said, "Jack, pay attention. Try to keep up. I'm talking to you." He started to get up and I slapped again.

"You listening now, Asshole? I think this police officer has some words for you."

Johnny walked up and identified himself as a State Police officer and told Jack he was under arrest for aggravated sexual assault. Johnny read Jack his rights, handcuffed him and escorted him to an awaiting transport unit to be booked. It seems the body of a young woman had been found in Mobile Bay sometime back. Jack Nixon is a prime suspect in her death. The pieces fit now.

They impounded his SUV and put a forensic team on it.

Melinda was waiting on me in her car as we all walked out. I said, "Lets go home, Sweetheart. You're staying at my place for awhile. I'm not sure what that dip shit is going to do but I'm going to put someone on him when he gets out of jail. I fully expect him to jump bail."

We went home, took a shower together and we did our best to drain each other. We fell asleep with my arm around her and a breast and nipple in my hand.

It was four days, before Jack's lawyer managed to get him out. Johnny called me and told me he was out.

Johnny said, "The forensic team is working a lot of evidence in his SUV. They found pubic hair, female secretions and semen on the seat and carpet of two different women. They also found hair and blood in the dark carpet belonging to a missing mother of two in Mobile. DNA samples matched from personal articles from her home."

Jack was in deep shit but had bailed out and skipped before the evidence was found and tied to him.

I still need to hear how Melinda got tied up with this scumbag.

Chapter 6

I had gone back to work and no one had heard anything about Jack for a month. Robbie told me, as expected he didn't show up for his court appearance. His bond has been revoked and he is considered a fugitive.

As I was leaving work and walking to my car with some coworkers, a white Ford pickup drove toward me. It stopped near where I was walking. It was Jack.

He yelled "I TOLD YOU!, BITCH." I looked up at him and he had a handgun pointed at me.

I saw the gun and turned to run away when I heard the first shot and felt something hit me hard in the back. Blood sprayed out of my chest just above my right breast. Two more shots rang out, one hit me in the hip and the other hit me in the leg just above my left ankle. My leg went out from under me and I fell behind a car where Jack couldn't see me. I was conscious but just barely.

I heard someone yell, "Call 911." I was semi conscious and felt the warmth of my blood oozing from my chest. I could taste blood in my mouth which was drooling out the corner. It was hard to breathe. I couldn't move my hip or left leg. Janice was the first person to reach me. She was putting pressure on my wounds and talking to me.

Janice was whispering, "Melinda, you're going to be fine. Stay with me, Honey. Help is on the way."

I was spitting blood. I knew that wasn't good. I was going into shock.

I whispered, "Robbie".

Janice said, "He's coming, Melinda. Hang with me."

I was still semi conscious as they loaded me in the ambulance. I had IV's hanging everywhere and felt a sharp pain in my left ankle.

The paramedic said, "Looks like the bullet broke both bones in your leg just above your ankle, Ms. Hammer. I have to splint it. I'm sorry for the pain."

They rolled me on my right side and packed my hip wound with gauze and bandages. All I could do was gurgle moans. My left lung was punctured. That was the last thing I remembered as I slipped into LaLa land.

My phone rang. It was Janice. "Robbie, you have to get to the hospital quick. Melinda's been shot. It doesn't look good. That guy the police gave us the picture of, Jack what's-his-name...drove up and shot her as she was wallking across the parking lot. Robbie, she was bleeding so bad."

,

I said, "SHOT! Melinda's been SHOT? I raced to the hospital. I saw police cars and an ambulance in the ER drive. I ran into the ER asking where she was. I saw nurses and a couple of doctors running in and out of one of the rooms.

A nurse grabbed me and said, "Wait here, we are still trying to stabilize her. They are going to take her to surgery now."

I could see blood spots on the floor where she had been bleeding as they wheeled her in. I broke down. I walked by the trauma room where she had been. It looked like a battlefield trauma unit. Blood everywhere.

Janice came up to me. She was still shaking. Her hands were covered in dried blood. Melindas blood. My God...

She said, "Robbie, it was that Nixon guy. We had pics of him in the office in case he showed up there. It looked like a white Ford Pick Up. He just yelled at her and started shooting in the parking lot. The police are searching for him now."

"Robbie, she was hit three times, in the back, left hip and left lower leg. I heard the EMT say both bones in her leg are broken. The back wound went through her and came out her chest. I'm so sorry, Robbie."

Janice had her arms around me. I was crying like a baby and praying, please God, don't let her die. The nurse came by and told us that they are rushing her to surgery. It will be hours before we can see her.

Janice and I sat in the waiting area all night. At about 4 in the morning, a Dr. Harris came in and sat down with us.

Dr. Harris said, "Ok, it was touch and go for awhile. We had to revive her on the table twice. She lost a lot of blood. She's still critical but stable now. The back wound went through her lung and exited above her right breast, which we repaired. The bullet in her hip fractured her pelvis but it will heal with time. We reduced the broken bones in her leg with plates and screws. She should have use of her leg in about 3 months. She will be in a splint for a week, then a cast for 8 to 10:weeks weeks or so. I expect her to be here for at lest 7 to 10 days.

I think she'll be fine, Mr. Hammer. Just takes time. Go home and get some rest. She will be in ICU for a couple of days anyway. She's on a ventilator to help her breathe while her lung heals. We won't wake her up until we can take her off of it. I'll check on her in the morning."

Robbie thought, Thank God, She's alive. I grabbed a hamburger on the way home, took a shower, got my laptop and headed back. I went to ICU and found her room and started crying again soon as i saw her. She looked so helpless and weak. Tubes, monitors and IV bags everywhere. There was a bandage with seeping blood on her chest. They had cleaned her up pretty good. Very little dry blood left.

Her left leg was splinted, heavily bandaged from her toes to below her knee. Only her pretty red toes were sticking out of the splint. The nurse made sure I had access to her as there was a 24 hour police guard on her until Nixon was caught.

I pulled my chair up beside her bed, took her limp hand and settled in for the long haul. The machine was breathing for her. The nurse came in about every half hour and checked everything.

She said, "Don't worry, she's a strong lady. Are you Robbie? She was calling your name in the ER in her few lucid moments. Dr. Harris is the best there is. If he says she's ok, she will be."

I said, "Thanks, that's very reassuring."

Johnny finally made it to the hospital. He's been with the officers searching for Nixon. He reassured me that they would find him. He told me your wife is a brave lady. We've already obtained a warrant for Attempted Murder for Nixon. We will find him.

He said, "She's a keeper, Robbie. I don't know what happened between you five years ago but you need to fix it. I know it has something to do with Nixon from what I heard at the restaurant but the bottom line is, are you happier with her or without her?

"Johnny, we were full steam ahead on reconciling when Nixon showed up back in town to try to take up where they left off five years ago. You know the rest of it. Right now, I just need to be here for her. I hope she can hear me talking to her, telling her how much I love her."

I've only left her side to shower, eat and return phone calls. I also had a whole PI team looking for Nixon. Three of those guys were from my old Ranger platoon. I did two tours in the sandbox in 2004-2007. I married Melinda in 2010 and had almost five years of wedded bliss before it all imploded.

On the 4th day, Dr. Harris decided to take her off the vent and check her breathing. Soon as they removed it, she was breathing on her own.

I silently prayed, "Thank You, God for looking after one of your angels." They cut the sedation so she could wake up. In about an hour, I heard her groan and her eyes flutter. She squeezed my hand.

I said, "Melinda, it's me, Robbie. Can you hear me? Just blink your eyes, Baby, if you can."

She blinked her eyes. The nurse came in and began checking her vitals and told me she should be fully awake in about another hour. She dozed back off. I went to use the restroom and when I came out she was awake and looking around. She raised her hand for me to hold.

Her voice was dry and raspy. She whispered, "Where am I, Robbie? What happened to me? What's wrong with me? I feel like I was hit by a truck. I hurt everywhere. "