Freddy Fingers

While I was working on site, Patty texted me that it was just the two of them having some drinks at a lounge and I could join them if I was finished before it was too late. I told her to just enjoy herself -- she hadn't been out with just her and Heather for a while, so I didn't mind her having some fun with her oldest friend. I ended up getting home around nine and just watched some hockey, while waiting for Patty to get home. Around midnight, I texted her and asked if she needed me to pick her up. She said Heather and a friend would share a cab with her and not to worry. I was pretty tired from a long work day, so I told her to wake me up for snuggle time when she got home.

In the morning, I woke up, and Patty was sleeping facing away from me. For the first time ever, she didn't wake me after coming home for our snuggle routine. It was unusual, but I dismissed it as her being too tired or feeling sick from drinking too much. However, the rest of the morning, Patty was a bit off and I couldn't put my finger on why. She seemed withdrawn and not her usual energetic self.

Because Reese and I had our game Sunday morning, we spent Saturday night as family game board night, with the plan of Reese and I going to bed a little earlier. Even that night, Patty seemed preoccupied, making silly mistakes during the games she normally never would do. Even Ty commented at one point that his mother was suffering from severe brain farts.

We did do our naked cuddle time that night, but just cuddled. I was hoping for more -- especially after missing our monthly sex night. Patty actually got a little snappy and said she wasn't in the mood. Now I knew something was up. I pressed her, but she just said she wasn't feeling well and needed to sleep.

Reese and I arrived at the rink at five in the morning for our seven o'clock game. Being the coach, I needed to have everything set up and ensure my girls got a warm up skate and stretch in. Patty arrived about quarter to seven, bringing me a fresh coffee. She wished Reese good luck. Patty was the type of parent who liked documenting every part of her children's life with pictures. She'd taken at least ten pictures of every game Reese has played in. For these games, they only open up the bench side of the rink for parents and family. That game, there were a little more people in attendance as usual, with the rink side section completely full. I saw Patty was sitting with Brayden, which wasn't out of the ordinary as our daughters were best friends. We'd had them over a few times for supper. I didn't think we were chummy, chummy, but I still considered him more than an acquaintance. I mean, I'd never hang out with the guy if Reese and Michelle weren't there.

When I glanced back, it was clear that Patty was a little frustrated of not being able to get good pictures of Reese. In between the first and second period, I noticed my wife talking to an old guy who's worked at the rink for years. When the second period started, Patty was standing across the ice against the boards in the empty section ready to take pictures. She was alone for about half the period, and then I noticed Brayden joining her, standing beside her and occasionally turning to say something to her. Patty kept looking forward almost the entire time he was there, watching the game, but not taking pictures. Right before the end of the second period, she did turn and say something and he walked away. I was of course doing this while trying to coach, and didn't notice when Patty left. During the third period, I saw no sign of either Patty or Brayden until I was leaving the locker room with Reese and Michelle, Brayden's daughter.

Patty came forward and gave Reese a quick hug and kiss. "You played amazing sweetie, but I need to head home right away. I think I'm catching a flu."

I extended my hand to shake Brayden's -- I've always been a hand-shaker -- but he just nodded and told his daughter they better get going too.

Patty was either in our room or the bathroom the rest of the day, leading me to believe she really was sick which would have explained her behavior the last few days. I was so relieved. I tried to do extra work around the house so she could rest. She missed supper, but had a cup of soup in bed that I brought her.

When it came time for me to go to sleep, I told her we could skip cuddles again. Patty insisted and began pulling off the shirt and shorts she'd worn in bed all day. She didn't feel hot, but was a little clammy as she hugged me so tightly it almost hurt. After five minutes of just snuggling her head against my shoulder, she kissed my cheek and said goodnight.

In the morning, Patty didn't get up with the alarm as usual, so I assumed she was still sick and staying home -- I guess I was half right. I told the kids their mom was still sick and got them ready for school before I headed to work. I'd been there for about an hour writing the report on the incident I needed to fix Friday night when one of my technicians, a quiet kid in his mid-twenties, emailed me about the video. He, of course, had no clue the woman was my wife.

I crumbled the paper and threw it in the garbage. If the paper reported the story, pretty much the whole city would know. And there were enough people at the game who would know damn well that it was Patty in the video; it would be impossible to hide that fact. At that point, I was just thinking about my kids and what this could do to them. Going over what happened the few days before, now knowing what was happening as I watched my wife from across the ice, there was no doubt in my mind Patty had been having an affair with Brayden. This whole sick thing was either guilt from cheating, or worry that she would be caught after being so brazen in a public place. I was just wondering where they ran off to fuck during the third period -- maybe Patty did spend the entire time in the bathroom as she said -- just it was with Brayden's cock up inside her.

I phoned Patty, but the phone went straight to voicemail. I checked her location with my phone, but either her location was off or her phone was off. Maybe she faked sick to stay home from work to fuck that asshole again? Brayden worked as a nurse, so very well could've been free for a morning fuck after my loving wife's family left the house.

I was swearing out loud to myself trying to figure out what to do. Considering how popular the video was on the internet -- at least quarter a million views already since being posted the previous afternoon -- once Patty's identity was leaked, the whole country would know. The fact it happened with me and Reese sitting unsuspecting, right there in front of her would make it an even juicier scandal for the social media vultures. One thing was certain, it would not be long before our extended family found out. I was wondering do I warn her parents? What about Reese and Ty? Reese's best friend's dad is clearly in the video so that was sure to come out. My mind was spinning so fast that I had such a headache, that I ended up just staring at my computer doing nothing for almost an hour.

I nearly jumped five feet when my phone ringing shook me from my trance. I snatched it up, expecting it was Patty, but after I answered, I saw it was my son's high school.

"Mr. Franco?" said a calm older gentleman.

"Yes, this is Carl Franco."

The man cleared his throat. "Mr. Franco, my name is Charles Willis, the vice-principal of Duncan Hills High School. I need you to come down and pick up your son, Ty. There's been an incident and Ty has been suspended for the remainder of the week. Your wife was the primary contact, but we could not reach her. Ty will be waiting in the administration office and I can explain more before you take him home."

"I'll be right there." Before I left, with this adding to the shit show my life had become in a real short time, I took the rest of the day off. Since it was coming out sooner or later, I told my supervisor that Patty was the woman in the Freddy Fingers video and I needed time to sort things out. I was treated like I just told him my parents died, the same level of sympathy, and that I could take all the time that I needed. I naively told him it probably would just be the day.

Ty almost surprised me as much as Patty. That kid was a model student, polite, an over-achiever, and really well liked considering his sexuality --mind you times were quite different since I was in school. When I arrived at the office, my heart sunk a bit when I saw Ty. He was sitting in a chair outside the vice-principal's office in his black jeans and shirt with his face bruised, lip split, and rubbing his one hand which looked swollen. I'd been in enough fights on and off the ice to know my passive son had been in one. The vice-principal waved me in before I could say a word to my son, but when our eyes met, I have never seen so much anger and hatred from him before in his life.

"Mr. Franco, sit please," said Willis, a larger middle-aged man who was prematurely greying, but had really kind eyes, "First, I'd like to say I sympathize with your situation, but Ty pummeling another student until he couldn't defend himself, and then punching the teacher who was trying to pull him off was too much -- no matter what was done."

"Please, call me Carl and tell me what exactly was done to Ty? I don't think he's ever thrown a punch in his life before this," I asked calmly.

"Several pictures like this were taped to Ty's locker. The student he attacked apparently admitted to posting them before saying some things that triggered Ty." Willis handed me a printed still from the video, clearly showing Brayden's hand down Patty's pants. Printed in red marker were the words, "Fag son of Freddy Finger's whore."

"Who did this?" I was as much enraged by the first word than the rest of the statement."

"Carl, you know I can't tell you. Between you and me, if Ty had stopped after breaking the boy's nose, I probably would have let it slide. I can tell you bullying and hate speech is not tolerated and there will be definite consequences. Probably expulsion."

I nodded. That made me feel a little better, but not much.

"Carl, can we speak off the record for a moment," Willis said, lowering his voice.

I shrugged.

"I'm not going to pretend to know the whole story, but I'm sure you know it looks really bad." He sighed and intertwined his fingers on his desk. "I used to teach middle-years and have met Patricia several times. Whatever the consequence on your family life, I strongly recommend that all of you move. Look for employment elsewhere and go somewhere that this won't be as big of a story. I can tell you right now, Patricia's teaching career is over. The word is they're trying to call her in for a meeting as soon as possible where she will be fired for behavior unbecoming an education professional. Maybe in another state, or a private school, she could have some anonymity and resume doing a profession that I'm sure she loves."

"You're telling me I should quit my job and move my kids? Is that some type of threat?"

I got the same pity look as I received from my supervisor and it took all my willpower to not punch that beady nose. "Carl, of course it isn't a threat. It's advice. What happened to Ty today is probably just the beginning, and I know your youngest is in grade eight... For their sake, get them away and out of the limelight. As I said, I don't know the full story, but I know Patricia will be treated horribly once her identity is public -- which probably happened already."

"You're fucking right, you don't know the whole story," I snapped and got up and stormed out. "Ty, let's go."

Ty was quiet until we drove off. He was breathing heavy and his eyes were slits. I almost would've have recognized my son. "We're not going home. I can't face that bitch, not now."

"Hey!" I snapped pointing a finger. "She's still your mother."

"Don't fucking defend her after what she did to us. To you," Ty snapped, "You don't know the half of it, do you?"

"And you do?" I was so mad, that I realize I was taken it out on Ty when none of this was his fault.

"You know who I fucking punched out? Eddie Quartz. Apparently, he and a couple guys snuck into Waves, the dance club, Friday night. Guess what he saw? That woman you married dancing and making out with Brayden on the dance floor for everyone to see. Apparently it was hot and heavy, then he grabbed her by the hand and they left together. Five guesses why I punched him? He took a picture to torture me with, but mom one-upped it by slutting around at Reese's game. Right in front of all those people."

I was quiet for a moment. "You saw this alleged picture?"

"Yeah. His tongue is definitely in her mouth and looks like he's grabbing her tit. Please, can we not go home?" Ty was crying.

"I don't think your mother is home, but if she is, I will go in and grab a bag. We'll go to a hotel tonight."

"What about Reese, you can't leave my sister with her."

"She's still your mom. This is between us and not her -- as hard as it is -- I know she still loves you both."

"Bullshit, she just shit all over all of us -- especially you -- I have no mother."

As it turned out, Patty wasn't at home, but her cellphone was and turned off. I checked and none of our suitcases were missing either. Ty hesitantly followed me in and started packing a bag of clothes and essentials. I booked us a hotel for the night. Once we got to our room, I tried to find a movie or something to distract Ty, but he just wanted to be on his computer. I lied on the bed watching television, debating on trying to call Patty's cell, figuring she had to be back by now. In the end, like Ty, it was too soon for me to discuss things.

"That asshole!" Ty snapped looking angrily at his phone, "Look, dad. Here."

He held his phone so I could see posted to Snapchat a dim picture taking on a full dance floor. There was no mistaking Patty and Brayden engaging in a passionate kiss. Her one hand was cupping his ass. He had one hand on hers, with the other definitely cupping her boob through the top she was wearing. Seeing them doing that face to face was worse for me than the video. In the video, Brayden was touching my wife, but she was passively standing still. In the club picture, they were touching and kissing each other -- like lovers. I felt nauseous.

"Screenshot that and send it to me," I said.

Ty looked shocked.

"Just do it, and delete it from your phone. Don't look at any of these of your mom. I'll deal with it, okay?"

I felt bad as Ty sulked away. I knew this was as hard on him as it was on me -- especially with his schoolmates sharing the picture for all to see knowing that was his mother. I looked at my watch. Reese would be home any second, considering her best friend's dad was also in the video, I was sure it was affecting her as well.

I tried to call Patty hoping that she went back home, but it still went to voicemail. I froze for a second debating on whether to grab my daughter, not knowing if her mother was home or not. Reese's safety had to come first, and she wasn't used to being home alone for more than a few hours. I had to bite the bullet and risk a confrontation with my wife.

"I'll be right back," I said standing.

Ty had a worried look in his face. "Where are you going?"

"Just going to check if your mother's at home and Reese is all right."

Ty also stood up. "I'm coming too."

"But..." I started to say, feeling awful I'm having to warn my son that his mom might be home.

"If she's there, I'll stay in the car. Like before. Dad, I don't want to be alone here, okay?"

I gave my son a big hug, and we both hopped in my car to check on Reese.

When we got home, there still was no sign of Patty's vehicle. We both walked in to my daughter crying her eyes out. She ran and hugged me tightly and couldn't even talk. As we hugged, I noticed Patty's phone wasn't where it was before. She had come back and grabbed it -- or someone else did.

"Shhh, sweetie. It will be all right," I said in as calm a voice as I could fake.

"She's gone. She left us. She's gone to be with him, isn't she?" Reese wailed.

Left us? When Reese finally calmed down, she revealed that she did see the video on her phone and that her and Michelle will never be friends again. She tried to call her mother several times, and left her messages, but no reply. I left her hugging her brother and started to look around the house. Nothing but her phone looked missing, until I checked our bedroom. Patty had left. All her clothes, jewelry, and make-up were gone. This wasn't an overnight bag thing, my wife had moved out. No wonder Reese was so upset.

I knew she wouldn't have gone to a hotel and had to have gotten help hauling all her stuff out in the few hours since I was last at the house.

I called her friend, Heather, who was currently single and would have room for Patty to stay.

"Gezzus, Carl, are you all right?" Heather answered in a worried voice, "I take it you can't reach her either. Shit, I've been calling all day. Even all her social media is gone."

"Heather, do you have any idea where she went? When did you last hear from her?"

"Not since Friday night, when she bailed on me because she was sick after we had some drinks with that creep." Heather spat out the last three words bitterly.

"What time was that?"

"Shit, maybe around ten thirty. I know I was home by eleven," Heather paused and gasped, "Oh Carl, she didn't go home did she? I'm so sorry."

"No, in fact, I texted her at midnight to come drive you two home, but she claimed the two of you and one of your other friends were cabbing it. I fell asleep before one and she wasn't home yet. Guess, I know why now."

"Carl, she loves you more than life, always has. I don't know what got into her -- Pat has never done anything like that ever. She was such a prude before dating you."

"Thanks Heather, but I need to find my wife to stop Reese and Ty from worrying. My daughter thinks she's with him. Bye." I hung up feeling even worse. I had a feeling my marriage was over anyway, but if she left us for him, I would make them both regret it.

"Daddy, Mom's at Gramma's," Reese said coming into my room. Her lack of reaction to the open empty dresser and closet told me that she already saw it before. "They said she's all right, but doesn't want to talk to us."

I sighed and hugged my daughter. "She's probably feeling really embarrassed and needs some time. I need some time too. Don't worry.

I cooked the kids supper and tried to distract them by suggesting Ty take Reese to get hot brownies from a coffee shop we frequented a fair bit. Ty had his license, just not his own car yet. Patty and I were planning to get him one for Christmas.

I wanted to watch the local news to see what they were saying about the video -- especially if Patty was named, which would really change things, but didn't want the kids to see. I know everything was instantly on their phones, but giving them a small piece of normality was important.

As it ended up, the Freddy Fingers video was the lead story, but not for what I expected. The video had been pulled from all viral sites because there were minors clearly in the video. The perky news anchor explained how a few years back a soccer mom porn video was deemed child pornography in court because of the presence of minors in the clip -- even though they weren't present for the sex part. Under that precedent, law officials also considered the Freddy Fingers to be the same -- and posting or distributing it could lead to charges. It seemed a real stretch to me, but I took it. It was the only good news -- besides Patty being with her parents and not Brayden -- I'd heard all day.