Heide and Merl and Maria

"Like diapers and breastfeeding?"

Whap. A Gibbs slap from NCIS, right on the back of my head.

Maria woke me up on a sunny morning as she was going to work, and I wandered down to the kitchen. Mom made fried eggs over easy with beef pastry and soy sauce. I asked her what the translation for some food items like eggs and bread would be. I might never speak Vietnamese, but maybe I could understand it.

I reached 750 files peeked at and sorted today, only 738 more to look at and sort. Then my revenge could begin.

I found everything Tyler asked me to bring and put my new checkbook on top. When Maria came home, I asked her if her mother would go with me to the lawyer? She asked her mother, and Mom said something back to her.

"She wants to know why, since she doesn't understand much English?"

"It's not what she hears but what her eyes see. I trust her feelings."

Her mother nodded when Maria translated my words.

Mom and I were on the road by 6:00 AM and stopped in Gastonia for breakfast at a Vietnamese Restaurant. Arriving ten minutes early at the law firm's building, I spent most of that time parking. We greeted Lee's secretary at 9:02 and were immediately escorted into his office.

"Merl. It's been too long. How are ya, boy?" He was shaking my hand with a big shit-eating grin on his face. "And who might this lovely lady be?"

"Long Nguyen, my future mother-in-law. She doesn't understand English, but she is very wise, and I treat her like the mother I never had. I call her Mom."

Then Lee surprised me by greeting Mom in Vietnamese. They chatted for a few minutes, and she had a smile when we sat down.

"I was assigned to an interpreter when I landed in Da Nang, and after my enlistment was over, I stayed with her for forty-some years."

The confused look on my face resulted in Lee turning a picture on his desk around, Lee's wedding picture with a beautiful Vietnamese woman. "We're still married."

"What about you, Merl? Don't even have a paper, let alone dried ink on it; you're a fast mover, boy."

"Huh, what?"

"The ink ain't dry on the divorce decree, and you have a replacement."

"I knew her, Maria, eight years ago, but things were still good at home then. Or so I thought."

"I understand, let me call my PA in here, and we can get started." He punched a button on his phone; "Tyler, can you come on in here, son?"

"You call everyone son, Lee?"

"He is my son. I have two sons and one daddy's girl whose marriage is the reason I'm still working at sixty-nine."

"Oh," I said in embarrassment and, then, "Oh," in finally figuring his last sentence out.

Tyler came in, and he had Lee's broad smile and rounded head. We spent over an hour going over the papers I brought, what terms I wanted and answering questions. Right before we left the law office, I had an "Oh, yeah" moment.

"Lee, I just remembered, the manager at Rye Balled set her up as an LLC, Customer Perquisites, LLC."

Lee made a note and said, "Good. Probably won't mean anything, but good to know."

When we started home, I felt good about the new path of life I was on.

I spent Thursday and Friday watching and sorting mp4 files. One more day, and I could move to phase two, revenge on my enemies.

When Maria got home Friday evening, I could tell she had good news.

"Guess what?"

"You're pregnant."

"Maybe, you goof. They have my replacement almost hired. He has to give notice, and I need to spend a week with him. YYYEEESSS! I'm so excited." Maria grabbed me, and we started dancing to no music, just love. "I want to go out for dinner and dancing. There's a restaurant and a dance club, I've never been to on the outskirts of town. I want to go."

So we dressed up and went out and had a fantastic date night.

Saturday morning, I was up early, wanting to finish sorting the rest of the files. Maria wanted to help, so I copied Spencer video's onto a thumb drive. "If you have any software that can convert speech to written words, that would be a big help."

While she went to work on her desktop, I forged ahead on the laptop. After lunch, we continued working, and at 4:15, I had finished.

"Merl, I have six out of twenty transcribed and printed. You don't need any more transcribed to know this man is lower than whale shit. Monday, you will start on the revenge, him first."

I picked up the sheets she handed me and read them. When I finished, I put all the pages in Maria's paper shredder, and I told her that she didn't have to transcribe any more scenes. Spencer had to go away forever.

We ate dinner that Maria made because Mom was having dinner with Duong. Early to bath and bed, and early to sex, sex, sex. It was my turn to take care of my princess.

She woke up at seven, and I had my head between her long, smooth, and erotic legs. "About time you woke up. You fell asleep a little after 1:00 AM. I win; I lasted longer." Maria made breakfast while I read the Sunday paper. We spent the day lying in the sun, thinking of names for kids, planning a marriage, and having sex by staring into each other's soul.

I slept until 8:00 and Maria had already left for work. I was wandering around when my phone rang. It was Lee. "Hey, Merl, we got you written up as you wanted. With what you told me about the reasons for the divorce and the videos you have, you can use that if she doesn't want to sign. I can't do that for you because it could look like I was coercing her. I also discovered that your tax returns for the last six years were filed as married, filing separately. Did you know that?"

"No, but nothing surprises me. She's been doing our taxes for about six years, something about doing her part at home. Even the IRS knew her secret before I did."

"My questions are when do I file, and when do you want her served?"

"File as soon as you can. Can you serve her today?"

"Sure can."

"I'll call you right back."

I grabbed my car keys and told Mom I was going out and would be right back. I drove toward my house and went down my street in the opposite direction that I usually went. Her car was up against the garage next to Meredith's car. I sped off and went back home, it sounded strange to think that, but Maria's home is my home now. I dialed Lee back, "At home, Lee. She never does anything on Mondays. I checked, and she's there now with her best friend, Meredith."

At 2:20, Tyler called me back. "Hello, Merl. Heide was served at 2:05 today."

That night Maria made me wear a silk boxer with an elephant that had no trunk on the front. She was giggling when she fished my hard cock through the opening and, while making elephant noises, played her fingertips over my cock and balls. She was a hoot as she played the horn.

Tuesday morning, I laid out my revenge plans in my head, not in writing, and my mind couldn't testify against me. There were four men and one business I wanted to destroy.

Mayor Rudolf Burns; I had a few videos I could send the paper to ruin his career.

Devin Durand, owner, Rye Balled Strip Club. I was going to burn him out. I needed to find someone to do it.

The police chief had buried a lot of complaints about the club violating public ordinances. He would go down with the Mayor.

The last one was my old friend Spencer McCoy. He made Heide into what she was now, a sex hungry whore who

did not need a husband. I would handle him myself.

Of the thirty-four men on video, who she only fucked once, I would let my gut decide. Two of them I knew, and I would talk to them.

The first man I met was Bradley Smith, principal at the high school. His first year as principal was my senior year in high school. I drove to the school and waited for him to finish a meeting in his office. When he came out, he recognized me and waved me into his office.

"Hello, Merl. I haven't seen you since your 15^th reunion three years ago."

"I want to talk to you about Heide."

"Oh. Um, I guess you know about, well, you know."

"How and where did it happen?"

"Spencer McCoy came to see me about a year ago, wanted advice on some problem he had. We left in his car, and he drove to the Rye Balled. I'd never been in there before, so I didn't argue. There she was, up on stage, Flaming Red."

"My wife."

"Spencer set me up in a back room for a lap dance. I finished my drink and followed her back. Right after I sat down, I blacked out. When I woke up, I was back at the school, and Spencer was holding an ammonia capsule under my nose. He showed me a picture, and it was a profile picture of me with her bare tits in my hands and her lips an inch away from mine. He didn't wait for me to respond. He just said he wanted $500 a month, cash only, mailed to his hose on the 1^st of the month. I've been paying ever since."

"What about at my house?"

"That was bizarre. Heide or Flaming Red called me up and asked me over one morning. I knocked, and she dragged me in and sucked me off and got on top and rode me until I came again. She told me, 'get dressed and get out.' I've never seen her again."

Maybe she figured he didn't get his money's worth at Rye Balled. I told him to hang in there and keep his eyes and ears open.

The other man was David Van Arc, a neighbor who owned an art gallery and was an accomplished painter. He lived three houses down from mine with his wife, Bettina. Driving my Suburban, I parked in front of their home and walked up their driveway to the front porch. After ringing their doorbell, I gazed around their yard, looking at all the flowers Bettina had planted.

"Hello, Merl. Please come in? David, Merl's here."

I entered and looked at Bettina. They were both in their fifties, and she was still gorgeous.

"Merl, it's been a long time. How are you?"

"I've had better weeks before. I need to talk to you in private, David."

"We can talk in my studio." As I walked through the studio doorway, my senses went into overload, bombarded with colors and the perfume of flowers in vases all over the room.

My conversation with David went the same way as my talk with Bradley, except David was paying $1500 a

month.

"That's why I'm painting so many canvases now. I need to replace the money I took from our world trip fund before Bettina..."

"I know, David." Bettina pushed the door open and came in. "Spencer was here two weeks ago blabbing about your indiscretion as well as your visit to Merl's house. He figured that I would be so angry I'd want a revenge fuck. He was wrong. I've been trying to tell you, but I was afraid you might harm him and go to jail."

David started crying and whining, and Bettina wrapped him up in her arms.

I explained that I would take care of Spencer and get their money back.

Spencer was going down first.

The next morning, I put a packet of evidence together to give to Sarah, Spencer's wife. I drove my Suburban and trailer by my old house, and Heide's car was there as well as Spencer's Jeep. That will make things easy. I took a couple of pictures of the two vehicles side by side on my driveway if Sarah needed additional proof.

Driving over to Spencer's house, I imagined Maria with a baby bump, breasts full of milk, and her nipples dark and stiff. Too soon, I was parking next to Spencer's house. There was a Ford Taurus parked in the driveway and a For Sale sign on the lawn. Picking up the packet from the back seat, I strode to the front door, and it was open. I called out, "Sarah. Are you in here?"

I could hear her shoes clicking on the wood floor, and as she turned the corner, her mouth broke into a big grin. "Merl. Where have you been? It's been ages. How is Heide?"

"Wonderful. Why are you selling? Spence hasn't said anything to me about you two moving."

"He bought a new house in Thousand Oaks and paid cash, even put it in my name only. All the bonuses he received and some investments he made paid out big."

"I need to talk to you. Spencer's in a lot of trouble." I sat Sarah down and told my sad story in the short version. When she told me his PC was still in this house, I played one mp4 file on it, showing him with Heide in my bed and after fucking, talking trash about Sarah and me. I showed her some of the pictures of him with Heide. I explained about his extortion schemes and the money he was raking in.

Sarah looked sad but was not crying. "I've suspected for some time he was cheating on me. Can I have the CD and pictures for my attorney?"

"Yes, but wait a few months to file. He has messed with some evil people, and I don't know if he will survive. Since he gave you a house, get the locks changed, and if you need any money, don't be brave. You and I are the true victims of this Greek tragedy. I'm rich from stock I bought at work, so if I help you, I hurt Spencer."

"What about Heide? Will you try to stay married?"

"I may forgive her someday, but I'll never love her again except by divine intervention. I have reunited with someone from my past, and I'm head over heels in love with her."

"Now Sarah, may I take his safe and PC? His CD's and pictures are in the safe and on the PC."

"Take them; I'm going to my house."

I pulled two business cards from my wallet, one for a locksmith and one of mine. I handed them to her. "Call this guy, he's honest and reliable, and he owes me. Give him my name. I'm serious; call me if you need anything."

I kissed her forehead. As she backed out of the driveway, I dialed Maria.

"Maria, you mentioned you have a brother in town. I need some muscle to move a safe."

"I'll call him and give him your number."

While waiting, I took Heide's old phone and looked at her texts. I looked at the last one from Spencer: "Babe, I'm coming over, and we can spend all day and all night catching up."

What a guy.

My phone rang, "Hello."

"My sister says you need some muscle."

"I have a safe I need put in my trailer." I gave him the address and the dimensions of the safe."

"Someone will be there in forty-five minutes."

"I'll be waiting." We disconnected our call.

Thirty-five minutes later, a van pulled up. Two men got out with a dolly. They loaded the safe onto my trailer and said to call when I had unloaded it. Picking up the PC tower, I drove home in my badass Suburban.

A man was waiting for me at Maria's barn and introduced himself as her brother Duong. After we unloaded the safe in Maria's barn, I covered it up with a tarp. I asked Duong, hypothetically, if he knew anyone who could make a body disappear and if he knew where to get a clean handgun with a silencer. He said he'd get back to me.

I went back into the barn and looked the safe over. People are so stupid; Spencer had attached a paper scrap with the combination to the back of the safe. Opening the safe, I found additional pictures and CDs, personal papers, a will, and a pile of cash, $96,541.00. I kept the money and burned the photos and CDs. The personal papers I bundled up to give to Sarah.

My phone rang. It was Duong speaking, "Can it happen tonight?"

"Yes."

He gave me an address, told me to drive my car, not the suburban, and bring $20,000.

I told Mom I had to go out and took $20,000 of Spence's money with me. I drove to the address I was given, which was a parking lot at a shopping center. I parked, and a van parked next to my passenger door. Duong got in my car with a bundle in his hand.

"Here is what you asked for." He handed me the bundle and a sheet of paper. I gave him two straps of hundreds wrapped in newspaper.

"Follow the directions to the letter."

He got out, and the van drove away. I read the directions and went to Spence's house. When I was almost there, I called Spence, hoping he was in the middle of something.

"Spence! I'm at your house. There are three guys with a box truck in your driveway, and they are trying to load your safe into the truck."

"Stop them."

"With what? It's three to one."

"All right, I'll be there soon."

I pulled into his driveway and turned around, pointed my car west on the road out of town. Fifteen minutes later, his vehicle screeched around the corner and slid into his driveway. He got out, and I yelled at him to get in my car.

"They just left. Get in."

With his safe missing, he was convinced I was truthful and sat in my car. I pulled out fast and followed the road out of town. As I drove to my destination, Spencer was non-stop complaining, cursing people, and griping about how unfair life was. When I stopped a hundred feet from a scrap yard, he stopped speaking.

"That was the name on the truck that took your safe."

"Drive in through the gate. I need that safe."

So I pulled in and drove around until I found the row I was supposed to go down, marked by a sign that read, "Confession is good for the soul." I drove down that row until I reached an opening with a crane overhead and parked.

As he asked, "Is this where my safe is," I got out, closed the door, and leaned in the open window, holding a 22-caliber pistol with a silencer. He never noticed I had a vinyl glove on my right hand; the shocked look on his face said it all.

"Spencer, I ask the questions, and you answer. Simple. You fuck with me, and you're going to feel pain. Nod if you understand?"

His head twitched, but when I moved my right hand, his head went vigorously up and down.

"Good. Now, did you put the laptop over my bedroom ceiling with a camera in my smoke detector?"

"Um, yes, but..."

"No buts. Have you been blackmailing Heide by threatening to inform me about her activities unless she fucks you? Yes or no?"

He sighed and looked down, "Yes."

"How many people are you extorting money from for their sexual indiscretions you created?"

"About sixty."

"Does Sarah know?"

"No. Please don't tell her."

"Last question, why do you hate me so much?"

"She's too good for you, Merl, you don't appreciate her, and you don't..."

Phut! Spencer slumped over with a bullet hole in front of his left ear. I walked around and put another in the base of his skull. Wiping down the gun with a rag, I dropped the gun on the back seat. I wiped the steering wheel, shifter knob, and door handle off and left the rag in the car. There were only two bullets in the gun. I made a circle the wagons sign with my hand, and the crane started up. I walked to the yard entrance, where Duong picked me up and drove me home. He stayed for dinner, and we had a great time eating and talking. As he left, he stopped and looked over the silver, "You gave all this to Mom?"

I nodded.

He smiled.

That night I confessed everything to Maria and begged her forgiveness.

"Merl, we Vietnamese people think about killing differently than white Americans. When a man deserves to die, and he dies, we don't care how. Do you understand? I transcribed six scenes of conversation between Heide and Spencer, and he was an evil and disgusting man who deserved to die."

Bright and early in the morning, I got a phone call from Lee. "Hey, hey, good buddy. Good morning. Your wife will sign off today if you talk to her."

"What does that mean?"

"Her signing off means after we file, you will be free in ninety days."

"What do I have to do?"

"Tyler is on his way to pick you up and take you to your old house to meet with Heide and her attorney at 10:00."

"Okay, I'll be ready."

I called Maria. "IT, Maria Nguyen speaking."

"Maria! Great news. I'm meeting with Tyler, Heide, and her attorney at 10:00. She's going to sign, and I'll be single in ninety days."

"That's wonderful. What does she want?"

"To talk. We're meeting at her house, and after signing, I'll let her speak her peace."

"Talk only, no kissing."

"Yes, dear. Bye."

Tyler picked me up, and I gave him directions to her house. As we pulled onto the driveway, her lawyer was walking toward the front door. Heide came out to greet her.