In Over My Head Ch. 03

This is not a standalone story. You should read Chapter 1 & 2 first. It is also not a stroke story so if that's your bag, don't waste your time.

My thanks go to Techscan and LadyCibelle for their kind assistance with the editing of this story and correcting the usual clangers that keep my critics so happily amused. But I'm sure you'll find something you don't like in the story somewhere.

I would like to point out that my editors do not necessarily agree with my interpretation of the characters or the events portrayed. Any flack should be directed at me. This is a work of fiction and comes solely from my somewhat demented mind.

Part 3, The Tables Turn

Right, I had decided to steal the arsehole's wife. Surely that can't be too hard to do? Christ, an arsehole had managed to get my wife to betray me, when I treated her as a queen and she loved me. Now there's no question about that, so don't all you 'know it all's' try telling me she didn't. Anita got caught up in the moment.

This Doug appeared to me to treat his wife with contempt, he ran around shagging every bird he could get his hands on. Very shortly he was going to be out of a job. No matter what he told his wife; someone was going to let her know exactly why he did get fired. I wonder who that was going to be?

OK, having made my decision. All I had to do is find out how to go about doing it. I already had one instruction manual in my wife's written confession to me as to how that arsehole had seduced her and what they had done. I hoped it was as detailed as I had asked. You know, I had never read the bloody thing, but I did now.

Now! That was not a good idea! I love Anita and reading how that Pratt conned her really upset me.

Still I had put my emotions aside. I was intending to take another man's wife away from him. You do get that, don't you? I wasn't looking to have an affair with her; I was going steal her from him completely.

That was the difference between him and me, you see. If I had an affair with her, I would the same kind of arsehole as he is. I was intending to break-up his marriage and offer her the opportunity to come and live with me.

That's not too bad an offer, you know. I've got plenty of money, a nice house and I'm not a bad looking bloke. I guess I was five or six years older then her, but that's not an uncommon age difference. I do know how a lady should be treated and to really clinch it, I have been bloody lonely since my wife left me.

Now from reading what had gone on with Anita, it appeared to me that the trick was not to put the lady on her guard when you first got to know them. So I had to engineer a meeting with her that wouldn't make her suspicious, then slowly and quietly get closer to her.

No, wait just a minute. If I could catch her when her defences are down? Now that was going to call for timing. I would need to get to know her before the shit hits the fan over Dawn. Then when Doug gets the push and his wife finds out it was because he was trying to get into Dawn's pants, she should be feeling very low.

A nice new friend, who boosts her self-esteem, I should be at least half-way there. Then if I can somehow show her what her so-called loving husband has been up to in the past, the job might be done. Well, I hoped it would. I was on new territory here.

Kara was happy to tell me that Doug's wife's name was Leanne. They had been married for ten years and there were no children in the marriage. That was one thing I didn't have to worry about. Kids could have been a complication.

Kara had done some snooping around and had come up with the names of three women whom Doug was reputed to have had a fling with in the past. Apparently they had all left the company and Kara thought there could be some connection between their leaving and their affairs with Doug. There were two women still on the payroll whom Kara had reason to believe had also had a thing going on with Doug. But we couldn't approach them as we didn't know if they were still what you might call 'active'.

I hadn't told Kara what I was planning to try to do with Leanne. I don't think she would have approved somehow.

Now having money came in handy. I called a private investigator that we have used at the office on occasions. I got him to put some staff on tracking down the women who had left Archers and to get me a full profile on Leanne. Where she went and what she liked, everything, with daily reports on Leanne. Time was short so I had to get to know Leanne before Doug made his play for Dawn.

They came up trumps on the staff who had left. One of them claimed that she had a thing going with Doug until he tried to make her have sex with his boss so he could have a lever on him. Christ, the bugger wanted to blackmail his boss. That report went straight to Kara and we both wondered whether he had succeeded in getting any of his other conquests to acquiesce.

Kara went through the yearly appraisals in Doug's records and came to the conclusion that he probably had. According to his records he had been the model employee for the last three years and never put a foot wrong, whereas his older appraisals were not what you would call glowing. Kara didn't go into details.

Leanne, to my regret, was into the fitness thing and went to the gym for a couple of hours every morning before going on to her part-time job at a children's nursery. Then she would go to the library for an hour or so before going home. She was apparently into reading romance novels. This I took to be a good thing, perhaps she wanted some romance in her life. I was hoping to be just the man to put it there.

But the only place I could see to break the ice with her was at that bloody gym. No, I'm not into the fitness thing. Bugger, I'd have to put on a bloody good show and hopefully not kill myself in the process.

A quick phone call got me membership and an immediate appointment with a personal trainer. I wasn't looking forward to this but somehow I managed to fall on my feet again. The trainer turned out to be the daughter of an old friend. I had known Abigail since she was a baby (she was the result of a tryst behind the bike sheds at school). Her parents and I had always been friends.

"Uncle Marty!" Abigail cried as I walked through the door. "What are you doing here?"

Abigail was no fool; she had known me all her life. She knew I wasn't there to get fit. As she was showing me around the place and how to use the equipment, she was pumping me for all she was worth. In the end I told her that I wanted to get acquainted with someone.

"Uncle Marty, you randy old man. Who are you after? I'm sure I can help you to arrange something."

"Abigail."

"Oh, come on, uncle Marty, you need someone in your life now that auntie Ann has gone. Sorry, should I have mentioned her?"

"Abbie, Anita was part of your growing up. Never be afraid to talk about her to me."

"Thanks, but come on, tell me, who's the lucky lady you're after? I can put you together on machines next to each other."

"She's a married woman, Abbie. I don't want you to get into trouble for being involved."

"Hey, I'm not a child anymore and there's so much hanky panky going on around here, no one will ever notice. I caught a bank manager and a local counsellor's wife at it in the sauna last week. No names though; my lips are sealed and I got a loan for my new car out of it, at very low interest."

"Christ, you're worse than your father. He's always been a wheeler dealer!"

"Like father, like daughter. I've still got my student loans to pay off yet."

"I've told you before, if you ever need money - - - ."

"Uncle Martin, like I said before, while I can, I'll stand on my own two feet, but I really appreciate the offer. Now who's this woman you're after?"

"All right, Leanne Mitchell."

"Leanne, that's marvellous. Her husbands a right Prick.

"Abbie!"

"Well, he is. He used to come here and had the cheek to try it on with me. He got short shift, I'll tell you. He stopped coming after Leanne started; clipped his wings a bit having the wife about. I wonder if she did it on purpose? You know, to stop him chatting up the other ladies."

After that I let Abbie get on with it. She showed me the machines and how to use them. Then she told me to be there just before nine in the morning; she was Leanne's personal trainer as well and she planned to put us on machines next to each other. But she wanted me settled before Leanne came in. She said until I got to know Leanne a little, it was best if she brought Leanne over to me. Abigail also warned me not to look too interested; Leanne was pretty adept at handling wolves.

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With more than a little trepidation, I presented myself for Abbie's inspection the following morning, dressed in my new track suite and trainers. Christ, those things make your bloody feet sweat.

Abbie put me on a training cycle and after playing with the controls, told me to watch the door in the mirror wall. I was to sit there and wait, then when I saw the door open I was to start pedalling and keep the meter reading five, no more or I wouldn't last the course. She was going to put Leanne on the cycle next to me.

I thought it strange that there was no one else in the gym as there were half a dozen or so men in the changing room. Abbie told me she had put all the others in the other gym. It was a big place.

About five minutes later I saw the door start to open and began to pedal for all I was worth. Big mistake, the meter went up to fifteen and Abbie told me to slow down the moment she came into the room. She came over with Leanne and promptly turned my mistake into an advantage.

"Mr. Shaw!" Abbie scolded me, "Take it easy, this is only your first day. You must work up to things slowly or you could do yourself some injury. Leanne, would you mind keeping an eye on Mr. Shaw for me? I've got to go and check something in the office."

"Of course I will, Abigail, you've always been so helpful to me."

'Abigail, I could kiss you' I thought. She was just as savvy as her father.

Leanne and I started talking right away and shortly Abbie returned and moved us both onto one of those bench things and had us helping each other with the weights. Then we were on the walking machines. I had a problem working out why we were on walking machines, Christ, I walk around all day, don't I? But I don't ever suggest you trying to argue that one out with your personal trainer. I know I was sorry I mentioned it.

Leanne and I got on very well and somehow without making it too obvious (I thought), I managed to invite her to join me for a coffee. She said she usually had a sauna and a swim, but a coffee sounded nice. Why didn't I keep my bloody mouth shut? Ah well, there was always tomorrow in the sauna and pool.

We went down to the coffee lounge and sat talking about nothing until it was nearly time for Leanne to got to work. Then she suddenly said to me.

"Didn't I see you in the restaurant the other night?"

"Yes, you did. I wasn't sure it was you though."

"I thought it was you. It's a small world, isn't it?"

For a moment I had thought she had sussed me. But, if she had, she let it pass.

"Yes, its surprising who you run into, isn't it. Who was that you were with the other night? Your husband?"

Leanne's face said all I wanted to know. At the mention of Doug her face dropped for a moment but she quickly recovered her composure, showing that bright smile she hadn't been showing in the restaurant. Ah, so maybe she wasn't the loving wife anymore. Maybe she'd had enough of Doug's antics. Could be I had my timing just right. I certainly hoped so.

For the rest of the week we exercised together. No, that's not right. Leanne exercised, I knackered myself trying to keep up with her. Anyway things went very well and we started sharing one of the saunas on the second day. God, she looked good in her leotard but I had one hell of a problem controlling myself when she was only wrapped in a towel.

It was while we were in the sauna that I realised that my job had already been done for me. Leanne was very quietly and surreptitiously enquiring about my life. I came to realise, even if she didn't, Leanne was on a fishing trip herself; maybe not for an affair, but for friends. It appeared she was a very lonely woman. From what she did say I soon began to comprehend she wanted out of her marriage and away from a man whom she had grown to despise.

I didn't push things because I didn't know if she realised what she was doing. But I made sure she knew that I was quite happy with a platonic relationship and would offer her any assistance she needed.

By the middle of the second week she had told me how Doug had been playing around ever since they had been married. She said she had no proof but she had smelt the scent and found the strange hairs. At times he would turn cold to her when he had a girlfriend. But then he would turn all lovey dovey again when the affair was over.

By now she was sitting on the same bench as me when we were in the sauna and sometimes we were quite close to one another. I carefully started gently touching her arms and hands, just the odd touch to attract her attention as I said something. I don't know where I heard that those little touches are meant to show affection and I was pleasantly surprised when she did the same to me.

Slowly something I hadn't really expected started to happen. I had started to fall in love with Leanne.

On the Monday of the third week the shit hit the fan. Doug propositioned Dawn and the sky fell in on him. God, I would have loved to have been there. Dawn and Kara had a code set up between then. When Doug called Dawn into his office, Dawn had sent Kara a text that told her Dawn thought it was going down. Shortly after, Dawn told Doug to stick his appendage in a coffee grinder. Kara, her Boss and two security men escorted Doug from the building.

On the Tuesday Leanne never turned up at the gym. I got Abigail to call her to make sure she was all right. Leanne told Abbie she was fine and would be at the gym as usual on Wednesday.

Wednesday morning Leanne and I had our usual work out. Leanne was very quiet and didn't say anything, until we got into the sauna. Once inside she told me that her husband had been fired from his job. Apparently he had got drunk on the Monday evening and had stayed in bed most of Tuesday. Leanne had taken it on herself to call Archers and ask why he had been let go and had been told by a woman in the personnel department that he had sexually harassed a female member of the staff.

Leanne said she had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out the logistics of leaving him and had gone to see a solicitor. But her problem was she had little money; the solicitor told her she would get half of everything in a settlement. But it appeared that there was very little cash in the bank. Leanne didn't know what Doug did with the money. I suspect he knew Leanne would catch him one day and quietly moved all the spare cash to an offshore account somewhere. He was good; my accountants never did find it.

Leanne never went home again. At my invitation she came home with me and moved into one of my spare rooms. I, with the help of a couple of friends went round to collect her clothes and things. These guys had done some heavy work (partly on my account) in the past and one of their wives stayed with Leanne whilst we went.

After at first arguing with us, Doug decided that discretion was the better side of valour and allowed us to remove everything Leanne wanted. I think he was confused that a police car was parked by the curb, but the officers didn't need to get involved. I knew that if Doug had stepped out of line, he'd have found himself in the nick before his feet touched the ground. It's good to have friends.

Leanne settled in and over the next few months we grew close. Now don't go kidding yourselves, we are not in love like I was with Anita.

But I think we were in love. We were sharing my bed well before her divorce was final. It was an eye opener for me. I still loved Anita but I also loved Leanne. I think now I knew what Anita must have felt when she was first under that arsehole's influence.

Leanne asked for nothing. She behaved like the perfect wife although we were not married. I was still married to Anita; we never had made our separation legal.

Sex with Leanne was unbelievable. When you've been celibate for a year or so, it's fantastic to get back into action. But if I really had to choose, Anita was the better of the two. Not that anyone would want to kick Leanne out of bed.

It was many months later that Leanne finally told me she had me taped from the beginning. She had noticed me watching the house and recognised my car when Doug and her had left the restaurant. She had also been aware of the female private detective asking questions about her. When I turned up at the gym, she guessed it was a set-up and had over-heard Abbie call me 'uncle' a couple of times.

I asked her why she had played along and not challenged me.

"I was lonely and you seemed a nice man. Abigail is a sweet kid. If you were connected to her, I knew you wouldn't mean me any harm. And then I fell in love with you. But why did you chase me?"

"Now that is a complicated story. Can't we just say I fancied you?"

"No, you can't. Samantha told me all about you when you went to get my stuff from the house. I know that Doug didn't seduce Anita. So why were you taking your revenge on him?"

Now some women can be very dumb sometimes. How come I manage to find one who has suddenly got so bloody clever? After all, she was dumb enough to marry Doug in the first place; now she had me taped.

Well, the game was really up. I told Leanne the full story. When I finished, she came over and gave me a hug, said I was a nice, kind-hearted man, and that she and Dawn were very lucky those guys had sat by me in the pub that day. Then she took my hand and led me into the bedroom.

"I want to thank you for helping me and Dawn," she said. "And show you how much I love you."

I was just beginning to realise how lucky I was that those two wankers had sat by me in the Pub that night as well.

Well, that's it. I've got myself a lovely new common law wife and we are very happy together.

What the hell happened to Doug? I must admit I really don't know. He couldn't get another job locally, as Archers would not give him a reference for obvious reasons. He did try to use a forged one but got caught out on that. He was forced to sell the house to pay Leanne's divorce settlement. As I said, my accountants couldn't find any other cash.

Being the vindictive bugger I am, and figuring he must have stashed a fair proportion of his not inconsiderable salary abroad over the years, I arranged for the Inland Revenue to give him some strife; once those buggers get their teeth into you, they never let go. Leanne had a good memory as to what their household expenses had been, so the IR was looking for the interest on a good few hundred thousand. As far as I can gather Doug eventually left the country. Either that or he did a bloody good disappearing act.

The End (or is it?)

Two more chapters.