Incriminating Evidence

I learned that in our state, adultery can be listed as the reason for a divorce. I left his office knowing where I stood and what I should do. My first step should be a confrontation.

Frank had provided a draft of my divorce proposal that I could use until the legal papers were served. Between that draft and the evidence from the suitcase, I was fully prepared for the confrontation.

I placed all of the items from the suitcase on our dining room table. Then I brewed some coffee and waited for Alicia to get home from work.

When she arrived, I didn't greet her like I usually did. She came into the kitchen and saw me sitting there with a cup of coffee. She walked to the pot and poured one for herself. Then she sat down across the table from me.

I said, "When were you going to tell me about your affair with David Jefferson?"

"She yelled, "What are you talking about? Where did you get such an idea? What are you accusing me of?"

Without a word, I took her hand a led her to the dining room. She looked at the items on the table. When her brain registered that she was seeing the items from the suitcase, she began to sob.

I've heard about people turning white when they are afraid of -- or shocked by -- some occurrence. She was the first person that I ever saw actually turn white. It looked like all of the blood had left her face. When I thought that she might collapse, I guided her to one of the chairs. She just sat there crying for several minutes. When she recovered, she said, "I made a huge mistake. I hope that you can forgive me."

I wanted to say something smart like, "A mistake is when you go to the store for milk and come home with beer." What I actually said was, "It wasn't a mistake, it was a betrayal."

I pointed out that it might have been forgivable when it was just her and Ramona, but when David entered the picture, it became an unforgivable adulterous affair!"

She sobbed, "Please don't say that, Frank." I noticed that she didn't deny my conclusion that she was having an affair with David Jefferson.

At that point, I told my cheating wife that the information I obtained from Ramona coupled with the evidence that I discovered in the suitcase, told me everything I needed to know. I slammed an envelope down on the table saying, "This is my divorce proposal. You should have your attorney look at it and give my attorney your response."

She sobbed, "Is there anything, anything at all, that I can do? You know that I've already stopped everything. I'll do anything additional that you require. I have a lot of crow to eat and I'll make it my steady diet to get us past this and allow us to remain together."

She decided to try one more desperate tactic. She claimed that David had drugged her every Wednesday. She said, "We always had a drink before we began our sexual activities. My drink was always spiked. Ramona will confirm that. Can't you see that I wasn't responsible for my actions?"

I said, "Don't be ridiculous, Alicia! Don't embarrass yourself with a fantasy like that."

She said, "You don't want to know the truth. Listen to me!"

I answered, "Alright, let's play this silly game. Let me get this straight, Alicia. You're saying that you were drugged, so you didn't know that David was fucking you?"

"That's right! It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been drugged. I always assumed it was just me and Ramona. I was oblivious to what David was doing to me!"

I asked, "Are you saying that you didn't notice the evidence of what happened when you got home? You didn't see the cum running down your leg?"

She said, "David and Ramona must have cleaned me up before I left. I didn't know. As I said, I thought it was just me and Ramona fooling around!"

I asked, "Did you think that Ramona could get you pregnant?"

She answered, "Of course not. I'm not that stupid."

I yelled, "How stupid do you think I am? If you didn't know you were having sex with David, why were you taking pregnancy tests on a regular basis? Also, why did you use a spermicide and take birth control pills? You are either completely brainless or a liar. Which are you, Alicia?"

She looked defeated as she said, "All right, I'll admit that I wanted and enjoyed what David did to me, but I don't love him. I love you. I don't want him. I want you."

That conversation proved that the demon on my shoulder had been right from the beginning. Any doubt that came from my heart had to be dismissed. I told her that it would take a miracle to restore what she had ruined.

She dropped her head. She was trembling as she said, "Just ask Ramona. She'll tell you that it was just sex. She knows that I still love you. She knows I don't love David. He is hers and you are mine. Let's forget all of this and start over. I will never disappoint you again."

Then she added, "One more thing, we only got together one day a week. It was only for a few hours. The average was probably two hours. Those two hours were not taken from my time with you. I worked through my lunch period on Monday and Tuesday so I could extend my lunch period on Wednesday.

"A week is 168 hours. For 166 of them, I was your wife in every way. I never thought about David or Ramona during any of those 166 hours that I was only yours. Please don't condemn me for just two bad hours out of 168. A real affair would consume much more time than that. Tell me that you see that!"

"I hear what you're saying, but it's not just about the hours. It's not even about the number of orgasms that you enjoyed during your affair. It's about one orgasm during which you were impregnated. It's about another man doing the impregnating.

"I should have been the father of your first baby, but I wasn't. David Jefferson was the father of your first baby! The fact that you killed it doesn't change that fact! We can't go back in time and let me be the father of your first baby. That ship has sailed."

I told her that she had also misread both me and Ramona. I informed her that my attorney had a written statement from Ramona that amounted to a "tell-all."

"Her statement makes it clear that she was willing to 'fool around' with you. She was not happy about having David as an observer, but she tolerated it. When he started to participate by fucking her instead of jerking off, she accepted that change. When he started fucking you too, her resentment started growing. As time went by, she saw herself as a third wheel. You and David were getting most of the action. You started each session with her, but you ended it with him.

"She finally realized that it was all a setup between you and David. You wanted each other and she became your enabler. She fell for your line about reviving what the two of you did in college. As time passed, she was all but left out. She has turned on both you and David. You can read her statement for yourself. It's included in this envelope." Saying that, I shoved the envelope closer to her and left the room.

There was no wiggle room. No reconciliation was possible. The demon on my shoulder and the voices in my head had convinced my heart that there was no hope for our marriage. I wanted out and I wanted out now!

It was a simple divorce. We split all of our assets and there was no alimony. I bought a condo near my workplace with my share of the money.

CH 05

It took me quite a while to get back into living as a single man. I was getting used to doing things that Alicia always did. One of those things was grocery shopping. I finally knew what aisle the milk was on and where the beer was located.

One fateful day, I quite literally ran into Ramona in the cereal aisle. When my cart bumped hers, her milk tumbled out of that little shelf at the front of the cart and spilled all over the floor.

"God damn it to hell! What else can go wrong? Do you ever watch where you're going you son of a bitch!"

I recognized her and she saw who I was in the same instant. I was stammering an apology when she said, "Oh, shit! It's you! I'm so sorry for my bad language. I'm having a really bad day. It's been a long time since I've had a good one. It's no excuse and I'm very sorry that I took it out on you. I'm not worth a shit anymore."

Tears were running down her cheeks. I took the milk from my cart and put it in hers. She bowed her head and started crying for real. I put my arm around her in an effort to comfort her. She laid her head on my shoulder and the waterworks hit full steam ahead.

Everyone was looking at us. I patted her arm saying, "I'll pay for all of your groceries today, Ramona. It's the least I can do to make amends for being so clumsy. My mind was somewhere else just like it's been ever since the divorce."

Her crying began to ease and she said, "I think I'm gonna call it a day. I can't take anymore. I'm sorry I yelled at you. It was my fault as much as yours. My mind was elsewhere too. It always is nowadays."

With that, she left her cart in the middle of the aisle as she headed for the parking lot. I pushed my cart as I pulled hers to the checkout. I paid for both orders and put them in my truck. I found myself driving to the house where the actions were performed that ended my marriage. I put Ramona's groceries in my pop-up cart and took them to her door. I rang the bell. A young woman answered the door.

I was surprised, but I recovered and said, "I have groceries for Ramona Jefferson."

She said, "The Jeffersons don't live here anymore. We bought this house from them. Ramona couldn't afford to keep it after their divorce."

I asked, "Do you know where she lives now?"

She told me that Ramona was living with her mom at the Mobile Home Manor. She said, "I think they are in location 28, but I'm not absolutely sure."

I thanked her and pushed the cart back to my truck.

I was able to locate the trailer that belonged to Ramona's mom. She remembered me and invited me in. I was appalled at the condition of her trailer. It could only be described as filthy and dilapidated. She told me that Ramona was at the grocery store.

I told her what had happened and explained that I had Ramona's groceries in my truck. She helped me put the groceries into the fridge. When we finished, she said, "My guess is that Ramona is at Kelly's Bar. She spends too much time there. She will probably lose her job if she doesn't shape up.

She blew me away when she told me that David was living with my ex-wife in an apartment in the "big town. Why was I surprised?

I decided to check on Ramona. I drove to Kelly's Bar and as predicted -- she was there. She was at one of the tables in the back. Her head was buried in her arms which were resting on the table between two empty beer mugs. I sat down across from her and said, "Hi, again. Can I get you another beer?"

She jerked her head up. When she recognized me, she said, "Shit, Frank. I'm sorry. What do you want?"

Had she forgotten what just happened at the store? How bad off is she? I said, "Ramona, I just left your mom's place. We put your groceries in the fridge. What are you doing here? Drinking your meal? They have some pretty good food here. Let me get you something more filling."

She said, "Are you saying you bought the groceries that I left in the cart?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Why would you do that? I didn't want you to do that!"

"Because I felt like it. You were, or maybe I should say, you are, having a bad day. I've had plenty of them myself lately and I know the feeling. Plus, I just learned from your mom that my ex and your ex are playing house together in the 'big town.' Doesn't that make you and me related in some manner?" I grinned.

She said, "I don't know about that, but I would like to talk to you about everything that happened sometime when you're available."

I said, "I'm available now. Let's order a couple of steaks and talk while we eat."

She said, "If we are going to have a steak together, that makes it a date! If we are going to have our first date, I don't want it to be in this rotten place. We will remember our first date when we are old and grey. Do you want to remember it happening in this shitty place?"

She was grinning. I was glad to see her well-known humor making a comeback. It was a good development. I said, "You choose and I'll buy. How's that for a first date?"

She asked, "Are you a member of the Country Club?"

I said, "Do I look like a member of the Country Club?"

She grinned saying, "I don't really know. I've never been there! How about Raymond's Steak House?"

I offered her my arm saying, "Yes ma'am, I can take you there," and I did.

The steaks were good, but the conversation was better. She told me that she believes everything that happened leading up to the sexual activity between our spouses had been a setup. It was all planned from the git-go

She said, "The first step was Alicia wanting to rekindle our girl-on-girl relationship from college days. I was receptive to that idea because sex with David was getting worse with time. He became unloving and rough. He even became abusive sometimes. I was happy to be with Alicia again and there soon was some pretty hot activity between the two of us in the house that I shared with her old boyfriend who was now my husband.

"Next, David 'just happened' to come home unannounced and caught us. His price for not telling you about us was to be able to watch us. He couldn't control himself while watching us so he began masturbating while he watched. Before long, masturbating was replaced by participation. It started when he began screwing me instead of masturbating. After that, it morphed into him also 'playing around' with Alicia. It didn't take long for that 'playing around' to become full-on bareback fucking. (David never used a condom. He said they don't 'do it' for him.)

"Finally, after Alicia and I kicked things off, I became an observer while my husband and my friend carried on a carefully-orchestrated affair. We, you and I, were the victims of a well-thought-out setup. When I finally saw the light, I was thoroughly pissed off at both of them and myself.

"Of course, you were the "fatted calf" when all is said and done. I don't know how you kept from killing all three of us. I regret that I played a part in your betrayal. I'm so sorry."

I told her that I understood and agreed with everything she said, except for the bit about me being a 'fatted calf.' I told her that she'd lost me there.

She asked, "Did you ever go to Sunday school? Haven't you heard about the guy that had a bad son and a good son? The good one stayed home and helped his dad with the farm. The bad son took his inheritance and went away to bad places where he drank too much liquor and 'knew' -- in the biblical sense -- too many women. After some time went by, the bad son was broke so he came back home.

"When that errant son got home, his dad told the servants that he wanted to have a big party to celebrate his son's return. He told them to kill the 'fatted calf' so they would have some outstandingly tender and delicious food to eat in celebration.

"When the son that had stayed home and helped with the farm heard what had happened, he was quite upset. When the father found out about it, he told his good son that it was appropriate to celebrate his bad son's return. 'He was lost, but now he's found,' said the father."

She said, "I'm not sure of every word, but that's the gist of the story. Anyway, to explain my remark, I once read about a little girl that heard that story for the first time in Sunday school. The teacher asked the class if the story made them feel sorry for anyone. They each replied that they felt sorry for the good son that stayed and helped his dad but never got to have a party. They all agreed, except for one very precocious little girl. When it was her turn, she said that she felt sorry for the 'fatted calf.' It was a funny, but insightful answer!"

After she started telling the story, I did remember hearing it somewhere, but I'd never heard about the precocious little girl's answer. I had a good laugh at that one.

I took Ramona's hand in mine and said, "If you see me as the 'fatted calf' in our story, I'm not sure what that means. I wish you saw me as the good son. Are you saying that you feel sorry for me or that you want to throw a party for David?"

It was her turn to laugh. She said, "I do feel sorry for you. You suffered for something that I was a big part of. I regret my part in making you the 'fatted calf' or the 'good son.' Either way, I participated in your betrayal."

I said, "Ramona, I don't see you as a participant in my betrayal. I see you as a victim, just like me. It appears that our spouses are living together as if they're married while you and I pick up the pieces. They are the ones having a party and eating the 'fatted calf'' while we cry."

Next, I asked her why she was so upset at the grocery store. "Was it all because I ran into your cart?"

She said that was just the final straw. She was trying to deal with everything that had happened. David had taken all the money from their joint bank accounts. The money from selling the house was negligible. He had some shyster lawyer draw up the divorce papers that gave her next to nothing. She didn't have any money to hire a lawyer to represent her and she got no appreciable help from the so-called "free services." To top it all off, she was forced to move in with her mom and sleep on the floor of her trailer

She went on to say that David was supposed to send her money every month, but she hadn't received a penny. She complained, but the agency hadn't helped her. She said, "That's why I was upset. Spilling that milk was just the last straw. I'm sorry. None of it was your fault."

"I did run into your cart and cause the milk to spill, Ramona."

"It was probably as much my fault as yours. I just poured out my anger about everything onto you. I really am sorry."

She continued, "My mom is more of a troubler than a helper. She may mean well, but she can't resist being critical about everything and blaming everyone except David. She always liked him and she's convinced that it's all my fault that he left. Never mind that he stole your wife on his way out!"

As I took her home that evening, we agreed that it had been the craziest "first date" of all time. We were the flotsam and jetsam that remained after the hurricane of lust generated by our spouses blew our lives apart. They had it all planned out-- and it worked!

After that, we had many more "dates." As time passed, we became more and more comfortable with each other. Except for a few hello and goodbye kisses, we hadn't taken the next steps.

Then came another evening of talking while eating in a place called The Den. I said, "I have a proposal for you, Ramona."

She said, "Frank, I'm just not ready to try marriage again. I think you and I would be extremely happy together, but I thought that about David and it went to hell in a handbasket. I can't put you or myself through that again. Can we take a while longer to be sure?"

I told her that I agreed completely. I said, "My proposal is not going to be a marriage proposal. I think we might get there someday, but for now, I'm just proposing that you move in with me. I have four bedrooms that you can choose from. I think you might like living with me a little more than living with your mom. Be aware that there are no strings attached."

I went on to tell her that I had arranged to start working from home and I had an allowance to hire a secretary. "I will double your current salary and you can say goodbye to sleeping on the floor of your mom's trailer."

She said, "I accept your proposal, Frank. How quickly can we make this happen?"

"Well, how long will it take you to get your stuff together?"

She answered, "Fifteen minutes. Thirty at the most."

I asked, "When do you want to do it?"