Jeffrey's Divorce and Recovery

Jeff replied, "I've never seen a restraining order or been served with one. This is the first time I even knew she had one."

"Your Honor my client states he has never been served with a restraining order and has no knowledge of it. It also seems strange to me that Ms. Fielding was served her divorce papers at 3:37 that afternoon, returned home at 4:30 yet had time to see an attorney for a restraining order, have it filed with the court and served before her husband began removing his personal property that morning. Could I see this restraining order in question and proof that it was served?"

The prosecutor looked nervous and began shuffling his papers when the Judge asked for a copy of the order. He said, "Your Honor I don't have a copy of it with me. When I talked to Mr. Harriman he assured me one was in force and he would see I got a copy. Let me check with my office."

He made a phone call and then turned to the Judge. "My assistant is bringing the order to me right now. Can we move on while we are waiting on it to arrive?"

The Judge set his lips and nodded his head, "Please do."

"Yes Sir. Thank you Your Honor. Now on to the Assault charge. Mr. Fielding saw Mr. Harriman approaching him in his yard trying to keep him from loading more of Ms. Fieldings' belongings. He dropped the box he was carrying and began to assault Mr. Harriman causing grievous bodily harm. I have a sworn complaint from Mr. Harriman and the statements from the hospital emergency room and the officer that interviewed him and Mrs. Fielding."

Jeff leaned to Steve and said, "That's a bunch of bull. I have the recording you said to make and Joe made a DVD of the whole thing. Unless they've taken it the recorder is in my coat pocket in the truck and the police have the camera in our belongings."

Steve said to Jeff, "Good. That should help and if the investigator on Amy got some good pictures too we can stick this to them pretty easily. He then stood and said, "Your Honor. My client tells me that he did not attack Mr. Harriman. He states unequivocally that he was merely defending himself from Mr. Harriman's attack. He has a recording and a DVD that will document that assertion. Additionally there was a private detective following Ms. Fielding during that time. He also should have pictures and his investigative report to support my client's assertions."

The Judge sighed and said, "Well where are these pieces of evidence?"

"Your Honor the police have the camera with the belongings of both Mr. Fieldings. The tape is in their vehicle in a coat pocket. We have not been provided the investigators report at this time. If we can adjourn until we can obtain these items I believe we can clear up this mess and let everyone get on with their business."

The Judge looked at his watch and said, "It's almost noon. Court adjourned until 1:30 for lunch and additional evidence. I presume this will be enough time for you both to obtain the items you should have had in your possession when this hearing commenced?"

Jeff and Joe were led away to their holding cell. Steve called the investigators to expedite receipt of the surveillance report for the day before then went straight to the police office to obtain the camera. When he got there he was given the camera but when he tried to play it he found there was no DVD inside. Arguing with the property officer had no effect. He swore that what Steve had was all they took into care. Strangely enough the inventory showed the camera but made no mention of a recording disc.

Steve went on to the impound yard. He arrived there just as an officer was opening the door of the truck. He walked up to the officer and asked, "What are you doing opening this truck?"

The officer looked nervous and said, "This truck might contain evidence in a burglary and I am searching it for that evidence. Besides, what right do you have to ask me about my duties? I better see some Identification. You're not even supposed to be here in this yard unescorted."

About that time a grizzled old officer walked up to Steve and said, "Mr. Jensen I'm having trouble finding the key for the truck here. It isn't in the key rack where it's supposed to be."

The officer confronting Steve looked upset and paled visibly when Steve said, "Do you suppose the key might not be where it belongs because this officer has it in his hand without authorization?"

The officer started to back away and found his way blocked by the other officer and Steve. The Impound Officer said, "Patrolman do you have the key to this truck? If you do have the key hand it over right now. This gentleman has authorization from the court to remove a tape recorder alleged to be within this vehicle."

The officer slowly handed the key to Steve and started to walk away. Before he got out of sight the Impound Officer caught him and demanded to see identification. Reluctantly the officer handed it over, then left in a hurry.

Steve found the tape recorder and heaved a sigh of relief when he found it still had the tape within and it was in good condition. He didn't listen to the whole tape but what he heard seemed to agree with what Jeff told him. Before he left the Impound Lot he thanked the officer and got the identity of the one who was trying to open the truck without authority.

When court resumed the Judge called the attorney's to the bench. He asked, "Well, did you obtain the information we needed during the recess?"

The prosecutor said, "Yes Your Honor. Here is a copy of the restraining order. As you can see it was filed shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday. Clearly Mr. Fielding was in violation of this order when he was at his former residence."

The Judge looked at the order then turned to the prosecutor and asked in a sarcastic tone of voice, "I wonder how an order can be filed at 4:20 in the recorder's office several miles from the accused's residence then driven across town in less than thirty minutes to be served. I also notice that the officer serving the order was the first patrol car on the scene and stopped the truck at the end of the block thus making the arrest. Apparently Mr. Fielding was never formally served the restraining order. Isn't it a little strange that you are trying to prosecute Mr. Fielding for violating an order he had yet to see; One that wasn't even filed until after he began removing his belongings from his residence?" The prosecutor looked sick and was spluttering when the Judge finished his statement.

The Judge turned to Steve and said, "Counselor I hope you have better documentation for your side of the case than the Honorable Prosecutor does."

Steve looked at the Judge and said, "I think so Your Honor but I don't have all the evidence I should have. In fact I am lucky I have any evidence at all." Steve explained what he found at the Property Room of the police station and then he explained getting to the Impound Yard just as the officer was trying to open the door. When the Judge found the officer had unauthorized access to the key and was trying to use it he grew angry.

"Your Honor I haven't listened to all of the tape but I do know it was operating. Shall we listen together?" At a nod from the Judge he pressed play. There was silence in the courtroom as the tape droned on. The longer it played the more upset Howard and Amy looked. They stood to leave and as they walked out Howard glared at Jeff.

After the tape ended the Judge thought a moment then banged his gavel down. "Case dismissed. Mr. Fielding and Mr. Fielding you are free to go. I trust you won't violate the restraining order now that you know about it?"

Jeff and Joe followed Steve out of the courtroom. Their first stop was the Property Room, then they moved on to the Impound Yard to pick up their truck for the two-hour drive home. Steve followed them to the cabin and had a drink with them while they discussed the day's events. Joe went home and Jeff and Steve continued to talk.

Jeff said, "Mr. Jensen I don't know what my Grandfather is going to do to help me but I want that asshole broken. I want his reputation ruined and I want his business closed if at all possible. I also want that conniving cunt I married ruined. Can we do that legally or am I going to have to do something else?"

"Whoa there Hoss," Steve said. "First off I told ya to call me Steve. Secondly, I don't want you to go off half-cocked on me now. We just got you out of one scrape. Now you calm down and let your Grandfather and me work on this for a while. I don't know exactly what he is thinking about but if I know your Grandfather he's not going to hit that little 'pissant' with a sledgehammer. He's going to use an atomic bomb. He told me he would be talking to you in a day or two about things so you just calm down and wait. You hear me?"

Jeffery didn't have anything important to do in the office so he decided to take the next few days off relaxing and arranging his belongings in the cabin. He turned the second bedroom into an office and displayed his personal items in the other rooms. He replaced some of the furniture with his own but kept most of the resort's furniture in the building to use.

Jeff saw Abigail several times a day and began to get to know her. She still brought him coffee in the mornings and either cooked his breakfast in the cabin or brought him some of the food left from feeding the fishermen at the main lodge. Several times Jeff told her she didn't have to do that but she would laugh and say, "I never saw a man yet that could cook worth a damn and my Daddy always told me a good breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Your grandmamma told me to look out for you and I'm going to do that."

Unless Abigail was busy she took to eating her breakfast with Jeff and he grew to enjoy her company. One evening he was sitting on the deck watching the sunset and drinking some Glenlivet when Abby came down the trail from the main lodge. She was obviously heading for the swimming hole. She was carrying a towel and cooler and was wearing a conservative two-piece swimsuit.

When Abigail saw Jeff she stopped to visit with him. They talked for several minutes and Abby finally climbed up on the deck to sit with Jeff. After a few more minutes of conversation she said, "If I'm going to get my swim in before dark I really have to go. I'll see you in the morning." As she started to leave she turned back and said, "Hey, come on with me and swim a while. It's waaaay too hot to just sit there in all those clothes and drink. Besides, you've been drinking way too much. You need to work some of it out of your system."

Jeff refused even when Abigail pleaded with him so she finally came back up on the deck and sat down beside him. She leaned over and opened her cooler and took out a black cherry wine cooler to drink. They sat in silence for a short time and Jeff finally looked over at her and said, "I thought you were going to swim? Why are you sitting here?"

Abby looked at him and replied, "Well, I don't like to swim alone and I know it's not good to drink alone so since you won't go with me to the swimming hole I guess I'll just have to sit here and melt while we drink the evening away."

Jeff sat there and watched her for a minute then said, "Oh, OK. If you're going to be like that I guess I'll go with you. Let me get my suit." Abby grinned as she watched him walk a little unsteadily into the cabin. She was sure she heard him fall down while he was dressing but she didn't go check.

After they got well cooled off Jeff climbed out of the water and lay back on one of the beach towels they had brought. Abby followed him. They were lying there talking and watching the nightfall when Jeff asked, "Abby I know it's none of my business but why are you here? I've heard you say your folks moved off and left you but why didn't you go with? For that matter why aren't you going to college? I can tell you're an intelligent girl and yet you're in this dead end job working for our company."

Abby's eyes teared up and she turned to Jeff to say, "Mr. Fielding it's none of your business why my parents moved and I stayed here. Furthermore if you can't let it drop you can just find someone else to swim with. For your information I am going to college. I take one or two courses a semester and I do well in them. I would like to take more courses but that is all I can afford right now. I have 27 semester hours completed now. It will take me some time but I will have my degree. I'm going for a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management so I can run a place like this. Now are we going to talk about something else or am I going to leave?"

After she said that, Abby stood and began gathering her belongings. Jeff scrambled up too and grabbed her by the arms. He stood looking into her eyes and said, "Abby I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or hurt your feelings. I just truly wanted to know more about you. If you don't want to talk about it we won't but if it's something you need help with I would be glad to help you."

When he grabbed her Abigail tensed up and tried to pull away. When she couldn't get away from Jeff she stood and glared at him. Jeff didn't back down and finally Abby sighed and relaxed. She said, "Oh, OK Jeff. I'm sorry I over reacted but I don't like to think about that. You see, I love this place and couldn't bear to leave it. My parents owned it but weren't ever able to make a living on it. When your Grandfather asked Dad if he wanted to sell he jumped at the chance and they went off to Kansas City to make their fortune. I refused to go and since I was over 18 they couldn't make me. It's hard making my own way but I don't intend to ever leave this place if I can help it. Your Grandfather lets me stay in a little room in the lodge you know as part of my pay. I get to eat from the lodge tables so I get by. I just get so angry sometimes at Dad for leaving all this I sort of lose it."

Jeff pulled Abby into his arms to comfort her. She nestled her head under his chin and pressed her cheek to his chest. He could feel her tears on his bare chest. Jeff sighed. It felt so good to have a woman in his arms again. He started when the thought that Abby was just the perfect height for cuddling percolated through his tired slightly drunken brain. He turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Abby I know exactly what you mean. I planned to move back here to Steelville when I finished college. I had fallen madly in love with my wife before I graduated and we were to marry after we both got our degrees. Before the wedding we were talking about where we would live and Amy flat out refused to move back here. She told me it was either her or Steelville and I chose her. I did manage to get her to live in Springville so I could come home frequently. As you have probably heard she refused to come with me most of the time. For some reason she hates all small towns and rural areas with a passion."

"I wish now I had chosen Steelville. I feel myself relaxing every time I turn down the road toward home and this Resort. If I ever marry again I will never marry someone who won't live here with me. It's part of my soul. It's where I belong and where I intend to raise any children I may have."

Abby looked up at Jeff and smiled. She used her fingers to wipe the tears from her eyes then stood on her tiptoes and gave him a fast peck on the lips. "Oh, Jeff I think you love this place as much as I do. If anyone had to buy it I'm glad it was your Grandfather. At least it got the land back in your family and I can tell your whole family loves it."

Jeff looked at Abby and took her hands in his. "Yeah, maybe I do. I know I have never been anywhere that makes me feel like I do here. I've never been with anyone who understands how my family and I feel about this place either. I wish I had met someone like you before I met Amy."

Abby smiled then said, "Thank you Jeff. That's nice. Now I had better get back to my room. I have some work to do and it's getting late. I'll be down for breakfast unless you would rather come up to the lodge?"

"No, please come down. I think I like having breakfast here with you better than there. It seems more relaxed here when we eat on the deck."

After Abby left Jeff sat back down on the deck because it was still too early to go to bed and he didn't care to watch TV. Many nights he would read a book or surf the net but those pastimes held no appeal for him this night. He listened to the happy tinkle of the stream running past the yard and over the rocks while he thought about the difference between Amy and Abigail. Somehow he could never picture Amy here but more and more he could picture Abby curled up with him as they enjoyed the quiet evenings here alongside the steam. He leaned the chair back and sat watching the stars as he felt the tension drain out of his body and soul.

Jeff woke the next morning to peals of laughter and the sun on his face. He felt stiff and had to piss like a racehorse. He was foundering around in confusion before he realized where he was. He had fallen asleep on the deck in his chair and hadn't awakened the entire night. Abby was standing in the door watching him trying to wake and rise from the chair and cackling with laughter. Between her laughs she managed to say, "What's the matter lazy bones? Couldn't you even make it to your own bed last night? I knew I should have taken care of you before I left last night."

By the time she had finished her scolding Abby was standing with an amused look on her face and her fists on her hips. She backed up to let Jeff through the door and he gave her a disgusted look when he passed her. He had to piss so badly he felt a little dampness in his shorts. He heard Abby laughing again as the sound of his stream carried back to the kitchen area.

When Abby heard Jeff walk back into the kitchen she turned and started to hand him a cup of coffee. Abby stopped in shock when she saw Jeff and rapidly set the cup down. His face had a seriously grim expression and he was headed straight for her. She felt a flash of fear as he grabbed her then she exploded in a shriek of laughter when he began tickling her. She fought back twisting and turning, trying to escape his tickles until he finally stopped.

Jeff held her and looked down at her face as he said, "Let that be a lesson to you. Don't you know it's not nice to make fun of your elders?"

Abby stood, trying to be angry at the way he treated her but she just couldn't keep the angry expression on her face. She was normally a happy person and had a sunny personality that was trying desperately to break through once again. Jeff was looking down at her while she tried to keep from smiling. He looked thoughtful then his head bent bringing his face closer and closer to her. Their lips touched, then his mouth opened a small amount. Abby slowly slid her tongue into his mouth to touch his. She moaned and plastered her body against him as they strained against each other.

When they broke apart Abby blushed and turned from Jeff. Jeff was standing staring at Abby. He noticed they were both breathing hard. His cock was straining against his shorts. Jeff reached out and gently pulled Abby around to so he could see her face. She put her hands over her face and he gently grabbed her wrists and pulled them away so he could see her eyes.

Neither said anything for several heartbeats then Jeff walked toward Abby, pushing her back against the cabinet until she was trapped between his body and the counter. He put his hands on the counter edge, one on each side of Abby and leaned down to take another kiss-a gentle loving one this time.

Abby returned the kiss then when Jeff pulled back she twisted and picked up the coffee cup once more. Abby handed the cup to Jeff and said, "Here. Drink your coffee and behave. Do you want your breakfast now or should we have some coffee first?"