Loving Wives, Loving Husbands 002

Sarah settled down. She wouldn't jeopardize her Dad's well being for anything. She swallowed hard.

"Ok. I'll accept that. Then what do we do?"

Don was thinking all the time Sara was talking.

"Don't say anything to mom. Dad needs her close to him. I saw the way he looked at her when she came in. Take that away and he will simply roll over in that bed and let himself die."

Sarah nodded.

"I have to get back to the office in a couple more days. Call Phil and have him get on a plane and bring the kids out here. You can stay in the Airbnb for a couple of days to keep mom occupied and watch over Dad. When I get my stuff straightened out, Rachel and I will come back with the kids and stay a few more weeks. That should be about the right time to get him out of the hospital and back here. A few weeks after that we will transfer him to our house in San Diego.

That will give me enough time to do some more digging. We can then all get together in San Diego and finally decide what to do."

They talked a bit more and then cleaned up the kitchen and headed up to bed.

&&&&&

Things rocked on for a couple of weeks. Sarah's husband Phil and her two children showed up a few days after they met at the kitchen table. Robert and Rachel went back to San Diego. Sarah watched her mother carefully. She never saw anything to give her any indications that Jayla was anything but a loving wife, more concerned about her husband's health than her own. She hovered over Bob.

About three days after that meeting, Conner got home from Germany. He had a 90 day emergency leave and all he wanted to do was spend time with his Dad. That was fine with Jayla. She knew that Robert had a special place in his heart for his youngest son and was happy to give them time.

Jayla doted on her grandkids and insisted that Sarah and her family take the time to make a vacation out of their stay. She got them out and visited all the tourist attractions and a trip to the wine country. Even Bob seemed to perk up when the grandkids got to come and visit.

Bob and Rachel arrived again. Bob had been released from the hospital and was at the house that Bob had rented. Jayla moved downstairs into what was supposed to be a sunroom. The local medical supply store had brought a hospital bed. Jayla had a fold down cot.

It was three weeks into Bob's recovery. He was now up and walking several times a day. He was coming to the table to eat with the rest of the family. Jayla was always at his side, holding his hand. Sarah and Phil had to go home. Bob was teary to see his children and grandchildren leave. At the same time he was happy to see Robert Junior and his family arrive.

A couple of weeks later, at a routine doctor's visit, the doc Bob over carefully. Once he was done, he picked up the chart from the table where he had laid it and made a few notes. Jayla watched carefully, somewhat apprehensively. It was the longest visit they had with the doc since Bob had left the hospital.

"I think you are ready to move on to the next phase of your recovery. You need to get up off your ass and start getting some exercise. I seem to remember that you are going to San Diego. I will give you referrals to a good cardiologist there as well as a great cardiac rehab place. Just listen to me. You aren't done yet. You have a long way to go. But if you follow instructions, take care of yourself, and follow orders, you have a lot of living left to do."

Bob grinned and thanked the Doctor, shaking his hand then hugging Jayla who was sitting on a chair next to the exam table. As soon as they got home the celebrations began and plans were started to get Robert to San Diego. It was a joyous day. Robert watched his dad and mother. He couldn't see a thing different between them.

&&&&&

It took several more weeks to get things arranged. Robert hired a huge motor home to make the trip back to San Diego. I would allow Bob to be more comfortable, have a place to lay down and rest. It was a pleasant trip taking almost 8 hours to complete. Sarah and Phil with their kids were already at Robert and Rachel's house to meet them and a short family reunion was held. It wasn't long until Jayla announced that she and Bob were going to bed. He was tired after the long ride and she wanted to spend her first night home in bed with him. They disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door.

The rest of the family sat around getting caught up. After they were satisfied that Jayla and Bob were sound asleep, Sarah broached the subject.

"Have you found anything else?"

Bob took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I have."

"What?"

Conner stopped them

"What is going on? What are you two talking about?"

They realized that Conner had not been privy to their other conversations. They quickly brought him up to speed. He sat with a bewildered and almost pained expression on his face.

"To continue. It was tough. I had to do some real digging and hacking. Fortunately, Dad had given me a power of attorney several years ago in case something happened to him and mom. I exercised that to get some of their personal financial records and access to some accounts and other stuff. What I was able to piece together is that Dad did his west coast tour twice a year. For the past several years, Mom took some kind of trip at the same time. It was usually a weekend thing lasting three days. Once she stayed four. I couldn't dig up much more than that."

They all sat there mute. It was Conner who broke the silence.

"That is pretty flimsy evidence to convict someone in absentia. Aren't you even going to give her the chance to defend herself and answer your charges. You are all sitting around here conducting a star chamber. Remember what I do. I am a lawyer and I work for the JAG. This may look bad but I could tear this little kangaroo court apart in a minute. You either need to get more evidence or you need to quit being so dramatic in your conclusions. I'm going to bed."

After Conner had left, it was Rachel who sat down in his chair and looked around.

"You know he is right."

They all glumly agreed.

"So what do we do?"

Rachel looked at Sarah.

"Nothing."

Several days later, Sarah was gathering up dirty laundry from Jayla and Bob's room. She heard a phone chime and looked around. She spied Jayla's phone on the floor beside the nightstand. She assumed that Jayal had knocked it off unwittingly and left it there unnoticed. Sarah glanced at the screen where a text box was open.

"How is Bob?"

She looked closer to see who it was from. All the box said was Charles. She didn't think too much. Their friends back in Baltimore had been messaging constantly to check on Bob and Jayla. It was only when she happened to scroll the screen upward and she saw the older messages, did she sit down on the chair near the window and continue scrolling. She began to cry silently as she read the message going back several years. Anger overtook her sadness and she stroked a few keys and the contents of the messages were headed toward her phone. She did a quick search of her mothers phone and found the corresponding phone number from which the texts had been sent.

That day, Sarah quietly talked to each of the rest of the family. Late that afternoon, they announced to Jayla and Bob that they were taking the rest of the family out for a meal and that Jayla and Bob could enjoy an evening of complete privacy. Jayla had grinned broadly and Bob had given her a wink.

As promised, about 5:30 they packed everyone into the two SUVs and headed out. They told Jayla and Bob they were going to one of the themed restaurants where their kids could play on the games and rides. What they didn't say is that they could have time to talk privately.

At the restaurant, They had a big meal of pizza, and the kids took off towards the games and rides. The parents had given each of the kids a token card with enough credits to keep them happy for hours. When the kids were gone, Bob looked at Sarah.

"Ok. You called this meeting. What do you have?"

She told them about finding Jayla's phone that morning and then what she had found. Conner was again dismissive until Jayla showed him the copies of the messages and he had read them all. Everyone else listened in total surprise. When he was done, he put the phone on the table and looked at Sarah.

"Ok. Sis. I guess you have what you need. What do you intend to do?"

"I propose we have an intervention."

Rachel looked at her.

"A what?"

"An intervention. We get mom alone and we confront her with everything we know. I think our goal is to get her to admit what she has been doing to Dad and then decide what she should do."

"Are you going to include your dad in this?"

"No. I want to spare him as much grief and stress as I can."

Conner started to object, but Sarah gave him a withering look. He raised his hands in defeat and sat back.

"When?"

Robert was looking at Sarah.

"As soon as possible. Rachel. Do you think you could convince your parents to keep the kids for a few hours tomorrow afternoon."

Rachel just nodded. She was having bad feelings about this but thought it better to stay out of what was clearly family business.

"Ok. Then we do this tomorrow. Dad usually takes a nap at about 1 o'clock. I say we do it while he is sleeping."

&&&&&

The next day, Rachel took all of the kids to her parents. It took about an hour and when she came back in, everyone was gathered around the kitchen table, looking a little glum.

"Where are mom and dad?"

Bob pointed upstairs. In a few minutes Jayla came downstairs, smiling.

"He is sleeping like a baby. What's the matter with all of you? It looks like a funeral."

Sarah launched right in.

"It almost is mom. We all want to talk to you. Come sit down."

Jayla looked shocked but came down the stairs and took the chair where Sarah had pointed. Sarah continued, pointedly.

"Mom. We need to clear some things up."

Jayla nodded.

"Where were you when I called you about Dad."

Jayla immediately knew that she was busted. She saw no reason to try and dodge the issue.

"In Atlanta."

Sarah was a little surprised that her mom was so upfront.

"What were you doing there?"

"I was meeting a man."

Sarah sat down in her chair with a thump. This wasn't going at all as she had expected. Fortunately Robert stepped in.

"Care to fill us in on what you were planning?"

"I was going to enjoy a weekend with an old friend. We would go dining and dancing. Then we would enjoy each other's company."

It was Bob's turn to look at his mother incredulously.

Conner took his shot.

"Does Dad know about this?"

"Not to my knowledge I don't see any reason he has to know."

Sarha's voice was a little shrill.

"Are you kidding? You sleep with a guy behind Dad's back and expect us to help keep your dirty laundry hidden?"

"I expect you to do what you think is best. In the interest of your father if not in mine. I don't think the shock of finding out about my history at this time is the thing to do. I could very well kill him from the stress and shock."

Jayla saw the look in Sarah's eyes and inwardly cringed. She loved her children but wasn't sure now that she would have children to love when this was over.

Bob took center stage.

"We appreciate that. But do you really think that you can continue to hide this from him? He is not stupid. He is, in fact, smarter than all of us."

"I don't know."

"Do you intend to do it again?"

"I don't know."

Bob was getting a little louder with each question that she answered.

"Who the hell is this guy anyway?"

A voice from the top of the stairs answered.

"His name is Charles Elliot."

Every eye at the table went to Bob standing at the top of the stairs. Jayla was white as a sheet. Her hands gripped the edge of the table with white knuckles. She watched trembling as Bob came carefully down the stairs.

"He is a salesman from D.C. He brokers computer parts from the Pacific rim. He has a wife and three kids, about the same ages as you."

They all sat listening incredulously. Bob came to the foot of the stairs and stood holding the bannister rail.

"It was Jayla who finally managed to speak in a soft whisper.

"You knew."

"Of course I knew. You didn't think that I wouldn't notice the subtle changes. Your attitude, the bounce in your step and the quiet smiles occasionally. But I can't take credit for any detective skills. It was the phone call from Charles that told me what I wanted to know."

Jayla slumped in the chair and felt nauseous. Bob looked at his father.

"Dad. Come sit down."

He watched as Bob walked confidently toward the kitchen table and then stopped at the chair beside Jayla where Conner sat.

"Son. Would you mind letting me sit here next to my wife?"

Conner jumped up and moved around the table. They all watched as Bob sat down, turned to Jayla and took her hand in his, cradling it in both hands.

"Jayla. Princess. I want to apologize. I put everything I had into my work. I wanted to get us to our dream of spending our remaining years enjoying each other and seeing all those places we used to talk about."

He looked at the rest of the table.

"You all deserve an apology as well. I know, I missed a lot of birthdays. I didn't get to see a lot of little league games, dance recitals, and ROTC exercises. I was focused on what I thought was important. I realize now how wrong I was."

Jayla looked at him.

"When..?"

Bob smiled at her.

"Charles called me after your second weekend. He asked to come to Baltimore and see me. I agreed. He didn't have to say why. By then I was pretty sure what was going on. He came and we went to a local restaurant and got a private table. He was an emotional wreck. I slowly coaxed out of him what was going in. He was adamant. He didn't mean me or your mother any harm. Jayla, he truly cares for you. Almost, as much as I do, I think. He also loves his wife and his children. He was so afraid that I would do something to hurt his family. He begged me not to retaliate.

He told me about the time that he and your mom spent together. I got the impression that it wasn't about the sex at all. Though I have no doubt that it was good. I know your mother. His thoughts almost always were of how loving and caring your mother is. Her thoughts were always on you three and later on the grandkids and her new kids. More than once he told me emphatically that the times she was most beautiful was when she was talking about me and the relationship she had with me.

What I got most out of that conversion was a true sense of how I had screwed up. I began to realize that none of this would have happened if I had been more present and more involved. I also understood that this was not a danger to your Mother and mine's relationship. If anything, for the time being it seemed to be a stabilizing influence. When that conversation was done, I promised Charles that I would be back in touch. We shook hands and he headed home to his family. I spent a lot of time the next few days really digging into my feelings and emotions. I finally came to some life changing decisions."

He looked around the table and saw stars of disbelief, incredulity, and, on his son Conners face, a sort of soft knowing smile. Jayla sat simply holding his hand, a look of deep sadness on her face.

"I got on the train one morning and rode to Baltimore. I had called Charles to make sure he was in town and met him on the mall in DC at a hot dog stand. We both got a drink and a dog then sat on one of the benches under a cherry tree. I think he was waiting for the hammer to fall.

I told him that I knew I had as much blame as anyone in this situation. Then I told him what I had decided. I decided that Jayla was the only woman I had ever wanted in my life. I told him that had I done my duty as a husband that she probably wouldn't have ever been tempted. That was my part of the fault"

He looked down at Jayla.

"There is a little blame on your part. You could have simply said no at any time. That hurts a little bit. It's mitigated by the knowledge that you weren't doing it out of some misguided sexual adventure thing or to hurt me or the kids. You were desperately trying to fill the void I wasn't filling in your emotional needs."

He looked at the kids.

"And yes, Charley had some culpability on his side. He too, could have said no at any time and let it die there. I give him the benefit of the doubt. Your mothers nature is loving and generous. People naturally gravitate to her and easily develop deep attachments to her. I have seen it happen a dozen times when she is helping a destitute family or someone in trouble. She bonds with them and there is instant communication."

He looked again at Jayla.

"I told Charles that I needed another couple of years to get things arranged with my business. I made it clear that if he ever hurt Jayla or my family I would be coming at him with blood in my eye and not thinking of giving quarter. I would destroy him and everything he held dear!"

I laid out my plan. I would do everything in my power to change my ways to be a better husband and partner to Jayla but I still had to take care of my job commitments. That would leave those two weeks a year that I would be away. I knew Jayla's feelings about both me and Charles. I told him that if the arrangement was limited to two weekends a year while I was away, I could live with that. I also told him I would do my best to encourage Jayla to come with me those two weeks. He agreed.

I also told him if he tried to deviate from the agreement by changing it in any way, all bets were off.

When I left that day, I think we had a good understanding. I wanted Jayla to be happy, fulfilled and content. I couldn't do anything at that time about the situation with my job or the travel."

Bob looked at Jayla.

"I did, every time I had to leave, try to convince you to go with me for those two weeks. I think several times you really were torn. But something always came up that took you down that alternative trail again. I didn't fret too much. I was, and still am, secure in the thought that you love me more than anyone on earth. I knew you were in Atlanta that weekend I went down. I was surprised to some extent when I learned that you had gotten here so quickly. That just reinforced my belief that I was truely number one in your heart."

Jayla could contain herself no longer. She fell to the floor on her knees and put her head in Bob's hand sobbing and almost incoherent. He could hear her and gently raised her head and looked into her eyes.

"Jayla, my darling. There is no else I want to be with or spend whatever time I have left with. Only you. It has always only been you. It will always be you. I want you to be happy and content above all else. If you still need to spend those weekends with Charles, I will arrange it, happily for you. That will be your decision. But I want you to listen carefully.

The big announcement that I was delivering to the staff on the west coast was that at the first of the year I am retiring. I had reached all my goals, financially and professionally. I am ready to step back and put my energies, what's left of them, into being the husband I should have been. That means that we can now go and do all those things we talked about before jobs, careers and kids got in the way. With any luck I will be able to knock a lot of those things off that list and you will be with me every step. If you want to be."

Conner watched his mom launch herself up to grasp his dad around the neck. Blubbering and sobbing so much she couldn't talk. The rest of his siblings and their spouses simply sat dumbstruck. For me. It was just what I expected from my old man. I knew he was smart. I also knew he loved my mom more than he loved his own life. It didn't surprise me at all. I looked at my brother and sister. Robert Jr, looked almost exactly like dad. He lacked a lot of the emotional insight and compassion of my Dad. Sarah had all of his fight and spirit. She just never quite figured out how to let enough of herself go, to really have the kind of deep and unfathomable faith and love that my dad could show. As for me. I am single because I haven't found a woman that can match my mother. I want someone who I can give my love to like my dad and get it back in return. Maybe she is waiting around the corner.