Not Again

I'd been through it before and vowed never again. Guess I should have listened to myself. This time however, I wouldn't be spending $3000.00 to have some private detective follow her and collect evidence. This time I'm just filing the paperwork and saving myself the money.

My ex-wife, Lucy, after six years told me she was dissatisfied with our life. It seems I worked too many hours, we never went anywhere, and she was bored out of her mind. I guess if I hadn't hired a person to clean the house once a week and taken her out to dinner three times a week she wouldn't have been so bored, but that's another story.

Per Lucy, things had been going down hill for a while and I was too much in love or naïve to see what was really happening. Being the good husband, I cut back on my hours and became the model husband, or so I thought.

I think all cheating women read from the same damn handbook. It starts off with nitpicking, then bickering, followed by full-blown arguments. Then there is the 180-degree turnaround. You don't argue anymore, hell, you barely talk except about bullshit items. Your once great sex life has dwindled down from 3 to 4 times a week, to maybe once if your lucky; and that one time is like fucking a store mannequin.

You suck it up, apologize for being an ass, even though you're not, and for a while it gets a little bit better, but it's not like before. At this point you start to think the unthinkable, and hire someone to confirm your bride is still pure and untouched by anyone but you.

It doesn't take even two weeks before you find out you're not even getting sloppy seconds anymore as your wife is now withholding sex to show you who's boss.

You think about that twelve-year-old bottle of scotch in the liquor cabinet and dismiss that idea. You'll only open that bottle when the tramp is on the outside looking in.

Another four grand to David, a heartless prick of an attorney, and the paperwork is filed. You say a silent prayer of thanks to your late father for insisting on a pre-nuptial agreement and another that your bride was trusting and willingly signed it. I guess back then she was in love with you.

You have her served while she's at Pilate's class. You're in the back watching through the observation glass as the server walks in, ask if she is Mrs. Stephen Moore, and after hearing her say yes, hands her a large manila envelope and tells her she's served. I only wish she could have see the look on her face at that exact moment. No matter, it was done or will be in a couple of months.

I was fair, how can I not be, it's all laid out in the pre-nup. She comes home to a check for $50,000.00, her clothes in fifteen garbage bags, the locks changed, and all her credit cards cancelled. I'm sorry to say the new BMW I gave her for Christmas is also hers free and clear.

There is the "Steve Honey, it meant nothing!"

"But it did to me," I tell her.

I'd hired a van and driver to transport her shit so in fifteen minutes it's all over. Where she went I didn't know or fucking care. I go inside. I've got a twelve-year-old bottle of scotch calling my name.

That is the one and only time I got loaded. After four more months of telling her "No!" and then "No fucking way in hell!" she relents and I'm finally free of what once had been a pretty decent wife. Truthfully, alone at night in bed I miss the old Lucy sometimes. Then I think about the cheating and I no longer miss her. I just thank God we hadn't had any kids yet.

I do nothing for about a year and a half. I go out with groups of friends but make it known upfront; I do not want to be fixed up, at least not yet. At three years I start to date more frequently and finally jump back into the dating scene. I'm getting more nookie than I did the last two years I was with my ex.

Then I meet Vicki at a cancer fundraiser. I'm sitting across from her and my eyes never left her the entire evening. More than once she looked my way and all I could do was smile. I heard from my friends that she was divorced and that she was still bitter towards men. But I wasn't just any man and I also had been cheated on so at least we had something in common.

WRONG!

It took two weeks before she'd even answer my calls and another two before she'd sit down with me and have coffee. It took another month before she'd warmed up to me enough where she would have dinner with me. If this woman was playing hard to get, she was doing one hell of a job.

Dinner was going well until the third degree started. How did I meet my ex-wife, what went wrong with my marriage, and what did I think I could I have done to change the eventual outcome. With every answer, Vicki had another question and eventually I got tired of it.

"She cheated on me!" I finally said, probably too loudly. "She took a vow to be faithful to me and broke it on at least five occasions."

"Why didn't you go to counseling? It might have saved your marriage," she said a bit too smugly for my comfort.

"The first time she took him to bed we were done. She knew how I felt about fidelity and it was written in black and white on the pre-nup she signed. The party, who cheats, gets only a token amount of the joint assets."

"Well, I tried to work it out with my ex for about a year before we split everything down the middle and I walked away, but at least I can say I tried everything."

"Vicki, you were a lot more forgiving than I'd ever be. Look, she just ended up being a lousy wife. Can we just drop this subject, it's putting me in a bad mood."

"Steve, I just want to know the type of man I'm dating that's all."

"Well, now you know and if I don't fit your criteria for a suitable date well then I'm sorry, but that is who I am."

After that, the evening seemed to go down hill and by ten-thirty I was looking for an excuse to end this date and take her home.

The drive home was quiet. I walked her to her door and got a kiss for my trouble, but thank God wasn't invited in. I took her name and number out of my phone. I didn't deserve to be treated the way she had.

I was at a nice steak house with a lovely lady, having a fantastic time when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Vicki.

"Fancy meeting you here," she said, looking towards my date.

"Where are my manners?" I said moving around in my seat. "Vicki, this is Amber. Amber this is Vicki, a lady I met at this years Cancer fundraiser."

I said it with a smile on my face but I wanted Vicki to disappear, and quickly.

"I saw you and just wanted to say hello." By this time her date had walked up behind her. "We're on our way to that new jazz club that just opened off Fairmont downtown. Well, have a nice evening," she said, finally walking away with her date.

"You use to date her?" Amber asked.

"It was just one date and it wasn't too memorable," I said, reaching for her hand.

Did I get lucky that night? No luck involved. Amber dragged me into her condo and had her way with me until we both fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

Two days later an e-mail popped up on my computer. Nice seeing you again. Maybe we can go out for drinks sometime. I think we got off on the wrong foot last time.

Yeah think!

We e-mailed and then talked on the phone a couple of times over the next two weeks before agreeing to meet up at a club that catered to the over thirties clientele.

"Why in the hell am I doing this?" I asked myself sitting at a table for two waiting on her. If she just would have let me pick her up, but no, Vicki thought since the last time hadn't gone too smoothly, she'd meet me here. She was now fifteen minutes late.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her walk in. Damn if she didn't look hot. I'm not sure if what she had on could have been officially called a dress because it didn't contain that much material. Every guy in the room eye fucked her as she walked by, even the ones with dates. I got to my feet and took three steps towards her.

"Sorry I'm late, my car wouldn't start and I had to take a cab here."

"Don't worry, the way you look I would have waited all night." Damn that sounded lame but it was true, I thought to myself as I pulled out her chair.

"We can sit later. Right now all I want to do is dance." And we did, for the next twenty-five minutes.

The DJ played two fast songs then two slow ones alternating for the next hour. I had to tell more than one guy that NO, Vicki was not going to dance with them. She just smiled and held me a little tighter.

When we got back to our table I ordered us a couple of drinks; a whiskey sour for her and me a Corona. This time around there was no interrogations or the attitude she'd displayed on our last date. She broke the ice.

"I'm sorry about last time. I'd been on some really awful dates and decided to find out a little about you right away. I sorry I was so blunt. But, if you were an ass, I wasn't going to waste my time making small talk for the rest of the night."

"Well, did I pass?"

"What do you think? I'm here aren't I?"

The rest of the evening we floated on air, well I did anyway. She was nicely put together and fit into my arms perfectly. Screw the fast songs; we finished the night only dancing to the slow ones.

"Would you mind giving me a lift home? Trying to get a cab at this late hour would take an act of God." We walked out of the club arm in arm.

I got a kiss with a lot of passion behind it but no invite in. Did I expect it? Not really. Vicki was the type who was going to take it slow. I hoped not too slow after holding her hot body in my arms all night.

Twice a week we got together. Slowly we took it up a notch and by week six I woke up Sunday morning in her bed.

"I hope you don't feel less of me," she said, watching me wake up. "You're better than I thought you'd be," she said with a smile.

"What? You thought you'd have to show me where all your parts were, and what to do with them? After all, I was married before."

"So was I, but my ex never got it that making love involves two people, and that both people need to get off before you stop." I laughed, she didn't. "He was selfish and not only with me. That's why he's an ex."

Men are stupid, even those that have been married and divorced at least once. After that night our honeymoon period started. I can't say I was In Love, but I was dazzled by her beauty and found we both liked to do most of the same things.

I didn't consider us exclusive just yet and it looks like neither did she, because when I went out to dinner one night with a client and his wife, I saw Vicki out with some other guy.

We didn't even play the "I see you" game. She saw me looking at her when I sat down, and I had other things on my agenda.

My client and his wife were a wonderful couple and were madly in love after thirty-five years. "Steve, you married?" his wife asked.

"Was, but not anymore."

"Can you see yourself getting married again?"

"Not sure. She would have to be pretty special and there's the trust issue I'd have to overcome."

"Your ex cheated on you didn't she."

She was pretty good at reading me. "Yes, and it didn't end all that nice."

"Well, there are a lot of nice ones out there, even ones that have been around the block once before like yourself. You're too nice a guy to be alone."

She was right about that, being single sucked. But, not being able to trust your partner was worse.

We glanced at one another once more before she and her friend left. I wondered if she was going to sleep with him and it bugged the shit out of me. A half hour later we were just finishing up dessert and saying our goodnights. That's when his wife leaned in.

"I hope you can work it out with your friend. Maybe it was a business dinner like ours were." She smiled, squeezed my hand and the two of them walked off hand in hand. So much for hiding my emotions.

I stayed and had a drink at the bar. I told myself I wouldn't overreact that is unless she had slept with him. Then I didn't know what I'd do.

I had just thrown my car keys on the kitchen counter when I felt my phone vibrate.

Can you come over now? I think we need to talk.

I was in no mood to talk to Vicki at this late hour, but I did need to know one thing.

Did you sleep with him?

Yes, came her reply a few seconds later. I wasn't going to lie to you if you asked. That was the last one I read before shitting my phone off.

Vicki text, and called me Wednesday and Thursday nights. I didn't respond because I still didn't know what to say to her. Was I jealous? Hell yes! And even though we weren't officially exclusive, I hadn't even so much as looked at another woman. That it looked like would change.

Friday I took Beth out to a club on the west side of downtown. It was loud but a local group was playing of whom I knew two of the band members. We danced, had a few drinks and I even introduced Beth to the band at their 9:00 break. I was having a pretty decent time when I got the familiar tap on my shoulder.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked. Beth looked annoyed.

"Can't you see I'm with someone? Besides, you probably here with your own date," I replied over the music.

"I'm here with a couple of girl friends. If you decide to take me up on my offer of a dance, I'll be at that table," she said pointing to one three over.

"I'll think about it." Our eyes locked on each other once more before she left.

"I thought you said you weren't going out with anyone?" Beth asked.

"We just broke up," I said talking into her ear.

"Does she know it?"

That brief meeting ruined my night. When Beth caught me looking over at Vicki too many times she asked me to take her home. I didn't argue.

"Don't call me until you two have both broken it off." I didn't even get a kiss goodnight.

I felt my phone vibrate at 1:15. Did you sleep with her?

I don't kiss and tell unlike some other people. I went back to sleep.

Early Saturday morning I heard my doorbell ring, once, then it seems every ten seconds or so. Damn kids...

"You can run but you can't hide," Vicki said, leaning against the doorframe, two cups of coffee and I assumed breakfast in the bag. "You going to invite me in or are we going to eat breakfast and talk on your front stoop. Either one works for me."

I just moved out of the way and she walked in. I followed her into my kitchen and watched as she unpacked everything.

"Not sure what you liked so I just winged it. Which cabinet are the plates in?"

Half asleep, I shuffled over, got out two plates, juice glasses and some silverware. I looked over at the clock, it wasn't even 6:00 yet.

We ate in silence but our eyes never stopped talking. With the food gone I sat there nursing my cup of coffee.

"Vicki, what do you want?"

"To first talk and then after that play it by ear."

I was too tired to get into what I knew was going to be a long conversation. "I'm going back to sleep for a couple of hours. You're welcome to join me and then when we get back up, maybe we can talk. I walked up the stairs to my bedroom. Vicki followed.

She stripped down to nothing and then gave me the look. "Hey, if I knew we'd end up in bed right off the bat, I'd brought something sexy to wear." She smiled and slipped under the sheet. We spooned and slept for the next hour.

All right, who's kidding whom? Our eyes might have been closed but neither of us slept. And with her innocently rubbing her naked body against mine, when I got hard, it was no surprise.

"Did I do that?" Vicki asked reaching behind her to grab hold of me. She flipped over and smiled at me. "Is sleep time over yet?"

We screwed for the next thirty minutes nonstop. I wasn't twenty any longer and show me a guy over thirty who can keep it up for over a half an hour, and I'll show you a liar. That is unless he pops a couple of those blue pills.

Lying on my back I said, "I need a shower!"

"No you don't," Vicki said kissing my lips. "You smell like me and I want to keep it that way."

"By Monday I'll be too ripe to go into work and my boss won't like that, so lets hit the shower. Besides, we've got a few things to iron out today."

There wasn't any shouting, but voices were raised on more than one occasion.

"I want to be exclusive or I don't want to see you anymore," I told her.

"Can't we just take it slow and see how it goes?"

"Is that because you want to sleep with other guys?" I said as soon as she'd finished talking. "I don't want to have to worry about who you're screwing outside of me. And, if it doesn't work out, we'll at least be able to say we gave it our best shot."

"Steve, this is a big step for me. I'll need to sleep on it." She did, in my bed that night. Monday morning we were exclusive.

I'd like to say everything was coming up roses, but that wasn't the case. There were adjustments on both sides and a couple of times I doubted we'd make it. After three months Vicki moved in with me. I admit I begged her because I wanted to wake up next to her every morning, not just on the weekends. Hell, I even gave her my large bedroom double closet for all her clothes, and she did have a lot of clothes.

I was crazy happy and I couldn't imagine my life without her. At nine months I made the decision to ask her to be my bride. Did I have any reservations? Yes and no both. I'd been burned once but I couldn't live my life thinking that every woman was going to screw me over. I took the plunge.

Forget dropping down on one knee to propose, I just asked her over dessert at Toni's Italian restaurant. My only mistake was not getting the ring first. I thought it would be a nice touch if we picked it out together. I was wrong.

I held her hands in mine over the table and professed my love for her. When I asked her to be mine forever she said YES, yes I will! Then it kind of went downhill a bit.

She held out her hand and I supposed expecting me to slip on the ring I didn't have.

"Hon, I thought it would be nicer if we went together to pick out your ring."

"You mean, you didn't buy me a ring? Were you hedging in case I said no?" I had to get control back.

"You know my taste in jewelry," I said looking into her eyes. "I would have probably bought some gaudy thing you would have hated but loved me enough to say you loved it. This way, you can buy the ring of your dreams."

"That is so sweet. I love you so much," she said leaning in so we could kiss.

All right, she spent more than I was planning to spend on her ring but she loved it and that was all that mattered.

The wedding was small and intimate. Our family and friends came to no more than sixty people. We got married in a gazebo in a rose garden near where her parents lived. Her younger married sister, Amber, stood up for her and my older brother, Greg, was my best man. I rented a room in one of the better restaurants there and by 10:30 Vicki was all mine forever.

After a very private honeymoon we settled into our post honeymoon lives and it was spectacular. One night six months later, after rocking my world, she asked me what I thought about children.

"I know you said you wanted two, but we never discussed when. What do you think about now?"

Still in the afterglow I told her to give me twenty minutes and we'd start on it. She smiled, I got the best sex of my life for the next month and we sealed the deal

"I'm pregnant!" a wild Vicki said, holding up the test strip. "You better be happy because I'm ecstatic." I was.

I was the doting husband before and even after our daughter, Kerri, was born. Diapers, night feeding, and the hours when I thought she'd never stop crying as I paced the house telling her it was all right. I did it all.

Two years later when Dale was born our family was complete. Instead of Vicki going back on the pill, I got snipped. It didn't hurt but I was uncomfortable for a couple of days. It was a small price to pay for Vicki not having to worry about birth control pills any longer. Life was good until it wasn't.