One Joke Too Many.

,Dear reader.

I have read the story 'A Joke' by Agena and that inspired me to write my own version.

The last publication from this awesome writer was October 31st, 2010 and the last modification to his biography was June 15th, 2014. I have asked for a reaction to my story, but to no avail.

For me this could be published in either 'Loving Wives' or 'Romance'. On advise of my editor you will find it in Loving Wives because there is alot of disrespect. However, there is no cheating.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Disclaimer.

All likeness to persons, institutions and companies in the story are completely incidental.

Nothing in this story has any relation to reality and of course everyone and everything engaging in any sexual activity is over eighteen.

Turning502019 is my editor. He corrected numerous mistakes and typos in this work.

His effort, patience and help helped make this story much better than what I started out with.

Again, thank you for all the hard work Will.

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Feeling apprehensive. Peter walked into the garden of his sister-in-law. He always dreaded the family gatherings of his in-laws.

With exception of his sister-in-law, the family, including Victoria, his wife of 23 years, had a boisterous sense of humor and he often bore the brunt of it. He repeatedly warned Victoria that one of these days she and her brothers will go too far and it's going to cost them their marriage. Victoria always laughed it away; weren't they just joking?

Victoria went the day before to help with the preparations and took the car. Peter walked the 30-mile journey.

He had his reasons. First and foremost, he was addicted to long distance walking and in his book 30 miles was a medium long walk that takes about 8 hours to complete. The second reason was that he arrived somewhat later at the scene and saved himself a few extra hours of sitting on hot coals.

The problem was that when his in-laws were not together, they were mostly friendly and helpful, but when they were together it was as if they were possessed. One time he had to shave his head because they thought it funny to superglue a wig on his head.

Also, Peter already suffered a couple of bruised ribs from another joke. A week later his eldest brother-in-law thought it funny to give him a firm pat on the back, knowing full well that it would hurt as like hell.

Peter bit the pain and retaliated. A few seconds later the man lay unconsciously on the floor with a broken wrist. But they didn't seem to get the message and Victoria was still furious at Peter for retaliating. That was when he told her, in no uncertain terms, that one more joke like that and she could go and look for another husband.

Therefore, Peter's relation with his family-in-law was tenuous to say the least.

Peter van Rijn was 45 years old and the first impression of most people was that he was not a very intimidating man to look at. Dark hair with some gray in it. Tanned friendly face with brown-green eyes, a generous nose and lips. Peter was introverted to the point that he could be called shy. He only came out of his shell with people he knew and trusted to reveal that he was a caring, funny and very intelligent man and a very good teacher. Especially for children whether with self-defense or schoolwork for both he volunteered at a nearby community center. He was even tempered up to a point. Pushed too far, but that was very far indeed, he exploded without warning.

Of average height with his 6ft and at only 165 lbs he was a wiry man. He was very fit, His muscles rippling with each movement. He didn't have an ounce of excess fat on his body, but he didn't like showing it. Even in private company, he always wore long sleeved shirts and baggy trousers to hide himself. He had long, rather slim, but muscled legs. He was well endowed in the propagation department, which he also tried to hide.

Besides walking he was rather accomplished in Tai Chi Qigong and Wushu. He worked out religiously every day. Peter needed the Tai Chi exercises to keep his temper in check. He had grown up in a rough neighborhood and his skinny appearance made him numerous times the victim of the neighborhood bullies. That was, until his temper got the better of him and he fought back. After a while the bigger boys came to a painful conclusion that one better avoided skinny Peter.

Very early in his life Peter realized that big bulging muscles weren't going to happen on his slender build. Until he saw a professional ballet dancer on television, then he knew that he needed another training regime all together and started to do some research on how to accomplish that.

Despite his background he worked his way up in the civil engineering company he still works for today. The company builds very large structures such as dams, dykes, locks and channels everywhere in the world.

Peter started when he was 18 years old, just after the death of his parents and his little brother. They died when their car was swept up by the water during a thunderstorm.

There, on a job, for the first time, he met Kevin Rhodes on a job dredging a channel.

The foreman of that dredger liked the smart, hardworking young man and took him under his wings. This very much to the dislike of Kevin, who suddenly saw the boy as a competitor.

After Peter spotted a mistake in a blueprint of a dam the foreman sent him with a letter of recommendation to the site manager. After a talk and a capability test, they offered Peter a job as an apprentice planner.

His career took off. Slowly at first but he soon was the rising star. Today he makes a salary well into the top half six figures. As a senior logistics planner, he had final responsibility for the planning and execution of major projects. This much to the envy of Kevin, now his brother-in-law.

They both met the sisters at a party when Peter was 20. Elizabeth just celebrated her 18th birthday and worked part-time as receptionist at the office of the company Peter and Kevin worked for. She brought Victoria who was 5 years older as chaperone because she wasn't allowed to go alone.

At the party the girls had lots of attention from the men. They, both, didn't notice the young man at the bar quietly drinking his water, with a slice of lemon, observing the mating ritual.

The girls were dancing with Kevin and another coworker when there was a huge commotion at the bar. Someone tried to spike the drink off one of the girls and Peter had noticed.

Before the man could open his hand to drop the little pill Peter got hold of that hand and squeezed it so the man couldn't let it go. The man tried to get away but made such a ruckus that security came to check what was going on. Only then Peter let go of the hand to show the drugs. Much to the chagrin of Kevin the sisters now were more interested in talking to Peter than dancing with him.

Later that evening Victoria became aware that Peter was the talk of other girls as well. One girl had seen him in the gym the company sponsored and was talking about how Peter worked out. It was so different from the rest and how the results showed on his body.

She sought his company and became charmed by the introverted man. Victoria gathered all her courage and asked him for a dance. Peter said yes and Victoria was duly impressed by the gentle mannered man.

They dated. Much to the dismay of Victoria, Peter always said his goodbyes with a chaste peck on her cheek. She wanted more but Peter kept his distance. In desperation she recruited Elizabeth.

The next day Elizabeth, who was so much more forward, saw Peter during lunchtime and asked him, "Peter, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Elizabeth, what's the matter?"

"Do you like my sister?"

"Of course, what's not to like about her? I like her a lot, otherwise I wouldn't go out with her. Would I?"

"Then why didn't you try to kiss her?"

"Huh? Why would she want to be kissed by me? She has lots of men chasing her. Why should she be interested in me?"

"Because she has a crush on you! You, doofus." Elizabeth shook her head in despair, walked away and called her sister to report the short conversation.

After that, Victoria decided to take matters into her own hands. As a result, they were married a year later.

It took Elizabeth and Kevin years longer to become a pair. The first few years they had an on-off relationship and only when Elizabeth told Kevin he had to choose between his bachelor life and never seeing Elizabeth again or grow up and become an adult he gave in and they married too.

Kevin discovered Victoria and her brother's love of practical jokes, he had an idea and started to undermine Peter's position within the family and the pranking began. First very innocent but gradually getting worse and more demeaning. Peter, though, kept to himself and mostly suffered in silence. He had warned Victoria that one day it would cross even his boundaries and after that there would be no going back. But as usual with bullying, the perpetrators didn't see any harm in their actions. The only outlet Peter had been his conversations with Elizabeth and the diary he kept since his parents died.

Peter and Victoria were blessed with three children. A daughter of 22 and two sons who are 20 and 18 years old. All three very successful in finding their own way in life. Miranda, their daughter, was very close to Peter. The boys were more drawn to their mother.

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Peter was already on edge when he walked into the garden. He looked around and noticed the body language of the family members and thought Shit, they're up to something. Again! .

Wandering around, he observed the sidelong glances they threw at him and the knowing looks to each other. He just sat and waited but nothing came. Finally Peter decided to go upstairs and take a shower.

He walked into the house and up the stairs when he heard Victoria moaning. "Oh yes. Yes there, don't stop. Go on! Harder!"

He didn't believe his ears and a deep nauseous pit opened in his stomach. He thought, please, Lord, let it be a joke too this time.

He took out his phone and pressed the video mode. He held the phone around the doorsill and saw Kevin pounding Victoria from behind like a piledriver. Peter took a few minutes to record the whole performance and softly retreated downstairs again.

He sat heavily in the chair where he 'parked' his backpack. He saw the smirks of the rest of his family and his anger started to rise. He sat there, just looking straight forward, getting angrier and angrier.

Finally, Kevin came out of the door saying, "That was so nice, wow, she's tight! That little Peter must have a small weenie for sure."

Something snapped in Peter and suddenly all frustration built over the years got the better of him. In five big steps he was in front of Kevin. Kevin had 5 inches and 60 pounds on Peter, and he saw him coming.

Kevin was no slouch either and tried to defend himself. He didn't stand a chance against his enraged brother-in-law. Within a minute his nose was broken, his shoulder dislocated his sternum bruised, and his left leg refused to function. Two of the four brothers of Victoria tried to interfere and grabbed the furious Peter while shouting, "It's a joke. It was a prank."

They fared little better. Moments later one was clutching his crotch, swearing vehemently. The other was unconscious from a blow to the head.

Grinning Gloria walked into the garden and asked, "Did he fall for it?"

Suddenly she noticed the carnage. Her hands flew to her mouth while she stammered, "Oh my God, what happened?"

Her sister answered, mad as hell, "Yes, he fell for it. Big time! And now It's up to you to face the consequences. Better start calling a doctor or an ambulance. I told you he wouldn't take this abuse forever. You went royally over the line this time!"

"Where is he now? I need him to calm him down. Oh shit, what have we done?"

"He walked out. He dropped three men without even breaking a sweat and just left. He only took a second to get his backpack."

"I'm going to look for him and bring him back."

"Oh no you don't. You are going to take care of this mess you, your brothers and my stupid husband created. Your marriage is ruined anyway."

"What do you mean? Ruined! It was a prank! "Shouted Victoria.

"Tell that to Peter. Stupid cow. I'm very sure he thinks otherwise. Even I only just believe that this was a prank, I told you that what you were planning was way over the line. I don't think that he will listen to anything coming out of your mouth now."

Elizabeth took an angry, deep breath and went on relentlessly, "Even when you get him to believe that this is a humiliating degrading prank, he still is going to divorce you! I know that he warned you more than once. Even your gentle, shy husband can be pushed too far. Well, you did it and this time he pushed back!

Now while we are having this conversation, how are the two of you going to convince me that it was a prank and you weren't actually doing the dirty? You and Kevin have a hell of a lot of explaining to do. I can foresee two divorces in the near future. I'm not sure I want to stay married to someone who is capable of cheating or such cruel jokes."

Victoria collapsed on a bench. The seriousness of the situation dawned on her. The words of her sister cut into her mind and soul. Nothing had happened but how can you prove that something didn't happen? And now her sister is talking about divorcing her husband because of their prank.

"We sure fucked up, did we?" Victoria sighed.

"That, my dear sister, is the understatement of the year. Now let's join our two undamaged brothers and start helping them.

The ambulance and the Police were already trying to talk to Kevin. Kevin mumbled, "I'm going to sue the pants of this bastard."

Elizabeth immediately reacted, "Oh no you don't! It's your own fault, idiot. Kevin, look at me!"

Kevin looked up and mumbled, "What?"

Elizabeth asked him, "Do you want to stay married to me?"

"Yes. Of course. Stupid question." Mumbled Kevin confused.

Elizabeth harshly answered, "Then you don't press charges. It was your own stupid prank back-firing. Because of the cruelty of it I'm now thinking to divorce you. If you do want to press charges, that divorce is a done deal. Do you understand that!"

Kevin looked shocked, "What? What do you mean? "

"Kevin, as far as I can tell, you fucked my sister. Whether it's a prank or not. And the cruelty towards Peter is unspeakable. So, if you are going to file a complaint against Peter. I'm definitely going to divorce you and ruin you in the process. If you don't there might be a small chance that I will not. Now do you understand! "

When Kevin mumbled a yes, Elizabeth rounded on her brothers, "You all knew what was going to happen today and you too were wallowing in the misery you caused the man all these years. Now he snapped. You really underestimated him, what did you call him, 'the little wanker' didn't you?"

She turned to her brother's wives, "Take this pathetic bunch of losers and don't be gentle with them while reading them the riot act. I'm afraid that this party is over."

With that she helped Kevin into the ambulance and told him that he could take a taxi when they were finished with him in hospital.

Victoria was still sitting numbly on the bench with her younger sister next to her.

She asked herself out loud, "What did I do? I have to make it up to him. I need to speak to him. Tell him that I love him."

Elizabeth snorted, "Love him? You have a funny way of showing him. I warned you. Our sisters-in-law warned you. Hell, even mom and dad warned you! But no, you, your brothers and my stupid fucking husband, had to go on humiliating Peter with your sick jokes.

They even got him in hospital and in all that time he retaliated only once. That one time should have been warning enough! This time you really outdid yourself. You can't get any lower than this!

Can I ask you, have you ever taken a good hard look at your husband lately? He is a very intelligent and gentle soul, but he has a very ripped body under all those baggy t-shirts. He is as smart as they can make them. He is as strong as an ox and it showed when he floored Kevin. He can fight back!

But he was always aware of what was going to happen if he started to fight. He was afraid that this would happen. And really, the few times I did get to see him in swimwear Kevin got a workout in bed. How for Pete's sake do you think you can save your marriage after all this?"

"Tell him that nothing happened, and it was just a joke? "

"He is not going to believe you. Can't you get that into that stupid mind of yours? I don't believe you. And if you can convince him, it was all a sick joke, you think everything is good and peachy? You must be even more delusional than I thought. I'm quite certain that you are heading for a divorce. How much did you have to drink? Can you drive?

Victoria nodded yes.

Elizabeth went on, "Then I suggest that you go home. If you're lucky you can catch him there before he disappears. "

Very late that evening, early night.

Victoria was sitting at the dining table when Peter staggered through the front door. She jumped up and she cried, "Thank God, you are home!"

Peter grumbled, "For the time being. I'll disappear as soon as possible. Don't you worry."

"No, no, no. I don't want you to leave. It was a joke, a prank. Nothing happened!" Victoria collapsed back onto the couch sobbing.

"And why should I believe you? I've witnessed up close that asshole banging you. Hell, I even recorded it. Don't try to tell me that nothing happened when I saw you being fucked."

"It didn't happen. Please believe me?"

"Here, have a look!" Shouted Peter while he handed her his phone with the video.

Victoria viewed the video. She saw herself on her knees and elbows. Her face turned away and her skirt was thrown over her back. She heard herself moaning. She looked at Peter then it dawned on her that that recording was disastrous for her marriage. She shouted out loud, "That idiot has his pants down!"

"That's quite normal when you are fucking someone. Your skirt was up too if I remember well."

"I wasn't having intercourse. It was a prank! Why don't you believe me! I was wearing a running tight under it!"

"Whatever. The end result will be the same."

"What do you mean? Result."

"I'm going to divorce you anyhow. Whether you cheated on me, pranked me or both. I am done. I am done with you and I am done with your family.

The amount of abuse I took from you with your so-called pranks is staggering. I warned you more than once that one time it would destroy our marriage. Well guess! That time has come. Now! As soon as I can arrange somewhere to live, I'm out of your life."

Peter walked upstairs and into the bathroom.

Victoria ran after him. Desperate she sobbed, "Don't go. I'll do anything you want."

Peter didn't react at all. He took his shower and walked back into the bedroom to get something to wear for the night.

Victoria looked at Peter with a fresh look. In the back of her mind the words of her sister about him being ripped. She compared Peter with her brothers and her brother-in-law. The other five became flabby over the years where she couldn't discern any fat on Peter. His muscles weren't big like the men she saw working out in the gym. Peter had more the build of an athlete. She thought to herself, "My word, how come I never noticed that. How did I forget that? I really took him for granted and as a punch-ball. How on earth am I going to hang on to this man? As soon as word goes around, he's divorcing me, women will start hitting on him and go after him.'

She decided to give Peter some space in the hope that his anger will abate somewhat during the night. She also made a note to herself that she must call Elizabeth about the recording. When Peter came back to the bedroom for some last items before he went into the spare bedroom, she asked, "Can I have that video? Please?