One Slip: The Sacrifice & Aftermath

Author's Note: Apologize for the long intro but felt it was necessary. This is a tribute piece to one of the authors on Lit whose works, years ago, inspired me to stop lurking and try to write something. "One Slip," by patricia51, is a story that has stuck in my head ever since I first came to Lit. Patricia left it open-ended and encouraged other authors to submit their own endings. This is my take.

It's intended to be more of a tribute than an alternative ending so I tried to stay consistent with the original storyline and author's style. While there are several very good alternate endings already out there, I felt most, if not all, either added a huge background plot twist or altered the original characters. I tried not to add any earth shattering-back stories like past affairs, get out of jail passes, mind control, or the main characters suddenly being very open to alternate forms of marriage. Nothing against those, it's just the original story never hinted at them.

There were two things that seemed to be forgotten. The first was that in the original Donna took full responsibility for her actions but was a strong, mostly unemotional woman, at least publicly. She never openly ranted nor raved, neither begged nor cried. The second was that her husband, Steve, was referred to as a strait-laced, Old Testament kinda husband.

That begs two questions. How does an intelligent strong woman show great remorse without publicly falling apart and crying and begging for forgiveness? Also, how does a fair hardline husband take back a cheating wife? Since every alternative ending to this story I've ever read has ended in reconciliation, those two obstacles needed to be addressed. Hopefully, they have been explored in this story, at least somewhat believably. If you haven't figured it out yet, this is a RAAC type story. Although who pays, well... lol.

I need to thank blackrandl1958 for her editing and outofshadows, kimi1990 and the late Mostera1 for their beta reading and input. RIP my friend. Also, a very special thanks to patricia51 for her wonderful story and feedback.

BTW an obvious statement... this is a continuation of patricia51's "One Slip;" you need to read that one first to understand this one... duh!

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Donna took a deep breath. She straightened her shoulders, blinked back a threatened tear from her eye and reached deep inside herself to a reservoir of strength she had never known she had. With her head held high, in spite of the guilt and anguish in her heart, she opened the door and marched inside. - patricia51, One Slip

The Sacrifice

As she walked into his office, her husband looked up from his desk. His obvious joy at seeing her made her pause. He was a good-looking man, not the movie star looks like Gil, but still ruggedly handsome. He also had something Gil didn't, character. Those traits, combined with the love he had for her and their children, made him so much more desirable than any man she'd ever met... except for a single slip.

One slip, and now everything was about to change. Those she loved would be hurt. Her marriage was damaged by her own hand and her family was in jeopardy of being torn apart.

"What was I thinking?" she whispered. "Of course, I wasn't!"

With a calmness that belied the hurricane of emotions brewing inside her, she addressed her husband. She was determined not to cry, knowing he couldn't bear to see her tears and it might confuse an already hard to explain situation. She needed to be open and honest with him, not manipulate his feelings.

"Honey, we need to talk."

It wasn't original, but it was a start.

"I need to tell you some things that are going to hurt and make you very angry. First, I need to ask you to indulge me. I need you to give me your gun that you keep in your desk."

"The Cannon?"

She nodded and took a deep breath.

Steve flopped back into his chair; his look of surprise obvious. Slowly, he unlocked his desk drawer and removed the huge gun. Without his eyes ever leaving her, he handed her his Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum. She blanched for a moment before taking it from him.

He'd told her several times before what it was called, but she could never remember so they usually just referred to it as the Cannon. She stared at it as if it was a snake just waiting for it to strike. She'd forgotten how big and heavy it was as she struggled to fit it into her oversized purse.

"Now, do you mind telling me," her husband said in a low, guarded voice, "what could be so bad that you're afraid I might shoot someone with that thing?"

She looked at him as studied his face. His concern was evident. It was mixed with love along with something else... fear. He tried to hide it but it was in his voice.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Steve," she said softly, her voice failing, "but it might be. I wish there was another way to say this but... I... I cheated on you."

She nearly choked on the words, and the turning of her stomach caused her to pause. She knew that the pain she felt couldn't compare with the incredible hurt she could see in her husband's eyes.

She watched as his heart broke. His eyes began to fill with tears and his jaw tightened. Then his face slowly lost all expression, as if turning to stone. She prayed the death she was witnessing was only his trust in her and not his love.

"When" he croaked. "And more importantly, why?"

"Last weekend at Gil's party. As to the why... I'm not fully sure. I know that's not the answer either of us want to hear, but it's the most honest."

The air filled with an eerie silence as she initially stared at her husband, trying to read his reactions. He sat almost motionless as he tried to process her confession.

"I'd been drinking but not enough to excuse my actions," she began softly. "All I can think of is that I was too comfortable and let my guard down. I was around people I trusted, had drunk just enough to feel at ease and let myself walk into a situation that turned horribly wrong in seconds. I don't know how it happened, but I was in his arms before I realized it."

"Whose arms?" her husband growled.

"Gil's," she responded flatly. "I'm so sorry, Steve, but it was with Gil. He wanted me to see his new office..."

She watched as her husband flinched. She knew he would gather as much information as possible before he reacted.

"When we got there, he put his arm around me. I don't know, Steve. I can't explain it. He's always been a flirt, but he's that way with all women. I guess I trusted him. I thought the situation was harmless, and worst of all I believed that I'd always be able to handle anything if something ever did.

"I was obviously wrong. The next thing I knew, he was kissing me. It may have been the suddenness of it or maybe I was just stunned, but I didn't fight it."

"You said you'd been drinking. Could someone have put something in your drink?"

She shook her head sadly.

"I wish I could say I was drunk or drugged, but I can't. I should've just slapped him and walked away. Maybe if I had I wouldn't have betrayed you and our family. Instead it took less than twenty minutes to ruin everything."

"Twenty minutes?"

Donna felt her face flush.

"He took me... no... I let him take me right there in his office. I slipped and ended up falling off the side of the cliff. Just one careless slip."

"Maybe you shouldn't have been so close to the edge."

"That's not fair. I've been alone with Gil many times and nothing even close to this has ever happened."

"So you say."

"I realize why you have trouble believing me right now, but it really was a one-time mistake. If it'd happened more than once, I'd be an even bigger fool to come in here and confess, knowing it was a lie. Steve, I swear to you I never dreamed Gil would ever physically make a pass at me."

"And I would've never imagined my wife would give herself to another man like some dog in heat!"

Donna felt her heart stop. His reaction wasn't unexpected, but she'd prayed it wouldn't be so harsh. Slowly she began to breathe again, realizing her worst fears were becoming reality.

"You're right. I can't tell you how ashamed I am. After it happened, I went home and took a shower. I tried to wash away any traces of him, but I was still haunted by the memories of my infidelity."

"I guess that answers another of my questions," Steve growled.

"What?"

"No condom."

She shook her head and looked down.

"It was a slip, Steve. I'm not trying to make it less than the horrible betrayal it was, but it wasn't planned. There was no conscious thought. It happened so quickly that I never stopped to think. If I had, I wouldn't have done it.

"I went to the clinic and was tested earlier this week. I also got a Morning After kit. I know I'm still on the pill, but I was so terrified that I had to make sure."

"So why did it take you so long to talk to me about it? Or were you ever going to?"

Donna took a deep breath and began.

"To answer your first question, I was struggling with my guilt and fears. I was ashamed of myself and I felt guilty, not having a clear reason for why I did what I did. I was also afraid. I was afraid that what I'd done would destroy our family. My actions had hurt our marriage and I was trying to come to grips with the possibility that you would throw me out.

"As to would I have ever told you, I think I would have... eventually, I was trying to think of a way to talk to you about it tomorrow night. But I hadn't decided as of yesterday, and then something happened just a little while ago that made my confession necessary."

"What? Did he give you a STD?"

"No, the results said I was clean. At least physically."

She looked at her husband with dread. His response to her confession had been expected, but how he'd react to this next part scared her.

"I just came from having lunch with Gil."

"Setting up your next slip," Steve growled.

"He called me," she replied quietly, ignoring his dig, "and said he needed to talk about what happened. I told him no, but he said there was much more to it and we needed to meet. I finally agreed and met him at Sanderson's. I planned on making sure he realized that it had been a mistake and would never happen again. When I got there, I was the one who was surprised, no... shocked!

"Steve, he tried to blackmail me. He tried to turn me into his company whore!"

Donna highlighted to her husband what was said at their meeting. She recounted Gil's threats and his demand she be available that evening to entertain his clients. Donna also shared her suspicions that she hadn't been the first Gil had tried to blackmail. She watched with concern as he stoically gathered the information. When she finished, he sat back and was silent for a few seconds. When he finally spoke, it was with a coldness that made her shiver.

"So do you still have the pictures he tried to blackmail you with?"

"Yes, but I'm begging you not to look at them. It's one thing to know your wife betrayed you; it's another thing to actually see her acting like a slut. Please Steve, don't look at them."

They stared silently at each other. Donna felt an overwhelming sorrow as she saw his resolve. Reluctantly, she handed the envelope to him.

Without another glance at her, he opened it and began examining the photos. He stopped on the picture of her on her knees staring up with a look full of lust with Gil's dick in her mouth. Donna felt her face begin to flush with shame. Her husband's once emotionless face contorted with an intense pain that soon morphed into anger.

"When did Gil say his clients were coming in?"

"He didn't, but he wanted me available at seven."

"Well, if he sticks to his normal routine, he'll take them out to the country club and try to impress them first."

Donna disagreed and suspected that Gil would go back to his office until his clients arrived. She had a very bad feeling, though, and remained silent.

"I wanted to talk to you before I contacted the police," she stated, as calmly as she could.

"Don't bother."

"Steve, please don't..."

He shot a glare at her that took her breath away.

"I understand now why you asked for the Cannon" he said in a cold, dead voice. "I still need to have a little heart to heart talk with my ex-best friend."

He started to walk past her and leave. She instinctively reached for him. He roughly brushed her hand away.

"Take your hands off me, you damn dirty whore!"

She recoiled from his vehement outburst and slunk back against the wall. As Steve stormed out of the office, a stunned Darlene, his assistant, watched aghast.

"Oh my God, Donna!" Darlene yelped as she rushed over to the crumpled form leaning against the wall. "What happened? I've never seen Steve like that before!"

Donna slowly gathered herself and stood. Staring into the worried face of her friend, she whispered.

"I hurt him, Darlene. I hurt my husband very badly."

Sighing, she closed her eyes and grasped at anything positive.

"At least I have his gun so he won't do something foolish."

"His gun?" Darlene asked. "Which one? That big-assed one he keeps in his desk or the one in his truck?"

Donna looked at her, confused, before the panic began to rise.

"I, I thought he only had that one."

"No, he has that other one. It's shiny and my brother called it a Zig or Sig something or other. Hell, I don't know, to me a gun's a gun."

"Oh, Darlene I need your help. Please call your brother. I'm afraid Steve might actually hurt someone."

"Hurt someone? Oh my god, what happened?"

Reluctantly and leaving out the graphic details Donna told Darlene of her infidelity and Gil's blackmail. When Darlene asked if she had any evidence, she gave her the envelope with the photos and said any other evidence would probably be found in Gil's office. She also mentioned her suspicions that the same thing had happened to others, including the Dalgreens.

Darlene left and made some calls. She then returned to her forlorn friend.

"I called my brother and he's headed over to the Country Club to try and intercept Steve. I need to go meet my sister-in-law and turn these photos over to her. While I'm gone, why don't you go lie down in Steve's office?

"No, I need to go pick up the kids. I..."

"They're still in school and at the daycare."

"I know, but I need to see them, Darlene. They'll help me... keep me grounded."

"Donna, you're barely able to walk, let alone drive. I'll drop this off and then I can stop and pick up the kids. It shouldn't be a problem, since I've done it before."

"Besides, you need to take a break and get your head together. I'd like to tell you that the worst is over, but we both know it isn't. Steve's got to be in sheer agony to have that kind of rage. I'm not sure he'll be able to get past this.

"But Donna, there's still hope. He loves you like nobody I know. I don't know what will happen but you need to be thinking of ways you can show him your marriage is worth fighting for. I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions, but you need to come up with something and fast."

Donna nodded, slowly walked back into Steve's office and shut the door behind her. She heard the office's front door close and knew Darlene was on her way. She realized her betrayal would soon be exposed to the world. With a small sad sigh, she went over to the small couch and curled up on it.

Her thoughts swirled in her mind, making it hard to grab hold of any one in particular. Finally, her gaze landed on a picture that sat on Steve's desk. It was a photo of the two of them and the kids when they'd gone to the beach. She'd talked an elderly couple into capturing the moment with her cellphone.

She remembered each child's face as they'd squealed with delight while she'd poured a bucket of water on their unsuspecting father. She'd laughed so hard that she'd forgotten to run after her sneak attack, and Steve had quickly grabbed her. He'd lifted her up like she weighed nothing. She squealed as he acted as if he was about to drop her. He paused, and with a warm smile he winked at her. She'd wrapped her arms around him and gave him her plea for forgiveness, a smoldering kiss. Their three children all groaned and gagged.

Donna smiled sadly at the memory. It was a cherished moment for them, and she couldn't help but wonder if their future held any more of them.

"Funny how the mind works," she said softly to herself. "I wonder why I didn't remember that the night I ruined my marriage."

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the opening and slamming of the front office door. She'd just stood up when Gil burst into Steve's office.

He looked surprisingly calm and only slightly irritated.

"I thought Darlene would never leave! I was trying to catch you before you made a stupid mistake. But after watching Steve rush out of here looking all pissed off, I'm pretty sure I'm too late."

"If you're asking if I told Steve, then you're right, you're too late."

"You stupid bitch," he stated flatly.

"You're right again," Donna replied calmly. "I certainly was stupid. I was foolish for letting my guard down around my husband's supposed best friend. I was even more stupid giving in to my lust and damaging my marriage for something so... so average."

"Average, huh?" he smirked. "I've got pictures that say differently. Certainly not average with the way you were in to it."

"I admit I let myself be drawn into the moment. I was a fool but it was nothing compared to the absolute stupidity you showed trying to blackmail your best friend's wife into becoming your corporate whore. Now that, is just plain dumb!"

Gil's response wasn't what she'd expected as he smiled evilly.

"No, not one of my brighter moments, but in my defense, I was trapped."

Donna looked at him puzzled.

"I didn't plan our little fuck session that night," he explained. "I wasn't thinking, just took advantage of an opportunity."

"So why did you record it?"

"Insurance," he said in a matter of fact tone. "Of course, afterwards I realized you'd probably feel too guilty and end up confessing to Steve. But after a few days you still hadn't, so I thought I might still have a chance to keep you from ruining us both. I had to up the stakes, sort of speak, to insure your silence.

"In the end, it was a calculated gamble. Like the old saying goes: in for a penny, in for a pound. Now the question is what are we..."

He was interrupted by his cell phone. Answering it, Donna watched his smug face morph into a definitely unhappy one.

"Shit!" he snarled. "When did he leave?"

He turned and glared at her. "Shit, shit, SHIT!"

"Bad news I hope?" she said with a smirk of her own.

"You dumb bitch! Did you tell him I was trying to blackmail you? Surely you didn't show him the photos?"

Donna nodded.

"Well you truly fucked everything up, now!"

Shaking his head, Gil sat heavily in Steve's office chair. Donna could see flickers of a grotesque rage marring his normally handsome face.

"Dammit," he sputtered.

"Gil, just so you know," Donna said coldly. "I've already called the sheriff."

Gil sneered and glared at her.

"Blackmail?" he snorted. "It'll be your word against mine, at least for a while. As for those photos, I wouldn't put a lot of faith in those. I'll swear we were having an affair and that you knew I was taking them. I was simply giving you some mementos from our latest escapade. Mementos that you requested, of course.

"That should confuse things long enough for me to go back and make sure I haven't missed removing any evidence. Even if it doesn't entirely work it'll legally muddy the water enough to delay any arrests or indictments. I hear South America is nice this time of year."