Payback of Different Kind

"May I ask one question?" I nodded and she asked, "Could we go for pizza tomorrow night?

We went out for pizza the next evening and so began our "quest" to reconnect. Stella and I went places and did things that you would expect friends to do. We went on hikes and picnics, attended free outdoor concerts, explored the art museum, and just generally got to know each other again. It was fun and we enjoyed ourselves.

A couple of evenings at Kelly's or one of the other off campus bars we ran into Stella's entourage. It wasn't planned and Stella suggested we go somewhere else. It was my decision to stay and to join the group; I couldn't expect her to give up her friends entirely. I have to admit I had a good time and contrary to my first thoughts, these people were interesting and a lot of fun.

The first time we joined them, Kyle immediately jumped up to get drinks for Her Majesty and her consort. I pushed him back into his chair and asked the group if anyone wanted another drink. Kyle followed me to help carry the drinks back to the table.

"Kyle, what the hell are you doing? I know you'd like to be more than a friend to Stella but she'll never give you a chance if you keep acting like a love sick puppy. Stand up and be a man," I told him. I couldn't resist; I hated to see any guy being treated like a doormat. Don't know for sure but I think he took my advice; I never saw him with the group again.

On one of our "off" nights, I went to Kelly's for a burger and saw Stella dancing with a man. Her "posse" was sitting at a couple of tables near the dance floor. No big deal, we weren't exclusive and I couldn't expect her to sit at home breathlessly waiting for my call. But I have to admit that seeing her with another man bothered me.

Maybe I'm starting to think of Stella as more than just a friend, I thought. Maybe it's time to make a decision about Stella and me. Maybe it's time to take the next step; to be more than just buddies hanging out together.

But the last thing I needed was a full blown romantic relationship, at least until I got my post grad degree, so maybe it would be best to dial this friendship back a notch. On the other hand I was enjoying our "dates" and didn't want to go back to spending all my time studying and working. Man, I was really confused.

Stella saw me as they finished their dance, smiled and motioned for me to come to her table. I waved at her, smiled, and shook my head. I finished my beer wrapped the burger to take with me and went back to my apartment. Less than 30 minutes later someone knocked on my door.

Surprise, surprise, it was Stella. First she smiled at me, then she frowned, and then she walked past me into my apartment. "Why didn't you come over and join us?"

"Looked like you were on a date. I don't think your guy would have liked my interrupting."

"He wasn't my date, he's just a guy that started hanging around with us after Kyle left," she explained. "Why didn't you come over, you've spent time with our group before."

"So good old Kyle left the group did he?" He wasn't a bad guy and I was glad to hear that he had developed some backbone.

"Yeah, funny thing, he hadn't been around for two or three weeks and I ran into him at a coffee shop one day. I asked him where he'd been and he said that he was tired of acting like a love sick puppy. He told me if I wanted him I knew how to get in touch with him and walked off. Strange behavior, very strange."

I had to laugh; Kyle had basically told Her Majesty Stella to shove it. Good for him, I thought.

Stella saw my grin and heard the laugh and asked, "Did you have anything to do with Kyle leaving?"

"I told him that you'd never respect him or go out with him if he didn't quit jumping every time you told him too. I guess he got the message."

She shook her head and smiled. "Now what's the real reason you didn't join us?"

I took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and let it out. Time to confess, I thought. "I didn't like seeing you dance with another man. I know, I know," I said before Stella could say anything. "We are supposed to be just friends or buddies.

Stella smiled again took my hand and led me to my sofa pulling me down beside her. "Go on," she prompted.

Taking another deep breath I continued, "We never talked about being exclusive; I mean why would we talk about it, being just friends and all? But I think I've gone beyond that and rather than cause a problem I came home."

She crawled onto my lap and said, "I've gone beyond that friend stuff too. I was waiting for you to take the next step. But I guess I'll have to do it." Then she kissed me.

So began the next step in our "relationship", now we went on dates, not just hanging out together. We were exclusive or going steady or whatever it's called. Stella's entourage became her friends rather than her minions and she spent a few evenings with them when I was working or studying. Any men in the group was told bluntly that she wasn't available so don't bother asking her out or playing up to her.

The queen bee that she had been disappeared and that person wasn't missed. Instead I had a woman closer to the old Stella and was happy to have her back. We continue seeing and being with each other until I finished my post grad work. The day that I finished I asked Stella to marry me and she accepted. We had a quickie wedding in Las Vegas over a four day weekend and I started my new job.

**********************

For the first three years our marriage was great. We'd had discussions about what we wanted and expected from a partner and agreed on the most important things. We had already decided that children would come later along with a house and we, or at least I, discussed fidelity. I ask that if either of us became so upset or dissatisfied with our marriage that we wanted someone else that we be upfront about it and not become the cliché of a cheating spouse. We both agreed it would be more respectful to confront each other and part as friends.

Now we had the time and income to enjoy some of the things we hadn't been able to when I was in grad school. We took weekend trips, joking that we were taking our honeymoon three days at a time. I'd always wanted to visit San Antonio to see the Alamo and experience the River Walk so we flew there on a Friday and explored for three days. Stella wanted to see Hurst's castle and on another weekend we made that trip. We were having fun and loving each other.

Things began to change at the beginning of our fourth year of marriage. Her Majesty Stella was back, she was a little testy to me a few times and she gave me orders. Not requests for me to do something, but orders to do it. I didn't say anything at first but questioned her about it the third or fourth time it happened.

She apologized, using a stressful situation at work as an excuse, and promised to watch herself. Stella was back to her old self for a few days and then it started again. The third time we went through this cycle, I'd had enough.

"I don't know what's going on Stella, but whatever is bothering you needs to be fixed. I'm not one of the minions you had before and I won't be treated this way. If you've got a problem with me or with us, speak up and let's solve whatever it is."

Stella apologized, cried a little and ask me to forgive her. I did and we spent the evening making up. I got sidetracked and didn't push to find out what the "problem" was and why she was acting the way she had.

Then came the night at O'Toole's when she was supposed to be with her sister and instead was making out with a guy in a back booth. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time they had been together. I didn't know if it had gone farther than a make out session or if she had been to bed with the guy, but it didn't make any difference. The first time she blatantly lied to me, the first time she passionately kissed this guy, the first time she snuck off to be with him, our marriage was over.

I'd heard stories or read about what other husbands had done when confronted with a cheating wife. Some had folded up and let it break them, some had waited getting evidence for a divorce, some got the evidence and came up with elaborate schemes for revenge and some just beat the hell out the guy and sometimes the cheating wife too. I did none of these.

My first thought when I saw them was oh shit, next why would she, and anger was the final thought. Stella was much too sharp and confident to be seduced by some slick character so this guy was with her by invitation. Other than being a sleaze ball for running with a married woman, I couldn't blame him too much; Stella was a very, very, attractive woman. No my anger, or most of it, was directed at my cheating wife.

As I walked toward them I wasn't too worried about the guy getting physical. After all I had the moral right on my side didn't I? Actually the reason I wasn't worried is that I'm 6'4" with no slack belly; might is right, isn't that what they say? My wayward wife and her friend didn't notice me until I slid into the booth opposite them.

They broke off their kissing and fondling and if it hadn't been my wife, the look on their faces would have been hilarious. I've heard the old saying about someone's face going white with shock but I'd never seen it until now. Stella's mouth was opening and closing like the proverbial fish out of water. It was funny as hell; or it would have been if it wasn't Stella sitting there.

"I didn't know your sister got a sex change operation Stella," I said in all seriousness. "Maybe that's why her fiancé broke up with her."

Stella's reaction was cliché. I heard, Oh my God what are you doing here, it's not what it looks like, it's not what you think and so on. Her "friend" decided that it might be a good idea to leave and started to slide out of the booth. I grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving.

"You better stick around friend. Stella's going to need a place to stay and when I leave you can take her with you."

"No, I'll come home with you Steve. We can talk and I can explain all this," Stella said.

"Stella you don't have a home. You lost that the minute you hooked up with dick head here. Don't come home, don't call, and don't try to see me. I'll have my attorney contact you at work to get your attorney's name and we'll let them do their job," I replied.

"Give me your wallet," this to the man sitting across from me. He hesitated and I said, "Don't make me take it off you after I knock you out. You've got a free ride here because you wouldn't be here if she didn't want you here, so don't get stupid."

He handed me his wallet, I took his driver's license and handed his wallet back to him. "That's so I'll know who to subpoena if need be Jerry. You can apply for a replacement license pretty easily."

I looked at the two of them and continued, "Stella this is a no fault state so we'll just split everything down the middle, you can keep the apartment if you want. Don't fight this and it'll be over quickly."

Good old Jerry started mumbling to Stella something about his wife and family. "You two assholes deserve each other. Have a good night" I said sliding out of the booth and went home to pack. Of course my cell phone started ringing right away. Not tonight Stella, not tonight, I thought.

If someone had known what was going on and watched me when I confronted Stella they would have thought what a cold hearted bastard I was. He doesn't really care about his wife. The truth was my heart was broken. I'd lost the girl from high school, found her again and been happy and now I'd lost her again.

On the way home I decided that I wasn't going to go the way of some husbands in my position; I wasn't going to turn into a drunk or wallow in self pity. When you sobered up or overcame the self pity your problems were still there, waiting to bite you in the ass. The only way to handle problems was to face them and kick their ass.

The phone was ringing as I got back to our apartment and the caller I D showed it was Stella's sister. I had calmed down a little so I answered it, thinking it was Stella. It was her sister, Betty.

"What's going on Steve? Stella just got here and she a mess; she's crying and babbling about she didn't mean it," Betty said.

"I walked in on your sister and her boyfriend tonight and told her we were done. I told her not to come home so I guess she went to your place."

"Boyfriend, what boyfriend? What did you think you saw? There has to be some mistake Steve."

"The mistake was made by Stella. Tell her I'll be out of the apartment by tomorrow evening and she can come back then. Good bye Betty."

"Steve, wait, what....." I hung up on her, muted the volume on the phone and answering machine so the calls that would be coming in wouldn't bother me. My cell started to ring almost immediately so I turned it off too. I packed up most of my clothes and personal things like my computer; tomorrow I would find a motel for a few days until I could find another apartment.

The next morning, I saw about twelve messages on the machine and another 15 or 20 in the voice mail on my cell. I listened to each one long enough to know that it was Stella or Betty and deleted them. The only message I answered was from my dad; his call I returned.

"What the hell's going on Steve?" He asked when I called him. "Stella called several times wanting to talk to you or wanting me to call you for her.

"I caught her with some guy in a bar, of all places, making out. Guess she didn't like it when I told her not to come home."

"Maybe she just made a mistake, maybe she didn't sleep with him. Why don't you talk to her and let her explain. I'd hate to see you guys break up."

"Dad, it doesn't make any difference if she had sex with him. She lied to me so she could meet this guy."

"You should talk to at least, don't you think?"

"Okay Pop, I'll talk to her just to get her to leave you alone, but we're done no matter what she says," I replied.

That afternoon I called Betty's place and asked to speak to Stella. She came on the line and immediately started with I'm sorry, I didn't sleep with him, it didn't mean anything and more bull until I stopped her.

"Stella listen to me. Stop crying and listen. When we got married we agreed that if things got bad between us, we'd walk away instead of disrespecting each other. For whatever reason you decided you didn't want to do that and became the ultimate cliché, a cheating wife."

"But I didn't sleep with him Steve. It was only some harmless flirting. It didn't mean anything and I...."

"STOP. It meant something to me Stella. It showed a lack of respect for me, it showed that you don't love me at least not the way I thought, and it showed me it was time to get out."

"Let's meet and talk and I can explain why and what really happened," Stella pleaded with me.

"You're not listening, I don't give a damn why; just that you did. I don't care "what really happened" as you say. The lies and deceit are enough for me, the screwing around just put the icing on it. Don't call me and quit calling my dad. Do us both a favor and just sign the papers when you get them, make it as easy as possible. Good bye Stella."

*********************

The divorce went through and was finalized in just three months. Stella didn't object or fight the splitting of assets so it was pretty cut and dried. She did ask to meet with me before signing the papers but I refused. There was nothing she could say or explain or anyway she could put a spin on her actions that would make me feel any different.

After moving out of "our" apartment, I found a very nice first floor studio apartment. It was just me; I wasn't looking for any commitments so it was big enough. I'd rather spend the money on toys than on a bigger place to live.

I waited until I was legally divorced before I started going out or dating. O'Toole's and Kelly's were no longer my first options because of Stella so I had to find a new watering hole. I found a place called Connor's Pub and Grill that was perfect. They poured an honest drink, served good basic food, and the service was outstanding. The people there made you feel welcomed and at home, it was a good place to hang out. I started going there to eat on Friday evenings.

The owner, or at least one of them, was Jake Connor. He was a big guy like me and we sort of hit it off. I told my sad tale; he said he'd been there, done that, and had the damned T-shirt. Jake handed me a beer on the house and told me that sometimes you have to wade through the bitches of the world to find a good woman.

After about six months or so I finally decided that I wouldn't let my history with Stella stop me from going where ever I wanted. So I went to Kelly's with a couple of guys from work a few times and sometimes Stella was there. The entourage was back in full force; this time she had two guys steppin and fetchin for her. Her Majesty Stella had returned. Surprisingly it didn't bother me all that much, but it was good to see the look on her face whenever I left with a woman.

One such woman was Julie Wilson. I sort of had a steady thing with her. After the first time we met at Kelly's she would call every two to three weeks and want to get together. Being a macho type guy, I'd always thought I knew pretty much what to do and how to do it in bed, sexually speaking I mean. Compared to Julie I was a freshman just beginning to learn and she was the professor. We did things to and for each other that I'd only read about or seen in porn movies.

I noticed something strange though. When Julie and I got together most of the time she had to leave by midnight but about every six weeks she would stay all night with me. I didn't understand but I wasn't complaining; I don't know if I would have survived if she spent every night with me.

All good things must come to an end, or so the old adage goes. This good thing came to a screeching halt one evening as Julie was getting ready to leave. It was earlier than normal about 9 PM and I was trying to talk her into a least one more go around.

"Can't do it honey. Got to meet Jack at 10:30 at the Lamplighter," she said as she laughingly pulled away from me. "I've got to get home and get cleaned up before I meet him."

"Have I been replaced?" I joked. "Whose this Jack that's beating my time?"

"Jack's my husband silly." Then she saw the shocked look on my face. "I thought you knew I was married and we were just having a little fun."

"How would I know? You never said anything or even mentioned a husband," I responded with more than a little anger. No wonder she wouldn't give me her phone number or tell me where she worked or lived. She didn't want me to throw a wrench into her little escapades.

"Oops, my bad. Well don't worry honey, he'll be gone on his every six week trip next week and I can spend the whole night with you. I'll call you next week baby," she said leaning over to kiss my cheek.

I felt like an asshole. I was doing the same thing to this Jack and that jerk had done to me with Stella. Damn, I felt stupid and used and then I felt mad. Jack Wilson was probably a decent guy, working his ass off to provide for his wife and she was screwing anything that walked. I knew I wasn't her only bed partner but before I found out she was married, I didn't care.

It wasn't morals or scruples or any high sounding philosophy that made me do what I did. It was pure anger and I thought for once somebody was going to get some payback. I took a quick shower, looked up the address of the Lamplighter, and went to find Jack Wilson.

********************

So here I am lying flat of my back on the bar room floor wondering if Jack Wilson is going to start kicking me.

"Look Mr. Wilson, Jack, I owed you that one and maybe another one. So I'm going to get up and if you feel you have to, I'll take another shot. But after that one I'll protect myself," I told him.