Payback That Backfired

One day we had to go to another family gathering. Eddie brought me a beer and handed it to me. I was surprised because he usually didn't act too friendly any longer. I was hoping maybe he was ready to bury the hatchet. Then he grinned and said, "Here ya go sport. You have enough of these tonight and I'll give Roxie what she's been needing. I know she needs a real man after putting up with you for so long. It's just a matter of time before I breed her old man."

I saw red. I was PISSED. I started to smash Eddie's face then thought better of it. All I did was lean toward him and say, "Well, I would worry if I thought you were man enough to get into her pants but you're not. After the last time I was with Janice I found out why you don't satisfy her. I knew your cock was little but I had no idea it was only five inches. Hell if Roxie ever sees it she'll probably die laughing."

Before I could twist the knife any more Eddie exploded. He smashed me in the face and stormed off. I was still lying on the ground when he began yelling at Janice. "YOU CHEATING SKANK. I've had it with you and that asshole. You can have him and any other man you can get between your thighs. I'm outta here."

Half the family was standing staring and the other half was running toward me to see if I was ok. Of course I was beginning to feel bad about this whole thing about then. I wondered if I had pushed it too far. Needless to say that broke up the party. Roxie was so pissed at me. She did help me up but when she found out what had caused the problem she unloaded on me. She had never yelled at me like that before. It was totally silent on the way home. We were at her parent's and she had insisted we take Janice home to her house. No one spoke during the entire thirty minute drive.

Roxie spent the night on the couch and didn't even talk to me when she served me breakfast the next morning. I farm so when I came into the house for lunch I faced the silent treatment once more. The only time she spoke to me first was when she absolutely had to for the next three days. Unless something I said to her required an answer Roxie never replied when I said something to her.

On Thursday I came into the house for lunch and Roxie was gone. I made a sandwich and returned to the field to work. I came home to a dark house that evening. Roxie was still gone. I called her parents to see if they knew where she was. Her mother said, "The girls are both here. How could you do this to them Jerry? Roxie doesn't want to talk to you. Please just leave us alone."

I began going to the café in the Old Mill at Wilsons Mill for my breakfast and supper. I sure took a lot of ribbing the first few days I went in. Eddie had filed for divorce from Janice for adultery citing me as her lover. She and Roxie were living with their parents once more. Half the guys thought it was a great joke that I was the other man and had never even touched Janice's bare skin after she was married. The other half of the men thought I had dipped my wick in Janice and got caught. Most of the women in the country were disgusted with me for cheating on Roxie with her sister or angry about the 'joke' I played on Eddie. It seems the ones who were on my side were those who had heard what he said to me and Roxie about taking care of her since I couldn't. They thought my actions were justified. Those who were upset with me thought what I had done was horrible. I had broken up a good marriage and deserved to suffer. Some thought Roxie should divorce me for being an asshole. Others thought she should divorce me because they were sure I really did cheat on her with her sister.

It took almost a month before Roxie moved back home with me. We had some rough times for the rest of the summer because I was such an asshole to poor old Eddie. Eddie and Janice did divorce and she raped him in the settlement. He could never present proof of any type I had done anything inappropriate with Janice. All he had was a couple of friends who testified I told him repeatedly I was going to go over and take care of her because he wasn't man enough. Of course Janice presented documentation and witnesses showing he had done the same thing to me. Janice also presented evidence of how Eddie acted toward her. She was awarded the divorce from Eddie for his Mental Cruelty to her. The Judge was upset at both of us men. We both got a royal dressing down in court for being so juvenile.

Now, a year after the divorce Janice is enjoying her life once more. I am once more at a family gathering and I cannot believe what I am hearing. Janice is talking in the kitchen with Roxie, her mother and other sister. "I never thought I would be happy again when Eddy kicked me out but I have to admit this last year has been almost perfect. I didn't realize how much his damn flirting with other women and complaining about me dating Jerry bothered me. It's been heaven not having to listen to his crap day in and day out. I was so upset when Jerry did what he did I never considered maybe Eddy deserved it. I just laughed off what Eddy said to you Roxie as Eddie being Eddie. Roxie I am so sorry for letting him put you through all that.

"I was pissed at Jerry for the way he handled things because he was going out of his way to jerk Eddie's chain but now I really think I'm better off than when I was married to Eddie. Money is a little tighter but I'm happy now. Jerry and I still grate on each other and I'll never be real close to him honey but it's time for you to let this thing go and try to heal your marriage too Roxie. Jerry loves you to death but don't you see Honey? You're doing the same thing to Jerry that Eddie did to me except in a different way. You need to get over what he did and said to Eddie and work on making him happy or you'll end up divorced too. The way you've always loved that man I cannot believe that would be a good thing for you."

Roxie was crying and I heard her say through her sobs, "I know but he was such an ASSHOLE about it. I just can't get over how he kept on fucking with Eddie even when I told him he needed to let it go."

"Didn't you tell me he said he would stop when Eddie did? Honey he couldn't fight Eddie. We were family. You know how everyone would have felt about him if he started a fight with Eddie. He was trying the best he could to protect you from Eddie's asshole remarks. I know in the end it hurt me and I know I was getting pissed at him for bothering me but he didn't do anything Eddie didn't' do to you. For that matter Roxie why didn't you come down on Eddie for saying and doing those things to you?"

"I don't know Janice. I guess because I sort of got a kick out of it. I didn't like it but I felt good knowing Eddie sort of wanted me. I would have never let it go farther but truthfully his words didn't bother me like they did Jerry."

So there ya have it friends. That's how I got to be thought of as an ASSHOLE and how I almost lost my marriage because of an ASSHOLE ex friend. Am I sorry I did it? Naw, not really. I was tired of the assholes mouth. I am sorry I upset Roxie and that I damaged my marriage a little. I guess I am even a little sorry for Janice but truthfully I don't care too much for her so what the hell? If she wasn't my wife's sister I wouldn't care at all. I'm still a little pissed at Roxie for her part in all this but Janice is right about what she said. We love each other to death and we need to heal this wound before it becomes so bad we can't. If Roxie doesn't make the right moves soon I suppose I will have to try and find a way back for both of us. I would sure like to get back where we were before Asshole Eddie began stirring the pot.