Porsha Ch. 01

"What did you do, mum? What did you do to make dad leave you?"

I stuttered trying to think of an answer for her

"Oh, god, mum! It wasn't another man, was it? Oh, god, mum, it was, wasn't it! How could you do that?" That is a trait of Megan's. She is very astute and when she's on a roll she will ask and answer the question herself. A little bit like her father really.

"No, Megan, wait! Please, don't go jumping to conclusions. I didn't sleep with anyone, if that's what you're thinking. I just got myself into a compromising situation, that's all, and your father got the wrong idea."

Well, it was the truth. I hadn't actually had sex with Denis Walker. Although just what would have happened if Jack's cousin hadn't stepped in, I don't know.

To put it bluntly, all three of my children gave me a complete dressing down. I didn't think I could feel any worse than I was feeling when that phone had rung, but by the time they'd finished, I felt terrible. Somehow, without actually saying it, they let me know they didn't think I'd been much of a mother to them or a wife to Jack.

Once that phone call was over, I sat there crying again and trying to think what the hell I was going to do. I won't say that the idea of ending it all didn't pass through my mind. But I don't think I was strong enough to actually do it. The idea of making a half-hearted attempt to get myself some sympathy did pass through my mind. But who was going to find me.

I tried calling some of my friends from work, as I really needed a shoulder to cry on. But I soon learnt that I didn't have any friends at work. When I was a winner, they all loved me. Now that it had gone to pot for me they didn't want to know me.

In desperation I called the Central Hotel. Sheila was the only person I could think of who might talk to me. But she wasn't on shift. The girl I spoke to wouldn't give Sheila's number. But I did persuade her to call Sheila and ask her to call me. Thankfully Sheila called me back about twenty minutes later.

I don't remember what I said to her on the phone, I think it just all flowed out but it was enough to persuade her to come round to my house. Sheila walked in and took over like she always used to do when we were young. She cooked me something to eat whilst I told her the story of my life especially the last week. Once I'd eaten Sheila took me into the lounge, settled me down on the sofa and placing a large brandy in front of me. She made a phone call.

"Jack, its Sheila. I'm at your house with Porsha. You had better get your arse over here. There are some things that don't make any sense that you need to sort out." Sheila listened as Jack said something to her then. "Okay, we'll see you in twenty minutes then." ---- "Yes I understand, but you have to listen to what Porsha has been telling me. She's got some weird idea about... Oh, look, she'll tell you herself when you get here." Then Sheila hung up.

"What did he say and how the devil did you know where to find jack?" I asked her.

"Jack's coming over but it sounds to me like he's not in the mood to do much listening. He's very angry with you. Whatever you believe he'd been doing doesn't excuse what you did last night. What the hell did you think you were up to? Getting even or something?"

"Yes. No. Oh, I don't know. I was being horrible to him when I left him sitting on his own after dinner. But when he went home without me, that really pissed me off. Then Denis Walker offered me to buy me drink. I thought just one drink with him wouldn't hurt. Look, Sheila, I don't honestly know how I finished up in that room with him. That was definitely not my intention. I love Jack, you must know that."

"Well, that's not how Jack or the family see it. I think you are going to have a hard job explaining what you were doing in that guy's room at one o'clock in the morning."

"Don't you think I know that? Anyway how did you know where to find Jack? Is he at the Central?"

"No, he's not there. But Jack's family. He's a distant cousin of mine. It's a big family and we all look out for one another. Why do you think they stepped in last night?"

I knew why they acted how they did, but I had no idea that Sheila was related to Jack as well.

"If you're related to Jack, why didn't you come to our wedding?"

"It's damned a big family, Porsha. For all your parents' airs and graces, they could never have afforded a wedding that size. There's bloody hundreds of us. Besides I was at UNI when you got hitched, remember. And when I came back you didn't want to know me."

"Oh, shit, am I that much of a selfish cow? Did I blow you off when you came back?"

"Well, not really. You were married and I was still out having a good time."

Sheila went on to give me the story of her life. Apparently she had tipped her cap at Jack at one time but had lost out to me. Sheila had been married but was now divorced and had been a deputy manager at the hotel for years.

Jack arrived but I really think I had never seen him so angry as he was that night. He stormed in, plonked himself in a chair and said, "Alright, Porsha, you wanted to tell me something. Talk. You've got half an hour!"

I told him about finding him and Sally in his office and about seeing him give Sonya the necklace and my trying to follow them but losing them. And as he never came straight home afterwards I thought he had taken Sonya somewhere. Jack sat stern-faced and didn't say a word. Until I started to talk about the previous evening, when he stopped me.

"I know about last night and I don't want to hear anymore about that, thank you." He spoke in a tone that I had never heard him use before. I think he was fighting to stay in command of his temper. "Will you both come with me, please? This shouldn't take too long to sort out." He added as he left the room and led the way into his home office.

Once in there he looked up phone number and dialled it on the conference phone. I heard Sally answer, then Jack still in his angry voice demanded.

"Sally, who was in the office on Tuesday?"

"Just me, Jack, I was on my own most of the day."

"No one came in at all, all day?"

"Roger popped in between appointments, but he was only there for a little while?"

"About what time was that?"

"Lunchtime why, is there a problem?"

"Sally, when are you two going to stop pussy footing around and get married. And if I ever hear that the pair of you have been having sex in my office again, I'll fire you. Do you understand."

Sally was lost for words for a few minutes and then she started to apologise. But Jack stopped her.

"Sally, my wife called into the office on Tuesday and she thought it was me in there with you."

"Oh, my god! I'm sorry, Jack, I promise it will never happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't. Good night, Sally, and tell Roger to keep his head down. Oh, you'd better say good night to him as well. I know he's there."

Jack broke the connection, then after looking in his diary dialled again. This time a man answered.

"Hi, Ralph. It's Jack. Have you heard from Sonya today?"

"Yes, she called a little while ago. She's doing her best to get over the jet lag, before she meets the clients tomorrow."

"Ralph this isn't going to make much sense to you but would you mind telling my wife what happened the other night when Sonya came to that dinner with me. My wife is under the impression that Sonya and I were misbehaving."

"Sure, Jack, as I remember it you two arrived home at little before eleven. Sonya went straight to bed as she had that early flight. Then you helped me sort out my computer with that message program so Sonya and I could see each other while we talked. Hey, it's quite good. We tried it earlier. After that we had a drink and a chat. Then I drove you home."

"What time was that, Ralph?"

"I'm not too sure. But I got to bed about two. I remember looking at the clock."

"Thanks, Ralph. I think that just about clears everything up. Give my favourite negotiator my love and thank you for lending her to me the other night. It looks possible that I'll be needing her again in the future."

"No problems, Jack. I hope that straightens things out between you and Porsha. I think Sonya will be upset about the misunderstanding."

With that the call ended.

Jack looked at me. "Any questions or do you think I set all that up?"

"I'm sorry, Jack, I jumped to the wrong conclusions. But why did you give Sonya that necklace?"

Jack stood up and started walking to the door. As he did so and without looking at me, he said. "It was our wedding anniversary. I brought you a diamond pendant. I wanted to see what it looked like on a beautiful woman. As I couldn't see it on you I asked Sonya to wear it. It's in your jewellery safe upstairs. Good night."

Just like that, he was gone before I had a chance to say another word. I was stunned for a minute but then I jumped up and chased after him, calling his name. But he was driving away as I got out the front door. I must have fainted again because the next thing I remember I was in the lounge and Sheila was pouring brandy down my throat again. I sat there crying and Sheila tried to make the right kind of noises.

I was a little surprised when the doorbell rang and Sheila let a guy in, who she said was the Hotels doctor. He checked me over, then Sheila and he went into a huddle. For some reason he took a blood sample and then gave me a sedative. I don't remember much after that. When I woke the next day there was some girl I didn't know sitting by my bed. In a foreign accent she told her name was Maria, and that she worked for Sheila who had asked her to stay with me until Sheila could get back from work.

My day was spent in abject misery. But I could only blame myself. I had been very selfish all my life and now I knew it. I knew that I hadn't planned to humiliate Jack at the hotel. But I had done so. I knew that I hadn't planned to sleep with Denis Walker but that's what it must look like I was planning. There was no way that I could think of that would convince anyone otherwise.

I also knew that Jack was expecting our marriage to collapse. Hadn't he told me so no more than a month or so ago. I figured that he was intending to divorce me and I could do little to stop him. My mind went back to the suicide idea but I realised that was the coward's way out and besides, for the time being Maria was watching me like a hawk. Sheila was a better friend to me than I'd ever been to her.

That night the children rang again but really just to touch base. I could hear the anger in their voices as they spoke to me. I can only assume that Jack had been talking to them. I suppose it must have been at his insistence that they called me as they had little to say to me and they were of no comfort to me.

That night Sheila stayed over again. This time she gave me a sleeping pill the doctor had given her for me. That was the routine for the next few days. Maria was there during the day, Sheila and the sleeping pills at night. The children settled into a different one calling me each evening, it seemed to me just to check that I was still alive.

One day a taxi pulled up and Stephanie, my old secretary had brought all my personal things from my office and my severance cheque for many thousands of pounds more than I had expected. But she wouldn't come into the house. She just stood on the doorstep and handed everything over.

I think a week or so went past when Sheila came in one evening and appeared very happy about something. She told me that I had this appointment with Mr. White, the solicitor, today.

So here I am, And shortly I'm going through that door, where I'm sure I'll hear that my marriage is at an end.

End of Part One.

Note - I had planned two alternative endings to this story, but other things have come up. I would like to invite anyone who wishes to write a different ending to do so should they wish. I have left in this part, little clues that were intended for my other ending, that you could pick up and use. If all goes well my ending should be posted tomorrow.

My thanks go to Harddaysknight for not objecting to me steeling his wife abandoning the husband in the restaurant scene, I liked that scene when I read it in "She's a Woman" so much I just had to use it.