Revenge by Misadventure

I was still trying to clear my eyes when she slammed the door, thinking I agreed with her. Right this minute I didn't like her very much either.

Twenty minutes later I called Banty. I heard her gasp as she realized it was me. "My house. Now. If you want to save this relationship, that is."

...................................................................

It took her fifteen minutes and I could see her on the phone as she got out. Getting an update from Mom, no doubt.

Her hair was was listless, her eyes were dull, and her clothes just seemed to hang there. I opened the door and it suddenly occurred to me I was tired of seeing fear in a woman's eyes when they talked to me. I pointed at the sofa and tears sprang in her eyes as I took the recliner.

"So what have we learned from this mess, Alicia?" That hit her hard. I never called her by her real name unless it was something serious.

"I don't know about you, but I've learned a lot in the last few days. I learned you have a line I'd better not cross, and I need to know where it is a little better, to keep this from happening again. I've also learned my attitude that helps me so much with business won't work in a personal situation. I never meant to push you away, honey, but the more you let me run, the more I took you for granted. That will never happen again."

She ran out of steam so I started. "Know what I learned? I learned that I'm a little too easy when it comes to love. I just wanted you to be happy, but not when it comes to making me sad. Or angry, especially angry. I apologise if this blindsided you, but really, did you think I'd just keep rolling over? Know what I think? I think we need to learn to communicate a little better, or we're doomed from the start. I fully intend to invest the rest of my life with you and..."

It's hard to talk with a tongue that isn't yours in your mouth, so I stopped trying. We didn't immediately fall into bed and have wild makeup sex. That happened the next morning. We mostly snuggled and talked. Children came up and I told her I'd like at least two, and she laughed. "I'm the youngest of five. Mom is the third oldest of seven, and Dad has four brothers and three sisters. I don't think I want that many, but four is a nice round number."

...........................................................

She moved in the next week, so we were basically an established couple by the time the wedding rolled around. I went back to work after an Executive Vice President from the home office called. "I expect you back to work Monday. Reggie told me what happened, sort of, and I read between the lines a bit. I can give my utmost assurances that your private life will remain private from now on. You're the future, Al. Reggie is retiring in two years and we've already decided you're taking his place. I'm also giving you a five percent raise, to show how serious I am. Now get your ass back to work."

My relationship with Reggie never really recovered, but we got along.

Reggie got a big sendoff when he retired, and I was just settling into my new office when Gladys came in grinning. I'd brought her with me, giving her a raise because of her new responsibilties. I knew that grin by now. She knew something I didn't, and was about to burst.

"Your wife is here. Shall I send her in?"

"Just for the fun of it I ought to tell you to keep her out, but that wouldn't end well for anyone."

I wondered what that was about. If Banty wanted to see me she usually just walked in. She came in, and had both mothers with her, and it scared me. She grinned. "Relax honey, this is good news, I hope. I just got back from the doctor. We're going to have a baby! Seven months from now you'll be holding your son or daughter, or maybe both. Twins do run in the family."

I almost fainted. We'd been trying for a year, and after eight months we went for tests. Her doctor gave us the news. "Your swimmers could qualify for the Olympics, Al. Alicia, if you were any more fertile you could raise crops in your womb. You guys need to relax. Your first will come along any time now."

And now they were here.

Yes, they. Twins really did run in her family, and we had one each. The moms were over the moon, and Addie cried her eyes out when we passed them to her. She could still have children, but the window was closing and after the abusive asshole she was a lot more cautious about relationships.

Banty used as much of her maternity leaves as she could, and when it ran out she just never went back. We could well afford it and it seemed to work best all the way round. If it got too much, and if she felt overwhelmed at times, one of the Moms would swoop in and give her some breathing room.

We ran into Juliette on the street one day, when the twins were almost one. I was pushing the top of the line double stroller Mom had gifted us, and Banty was strolling along, holding my arm. She looked at Banty, the babies, and me, then burst into tears. Regretting missed opportunities, I suspect. Banty asked me who she was and then smiled sadly. "You snooze, you lose. I'm guessing right about now she's wishing she'd made better choices, but that window has passed. You're mine now, and nothing would ever change that."

Mom was still close to Juliette, and doted on Tony and Mark. She would keep them for a weekend occasionally, and they always ended up at my house. And if it was weather fit, we almost always went fishing. I still hosted their birthday parties, starting again after the second year Juliette and I had parted company. As they got older, they and their friends would spend the night, and it always included a round of catfishing. Juliette would come for the party, and then disappear as soon as it was over. She had relationships, she'd even married the guy she was seeing during the week, but it fizzled out after about eighteen months, and she seemed to stop looking.

Though still based at home, I'd gotten a promotion, and was now a regional manager in charge of four facilities. The pay raise was pretty good, and we banked most of it, using some to fuel college funds. I'd had just got my first yearly bonus for my new position and it was enough to shock me. I sheduled a vacation for the first week of February, one that included both mothers, Hiram, and Addie, in Bermuda. We enjoyed the sun and sand, playing with the babies on the beach, helping them build sandcastles and holding them while the warm waves lapped at their feet. The Moms stayed in while Banty, Addie, and I hit a couple of clubs. Motherhood had been good to Banty, upgrading her breasts from a "mouthful", to "more than a mouthful", although I always tried to get the whole thing in my mouth.

Adele was 31 by then, still lean, still beautiful, and still had that killer ass. She got hit on a lot and she'd smile, dance with the guy if she liked him, but shot the majority of them down. One got a little aggressive and wouldn't let go of her arm. I think the look on my face told him it was a bad idea, but he really should have been watching Banty. Her feet were tiny but I bet it still hurt like hell when she planted the sharp toe of her high heel right between his balls.

He sank down like a balloon losing air, while Banty and Addie watched him, with a big grin on their faces. We left shortly after, and he was still on the floor. It would seen he didn't have a lot of friends.

The ladies surprised me, leaving me and Hiram the babies while they had a day shopping, dining, and a short stay at a topless beach. This was after a four drink lunch, and they forgot sunblock. They stumbled in giggling and holding on to each other, gave me a bunch of kisses, and went straight to bed. I noticed the next day they seemed uncomfortable, and found out they were all a little sunburned. Our rental had a bit of a private beach, so the first thing they did after lunch was lose their tops and grab the sunblock. They laughed at the look on my face, then turned red when I told the Moms they still had it, and Adele was as impressive as I always thought she'd be. Banty looked a little grumpy until I snatched her up, and latched down, swallowing one breast, sucking hard, and coming off with a loud pop. The rest of the ladies screamed as she ran into the ocean, them right behind her. I'm sure there was talk at the Country Club. Hiram just stood with his mouth hanging open.

I bet the girls at the Country Club got an earful, and word of their tans circulated. A lot of ladies ended up demanding a vacation somewhere sunny, preferrably clothing optional.

......................................................................................

The kids had just turned three, and were trying to prove perpetual motion was more than a theory. I was on an overnight trip to one of the production facilities because they were having a few problems and it was starting to show up in production. The problem was management, and I ended up staying another night to put out fires, firing the assistant manager for among other things, "inappropriate actions and conversations" with his employees, both male and female. A few knew if it came down to complaining it would be their word against his, and they taped some of them. I listened to one, then I escorted him out of the building and banned him from the property, bumped a floor manager and a lead person up, and left.

I always called home every day, and I called the morning I left, to tell Banty when I'd be home, but it went to voicemail. That happened once in a while so it didn't bother me too much. What did bother me was the amount of cars in my driveway. I ended up parking on the street. The place was full of friends and relatives, and I wondered if this was some kind of surprise party. Then Mom and Addie appeared, redeyed and crying.

It was stupid, senseless, and it took me a long time to accept it. Mom came by and got the kids, taking them shopping with her. She mostly did it to give Banty a little break in the day.

We'd gotten a new boat, and she decided to take the time to clean it while she had an opportunity. It was early March, warm that day, though the wind was pretty gusty. Mom found her floating face down in the water by the pier. When she pulled her to shore she knew by looking it was too late, but she called 911 instantly, doing chest compression until they got there. The EMT's tried everything, but it was too late. Her official cause of death was drowning. There was a good sized bruise on her forehead, and the authorities speculated that a gust of wind had caused her to fall from the boat, hitting her head on it or the dock, and drowned while unconscious.

I barely remember that time. The funeral was packed, Banty was well liked in the community, and I was a prominent figure in the business community. I don't think anyone attended for business reasons, more to show their support. She was 30 years old when she passed.

It was two weeks before I returned to work, and probably three months before I was back to speed, but upper management never said a word. The Vice President who had so much faith in me begged me to go to counseling, telling me the company would pay for it. Addie practically dragged me to the sessions, but after five I was coming to grips with everything. Both Moms took turns caring for Johnny and Carole, and Adele came by every day. I ended up decorating a bedroom for her, because she stayed over three or four times a week, both to keep an eye on me and to spend time with the kids. I asked her once after almost a year if she was tired of us, and she surprised me by breaking into tears. Mom seemed pretty ticked as well.

Two years later, I surprised Addie by telling her we were going to the Christmas dance at the Country Club. She seemed hesitant, asking if maybe I wanted to go with someone that might interest me romantically. The expression on her face was priceless when I told her that was precisely why I was taking her.

She burst into tears and ran into her bedroom, slamming the door. I sat on the couch and tried to figure out how I misread her so badly, miserable. The door opened and she was almost timid when she sat down beside me.

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. I've always admired you, Addie, and I don't mean just physically. You're one of the kindest people I've ever met. You help friends, family, even total strangers if you think they deserve it. We always loved each other as friends. It was just bad timing and a serious lack of confidence on my part that kept us from getting together."

She had a small smile playing on her lips as she asked, "lack of confidence?"

"You've always intimidated me a little. Your brains, never mind your beauty, put you out of my league. I felt like I could never be enough for you, but like the Brits say, 'he who dares, wins', so I finally screwed up the nerve to tell you how I feel. I loved my first wife, and I loved Banty much more, but she's gone, and I'm past mourning. You're here. You're the only mom the kids have ever known, and they love you, maybe more than I do. I can't see life going forwards without you. Will you consider it?"

The kiss nearly knocked me unconscious, it was that intense. When she let me up for air she grinned. "On reflection, I think you may be right, so I have a proposal for you. When it comes to us, let me do the thinking. Yes, we will go to the Christmas Ball, and Grandma will be keeping our babies for the night. We will not be sleeping in separate beds, ever again. Understand? Now's a good time to start practicing saying 'Yes honey' ".

"Yes honey."

"Good boy. Let's practice some more, shall we? You are, somewhere down the line, going to give me a ring, right?"

"Yes honey."

"Soon?"

"Yes honey."

"One last thing before we end this session. We're not getting any younger, and while we love the twins, I think we should add another child, soon."

"Yes honey."

"You're such a good boy! Now, before I call your mother and give her the news she's been wanting to hear for a year, I think you should practice your kissing. Agreed?"

"YES HONEY!"

.................................................................................................................................

Mom was over the moon, and plans began immediately. I thought it would be a little awkward with Banty's parents, so I called her mother. I could hear the grin over the phone.

"I already know, dummy. We're happy for you, and it's what our daughter would have wanted, to see you with someone you love. Your mom and I have it under control, so don't worry. I know Addie's parents have passed away so we decided to adopt her. I'll be handling the mother of the bride responsibilities, and hubby will be walking her down the aisle. Your babies will be the flower girl and ring bearer."

Well then. Two of Banty's brothers were groomsmen, and as I stood at the altar that May afternoon and watched Addie float down the aisle, our kids in front, dolled up in a nice dress and a little suit, and knew I'd never be happier than I was right this minute. What made it even better was the two month bulge under the dress. The doctor thought it might be twins.