Sal & The Kid

She walked directly back to the table and flopped down. The anger in her eyes was smoldering. "I see you didn't bother to get me a latte."

"Buy one for yourself with the money Dr. Porter left on the nightstand after you prostituted yourself with him if you want something to drink."

For an instant, she looked so enraged that she was going to come over the table at me. Quite frankly, I would have enjoyed slapping the bitch off her face, but she stopped and suddenly looked somewhat sad.

"I never meant to hurt Tim or our kids" she blurted out, looking down at the table.

"You have a funny way of trying not to hurt somebody Lil, what the fuck are you doing?"

"I don't know. We started flirting after board meetings and one thing led to another. We ended up in bed at his house one night his wife was out of town. Tim had taken the kids to see his folks and I was free. It was exciting. I was able to throw aside being wife and mom for a night and it felt great. But I never intended it to go on this long. I just can't find a way to say no to him."

"Well Lil, I can honestly say you've shocked me. I never thought you'd lie to and cheat on my best friend. I'd have wagered the mortgage on my condo it would never happen. When I saw the two of you in the Marriott parking lot, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but to my unbelievably sad regret, they weren't. You're going to destroy one of the best men I know."

"Please Sal, no. There must be another way. I can't tell him; it will crush him. Can't we find a way to compromise. I promise I'll break it off with Porter. You can keep the pictures and tape as a safeguard to make sure I do so. I'll never stray again. Tim won't be the wiser, our family will be intact, and our kids will be OK."

"Day late and a dollar short Lil. You should have thought of the destruction your duplicity would cause when you first considered fucking Porter for fun. What you do with Porter is up to you, but I won't allow my best friend to be bullied, manipulated, or forced to fight a battle he can't possibly win, because you fuck around on him and now don't want to own up to your choices."

Lil decided at that moment to take the offensive. "No, you won't Sal! You won't put Tim in that kind of situation where he loses his wife, most of his money, his kids, and the life he has come to love. Don't force me into a corner and make me fight in a divorce. I'll clean him out and when he asks why I'll make sure he knows it was all your doing. You wouldn't listen to reason or work with me on a way to get through this and keep our marriage and family together. He'll end up sad about me, but he'll hate you."

I just shook my head and began to chuckle.

"You think that's funny Sal? You don't think I'll take you with me if you don't back off?"

I stopped laughing and gave Lil such a deadly serious look that she flinched. Just above a whisper I responded. "The problem with bluffing Lil, is that every once and a while you have to be holding the right cards. You just played your hand, and you have nothing. Are empty threats the best you can do you stupid, stupid bitch?"

"Part of me genuinely hopes you try Lil. I know the Kid will be crushed by what you've done and will be more devastated if you try to clean him out in a divorce. But he won't be broken beyond repair. He will find his strength and I'll help him through it all. It will hurt like hell, but once he sees the truth and he's on equal footing, he'll never stop bringing the fight to you, and eventually, he'll win."

"His good name is strong around here. He's respected in this town because he's gone the extra mile for so many folks and they know it. What will you have Lil? A vindictive spirit and an angry mob of other idiotic women like yourself? Good luck trying to keep people on your side once they see the pictures and videos of you and your paramour. Don't think for one second I won't send these out to everyone you know in this community and beyond. Your parents and extended family will see Dr. Porter rutting you doggy style. They'll hear you grunt and moan like a bitch in heat. They'll be mortified by your cries of 'fuck me, fuck me, take my married pussy and make it yours!' They'll see you for the lying cheating slut you've become."

Lil looked like she wanted to keep up the fight but perhaps she knew she was beat or just decided to try a different approach. She smiled at me in a sickly sort of way and whispered, "Isn't there anything I can do to convince you otherwise Sal? I mean anything at all." I felt her foot begin stroking one of my legs under the table.

I reached down and thrust her leg off me as forcefully as I could. "A skank to the end huh Lil? You'd even fuck your husband's best friend if it kept you from feeling the ramifications of your treachery. I wouldn't touch you if you were the last woman on earth Lil. I loathe you. When you kissed me on the cheek Friday night when I arrived it was all I could do not to vomit. That's how much you disgust me."

Lil finally seemed to be lost for words. She still looked at me with defiance, but she knew she was beat. "So, what now self-righteous Sal?" she spat.

"You go home, you call your husband, and you ask him to come home while the kids are still at school, and you confess your actions to him. It will be awful, but at least he'll have 3-4 hours to gather himself before it's time to pick up the kids up. He can have the opportunity to fight on equal ground instead of you having the upper hand. I'm not going to fight his fight for him, but I sure as hell can make sure it is a fair fight with all the facts laid out truthfully."

"I don't know what he'll do Lil. He's such a better man than me, he may find a way to forgive you and move forward as a family. Or he may kick you to the curb like you deserve, or maybe something in between. But it will be his choice to make, unclouded by lies, deception and hate."

Standing to leave, I finished, "You do it Lil, you do it exactly as I said or I swear by all things holy, he'll know it all from me by 6 PM today. Then, it will be my fight, and I'll make it my life's aim to utterly destroy you. Do you understand Lil?"

Tears finally began to form in her eyes, probably because she felt so bad for herself, not for anyone else. "Yes Sal, I understand."

"Good" was all I said as I walked away.

I left the coffee shop, drove about a mile down the street, pulled over to the side of the road and wept like a child. I was so devastated for my friend and what he was going to face. But I knew he wouldn't be alone, and it would be a fair fight.

At 4 PM sharp I was ushered into the private office of Dr. Asswipe Porter. The arrogant prick came in looking like he was granting me the greatest favor of my life but allowing me ten minutes of his precious time.

"So, Mr. Benedetti, I believe there are some contractual papers we need to sign regarding the landscaping your company provides. Can we do this quickly? I'm a very busy man."

I paused and looked around the room for a moment, not in the least concerned about his schedule. "So, doc, this is a private office, right? I mean, with patient confidentiality, you don't record what happens in here do you?"

"No, no Mr. Benedetti, that would violate about ten state and federal patient protection laws. I'm not sure what that has to do with a lawn mowing agreement however."

"Good" I said as I stood up, walked around his desk, and slapped his face with all the force I could muster. He sprawled on the floor and began to protest loudly, but I had him around the throat in about two seconds and my hand was clamped over his mouth. It was obvious doc and I hadn't grown up on the same side of the tracks. I'd been in dozens of fights. Won many of them, lost a few, but knew how to take a slap much less a punch. Pretty sure this was the first-time doc had been bitch slapped in his life. His size and fitness mattered not one iota.

"Do I have your attention doc?" he nodded yes.

"Good. Now I'm going to begin by asking you a few questions. If you lie to me, I'll choke you until you pass out and then we'll start all over again. Got it?"

Tears were streaming down is pathetic face as he shook his head yes.

"Can you be a good boy and let your assistant know we'll be in here for a while and you're not to be disturbed? Can you do that without sounding alarmed? If not, I'll just choak you until you pass out, then we'll start again."

Once more, he nodded yes.

"Good, I'm going to let go of you now and you will keep your word. If you do, I won't lay another finger on you, and we'll just have a little chat. If you don't, well you know what will happen."

Porter did as he was told with a calm voice. The assistant didn't argue.

"Doc, do you know Lilly Wellston?" His eyes grew very wide.

"Simple yes or no will do doc."

"Yes"

"How do you know her?"

"I serve on a charity board with her."

I stood up and leaned over the desk, "That's technically true doc, but that isn't all is it?"

"No"

I sat back down, "And?"

"She and I are lovers."

"How long has that been going on doc?"

"Eight months."

"I assume Mrs. Porter doesn't know, is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct, she is unaware."

"Well, that's about to change, but we'll come back to that in a minute. Before I came in here, did you have any intention of calling off your illicit liaisons with cheating slut Lil?"

"I don't think that rude kind of talk is called for Mr. Benedetti."

I was up out of the chair in a flash, SLAP! This time the doc was seeing stars.

"Just answer my questions Asswipe, or I'll begin to do some serious work on you. She's a cheating slut and you're a lying sack of shit. Now, back to my point. Any chance you would stop seeing her of your own volition?"

He slumped in his chair. "No, she's the best fuck I've ever had. It would probably run its course like other relationships I've had in the past, but she is one hot piece of ass, and I'm having a great time with her, that's the honest truth."

"I believe you doc. Wasn't sure a wife stealing degenerate like you could tell the truth, but I think you just did. Now, let me tell you what's going to happen next."

"First before I leave this office, you're going to text her and tell her you're quitting the board immediately and you're never going to see her again. No more socializing and no more fucking. You're going to tell her to never contact you and to stay completely away from you. The affair is over and done. Got it?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Also, just to be certain there is no misunderstanding, if her husband divorces her and your wife divorces you, you still don't ever go within a mile of her. Are you clear on that?"

"Yes."

"Good. Secondly, you're going to go home to your wife and confess your betrayal of her and your marriage. Don't worry, you won't be alone, Lil is doing the same thing with her husband today. Just to be clear, I have your wife's contact information and I have pictures and a video recording of you and Lil fucking at the Chicago Marriott last week. Funny what you can learn in a hotel parking lot when the fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night. Anyway, if you don't come completely clean, I'll send her all the evidence for her to use against you in court when she fleeces you in the divorce."

"Thirdly, you will abide by her wishes in this matter. If she forgives you and keeps you, fine by me. However, if she files for divorce, you won't fight her, and you'll give her everything she asks for. Are we clear?"

"Yes, this is clear, but after you leave, why would I abide by your rules?"

"That's a great question doc. Because if you don't, disaster will overtake you in the blink of an eye. Maybe not next week or even next month, but at some point, when nobody is around and you're feeling smug, a terrible accident will befall you. You'll lose the use of both your hands. Nobody will kill you. You're not getting off that easily. But you will most certainly lose the ability to operate. Your career as a surgeon will be over and the mishap will also leave you in constant pain the rest of your life. You and the skank bitch Lil have fucked over a good man's life, and I won't forget. I'll never forget, and I'll be watching you, you piece of shit. Do you believe me doc?"

"Yes"

"Finally, as I said, I'll be keeping tabs. If you ever steal or attempt to steal another man's wife some of my less than savory friends will visit you one dark night and damage to your hands will be the least of your problems. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes."

"Good, sign the landscaping contract and send the text."

Epilogue:

Lil and Porter confessed to their spouses just as I instructed. Mrs. Porter went straight to divorce and doc didn't contest it. She got 75% of everything. By the way, I raised his landscaping rate 50%.

My poor dear friend the Kid fell apart for a while. He was devastated to learn that the woman to whom he'd given his heart and soul had so callously betrayed him. He left town for two weeks to clear his head. I spent the second week with him when he called and asked me to help him sort everything out.

As I expected, he was bent, but he never broke. He divorced Lil and while the kids live with him most of the time, they share custody. He is polite to his ex in front of his kids, knowing someday they'll be old enough to draw their own conclusions, but not yet.

Lil lives in a modest two-bedroom apartment on the far west side of Lexington. She works full-time as a receptionist is a small insurance firm. First time in her life she ever had to work for a living. Word is, she doesn't date although somehow a lot of guys have heard she's easy, so they keep trying. There was a rumor that a couple of guys I know slipped her some ecstasy a while back and had an all-night threesome with her, but don't know if that one is true or not. I also heard she thought Doc Porter would eventually come calling. He never has.

The Kid hasn't met some beautiful woman to help restore his faith in marriage and aide him in picking up the pieces, but maybe someday. Lately, he's begun to laugh with me again. That's a good sign.

Me, I'm staying single, playing uncle to two wonderful kids and trying to make sure if the Kid is in a fight, at least it's a fair one.