She's Cheating on You

Brad was tossing Maddie towards the street, however in-between her and the street was one of those pinewood road barriers, they are three pieces of treated greenish wood that school kids sit on and watch the world pass by.

In the slow-motion world I was existing in, I twisted and launched myself to catch my daughter with every fibre of my being. As I pushed off, I felt my ankle twist, but I got momentum. Maddie's face showed a sense of complete panic, her body just a rag doll in Brad's arms being tossed.

I almost entirely caught her, when I mean entirely, I managed to snatch her from the air a mere fraction of a second before the two of us hit the barrier. But I wasn't totally successful. Maddie's shoulder still wasn't completely shielded by my catch. Our positioning resulting in my back, my left arm and Maddie's right arm all getting caught on the pine bar across the top of the barrier at the same time. The combined momentum was too much and the entire barrier snapped and we continued to fall into the side of a Toyota Landcruiser.

I blacked out.

I was told later that I was passed out for about thirty seconds, when I came around there was a small crowd of people. My arm was locked around Maddie and she was screaming in pain while also holding onto me for dear life. In the next few minutes if she wasn't screaming, she was crying 'Daddy" over and over again.

Brad was nowhere to be seen.

One of the crowd told me they had called 000 Emergency and both Police and an Ambulance were on the way. Fighting through the pain in my back and arm, I slowly sat up and asked for my phone and keys that were on the table in front of me.

An older man looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry son, but that guy, after you caught your little girl here. He stood still for about ten seconds then turned grabbed your phone and keys and ran.

I swallowed and nodded, I could feel an ache on my side, my arm was throbbing and while someone had handed me a towel against my head, my temples were also aching.

"Would you be able to get my daughter's bag?" I asked the man. He looked over at a younger man and nodded. A moment later the younger man, about my age, came back with Maddie's bag. I reached in and pulled out Maddie's phone. I had bought her an iPhone for her birthday this year, it was locked right down, but she was allowed to call either myself or Shona anytime. I dialled Shona. She picked up on the third ring.

"Well hello beautiful, are you having a good swim with your dad?" I heard her say cheerfully.

"Shona." I said, wincing as another lance of pain went through my back.

"Tim?" I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle as Shona picked up on me being hurt and using Maddie's phone.

"We've been hurt Shona. Maddie is with me and is being so brave right now," I said, Maddie looked up at me her eyes red and her face a mask of discomfort. I could hear sirens in the distance growing louder quickly. "I don't have a lot of time and we're both in a lot of pain, both the Police and Ambulance are on the way, but I need you to call Nadine and get her to trace my phone. Time is of the essence.

Nadine was my executive assistant.

"What happened Tim, is Maddie alright?" I could hear the pain in her voice, the anguish that a mother for her child has when she's helpless.

"She's here with me now, she's being the bravest girl I have ever met." I smiled through my own pain at my daughter who was weeping again but trying to stay quiet. "It was Brad Houghton, he assaulted me then tried to throw Maddie out of the way when she stepped in the middle between us when I was down. We both got hurt. Can you get to the hospital, I don't know if they will let us stay together, I need you there for Maddie."

"I'm on the way," I could already here Shona backing her car out of the driveway, as her car Bluetooth picked up the call.

"Mummy is on the way to meet us at the hospital sweetie," I told my daughter. I tried not to move either of us as we sat, Maddie nodded and winced again. An ambulance pulled up and two medics got out, one ran right over to us while the other went and got a gurney out the back of their vehicle

"Tim, are you alright?" Shona said over the call.

"I don't know Shona, right now my focus is Maddie, the ambulance is here, I'll see you at the hospital soon. I'm sorry but I need to go now, please call Nadine and get her to do the trace, Brad has my phone and keys, he's likely stolen my car."

"Alright Tim, I'm on it, look after our girl please."

"I will," I said and hung up.

For the next five minutes, the ambulance crew checked Maddie over. They brought the gurney over and then started checking me out. Hopefully they could get both of us in the same ambulance. They suspected my daughter had a fractured arm and praised me for being able to get in the way, if she had hit the pine barrier without me in the way it would have been a lot worse for her.

They got Maddie on the gurney and helped me to sit on the edge of the ambulance, I also had an assumed broken arm they were pretty sure at least three of my ribs were fractured as well. They took a look at my head and suspected that I may have a concussion as myself and witnesses described the altercation.

The Police turned up and I managed to give a few initial details as the ambulance crew loaded us up. They took both Maddie and me to the emergency at the local hospital.

Once we were in the emergency department, both of us were looked over by doctors in the same emergency bay, Maddie wouldn't let go of me. About fifteen minutes after we arrived, Shona was escorted in and I sighed in relief as she went straight to Maddie before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. A few minutes after that, a doctor took both of us for x-rays.

It turned out that Maddie has a minor fracture in her right arm. They had given her some pain killers relevant for children and were going about the process of wrapping her limb.

Me, I was in a lot worse shape, I had a confirmed concussion, which spoke to the migraine-level headache that was approaching and the waves of nausea and fatigue washing over me every few minutes. In x-ray, it was confirmed I had five fractured ribs and a broken arm. I was also going to have some very bad bruising on my back in a few days from the collision with the barrier. They had given me some pretty strong pain meds and they put some special clips over the gash on my forehead.

Afterwards, I laid down on the hospital bed looking over at Maddie and smiled. I would endure a thousand times worse for her if it kept her safe. Shona was looking at me and as always knew what I was thinking.

"Thank you," she said, tears in her eyes.

"You know I'd give my life for both of you," I replied trying to lean back and find a comfy spot.

I closed my eyes and a moment later I felt a very soft kiss on my lips and I opened my eyes to find Shona standing over me, tears in her eyes. "I love you too Tim," she said and I smiled. I suddenly winced, then I started coughing, blood.

Shona screamed as I felt myself grow faint with a new pain growing in my side. That was the last thing I recall for three days.

When I awoke, I was in a much nicer hospital room, Rick was there and he heard me stir.

"Hey buddy, how you feeling?" he said looking me over with concern.

"Like shit, what happened? Is Maddie alright?" I asked.

Rick smiled, "She's fine, she got her cast on and will be back at school next week. She's going to be the most popular person at school after her heroic father."

I tried to laugh and felt a sharp pain in my side again, Rick noticed my grimace.

"Here, the nurse told me that if you're sore when you wake up this is a morphine button, only use it when you need it, if you can bear it, don't use it."

I tried a grin and failed, "what happened?"

Rick tried a smile as well then looked unhappy. "Nothing too bad, the doctors told us that one of your ribs ended up bending a little too far with the fracture and poked one of your lungs. You had to have a small procedure, but you're going to be fine."

A moment later a nurse, followed a doctor into the room and Rick stood back out of the way. They checked me over, letting me know that I was healing fine, adjusted my meds, then left Rick and myself to keep talking.

"Any word on what happened to that dipshit, Brad?" I asked.

Rick smiled sitting on the edge of my bed and pulled out his phone.

"This is from the night you and Maddie were brought in."

The was a news clip from a news broadcast in Sydney.

"Tonight, our leading story. A manhunt is underway for Bradley Houghton. Earlier today, Mr Houghton assaulted local Byron Bay entrepreneur Mr Timothy Other. We now go to Byron Bay hospital where Mr Other and his daughter are currently receiving treatment. Over to you Carli."

"Thanks, Sharron", one of our local reporters said with the emergency entry for our hospital behind her. I had met Carlie Evens twice when she had interviewed me for growth in Other Gaming.

"Around eleven this morning, Mr Other was assaulted by now wanted fugitive Mr Bradley Houghton. Witnesses say that Mr Other was enjoying an ice cream with a young girl identified to be his daughter when Mr Houghton fixed Mr Other in a headlock dragging him backwards without provocation, assaulting him. When Mr Other's daughter attempted to defend her father, Mr Houghton then assaulted the eight-year-old girl. Witnesses say that beaten, concussed and bleeding, Mr Other dived in front of his daughter saving her from serious injury."

"Carli," Sharon the news anchor asked, "Can you tell us of the condition of Mr Other and his daughter?"

"Yes Sharon," Carli reported. "Mr Other is noted to be in a serious but stable condition after emergency surgery this afternoon and his daughter sustained minor injuries and is expected to be released tomorrow."

"What else can you tell us?" Asked Sharron on the news desk.

"Sharron," Carli began, "Police note that Mr Houghton stole Mr Others' phone and vehicle and was last seen heading south towards Newcastle immediately following the altercation. It is unknown at this time if Mr Houghton is armed, however, Police say that he is potentially dangerous, if he is spotted then call Crimestoppers immediately and do not approach him."

"Good advice Carli," Sharon paused for a moment, reading a note in front of her. "Carli, can you tell us anything about why Mr Houghton may have assaulted Mr Other?"

Carli looked a little hesitant for a moment, quickly looking for someone off screen. She must have gotten a nod as she looked at a sheet of paper in front of her.

"Yes Sharron, there is some detail as to what caused the incident. Apparently, Mr Houghton was recently evicted from an apartment Mr Other didn't know he owned. The reason was Mr Other's wife of two years, Mrs Bridget Other was having a long-running affair with Mr Houghton, which Mr Other recently found out about. Mrs Other is now separated from Mr Other and is assisting police with the ongoing investigation to find Mr Houghton. As of right now, Byron Bay is looking out for one of its most successful business people. Mr Timothy Other generates over a seventy million dollars into the local economy a year and his company Other Gaming is getting recognised for some of the most innovative games available on the Internet today generating more than double that amount in the Australian economy. We can only hope that he makes a full recovery."

"We all hope that to Carli," Sharon replied in her anchor-woman voice. "Keep us up to date."

She turned back to the camera.

"Next, we have our state premier, once again caught on tape in a sex scandal that has voters demanding his resignation..."

Rick paused the news clip, grinning broadly.

"They picked Brad up yesterday in Wollongong after he ran a red light in your car when local police spotted him." He dropped the smile. "Unfortunately, he wrote your car off. But they got the bastard."

"Don't worry about the car," I dismissed, "I am just glad they got him and Maddie is safe."

We spoke for another fifteen minutes before we were interrupted by Maddie running into the room followed by Shona, carrying Greg.

"How are you feeling daddy?" Maddie asked as she climbed up on my bed, a look of absolute concern on her face.

"I'm feeling a lot better princess, the doctors fixed me up really good, just like you." I replied, Maddie looked at the cast on my arm and then her own and smiled.

"My doctor, Mr Sweeny, said I was really brave," Maddie said smiling, then she got serious again, "But I told him it was my Dad that was brave because you saved me."

I smiled back, "Thanks beautiful girl, I'm sorry it ruined our day, once we're all better can we try again, there are still some waves out there with our names on them."

That caused my daughter to smile, and we spent the next few hours talking about days at the beach and getting to eat as much ice cream as possible in one day. Rick ended up taking the kids for a walk and left Shona with me.

"You really scared us there for a while," she said holding my hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," I replied.

"I know, I'm just glad you're safe."

"Me too" I responded.

We spoke for a while and then, Nadine and a few of my team from the office came in, bringing cards and chocolates. When Rick and the kids returned, a few chocolates may have disappeared if the mess on Greg's face was any indication.

I spent a little over a week in the hospital before they sent me home. The Police questioned me and then proceeded to also arrest Bridget. Apparently, she was noted as an accessory, Brad had explained during his interview, without a lawyer, idiot, that Bridget had expressed the desire to see me beaten to a pulp for throwing her out and evicting Brad. It was just a coincidence that he came across Maddie and me that day and with Bridget's words ringing in his ears, he decided to take charge.

The court case was pretty open and shut, Brad was convicted of multiple charges of assault, theft and destruction of property. He was sentenced to fifteen years in a medium-security facility with parole after twelve years. Bridget was convicted of accessory to commit assault, and sentenced to five years, but was given a suspended sentence. Though if she was convicted of another crime for anything more than a speeding ticket she would be required to serve the entire sentence.

The judge also granted our divorce immediately, stating I did not deserve to be shackled to a shrew such as my now second ex-wife. I surprised everyone when I committed to give Bridget ten thousand dollars to help her restart her life. That was with the stipulation that she do that in a location other than Byron Bay.

While I was recuperating, Nadine worked with me at the house every day and Shona could usually be found there as well. Now if you're thinking that Nadine and I ended up as a couple, you would be wrong. First up, Nadine was my executive assistant, what's the old saying, you don't shit where you eat. The second was that Nadine was married and almost sixty years old, not a combination that a young guy only just in his thirties needed.

As we worked though I came up with a new campaign after seeing Maddie in her now heavily signed cast one afternoon when she got home from school. She was staying almost full time with me at the moment, since Shona was always here it made sense, But Maddie was now super protective of me, if anyone looked like they were going to disagree with me, including her mother, Maddie was in their faces giving them a severe ass chewing.

After seeing Maddie's cast one afternoon, I decided we would run a promotion in three of our most popular games, for every pack over ten dollars bought in the game, we would give one dollar to charities around the world that dealt with domestic child abuse. At first my finance department were upset, after costs, that dollar was a little over thirty percent of our profits. However after the first month they were ecstatic seeing the revenue rolling in. Marketing got involved and Carli Evans did a follow-up and our in-game purchases went up over three hundred percent. We ended up giving almost five hundred thousand dollars to three different charities in Australia, Poland and South America. Every year now we run a charity campaign giving money to those in need.

The months went by and Maddie and I recovered, once the casts were off and my ribs were healed, it was mid-summer and Maddie and I were back at the beach. Well, we were always followed by Shona and Greg now and often Rick when he could. Greg was now walking on his own and Shona enjoyed splashing in the shallows with him while Maddie and I played in the surf. I had a grand time that summer, sure I was a little lonely, I missed having someone by my side and while Shona was always there for me, even she knew I needed a romantic companion.

As the summer progressed, Shona and I spoke about me getting back out and dating, but my heart just wasn't in it. The couple of dates I did have, just didn't go well. Either there was no spark, or they were intimidated by my background or worse, they were just straight-up gold diggers like Bridget. I wished I could find someone like Shona that I had that connection with. Hell, I was only thirty-one I had a lot of time up my sleeve.

A year went by, I had a couple of small interactions with Bridget, but they were short and very terse, most of the time it ended up with me saying no. She either wanted money, to get back together or worse, she wanted me to forgive her. Each time I gave her a negative response and hung up.

What I didn't know is that my life was about to change again, but not in the way I thought it would.

I had just turned Thirty-two, so the office along with Shona and Nadine planned a birthday party at my house. I had stayed in the house after the divorce because it really was a beautiful house, I had put a lot of money into it so I planned to enjoy it. We had over a hundred people there that evening, I think I knew perhaps just under half of them. There were people from work, some local business people I worked with, even Carli Evans was there, but she was told she had to be off the record. My family was there, my parents, Bob and Tina, as well as Shona's parents and a couple of Rick's family. Everyone had plenty to eat, plenty to drink, there was music and as the evening went on, I had a nice buzz going on as everyone kept handing me a fresh drink.

I had just seen Maddie run by laughing with one of my cousins' kids, when I accidently bumped into someone and muttered an apology.

"And that's all you have to say, sorry?" a voice rang out at me.

I turned back towards the not quite shrieking voice.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked the woman standing before me.

"You heard me," she said, "A simple sorry is just plain rude, you could have knocked me into the pool."

Despite the aggressive tone of her voice and the scowl on her face that seemed at odds with the world, the woman before me was as strikingly beautiful as she was repulsive in the same breath. She was fairly tall at what I assumed was pretty much six foot, I was six-two. She was fairly slim but with curves that were very obvious in the floral jump-suit she was wearing. She was pale skinned with a spattering of freckles across her nose that highlighted her sapphire blue eyes. But what really drew me in was that red hair. It was long, and held in a braid, almost down to her waist, it had the crimson colour of a smouldering fire you could watch happily all night until the coals glowed hot and you were content saying nothing as you felt the heat off them.

But at the same time she repelled me, it wasn't lit, but the woman had a cigarette in her hand, she was obviously heading away from the group so she could smoke. To me you can take the most beautiful woman in the world that every man woman and child on this planet agree is the perfect human specimen, put a cigarette in their hand and I am turned off. That's what was happening to me once I saw the smoke in her hands.