SWIB 05.5: Trading Up

"You bastard! Get off me."

"This pussy has cost me everything. I never even had any of it. But I am going to now if it is the last thing I ever do."

I called 9-1-1, "Rape in progress."

I grabbed a heavy glass vase and hit him in the back of the head. He stopped moving. I thought I might have killed him. I got an arm under his shoulder and rolled him off Betty. I gave her the phone. "Say your address. 9-1-1 is listening."

Betty was winded. She had been fighting hard. She gave her address and requested an ambulance. 9-1-1 started asking questions. Betty could not answer, she had nothing left. She merely said hurry.

I was impressed. The police arrived in two minutes and an ambulance a couple of minutes after that.

The door was still open, from my entry and there was a man (Mike) laying unconscious, with a lot of blood oozing from the wound in his head. The heavy glass vase sitting right beside him. Betty was sitting on my lap holding me tight.

The police asked us to identify ourselves and explain the situation. Suddenly, the EMTs came rushing in. Mike was alive. They got him on a stretcher and were gone. A policewoman wanted to interview Betty. I was against it. I found it wasn't a request.

I went into the kitchen, there was an island with bar stools. A police officer and I sat down, and he asked me to tell him what was going on. I took a deep breath, what do I say? "Well, this may not be how to do it, but let me start with I was entering the apartment with a key my wife provided me. I heard her screaming for him to get off. I heard him saying the pussy had cost him everything and he was going to have some of it. I grabbed the first thing I saw and hit him on the head. One blow and he was out. I comforted Betty."

"What did he mean, when he said the pussy had cost him everything?"

"I hardly know the man but can give you a guess. I am sure the guess is close to the truth."

He told me to go ahead. He showed me he was recording what I said.

"My wife and I are going to try to reconcile. We are in the process of a divorce which becomes final on Monday. The divorce was caused by the man who was carried out of here, Mike Walters. He charmed my wife, got her this apartment, and ultimately proposed to her. Nearly three hours ago she told him the engagement was off and she was moving out. We packed a few things, I took them to our former apartment, got more suitcases and returned. She had given me her key so I could let myself in."

I don't know if it is training, or that police so often hear lies, but he looked at me, "Well, that's one interpretation. It could also be you are insanely jealous and came in to get rid of your wife's new suitor."

"Sure, I guess, and after I did that, she jumped in my lap because she is part cave-woman."

"Well, there is that." He looked up at me. "Experience has taught me to pose some alternate stories, to see how people respond."

"I get that, I guess. If you noticed, his pants were about halfway off. He was on top of her when I came in. I rolled him off. Sadly, I can't even say if his pecker was hanging out. Once he was off, I hugged Betty, she was talking to 9-1-1, and then you were here."

"Did he penetrate her?"

"Like I say, I didn't see if he was exposed. I don't know."

He really didn't want a lot of background other than the call to Mike earlier in the day. I could tell he was getting as much detail as possible, so it could be compared to Betty's story. Getting a criminal conviction requires accurately describing the offense and in a situation like we were in, details are hard to recall, even hours later.

During the interview, my phone rang. I looked at the officer, he nodded. I looked at my phone. "It's the rapist's ex-wife." He told me to pick it up.

"Anne, you are on speaker. I am here with a police officer."

"Dan, I just got a call from the hospital. Mike is there. They say he struck by someone in an altercation. He is in custody."

"Anne, I am afraid it was me who hit Mike. He was on top of Betty, she was screaming for him to get off."

The police officer spoke up. "Ma'am, if you are willing, I would like to talk to you separately. This is a criminal investigation."

"Thank you, officer. Of course. I had better not say anything for a bit. I might have information which is important and want to make sure I am answering what you need to know. I am going to hang up now." She did.

Epilogue

Where to start?

First, Mike.

My blow to the head did severe damage. I can't tell you how badly that disturbs me (I can't tell you that, because I don't feel at all badly. I am glad I didn't kill him - so I don't have to feel bad about not feeling guilty - or however you say that.)

Mike has a traumatic brain injury which limits his ability to speak. Since his life was centered on his verbal skills, at selling people or seducing married women, his future is bleak. Anne, saw to it he has shelter, but I don't think he is capable of much.

Criminal charges resulted in a settlement. Mike pled to simple assault and got twenty-four months' probation. His settlement also included if he is ever again charged with any sexual assault his name will go on the sexual offenders' registry.

Next, Anne.

Anne is a nice person. She felt badly for me from that first day. She tried to help, but mostly I prevented that. She was able to help Betty.

Anne and Betty met. Betty was almost certain we would reconcile. Anne had an excellent job for Betty in marketing, but the job didn't pay half what she had been making, working for Mike.

Betty proposed paying her two-years' salary at her previous rate, as a settlement for Mike. She didn't want to say wrongful discharge, or be specific, so it was just for Mike. Betty planned to use that money to enable us to have children. Anne loved that idea.

Whenever Betty wants, she can go to work in marketing, at the wage appropriate to the position. She remains on the roles and has all insurance and pension coverage during her absence.

Betty and me.

The near rape (she had not been penetrated) was a crisis which brought us right back together. Both of us wanted to say we needed to be cautious, to take it slowly, and assure it was not just a trauma that had us rebounding.

The problem with that was neither of us believed a word of that. We were in love again and that was that.

We did go to counselling twice a week for two months. There were the two sore points. She was ready to leave me, for a scam artist; only fate kept her from going. The second point? Fate did keep her from going and I refused to see the significance of that for too long. Both of us conceded our wrong-doing and could see how "we" were at fault, in the eyes of the other. What saved us, was Betty remained true to her vows.

She said she was never comfortable that he meant what he said. At first, he was a player and wanted her to play, too. She was not remotely interested. He started expressing feelings toward her and she admitted her disinterest lessened. He bought her clothes and pointed to all he could do for her. She was flattered. He started professing his love. The apartment, the car, and the offer to take better care of her and their children had her leaning. But at the end of each of his attempts was sex. Betty used the old adage; it was like he thought me to be a whore and he was negotiating price. Much as she hated to admit it, he found hers, and she was saved by my coming home.

For my part it took feeling the pain of her announced engagement to remember the pain of that first evening. Dr. Wyndham was right, I became consumed with anger and had to get at the cause of the anger to ever make a change. What bothered me most is Dad had tried to lead me to see I was wrong and I wouldn't listen. I didn't mind that Anne also had tried to put me straight, her motives might have been other than in my interest - but my own father?

At the end of those sessions Dr. Wyndham said she would be stealing from us to take more money. She was sure we would be fine in our mutual future.

We are nearly certain that our first-time making love resulted in Betty's pregnancy. Life looks good from here.