Taming the Bunny Ch. 02

Chapter 2.

This doesn't even feel like my home anymore. Analyze the situation, break the problem into parts and solve one part at a time. That's what I always do when there's a difficult problem at work. You have to stay sane and not let that feeling of hopelessness take hold. I cannot believe she really cheated. I was sure it was just teasing. Something has to change radically now, otherwise I lose my mind. It's pretty clear now that I can't turn Lana's head around in this, so there's no point in trying anymore. I can't stand this, that's clear. That Rick option doesn't work for me. If I wait here until Sunday and be here when Lana comes, the situation has not changed in any way. The same problem is ahead and there is going to be a terrible argument. I've never been humiliated like this. All my dignity is gone. I cannot face her like this. This rumination must be stopped. I must find some chore that takes the thoughts away. I can't bear to see Lana for the time being, so I have to disappear somewhere. But to where? I don't have any friends I can go to. Rick is out of the game because of Lisa. I hate motels. So I have to find a place and get out of here by Sunday night. Well, at least that keeps me busy.

Fortunately, we are financially separated and I have enough savings to get by. I probably don't have a tenth of what Lana has, but I don't want anything from her even if we divorced. But where can I go? I can't stand an apartment building. I have to have space and things to do. That means a detached house. The money is not enough for a new one, so an old one. After all the goal was to stay busy. Let's see what is available on the market.

40-year-old, slightly dilapidated detached house, 2000 square feet and a large yard. Pretty close too. You can see from the pictures that it badly needs renovation. But it's not so bad now that you can't move there right away. And it's already free. The money would be enough for that and there would still be left some for renovation. I'll call that broker right away.

...

"It does feel quite appropriate. In fact, better than I imagined. Who sells this?"

"The seller is an old couple whose husband got Alzheimer's disease and they need money for a nursing home. Mary already moved to an apartment building near the nursing home and now they need money quickly for expenses. The offer on this could go through quickly if it was close to the asking price."

"OK, let's do it this way: I'll offer the asking price for this, the offer is valid for two hours. If the seller accepts the offer, I want the keys right away and move in at the weekend. The deal can be finalized as soon as you get the papers in order."

"Could you pay 5,000 in advance right away if the seller accepts?"

"Yes."

...

"The seller accepted the offer. If you make a bank transfer to this account, you will get the keys. The deal will be finalized next week. I will then announce the date."

"Great...Well, there you can see the transaction on the screen. Send me a message about the final trade. Thanks for the quick action."

"Thank you, thank you. May I ask what the rush is about?"

"I hit a brick wall with my wife and I need to get out immediately."

"I'm sorry, in this profession these stories are unfortunately familiar. Good luck, though."

...

That was the last box. I have surprisingly little junk. If there were no tools, they would have fit in the pick-up truck. Should I leave a message for Lana? So what could I say on that. Something bitter. What would that help. Some wishes for a future life with the swimmer boy. Doesn't sound very honest. Isn't that enough of a message if I leave the keys and the ring?

I still have to pick up the Ninja by a cab, then this is over.

Pretty good performance in one weekend, it's only three o'clock on Sunday. There was so much to do, that my head is still quite together. Lana hasn't called or texted once. The love couple has been busy. Should I start divorce proceedings? I wouldn't like that at all. Let's put it off for now. If only a miracle were to happen. Well, your thoughts are now in the wrong direction again... Disassemble the things and plan the renovation. I'll do it one room at a time, so it stays more livable.

...

"Sorry Mark, I have been busy. I didn't have time to call. Did you get that vacation spot? See you soon, xxx".

What would you reply to that now? I think I'll just put her on boycott for now. I don't even have anything to say to her. Nasty slandering would make me only more miserable. Yes, the silent treatment is the way to go for now.

...

"Oh, it was a nice weekend Lana. You're a really hot package. I'd like you all to myself. I feel miserable thinking that you're going back to that loser today."

"Brian stop it. Even though Mark is a bit of a loser, he's still my husband and I love him. Don't bother messing with him. That's not nice behavior and I don't appreciate it at all. I'm actually a little worried. Mark hasn't called all this time and he didn't reply to my message. It's not like him at all.

On Thursday, he accused me of cheating and listed the evidence he invented to support it. Are you sure you've held your tongue on this? If Mark finds out about this, we're going to have a hell of a fight. Even though I made it very clear that I have the right to this, he still pretends that he doesn't accept. I have to let him live in that self-delusion as long as he is better able to handle this. His ego is so fragile in these things."

"I haven't told anyone. But now that you said it, that might be a good strategy. Then I'd have you all to myself when everyone knows about this."

"If you do that, you can be sure that it will be the end of us too."

"It was just a joke. I wasn't serious. Mark was just showing his mind. It's not very nice when the wife leaves him alone for the weekend. And the man lives without, so it's no wonder he's grumpy. I don't like your holiday talk at all. I don't want you to put it out there."

"Stop it. The details of our relationship don't belong to you at all. I have to get it back on track. I may have dragged it a little too far when I think about it now. Well, that's about to change. Brian, I'll tell you this very clearly: our relationship is the main relationship of this thing and you are my side relationship. If I have to choose, I will choose Mark. Now is that clear to you."

"Yeah yeah now don't get all bothered."

...

"Mark honey, I'm at home! Why didn't you answer me anything? Are you still mad at me? Now come here, and we'll make up."

Why is it dark in here? Where has he gone now? Huh, I guess he's still having a tantrum. Well, I guess he'll show up soon.

Damn, where have his clothes gone. Now, this is going too far. There is a limit to tantrums now. What's that on my pillow? The keys and the ring. This isn't funny anymore. Such a drama out of nowhere. Just when I had decided to fix the relationship. Did he found out something? He's probably just showing his mind. And where exactly has he gone. Probably for Rick, where else. I'll call Lisa.

"Lisa is Mark there?"

"No, how so? Have you lost him?"

"I had a little romantic weekend with Brian and when I came home, there's no one here and his clothes are gone. He left the keys and the ring on my pillow."

"Golly, that sounds like bad behavior. Is he still pretending that you don't have any kind of open relationship?"

"I guess so. Does Rick know something? Ask him."

"Rick! Do you know where Mark is? He's gone from home."

"No shit! No observation here. Can't you just call him?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah I heard. Yeah I'll call him. I guess this sorts out somehow..."

"Beep leave a message. Mark what the hell are you fussing about. Call me now!"

"MARK! THIS IS NOT FUN ANYMORE! ANSWER ME WHERE YOU ARE!"

"Mark, can you answer something, please. This is childish. If I've somehow offended you, then we'll talk. Did you get that vacation spot?"

"Mark honey, I'm starting to worry. Has something happened to you? I'll call the police immediately if I don't hear anything from you."

"Lana, I'm fine, but I won't talk or answer you again until you're done with your affair. You can text me when it's done."

"Mark, thank God you're fine. Now can't we just talk this thing over, xxx"

"Mark, answer, okay, let's talk."

"Mark, gosh! This is childish!"

"Lisa! He answered once by a text message but didn't say anything. Maybe he has found out something? Have Rick find out where he is, okay. He won't answer me anymore."

"Yeah, I'll put Rick to work. Surely Mark will calm down, as long as he gets time to whine a bit. I'll call you when I figure something out."

"Rick, now you immediately find out where Mark is!"

"Well I'll call him."

"Rick what's up."

"Mark, it's full chaos here. You probably guessed. They want me to find out where you bunk. Is that the kind of thing you want to tell them?"

"No, I can't stand seeing Lana right now. Gotta let her marinate for a while before I talk to her. You can tell Lisa that I'll talk to Lana next after she's done with the affair and decided to come back to her senses. I'll call to you when we two can meet, OK?"

"Yep that's clear, are you okay?"

"Well, I just have to get through this somehow. It will probably take some time though."

"You did it differently than I did then."

"Yup."

"Lisa, you can tell Lana that Mark agrees to meet when the affair is over. There's no point in trying until then. And no, he didn't tell where he is."

"What affair? Tell me what he knows. Have you said anything to him. Have you eavesdropped on us?"

"Damn it Lisa, do you really think Mark cannot guess about your evil games. Do you think us men are idiots?"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I was just asking."

"Lana, Rick didn't find out where he's staying. He said Mark wouldn't see you until you're done with your affair. Rick says it's just an assumption. Maybe it's just that. You know it shows on your face when you get the real man, hehhe."

"Oh shit. This isn't going well Lisa. Why can't he just be like Rick. What if he really won't give up? Do I have to leave Brian now?"

"Don't give up girl! Let him marinate in there trapped for a week. He is somewhere in a sweaty motel in a dark room alone. He'll come to his senses before long. He's not going to abandon you because of some silly little side affair."

"Well, I thought the same thing, yes, but it's still starting to scare me a little. You know, he took all his tools also. If he's in a motel, where are those?"

...

"Hi Rick, nice to stop by. How about Lisa?"

"Good good. You seem to have acquired a real mansion here. Are you going to completely renovate it?"

"I'm refinishing the surfaces and painting the outside. It's old, I know, but all the structures seem to be fine. I haven't found any rot anywhere. I was in a bit of a hurry because of what happened, so I bought it a bit like a pig in a sack. But now it feels like I got crazy lucky. I'm really falling in love with this old thing. You know in the olden times, they really had time to make things right.

The final deals were made a couple of days ago. The seller was an old couple Mary and Anton Frasier. Anton fell ill with Alzheimer's a couple of years ago and the disease had progressed so badly that he could no longer survive at home. Mary needed money for a nursing home. It's a sad thing, Mary is really nice, just turned 85 and was still very sharp."

"What's with Lana now?"

"Huh, I don't know. I haven't been able to talk to her at all yet. She doesn't even know where I am. She keeps bombarding me on the phone. Don't tell Lisa this address. I don't want to see Lana while she's shagging with the lover boy."

"You should talk to her still. Lisa and Lana talk everyday and according to Lisa Lana is very worried about you. Can I tell Lisa that I was here and that you are all right?"

"Yeah, you can say that. I guess I'll have to talk to Lana before long, yeah. I've just been postponing the inevitable. I'm afraid of that confrontation. My mental state is not very stable right now."

"Yes, I understand. I went through the same thing a year ago, when Lisa started this torture with us. I just ended up with a different outcome. I'm not at all sure that my solution was better. What the hell is wrong with those women of ours? We spent a lifetime together and then they freak out like that. I regret every day that I gave in to her so easily."

"So you're not happy with the open relationship, apparently? Lana let it be known that it works better than well for you two. One of the most keen points of it was this example of yours."

"It works really well for Lisa, yeah. She still looks great, but look at me now. I've got a belly and my hair is thinning. And I've never been an Adonis anyway. I probably got Lisa trapped just because she was still so young and she didn't fully realized her trade value. Lisa says I'm a seven minus at my best and she's a niner. It's her latest way of valuing people these days. You're a seven plus and Lana is a nine also. So there you got it. All you have to know of a person is a hotness number. Ironically I think it describes her current state of mind perfectly.

But yeah, it's true that Lisa gets any man in her bed whenever she wants. It's not the same with me. I have a lady friend at work that I was already drooling over before the opening and I thought that now I can take it to the next level. However, it didn't go exactly according to my calculations. Turns out she wasn't too keen on me being married. The open relationship didn't change her attitude. I don't think anything will come of it.

Now all our friends know about this arrangement and you cannot believe how many of my friends are flirting and drooling over Lisa every time we meet. It's humiliating. And those grins when we talk about this. So, I am not satisfied with the situation at all. But what can I do? I don't want to leave Lisa. I still love her. It's just really hard for me to digest how she treats me. But it's still better for me to be like this than alone in some apartment building. At least I still get to have sex now and then.

But the truth is that yes, this works well for Lisa. She has the road open and she doesn't seem to be bothered at all by the fact that everyone knows about this. All I can to do here is watch from the sidelines and be constantly pissed off."

"Yeah, I understand your point. My head is just structured a little differently and I couldn't handle that much stress. I've always had problems with stress and this thing is going to destroy my mind, if I'm not careful. I miss Lana like hell, but I know that being apart is better for me after all. If I were home, it would kill me to think about when she's going to have sex with her lover boy again."

"So you know for sure that she is having an affair?"

"Yeah, I saw them together. His name is Brian Scotfield. He's a colleague of Lana's, some currency dealer. Rich and handsome and a few years younger. Probably nine or even ten according to Lisa-meter. Clearly Lana changed me for the better. I can't compete with him and I don't even want to. I just have to rebuild my life now. I have to somehow level this playing field with Lana, otherwise we probably have no hope together. Over the years, she somehow took a controlling role in our relationship and that must have been a mistake on my part. I shouldn't have let our relationship become unbalanced. If I have a strategy here, it's that I try to keep my stress under control and find a way to make this struggle more equal. She now has my balls in a grip and in this situation we can't move on from here."

"Oh my, let me know if you need help. I'm no builder, but I can paint now. In that second game, I'm completely useless as you have seen."

"Thanks, mate. I'll tell you. This project keeps me busy now and my thoughts off Lana. By the way, I'm going to have a housewarming party when I'm finished with this project. Sometime in three weeks, maybe. I hope you and Lisa can come then. I'll call you."

...

"OK Lana, stop the bombardment. I'm fine and I'm ready to finally talk as long as you stop lying to me. No more bullshit. And I don't want to see Anal I want to see my Lana. If you tell me everything honestly and justify what you did, we can meet, promise?"

"Oh, thank you for finally answering me. I've been worried sick. Yes, I believe now that you are serious. I admit that I have a new relationship and I promise to tell you honestly about it. Where are you?"

"The address is 175 Donovan road, come around six, will you?"

"OK. See you, xxx"

"What the hell Mark? What is this? Whose mansion do you live in?"

"I bought this then at that last weekend. That was the last straw for me then."

"Whaaat? That weekend trip? Why do you think it wasn't just a business trip?"

"Stop it. You promised you wouldn't lie anymore. If you have any hope that we're ever going to move on from this shit, I'm sure you understand that the only way is for both of us to be completely honest."

"OK, OK, of course you're right. Yeah, it wasn't just a business trip. It's just hard for me to tell you the truth when I think it's going to hurt you. And I don't want to hurt you. I'm only thinking about your best. I love you Mark. I don't want you to be sad and I don't want anything to break us up."

"You are delirium. You shag some other man and you claim that you don't want to hurt me and you only think about my best. That's as far from my best as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, Mark, what do you want to hear? I admit that I have an affair with another man."

"What's his name, where did you meet him and when? How long has it been going on?"

"His name is Brian Scotfield, he is a colleague, a currency dealer, and the relationship had lasted for a couple of weeks before the trip. I have known Brian for years."

"How did it start and most of all why?"

"Brian has been on me for a long time, but I only gave in when we opened up our relationship. Yes, yes, you may have the wrong idea about the opening up, I know. When you were so impossible with it, I just thought that I'll try the whole open relationship idea alone first. You know, I just thought I will test it to see, if it is suitable for all the hassle it was causing. I thought that it would be the same thing in practice as when you finally agree. You also said that you wouldn't be interested in another relationship, so that's like the same thing in practice. So it's like you didn't need the open relationship for anything anyways, so it didn't really matter. I'm sure you see my point now. I told you then that this is how it goes and I thought you understood and accepted it. I thought you just had to pretend you didn't know, that your ego just couldn't handle it. I thought we had an agreement on this, but you just had to be able to pretend otherwise. You know, we had the de facto agreement, like I said. So, I haven't really cheated on you and I haven't lied about anything. You are just mistaken, honey. But I can forgive you that. It's not a problem."

"Do you love this Brian?"

"No not really, it's just a crush. You can't really compare it to us at all. Brian is just a new experience that cheers me up."

"Is he a good lover? Better than me? Is that what this is all about?"

"He's good, yes, and handsome. Such an alpha male. But it doesn't have the same closeness as we've always had. It didn't start because I was unhappy with our sex. You're not a bad lover and I've never been unhappy for our relationship. This is just an addition to that. This thing with Brian is not off you in any way. You have to understand that this is a completely separate thing to our relationship."

"What are you babbling about? During those two weeks, our relationship withered to nothing. The sex disappeared completely and that Anal moved to our bed."