The Good Life Isn’t Just About Money

I tried to unlock the phone and see any text messages or incoming and outgoing calls, but it was password protected and none of the obvious passwords like birthday or anniversary date seemed to work. As I was putting the phone back, I also noticed a small jewelry box in her purse and as I looked inside of it, I just about fell over. There were two one-carat diamond earrings that came from Cartier and sons, so I couldn't even imagine how expensive those were but no way that Molly could ever afford that. Now I was really confused and starting to get pissed off.

I quickly retreated to downstairs and sat quietly in the kitchen, waiting for Molly to get ready and come down the stairs. She would assume I was long gone by now and when she came down the stairs, I had another huge surprise. She was dressed in a way too-sexy dress for work, with a low neckline that allowed her cleavage to be seen and a good bit of her breasts to be viewed when she bent over. She also had stay up seamed stockings and when she bent over slightly to rub something off the toe of her 4" heels, I could see the black lacey top of the stockings. She thought I was gone and when she turned around and saw me silently staring at her from the kitchen, she gasped.

"Oh my God Davey, you surprised me," she said as she blushed and quickly tried to hide her legs behind the kitchen island. "What are you still doing home? I thought you would be off to work by now."

"That's obvious!" I said as I walked around the island, grabbed her hand and spun her around in a circle. "Are you going to work or going out to a club looking to pick up some stud?" I said sarcastically. "How the hell can you think about going to work dressed like that, and by the way, where did that outfit come from? Those are $500 dollar fuck-me shoes, and that dress and stockings probably cost $1,000? I also want to know what the fuck is the deal with the new cell phone and the $5,000 dollar earrings you have in your purse! What the fuck Molly, are you stealing this shit or are you fucking someone?"

Molly looked at me and started to cry. She quickly turned and walked into the living room and sat down. "Davey, please let me explain. It isn't like that at all. My love is only for you, No one else!"

"So, you're telling me you're fucking someone else but you don't love him?"

"Davey, no, I didn't say that. Don't put words in my mouth. I can explain this."

"I'm listening, but I warn you if you lie to me, I'm out of here!"

"Davey, it's not what you think. I didn't tell you because I knew it would make you mad and you would get the wrong idea. These are all work related bonus items from my boss. He gave me the phone and called it a company phone so that he could get a hold of me whenever he needed to and that our calls would remain confidential and be password protected.

"The earrings were a gift for me working so many hours and doing such good work. He said he couldn't really change my salary or give me a cash bonus through the company so he bought me the earrings. He also bought me some outfits and told me that he wants me to look a certain way at work, and asked me to wear this."

She looked at me apprehensively, seeing that I wasn't really buying it. "Oh, please Davey, you have to believe me, it doesn't mean anything, I'm just trying to make sure I do a good job and keep on his good side so that I can get promoted and move ahead in the company! Davey, you know that you are the man that I love. Jay Sutter could never compare in any way."

I looked at her with pain, hurt and tears in my eyes and said, "I think this is the first time you have actually lied to me Molly. I believe you are fucking your boss and he is giving you the gifts and luxury items you could never afford as a way of getting into your pants! I think that's why you come home and shower immediately; you are cleaning his cum out of your pussy. And since when do you call your Boss sweetie, and tell him you can hardly wait to see him?"

Molly turned bright red and gasped and stuttered, but I cut her off and said, "Molly, before you tell me more lies, I heard your phone conversation this morning, so don't even try to lie about that. I'm leaving and when and if I come back you better be honest with me about what is going on!"

I turned and walked towards the door as Molly came running behind me screaming, "God no, Davey. It isn't what you think. Please come back and let me explain. Please, I love only you. Oh God no, please let me show you."

She ran up to me and got down on her knees and tried to pull my zipper down saying, "You are my only sweetie and I'll show you how much I love you!"

I looked at her with disgust, pushed her hand away and yelled, "Goodbye Molly." And then walked out the door. What the fuck did she think that was going to solve? I didn't know where I was headed but got in my car and as I left, I saw Molly in my rear-view mirror yelling for me to come back, crying and screaming that she loved me. I couldn't deal with her right now and was pretty sure she was lying to me. Perhaps our whole marriage had been lies. I needed time to think.

I soon found myself driving to my Mom's house. She was only 30 minutes away, and I kind of berated myself for not making visits more often. I called her weekly, but I only drove out to see her maybe once a month at most. I rationalized that you get busy in life; you get into routines, you try to deal with the job, the house, the chores, the wife. Yeah, the wife. Thinking about it brought the issue with Molly front and center.

I didn't know for sure she was cheating on me, but what kind of boss would be doling out thousands of dollars of jewelry, clothes and a phone if he wasn't getting some in return. And even if Molly hadn't yet slept with him, his actions were totally inappropriate for any boss employee relationship. If it hadn't turned to sex yet; it surely was his intent and just how long would it take; particularly given Molly's lust after the finer and more expensive things in life.

I set all of these thoughts aside as I pulled into my Mom's driveway. When I entered the house, it was quiet so I called out, "Mom, are you here?" I walked into the living room and saw Mom laying on the couch with a bucket on the floor next to her. She turned to look at me and I could see the pain in her eyes; she looked very pale and sickly. She tried to raise herself up to a sitting position, but it was a losing effort.

I ran over to her just as she had to turn her head, grab the bucket and vomit more into it. Tears were in her eyes when she settled back down on the couch pillow and took a shallow breath.

"Oh Davey, you surprised me. I didn't want you to see me like this."

"Mom, what's wrong? Do you have the flu? Have you seen the Doctor? What can I get you? Here, let me clean out this bucket at least; I'll be right back."

I took the putrid smelling bucket to the bathroom, flushed the vomit down the toilet, rinsed the bucket quickly in the shower and flushed it again, and ran back to the couch. "Mom, talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Davey, just relax. I'm okay. I feel kind of ashamed that I didn't tell you on your calls the last few weeks, but I am going through Chemo again. This is just the after affect; I have Chemo now every Monday and this is how my Tuesday through Thursday has been going. So, no I'm not sick; except of course for the cancer. It's come back and they are trying to beat it again."

"Oh No, shit! What is the Doctor saying Mom?"

"Well Davey, he isn't saying much but if I read between the lines, he's not very optimistic. I'm going to really try and pin him down next week at my appointment, cause if this Chemo isn't going to work, I don't want to go through it anymore. If my days are numbered, I want them to be spent feeling good enough to get outside, do some gardening, see some friends; not lay on the couch vomiting."

"Oh, Shit Mom. I'm so sorry. You've got to beat this Mom; I can't lose you! What can I do to help? When is the next appointment; I'm going with you."

"Davey, you have your own life to live now, so don't fret and spend your time with me. You have a beautiful young wife and a career to deal with. I'll be fine."

"Mom, you are an important part of my life, so being with you and helping you is dealing with my own life. Besides, I'm not sure about my beautiful young wife really being mine. I've caught her with over $10,000 dollars of presents and gifts she has gotten from her boss recently. She tells me nothing is going on and he is giving her bonuses and material things to reward her for the good work and late hours she is spending; but I don't buy it. I think she is lying to me and I need to get to the bottom of what's really going on. I walked out on her in a mad rage this morning and drove over to see you."

"No, Davey. I can't believe it. She loves you more than any woman seems to love a man. I can't believe she would ever cheat on you."

"Mom, Molly loves and lusts after material things. She has always been poor; grew up poor; and has always resented and been frustrated by not having the good things in life. I think she has deluded herself that to be truly happy you need to have money, and surround yourself with the best clothes, the best jewelry, the best house and car. Well, we know how well that worked out for Dad."

"I think she has never felt secure in her life; maybe it's a self-esteem thing or anxiety from living the way she had to growing up; but I'm afraid she loves material things more than she loves anything else. She seems driven to live the life of the wealthy instead of looking at the wonderful life we have been building full of fun, friendship, trust and love."

"Oh Davey, what are you going to do? You have to talk to her and find out what's going on before you over-react or make any big decisions. Beside Dave, you have a $15 million dollar trust fund waiting for you and as far as I'm concerned you can start spending it all now if you want."

"I know Mom, but don't you see, that isn't the life I've wanted. And if she is willing to cheat on me and break our marriage vows to presents; then I guess she isn't who I thought she was and I don't want to "buy" her love for me with a life of riches that I'm not that interested in. To me that much money just creates huge responsibilities and more stress in life; not less."

"So, what are you going to do honey?"

"I don't know Mom, but right now I feel that if she has cheated on me with her boss; then the marriage is dead and it's just a matter of how I end it. If she hasn't, then I'll try and get her to quit her job and go to some counseling with me to find out if she can be happy with the life we're living. She doesn't know about the trust fund and I'm sure as hell not going to let her know about it now.

"But, Mom, enough of that. I'm going to take care of you for the weekend, talk to your Doctor, and see if we can get you back on the road to health."

Molly had tried calling me that entire afternoon and evening and I hadn't bothered to respond or to listen to any of her voicemails. Finally, my Mom convinced me that I had to at least let her know where I was and that I was okay, so I agreed and gave her a call.

"Molly, I see you've been calling me. What do you want?"

"Davey, where are you? I want you, that's what I want. You can't just walk out on me and not let me know you are okay. You have to let me explain. It isn't what you think it is, nothing is going on. Please come home so we can talk about it."

"Molly, I don't know what to believe right now. I don't think I can believe you when you tell me nothing is going on. How can I possibly think that Sutter is giving you over ten grand of gifts and that he isn't getting anything in return."

"Dave, I love you, you need to trust me. I don't want anyone but you. These are just things, and yes, I love them and want them but I want to be with you the rest of our lives. I want to have a family with you and grow old with you. But I want us to be secure and financially sound too so I really think this job is going to lead to bigger things. Please come home and talk to me."

"Molly, I can't believe you can't see and understand how inappropriate it is for him to give and you to accept gifts like that. If you haven't done anything yet, he will soon be expecting it and you will feel like you owe him."

"Davey, it's not like that at all. Money doesn't mean anything to Jay, he has so much. He is just rewarding me for all the hours and hard work."

"Molly, I really don't know what to believe but I just have this gut feeling that you aren't being truthful to me and it's burning me up inside."

"No Dave, don't even think that. Please come home to me and I'll show you that you are the only one."

"Molly, you can't solve this with sex. Anyway, I need to tell you something. My Mom's cancer is back and I'm with her now and I'm going to spend the rest of the week and the weekend here taking care of her and I plan on seeing her Doctor on Friday to understand the prognosis. So, you won't see me until at least Monday evening, and if I'm not back by dinner I'll at least give you a call."

"Oh no, Dave. Oh, that's just so unfair that the cancer came back. Do you want me to come over and spend the weekend with you? I don't want you gone that long, especially when we are in a rough patch like this. I can be there in an hour."

"No Molly, that isn't a good idea until you and I figure out where our relationship is going."

"Oh my God Davey, don't even say that. Our relationship isn't going anywhere. I love you and you love me and we are meant for each other. Stop thinking like that. Nothing's going on, please don't think it is. It would kill me to lose you!"

"Molly, I've got to go, so I'll see you on Monday. And when we do talk Molly, be honest with me and we will hash out where we are headed." I hung up feeling like she was saying all the right things but also not really saying anything that answers the question about why he was giving her gifts, why she was accepting them, and if she had slept with him. I had this horrible nagging feeling that she had already broken our wedding vows and she was just trying to figure out how to tell me without losing me.

I spent the rest of Wednesday evening and most of Thursday tending to Mom, and she was feeling better by Friday when we left to see her Doctor. The Doctor spent time alone with her doing an exam and update, and after she was finished and came out, he brought me into the office and closed the door.

"Well young man, I'm not going to be able to give you much hope I'm afraid. Your Mom told me to be straight with you and I'll tell you what I told her. I don't think she has more than three to five months to live. The Chemo isn't working this time around and we have no other treatments we can offer her. I've convinced her to try three more courses of the Chemo to see if it begins to work, but after that she has told me she is done fighting and just wants to live the rest of her life in peace."

When we got back that evening to her house, we cried together as we sat on the couch and I told her how much I loved her. I told her what a great life she had given me and how she was the best mother I could ever imagine, and I meant ever word of it. She had always been my ethical compass, the person I could always count on to lead me down the right path in life.

We held each other and talked about the good old days of the past but she quickly tired and wanted to go to bed. She pleaded with me to be optimistic and to not let the last months of her life be a pity party for her. She felt lucky to have had a life well lived; and told me that I was the best thing she had ever done.

She rested up that afternoon and was feeling better by that evening so I got her a movie, put her on the couch and told her I was going out for a while but would be back later. I was a mess; my Mom was dying and my wife was likely cheating on me. I felt like getting a bottle of tequila and drowning my sorrows, but I knew drinking myself into oblivion wasn't going to solve anything.

Having spent the last several days thinking about the gifts from her boss, and the last conversation with Molly, I just couldn't shake the feeling that Molly had cheated on me. Not having any better idea to try and figure this out, I decided to do a drive by at our house and see if she was home or gone. I got there around 5:00 and parked down the block, where I could see the front door.

Her car was in the driveway and the inner front door was open, so I knew she was home. I was deciding whether to drive up and talk with her now about our issues when a metallic blue Porsche blew by me on the street and pulled into our driveway. As the car went by, I noticed the vanity plate on the rear end that said "Jay's number 1".

"God, what a dork." I thought to myself this shithead must have a really small penis and a huge self-esteem issue.

As soon as he pulled in, Molly came out the door, locked up the house and ran to his car. She was dressed to kill. She had on a bright red dress and red 4" high heels. She was wearing dark grey stockings, and the dress was so short that I could see the lacy black top of her stockings. The front was so low cut that half of her breasts were showing, and with the help of a tight push up bra they were ready to spill out. This sure as hell wasn't a work outing.

I ducked down as they pulled back out and drove by me and was surprised that Molly didn't recognize my car, but I guess she was in awe at sitting in the passenger seat of a $100,000 sports car.

I decide to follow them and see where they went. It wasn't far. They drove downtown and stopped at the valet station of Manny's, the best steak house in town. Sutter got out, walked around the car door and opened Molly's door and I could almost see the saliva drip out of his mouth as he ogled her breasts when he helped her out of the car. They walked with arms around each other to the entrance of the restaurant and disappeared inside.

I found a parking spot on the street and grabbed a hat and jacket and walked to the restaurant and slowly went in. I spotted them in a booth in the back, sitting closely together on the same side with his hand on her thigh as she looked at the wine list. I had to restrain myself from going over and dumping the water carafe on their heads, but instead turned and went back to my car.

I sat in the car for two hours, keeping myself occupied by reading various blogs and articles about divorce on my phone. Finally, I saw the valet pull the Porsche up front and they both climbed in. I hoped that this was going to be the end of it, but I had my doubts as I followed them down the street. It didn't take long, and my heart broke as they pulled into the Hilton, again used the valet and Sutter walked around to the passenger door. This time he gave her a long and lingering kiss and cupped and squeezed her ass as he helped her out of the car. She pushed herself tight against him, put her hand behind his head and held him there for that kiss, and I could see them working their tongues in and out of each other's mouths.

That was all it took for me to know it was the end of our marriage. There was no way that she could convince me that they weren't fucking, and I didn't need to see it to know it was happening. In fact, I didn't want to see it.

I was mad, sad, confused, surprised, and a myriad of other emotions as I slowly drove back to my Mom's house. When I pulled up in the driveway, I sat there thinking about how to move forward. I knew divorce was the answer, but she worked for the best divorce firm in the region, so I knew I would get cremated in any divorce. We didn't have that much, given the house was small and not much equity was built up in it. We had limited savings. I made more than her, but not by much, so I figured the alimony if any wouldn't be much. But, the one glaring issue was if she and her lawyers discovered the $15M trust fund, which would certainly happen if, God forbid, my Mom passed away before the divorce was finalized.