The Teacher's Husband - Kate's Story

"You commented on how I was reluctant to go on that final road trip and then turned enthusiastic. Well, I'd made a decision. We'd come to the end of the school year, the girls were going away to college and I was NOT going back to teach at the high school. I hoped we'd reconnect on that trip. I was going to tell you about all the meds I was on. I was finally on a good regime that seemed to be holding me. It was certainly not going to mention my affair with Paul. I was never going to EVER tell you about that. I know your stance on one and done. I'd already told Paul we could not get married and tried to give him back the dumb ring he'd given me. I had that ring hidden away. I'd never put it on, not even for him. He refused to take it back and said he'd wait to see if I changed my mind."

"I was going to tell you on that road trip that I was going to try to get a real job at a college or I was going to stay at home and work on my novel. Either way, I would NOT teach at the high school level again. I deserved better. Paul blew that all out of the water when he showed up demanding to take me away and save me."

"And what did you do? Did you scream or yell? Did you even give me the courtesy of speaking? No. You drove away with the girls who flipped me off as they left. I was destroyed. AGAIN. Yeah, I'd fucked up. I knew it. I was guilty as Hell. I came close to killing myself right there. The only thing that saved me was Paul taking my phone and calling your mother and mine. Oh, do you have any idea why your mother took MY side instead of yours?" Pete shook his head.

"Guilt. I was a basket case and your mother told me she felt so much guilt she let you pressure me to take that job at the high school after my miscarriage and the thing with Kevin. She was like the rest of you. I'd fucked up and deserved to be punished. She told me to accept it and move on. She figured that after a year or so, you'd relent and let me get the job I wanted. You didn't. You knew I resented the whole thing and your mother knew it too. Then after the cancer scare, she thought you'd back off and even tried to talk to you. You still didn't. You told me to force myself and that by sheer will, I'd get through." I could see Pete fidget a little. I did not think he was embarrassed, but he did not like his lawyers or his new wife seeing this side of him.

"Your mom chewed my ass about Paul. So did mine. When you and the girls turned off your phones and stayed gone for a whole fucking month ignoring all of us, she was pissed. She spent every minute she could at my side. Between her and my mom, I could barely wipe my ass without one of them there. I didn't want Paul around. But I had to have somebody to talk to. You were gone. You'd taken my girls. I had nobody. Paul was persistent and he, your mom and mine sort of agreed I needed support. They let him stay around. And no we did NOT screw!"

"I'd gone off my meds. I was taking them hit or miss and when I got served, I totally lost it. I found out how suddenly going off your meds really screws you up. I spent a week in the hospital where they forced me back on them. Guy, I'm sorry Toni and you broke up. I heard you call me a pampered princess and demanded Toni support Pete or else. Like I said before, she felt guilty she let things go too far. She even said that forced into five years of a job I hated was too much and really was abuse. She knew Pete was not about to back down."

"You demanded they get rid of Paul,'or else'. Toni knew I needed a friend. And what did you do when you did not get your way, Guy? You walked out the door. Like father like son." Guy did a little fidgeting of his own.

"Pete, when you finally showed back up, I wanted to at least speak my peace. I had to explain. I'd been waiting a month. It festered in my brain. But you had your ideas set. You asked me about Paul being with your Mom and then walked out the door. I heard what you told them. 'I'm done with y'all'."

"Yeah, my lawyer, Donna and I talked about how we might get you to at least sit down and listen. That is all I really wanted. So we went after your money and your business. OUR business. I was convinced that if you really listened to my side, we might stay together. Oh, I had no illusions we'd go back to what we had years before but perhaps remain friends. I just wanted some understanding. But you had to play games to counter everything. You sold the business for pennies on the dollar. How has that worked out for you? No, mister lawyers I am not gonna go there. Nor talk about the games he played with the worthless patents. I'll leave that for the other negotiations."

"I heard about how you, your dad and mine talked about Paul wanting to quit teaching and run the business I was going to take from you. That is total bullshit. For one, Paul would not have an inkling how to run a business. We knew you'd already sold it for a pittance just to screw me over. Yeah, you were quick to offer me those patents if I signed the divorce papers. You know why I gave up and signed? I was tired. I was depressed. Hell, I walked through my days dreaming how I'd end my life. Every day I told myself to wait until tomorrow to do it. I did not care a bit about that money nor those patents."

"And yeah, I'd had sex with Paul the first day we met with the counselor. That was one Hell of a mistake and wouldn't have happened if I'd stayed at my parent's house. But I'd moved back home. The girls had gone to Austin. I was alone, depressed and scared how the counseling would go. Paul came over early that morning to check on me. He hugged me when i began to cry and the next thing I knew we were having sex on the couch. I pushed him off and made him leave."

"I could not lie to you when you asked when the last time I'd fucked Paul. And you just walked out the door and I knew there was no hope. You were gone. I had no hope and almost killed myself that afternoon again."

"Paul stuck around. He'd come over and he kept insisting we get married and he'd take care of me. I did not want to do that, but I was helpless. Yeah, I know you want know. We only had sex a few times. Not many times like you probably imagined and it barely registered. It was no where near what we'd shared, but at least I felt cared for."

"I remember calling the girls to ask them to come up for the wedding. I sincerely hoped you would respond and save me." I laughed. "Yeah, a pipe dream. Dad asked me later if I was drugged during the wedding and I had to admit I'd taken a triple dose of xanax and could barely walk. After the ceremony, I went up to the room and took every bit of my normal meds. I mean, I swallowed everything in every bottle. I remember thinking I don't want to cause a mess for the poor maid who had to clean the room, so I laid down in the bathtub to die."

"I was really upset to wake up in the hospital alive. I laid there thinking about how I screwed up once again and how I'd make sure nobody found me next time. I planned to make damn sure my next attempt succeeded." I admitted. My daughters looked at me aghast. I had never told them this part "Oh yeah. The girls came into my hospital room and we talked a few minutes. I told them I loved them more than life itself and I meant it. I'd lost them so life had no meaning. I was saying goodbye. I knew I'd never see them again. They told me you'd driven up from Austin with Guy so I asked them to get you. I wanted one final chance to tell you how much I loved you and how I was so sorry for everything I did. I even wanted to confess how depressed I'd been and try to explain why it all went downhill. I knew it would be my last opportunity because I was going to kill myself. I'd be dead soon. But what did you do? You walked out of the hospital. You could not spare fifteen or twenty minutes for the woman you'd spent twenty fucking YEARS with!"

"You want to know why I am alive today?" I gritted. "Because of rage. Total unadulterated rage! I was SO angry at you. I was incensed you did not have the common decency to give me a few minutes and talk with me. Oh I did not go back to work teaching at that high school. I had a little money and sold what I needed to make ends meet. I did not need much besides food, utilities, and my meds. I spent the next few months cranking out my novel. Not one of those outlines I'd saved. I suddenly had fresh ideas. And guess what? It sold. I made some serious cash. The publishing company immediately gave me an advance for my next book and it did well too. With two books under my belt and more ready to go, I applied to the English department at UT Austin. And they accepted! They did not bat an eye that I'd only taught at a community college and then a fucking high school. Oh I'm not a full professor. Hell, I'm barely a provisional assistant professor. But I have my own class load. I am back where I should be. And with my doctor's help I am weaning down my meds. Maybe some day I won't need them at all but they tell me I'll probably need something for a very long time."

"Now I am going to finish my rant here with an explanation about the lawsuit. Donna Raferty told me you could not just dump your business for pennies on the dollar, give me half and get away with it. I told her to ignore it. It did not take a whole lot of effort to see who owned the patents that made the ones you gave me obsolete. I seriously wonder why you thought I'd never check. Maybe you thought you were golden. Your new patents were not based on the old ones so you thought you were safe. BUT we were married at the time you developed the devices. You think you can get a patent but because you did not actually license them out before you filed on me, they would not be community property? Your name is on the dated patent applications."

"I knew I could get my half of the patents. Donna wanted to sue you immediately but I refused and told her to stand down. We could always show you had committed fraud, hiding marital assets. I had a couple reasons for that decsion. One I did not want to give up twenty percent for her contingency fee but the real reason back then was I was seriously thinking about suicide and there would be no point. The girls would still inherit even if they had to wait for you to die to get their share."

"Now, I have my new job as a professor. I also have my two books, one of which might even wind up being made into a made for TV movie. I have two more novels in the works and a pile of outlines. Money is not the issue any longer and I can pay a team of lawyers to take your ass down." Pete looked at me with his mouth half open.

"I accepted your punishment and taught high school. I screwed up and while I agree I deserved part of my punishment, you made it so much worse. And you ran from me after you found out I screwed up again. No discussion, no chance to explain. You took your month traveling with the girls not even talking with any of the family. You came home and after a few minutes of talking, walked out the door. You walked out of the counselors office. You even walked out on me in the hospital. I was ready to forgive you ALL of that. But do you know what was the final straw? Why I am going to take my half of your patents and you are going to pay me through the nose?" Pete looked at me with wide eyes and barely shook his head.. "When I showed up at your condo, you slammed the door in my face. If only you had talked to me, things might have been different."

I mimed dropping the mike and walked out the door.

---------Afterward:

I know my dialog was not grammatically correct and an English prof might use 'more eloquent elocution'. But I ain't an English prof.

Now for a joke to lighten the fuck up.... Johnny tells his Dad he thinks Suzy down the street is cute and he is going to ask her out. "Sorry son, but you can't. Don't tell you mother but Suzy is your half-sister and it would be incest if you had sex."

"Oh well, I have a backup. I'll ask Debbie on the next street out." Once again he is told he can't Debbie is another half sister.

Johnny mentions two other girls he likes only to be told they are also half sisters.

Johnny is upset. He decides to go to his mother and tell her what his Dad had said. After she listens his mother says, "Johnny, you go date whichever of those girls you want. Your Dad is not your father and you aren't related to any of those girls."