Three Days Ch. 01-02

The bulk of this story takes place over three days, It was written as a four part serial, but as the first chapter is quite short I'm posting Ch1&2 hopefully it will stop the moaners.

The characters of June, Angela and Tina are in some part based on real people and actual events. I refer you to the note at the end of the last chapter.

Three Days Part One.

The Parties Over

My wife June, had been acting a little strange during the previous few weeks. She seemed to have become very short tempered where I was concerned. I had obviously done something that had upset her. But when I asked her she would deny anything was wrong. By the day of our twentieth wedding anniversary party, both of the children Peter (Eighteen) and Marie (Nineteen) had noticed that something wasn't right. They questioned their mother but she also told them that nothing was wrong.

(Oh, by the way don't bother trying to second guess, we did have to move the wedding up by a few months but that's all, there was no shotgun involved.)

June would sit in the kitchen most evenings with her close friend Angela in attendance. The two of them would stop talking when the children or I entered the room. I got the distinct feeling that they were talking about me; but I could not think what I was supposed to have done that would cause June to act this way towards me.

To be honest with you, I couldn't abide Angela. The woman had biggest mouth in the West, anything that she heard, was common knowledge within hours. She had been sharing an office with June when we first met at work and they had been friends ever since. I had spent nearly twenty-three years feigning friendship towards her. She had been married and divorced twice and I was sure she was jealous of June and my so far, successful partnership.

Angela had on occasions tried to make a pass at me. I hadn't dared tell June about it; as I was sure that if it came to a row June would side with Angela and blame me. That's how close they were. Where June had stopped working when she had the children. Angela was still working for the same firm as me.

On the night of our anniversary party, Junes behaviour was uncharacteristically, nothing short of scandalous. I had never seen her behave like that before. All evening she had been flirting with Roger Johnson, one of my colleagues from work. I had always known he had the hot's for June, as he had made passes at her many times over the years. June would normally brush him off quite quickly. But tonight it appeared she was trying to make me jealous. I purposely had not invited the Prat, but Angela had brought him along as her escort for the evening. Although she was spending little time with him as he appeared to be dancing with June most of the time.

I had a brief word with June about her flirting with Roger. But the rebuff I got, told me June was spoiling for a fight and I didn't dare broach the subject again. We would have to have it out after the party was over. It would have been embarrassing to have an all-out row in front of all our friends and relations, when we supposed to be celebrating twenty years of happy our happy union.

It was around ten-thirty that I suddenly realised that June, Angela and Roger didn't appear to be around. I asked my son Peter if he knew were his mother was? But as he had been dancing with his girlfriend and hadn't noticed. But he complained to me that June had been embarrassing him all evening; he offered to see if his sister knew were they're mother was.

A little later my daughter Marie came to me.

"I saw Mum and Angela go upstairs a little while ago. Good thing too, Mum was looking very drunk. What's got into her tonight? She's making a complete fool of herself, she's been chasing that creep Roger around like a schoolgirl!"

"Have you seen Roger lately?"

"No, Last I saw of him he was in the kitchen, he never saw me, and he was making the most disgusting remarks about mum. He told to some bloke, that he was going to.. Um! You know, The slut tonight! I kept my eye on him for awhile, but granddad started talking to me and I lost track of him. When I got away from granddad I couldn't find him anymore?"

To say I didn't like the look of this, was putting it mildly. I went to go up stairs but Angela suddenly appeared out of nowhere and waylaid me. She was obviously trying to stop me going upstairs to find my wife!

"What the hell is going on Angela? Where's the hell is June? Is she alright?"

Angela had a kind of smirk on her face.

"She's just fine. She'll be down shortly. She just had something she wanted to do, then she'll explain everything!"

At that moment June and Roger appeared at the top of the stairs. June was wearing a house coat and that bastard Roger had his arm around her waist. I can only say that June staggered halfway down the stairs obviously extremely drunk. She stopped and called for every ones attention. She needn't have bothered because it seems that most people had been aware of her and Rogers absence and they're reappearance. Seeing how she was dressed I'm sure they all suspected, as I did, what had been going on.

"My friends, family and my lying cheating husband." June announced, "I would like to introduce you to the new man in my life. I have tonight made the decision that I can no longer put up with my husbands cheating ways, so our marriage is over. Paul, I'm asking you to leave the house, go and live with your girl friend. Roger will take care of my needs in future."

I was totally speechless. What the bloody hell had my wife done? Why had she done it? And where did she get this preposterous notion that I had a girlfriend? For a moment it was as if no one else was there I looked into June's eyes and saw pure hate looking back at me.

"What the hell are you talking about June? I've never been with any woman but you."

She glowered at me then said.

"Oh No! Well what about Sheila Marie Carter. Do you all know that my so called loving husband has been having an affair with a woman by the name of 'Sheila Marie Carter' for at least the last three years, maybe even longer. He visits her every month when he goes to Manchester."

she stopped her tirade when my mother let out a little scream and fainted. My father and children went to mother's aid. My daughter looked over into my eyes; we both knew that the shit had really hit the fan. For a moment I was overwhelmed and just didn't know what to say, then I thought I had to try a bit of damage control, and told my father that he should take mother home. My son understanding my thinking picked his Gran up and started to carry her out of the house. But father was having none of it, he wanted to know what the hell was going on?

The name 'Sheila Marie Carter' had cut four people in the room like a knife. She was a secret that we four shared and had kept for almost ten years. Now it appeared, that secrete it was about to be made known to that one person that must never know it. I had to act quickly; but what could I do, to save a one sacred marriage I had to walk out of my house with no explanations to anyone. My daughter followed me outside, she was crying as she gave me a hug.

"Don't tell her until after granddad has gone. And see if you can get Peter and his friends to get that prick out of my house as soon as they can."

"Where are you going dad? What are you going to do?"

"There's nothing much I can do, your mother has seen to that! Our marriage is over, I am sorry but from tonight it looks like you come from a broken home. I honestly believed she loved me, but it looks like I've been fooling myself for all these years? I wonder how many other lovers she's taken in the past twenty years? You had better go back inside for the moment, as everyone thinks I'm the bad Guy here. Wait until everyone has gone before you tell your mother the truth about 'Sheila' and for gods sake make sure that Angela doesn't hear you!"

I got in my car and drove away. The woman I had loved for twenty years had betrayed me with an arsewhole Casanova, from my own firm and then told all my colleagues and friends what she had done. Not only had she destroyed our marriage, but she had made it impossible for me to remain in my job. I couldn't for the life of me work out how she had come to find out about Sheila. Sheila was the family secret my children and myself had kept June in the dark about her for ten years.

End of part one

Three Days Part Two.

When It Rains! It Pours!

June the woman I had loved for twenty years had betrayed me with an arse-hole Casanova, from my own firm and then told all my colleagues and friends what she had done. Not only had she destroyed our marriage, but also she had made it impossible for me to remain in my job. I couldn't for the life of me work out how she had come to find out about Sheila. Sheila was the family secret; my children and myself had kept June in the dark about her for ten years!

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My father had got caught up in the Korean conflict. He was a civilian working for, what I think now days, would be called an NGA. I must admit I haven't the faintest idea what he was actually doing out there. But once the conflict started he and several people working with him disappeared when the North Koreans invaded the village they were based at. The north Koreans denied any knowledge of what had happened to them and they became listed as missing. Then we received the news that they were believed t have been killed. After the conflict was over and the North Korean's finally released all the POW's they claimed to have; my father was declared to be dead.

Mother had been devastated by the news. She had two you children and was left alone in the world; things had been hard, as it was what was she going to do without a husband. But she then fell under the influence of a sly bastard, who under the pretence of consoling her in her grief had eventually wormed his way into her bed. She fell pregnant, and her so-called friend disappeared. Probably he went to find other unsuspecting widows' to pray on.

Then in 1955 the Russians, wanted to do a deal, to exchange some guy who had been caught spying in England and they suddenly produced my father and two of his colleagues who they offered to do an exchange with. It was all kept very quiet so as not to embarrass anyone the respective governments. No explanations were given on how come, three people who went missing in Korea, turned turned up years later, being held in Russian. My father was never forthcoming with what exactly had happened. I suspect there could be a novel in his exploits if he would only tell his story. But with the Cold War going on all sorts of strange things happened back then.

Mother was frantic; she had lost her loving husband once. Now when he came back he was going to find her with a new baby that he most definitely hadn't fathered. In desperation she put baby up for adoption. My sister and I were sworn to secrecy, that we had both kept as we wanted our father back home.

My mother had never got over losing the baby. My father always put her depressions and nightmares down to the fact that he had left her alone so much over the years and that she had always worried about him when he was away.

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Then ten years ago I received a call from the Salvation Army. They told me that my half-sister had been trying to trace her natural mother. The Sally-Ann had found my mother and me and asked if we wanted to make contact. Of course we did, my mother was over the moon and we had stayed in regular contact ever since. My half-sisters name as you may well have guessed by now is 'Sheila Marie Carter'!

Now my Mother, Sister and I had a problem. Father could not be told about Sheila. He was not the kind of man, who would understand or forgive my mothers dalliance.

Sheila lived in Manchester. Her adoptive parents had known my mother and christened her Marie after her. For the same reason my own daughter had been named Marie.

June has always told her best friend Angela, everything. And when I say everything. I mean everything! Christ that woman knew more about my sex life than I did. But Angela as I have said before is the biggest mouth in the west. She will repeat any piece of scandal she has heard and she wouldn't care who was listening. She had the most annoying habit at dropping embarrassing hints about things she that had been told, supposedly in confidence. My children and I made the decision not to tell June about 'Sheila' because we were convinced she would tell Angela. My parents were often at my house when Angela was around. We could just see her making her comments to upset my mother, with whom Angela had never got on well!

In my work I went to our Salford office for about three days every month and it had become my habit to spend my free time there, visiting my half-sister and her family. I had taken both of my children with me on occasions and they got on well with Sheila's children.

Sheila's husband sometimes visits London in the course of his work and I had introduced him to June as a colleague. He had even met my father on occasions, but of course dad also thought he was a work colleague. Mind you there was one occasion when Angela was at my house. She had been extremely curious as to who he was and I had taken great delight in keeping her in the dark.

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Now my mother's indiscretion had come back to haunt me. Somehow June had got to hear of my visits to Sheila's house and had jumped to all the wrong conclusions. Then for some absurd reason had decided not to challenge me; but completely humiliate me by fucking a man she new I couldn't abide at our anniversary party. Then to really top things off she had announced what she had done to the whole bloody world. She had obviously been planning the evening's events for some time. Probably since she started her strange behaviour towards me. As I drove to a local motel I became convinced that June's actions were triggered, and most likely guided by the witch Angela!

Angela worked at the same firm as me. I knew she had been to the Salford office a couple of times in the past year. The rumour was she was bedding one of the managers up there. I wondered could she have got him to spy on my movements or had he just have seen Sheila and me, when she met me for lunch.

I laid on my motel bed wondering how my life could get any worse, when it did!

My cell-phone rang. It was my sister Marie; she lives in Cornwall and had not been able to make it to the party. She told me that mother had just called her. Father had had a heart attack and was in hospital. She said mother was in a terrible condition. When my sister had asked why mother had not called me; mother had told her that I'd had enough problems for one day. She asked me what was going on, so I told her that June and I had separated, but I would explain all that to her later. Then I hurriedly left for the Hospital.

By the time I arrived at the hospital my Father had passed away, and mother had been put under sedation. The nurses said that mother kept saying that she "Had to tell Him!" and "She had killed him!" It was obvious that mother had told dad about Sheila. The shock must have been too much for his heart. Now I was really mad at June and her so called friends. They had caused my fathers death and June's revenge fuck was going to be nothing to what I was going to do.

It was gone ten on Sunday morning when my mother came out of sedation. The hospital staff decided to keep her in until she got over the shock of my father's death.

I drove home straight from the hospital and when I arrived I saw that Roger Johnson's car was parked in the drive. I got out of my car, to be met by my son. He told me that Johnson had arrived about an hour earlier. Marie and Peter had not been able to tell their mother about Sheila, as Angela had been with June all night. Peter and his friends had told Johnson to leave just after I had left the night before. Johnson had at first refused, but when Peter's Rugby buddies had insisted. He had left.

I stormed in the front door and into the lounge where June was sat with Johnson and Angela. Johnson stood up, but before he could move I head butted him in the face and he went down. I dragged him to his feet and gave him a few punches to the gut, then threw him out the house. No I'm not a gentleman when it comes to fighting. Get in first. Get them down and keep them down! That's the only safe way when it comes to a fight.

Then I went back for Angela! She and June were sitting together on the Sofa.

"Right you bitch get the fuck out of my house now and don't you ever come back!"

Angela didn't move.

"This is my house as well and my friend is staying with me!"

June's remark fell on deaf ears. I grabbed Angela by the hair and dragged her screaming out of the house and virtually threw her at Johnson; who was sat on the ground, looking somewhat dazed. When I got back inside June was cowering in the corner. My daughter said,

"Please don't hurt her dad, she wasn't to know about Sheila!"

"Well you had better tell her then, hadn't you! With luck the news will have the same effect on her as has had on your grandfather, and bloody kill her! Did you here that June? Your little antics last night have lead to the death of my father. Now pack your fucking bags and get your slut arse out of my fucking house before I get back from the undertakers or I wont be held responsible for my actions!"

My children of course wanted to know what had happened to their grandfather and I told them that Gran had told him about Sheila, and he had a heart attack and died. They could explain it to their mother.

When I left the house again. Johnson was sitting in his car with Angela nursing his nose. As he saw me come out he drove away very quickly.

The trip to Paterson's the undertaker was not strictly necessary. But I was frightened that I would not be able to control my temper around June. Old man Paterson had been a drinking pal of my dads for years and he told me I could leave everything to him.

When I returned home again I found a Police car parked out front. "Oh well!" I thought, "I'm probably going to get nicked for duffing-up Johnson." But I wasn't particularly worried as my life was in shreds now, anyway.

I found two constables in the lounge with my children. They told me that Johnson and Angela had both made complaints about me. But from what my children and wife had told them, these police officers were satisfied that I had only used the force that was necessary to remove them from the house. Peter had told them that he was forced to get his friends to remove Johnson from the house the previous evening. The officers left saying they would put in a report; but they doubted it would come to anything, and unless Johnson or Angela tried to take private action they didn't think I would hear anything more. They did tell me that Johnson's nose was broken; but I pointed out to them that he was somewhat bigger then me.

I collapsed onto the Sofa and asked Marie and Peter when their mother had left. Marie looked me in the eye, and I could see that she was worried.

"Mum hasn't left, she's upstairs in your room. She hasn't stopped crying since I told her about Sheila. She went up there and we thought she was going to pack, but she is just lying on the bed, crying. When the police came she came down and told them that Johnson and Angela had told her all kinds of lies about you, and when you came home; you had asked them to leave. They had refused, she thought because they didn't want her to know that what they had said to her were lies. You'd had no choice but to physically throw them out. Then she started crying again, and ran back upstairs. She's still up there, are you going to talk to her!"