Time is the Ultimate Revenge

Time is the Ultimate Revenge

DD Day - Devastation Discovery Day - My life leading up to it

My name is Mike Wilson, and up until that night, I thought my life was pretty good. Little did I know that it was about to descend into hell. In one night, everything I loved would either be taken from me or threatened to be taken from me. Still, I survived, and over the years, took comfort in one particular bible verse - "The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned, but time and chance happen to them all."

I married Jenny Smith three months out of college, and we had been married for a little over seven years when Jenny totally betrayed me. I have gone back over every minute of our married life that I could dredge up and found nothing to indicate that my life was about to turn to shit. I was totally blindsided.

Jenny and I met in college. She was very attractive at about five foot six with auburn hair and emerald green eyes. Jenny was not overly endowed, but in my mind, she was perfect. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being a goddess, Jenny was a nine, maybe even a nine and a half. But she had a charm about her that just drew people in. Jenny had me, body and soul, at "Hello." And we meshed together so well, and our goals seemed to match perfectly. Or at least the goals that Jenny talked about with me. Anyway, we dated and eventually married.

While Jenny was a nine or a nine and a half with fantastic charm, I'm an eight or an eight and a half, but I'm more of the strong silent type. I'm six foot even, about a hundred and ninety pounds, and have sandy brown hair. My social life was quite active during high school and college, and I had my fair share of bedroom romps. I would never be confused with a sports star or a movie star. However, I would get an occasional second glance from an unattached woman.

I won't bore you with a long story about how Jenny and I got together other than to say we met in a statistics class our junior year. Over the next eighteen months, we became like two peas in a pod. And just before graduation, I was fortunate to secure a good job, so our future looked very bright indeed.

One thing that should have set off some alarm bells for me was that Jenny was very reluctant to take me to meet her parents, John and Alma. I didn't realize until after we married that Jenny was totally embarrassed by them. In fact, I believe I might never have met them if I hadn't insisted on speaking to her father before I would ask her to marry me. For a day or two, I thought we were on the verge of breaking up. But then, Jenny relented and made arrangements for us to visit her parents at their house. At this meeting, I learned that Jenny had grown up very poor, and she was deeply embarrassed by that fact.

But to me, I felt they were lovely people, and Jenny had nothing to be ashamed of. They were warm, compassionate, and very friendly. They didn't have much, but they were always willing to share whatever they had. My father died when I was fourteen, and my mother died when I was twenty. So, I came to love John and Alma Smith as though they were my real parents.

They lived in a small house in an older, less than desirable neighborhood. It was a single-story dwelling of slightly more than a thousand square feet. The design was simple, with three bedrooms and one bath. They had a decent-sized living room but a small kitchen. Still, John ensured the outside was in good repair and the lawn was neat and trimmed. For her part, Alma kept the inside spotless.

Over the years, it was sad to see Jenny snub her parents. But anytime I brought up the subject, it sparked a fight. So, I avoided any mention of John and Alma but always kept tabs on them. I would call them at least once a week, and sometimes, I could get Jenny to talk to them. But aside from wanting to keep in touch, I would listen to see if they needed anything. Like one time, I knew that John's lawnmower had broken, and he didn't have the money to have it fixed. So, I bought a used mower and told John I had a new one, and did he know anyone who could use my old one? I think he knew what I was doing, but he accepted the mower gratefully. As I said, I had a good job that paid well, so I was more than willing to help out if needed.

I started as a staff accountant for a fair-sized manufacturing firm with factories in five states and two foreign countries. I worked at the firm's headquarters where the accounting department consisted of only eighteen people including myself. Despite the small size of the department, we handled all the accounting and taxes for all the firm's entities. Even though I was an entry-level accountant, I was paid a high five-figure salary. But three years after I joined the firm, two things helped advance my career. First, John Stanton, our department manager, retired; second, I passed the CPA exam.

At first, they tried to hire a new manager from the outside to replace John. But after the second one failed miserably, I was offered the job. I was promoted to accounting supervisor, and my pay was bumped to low six figures. This thrilled Jenny as we could now afford a bigger house and buy more expensive cars.

Jenny got pregnant shortly after we were married, and we had twins - a girl and a boy. At first, Jenny was not pleased to find out she was pregnant. She complained bitterly that it was too soon; she wanted to travel and enjoy life first. As for me, I was thrilled. Thankfully, once the twins, Glenda and Mark, were born, Jenny became a fantastic mother. And for the first five and half years, she was a stay-at-home mom. But once the kids started going to kindergarten, Jenny insisted on getting a job. With a degree in English, she could only find a decent-paying job as an administrative assistant at a law firm.

When I learned where Jenny was going to be working, I was concerned that she'd be led astray. I had read numerous stories about married women working for law firms and starting affairs with one or more of the attorneys there. However, that never happened.

The attorney she worked for was Clem Flint, one of the original partners, and he was a fifty-five-year-old man with a potbelly. Also, he had a wife who he adored and five children. Mr. Flint was a devoted Christian, as were his partners, and wouldn't stand for any fooling around.

Our marriage seemed very strong, and our sex life was active - three or four times a week. However, during our sixth year of marriage, I noticed that Jenny was out of sorts. I confronted her one day after she snapped at Glenda for forgetting to put a dish in the sink.

"What's going on with you, Jenny," I said quietly. "You didn't have to go nuclear on her. It was just a dish, for God's sake."

Jenny started to cry. "It wasn't the dish. I'm just so down because I feel my life is passing me by, and I haven't had a chance to live. I feel like all I am is someone's wife or mommy. There are so many places that I want to go to that I'll probably never get to see. There are so many nice things that we'll never be able to afford. My life is shit."

I was shocked by Jenny's description of our life together. I thought she was going through a midlife crisis or something and suggested that we go to a counselor. That suggestion was met with hostility. "I'm not fucking nuts; I just want a better life." With that, Jenny stormed off.

The children and I would tread lightly for weeks on end. It wasn't all bad. Jenny would snap out of it, and we'd be a loving family for a few weeks. But then the discontented Jenny would reappear.

I was convinced that this was a rough patch, and Jenny would eventually snap out of it for good. And if she didn't, I had married her for better or worse. I loved Jenny with all my heart, and I was convinced that she loved me. Besides, we had our two wonderful children, and I knew that Jenny loved them. They were great kids, and I spent as much time as possible with them, especially with Jenny's mood swings.

I really felt bad for the kids because they didn't understand why mommy was sad and mean at times. So, I worked hard to shield them from that and always told them that no matter how their mother acted, she still loved them to pieces. Many weekends, I'd schedule trips around town with Mark and Glenda. Sometimes Jenny would join us, but most times, she didn't. The kids loved having their happy mom come on trips with us, but they were relieved when we left the unhappy mommy home.

Things were tense in our house until the Fourth of July picnic that my company throws each year. It was a fun time for all the employees, and surprisingly, Jenny even looked forward to it. After that particular Fourth of July picnic, things at our house returned to better than normal. Jenny's mood improved tremendously, and our sex life was kicked into high gear. I couldn't have been happier. But then came the New Year's Eve party at my company office when my life was cast into the pits of hell.

Usually, Jenny and I skipped the company's New Year's Eve party. Neither of us was a big drinker, and I liked to dance more than Jenny did. So, to both of us, New Year's Eve was just an excuse to drink vast quantities of alcohol and act stupid. Normally, we'd take the kids out to dinner, put them down for the night, and watch the ball drop before climbing into bed to make love to welcome in the New Year.

This New Year's Eve was different as Jenny informed me that, she really wanted to go for the first time in years. Her explanation was that we hadn't been dancing in a long time. This struck me as strange because Jenny wasn't that great a dancer. This all seemed odd to me, but if Jenny wanted to go to the party to dance, I was more than happy to oblige. And when I saw the sexy dress, she was wearing, I had high hopes that we would spectacularly usher in the New Year.

When we arrived at the party, I was surprised to see the owner of our company, Brad Colson, there. The only company event he regularly attended was the Fourth of July picnic. In fact, it was at the last Fourth of July picnic that Jenny met the company's owner for the first time. I could tell that everyone was a little surprised to see the boss at this particular party. The consensus was that he liked the picnic because he loved to compete in the volleyball and softball games. He was an okay athlete, but no one had the guts to tell him that he wasn't nearly as good as he thought. We have a few guys that had played baseball in either college or the minors, and a woman who had gone to Ohio State on a full scholarship to play volleyball.

As soon as I got Jenny situated, I went to get drinks for us. However, before I got back, the music started, and Brad was asking my wife to dance. He danced three or four songs before returning her to our table. When I asked Jenny to dance, she told me she just wanted to rest. But a half-hour later, when Brad appeared, she hopped up and danced with him for five straight songs. Finally, I was able to get two dances with Jenny before she pleaded fatigue.

About fifteen minutes before midnight, Brad was back again. Jenny didn't even look my way as she took his hand. To say the least, I was super pissed, but I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of my boss. I'd have it out with Jenny when we got home.

I sat there stewing when someone said it was one minute to midnight. I looked around for my wife because I wanted the new year to begin with a passionate kiss from her. But I was stunned when I saw Brad pull Jenny close and kiss her on the lips. Anger swelled within me, and I strode to where they were still embraced.

I jerked Brad away from my wife and yelled. "Leave my wife alone, fuckface!"

The room suddenly went deathly quiet as every eye was on us now. No one had ever spoken to Mr. Colson in that manner. I didn't care that he was my boss; he had crossed the line, and I wasn't going to stand for it. I didn't care if he fired me.

My heart was beating wildly, and I knew my face was flushed red. I was not a fighter, but if Brad gave me any shit, I was willing to go toe to toe with him. But he just smirked at me.

"Jenny, I think it's time to go home," I said through gritted teeth.

I reached for Jenny's hand, but she pulled it away.

"Mike, I'm sorry," Jenny said as she took Brad's hand, "I'm going with Brad. It will only be for tonight. We'll talk tomorrow."

I was so stunned that I couldn't get a word out. Before I knew it, Brad and Jenny were gone, and everyone was staring at me. It was the single most humiliating thing that I had ever experienced in my life. I left immediately and went home.

One Day after DD Day

When I woke up on New Year's Day, I suffered from the worst hangover I'd ever experienced. Last night had been too much crying and drinking and too little sleep. I had raged against heaven and hell. I plotted and planned to get revenge against Brad Colson. I was convinced that he had tricked my wife into leaving with him. I was already rehearsing what I would say to my wife when she got home. And there was no doubt that we would be spending a considerable amount of time in counseling. Yes, despite the total disrespect, I wanted Jenny back. I loved her that much. Still, I wracked my brain for ways to really stick it to Brad, but the only plans that came to mind were violent in the extreme. And as quickly as I thought of one, I discarded it because I didn't want to go to jail for a piece of shit like Brad Colson.

It took three hours, but I finally had my massive headache somewhat under control. So, I called the babysitter and told her I'd be over in a couple of hours to pick up Mark and Glenda. Then reality started to seep in on me, and I started to get paranoid. What if Jenny decided that she wasn't coming back? That was suddenly a real possibility to me. And what if she grabbed the kids first? I'd be fucked. So, I dressed quickly and raced over to reclaim my kids before Jenny thought of doing it. I wanted to start any discussion with Jenny from a position of strength.

The kids were thrilled to see me but wanted to know where mommy was. It took everything I had to keep from breaking down in front of my two children. So, after taking a deep breath, I fibbed. I told them that mommy had to take a trip. They seemed disappointed until I asked if they wanted to go to IHop for pancakes.

While the kids were eating, I started two lists; one on how we could get past this, and the other was planning for a divorce. When I got home, I was relieved and disappointed that Jenny wasn't there. I wanted to patch things up with my wife, but I was afraid of what I might do or say. Then I saw the answer machine blinking. The message was from Jenny, who thought that because my emotions were so raw, it would be best if we postponed our talk for a week. She explained that Brad needed a secretary for a business trip, and she was going to fill in. Jenny filling in was a bunch of crap. The only one doing the filling would be Brad. I crumpled up the list on how to get back together and threw it into the trash.

The emotional pain I was feeling right at that moment seemed ten times worse than any physical pain I had ever suffered in my life. It's impossible for anyone to understand what it's like unless they had been betrayed by someone they loved and trusted most in their life. During these days, I understood how a man could lose his mind and do horrible bodily harm to those he supposedly loved, destroy property without a thought, and, yes, even consider taking one's own life.

All of those thoughts flooded through my brain in a never-ending loop. Finally, thankfully, I was able to dismiss one of those thoughts. I would never kill myself because I loved my children too much. The thought of leaving them devastated by a selfish act on my part was repulsive to me. However, the other dark images continued with a new one added. Were Mark and Glenda really my kids?

I readily agreed when the kids asked if they could play in the backyard. I needed this free time to get myself together and start planning for a completely new life. So, while the kids were playing, I started expanding the list of things I needed to do to protect myself and my children in the coming shit storm. The first thing on my list was a DNA test. I would pick up a kit when we went out to eat.

I tried to cover as much as I could think, but I knew I probably missed quite a bit. So, the first call I made was to a friend who had gone through a divorce and asked him if he would recommend his divorce lawyer. He said hell no, but he would definitely recommend his ex-wife's. I asked if I could get that lawyer's name and phone number. After a few minutes of hunting, he gave me the needed information. The attorney's name was Tom Watson, and he had an office with three other attorneys that worked solely on divorces, wills, and estates.

I called the number even though it was New Year's Day because I figured I could leave a message, and someone would call me back on Tuesday. To my surprise, a man answered the phone, "Tom Watson."

I quickly realized that I was talking to the attorney I wanted to retain, and before he could blow me off, I explained my problem. I think he was probably going to make an appointment for me until I mentioned that my wife's lover was Brad Colson. Then he became very interested. He asked if I could come to his office at 9 am on Tuesday. I told him I could if I could find someone to watch my kids.

"Please, bring your children with you because they'll be helpful in what I think you should do. Before you come, I want you to gather up all of your financial records, including bank statements, credit card bills, utility bills, and mortgage payments. I also want you to list anything else that you and Jenny spent more than a hundred dollars on. Be sure to bring birth certificates, your marriage license, social security numbers, tax returns for the years you've been married, and anything else that might be relevant."

After gathering up everything I thought might be helpful, including a copy of the telephone message Jenny left me, I spent the rest of the day playing with the kids. That evening, when we headed to Pizza Joe's, I stopped to pick up the DNA test. After swabbing my kid's cheeks and mine, I took the kit to a Federal Express office. The DNA testing company promised the results in two days. I was so relieved when the tests came back showing that the kids were mine.

The following morning, it was a little hectic as I got the kids fed and ready. Before leaving for the appointment, I called work and told them I'd be taking the rest of the week as vacation time.

Tom Watson's office was larger than I had imagined, and after introductions, Tom led us into a good-sized conference room. I took Mark and Glenda to the far end and let them have their mini-iPads to play their educational games. Tom and I sat at the conference table on the other end of the room. I broke down twice while I was telling how my wife had walked out on me with my boss on New Year's Eve. I still couldn't believe she had discarded me like some day-old trash. Tom was very understanding and quite compassionate. He told me it would get better, but I was in too dark a place to believe that.

When I finished explaining my problems, Tom pulled out a picture, pushing it across the table to me. "I want to let you know something before you agree to hire me. This is a picture of my cousin Abby Colson. She was once married to Joe Colson, Brad Colson's brother. Joe cheated on my cousin and then left her for someone else. I represented Abby in her divorce but got my clock cleaned as Brad paid for his brother's team of lawyers. They buried me in paperwork, and I was too naïve to realize what they were doing. I had just passed the bar and still thought everyone played fair. In the end, Abby got screwed. It took me five years, but I eventually got the judgment partially reversed. From that day on, I've worked my tail off to be the best family attorney I can be. Even though I didn't get Abby what she deserved, my partial victory pissed him off. So, while I welcome a rematch with Mr. Colson, I want you to know that Brad will unleash his lawyers on you, especially since it's me representing you. But I promise I'll give you everything I've got."