Twenty Effen Years

"Let's leave that stuff out. Fill me in on your kids." They all did.

"Do you think something will happen with Michelle?" David asked.

"Guys, very unlikely. Not looking for anything, but it's nice to have one female companion."

It was nice to see old friends. I finally got that job, which was also nice. I learned how to cook. Lea and Jas were very patient with me. I did go to the kids' almost every weekend. About six months after the divorce was final. Andrea's mom passed away. I heard that she flew back east. A day after the funeral, I called to speak with her siblings to pay my respects and condolences. They were all together. I spoke with Sam, Susan (Robert's wife) and Molly. Molly asked if I wanted to speak to Andrea. I said no. She handed the phone to Andrea, anyway.

"Tom?

"It's so nice of you to call."

I hung up. I really loved Andrea's mom, but I wasn't speaking to Andrea.

My life continued to improve. Once in a while my kids or grandchildren would say something about Andrea. Then I heard that she was leaving her job. That was one I need to hear more about. Why I'm not sure.

I contacted Ellen.

"I guess I know why you are calling."

"Yes, can we do lunch. I'll pay this time."

"Sure, today?"

"No, I'm working in the city. I'm not free until Thursday, is that good for you?"

"Nope, I can do Friday."

"Okay, but then let's make it a bit early. I have a 2:00 PM. I will push it back till 2:30. Let's meet at 12:00. Same place."

It had been almost 18 months since I saw Ellen. I gave her a big kiss hello. This one was on the lips. She was taken aback a bit.

"Wow you look great," I started.

"You're not going to make a move on me, not after my offer from 18 months ago, are you?"

"I didn't realize there was a statute of limitations. I'm kidding. No, Ellen. I don't sleep with married women. Even Matt, the family wrecker's, wife.

"How are you?"

"We're okay. Your buddy Matt really tried to make it up to me. You know, he never can. I will never trust him until our dying days. And Tom, my heart always breaks for you. You were the innocent in all of this."

"As painful as it is for me to admit, Matt in a way, also destroyed Andrea's life. Even though she, too, was a guilty party and an adult. Don't give me this shit that she felt like she owed him. She never used that line, but still, he literally and figuratively screwed up her life."

"In more ways than you know."

"What do you mean."

"Well, after you divorced her, her functionality started to drop. She just wasn't herself. When she came back from her mom's passing six months ago, she was messing up project after project. I couldn't say anything to her, because of our history. I made Matt do it, with me sitting in the room and HR. She looked so sad. He gave her one final warning. She messed up again. He let her go."

"Wow, that must have killed her. Her twenty-year lover fired her. I assume she'll get full severance?"

"If it were up to me, she wouldn't. But she had a really good case and could sue for sexual harassment, among other things if he wouldn't."

"She's going to have a tough time getting another job. She's going to be 60 in a few months. It's funny, I had this whole birthday party planned for her. No, I hadn't done anything yet, but I had in all in my head. Amazing what can happen in just under two years."

"Matt is having a farewell party for her. I have to go and speak. That's going be tough."

"Just think about the first 26 years and all the good that the two of you did together."

"Tom, I must say, you're an amazing guy. This woman cheated on you for 20 years and you really care for her welfare."

"If she crashes, not that she doesn't deserve it, it will fall on my children's responsibility. I don't want that for them."

"Do you think you can ever hook up again with her?"

"Not possible."

"Okay, just asking."

"Why would you care about her welfare?"

"She was my friend for 26 years."

*****

A few months elapsed, Andrea had her birthday. She had a nice birthday weekend with all the kids. They all told me how sad it was. My presence was missed. Lea tried from time to time, but somehow Jas knew that I would never get back together with her. I thought about the last time I saw her and it was that night when she confessed, only because Ellen found out. I never did ask Ellen how she found out.

Shortly after that, my dad passed and I flew back east. A day after the funeral, I was sitting with my mom, holding her hand when Andrea walked in the house. I was shocked. I hadn't seen her in over two years and she looked terrible. She gave my mom a big hug and kiss and they had a good cry together. Andrea was very close to my dad. She tried to comfort me. I just looked at her and said "Thank you for coming." No kiss or hugs from me. No scene from me. Later in the evening, my brother Dan said that Andrea told his wife Melanie and Larry's wife Sara the story. I asked what she said.

"She said that she had an affair with her boss, Matt."

"Did she say how long it went on for?" I asked.

"She didn't say."

"Well then, ask her. I assume she'll come back with Molly and Susan tomorrow."

"You won't tell us?"

"Nope. Sorry. I think when you hear the answer you'll all understand me."

*****

Andrea walked in with her sisters the following day. They both went to my mom and then me. I gave my sisters-in-law hugs. Of course, I ignored Andrea.

"She told us, you could still be civil," Susan said.

I was quite shocked that my nosy body former sister-in-law could speak to me that way when I was in morning. I looked at Melanie.

"Andrea, you didn't say, how long did it go on for?" she asked.

"Tom didn't tell you?"

"Tom said that he has never told a soul and never discussed it except with Ellen."

The mention of Ellen made Andrea cringe a little.

Susan perked up and looked at her sister. "Andrea?"

"Is it important?"

Molly got in on the act. "Just say it and get it over with. The more you drag it out, the worse it becomes."

"20."

"Twenty what: days, weeks or please don't say months?" Susan asked.

Andrea looked down and mumbled.

"Years."

No one spoke. Susan had tears in her eyes. Molly came back to me and grabbed me. "Tommy, I'm so, so sorry."

Molly always called me Tommy. Molly couldn't look at her sister. I felt I needed to step in.

"Guys, our marriage broke up over two years ago. Time for everyone to move on."

Andrea looked at me.

"You too." It wasn't a question. It was a statement or an order. I was boiling mad. That woman had no right. I calmed myself.

"You can speak to me in 18 years. I had 20 years of famine, now I will have 20 years of sustenance. When I'm 80 and if I'm still around and I remember something, we can have this discussion.

"One thing I can suggest, as long as you are telling your siblings, I think your children have a right to know, also."

That was the first thing I said to my wife, or ex-wife in over two years.

"I can't."

"Andrea," Molly said, "should I?"

Andrea just looked at her sister, tears came out of her eyes and she shrugged. She didn't know what to do.

Molly, just hugged her baby sister. Yes, Andrea was the baby.

*****

This tale began nearly five years after the announcement or admission. About six months after my dad passed, things really started to improve for me. I met the sweetest and nicest woman that I could dream of. Andrea was smart, really smart. Andrea was really pretty. Andrea had the most beautiful eyes.

Lara was cute. Lara was so soft spoken. Lara was very petite. Lara was down to earth. Lara was never the life of a party, like Andrea. She struggled to make a living as a teacher. Lara was also a widow. She was 44 and had two children: a 20-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. Her husband had passed away six years earlier, and she did a fantastic job raising her kids. Now as her son went off to college, the first guy that she had the fortune of meeting and going out on a date was yours truly, Thomas R. Greene. Don't ask me what the R stands for, my parents just gave me the initial.

I didn't want to come on too strong. She told me her story. I cried. I told her my story. We both cried. Yes, I could be a bit emotional. I took Lara home to my apartment. I knew this was her first date. I said that I would take it slow with her. We kissed a bit, listened to music and talked. At around 1:00 AM. I Ubered her home. Yes, I had the driver wait for me while I took her to her door.

The next night I called her and we went out a few days later. Within three weeks, we slept together. Lara and I took our time. I kept my apartment, but I sort of moved in to hers. We sort of lived together for about seven months. Lara had met my kids and my grandkids. I met hers. Our kids all met. Yes, my kids were a bit older. Heck, I was 18 years older than Lara. I was only 23 years older than Lea, so they were much closer in age. Despite Lara seeing a senior citizen, she was quite happy with my youth and exuberance. It was time. I proposed for the second time in my life. She said yes. I decided to buy an apartment. I looked for a large apartment. We stayed in the city.

Andrea had sold the house. Jas told me that she was going to rent. She didn't tell me that she also moved to the city. The good news about Andrea selling the house was 400K for me. We were now beyond the four-year mark. One night Jas called me in hysterics. Andrea was rushed to the hospital. They asked me to go. I was closest. Doctors told me that she overdosed. Took too many pills. She was in the hospital for a few days and they needed someone to take her home. I spoke to Lara. My angel took in my ex. That is not typical. Some of Andrea's (and mine) old friends started to visit. When Natalie and Jenny (Randy's wife) came to visit, they both apologized to me. I had no patience for them. These were my friends. They all took Andrea's side until they finally heard the truth. They were really nice to Lara. Andrea was coming along slowly. I thought it was time.

My third and last call to Ellen, I asked if I could come over and speak to her and Matt.

"Why now, it's more than four years," she said.

I told her there was something I wanted to say to Matt. I was ready.

The following evening, my little harem of Andrea, Lara and I came to the home of Matthew and Ellen Gray. Ellen opened the door, I introduced Lara to them and they were both shocked to see Andrea. She was a shell of herself. Andrea was listless, and had only been out of the hospital for six weeks. They couldn't believe what she looked like.

We were all seated and Matt said, "Okay, Tom. What do you need to say to me?"

"Actually, Matt, I don't need to say anything to you. There's nothing that I can say. Your actions speak for them themselves."

"You know, I wasn't alone. Andrea was my accomplice."

"I don't think you were coming from the same place. You were her boss. You should have known better."

"She was an adult."

"You can believe that you're innocent and that Andrea was just guilty as you, but look at her. every time you took her, you were attempting murder. It was me and Ellen who you were trying to kill. Ellen survived. I was on life support, and thankfully Lara was able to give me new life. Look what you did to Andrea. It was she that you killed in the end. Say what you want. I just want you to live with this memory for the rest of your miserable life. Twenty fucking years. You couldn't stop. You had twenty years to stop. You needed Ellen to catch you. You asshole. Had you stopped after five years, we'd all be fine. 10, 15, 19 years, nothing would have happened. But you liked your easy candy."

"Tom, it was just... Tom, there's nothing I can say."

"Then don't say anything. Just look at her. Every night when you go to sleep, just remember what you did. Andrea has four kids. You stole their mother from them."

"We are leaving. It was nice to see you again Ellen."

*****

I'm not sure why I needed to do that, but I did. It was Natalie who called me about three months later.

"Matt is dead. Heart attack. I just figured you should know."

"Thanks Nat. I'm not sure if I should tell Andrea. She moved out about two weeks ago. I'll pay my respects to Ellen."

"Jenny and I will go over there tomorrow. We'll tell her."

"When is the funeral?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"I told Matt that his affair with Andrea was attempted murder on Ellen and me, and yet, he nearly destroyed Andrea and in the end, his heart couldn't handle it. Cheaters never prosper. I guess Ellen will be a wealthy woman. I wonder what she will do with the business?

"You know, Matt changed his will. After the affair, he changed his will to include Ellen. His kids each got 15% and she 25%. I guess she knew how to get around the prenup."

*****

So that was my story. I have great kids. I have a great wife. I have to be the naivest and trusting fool in the history of cheated husbands. I got lucky. Ellen got lucky. Matt did not and Andrea, well, she's trying to rebuild her life. She moved into Jasmine's house. She's doing better. We do communicate. I didn't wait the 20 years. Lara helped me. Lara is my angel, and in a way, Andrea's, too.