Undoing the Wrappings of Lies

I asked him for a shredded knife which he immediately got me one. I sat at the picnic table and cut the lemon cut into eight sections.

I said to the uncle who had brought me it, "Are you up for a challenge?"

He said, "Sure."

"Okay you will have to do what I do, with these two items you gave me," I said.

Figuring he had no way to lose he said, "Okay it's on."

He watched me as I used my thumb to peel the lemon flesh apart from the lemon skin. Then stick that peeled flesh section into my mouth and eat it as if I were eating an orange. When half of the lemon was done, I took half of the double shot he had given me gargled it in my mouth then downed it in one swallow. I repeated the process until everything was all gone.

Someone had gotten him the same thing he had brought out to me. Everybody roared because he tried but could not do it. He thought he was getting one over me and I had gotten him.

"Just so you all know," Kim's Nana said. "Russell Brophy is nobody's fool he knew what you all were doing all day and let it go knowing that he would get one of you in the end. Russ has got a good head on his shoulder and if you try your stunts again, you'll answer to me."

After that, I was accepted by them all. By remaining calm about their childish stunts, I had earned their respect because they had learned that I could play their games better than they could.

It was as she was speaking that Kim's sisters finally showed up. That was the evening that Kim learned that she had major competition. After introductions were done Kim had to explain to her sisters how we had met and who I was.

From the moment Mary learned who I was she refused to leave my side. I guess the story of my taking myself out had been exaggerated and expanded a hundred times. In all sense of the world, Mary at the age of thirteen had a huge teenage crush on me so did her older sister June.

After thanking Kim's Nana for the meal, we prepared to head out to the movie theatre. We ended the night down by the river taking a walk getting to know each other a bit better.

June and Mary tried to cause problems for Kim and me before we got serious, but they soon found out that I was not into playing their game. It was me that kept Kim from getting worked up with her sisters.

It was just after my next birthday that my life took a turn. My grandfather died leaving me the family home. My dad agreed with me that I would have to have everything updated if I were going to keep it.

What I did was divide the ten-acre parcel into three sections. I sold one section as land and then the second with the house. It made me enough that I could build my house without much extra cost. After getting it done, I had a twenty thousand dollar mortgage but was left with a five-bedroom three thousand eight hundred square foot new home with the master on the main.

That is when Kimberly and my relationship started to change. Accidents can happen when you get overheated and boy did it ever. It took three months from the day she broke the news for us to get married. Five months later a little blonde hair blue eyed angel came into the world. Juniper Mae weighed six pounds and immediately was Nana's favorite. In quick succession, Tammy Lynn, Betty Joe, and James Earl named after my dad followed.

Present-day

I was sitting in my office as the head of the Physio Department of the Southeastern Missouri Hospital when the reality of our world changed. Kimberley my wife now an elementary school principal and I had been married for twenty-two years.

Our four children were either in high school or away at university working on their dreams. Within the next year, we would be empty nesters adjusting to being just the two of us again. To be honest I was ready for it.

She on that Friday was in a meeting in St Louis because it was teacher improvement day and there were no classes. The state had scheduled a conference she had to attend. It was going to be a two-day event, so she had driven up Thursday night.

That was when the order came down to bunker down and stay at your residence unless you were part of those who were employed in essential services. Our governor left it to each county to decide for their area. St. Louis was being hit the worst. At that time, we had one case locally.

I decided to stop at the local Walmart on the way home to pick up some basics even though we were well stocked. I am glad I did because the panic had begun. As I walked in a lady was heading to the checkout counter with two carts full of toilet paper.

I grabbed a cart and went directly to that section to get the biggest pack I could find. Then I went around picking up the basics that we might be low on. As I went around the aisles picking things up, I ran into the vice principal that worked with my wife.

For me, it was a total shock because I had been told by Kimberly that they were going together.

"Hi Shauna," I said. "I thought you were going to St. Louis for the education seminar?"

"What seminar," Shauna asked?

That was when I knew something else was going on. If there was no seminar, why did June's husband a high school teacher have to attend it? When I got out of the wally world, I called June from the car to tell her what I learned. She agreed to meet me at my house.

After putting away the groceries I went into our credit card account and found that the deposit for the hotel room had been reported but not charged. I called customer services and got them to release the address of the hotel.

Using an address search, I was able to get the name and phone number of the hotel where the charge had come from. That was when the front doorbell rang.

"Come on in June the doors open," I yelled.

June came in with her little sister Mary who had just gone through her divorce. Her former husband a doctor had been caught cheating with one of the nurses who worked in his office. Mary had found out about the affair when he got served with a summons to appear in divorce court.

After getting both of my sister's in-laws a glass of white wine I suggested to June that we text our spouses telling them of our governor's declaration asking them to supply us with the hotel they were staying in and the room number.

Whatever they were doing at that moment it was apparent that they were not together because the details that came back to each of us when compared were the same.

A simple text message had disclosed their affair. I picked up the phone and called a social blogger who was well respected and followed in the state. I told him I had just got off the phone from talking to my wife and had learned that one of the hotel's quests was now in the hospital with the virus.

He asked which hotel, so I told him. June was giving me a dirty look partly because I had not done anything close to lying in my life.

"Mary and June, I said that because I want to find out what Kimberly and Thomas will come up with as an excuse." I continued by saying, "When they have to reveal to us what we already know."

"What do you think will happen, Russ," June asked?

"The suspicion will be enough with the panic going on to force the hotel and all those in it to be quarantined for at least two weeks," I said. "That will give us time to find lawyers and file for divorce."

Jill laughed and said. "God, you have screwed them. It is funny but it is not."

With that said, Jill went into her cellphone and did a few things. Mary noticed her and asked, "what are you doing?"

Canceling all our credit cards and transferring most of our funds into saving because my husband's debit card does not have access to it." Jill said. "Let my sister get stuck with the bill."

Mary had a big grin on her face when she said, "Russ when my sister is served, I'm coming after you and this time I won't accept no."

I smiled because sometimes fate puts a gift horse right in front of you and I was looking at one. Many of the nights I had made love to my wife it was Mary I was thinking about. I loved my wife, but I had never been in love with her. I am sure she had felt the same way about me. We both knew that if she had not have gotten knocked up, we wouldn't have married.

It was Mary that suggested we should turn to the local station. We have either Fox or CBS both owned by the same corporation. On Fox, they ran repeats of the same news program. I turned it on. The news was devastating.

The problems in our state were primary in St. Louis where the governor had ordered a complete shutdown. Every other county he would leave it to the local officials to decide how to handle it. All nonlife-threatening surgery was canceled to prepare for what might be coming down the road.

That sad thing was at that time we had one case in our county but on Monday I would be reviewing staffing to start layoffs. Every medical office across the country would be affected. Even though on paper you had clients scheduled none would show up.

*******

My son James bounded through the door just after his two aunts had left to inform me that going forward, he would be staying at home getting the rest of the school year online. One of the teachers had gone through the pickup window at Arby's and told him.

I guess he saw the look in my eyes because he asked, "Dad what's wrong?"

"There was no special educational conference that your mother had to attend," I replied.

"Then what is she doing and who did she go with," James asked.

"She's shacked up with your Uncle Thomas in a hotel in St. Louis," I said. "June and I both sent them a text message asking for the hotel and room number and they texted back the same location and room number. June is taking it hard Mary is staying with her."

My son and I were working together to prepare our supper. Since I had my hands tied up in cooking supper when my cellphone message notice rang. I asked my son to check it.

"Dad it's from mom she's just been informed as to what is going on. She is letting you know that all who are staying at the hotel have been quarantined for fourteen days. She says she will call you when she gets back to the hotel." James said. "Should I call and let Aunt June know?"

"Yes, I think you should," I replied while trying not to smile.

James talked to his aunt for quite a few minutes and got the whole story from her end. He was surprised to learn it was their stupidity that outed them.

We had just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang. James went to answer it. It was Mary with two suitcases of clothing and a few bundles of boxes that could be put together.

She said, "James since I live by myself and don't have any children, I am bunkering down with you guys for the next two weeks at least."

James yelled "Dad." I responded, "She knows everything might as well let her in."

I got an extra plate out and Mary joined us for supper.

"Whats the cardboard boxes for Aunt Mary," James asked as we ate?

"These ones are for your father," Mary said. "June has already got hers for packing up all of Thomas's personal stuff. He doesn't know it yet, but he has no home to come home to."

I guess James got a puzzled look because Mary went on to say, "When I discovered that my husband was cheating, I knew he had been lying to me for months. It took until after the divorce was done for me to learn he had been cheating on me for over eight months."

"James the problem is three-fold," I added. "The affair, the lie's and the destroying of the trust that has taken years to build."

James thought about it for a few then said, "You hear about divorces all the time, but you never hear about the real damage done. It's just not the affair that destroys the marriage it's the damage done to the other parts of a marriage that most never see."

"Hell, of a way to have to learn to see the full picture," I said. "Now you understand why I don't take sides when I hear about an acquaintance's divorce. Nothing is black and white even though we logically want to believe that."

"Any change that mom and you can get past this," James asked?

"You can't undo what is done no matter how hard you try," I replied. "Less than one percent of those who to try to rebuild make it because in the back of their mind they're always wondering if the spouse is at it again."

James looked at his Aunt and said, "You have always had a special interest in my Dad can you explain why?"

"I was thirteen when I met your dad," Mary said. "To me he was legendary. My sisters believed he may have saved my life. He was and still is different from any man I know. Even back then with our age difference, he treated me as an equal. At first, I thought it was hero worship but now I think it was love at first sight. I was jealous of your mom because I was in love with him."

James's eyes got wide. His aunt was telling him something he did not know but could understand well.

"It was your father who helped me deal with my divorce," She went on to say. "When your oldest sister Mae was born, I knew I had lost the chance to be with him. I settled for my husband because I could not have him. James, I am here for your father because I still love him. If our relationship changes going forward it is because it was meant to happen not because I interfered with my sister and him."

"Aunt Mary thank you; it explains a lot of things that I have wondered about, "James said. "There is another question that my three sisters have wondered about for years because Mae keeps talking about it."

It was shocking to me to see Mary's face go white. I thought she was deadly afraid of the question my son was going to ask.

"Go ahead James, ask it," I said. "If Mary can't answer it perhaps I can."

"Is there a chance that Dad is not the biological father of Mae," James asked in seriousness? "I ask because Mae believes a hundred percent that she is not but will not explain to any of us why."

"Yes, there is. Your mother was seeing someone else besides your dad right up until they announced their engagement," Mary said. "None in the family can verify what the truth is and have not dared to ask because we did not want to know."

I had not known. Mary knew it and had kept the family secret for all these years. I had to ask because I had to know. June had married Thomas two years after I had married Kim.

"Was it Thomas," I asked?

"Not sure," Mary answered. "It was either him or his twin brother. We still have a hard time figuring which one is which when their together."

"Does Jill know," I asked.

"I don't think so," Mary said. "Remember back then she was away at law school and out of the picture. When Kim and you started dating, she was home for the summer."

With that revelation now out, I picked up the phone and called my eldest. She did not answer, and my call went to her service. I asked her to give me a call when she could because it was important but not an emergency.

James said he would clean up the kitchen. After pouring Mary and I a drink we went into the den to have a long talk. I had just put our drinks on the coffee table when she rushed into my arms. Mary was not giving me a chance to hesitate.

She brought her mouth to mine and gave me a kiss that I would remember for years. I could not help but respond in kind. It had been a long time since I had experienced such passion.

Mary had her father's hair color which was a reddish-brown which was currently dyed a dark red with blonde highlights. She had a full rack, a nice slightly slender frame, and was as tall as I was. The shape of her hips caused her to appear to have a long horseshoe-shaped tush. She was built the way I liked females, and she knew it. To her, our eight-year age difference did not matter.

She pulled back and went to say something but before I gave her a chance, I pulled her back into me and returned the same in kind. We stood there locked in each other's arms as if we were making up for the lost time. When we heard James approaching, we broke it off. By the time he got to the den, we were sitting respectfully apart sipping on our drinks.

"Where should I put Aunt Marys' suitcases," James asked as he walked into the room?"

"If I had my choice it would be your father's bedroom," Mary said seriously.

James blushed. I laughed and said, "Would you be okay with that James."

"Dad, based on the truth's we learned tonight," he said. "Marrying my mother may have been your biggest mistake. I believe Aunt Mary was being honest about everything. Whatever you two decide to do I will support it one hundred percent."

"Let Mary and I talk things out, we have a lot to consider," I said, "James we both want to be sure we're making the right decisions for the right reasons. I've held my feelings about your aunt in for years."

"Ok dad, I'll place her luggage at the foot of the stairs going to the upstairs hallway and let you get back to the kissing," James said. "Aunt Mary you left a trace of your lipstick on dad."

When he left the room he was laughing, we were both blushing.

Mary got up and came over with her drink and sat on my lap. Looking into my eyes she got serious.

"If we put my suitcases in your bedroom I'm not moving out," Mary said. "I'm still fertile and I want two. So, I need to know are you okay with that."

"No not at all," I replied with a smile. "You may plan on two, but accidents happen."

"Then we got a lot of packing to do," Mary said. "I want all of Kim's items out of our bedroom this evening. Over the weekend we can move her stuff into my house and my stuff in. That way when she is allowed to come back, she will have a place to stay."

*******

It took us about three hours thanks to duct tape to pack up all her items. James took the filled, taped boxes, and loaded them in the back of my Ford pickup truck. Mary was determined and while she was putting her stuff away, I stripped the bed, flipped the mattress, and put on a fresh set of sheets. I was downstairs making us both another drink when the phone rang. I knew by the ringer tone it was my eldest Mae.

"Thanks for returning my call, I said. "A lot of things are going on as you know but I need to know an answer to a question."

"No problem Dad," Mae said. "What is it?"

"When and how did you find out that I am not your biological father," I asked?

"Shit! You were never supposed to know," Mae said. "I overheard Thomas and mom privately talking about it at a family gathering. When I confronted mom later, she admitted it. She also explained that he was not ready to commit to marriage back then and if she had not gotten married because of her family's believes it would have caused too many problems."

"Thank you for being honest," I said. "Just so you know Thomas and your mom outed themselves earlier today. They are both currently quarantined for two weeks in the same room in a hotel in St. Louis. Your Aunt June knows and like me, she will be filing for divorce. I can't live with a person who has lied to me all their life."

"I cannot say I'm surprised because I saw this coming," Mae said. "I would do the same. Who all knows?"

"Just your brother and you," I said. "I will let you explain it to your sisters over the weekend because I will be packing everything that is your mother's up for storage at your aunt Mary's."

"Have you confronted Mom yet," Mae asked?

"No, the last text I got said she would call me later tonight to let me know whats going on," I said. "It appears that neither one of them has a clue that we know about their long term relationship."

"Dad, mom told me that the rest of my brothers and sisters are yours," Mae said. "They did not start up again until after my sixteenth birthday."

"I love you, Mae, regardless. Don't ever forget that," I said. "James agrees with what I'm doing."

"Well I might be graduating from home this year," Mae said. "Nothing official has been stated yet but the halls are filled with rumors."