Vanessa's Mistake Pt. 02: Fin

The next day, she was released with a 2-year probation to complete her 5-year sentence. She moved into the guest room in her old house. The girls hugged their mother and showered her with the affection she so dearly needed. Lucas was certain that all the tears from the three women were going to flood the house as he watched and enjoyed the scene.

Lucas never filed the divorce papers after Vanessa's rampage. He knew she was in a bad place during that time and he did not have the energy to finish her off while she was in jail, and he knew that there would be plenty of time for that later.

For some reason, the world seemed right, as if the scales had once again been rebalanced for the first time since the weekend at the resort and Vanessa's mistake. Having her home and seeing their daughters so happy brought a smile to his face. They would have to see how things went from there.

Lucas continued to visit Jackson once a month. The visits became part of his healing process, and knowing that Vanessa had gotten his revenge helped him overcome the pain the couple had caused him three years ago.

Epilogue

After two years of probation, Vanessa was finally a free woman and remained my wife. After a long year living in the guest room, she moved back into the master bedroom and she continued her counseling. The first night I brought her back to our bed, I told her that I loved her but would never forgive her for the hurt and humiliation. I made it crystal clear that if she relapsed or showed any hint of disloyalty, I would throw her out, and divorce would be the least of her problems. It was awkward at first, but by the third time that night, our lovemaking was hot and satisfying. We were together again for the first time since her mistake. Somehow we found our way back and I felt whole again. I never stopped loving this woman and probably never would.

Vanessa never allowed herself to be captivated by another man again. In fact, she would not allow herself to be alone with men and made sure I was with her as much as possible. The actions she had taken, prison, years in the institution, and the loss of her family, led to a profound change in her thinking and personality. Vanessa was now a committed wife and made sure I knew that every second of every day. To be free again and still married was a blessing she would never betray again.

After years of struggle, Vanessa was a new woman. More beautiful than ever, full of love and energy. She never gave me a reason to doubt her love or loyalty. I still make the pilgrimage to see Asshole every month, but now I take Vanessa with me when I visit him to remind him why he's living in the hell he created. We don't talk to him when we visit because we're too busy showing him how much we love each other and who Vanessa really belongs to. Childish? Yes, but don't judge me until you have felt the level of pain and humiliation I've experienced.

Vanessa satisfied my need for revenge. She unknowingly gave out the revenge I desired for the betrayal she and her lover did to me that fateful weekend. The results of here actions were that Jackson would never be able to use his body again and would spend the rest of his days in the hell he had created. The other was a self-inflicted revenge. The violent shooting caused her time in prison, scars from her beatings and three years in the mental institution, followed by more years of counseling for the pain she inflicted on so many people.

Mary remarried and never visited Jackson again. He died a few years later from organ failure and the usual problems quadriplegics have. No one attended his funeral, and he was buried in Potter's Field, a broken, sad man.

Vengeance was sweet, and the scales were balanced. We survived the storm and came out better on the other side.

"Never Lose Today's Happiness by Thinking About Yesterday's Pain"