Watching - Full

"Yes, what do you want to know?" Phil asks.

"Well, I haven't asked you, but what's your opinion of me?"

Phil smiles. "I was wondering if you were going to ask." He stopped working the cream in and thought about how he was going to word this. "Up until a few months ago, you were a good friend. I can see you are a beautiful woman, but I never let myself think further past that. Then, at the Christmas party, you dropped that bombshell on me. It made me look at you in a different light. I am guessing you are asking because you want to know if there is a realistic chance of us getting together. The answer, truthfully, is that I don't know. Do I find you attractive? Yes. Do I think you are the sort of person I could have a relationship with? Again, yes. The reality is that I don't know what's going to happen when I get home. In my mind, I am convinced I will divorce Sophia, but this is real life. I have had many good years with her, and to ignore that..... I don't know. It's just easier said than done. I'm not sure how I will react when I look into the eyes of the woman I've loved for so many years and say, 'Goodbye'."

We travelled back on a Sunday evening, and I wasn't expecting anyone to pick me up from the airport, but Sophia, Michael, and Marley were all there standing in arrivals. Katie had phoned her mother from the plane.

Katie takes my hand and squeezes it. "I'll..."

"You'll stay right there. We've done nothing wrong," Phil says, looking straight into her eyes to show her how serious he was.

"You have a cheek..." Sophia didn't get another word out.

"You're the one who should be ashamed to show your face. Katie has always respected my marriage wows, unlike you, and she has supported a friend in need, so don't you dare have a go at her," Phil says, defending her. Sophia is taken aback by her husband's uncharacteristic behaviour.

"I better get going. I'll meet Mum over in the pickup area," Katie says, smiling at me.

Phil moves and embraces her. "Thanks, Katie. I won't keep you waiting long." He kisses her cheek and lets her go.

She strides away, looking invigorated and confident. At that moment, Phil feels something. Regret? Or is he missing her already? Phil enjoyed her company even though he was in such a dark place, but Kathline had come through for him, and at that moment, Phil appreciated that more than anything.

Phil turned back to his family and hugged his two children. Sophia stayed back and didn't say anything as Phil grabbed his case, and they made their way home.

Epilogue.

Phil had a visit for the local police on his first Monday back at work. They thought it was funny walking into his place of work to arrest him. He warned the sergeant that there would be an official complaint lodged with the district. When they got down to the station, Phil's attorney was waiting for him. He was told just to say nothing, so that's what he did.

The police had nothing other than Fuckwits accusation. They had the time of the incident all wrong and tried to say that when Sophia told Phil she was staying the night with Fuckwit, Phil got jealous and went looking for him. After Phil talked with his attorney, he told the police to speak to his wife and check the hotel's reception tapes. The police discovered that shortly after quarter past eleven, he was being comforted by his friend Kathline Symons. When she confirmed that, they had nothing more. Katie didn't even have to lie; they were only interested in the time after eleven, and Sophia did the rest, saying they argued for a good ten minutes after eleven, and then she watched her husband walk out the main door.

Phil was willing to listen to Sophia's explanation, but she seemed to be hooked on the fact that she didn't sleep with Fuckwit, so it was okay. She didn't realise that was irrelevant. Two weeks after he returned home, Phil had Sophia served with divorce papers. When he got home that night, all the family members were there, having a go and putting in their ten cents. Phil never said a word and went into the family room. He turned on his sound system and hooked his phone up. Phil played their conversation at full volume for everyone to hear. Sophia tried to turn it off, but her father stopped her.

Their faces told Sophia what they thought, and after that, nobody tried to talk Phil out of it. Sophia tried a couple of things to hold up proceedings, including the obligatory counselling. Even the psychiatrist was on his side at the end after Sophia still couldn't see that the intent was just as bad as the act. Then, the psychiatrist asked Sophia if she had apologised once. Sophia was quiet, and Phil could see the realisation that she hadn't spread over her face. Tears flowed, and the Judge gave him his divorce. Sophia moved back to the town where her parents lived.

A year after his divorce, Phil is sitting in his office. "Phil, Miss Symons is on the phone," Phil's assistant calls through his open office door.

"Hey Phil, I need a date for the Christmas party. Are you interested?" Phil smiles at his friend's voice on the phone.

"Hey, Katie, I'll have to check my diary," he says, joking. They've spoken often since their trip but still have a platonic relationship.

The following years party. "Hello, Phil."

"Hello, Katie. Having a good time?" He asks.

"Same old, same old. How many years have we entertained ourselves?" Phil glances at his pregnant wife, Katie. They still occupy their vantage point. He smiles at her words, which they've now said for the past three years.

Phil is going to be a father and grandfather because Michael has got his university girlfriend pregnant. Phil is in the process of amalgamating Katie's family company with his, and Harry is making plans to retire at the ripe old age of sixty. Phil is happier and more content now than he has been at any other time in his life.

As for Fuckwit, he was a little more injured than Phil planned. He was in hospital for three months. Fuckwit had a broken nose and lost four front teeth. He had a slight swelling on the brain, causing a little speech problem. Because of that, they missed his other injuries. He lost a testicle because it wasn't dealt with quickly enough, and his libido has hit zero. Shortly after getting out of the hospital he left town, and is a distant memory only ever brought up to be made fun of.

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