When Cheating Has a Cost ...

"It was a mistake."

"A fatal mistake." Lincoln turned around and walked away.

Nancy ran to her parents and hugged them. They all cried. "You've left Steph alone at home?" Nancy asked.

"John and Mary arrived one hour earlier. Steph called them and they took the next available flight. Let's go home." Both parents took Nancy's arms and walked her out of the precinct.

When they reached home, some of Stephanie's friends were there. Nancy saw John and Mary. They didn't smile at her.

"I need to see Stephanie, where is she?" Nancy asked.

"She's in her room with a couple of friends." Mary replied.

At the same time Steph walked down the stairs, followed by her friends. Looking at her, Nancy knew she had been crying for hours.

"John!" Steph yelled, "Throw this bitch out of this house!". She turned towards Nancy. "You killed my father, whore!"

"Nooooo," Nancy cried. "Let me explain."

"There is nothing to explain, slut! It's all over the news, internet, social media." An angry Stephanie replied back. "Lover killed cheating wife's husband and then took his own life."

They were all taken aback by Steph's reaction. Her friends tried to calm her down, but to no avail. Steph walked to John and Mary. "John, I don't want to see her anymore. Just tell her to go away."

"Please Steph," Nancy begged. "It was a mistake, a terrible mistake."

"My father died without knowing that his loving wife was a cheater and a liar. My father was murdered without knowing the cause. He was killed without knowing that the one who pulled the trigger was his wife's lover. He died without knowing that he was a cuckhold."

"It's a tragedy and we are all in distress." Grandpa tried to calm down the situation. "Let's take care of what needs to be done first and then later on we work on our issues."

"With this bitch around, no way."

"Please Steph, don't use such words towards your mother." Grandma said.

"Let her talk." John yelled. Mary held his arm and pulled him towards her. "Mary, today we have lost our son because of a whore."

Steph's friends excused themselves and walked towards the door.

"Your daughter is a cheating bitch." John continued. "You know it, we know it and the whole world came to know after my only child was murdered. Normally it's a child who has to bury his or her parents. Today it's us who have to bury our son."

"John, my dad will be buried in Naples."

Everyone turned towards Stephanie.

"You still know a lot of people in this city," Steph continued. 'You still have some connections. Contact the right person to have this done. And most important, see a lawyer to draft all papers for my adoption."

"Please Steph, don't do things that you will regret later." Grandpa begged.

"Please, you can't do this to me." Nancy cried.

"I can't live in the same house as this cheater. I can't breathe the same air. She's disgusting. I don't want to see her face anymore." Steph turned towards John. "Ask her to go away, please."

"We are your grandparents too," Grandma wept. "You are part of our life."

"Grandma, grandpa, I love you with all my heart. I respect you and I will never forget what you've done for me but your daughter is a bitch and I can't stand her. I am a Westford and I belong to the Westfords. On Monday you will take me to school, John. I will need my transcript and other documents for a school transfer."

"I certainly will." John pulled Steph towards him and hugged her.

"You will also need to sell this house. Too many memories." Steph dried her tears.

"Nancy, you take whatever you want to take from this house," John spoke with authority. "The rest we will donate to Goodwill."

EPILOGUE

Stephanie moved to Naples, Florida. She never forgave Nancy. She talked to grandpa and grandma only when they called. Once a week she would visit Steve's grave. John and Mary were her parents now.

Nancy started seeing a shrink but matters worsened after a couple of months. She had to be interned in a mental institute. Her doctor has pleaded with Steph to meet her mother only once and forgive her. This would help Nancy in her recovery. Steph adamantly refused.

On the morning of Steph's eighteenth birthday, a nurse found the inert body of Nancy in her bed and a pool of blood on the floor. She had slit her wrists during the night.

Stephanie did not attend the funeral.