Wife Gets What She Wants!

We were working together preparing some chili for ourselves and the kids. Lorna had called and said she'd be staying in Salisbury again. She said they had a big settlement or something first thing in the morning.

Cassie was getting the chili ready. She knew I'd developed a weak stomach; something the doctors called 'irritable bowel syndrome' so she was being extra careful about how much chili powder to put in. Cassie was always watching what I ate. Cable and Sarah liked a lot of pepper. Jeannie was more like me and liked her chili a little more bland. Lorna liked it hot. Cassie said, "Have you noticed how short Lorna's been with you lately?"

I replied, "Yeah, you've seen it too?"

Cassie leaned her head on my shoulder. I got a whiff of her perfume. She used Chanel Chance. It smelled extra good. Lorna used something strong, something that dead woman Elizabeth Taylor had made up. I never liked Lorna's smell. I liked Cassie's though. Cassie said, "I think it's disrespectful."

I looked down at her. Man when she looked at me with those hazel eyes I always, I mean always, got weak. She had her hair down; it was all ripply the way it fell way down her back. I said, "I wouldn't be too hard on her. She's working hard."

Cassie just smiled at me and laughingly replied, "Yeah sure 'my big handsome man'."

She sometimes called me her 'big handsome man'. It had to do with a time we were watching a movie on TV. It had some old stars in it; Opie Cunningham, that's Ron Howard in the real world, called his dad 'my big handsome man', and Cassie had started using that phrase on me when she needed to take some air out of my balloon. I looked back at her, "You better watch it or I'll have to give you another..."

Cassie started to giggle and back away.

Just then Cable and Jeannie walked in. Cable piped up, "You going to give Jeannie's mom another spanking?"

Jeannie asked Cable, "Your dad spanks my mom?"

Cable just laughed.

I started to blush. I looked over at Cassie. She was blushing too. The kids didn't stay. As soon as they skipped out I asked Cassie, "You never..."

She looked back at me, "No I never said anything," then she got real serious, "Did you see...they were holding hands."

I knew, I paled or something because Cassie got a real concerned look. I said, "We can't let them..."

She interrupted me, "I know', then she changed again, "What about your wife?"

Cassie said 'your wife' in that special way she used to indicate disapproval. I knew I had to say something, but anything I said would be hurtful to the one person I loved more than anyone else in the world except maybe the kids. I just shrugged and said, "After dinner let's watch some TV."

Cassie looked at me, "Hallmark's got a good one tonight."

It was strange. Lorna always liked the cop shows. Cassie and I always leaned toward the Hallmark stuff. I replied, "Sure. Want to make some popcorn?"

She smiled that oh so sweet smile, "I'll make the popcorn. You pour us each a Soda."

After dinner we kind of put Lorna and the kids aside and spent the evening on the sofa watching something with Andie McDowell. I wasn't paying much attention. Cassie had her head on my lap again. That's where she spent most of her time when we watched TV. I couldn't remember when it wasn't like that.

++++++++++

One of Bernie's secretaries had gotten engaged so he planned an office party for everyone. He even invited everybody's kids so that meant Sarah, Jeannie, and Cable got to go, and since Lorna had become something of a muckety muck at her office Cassie got to go as a sort of nanny.

It was at the party where the shit finally hit the fan.

It was held outside at an old mansion that Bernie had rented for the afternoon and evening. He'd arranged for a small jazz band and another country music group. Cassie and I sort of worked our way over to the country music area. I noticed Lorna was with some of her lawyer friends hanging out at the jazz band area. The bands alternated so there wasn't much trouble hearing one or the other. I liked jazz, but I really preferred country.

I knew Cassie; she liked the women of country. So I thought we could waste a little time talking about that. I asked her, "Who's your favorite country girl right now?"

Now Cassie's being black didn't deter her from speaking her mind about country music, "You know I think Taylor Swift has gone a little bit over the top lately. Right now my favorite singer is Miranda Lambert."

I laughed, "This ain't my momma's broken heart."

She laughed too, "I guess you like Blake Shelton?"

I gave her one of my famous fake frowns, "No way. I still like Brad Paisley." That made Cassie blush.

She softly whistled and said, "Am I going to have to throw water on you again?"

That was a reference to the last time we'd gone fishing. We'd taken a blanket and I was asleep on it when she sneaked up on me and poured water on my head.

I smiled, "You remember what that'll get you."

Cassie looked around, "What you going to throw me in the pool?"

That was reminder how after she'd splashed me I'd picked her and carried her to the edge of the lake and had thrown her off a small pier. Boy had that made her mad. I remember she'd had on a loose white blouse and cut offs. When she came out the of the water I got a real tit shot. She was totally pissed, but there had been more; her being partly black meant her hair got all wild looking. She was twenty minutes brushing it back in place.

I thought about that and grinned, "No, but I might do it when we get home," that was a reminder that we had a pool in our, I mean Lorna's and my backyard, and how I'd pushed her in it several times over the years.

Cassie looked around, "There must be close to a hundred people around here."

I looked about, "Yeah, but I don't see Lorna anymore."

Cassie was looking too, "I don't see her lawyer friend either," then she rather mischievously added, "Want to go on a treasure hunt?"

I asked, "What do you think we'll find?"

She replied, "I don't know, but I'd rather be the one to find the treasure than any of the kids."

Off we went.

It didn't take us long. We walked around the yard; not seeing the people we wanted we went in the house. We passed through the house and were headed back to the main yard when Cassie heard them.

Cassie whispered, "Listen."

I stopped. We both heard the same thing. They'd found a corner shed, a storage facility really for towels and such, and it was way out of the way. It didn't look very big. We started toward it.

Cassie stopped and pulled my arm back, "I don't think you should."

I stopped and whispered, "Come on Cassie. We both know about Lorna's law school and Wilmington. This isn't anything new."

Cassie looked scared when she said, "Well, you'll catch her this time, and it will change everything."

I took her hand, "It might."

We walked till we got close enough to hear. What we heard was pretty damning.

Lorna was murmuring, "More, more."

Bernie started mumbling, "Oh, oh."

Then Lorna let out, "Oh hurry up."

Cassie and I heard Bernie, "Oh my, Oh shit, Oh Jesus..."

I thought it odd that a Jewish man would mention Christ while he was getting it on, but then we heard Lorna, "Come on keep going, I'm not there yet."

Then we heard Bernie, "Sorry babe. I'm all used up."

Cassie and I both thought we heard Lorna curse. I sort of laughed to myself. I thought, 'So the little guy can't quite keep it up.' Cassie started to pull me away, but I held her up, "No let's wait."

A minute or two later Bernie and Lorna stepped from the shed. Bernie was still buckling his pants and pulling his suspenders up. He looked kind of ridiculous; what the suspenders were bright red. I thought of the old joke about the fireman and the red suspenders. I guess I should have been mad; what all indignant and stuff, but I just couldn't take the thing that seriously. I mean Bernie just looked silly. Lorna's makeup was a mess, and her blouse was still out. When they saw us they both just stopped. Then Lorna smiled, took Bernie's hand and walked on past us.

Cassie looked at me, "What now?"

I looked at her. God she looked upset. I took her two hands in mine, "Look honey, this isn't something we haven't known about. I'll take care of it when I get home."

Cassie had tears in her eyes. I wasn't sure if she was happy or sad. She just murmured, "It wasn't anything...me...I mean..." Then she shifted from upset and feeling guilty. I don't know why she'd feel guilty, but she changed from feeling guilty to a little bit angry, angry with me. She said, "Doesn't this make you just a little bit angry?"

I pulled her close and held her, "You know Cassie," I felt really good about Cassie, "You're the one truly good person in all of this. Why should I feel angry? Lorna and Bernie? Come on," I just couldn't muster any anger. Why should I? I had who I wanted.

Cassie started to cry.

I told her, "You run along to the truck. I'll be out there in a minute," The way we'd worked travel to the party Cassie and I had come in my pick-up. Jeannie, Sarah, and Cable and driven the Malibu.

I walked all around the grounds till I found the kids. They were over by one of the kegs. The first thing I said was, "You all haven't gotten a snoot full?"

Cable had his arm around Jeannie. Sarah was holding her hand. I thought it strange. Cable answered me, "No we're cool. Jeannie's our designated driver."

I told them, "Me and Jeannie's mom are leaving now."

That's when Cable got me, "Caught em huh."

Jeannie looked surprised. She always was the innocent one. Sarah smiled and turned to me, "You didn't know did you?"

I looked at the ground. I sort of lied. I knew a lot, "Not exactly; not till today."

Sarah told me, "Kick her ass to the curb dad."

I looked up surprised. Sarah wanted me to burn her mother down? If there was anyone I would have suspected who would have defended Lorna I thought it would have been Sarah, "You want me too?"

Sarah interrupted me, "Dad you're too good for her. Everyone knows who your real wife is."

Jeannie looked around at all of us, "Who's that?"

Cable tightened his grip on Jeannie and gave Sarah a meaningful look; he looked back at Jeannie, "I'll tell you later."

Jeannie looked up at Cable with one of her determined stares, "No tell me now."

Sarah put an arm around Jeannie then too, "Later girl. You can wait a little longer."

I could tell Jeannie still didn't have a clue. I knew who they meant though, I told the three of them, "We'll see you back at the house," I left while Sarah and Cable were still chatting up Jeannie. Brother I thought, 'There's going to be hell to pay tonight.'

++++++++++

Somehow as I walked back to our, my truck I didn't feel bad. I knew this day would someday come. I was just kind of glad we were going to get it over with.

I got to the truck. Cassie was already inside. I got in and started it up. I looked over, "The kids all know. I think Sarah and Cable know everything."

Cassie looked across the seat at me. God she looked so scared. She looked so beautiful. Her hair was in a loose fitting bun. She must have just fixed it. She hadn't worn any makeup. As far as I was concerned she never needed any. She asked, "What about Jeannie?"

I reached across and pulled her closer. The truck had a gap between the two front seats, but I still wanted her as close as I could get her, "I think she's a complete innocent. I want to talk to Cable, find out what and how much he knows. I'll be having it out with Lorna. Then we'll see about Jeannie."

Cassie touched my cheek with her hand. I leaned into it. She asked, "You OK? I mean about Lorna?"

I smiled at her, "Oh yeah."

Cassie cupped my chin, "You sure?"

I pulled the truck to the side of the road. I undid her seatbelt and pulled her over on my lap. I kissed her, "Never been more."

Cassie started to cry then she hiccoughed the tears back, "Oh Travis...I feel like I've been set free."

I kissed her again, "We both have."

I let her get back to her seat. I restarted the truck and we pulled back out on the road. All the way back I kept thinking. I'd hired Cassie nineteen years ago. Jeannie was seventeen; she'd soon be eighteen. She was my kid. I knew it. Cassie knew it. Most of the people in town knew it. I think Lorna probably knew it. Yeah, I was the white guy everybody whispered about.

Of course Jeannie being mine meant responsibility. That's why I'd paid her tuition to Saint Tim's, that's why she got all the things Sarah got. I'd just always kept it a secret. I'd even kept most of it a secret from Cassie. Cassie thought Jeannie had gotten a scholarship to Saint Tim's. No she hadn't; her kindergarten scores had only been average. I'd paid for everything, every book, every uniform, every field trip, all of it. I'd fixed it so Cassie was able to buy gifts, nice gifts for Jeannie at Christmas, and birthdays and dresses for Easter. Of course Cassie knew all that.

Truth was I did some of it because I was afraid Cassie might leave me. I was so wrong. I was so wrong, I was dead wrong. Cassie loved me. She loved me like I don't know what. I loved her too. She was my angel. Hell Jeannie was my angel too, just like Sarah.

Now we had to explain things to Cable and Jeannie. I think Sarah knew. I hoped Cable did. I wondered about Jeannie. How could one be so innocent while the others had it figured out? How could she be so innocent in the face of so much evidence?

I kept thinking for nineteen years I'd been married to the wrong woman while I was sharing my life with the right one. Now we'd be able to work it all out. Sure Lorna loved me; she loved the security, she loved the free education, she loved the freedom from her parents, but did she love me, me, Travis Hamilton? No, I never thought she did. I wondered if I ever really loved her, or was it just the idea of having her.

But there was the girl, no I mean woman, beside me now; she'd loved me, she'd loved me so much she'd passed up several chances to marry someone else. She'd had chances too, good chances. That's the main reason why I knocked her up; yeah I tricked her, I had to keep her close.

Hell, it never mattered. She stuck by me when the only thing I'd ever promised her was a healthy 401K. She'd been there when the business had been rocky. She never flinched, not once; my little angel, my little caramel angel with the tiny tits, auburn hair and hazel eyes. I looked over. God was I one lucky son-of-a-bitch. I mean no other woman would have stuck it out this long.

++++++++++

Cassie has her thoughts.

I glanced across the truck at Travis. I kept wondering; was this it? Was this the time? I thought back on a lot of the things that had happened to us over the years.

Travis, Lorna, and I had all gone to the same high school. I'd been a freshman when Travis was a senior. My mom is white and my dad is black so I was a mixed up mess. All through elementary and middle school kids teased me. Some of them had been downright mean. Maybe it was my imagination, but Travis always seemed to be around. I don't know how it happened, but he always seemed to be there. He wasn't some big jock; he was just a guy, but the other kids, they like respected him. I found out why pretty quick.

I remember there was a time this big black guy, a real jock, decided I was supposed to be his girl. Well I was light skinned, and he was dark. He was big too. I bet he was 6'4', and I bet he weighed a lot. He had big muscles. He was on the basketball team; starting center I think. He was on the team when the season began; later he got cut later because of bad grades and poor attendance.

Yeah he'd picked me out. I didn't like him. He scared me. One day he sort of backed me into a corner just outside the cafeteria. Guess who showed up; that's right Travis! He just kind of sauntered over and told Daryl, that was the boy's name, he said, "Daryl leave the munchkin alone."

Daryl started to say something, but Travis just cut him off. He told Daryl, "Look big guy she doesn't like you. You're just not her type."

I could see Daryl wanted to punch Travis's eyes out. He didn't though, but he said, "What you think maybe you're her type."

Travis looked at me. He kind of smiled this funny smile he had when he was thinking about something. I knew that smile because I watched him all the time. Well he looked me up and down and told Daryl, "Maybe she is."

Daryl just mumbled something under his breath, something about getting somebody. Then he walked off.

I thought like wow! I was a munchkin! No I wasn't a munchkin I was the munchkin! I was Travis's munchkin. I've always had a special feeling about the movie 'The Wizard of Oz' since then. Imagine me a munchkin; it was like a term of endearment. Was I ever in love?

Travis walked over to me and asked, "You all right?"

I was so befuddled I just nodded.

He smiled and started to walk away, but then he turned back around and said, "You know you're kind of cute."

That did it. That just did it. I knew who I was going to marry.

Travis had always been real honest, and he'd always been fair to everybody. I never heard anyone say anything bad about him, and later when I got a chance and was able to actually be around him I found out he never badmouthed other people. I couldn't think of anyone who was so even with so many people.

He was handsome too. I mean I look at him now, and he's a real man, I mean all man, but he was like that even when everybody was just kids. I don't know; maybe I'm prejudiced. I just feel that way.

I remember when we all had his senior homecoming. Lorna was the homecoming queen, and she had some really big guy on her arm all night. I could see Travis thought he loved her, but he held it in. He held his feelings in check. I wanted him so much! I got one of my friends to get him to ask me to dance. Now I was the mulatto girl right? He came right over and asked me to dance. Then we danced three more times. His arms were around me. He was so strong. He smelled good; Old Spice I thought, turned out I was right. No sweet smelling girlie cologne for my Travis. He used a man's aftershave. I felt so special, I mean secure and well, happy I guess. Anyway that was the night I fell in love. I mean fell in love even more.

I was a good girl. I never gave 'it' away. I knew who I wanted. OK, I tricked him. He got started on his business. I wangled a way into his office to get a job. I sort of hinted to him that it would look good if he had a black girl as his secretary. I was surprised; he told me I wasn't a black girl. He said I was just a girl, a pretty girl, and that he liked me.

If I hadn't known before I sure knew then! I knew what I had to do; I had to make myself indispensable. I did too! I became his alter-ego. He got to work early. I got to work early. He worked late. I worked late. I'd started working for him in my senior year. It was tough working after school till seven eight o'clock at night, going home doing homework, and then getting up early to go to school only to go back to his shop in the afternoon. I did it though. I did it because I knew who I wanted.

My mother had warned me not to trust any white boys. She said they'd just use me. My dad worked all the time; I knew he loved me but he was just too tired. My dad was funny. He was a big man. My mom was tall, but she looked little beside him. I had three younger brothers. I can say they really toed the mark. My dad was tough that way. We all had to obey my mom. No back sass was allowed. He treated my mom like she was some kind of princess. I told my mom I knew Travis. I told her he was like my dad. I don't think she believed me. I still think she's not sure. My dad's sure though. He's known my plan all along. He's as devious as I am. I knew I had the right guy. I told mom and dad I just had to fight. I had to get him. Now my waiting was almost over.