Yes, I Do Mind

"Are you sure Marcy was involved in drugs?" her father asked.

"I'm certain of it," I told him. "I've even got evidence I'll be giving to the prosecutor. I just need her stuff out of here."

"Alright, Rick, we'll be over to get her stuff," he finally said. "I'm sorry it came to this. We had no idea things were this bad." We said our goodbyes and ended the call. A half hour later, they arrived and took her car, along with the rest of her things. They were quite sad to learn what Marcy had done, but they understood my reason for divorcing her.

"Please stay in touch with us, Rick," her mother said as she hugged me.

"I will, Mom," I said. Her father and I shook hands, both realizing it was probably the last time we would see each other.

I was exhausted by the time they left, both physically and emotionally. I grabbed a beer and a cigar and sat out on the back porch. I hadn't been there very long before my phone rang -- it was Diedre, checking in to make sure I was alright.

"Hey," I said when I answered the phone.

"Hey yourself," she said. "How are you doing?"

"I've been better," I told her. "Right now, I'm enjoying a beer and a cigar."

"I wouldn't mind one of those myself," she said.

"What, a beer or a cigar?" I asked.

"Both, actually," she said, prompting me to laugh.

"You smoke cigars?" I asked.

"I've been known to from time to time," she said. "So, how did your day go?" I filled her in on what had taken place and told her I had an appointment to see a lawyer tomorrow. "Sounds like you've had one hell of a day," she said.

"Yeah, it's been a day alright," I told her. "But hearing your voice is making me feel better already."

"Good," she said.

"By the way, I have an idea," I told her.

"What, another one?" she asked sarcastically. I laughed, then told her what I had in mind. There were a few moments of silence when I finished, and I almost asked if she was still there. Finally, she responded.

"You know, I think that's the best idea I've heard in a long time," she said. "Let's do it."

"You're on," I said. "I'll fill you in on the details when I get back from Colombia."

"I'm looking forward to that," she said. We talked a bit longer before ending the call. I felt much better after our discussion.

The next day, I went to see my attorney. I double-checked to make sure I had everything, then headed out. When I got to her office, I was ushered in by her receptionist and offered a cup of coffee, which I graciously accepted.

Lisa Hawkins was nothing like Allison Hargraves. She exuded confidence, and what's more, she was open and friendly. She listened to my story, taking notes as I spoke, then looked at the evidence, which included Marcy's letter and the emails I printed out. I also told her about the charges Marcy faced in Colombia.

"Well, that should make things a bit easier for us," she said. "How much time is she facing down there?"

"I'm told up to 12 years," I said.

"Twelve years in a Colombian prison," Lisa said. "She's not going to have an easy time of it down there. So, what are you looking to get out of this? Everything?"

"She can keep her 401K, her clothes and her car," I said. "I've already sent most of her money down there already for her expenses. The rest I want to keep."

"I think that's doable," she said. "Fortunately, you can file on grounds of adultery and cruelty in this state, and I think you've shown good cause for those. Also, judges take things like that into consideration when it comes time for splitting assets. Just curious, how do you plan to have her served? If we use the system, it could take weeks before she gets the papers."

"I intend to carry the papers to her myself," I said. "I hope to convince her that it would be in her best interest to sign them and be done with it."

"Okay," she said. "I can have these written up and filed in, say, two days. Would that work for you?"

"Yes," I told her. "Also, what about going after Trey, her attorney and the hospital?"

"You mean, Allison Hargraves?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "I got the impression Mrs. Hargraves convinced her to turn me into some kind of cuckolded slave. I tried to find out myself, but she refused to give me an answer."

"You actually spoke to Allison Hargraves yourself?" Lisa asked.

"Yes I did," I said.

"You're an awfully brave man," she said. "Well, she is protected by attorney-client privilege, so she's right to not tell you what transpired between them. Also, while you can file for Alienation of Affection in this state, the reality is that those suits almost never go anywhere. My best advise would be to let it go and not waste your money on them." I accepted her suggestion and we wrapped the meeting up with her promise to inform me when the papers were filed and ready to be served. "Two days, tops," she said. I thanked her, paid a hefty retainer and left.

Later that day, I spoke to the kids on Skype. It was great to see them, and I wished I had better news for them.

"Hey Dad, what's up," Kyle asked.

"Hi, Dad," Rhonda added. "What's going on?"

"Kids, I have some news for you and I wanted to tell both of you at the same time," I said.

"Is something wrong, Dad?" Rhonda asked.

"Yes," I said. "Your mother and I are getting divorced." Both of them gasped in shock when I said that.

"Why, Dad?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah," Rhonda added. "Did you do something?" I told them the abbreviated version of the story and finished by informing them their mother was sitting in a Colombian jail on drug trafficking charges.

"Are you sure she was really involved with that, Dad?" Rhonda asked.

"Yes, Rhonda, I'm afraid it's true," I said. "I even have evidence that I'll be presenting to the prosecutor when I go down there."

"You mean, you're going to help the prosecutor? You're going to help them put her in prison?" Kyle asked.

"She broke the law down there, son," I said. "I don't like it, but it is what it is. We've talked about drugs before. You know what cocaine and heroin can do. There's no way I can just turn a blind eye to that and you know it."

"I know," Kyle said quietly. "It's just so...."

"Screwed up?" I asked. He nodded his head. "I know, son. It is screwed up and I'm sorry. But your mom made the decision to do it and she got caught." We talked a bit longer, and I answered all their questions. It was a tough conversation, but by the time we were finished, they knew everything their mother had done and seemed to understand why I had to do what I was doing. I promised to email them an address so they could send her letters and we ended with a tearful farewell.

After we finished, I called Tom and asked him to arrange for visitation the day after I got the papers. He promised to set it up and we ended that call. Then I called Ernesto and told him of my plans.

"By the way, do you know who's prosecuting the case?" I asked.

"That would be Ricardo Montoya," Ernesto said. "He's tough, believe me."

"Good. When I get there, I have evidence I need to give him," I said.

"Okay," Ernesto said before we ended the call. My last call was to Diedre. She listened quietly as I brought her up to speed on what had happened. We spoke for quite some time, and I felt better after we ended the call.

Two days later, Lisa contacted me to say the papers had been filed with the court and a copy was prepared for Marcy's signature. I already had my bags packed and the tickets ready to be picked up, so I grabbed my passport and a few final things, then headed out. After getting the papers from her, I called Ernesto to let him know I was on the way to the airport. Tom had sent a message saying visitation had been arranged. I sent a message back thanking him.

Ernesto met me just as I finished going through customs. We gathered my luggage and headed out to his car.

"Where to first?" he asked as we settled in.

"I need to see Señor Montoya first," I said. He nodded his head and pulled out. When we got to the government building where his office was located, Ernesto parked the car.

"I'll wait for you here, Señor Rick," he said. I nodded my head and went inside. I managed to find Montoya's office and was stopped by a receptionist.

"Can I help you, señor?" she asked in accented English.

"Yes, por favor, I'd like to see Señor Montoya. I have some information on a case he's working on," I said.

"You have information for me, señor?" I heard a man ask from behind me. I turned to see a very well-dressed man standing in a door.

"Are you Señor Montoya?" I asked. He nodded his head.

"Yes, I am," he said. "And who might you be?"

"Rick Weston," I said, extending a hand. "I understand you're handling the case against my wife, Marcy." He shook my hand and nodded his head.

"Weston," he said. "Yes, of course. Please come in." He ushered me into his office and closed the door. "So, what is the nature of this information you have for me?" I pulled the thumb drive out of my pocket and handed it to him.

"On that drive you will find video of her and Trey Cardosa talking about moving 'product,' which I believe refers to the drugs she was caught with," I said. "There are other videos as well. You'll also find some email exchanges. I've provided a text file that shows the URL of her web email client along with her credentials. Perhaps there's something in those emails you may find useful." He regarded me warily for a few moments before speaking.

"You do realize, Señor Weston, that it's my job to put her in jail for a very long time?" he asked.

"Yes, I know," I said.

"So, please explain. Why are you providing me with this... evidence? Shouldn't you be helping her defense lawyer?" he asked. When I didn't answer right away, he smiled and nodded his head. "Ah, your wife was having an affair with Dr. Cardosa, wasn't she?" he asked. I nodded my head.

"Yes, she was," I said.

"I see," he said with a slight smile. "And you see this prosecution as a way to get some revenge, no? I can understand that. I might be tempted to do the same -- or worse -- if I learned my wife was screwing someone behind my back. But I will not stand by and let my office be used as a vehicle for your revenge, no matter how much it may be deserved."

"Señor Montoya, I understand how you might come to that conclusion," I said. "Yes, I'd like nothing more than to get my pound of flesh. But I intend to serve her with divorce papers. That's why I came to Bogota. I'm also a retired Army intelligence officer and I will not turn a blind eye to someone breaking the law -- not even my own soon-to-be ex-wife.

"On top of that, I work for a global company with an office here in Bogota, and I would be derelict in my duty if I did not present you with what I know. Use the information or not -- that's your choice, Señor Montoya," I said. He nodded his head when I finished.

"Alright, Señor Weston," he said. "I'll take a look at your... evidence. How long do you plan to be in Bogota?"

"A day or two, tops," I said. "I'm serving my wife papers tomorrow and hopefully I can convince her to sign them. Then I'll be heading back to the States."

"Where are you staying?" he asked me.

"I've been invited to stay with a colleague of mine who works in our office here," I said. "I don't have his address right off the top of my head, but I'll be more than happy to give you my cell phone number."

"No need, Señor Weston," he said. "I'll see you before you leave. And welcome to Bogota." I nodded my head and accepted his extended hand.

"Thank you, Señor Montoya," I said as I left.

"So, how did it go?" Ernesto asked when I got back to his car.

"You're right," I said. "Montoya is a tough son of a bitch." Ernesto laughed.

"You have no idea," he said. "Come on, let's get to my place. Lupe has been working on dinner most of the day."

We got to his house, and he set me up in a small spare bedroom for the night after introducing me to his wife, Lupe, and his children. We sat down to dinner and after Ernesto said grace, Lupe brought the food out. I didn't recognize the dish she set in front of us all and looked at Ernesto.

"It's called bandeja paisa," he said. "I've eaten this my whole life. Enjoy." I didn't know where to start, so I just dug in. The plate contained meat, a fried egg, rice, beans, an avocado half, chorizo and something called a "plantain." I had never heard of it before, but I found it to be quite delicious. I was stuffed when I finished the plate.

"That was delicious, Lupe," I said when I finished. She smiled and thanked me for the compliment. When we finished, Ernesto and I sat outside with a cigar and a glass of "aguardiente," or "fiery water." It was quite sweet, but it had quite a kick and I definitely understood why it was called "fiery water" as it burned all the way down my throat.

We talked for a while about this or that, nothing too serious. Eventually, it got dark, so we headed inside and went to bed. After breakfast the next day, Ernesto drove me to the prison where Marcy was being held. I couldn't believe the condition of the place. It was noisy, crowded and smelly.

I met a man from the embassy and together, we went inside, where we were ushered into a small room. Marcy was already there, and she looked awful. Her face was gaunt, her eyes red with dark circles under them. I could tell she had lost some weight. I also saw that she was shackled to the table. She looked up at me with sadness in her eyes.

I sat down across from her and opened my briefcase. I pulled out the packet and set it on the table.

"You once gave me a choice, Marcy," I began. "Either take you back or walk away. I think you know what choice I made." She looked down, tears falling down her face.

"I... I'm sorry, Rick," she stammered. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Bullshit," I said quietly. "You plotted with Leslie for weeks before you came down here. You plotted this even longer than that. I know that you went to see Allison Hargraves. I also know what you intended to do when you came back to the States. You probably know by now that I found the cameras you had put into the house. I know you intended to set me and Leslie up for a fall, all the while pretending to be her friend. And my so-called 'loving' wife.

"You know, I loved you with all my heart for a quarter of a century. I did my best. I admit, I wasn't perfect, and yes, I slipped once in Iraq. But that was in the heat of the moment. We were damn near killed out there. I swear to God I never once plotted to cheat on you or hurt you the way you hurt me.

"I also found the email where you admitted to Trey that you cheated on me that year I was in Korea. Remember that big fight we had? The whole time you swore you never cheated. But that was a lie, wasn't it? And you've done nothing but lie to me ever since.

"During our last phone call, you said, just once. If I don't mind. Well guess what, Marcy? I DO mind. That last day -- the day you were caught. Do you even remember what that day was?"

"No, what was it?" she asked quietly.

"It WAS our 25^th wedding anniversary," I said. "You couldn't even be bothered to remember that, could you?" Tears continued falling down her face as I spoke. I wanted to say more, to cause her more hurt and suffering. But I decided to cut to the chase.

"I came down here for one reason, Marcy," I said, pulling out the divorce papers. "You need to sign these so we can end this sham of a marriage."

"But I don't want a divorce," she said.

"More bullshit," I said. "You had Allison cook up a set of divorce papers and were going to give me a choice -- either be your willing, enslaved cuckold or be ruined in a divorce. Face it, Marcy. We're done. I'm done with you. You're going to be here for a very long time but I won't be waiting for you back home. Sign the fucking papers," I added, pulling out a pen.

"Just so you know, I've already sent most of your money down here for your expenses and fees. It'll take a bit for it to get to you, but it's on its way. You can keep your 401K, your car, your clothes and your personal stuff. Your parents already have that stuff. The rest is mine. So, sign the papers and it'll be a done deal in about 60 days," I said.

"Have you told the kids about this?" she asked.

"Yes, I told them," I said. "It broke their hearts to hear what you've turned into. I gave them an address where they can write you. I don't know if they will or not." She picked up the pen.

"Alright," she said quietly. "You win. Where do I sign?" I pointed out the places where Lisa indicated on the papers. She read as she signed, then I signed and the man from the embassy signed as a witness to our signatures. When we were finished, I put the papers back in the envelope.

"By the way," I said. "I noticed you've already paid for your reservation at the Ambassador Hotel in full. I really hate to see that reservation go to waste, so I'd like to take advantage of it."

"Go ahead," she said. "I obviously won't be needing it."

"Thank you," I said. "And just so you know, I plan to invite Diedre to join me. I thought we could finish what we started in Iraq. Just the one time. If you don't mind, that is." She looked at me with fire in her eyes. I shook my head.

"After what you've done -- what you've been doing -- don't even go there," I said. "As far as I'm concerned, we're no longer married. Enjoy the rest of your miserable life." I got up and walked out as she sat at the table, sobbing.

When we got outside, I saw Montoya standing by his car. He came over and shook the embassy man's hand and looked at me.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with Colonel Weston in private for a few minutes," he said. The man from the embassy nodded his head and said goodbye before getting into his car. Montoya put an arm around me. "Walk with me for a moment, Colonel," he said.

"I haven't been a colonel for some time, Señor Montoya," I said. "Please, call me Rick." He smiled and nodded his head.

"And you may call me Ricardo. Once a military officer, always a military officer, yes?" he asked rhetorically. "Ernesto thinks very highly of you. He's told me a lot of good things about you."

"You know Ernesto?" I asked.

"Indeed I do, Rick," he said with a smile. "We served in the Army together for quite some time. Then he went to work for your Acme Global and I became a prosecuting attorney. You know, I went through your evidence, and you were right. It's quite... compelling. It will certainly save my government a great deal of time, effort and money.

"That's one of the reasons I decided not to charge you for criminal conspiracy," he said. I looked at him shocked. "Oh, don't be so surprised," he added. "Ernesto told me what you had planned. As you may have thought, if your wife was caught with a small amount for personal use, she would have probably been a guest of ours for a couple days, then fined and deported.

"Fortunately for you, however, nothing illegal was purchased and the money you sent ended up going to a charity for widows and orphans. The nuns said they are very appreciative of your gift, by the way," he said with a smile. "It was their account Ernesto gave you." I couldn't help but smile.

"Between your stellar record and your voluntary cooperation, I decided not to charge you," he said. "However, I have to inform you that if you ever think of doing anything like that again, I'll have no choice but to take action. I hope you understand."

"I do, Ricardo," I said. "Thank you.

"No, Rick," he said. "Thank YOU! The information you gave us will be quite useful. I know you wanted justice after what your wife and Dr. Cardosa did. But trust me, justice is coming. I understand you're on your way back to the airport?"