Your 10 to My 5

"John, how do I reach you? I've tried your cell a bunch of times with questions but it goes straight to voice mail."

"I haven't had it on. I'll call you each day at 3ish if I'm not out fishing. If I'm out I'll call when I get back."

John and Bob discussed the various projects that were in states from equipment start up to maintenance phases for over an hour. They discussed the normal day to day running of the business, personnel issues. It was a normal conversation and the normalcy of the call didn't strike John until he hung up.

"Dad! Where the fuck are you? This isn't funny now... Mom's flipping out. She calls me daily asking if I've heard from you. Jim has been calling me too. Where are you and what the heck happened?" Sid asked.

"Sid I really don't want to go into it. It was really bad, I don't see us getting back from this."

"Mom told me that the cops are looking for you. What did you do?"

"I hit someone. Hard, repeatedly, but not hard enough."

"This doesn't sound good Dad. When are you coming home?"

"Not sure I'm going to for anything other than a short visit. I have to get some stuff cleaned up and then I'll come back here."

"Where's here Dad?"

"Not in the country. Once I get things settled with your mom, I'll tell you and you can come visit me."

"Jimmy's flipping out too. He said you're last conversation didn't go well. He's really angry and wants to know what you did to mom. She won't tell us, she just cries a lot."

"He'll get over it and so will she in time."

"Come on Dad just tell me what's going on. Please?"

"Just understand I'm ok, and I'll be back soon. I'll let you know when I get there. Maybe we can get dinner or something."

"Kristen would love to see you too Dad."

"Give her my love and I'll call in a week or two." John ended the call pulled out the chair he bought on the way down and cracked the seal on a new bottle of whiskey. John woke up with Sarah pulling on his hand.

"Come on John. You need to get in bed."

"You shouldn't be here... Not right now. I'm not a good person."

"Oh bullshit. Get up, go to bed and we'll talk in the morning."

"You know you're beautiful right?"

"In your condition everyone is beautiful."

"Not everyone."

Sarah smiled as John rose unsteadily and stumbled down the three steps into the cabin. She got John laying on the bed, pulled the covers over him and kissed him on the forehead as the first snore came out. "We'll talk in the morning John." She watched him sleep for a few moments before rising and quietly climbing off the boat.

John woke up trying to count the hangovers he'd been through recently. For some reason the number was immensely important to him at the moment.

"John! Get your ass out of bed. Come on, I have eggs and bacon for you."

John stumbled back up the stairs and Sarah laughed. "You did that better last night."

"Yeah... About last night. Was I an asshole? If so I'm sorry."

"You told me I'm beautiful and that you love me... If you meant it you're fine. If it was bullshit then... yeah, you're an asshole."

"Oh shit I'm sorry, I mean yes you are beautiful... but I uhh, ummm."

"John I'm kidding you.. relax... but I am going to hold you to talking to me this morning."

"Can you turn the sun down? It's awfully bright." John said with his face in his hands, rubbing red and bleary eyes.

"It's good for you, vitamin D and all that. So, John what happened?"

"You really want to know my full and fucked up story? Shit, sorry about the language."

"You get a pass for now... Yes I want to know what is eating you up inside John. It isn't healthy to keep it all inside."

"You know I caught her cheating on me with someone, her boss, from work."

"You said caught but what does that mean? Heard her talking? Saw her somewhere, found a receipt?"

"No, I walked in while they were going at it. It's a sight I can't unsee."

"OH shit! What did you do?"

"I hit him three times as hard as I could, looked at her and walked out."

"Have you spoken to her since?"

"I talked to her a couple of times on my way down here. I told her I wouldn't talk to her again until she can tell me why. She didn't answer the question so I haven't spoken to her since."

"You seem like you're hurting, can't stop thinking about it? You drink yourself to sleep every night."

"I loved her Sarah, I loved her with my entire soul. I cherished her."

"Your use of the past tense seems awful final. No chance of reconciliation?"

"None. The shine is off that apple. We went through... an event when we first started going out and I got over that one. This, well, I will always have that sight in mind every time I think about her, every time I see her. It makes me question me, ya know? Am I not good enough? Am I bad in bed? Is he bigger?"

Sarah laughed. "John, men are much more wrapped up in size than women are. Might make a difference to some women but to most it's the emotion of the event. The biggest erogenous zone is the mind. Know what I mean?"

"Then I must be lacking skill, it was a small bald fucker. I know I'm not a looker as they say, but he wasn't much better."

"Don't sell yourself short John."

"She said the same thing to me once. Didn't help much, I should've known. I did know this would happen."

"Say what? How did you know?"

"When I was in college I had a rule, it came out of my engineering classes coupled with a little thought. Never date a person more than 1 or 2 rating points higher than yourself. The bottom feeder always gets hurt. I was the bottom feeder here. I got hurt. I should've known."

"John if she's more than two rating points above you she must be stunning."

"Don't forget sluttly. Should be a guys' wet dream, gorgeous and slutty."

"Are you sure it's over?"

"Done. Couldn't be more certain."

"I don't know what to say, I can't say anything John. You don't want to hear that this will heal, there are more fish in the sea, women are like buses... wait a while and another will come along. Choose your own cliché and insert here. It hurts, it sucks more than I can describe and the only thing that will heal it is time. I'm sorry."

"Thanks Sarah." A solitary tear rolled down his cheek and the desire to take him in her arms and comfort him was almost irresistible.

"John, when you get back on your feet, could you look me up? I wouldn't mind being your rebound you know. Now is not the time but I wouldn't mind once you get back on your feet if you looked me up."

"Sarah, I have to go back to the 1 or 2 point rule. You're out of my league, on top of that I think I'm going to make a trip back home next week to clean some of this up and when I get back you'll be gone."

"It's ok John, we'll see each other again. I'm not asking for anything other than maybe friendship."

"I would like to think that we'll see each other again, Sarah. I really would."

On the flight from Miami to BWI the following week John was deep in thought. He looked down as the plane climbed out of Nassau, and seeing the Down Deep, then up the dock several slips Sarah's boat filled him with an unexpected melancholy. His mind flashed to the sailing trips, calm peaceful with such a loving family. Once he got on his connection home, his melancholy turned to anger, his thoughts increasingly of Maggie. 'fucking Bitch!'

When he walked off the plane through the security door from which there was no return, Maggie was waiting for him. It had been almost a month, she had lost some weight, and had bags under her red puffy eyes. Even now, not at her best she was beautiful. "What are you doing here?"

"Bob, told me when you were coming. Please don't be mad at him. John, I'm so sorry. Please let me explain."

"I am not interested in talking to you until you can explain why. Are you prepared to answer that question?"

"I can try... Please..."

"It's a yes or no answer Maggie, yes... or, no."

"I uhh... I don't really know John. I've been asking myself over and over why, how could I possibly do that? John, please, I love you... I only love you, please." She began crying, her eyes a little redder and tears running down both cheeks.

"Way too many words Maggie. I've been traveling all day, I'm tired, I just want to check into the hotel. I'll call you before I leave but you need to figure it out."

"Please John. I'm begging you, please forgive me. Please can't we get past this? Don't go to a hotel, just come home"

"Maggie, you knew the rules, forsake all others, we were a team, no competition anymore, till death do we part. I thought that meant one of us had to die, but I guess it was until the death of the relationship. You killed it. We parted. End of story. I have to go."

Maggie begged to his back as he walked away, got in a cab and pulled away.

"John!" Bob exclaimed when John walked in the office the next morning.

"Hey Bob."

"Man it's good to see you. The clients have been asking about you, well asking for you more than anything. They want you to help them. We're having problems with the start up, can I get you to go to St Louis to help out? They're bitching and want you there for a week or two, at least long enough to get things straightened out."

"I don't know, I have to see an attorney, I guess I'll go to Tim, get my finances straightened out, Figure out what other things I have to get dealt with to get myself out of all this."

"Are you ok? I know that should've been my first question." Bob asked wrapping his arm around John's shoulder as they walked down the hall.

"Bob, my head is clear but emotionally I'm dead. I don't know if I'll ever get over it. I just don't see it." John reached across his desk to the framed picture of Maggie, picked it up, looked at it and dropped it into the trash can. "Everything around here reminds me of her. I don't think I can do it. Maybe we should just go our separate ways."

"John, you are the beating heart of this place. I know, nobody around here is irreplaceable, except maybe you and me. I have a deal for you. Once you get settled, let's go to lunch and we'll talk. I think there's a way to work this out."

"I don't want to hear it Bob, don't try to convince me to take that cheating slut back. No fucking way."

"I'm not talking about her man. I'm talking about work." Bob laughed as he walked out the door.

"Bob, if I... no, when I get divorced, I have to figure out how to keep her from getting part of the business. I have to see an attorney tomorrow morning and get the process started."

"So, have you thought about it?"

"Yeah I have. I'm thinking that I go down to the police station and turn myself in, you fire me for conduct unbecoming, and I sign back on as a consultant a month or two after the divorce is final. That way she can only get her teeth into my consulting fees. I have to meet with a lawyer first, he'll take me down to the police station."

"You do have to clean that up, and through a lawyer. Do you think that asshole is going to press charges?"

"I hope so, it'll give us the excuse for the new agreement between us, but I'll hit him with an alienation of affection suit, the normal conduct unbecoming, moral clause bullshit and everything Tim can think of, and convince him to drop the charges, we can figure out how to structure everything once that's all over."

"You know I hate this right? You and I built this place together."

"And I've had a blast doing it. It's no big deal, it'll be back to normal sooner than you think, well at least the new normal. Alright, gotta run."

"John! How are you?" Tim was smiling as he walked across the room his hand extended.

"I've been better Tim. This is personal, family law, criminal law and business law. I don't know who to go to. I was hoping you could guide me."

"John, what's going on?"

"I caught Maggie fucking her boss a month ago."

"Oh shit! Where? How?"

"I walked in on her fucking him in my fucking bed!"

"Oh shit. What'd ya do?"

"Punched his fucking lights out and then I left the country. Took the boat down to Nassau. Been away about a month, just got back yesterday."

"Does she know you're back?"

"Yeah, met me at the airport. I have a couple of issues here, I want a divorce, please get those papers put together right away and have her served or tell me who I should see to have the papers drawn up and have her served. I also have to deal with the cops. It's Brett, her boss from Dewey, Scroom & Howe. I assume I'm wanted on assault charges."

"Let me make a couple of calls. Can you wait outside for a few?"

"Before you do, you should know that I want to use this. I think we can get him to cave if we threaten suit, but I have to get fired for conduct unbecoming so she can't get my half. I didn't think to take pictures so I have no proof other than what I saw, he said-she said. I don't know if I can go for adultery and I don't know if that would change things if I could."

"Ok let's get Mary and George in here so we can attack all this from a united front."

"I don't know how I'm going to afford this, what do you need for a retainer?"

"John don't worry about it now, we'll work it out."

"That's the story of my life right now... everything in limbo. I fucking hate this."

There were charges outstanding and getting booked was one of the most humiliating experiences John had suffered through. When he was brought before the magistrate it was by video. He stood with George next to him at a podium with a screen of the judge in front of them.

"Ok Mr. Baker, it says here that you assaulted a mister... Brett Gounaris, by hitting him repeatedly about the head and face. How do you plead?"

"Guilty your honor, however I never hit his head, only his face. Three times." Even on Video the judge was an attractive woman. Her face slightly angular, her eyes bright, her expression intelligent.

"You admit you hit this man? Please tell me there are extenuating circumstances."

"Yes Mam, there are." George responded.

"Oh please Mr. Baker, enlighten me."

"I don't want to be disrespectful Mam, but they were in the middle of..."

George interrupted. "In flagrante delecto your honor."

"Thank you George, yes mam, they were in flagrante delecto... I think." John smiled.

"What do you mean you think?"

"If that means they were having sex in my bed in my house then that's correct."

There was just a hint of a smile on the judges' face. "And you decided to strike him?"

"Yes Mam, three times. It hurt my hand so I didn't think a fourth was warranted."

"The State appreciates your restraint Mr. Baker. You will be in my court room, let me see, in two weeks. Does that suit you Mr. Hends?"

"Yes your honor." George replied.

"Mr. Baker, you hit the wrong guy, Mr. Gounaris is campaigning for the State's attorney. My understanding is that he is very displeased with the costs associated with his emergency care and dental work that was required to repair the damage you did. If he is displeased the DA is displeased. Be prepared." She actually smiled at John.

"Thank you Mam. We will be prepared." George responded for him.

"Oh and Mr. Baker, please don't hit anyone else."

"Yes Mam."

"You are released on your own recognizance, don't leave the State. Mr. Hends, you are responsible for your client to be at court at the appointed time. You are dismissed."

"Yes Mam, he will be there."

As George and John turned from the podium the Judge heard George exclaim to John quietly under his breath... "Oh my god, she smiled! I've never seen her smile before!"

"She seemed nice, George."

"She has never been described as nice before John, and the emphasis is on the never. Hanging Harriet more likely. This is going to be interesting."

John received his termination papers by courier the following day, dissolving the partnership on the morals clause based on his arrest and pending sentencing. He took the letter to Tim's office and dropped it off. He really didn't have anything to do now except wait. The boat was still in Nassau, he wasn't allowed to leave the State and he was unemployed. He took the rental car down to the bay and sat on the beach and watched the water go up and down until it turned dark enough to be unable to see the water.

His phone started to ring the next day at 11:00 AM while he was hanging out in the hotel room.

"Hello?"

"John... John please don't do this... Please..."

"Maggie, I told you I didn't want to talk to you again until you can tell me why."

"John, I didn't mean it to happen. It just... kind of happened. We were working and went out for drinks, then dancing... then we just ended up... here."

"Maggie, do you have any idea how much this hurts? You ripped my heart out of my chest. The one person that I knew I could trust, that I could talk to regardless of if I was proud or embarrassed, the person who never judged me. I thought we were going to grow old together, play with the grandchildren together. Fuck!" John slammed his hand down on the hotel room desk.

"John, please, let me explain, let me show you I love you. Please... Meet me, talk to me, please..."

"You're going to explain. Ok, one shot. Then will you sign the papers so we can go on with our lives. I have plenty of free time for the next couple of weeks then I may be going away for a while."

"What do you mean going away for a while and why do you have free time? You mean after work?"

"No, I got fired, and I mean to jail. Pumper filed charges."

"Oh my god John! How did you get fired? You were partners? Oh my god! I cost you your business. I can never forgive... myself... I'm so sorry." She was crying and heaving between words.

"Morals Clause, if either of us got charged with a crime the other got the company. I have a court date the week after next. I don't know what's going to happen with that one."

"I won't let him do that John, I won't!"

"I don't think you have a choice. You still working with that fuck?"

"John, please meet me... Let me see what I can do? Let me show you I love you and only you." The fact that she dodged the question did not go un-noticed.

"It's too late for that. I just want to get my affairs settled and get the fuck out of here."

"Please John... Just lunch. We can talk. A public place, I can't make too much of a scene, please."

"Ok fine. Tomorrow, DiLuigis in little Italy. Noon?"

"Ok John, Thank you. I love you, honey."

"Don't say that and don't call me that ever again. You lost your right to call me that."

"Ok John... I'm... sorry... I'm so sorry."

He was seated against the wall facing the door when she came in. She was every bit as beautiful as she was in college. Sure there were a few more pounds on her, and her eyes were red, but he noticed for the thousandth time that she had aged well. Wearing a blue dress with white pumps, that hinted at the body beneath and accentuated the toned muscles of her calves. John's breath stuck in his throat and the sight of her was replaced with the mental image of pumper's ass going up and down. He started to breathe again.

"Maggie." He refrained from rising as she approached the table.

"No hug?" she said with a strained smile on her face.

"Nope."

"John you're being so cold. We spent 30 years together."

"You fucked another man in my bed. How many times, how long has this been going on?"

"It was just the once John."

"You seriously expect me to believe that was the first time? I don't believe you."

"John, it was a mistake. I didn't mean for it to happen... it just did."

"You make it seem like you slipped on a banana peel and fell on his dick."

"You don't have to be crude John. That's the same thing Becky said."

"Right."

"John, I'm so sorry... I can't believe you lost the company. What are you going to do? Are you going to fight it?"

"No, it's in the contract, just like the morals clause is in your contract of employment at the Law Firm. I'm going after him you know, alienation of affection, going after the firm on the grounds that they didn't uphold the morals clause with you and pumper. I'll figure something out."