50/50

Around midnight Tammy opened her eyes but there was no body home. She didn't speak or acknowledge anyone's questions or look anywhere but straight ahead. They brought Michelle in to talk to her but again total nothing.

Later on, Michelle asked the doctor what he thought was wrong. "She went into shock and hasn't come out of it. After a complete examination I discovered she had some really rough sex and had some bleeding. And in her purse we found a prescription bottle for a Plan B Pill. It looks like someone hurt her sexually, maybe was raped, and she was afraid of getting pregnant and took the pill. There are traces of it in her blood. She has on a wedding ring. Do you know if her husband did it or knows anything?"

"No, he didn't do it and doesn't know she's here, but I'll call him right now."

Tom was still awake and couldn't sleep while he thought about his life going to shit. He knew he was at fault drinking too much and going to Hank's apartment with the two women. He also knew that if he hadn't passed out it was very likely he would have had sex. He now regretted his phone text after getting the voice mail from Tammy. Down deep he knew that he still loved her but she had hurt him deeply. But what really got him was her comment about something being wrong with her. They both knew it but neither had asked for help and now it was too late. However, this was the first time that she admitted her problem. He started to cry when his phone buzzed. "Michelle why are you calling me at this hour?"

"Tom! Tammy is in the hospital and...and," she stopped to wipe away her tears."

"Michelle relax, take a breath and tell me what happened. How bad is she hurt?"

"She's...she's...she's not there."

"Michelle...you're not making any sense."

"She's in shock Tom...shock! Yes, she had sex and the doc said it was rough. I have her phone and I saw your text telling her to stick her ring up her ass. It must have tossed her over to wherever she is right now."

"Stay there and I'll be there in twenty minutes." He put on a button-down shirt and headed towards the hospital. As much as he hated what she did to him he knew he still loved her deeply. No matter he knew she was unfaithful he had to stick with her now in her time of need. He ran to the elevator after being told her room number and was running down the hall when he saw Michelle in a small waiting area.

"Tom thank God you're here. I'm so worried about her and maybe if she hears your voice she will snap out of it."

"Are you her husband?" A short man in a lab coat asked walking his way. A stethoscope hung around his neck.

"Yes," he answered not sure how much longer. "Is she going to make it?"

"Physically yes. Mentally, not my call. However, her injuries to her vagina and rectum could be the result of rape. I am required to report this to authorities unless you know otherwise."

Tom showed his shock. "Surely you don't think I did this." He glared at Michelle. "You tell him. I need some water." He walked a few feet away.

"She was with another man and had consensual sex with him. At least that's what was planned. I don't really know what happened."

"Sorry but I have to report it."

"Do what you have to do but this was planned ahead," Tom said totally pissed that she had put herself in this position. He turned to Michelle, "How could you let this happen?"

Michelle did her best to keep calm. "You know how she is with that damn 50/50 shit. She's gotten so deep into it that she's become possessed. I tried to talk some sense into her talking to you first but I couldn't get through. I don't think anyone would blame you for walking away and never look back."

"The sad thing is that I still love her but I can't go on like this anymore. I'll do what I can to help her but can't promise you anything more."

"Thank you Tom," Michelle smiled as she hugged her handsome brother-in-law. "Let's go and talk to her."

For the next eight days the two of them spent day and night talking and whispering to Tammy. Michelle had fallen asleep one night by her sister's bed and was awaken by hearing her name. "Mi....Michelle."

"Oh God Tammy your awake. We thought we lost you. I've got to get the nurse." She started to stand up but Tammy grabbed her wrist. "Tom. Where is he?"

"He's at home but..."

" What happened? I can't remember... why am I here?"

"It's a long story sis. Just relax and let's get you better first." But, after her sister went out to alert the nurse, Tammy started remembering what happened and her husband's text. "OH GOD NO..NO..NO!"

She tried to get up but the IV, the heart monitor wires and the catheter hindered her success. The nurse ran in and guided her onto her back. "You are awake. I've paged the doctor."

"I have to see my husband. Please, l need to tell him it was a mistake."

"He has some stuff at work but will be here later," Michelle said putting down her cell. She didn't tell her that he wasn't anxious to see her.

It was obvious to Tammy, "He hates me,, doesn't he? I am so fucked up Michelle. Why do I do this shit? Now I've lost the only man who I've loved forever."

"I think he still loves you, but you've really hurt him this time. The doctors say that you need to take a few steps back and find out why this 50/50 thing runs your life. I think it might be better if you stay with me while we figure this thing out."

"No...I want to be with Tom. I can't face not being married to him."

"Yes, but he doesn't want to be married to the person you have become. Did you give the guy consent to have sex?"

"Yes, but the jerk was such an ass and was so rough I faked an orgasm just to get him to stop. I still thought there was nothing wrong because I was getting even. How fucked up is that? I should have confronted Tom first and even so, I shouldn't have fucked another guy."

"That's a start," Michele smiled.

Tammy was dozing and didn't notice Tom walk in with a bouquet of daisies. She opened her eyes, saw the flowers and tried to sit up.

"Here let me help," he grinned moving to the bed lift button. After he stood she hoped he would kiss her or hold her hand but he turned and walked to the window and look out.

"Tom...I'm so.."

"Sorry, I know," he said looking at her reflection in the glass. "I'm sorry too for getting drunk and going with Hank to their apartment. If I hadn't passed out, I would probably done the same as you."

"No, the whole problem is my 50/50 thing. I need help but please don't divorce me at least until I find out what's wrong.

He turned and walked to her before taking her hand. "I said those things in anger and realize now that your health means more to me right now than anything. Michele told me that she wants you to stay with her so you can concentrate on getting well. That's probably a good idea. I promise that I won't see any other women while you are going through this discovery and healing process."

"But I will see you right?"

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Wild horses won't keep me away. This doesn't mean all is forgiven and I'll still have nightmares with you and Jim in his bed. We have a long road to get back to where we were.

"I know. Just give me...I mean us a chance. I love you so much baby."

"Me too."

It took a few months for Tammy to understand a little how she got lost control of her equal hang-up. The talks with her doctor discovered when she was in Pre-school, even before kindergarten, a few of the bigger kids would take more than their share of snacks and toys. Finally, she had enough and pulled the toy back causing the bully to tumble back onto his rear. The other kids cheered for her when she told him equal time for everyone. Since then she has been the 50/50 superhero.

From there, things just snowballed until her mind was possessed with getting her fair share. She didn't want more... just be equal.

Michele remembered that day when Tammy came home with a big grin and told everyone she took on the class bully. Everyone told her how great that was making it even more important to her.

But now realizing how harmful it was with the possibility of losing Tom her love started pushing the Equal thinking lower and lower.

Tom had been seeing her twice a week to judge her progress and could see the improvement. Both Michele and he started testing her by buying something for each other and not getting something for her. She would start to complain but stopped, smiled and knew she was beating it. The big test was when Tammy brought two large chocolate chip cookies home for dinner when Tom came by.

Michele looked at Tom. "So how do we split two cookies into thirds?"

"We don't," Tammy smiled. "One is for my favorite sister and the other for my forgiving husband." She reached into her purse and brought out two tickets to the upcoming Billy Joel concert nearby. "These are for you two as well."

"But you love chocolate chip cookies and Billy Joel," Tom said pushing the cookies and tickets back her way.

"I do but I love you two more. I've found out it's better to give than receive."

Tears started falling from all three knowing Tammy had taken a big step. "I'm not all the way healed but I do think I'm getting there. I want to move back home Tom."

"OK but there is one thing we have to do equally first. Tomorrow night get dresses in dark clothes and bring one of your old tennis rackets.

"I'll pick you up at 9:30PM."

"That's it? A tennis match?" She questioned.

"Kinda...I'll explain it to you tomorrow."

"Fine, I'll do anything if you take me back."

*

Tammy was waiting on Michele's front porch as Tom pulled up in an old Honda Accord. He had bought it with cash from a friend of a friend of a friend. He used a fake name and an old license plate he found in a waste dump. "Get in."

"What's going on? Why all the mystery and where did you get this shitty car? Are you going to take me out somewhere and kill me?"

"Hell no, I have you back and never want you away from me again. Also go and replace the wooden racket you have with a metal one."

"Whatever," she sighed. Minutes later they pulled into the gym parking lot. "It closes in ten minutes," she said.

"Listen this is the only time I want you to be equal. The asshole that hurt you will be closing up the gym in a few minutes, so we are going to repay the pain. We don't want to kill him or do any permanent damage but enough so he will think about not hurting other women in the future.

"But he's really muscular and will be hard to take down."

"Here are some Mace sprays. It's made with a special hot blend that he will be thinking his body is on fire. It won't cause eye or burn damage but will put him down on his knees. I also have a taser if we need it."

"What if someone sees us or he recognizes me?"

"We wear these masks and gloves."

"I hate that bastard," she growled while taking them.

Luckily for them Jim parked his BMW around the back of the gym to provide more parking spots for the members. There was little lighting with one light bulb hanging over a doorway. Tom and Tammy were hiding behind a brown dumpster and waited until he passed by.

"HEY SHITFACE!" Tom dashed out, yelled and started spraying the Mace into his face when he turned around.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Jim screamed when his eyes and face caught fire. He tried to see who it was doing it when suddenly another spray started splashing against the front of his thin nylon shorts and thighs.

"AH SHIT!" Jim wailed trying to block the sprays with both hands. One was over his balls and the other his face.

"I'm Going to Kill you," he cried as he stumbled forward swinging his fists where the sprays were coming from.

Since there was a small wind that night Tom made sure that Tammy and he were positioned upwind. Now that the asshole was blinded, he grabbed his tennis racket and swiftly moved down and to the side of Jim's path. Tammy was on the man's other side.

"VOLLEY FOR SERVE!" Tom yelled before smacking the racket across the back of Jim's left knee.

"OUCH DAMMIT! YOU FUCKING COWARD." His left leg buckled but not enough until Tammy used her powerful two-handed back hand on the back of his right knee. It was like David and Goliath as the giant hormone-enriched trainer went down.

He tried to get up and see until more Mace spray covered his face again and crotch. Now on his back and swinging his arms and legs out hoping to make contact he realized that fighting was not working. Suddenly he stopped moving and sat up.

"Listen, you have the wrong guy. I've never did anything bad enough to deserve this punishment. Sure, I seduce women or let them seduce me but never without their permission. Let's stop this before anyone gets really hurt."

"Fuck you asshole," Tammy yelled just before her tennis racket swing down and into his unprotected crotch. His hands hovered over his nuts but she kicked low enough to go underneath and into his nut sac.

He managed to grab her ankle but Tom sprayed his face again with the Mace causing him to let go of Tammy.

The pain in his nuts was the worse he had ever experienced even through his college football career. At least playing football he could wear a cup for protection.

"OHHHHH..AHHHHH," he groaned and moaned and turned over to protect any more kicks. "I give. Please stop. I beg you."

"Sorry," Tammy said before yelling, "25 Love!" Seconds later her tennis racket smacked down hard on his poorly covered left buttock.

"40 Love," Tom announced as he swung even harder onto the other ass cheek.

"GAME! SET! MATCH!" Tammy laughed as both of them hit the jerk's ass. They moved back to see his reaction and heard him crying.

"Mommy...mommy please help me."

Tom leaned down and whispered, "If you hurt another woman, you're going to need more than your Mommy. Tom saw the Alpha's phone on the pavement next to his car keys. He stepped hard onto the cellphone smashing it to bits and tossed the car keys in the dumpster.

He motioned for Tammy to get out quietly.

As they entered the old car, he stopped her and said, "you hit and sprayed him more times than I did.

"Really I wasn't counting."

Epilog:

Months later couple counseling was next after she moved back home. They started having sex two weeks from her move-back date and both were extremely horny. So much that a few weeks later she confirmed she was pregnant.

The urge in the house to be equal became less and less until their daughter Tracy came home with a note from her kindergarten teacher:

'Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds

Tracy was bad today for pushing a boy in her class down after the boy took more time than allotted on the slide. We do not allow such behavior at our school. This is the first warning. She only gets two.'

Gail Morgan, Principal

"Hey what's up?" Tom asked coming in the door. "Why the angry face pumpkin?"

"Well, she pushed down a boy on the playground today because he wasn't giving equal time on the slide. I was about to tell her that it was wrong."

"He was wrong Mommy not me!" Said the girl who looked just like Tammy.

"Yes but...," Tammy started to say.

"Honey why don't you finish dinner and I'll talk to her." He took Tracy's tiny hand in his and walked her outside.

"Promise me something."

"OK Daddy I promise I'll never do it again."

"Oh no not that. Promise me you'll never tell Mommy that I said it was OK to kick the poop out of a bully. OK?"

"Yes Daddy." Tracy giggled.

Fini

Ending note: I know a lot of you wanted to BTB but hey its Christmas so let it end nicely. Except for bullies. Kick the poop out of them.