A Family Affair

"We have a unique situation here. Your brother was in the house with your wife's permission so he had every right to be there and feel safe there. He can press charges against you and you will no doubt be found guilty. He can also press charges against your wife for what she did to him. That one is a little more cloudy since she says she did it to protect you. A judge and jury would probably accept it.

"You could also press charges against your wife, but the same would apply since she says she did it too keep you from killing your brother. That means that of the three of you your brother, outside of having a fractured skull, walks away from it. Your wife could possibly, though not likely, go to jail for her actions. You, on the other hand, don't stand a chance of walking if your brother presses charges.

"Normally in a case like this you would be arrested and held until your brother recovered enough to make his wishes known or until you could go in front of a judge and be granted bail. However my boss doesn't want to handle this in the normal manner. I've been instructed to leave it for now and limit my actions to telling you not to leave this jurisdiction without clearing it with us. Do you understand?"

I shook my head yes while thinking that it wasn't my place to tell Bolla that his boss was Beth's uncle and he said:

"No head shake. I need to hear you tell me that you understand what I just told you."

"I understand."

He stood up, walked to the door and turned to face me and then said:

"I hope that it turns out well for you" and then he was gone.

The nurse came in and gave me a couple of pills and I went to sleep.

+++++++++++++++++++

I woke up when they brought me what they laughingly called food. I picked at it for a while and after the tray had been taken away I was asked if I was to having visitors. I asked who and was told it was my wife and daughter. The way I was feeling I would have said no if it was just Beth, but I couldn't say no to Laura.

I sat up even though sitting up caused my head to start pounding and when Laura came into the room she ran to me crying out "Daddy daddy."

I hugged her and then had to answer a ton of questions. When she asked why I was in the hospital I looked at Beth and she winced when I said:

"Daddy fell down and hurt his head sweetie. It is getting better and I'll be home to tomorrow."

When the visit was over I got hugs and kisses from Laura and when Beth came over to kiss me I turned my face away from her. She whispered:

"I know you don't believe it Bobby, but I do love you."

They left and I fell back on the bed, looked up at the ceiling and cursed my brother for what he had done to my family.

+++++++++++++++

In the morning Beth and Laura were there to drive me home and of course with Laura in the car Beth and I didn't talk. Not that I was in any mood to talk anyway. What was there to say? I'd caught her red handed so she couldn't deny it. I did believe her when she said she laid me out to keep me from killing Billy, but only because of what I had learned from the nurses.

Beth had done a lot more to Billy than whack him in the head with the lamp to keep him from attacking me. She had apparently used the lamp on other parts of his body as well. He ended up with two broken ribs and damaged testicles as well as a fractured skull.

I knew I would have to talk to her eventually, but I just wasn't ready to do it.

When we got home there was a furniture company truck parked in front of the house and there were two men carrying something inside. I glanced over at Beth with a questioning look on my face, but she didn't say anything. When we got into the house I saw that the two men were setting up a new bed in the master bedroom. I'm not dense so I knew what Beth was doing, but getting rid of the bed I'd caught her fucking Billy on wasn't going to help the situation at all.

My head was still hurting so I took a couple of the pain pills they had given me at the hospital and went to the guest bedroom and sacked out. Beth woke me for dinner and I was grateful for the fact that Laura wanted to be the center of attention. Beth and I still needed to talk, but I was still too wound up to do it. I needed to calm down a bit first. Calm down a lot actually.

Naturally since that is what I needed that is what I did not get. We had almost finished dinner when the doorbell rang and I got up to answer it. When I opened the door Billy's wife Annabelle pushed by me and into the house. I closed the door and turned to find her standing there looking at me.

"Damn it Bobby; why haven't you been answering your phone?"

I remembered dropping it in my coat pocket before charging Billy, but I didn't know where it was now. Most likely it was wherever my coat was. That prompted the thought "Did Beth get rid of the phone or delete the photos?' I'd have to find out, but for the moment I said:

"I've misplaced the phone Annie."

"I want to know what the hell is going on Bobby. Bill is in the hospital and he is all messed up. The story I got is that you put him there."

"I guess in a way I did."

"What the hell did you do to him Bobby? A fractured skull and he may lose both of his testicles to say nothing of two broken ribs and some other damage."

"I came home and found him in the bedroom fucking Beth and I pretty much lost it and went after him."

"Bullshit Bobby! He would never cheat on me."

"Come on into the kitchen with me" I said and headed for the kitchen. After a moments hesitation she followed me and I told her to have a seat while I parked Laura in front of the electric babysitter. When I got back to the kitchen I said:

"Annie wants to know why Billy is in the hospital. Why don't you tell her Beth? Maybe she will believe it coming from you."

Beth looked away and I said, "Come on Beth; Annie wants to know and she doesn't believe me."

Beth started crying and got up and ran from the room.

"Son of a bitch! It's true? She was screwing my husband?"

"Afraid so. I've got pictures if I can find my cell phone."

"How long has it been going on?"

"No idea. I just found out about it last week and I took a couple of days off work to try and catch them at it."

I told her what I'd walked in on and what the aftermath had been.

"And you are still here with her?"

"I just got out of the hospital this morning. I haven't had a chance to do anything yet."

"What are you going to do?"

"I've already seen a lawyer and started the divorce paperwork. Other than that I haven't decided. I going to try and keep Laura and the house, but if I can't I'll have to find someplace."

"No you won't. I've got plenty of room now that I'm going to kick my cheating ass husband out. When you find your cell I want a copy of the pictures. Who is your attorney? Maybe if I use him we can get a group discount."

That made me smile and Annie said, "I'm serious Bobby. You can move in with me."

"No I can't Annie. I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you and you know it."

"So? It would serve the both of them right if we did get it on."

"Probably, but it would complicate the divorce. Maybe even give the two of them grounds to counter sue. This state is no fault and I don't have to give a reason, but I'm going for adultery so I can try and get custody of Laura. You and I staying together probably wouldn't look all that good to the court or the Child Protection Office of Social Services."

"Well the invitation is open Bobby. Both of them."

I told her I'd get the pictures to her when (and if) I found them and I gave her the name of my attorney. She left and I went out and watched cartoons with Laura until it was time to put her to bed. I read to her until she fell asleep and then I went looking for my phone.

I saw two possibilities. The paramedics might have taken the coat off me when they checked me for vital signs and left it on the bedroom floor when they took me away or it could have been taken off of me at the hospital. If it was the latter it should be in the bag of things I brought home with me when I was released.

I checked the bag first and the coat and phone weren't there. If my coat was removed before I was loaded on the gurney and hauled away Beth probably would have picked it up and hung it in the closet. She sure wouldn't have left it on the floor with the furniture guys coming. If that is what happened would Beth have had the presence of mind to get the phone and delete the pictures or toss the phone? The only way to find out was to go into the bedroom where she was hiding from Annie and look in the closet.

I went into the bedroom and found Beth sitting on the edge of the bed apparently all cried out. She watched me as I went into the closet and opened the door. My coat was there and I checked the pockets and found the phone. A quick check showed that the pictures were still there. I put the phone in my pocket and turned to leave. Beth cleared her throat and asked:

"What are you going to do?"

"That's a silly question to ask. You should all ready know what the outcome of my finding you fucking my brother would be. I've all ready seen an attorney and he has started on the divorce paperwork."

"I don't want a divorce Bobby. I love you and you know I do."

"Just not enough to keep you from fucking around on me right?"

"I wasn't fucking around on you Bobby. Your asshole of a brother was blackmailing me."

"Blackmailing you?"

"He found out something about me that I couldn't let you know about and he told me that if I didn't have sex with him he would tell you. I love you Bobby and I had to give in to him to keep from losing you. If you ever found out what I'd done you would have left me in a heartbeat."

"Well it doesn't matter now so what is this deep dark secret I could never know?"

"I can't tell you?"

"Can't or won't?"

"It doesn't matter; they are both the same. You can't ever know."

"Not even if there was a remote chance of saving your marriage?"

"If there is a remote chance knowing the secret would kill it. You can't ever know Bobby. Not ever."

I shrugged and left the room. Just to be on the safe side I hid the phone before going to the guest bedroom and going to bed.

I'd only been in bed twenty minutes or so when the bedroom door opened and Beth came in and sat down on the edge of the bed. I lay there quiet and she finally said:

"I know you doubt it Bobby, but I do love you. I love you more than life itself and I swear to you on all that I hold sacred that I only had sex with your brother because it was the only way I could see that I could keep you."

"If that is true why were you telling him that his cock was bigger and better than mine and that he fucked you better than I ever did?"

The last part was a shot in the dark, but it seemed likely that if she was telling Billy his cock was bigger than mine (when she knew it wasn't true) she would be telling him other things too.

"I said those things because he wanted to hear them and I needed to keep him happy. I had to do whatever was needed to keep him from telling you what he knew. He didn't screw me any better than you. He wasn't even half as good and his dick definitely isn't bigger than yours. All in all I could never see why Annabelle stayed with him.

"I need you Bobby. I can't lose you. I just can't. I'll make it up to you Booby; I swear to God I'll do everything in my power to make it up to you. Just give me the chance. Please Bobby; just give me the chance."

"You'll do everything except the one thing you absolutely have to do. Before I can even give a seconds thought to staying with you I need to know what it is that you were so desperate to hide from me. The thing that was so bad you were willing to fuck my brother to keep me from knowing."

"I can't tell you Bobby; I just can't tell you."

"Then we have nothing to talk about Beth. Please go. I've got a long day in front of me tomorrow and I need my sleep."

"Please Bobby; just le..."

"Get the fuck out of here Beth! Just get the fuck away from me!!"

She started crying again, but she got up and left.

+++++++++++++++++++++

The next morning I was up before Beth and Laura and I got my cell from its hiding place and headed for the Waffle House for breakfast. I hadn't noticed when I checked for pictures, but I had several missed messages and two voicemails from my dad. No surprise there. He had no doubt found out about Billy being in the hospital and had heard that I'd had something to do with it. I could bet that he was just dying to hear the story.

I wasn't going to give it to him. He would have to get it from my brother. He wouldn't believe it coming from me anyway. As far as my parents were concerned precious William could do no wrong. He was obviously my parent's favorite and I could never figure it out.

I'd out shown him in damned near everything. I'd been a straight A student and my brother barely held a C average. He held his grades up just enough to be allowed to play sports and I outclassed him there too. He was two years older than me and had been on the football team, mostly as a bench warmer, for a year before I started high school. I made the starting line up as a wide receiver in my first year. I made All State in my junior and senior years and received a full ride scholarship at State. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Business Management and found a great paying job and my brother ended up working second shift at the box factory, but Billy was still their favorite.

I'd known that since I was old enough to know about those things, but they never bothered me because I knew I was better than him at most things, I was never in doubt that my parents loved me too it was just that Billy always got just a tablespoon more. I was going to have to return his calls, but I'd wait until he'd been up long enough to have his first dozen cups of coffee.

Even though I was on a day off I still went into work and used my computer and printer to make several prints of Beth and Billy playing and then I called Annabelle to see if she was home. I caught her just as she was leaving for the hospital. I told her I had the copies she wanted and she told me that she would be home around five that evening. I told her I would stop by sometime between five and six.

I spent the rest of the morning opening a new checking account in my name and moving assets. I left checking alone, but took half of our savings and five of the nine CDs we had in the safe deposit box. Beth had two credit cards in her own name and I had three in my name only, but we had three more in both of our names and I cancelled them.

At eleven I called my dad and the call went pretty much the way I expected it to go. Why wasn't he called when Billy was sent to the hospital? What in the world could be so bad that I'd put my own brother in the emergency room?

"We are family for God's sake Bob and as a family we can work things out without violence."

"Sorry dad, but it was the family part that had a lot to do with what happened."

"What does that mean?"

"You will have to get that from my ex-brother."

"What do you mean by ex-brother?"

"Just that. He is no longer kin of mine. You can almost bet on the fact that I'll be going for his throat any time we find ourselves in the same room together."

"It can't be that bad."

"Oh yes it can."

"You need to come by the house Bob. We have to get to the bottom of this. We can't let it get any worse."

"Sorry dad. There is no fixing this. I'll stop by later tonight or some time tomorrow, but right now I've got a ton of things to do so I need to go."

In case things didn't work out the way I wanted them to I needed to see what my options were so I spent most of the rest of the day checking out apartments. From what I saw Annabelle's offer was starting to look better and better.

At five-ten I called Annabelle to see if she was home and she was so I headed over to see her. I'd be lying if I said that the thought of getting even with Beth and Billy by bedding Annie never occurred to me. In fact the idea spent entirely too much time in my head. Annie didn't help things any when she answered my knock in a blouse that showed an acre of cleavage and a skirt so short I knew I would see her panties if she bent at the waist.

I found out that I was wrong about that. She wasn't wearing any. There was no doubt in my mind that Annie was trying to tempt me. She even had high heels on and Annie knew that high heels were one of my biggest turn ons. Yes indeed! Annabelle was most definitely trying to tempt me.

And it was working.

I'd never, not once, during my marriage to Beth given any thought to cheating on Beth. That's not to say that I didn't see ladies I'd love to bed because I did see a great many that I would have loved to put the pork to. But even though I'd had numerous opportunities I'd never taken advantage of them because I was a married man in love with his wife.

That had all changed. Yes, Beth was still my wife, but what she had done had ended our marriage. As far as I was concerned when she broke her vows she released me from mine. The problem was that I wanted to get custody of Laura and I had no doubts that my playing with Annie would put me in as bad a light as the one I would be shining on Beth's adultery.

++++++++++++++++++++

Annie was on her hands and knees and I was fucking her doggie. It was our third time. The first time had been missionary followed by some sixty-nine and both times had been memorable. A turned on and wound up Annie was sight to behold. Why my stupid brother had cheated on her was a mystery. If she only gave him half of what she gave me he still would have had it way better than most guys I knew.

How did I come to give up my resolve to stay away from Annie? A crying need to get even by taking something that was my brother's coupled with a need to let out the rage I felt after hearing what Annie had to say over dinner.

She had visited Billy at the hospital. He was in a downer of a mood because he had been informed that they were going to have to remove his right testicle because it had been too badly damaged. Whether it had been because of Beth's actions with the table lamp or my foot wasn't known. When he had told Annie she told him that it didn't matter to her because she was never going to have sex with him again and was in fact going to see an attorney about a divorce. Then she asked him why he had pissed on his marriage to her the way he had. He had begged her not to leave him and told her that he loved her and all Beth was to him was sex. Annie had told him that before she could even give thought to staying with him she needed to know why he had done what he had done.

The story she got from Billy was that he had always resented me and saw fucking Beth as a way of sticking it to me. I went to college and he didn't get to go and somehow that was my fault. I had deliberately shown him up on the football field and baseball diamond. I must have sucked the coach's cock to get to play while he had to sit on the bench. He was better than me and he proved it by fucking Beth better than I ever had and he knew it because Beth told him so. She told him he was bigger and fucked her better and that she wished she had married him instead of me.

I laughed at that and told her what Beth had told me about Billy's bedroom abilities. And then Annie told me that she had found out the one thing that Beth had absolutely refused to tell me. The reason. Billy had come by one day to borrow my power washer and he had walked into the house and found Beth fucking my father. My father!! No wonder Beth didn't want to tell me why she was being blackmailed. My father!! My father and my brother!! Thank God I had no other living male relatives or they might have gotten her too. They didn't see Billy and he took a couple of pictures with his cell phone and quietly left the house. A day later he stopped by the house, showed Beth the pictures that he had and then told her the price she had to pay to keep me from ever seeing them.