Consequences - Maxine

John called on a Friday to tell me that so far, nothing had showed up on his equipment. He asked me if I could schedule a trip out of town for at least three days and nights. I said I could so he said to set it up. I did as he requested. I came home the following Monday night and waited till after the kids were asleep to spring it on Max.

"Max, I need to tell you something. I've got to go out of town for a few days to meet with some clients on a potential job. It's big and could keep the place working for almost a year. I'll fly out tomorrow evening and then be able to come home on Friday. I'll just be gone three nights."

Max looked angry at my words. She seemed to be trying to decide how to answer me and finally looked at me. Actually looked directly at me, something she had not been doing for some time. I guess she had a basis for anger directed at me and felt justified. That almost made me laugh but I resisted the urge.

"Well, it's nice of you to give me some warning. A day? What am I supposed to do with Tiff and Leif? Did you think of that?"

"Well, I've been taking care of them now on Thursday's when you and your girlfriends go out and stay out till after they go to bed. I work all day then take care of them at night, but I don't see you doing the same for me. When have I ever asked you to watch them so I could have a night out?"

I was rewarded with a pained look when she realized the position she put herself in with her complaint. I saw the flush of blood to her face before she turned away. Let her handle that!

"You're right. I guess I have been unfair to you. I'm sorry. I'll be fine when you go. It's important I know or you wouldn't do it. I'll get your mom to help out. She'll love that."

"Good. I'm glad you're OK with it. I have to pack tonight so I'll leave directly from work." I was afraid my sarcasm would start an argument I didn't want to have but Max didn't seem to notice.

That night was the hardest so far. Maxine wanted to make love before I left but I had to plead fatigue and worry. I told her to give me this week to make the decision on this job and then I would be able to stop worrying and be my normal self. She took it hard and again I heard her crying after she thought I was asleep. Her tears didn't make any impression on me now. I decided that if I came back and John told me things were OK and Max did nothing while I was gone, I would end this whole thing and get my wife back. If he found nothing, that was a big if in my mind.

I left the following day as planned. Actually, I checked into a hotel fifty miles away and stayed there for the next three days. I called Max on my cell phone several times a day while I was gone. I particularly called her on Thursday when she would be out doing whatever she and Chris had been doing but her cell was strangely quiet. All I got was a voice mail message saying 'not available' and 'leave a message for me to return'. I left a message telling her that she must be doing something very important not to take my call. Maybe I had gone too far but somehow, the anger reached out and grabbed me by the throat.

John told me not to call him, he would call me. So I waited and worked on some estimates that were actually fairly big. The time dragged by. When John finally did call, it was the day before I was to fly home. He wanted me to come in to the office as soon as I could. I checked out of my hotel and drove the fifty miles back to see John. I wish now that I hadn't. What he had for me was worse than I could imagine. But, now the truth was mine. I knew what she was doing, who she was doing it with and I was shocked.

As I sat in John's office, he showed me pictures of Maxine with Sam Fontaine and another man I didn't know. There were pictures of her with each of them, each man fucking her from behind and with her on top. There were pictures of her between them, one on the bottom and one behind, fucking her in the pussy and in the ass. She was lying face up and I could see the lust and the pleasure on her face. In several of the pictures, Christine was also present, doing different things. John also had pictures of Christine taking both of the men at the same time. There were other pictures, each showing both of the girls doing things I had only dreamed of, even with our active sex life. I had never done some of the things I saw her do with Sam Fontaine and it made me sick. Sick with anger, sick with rage.

John said nothing as I ran toward the bathroom to get sick. He sat behind his desk as he listened to me retching into his sink. He stood as he saw me stagger back into the room, my face pale with the remaining sickness of watching my wife's betrayal. He sat down as I slumped into the chair. He said nothing as I gathered my courage to ask.

"Where were my children? I know these were taken in my bedroom. Where were my children?" I feared the answer but held out hope that she wasn't that evil.

"With your mother. They wasn't there Bob. Rest easy on that. They wasn't there."

"When did this happen? Thursday night? Did she do it on the other nights as well?"

"No. This was the only time she had them to your house. That was the second night you was gone. I listened to one of 'em tell the other she'd never allowed him to come there before. He was so damn happy to be "fucking that bitch in her husband's bed." I got that on tape. That was from that Sam guy. He's a real piece of shit. He's a real bad ass."

"I want his ass John. I want his ass bad. What can we do to nail him? I know adultery isn't a crime so what can I do to nail his ass?" I was furious and wanted to kill Sam Fontaine but I didn't want to do time for killing a son of a bitch like him. I just wanted him gone.

"I know some guys. Just leave it to me. It'll cost you an extra two grand. That OK?"

"Not a problem. I'll pay what it takes to get that son of a bitch. Just do it John. Please get him."

"Gim'me a week. Talk to your lawyer if you're going to and have your shit ready to serve in one week. I'll take care of the wiseass. Leave it to me. Just get me the cash in small bills so's I can buy what I need. And Bob, you's got to trust me. Can you do that?"

"I trust you John. More than I trust the woman I loved. The mother of my children."

I stayed with John that evening and the two of us finished off a bottle of Johnny Walker whiskey. I woke the next day lying on the floor of a one room apartment. I gathered it was John's as he was snoring away in a pull down Murphy bed. I got up; washed as best I could and woke him long enough for him to tell me my car was downstairs. I drove to work, spent a few hours there and then when it was time, drove home. I was rumpled enough to convince Max that I had spent a few hours on a plane after meeting early with the clients.

John convinced me that I needed to back off my avoidance and spend the next week with my wife, treating her as my loving wife, not as a cheating slut. She couldn't know I was on to her because she might tell Sam and that would wreck his plans. It was hard but when I thought about it, I decided I would use the time to remember what it was like before. The problem was that I still loved her even if she had betrayed me. That love would die slowly over time but for now, it was alive and well and punishing me for finding out the worst. It hurt. God, how it hurt! The love I had for her still was so strong the pain of betrayal was excruciating.

That first night home was the hardest. I played with my kids, helped her to put them to bed, then spent the evening with my wife telling her about the job and then going up to bed with her to make love for the first time in three weeks. And I did make love to her. I still loved her and I had been faithful to her for all of our marriage. I had no guilt to hold me back. I made love to her like it was the first time. This time when she cried it was because it had been so beautiful. I made love with every touch, every kiss, every stroke of my cock. She responded. Her body gave her no choice. I worried at first about STDs and even AIDS but as I thought about it, for some reason, I didn't care. So what? I might die? What was I doing now? At least it felt like death: the death of my marriage and the perfect life I thought we shared.

As the week progressed, I thought more and more about my life without Max. What about Tiffany and Leif? What would they think when we were separated? How would we arrange visitation? Who should have them? That part was easy. When she brought two men and another woman into my home for sex, that made the decision easy: I was going for full custody and I would use the pictures John had for leverage. I began to accept the end of my marriage but what it brought with it was sadness. I found myself crying for no reason during the day and often at night. I was listless at work, got angry for the stupidest reasons, and dreaded going home each evening. I had begun to spend more and more time at work, getting home well past dinner. Max noticed, but between my renewed vigor in the bedroom and my strange behavior at other times, she was just confused.

I had been working with my lawyer to get the terms of the divorce worked out. I wanted to be sure that whatever we did, the kids would not suffer. I planned for college funds, medical coverage, support and all the things that went into raising children. I had planned originally on both of us working together to do what was best for our kids. Now I had to plan for joint decision making and how to make it work. The joint bank accounts and savings accounts were of little consequence. We weren't wealthy by any stretch so those accounts were small. We each had our own 401k plans and while mine was funded, as was my social security, I would accept no claims from her on any of my own investments in my proposal. She gave up any claims to my future with her betrayal.

I made considerably more than Max did, and I accepted I would have to provide some alimony, but I tried to make it as small as possible. Not to make her life miserable; I just didn't want to pay her for fucking other men. Let her work to earn the money to pay for her sex life. I wanted no part of that. And maybe she could go into partnership with Christine and the two of them could run an escort service. They could make a bundle doing that.

That brought up another thing. What to do about Tom? Should I give him what I had that showed Christine? It seemed to me he should know the truth about his wife. I talked to John about that and he suggested an anonymous envelope dropped off at Tom's place of business. It was probably likely that he would know who sent it but I liked that idea and told him to arrange it. He had all the details now and told me to sit tight until the following Monday. That was 'D' day.

I finished the week out, Maxine and I making love three times that week. The interesting thing was that she didn't go out on her girls night with Christine that week. I was curious so I called John and he told me she met Sam twice during the week at lunch time. He said they left to go to a motel on Tuesday but nothing since. I thought back to that Tuesday and we didn't make love that night. Max pleaded a headache and I accepted that. When we did make love Thursday, I thought no more about it. I knew now that regardless of what she did, Max was not going to stay faithful to me in the future. She had made a life for herself of deception and betrayal and that was now part of her life. I determined that I would allow her to make it all of her life. I would not be a factor for her anymore.

I told her Sunday evening when we were in bed that I had to go to Chicago Monday. It would be a short trip, leaving Monday afternoon and returning Tuesday evening, just the night, no big deal. Max made a small fuss but nothing major. She accepted it and then we made love for the last time. I knew it but she didn't. I gave it all I had, knowing this was the end of my time with Max. She had at least four climaxes and she was sobbing with pleasure by the time I was done. I had made love to her, putting all of my love and desire for her into it. I gave her my whole self that night, just as I always had. All she could give me was what she had left after her other lovers. It didn't matter: I still won. I had been true to her for our entire marriage and I was going to end it with a clear conscience.

That brings us to that Monday when I stood outside the city/county complex where she worked and waited with John for Junior and the police. This was it. The children were already with my mother. I had spent an hour with her, letting her know what I was going to do and why. I showed her one picture to convince her but nothing more. I wouldn't do that to mom. Max's parents were far away and her dad had Alzheimer's and her mother was not well so neither of them would know anything unless she told them. That left only me, Tom and Christine. Tom's envelope was being delivered at this very moment. Christine was at home as she always was.

John pointed and said "There they come. There's Junior and there's Sheriff Turner. It's show time!" John looked at me once more, his eyebrows raised in question. I simply nodded to him. He smiled and then went to work.

Junior walked up, spoke briefly to John and then walked into the complex. He was carrying two envelopes and he knew where to go. I followed behind, but stayed out of sight. The Sheriff waited outside. His job was to come later.

Junior quickly walked down the hall, turned into an alcove where a waist high counter separated three women from the area in front. A sign above them stated "Building Permits". There was a man leaning against the counter talking to one of the women. Junior walked up to that women, stood beside Sam Fontaine, and asked her if she was Maxine Pattern. She said she was, and he handed her one of the envelopes. "You have been served." She looked at him in confusion but took the envelope.

He stepped back, looked at Sam Fontaine and asked him if that was his name. Sam nodded, also slightly confused. He pushed the remaining envelope at Sam and said "You have been served." He turned and walked rapidly away, nodding to me as he passed.

I watched Maxine's face carefully from my position just out of her sight. She opened the envelope, pulled out the documents and read the first page and looked at the picture attached with a paper clip. Suddenly, her face paled, her hands began to shake and her mouth opened in a silent cry. She fell forward onto the counter, the envelope and its contents falling to the floor. I watched as tears began to fall and she continued to try to scream. Finally she found the breath and an ear splitting "NO!" blasted the quiet of the area. No sooner then that happened, she slid slowly down behind the counter.

Sam Fontaine had also looked at his document. It named him as co-respondent in an Alienation of Affections suit and also had a picture attached. It made a claim on his business and included a restraining order barring him from contact with Maxine, my home or place of business. Maxine would find a similar restraining order in her documents, barring her from our home and the children until such time as a visitation schedule could be worked out.

Sam's face grew dark with anger and his arrogance showed as he pushed the documents back into the envelope and turned to stomp out of the building. I stayed back as he passed, then I followed him at a distance as he walked down the hall and out through the front doors, right into the hands of the Sheriff. I moved quickly to the open door to hear the Sheriff say "Sam Fontaine, you are under arrest for grand theft. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to remain silent and to have an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?"

Sam struggled but finally said he understood. The Sheriff and his deputy hauled Sam down the stairs to their patrol car and pushed him in back. Funny they didn't protect his head which hit the top of the door rather hard. I heard a "Oops!" from the Deputy. John later explained to me that there had been a series of thefts from several of the local shops. Strange thing was that all of the stolen merchandise was found in one of Sam Fontaine's trucks. It had been verified and would be returned to the places from which it had been stolen. A warrant was issued for his arrest and one of John's contacts was able to tell the sheriff where Mr. Fontaine could be found.

I walked back inside and down the hall toward Maxine's section. I stopped in front of the counter and looked around for her but didn't see her. Then I saw several of the girls clustered around a chair where I assumed she was sitting so I walked around the counter and went back there. I pushed my way past several of the women to see Max sitting with her head down and her shoulders slumped in defeat. It was a bittersweet sight, and not one I wished for anyone to have to see.

In a cold voice, any emotion I felt savagely suppressed, I said "Don't come home tonight. There is a restraining order included with your copies that forbids you to come anywhere near me, the children or the house until conditions are changed by the courts. Let me know where to send your things."

At my voice, Max looked up at me but I gave her no chance to say anything as I gave her my planned speech. Her face was pale, her eyes bloodshot with crying and her mouth was partly open, her lower lip quivering. I loved her at that moment as much as I ever had but I was also sick at the sight of her.

She listened to my speech and then spoke in a voice strained and on the verge of collapse. "I'm so sorry Bob. I love you more than my own life. I'm so very sorry."

I looked at her now, after I had done all I planned. I was numb at that point so all I said was "So am I." As my control threatened to fail me, I pulled off my wedding ring and dropped it on the floor in front of her. "I kept my promises."

I walked quickly away before I lost it and went back outside to find John. He was standing in the same spot, watching the Sheriff and his nephew Junior talking together. They turned, waved and then left.

As they drove away, John turned to me and asked "Well? Was that what you wanted?"

I looked at him. "Yes it was, and I didn't enjoy any of it. How about that?"

"I'm not one damn bit surprised." He looked at me, laid one huge hand on my shoulder, then walked away. I watched him get into his little Mustang and drive away.

Epilogue

Less than a month after it all came down, Tom and Christine put their house up for sale. The day before a moving van came to take their furniture away, Tom stopped to speak to me. I went out and stood with him, watching Christine as she directed the movers. He hesitated than spoke.

"I know it was you that sent me the envelope. Was there more?" He was not looking at me but I knew he was waiting for my answer. I remembered John's advice. I looked at Christine and just then she looked over, meeting my eyes. She couldn't hold them. I decided what to tell him.

"There was more, but I won't give it to you. You need to decide what you want to do. As someone once told me, if this is all you know, there is a chance for your marriage to survive."

He nodded once, turned and walked away. I never saw or spoke to either of them again.

Sam Fontaine was indicted and found guilty of grand theft. Because he refused to admit his guilt, the court sentenced him to ten years. He began serving his sentence a month ago. He continues to claim he had no idea where that stuff came from.

Six months later, I received the final divorce papers. It was on a Thursday of all days, the night Max and Chris went out for their 'girl's night out'. It seemed like so little to end so much. Just a set of papers, stating that the marriage was dissolved and that an equitable distribution of assets had been agreed to by all and that custody of the minor children was to be shared. Just like that, one part of my life was ended.