Megan Ch. 02

"Why is dad sleeping on the sofa?" my two sons asked.

"You want to tell them or do you want me to?"

"Daddy has a little cold and doesn't want mommy to catch it. That's all."

"Damn right mommy doesn't want to catch what daddy has," Megan added.

When I'd taken all the medicine to clear up the STD's Megan finally kissed me but said we weren't doing anything until the HIV test results came back.

"I sure as hell don't want you giving me Aids if you've got it. One of us needs to stay alive to raise our boys."

"I don't have Aids!"

"Yeah, just like you didn't have any STD's."

On Friday I'd had enough. "I'm sleeping in my own damn bed," I told Megan when she asked where I was going.

"Well, don't think this means you're going to be getting any tonight."

"I wouldn't think of asking. In fact, when I finally get the All Clear, I don't plan on staying here any longer. I never thought you were such an unsympathetic bitch."

"Look who's talking. After what you put me through for just dancing with a guy at a club, I should have divorced your ass for cheating on me."

"It doesn't count as cheating if you have no recollection of it!" I spit back at her.

"Well, if you want to see the sweet cheeks you cheated on me with just ask, I've saved the video.

Words like bitch, asshole, cheater, dickhead and a lot of others were thrown back and forth over the next twenty minutes before I said I didn't need this shit and walked out. The last word I heard was "loser" as I shut the front door.

"I'll show her," were the words that finally sunk the ship.

Megan tried for three days to talk to me but I never picked up. "Rick, pick up, this is getting totally out of hand and the boys are asking about you."

I was feeling pretty superior until a man in a nice suit handed me a manila envelope at work. All he said was, "you've been served."

Megan beat me to the bank and cancelled all our joint credit cards. I had a Visa in my name but that wasn't going to be enough. I tried to call her but she'd changed her cell number. I called her mother.

"I'm sorry Rick, I'm not getting in the middle of this. You two are acting like five year olds and I want nothing to do with either of you." I headed for home.

The policeman was nice but firm. "Sir, have you read the paperwork?"

"I glanced at it but no I haven't had the time to read through it all," I replied.

"Well when you do, you'll see there is a restraining order on you. You are not allowed within 250 feet of this house, Megan, or your children."

"You've got to be shitting me!"

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, or I will arrest you."

FUCK!!! Now I was pissed. I went to my motel room and read all fifteen pages. I was fucked. Megan wanted it all; house, bank account, my 401k, alimony and a bundle of child support. The next day I walked out of work with a check for my 401k less the tax for early withdrawal.

Forget a lawyer, I called the clerk of the court and asked for permission to get into my house to get my stuff. It took two day but I finally got permission. I bagged everything including my tools and just before leaving, I yanked off my wedding ring, taking a bit of skin with it, and put it on the counter along with my cell phone. Wouldn't need either any longer.

What started off as me wanting Megan to be more adventurous in bed was ending in divorce. I thought about telling her I was sorry but the word sorry wasn't going to cut it any longer. Some other guy was going to eventually enjoy in bed what she'd taken the time to learn.

My mother was pissed at both of us. "Knee jerk reactions, that's all this is about. She screwed up, you screwed up and now the kids are the ones that are going to pay. Why don't the two of you sit down like two adults and work this out. I hear there are a lot of good counselors out there. Why throw away eleven years over something stupid."

"Too late. She wants it all and me gone and frankly I'm tired of fighting. Tell my boys I love them and will drop them a line when I can." With that said, I filled up my truck and headed south. Anything from Minnesota was south. I figured I'd drive until I ran out of land.

Money was damn tight. I worked when I could find work and always send home what I could for the boys making sure I never left a return address.

"All I need is someone who can manage four fucking people and not rip me off! Is that asking too much?" I heard a guy say while bitching to his friend. I was tending bar down in Key West. "I've fired four guys in a year and I'm on my way to get rid of number five. It's not like I'm paying them peanuts but everyone just had have their hands in the till and I'm tired of it. This guy has been the worst."

I moved in close and slipped him my name and cell number.

"The trick is to let your employees know upfront that you're not going to fire them, but are going to put them in jail. Also, make sure you're paying them more than they could make anywhere else; that is within reason. If they like their job, they're not going to do anything to lose it. And, a good manager works twice as hard as the workers do. He manages by example." I smiled and walked away. He was waiting for me when I got off work.

"I own a small and I do mean small pub. It's been in my family for sixty years and for the last year it hasn't shown a profit. If you want a shot at running it, be my guest. Because, if you can't turn it around I'm going to sell it. I can't afford to lose any more money. We shook hands and walked the three blocks to his pub.

He was wrong, it wasn't small, it was fucking tiny. They had just closed up.

"Two people work inside and one outside. I carry only Bud and Miller light. I've got four outside tables and am open from 11:00 until 1:00am." Beer coolers, a window air conditioner, a laptop computer, a cash register and an in the floor safe is all it consisted of.

"Be here at 10:00 tomorrow and I'll introduce you to the first shift and we can start your training."

The hours were long and I found out the second week that two employees were stealing. The next morning when they came into work the police were waiting for them. They begged me but I just waved goodbye as they were carted away.

"Anyone else want to steal from me?" Things got better. I hired three new people and used a floater so we were never short handed. Now no one called in sick or dead because if they did, they were let go after the fifth time in six-month period.

"This is a business. If the boss makes money, he's happy. And if he's happy the world is good. If you want to make more money, than this place has to be more profitable. This isn't rocket science."

In six months we increased profits by thirty percent. I was given a big bump. I told him to take half of it and give it to the other employees. Everyone was happy.

All I did was eat, work and sleep. I was making more money than I'd ever made. Now I sent money home every week. Couldn't let my boys do without.

Three months later I noticed a guy hanging around. He'd order a beer but would nurse it for at least a half hour. Twice I caught him taking pictures of the place. I thought about confronting him but thought what the hell. There were nothing but tourists and crazy's down here and he could have been one or the other or maybe both.

Two weeks later I saw him again. This time I wasn't so nice.

"Can I help you?" I said wiping my hand on a wet rag as I came up to his table.

"I'm looking for a Rick Moore."

"Never heard of him."

"There are a lot of people in Minnesota looking for him."

"Well, if I ever see him I'll let him know you're looking for him." I walked back inside. "Tammy, you see that guy at table three? Tell me if he uses his phone and when he leaves will ya?"

"Sure boss."

Ten minutes later he walked away while on his phone. I'd been made.

"No. No way you're quitting. We've never shown this high of a profit. Look, I'll increase your base salary and give you a 10% bonus if you stay." The money was too good to walk away from. So I told him the story of what brought me to Key West.

"So you booked on your wife and kids."

"Ex-wife and I send home money every week for my two boys."

"Well then, what do you have to worry about? Look, if she shows up, I'll have my lawyer tie up any motions she brings against you long enough for you to sneak away. Good enough?" It was.

Every day I expected someone to walk up and tell me I was being served papers again or worse arrested. No one came for three months, then my mother walked up and ordered a Miller Lite. I hand carried it out to her.

"You're a tough guy to find."

"I wasn't hiding." Mom took a swallow of beer.

"She knows you're down here." I looked around. "No, she's not here. She knew you'd never talk to her, that's why she sent me."

"Boys with her?"

"Nope, still up north. She wants to talk to you."

"Sorry, that ship has sailed."

"She said she's not leaving until you talk to her."

"Well. She's got a long wait. Mom, just tell her to go home. I'll come up to see the boys in a couple of months and sign whatever she wants. I just want to be left alone."

"Okay, I'll tell her, but you know Megan."

"Thought I did once and in the end all we did was fight. I did something stupid but she wasn't without blame in this mess either." I kissed the top of my mom's head and went back to work. She turned around and waved once before turning the corner.

Two days later Megan showed up. Tammy served her a Bud but she never drank a swallow and I never came out to talk to her. An hour later she was gone. She came every day about the same time. Ordered a beer, stared at me and left an hour later. Week after week, rain or shine, her routine never changed.

"Why don't you just tell her to leave?' Tammy asked after serving her one day.

"Nope. She'll have to go back home eventually. I live here. I don't have to do shit."

She didn't show the next day or the day after. I thought she'd finally left when she appeared the following day with my two sons in tow.

"Crap!" she'd pulled out the big guns. This time she ordered three beers. "Tammy don't open any of them, they won't be drinking them anyway.

"Dad!" was the first thing I heard as they both about crushed me. "We thought we'd never see you again." I just hugged them watching Megan walk away.

We spent the afternoon getting reacquainted. They brought me up to speed with everything that had happened over the last year and a half.

"You know we lost the house. We moved in with Grandma and Grandpa for a while but eventually got an apartment about a mile from where we used to live. It's nice and even has an indoor heated pool. You'd like it there." They were testing the waters.

"Boys, I live here now." They both looked at one another and said nothing.

Burgers, fries and the best malt in town is what we ate. I took them on a tour of Key West and showed them where I lived. It was just an efficiency but it worked for me.

"Where are you guys staying?" They shrugged.

"We just flew in this morning and don't know where Mom is staying but it has to be close because she doesn't have a car."

"How are you supposed to get ahold of her?"

"She gave us this cell phone and said to call her when we were done." It was my old phone.

"Well, call her and tell her to pick you back up at where I work."

"Can't we stay with you today?"

"If you're going to be here tomorrow we can spend the day together but, I'll have to make arrangements for someone to work for me."

I heard "please!" and what could I say.

Megan was waiting for us when we got back. The boys hugged me like it was the last time they'd ever see me again."

"Come on boys, we got to go," Megan said, not even looking at me.

I'd eventually have to talk to her and work out a few things but I wasn't looking forward to that.

The boys showed up right on time. I had a big day planned. They were hungry, what boys aren't. After breakfast we walked the streets, I bought them some stupid tourist shirts and headed out in my truck to a friends place.

In Minnesota you don't do much snorkeling. They both took to it immediately. I had bought them some cheap underwater cameras and they had the time of their lives.

"When are you coming back home?" they asked.

"Boys, this is my home now. You live with your mother up north and I'm down here. Your mother and I aren't married anymore."

"How come?"

"Some things happened and afterwards we couldn't get along with each other."

"Like when you were always sleeping on the couch?" they asked.

"Yup, but it went further than that." I didn't want to get into it with them. "Let's just say mom decided she didn't want to be married to me anymore."

"But Dad, she always says that she wishes you never left. I know she misses you." I changed the subject.

It was a wonderful afternoon. I'd missed my boys and this time when they left I was the one to hang on a bit longer.

The boys came back every other day for a week. Looks like they were taking their summer vacation visiting me. Megan never said a word. She didn't scowl at me, but didn't look none too friendly. About the fifth day I finally said something.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I don't talk to losers who abandon their families."

"If I remember correctly, you served papers on me!"

"And your point? You fucked up, I over reacted and you snuck away with your tail tucked between your legs. For a while I thought you were dead. I spent most of what I had looking for your sorry ass and here," she handed me a check. "I'd rather starve than take your fucking pity money." It was check for twelve grand.

"This money is for the boys."

"The boys don't need your damn money. Then need a fucking father. Even if it's a loser like yourself."

"I'm not a fucking LOSER!"

"Couldn't tell it by me." She started walking away.

"Megan, I'm fucking glad to be rid of you. At least now you can fuck to your hearts content. Had any long black cocks lately?"

She turned and gave me a look that would freeze water. "Just for the record, we're not divorced and I didn't cheat on you before and haven't yet. Can you say the same." She turned and didn't stop this time even when I yelled back at her.

"Okay Mom, what's going on?" I'd talk with dad but he never knew shit. It was always, "ask your mother." So I was.

"What do you mean?"

"Am I divorced or not? And, no bull shit this time."

"No, your not. You and Megan are still married."

"Fuck! Why? She served papers on me, I read them."

"Well, that was her father's idea. He felt that since you were addicted to drugs and alcohol, he needed to protect Megan's interest."

"I wasn't addicted to anything and I'm still not."

"Well, you couldn't tell Henry that and like I said, your actions didn't reflect that you wanted Megan and the kids back."

"That's bull shit and you know it. Well, after your father and he sat down they came to an agreement and Megan was the one to cancel the divorce papers. But, you were already gone and after paying someone to look for you for six months she ran out of money. That's when your father took over. Like it or not, you know your dad doesn't like anything left unfinished. When I got back I told him what we did and didn't talk about. That's when he gave Megan the money to come down to talk to you."

"Dad paid?"

"What do you think? Megan has no extra money. After your warm reception, she figured it was over and decided to let you see the kids one more time."

"What do you mean one more time?"

"Just what I said. She plans on divorcing you and moving away with them."

"She can't do that!"

"Oh, yes she can. You left. That's abandonment. She's going to get sole custody and now you're going to have to find her. And, don't rely on her parents or us to tract her down for you. You had your chance to talk to her but blew it again."

"SHIT!"

"Exactly. You're screwed now. Don't worry though. Megan is a great mother."

"You know I sent her money for the boys. "

"Yeah, and she didn't take it. She didn't want your money. She wanted a second chance and we both know you blew that."

I had to find her but that didn't work so well. She didn't have a car but most people who lived down here didn't. I checked every rental place and finally found out where they'd stayed. The key word was stayed as in past tense. They'd checked out that morning.

A cab to the airport didn't help either as she and the boys had left thirty-five minutes ago. "Mom, when she get's back, tell her I want to talk to her. Tell her I'm sorry for being such an ass."

"Sorry hon, you're on your own now," she said as she hung up. My own mother hung up on me.

"Shit!" I was saying that a lot lately. I spent the next twenty-four hours thinking about what I wanted and what to do. She'd made the effort and I'd shut her down. She'd pushed the envelope and then I'd taken that envelope and wripped it to shreds and then left. I wondered if she was seeing anyone. I wasn't. Hell I didn't have the time to breathe much less get into a relationship. Fuck, I'd done it again.

I thought she might give me a call when she got back but she didn't. I called her cell. "I'm sorry that number is no longer in service. FUCK!" I called Mom, she didn't pick up. Then I called dad, he didn't either. Her parents were nice to me but like before told me that I had a wife and two sons and if I didn't want them it was my loss. I had to go into work.... And spent the rest of the day thinking about what I wanted....

Sometimes life sucks.