Office Wife Gets Caught Ch. 07

Carmen was in the bathroom looking in the mirror and started crying a week later. Diego walked in and asked, "What's the matter, Carmen?"

"Look at me. I have these ugly scars on my chest. My hair has almost all fallen out. My skin is old, dry, and wrinkly. My cheeks and sunken in so much that I look like a skeleton. And what hair I do have left is brittle."

Looking at Diego, she asked, "Can you say something good about me so I'll feel better." Diego walked over to Carmen. He put his hands around her waist and brought her into him. He looked her up and down and said, "I know at least two."

She smiled, "What are they?"

"The first one is your little mustache across your lip is gone."

She rubbed her finger across her lips and smiled. What's the other one?"

He gave an evil, shit-eating grin, "You have perfect eyesight."

She sat and was confused and then realized what he had said. "You asshole?" slapping his shoulder. Both started laughing till they cried.

"Carmen," whispered Diego. "Come to the living room. I want you to meet someone." Carmen threw on her headscarf and robe. She walked into the living room, where she found four women were standing.

"Carmen, these women are here to give you a complete makeover. Mary is here to let you try some hairpieces. Also, the rest are makeup specialists to help you do a complete makeover.

We are having a party tonight, so I want you to look your best." Diego walked over to a blond wig and showed it to Carmen. "I like this one." Carmen replied, "Yeah, right. I would look like a Sluuu...." She stopped before she could finish.

"Excuse us, ladies," said Diego. He escorted Carmen to the back of the house. Then, he turned in anger, "I've never called you that. If you don't want to wear it, fine. I was just kidding. I prefer the long black one. It is real Chinese hair." Carmen cried as she leaned on his shoulder.

That evening immediate family showed up and was having a good time when Father Garcia walked into the living room. "Hello Carmen, how are you doing?"

Carmen was bouncing Elizabeth off her knee, "I am doing fantastic, Father. I want you to meet my granddaughter Elizabeth Marie."

"Yes, I met her before," he replied, taking her little hand and shaking it. then, the father turned and shouted, let's gather around." Carmen looked bewildered.

"Not yet, Father. I haven't asked her. However, I am not sure she will say yes," replied Diego.

Everyone gathered around Carmen. She was with a bewildered look. Finally, Diego sunk to his knee and asked, "Will you retake your wedding vows with me?"

She burst into tears, "Yes, yes, my Diego. Yes, I will." He placed a new engagement ring on her finger. It looked like a giant rock with a piece of gold stuck to it.

He stood with Micah at his side. And Natalia stood next to her mother as they stood in front of Father Garcia.

Later that night, in bed. Carmen turned to Diego, crying, "I am sorry the doctor said no sex because of all the chemo I'm taking."

Diego laid holding her hand and replied, "We can make love later."

As they lay in bed, Diego heard Carmen crying. Diego, are you awake?"

"Yes, I am," he replied groggily.

"I swear, I will be the best wife you have ever seen. I promise I'll be faithful this time."

He rubbed her shoulder and replied, "I know you will. Now get some sleep. We have to be at the hospital early tomorrow."

Carmen fought and fought the disease that ravaged her body. Her determination came from the need to see her grandchildren.

Seven months later, the doctors delivered the final blow. Unfortunately, the cancer was still spreading throughout her body. Subsequently, Diego arranged for a home hospice and a full-time nurse to help make Carmen's last days as comfortable as possible.

"Carmen, Carmen," Diego whispered as he shook Carmen's shoulder. "Carmen, wake up."

Carmen was now on the highest strength Fentanyl patch produced to help eliminate the pain to make her final days comfortable.

She was now down to 90 lbs. Her hair was completely gone, and the life in her eyes was gone.

Carmen opened her eyes and tried to focus on the dim light. Instead, she saw her grandchildren and Micah and Natalia standing near the bed.

"Mom, I have somebody that wants to meet you." Natalie walked over and introduced a tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket. "This is your granddaughter, Mary Kate."

Carmen instantly came alive and smiled. Diego hit the up button on her adjustable bed and set her upright.

Natalie handed the little girl to Carmen. Carmen had become so weak Diego had to place a pillow under Carmen's arms to help her hold the baby.

Carmen snickered, "She is beautiful. Mary Kate, huh? That's a good Irish name. It goes with her red hair. She held her for 30 minutes until she was exhausted.

"Mom, I need to feed her. And you need to rest. I'll bring her back this afternoon with the other kids to see." Carmen closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

Cancer is an insidious bastard. It takes and takes and returns nothing. It is a Kamikaze creature. It attacks its target until it kills both victims and themselves.

It also has the traits of an assassin. It doesn't love you or hate you. It has no regard for your future or past. It just does what it is designed to do. It has a job. Look down the scope and pull the trigger.

It is a very WOKE disease. It never discriminates against race, color, sex, or nationality. It doesn't give a shit about your politics or sexual preference. It's an equal opportunity killer.

Two weeks later, Diego lay next to Carmen as she struggled for breath. It is not true that they can dope you until you feel no pain. Even people in a coma have responded when pricked with a pin.

She worked each time to take air in as she slept. Hour after hour, she struggled and wheezed. As she gulped for air, the pain increased.

As her health started to fail quickly, she would deliver her pain relief from the Pain dispenser every few hours. Finally, between the Fentalal patch and the dispenser, she had reached the maximum amount she could be given.

For the last three days, she had not been conscious. Instead, as the pain built in her ravaged body, she would grunt. Deigo held her hand as much as he could, trying to comfort her.

He learned just before she grunted; she would squeeze his hand. Then, if it were the time for her medicine, he would take the remote and administer it himself.

He would wait for it to start all over again. So he suffered along with Carmen knowing not if it would start again but when.

Finally, Diego laid down next to her and eventually fell asleep to the rhythm of her breathing.

He woke to hear the slight weak squeeze of her hand. Then, from deep within her throat, he listened to the grunt.

Deigo rolled over and placed his arm around her delicate body. He put his cheek upon hers and whispered, "Carmen, honey, you can go now. Everyone has forgiven you, my love.

Deigo closed his eyes as the pain built up within him. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly to relieve his pain.

He could feel his tears rolling down his face and gathering between his cheek and hers.

After releasing the pressure from his face, he continued. "Please, dear, let go. You've suffered enough. Far more than anyone should ever have to endure. I will always love you.

"Please wait for me, and we'll meet again in a far better place where there is only love. I'll love you to the day I die." He felt her hand squeeze his. The grunt never came.

Diego woke up out of deep sleep as the room went dead quiet. He looked at the clock sitting in front of him. It showed midnight on the dot.

Carmen had passed away. Diego sat up, leaned over, and kissed her on the forehead. Then, he walked out of the room and down to the guest room. The nurse had just laid down to rest.

"Nurse," spoke Diego.

She bolted up out of bed, "Yes, Mr. Diego."

Choking up, he informed her, "She has passed." He turned to walk down to his room.

"Mr. Perez, Do you know the time that Mrs. Perez passed? I need it for the certificate."

He replied, "Exactly at 12." Then, he turned and walked into his room. The nurse heard sobbing as the door closed.

---

The funeral was three days later. Diego sat alone at the gravesite staring at Carmen's casket after everyone had left. He felt a presence at the side and without looking up. "I didn't think you would have the courage to show up."

Jake replied, "I didn't have the courage not to. By the end of the month, I'll be leaving Knoxville. I've talked to Shannon, and she told me you released me. I have a job opportunity out west, and I will be taking it."

Diego turned to him. "I want to thank you, Jake. My daughter with a far better man than you.

Jake blew out his breath with a sigh, "Diego, that doesn't take much," as he turned and walked away.

That afternoon Diego was sitting in his recliner staring out the window. He was watching the kids as they played in the pool. Everyone one of his friends had left after giving their condolences for his loss of Carmen.

"Daddy," Natalia came from behind him. He swiveled around in his chair to see all his family staring at him. At her side were Carmen's parents. The rest of the family grabbed other chairs and sat around the family room.

With a suspicious eye, Diego replied, "Mom, Dad, Natalia," he responded.

His sister stood up, walked over to him, sat by his feet, and talked. He could see her stop her question as it began to come out of her mouth. "How are you doing?" with sadness in her eyes.

"As well as you can expect," he replied. He was trying to figure out why the tension in the room was so intense at this moment.

"Dammit," sneered Alejandro, "I'll tell him. Diego, I loved Carmen. She was my little sister, but we know what happened. We cornered Natalia, and she told us everything."

Diego subtly glanced at Natalia to see her shaking her head very little, not to attract the other's attention. "What do you think you know?" asked Diego, not wanting to reveal too much information and not knowing how much of the situation they actually knew.

Carmen's mother walked over, took his hand, and smiled, "We know about Carmen and Jake."

"What do you think you know, Mom?" he asked. Wanting to make sure he didn't divulge information they didn't already have.

"Sweety," she smiled. "We knew there was something wrong after Diego was born. So we cornered Natalia and browbeat her till she broke."

"Ok," he said. "You know." Not saying anything else. She continued, "We had a bad feeling something like what Natalia told us had happened.

"But, you know we're not stupid. Natalia wouldn't talk to her mother after the divorce.

"Carmen made all kinds of excuses for why she couldn't come to any baby showers.

"And to top it off, she was affectionate toward you, and you weren't returning it.

"Son, why didn't you come to us? We are family. We could have helped."

Diego pursed his lips before answering, "And what would you have done, Moms, Dads, Sisters, and Brothers?"

Then, finally, he stopped to allow for answers. "That's what I thought."

"Don't you think that if my side of the family came down too hard on her, Carmen's parents would have eventually stepped in and protected her?

"Then the families would have split. We could argue all day about why or why I did what I did. But now, it just doesn't seem to matter anymore. We'll just all need to remember her as the person she became after everything happened. I would like to believe she became a far better person because of this."

"Everyone came over and hugged Diego and told him they loved him and left except Natalia and Micah. "Daddy, are you going to be ok?" Natalia asked.

Blowing out a small breath and smiling despite all of the hurt, he said, "Yes, I will be." Natalia looked at her Dad and asked, "Were you going to forgive Mom?"

He smiled and said, "Does it matter?" Then, changing the subject, Diego informed the two, "I have decided to go South for a while and travel.

"I've talked to Shannon, and she will make sure the restaurant is taken care of. I always wanted to go to the Caribbean, and it will get me away for the winter."

"Another thing. I want you and Micah to think about this as your new home. It is too big for me, and you two seem to love the house and area. With another one on the way, you need more room. I know the owner, and I am sure you can afford it with the family discount.

I have bought a condo downtown and will be moving before I leave on my trip. What do you and Micah say?"

"Oh, Daddy," Natalia replied with watery eyes. "Thank you. I'll talk to Micah, and he will agree to it," smirking at Micah.

TO BE CONTINUED.