Revenge or Justice

"He asked if I'd had any mishaps since my wife became pregnant the second time. I couldn't think of any and he assured me it would have taken major trauma to stop my testes from working. I insisted it was a mistake and to placate me he told me to come back on Monday and leave another sample. Melanie was away for the weekend and next week. The morning show was being broadcast from Hawaii the next week so all the presenters had flown out that afternoon.

"I was on edge all week, I found myself looking at the boys. Trying to find some similarities, something I could own, something I could say that's me, they're mine. I gave another sample on Monday and on Friday I went back to get the results. There was no mistake. I was sterile. The boys couldn't be mine.

"Melanie flew in that afternoon and I took off. It took three days for dad to find me, drunk in a dirty room of a seedy hotel. I told him what had happened, Melanie and I got divorced. I hoped that would be the end of the story."

"Didn't you want to punish her? You paid for the boys to go to private schools, why the fuck would you do that? Why didn't you paint a scarlet letter on her forehead and march her through Central Park in June?"

"Oh I wanted to, I wanted to do that and so much more... but I didn't want to be known as a eunuch whose wife had been sleeping with other people. I was twenty seven, I didn't want to be a laughing stock."

Tom's head dropped again and Heather went to sit next to him.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" She asked quietly, her hand on Tom's shoulder.

"It was just too complicated. It was easier to just say I was divorced and I'd had a vasectomy."

"Well it's all come back to haunt you now. Melanie must have been really sore with you."

"Now, yes. At the time, not really. Don't believe the sob story you just saw, I think she was relieved when we divorced. She certainly never tried to talk me out of it. Her only interest was how much she was going to get."

Heather sighed, "So what are you going to do? Are you brave enough to tell the world you're sterile now?" Her comment was meant as a joke but there was a sting in it all the same.

"Yes, I won't hide away this time. I'm looking forward to it if you must know."

"Do you want me to come to for moral support?"

"No, you stay with your family. Who knows when we will get a chance to get back here next?"

Tom felt miserable and looked like it.]

"Come on sad sack, let's go to bed. It looks like you could do with some cheering up."

The next day they went back over to Heather parents' house to let them know their plans had changed. Tom could see as soon as we they arrived that his parents-in-law had seen the television show too. Once the children were outside in the pool he explained that the story was bogus. Tom didn't go into details but Heather backed him up so the tension disappeared.

On the airplane back to New York on Sunday night Tom mulled over what he was going to do. It would all be over quickly once he explained the children weren't his. He guessed he would have to get conclusive proof. Hopefully Dr. Nelson was still around so they could get his earlier medical records. He was met at the airport by Kate's chauffeur as she was out at a political fundraiser. Stretching out in the back of the limo on the way to Kate's Central Park apartment Tom wondered if maybe he should have stayed in the family business. Then they hit the traffic and he realized he'd done the right thing, Kate was better at it than he was anyway and the dividend he got every quarter kept him comfortable.

Tom greeted Kate the next morning at the breakfast table. She was dressed for work, sipping coffee and flicking through the newspaper. He was about to tell her his little secret but she stopped him.

"House rules Tom, no work at home, save it for the office."

"Sounds good to me," Tom replied happy to hold it till later.

Kate let him know she had a couple of other appointments to attend to before he came and the lawyer wouldn't be there until eleven, so she would send the car to pick him up at ten-fifteen. With a kiss on the cheek she was gone, walking out with her husband to work.

After getting something to eat Tom got online and searched for Dr. Nelson's whereabouts. He'd gone up in the world and was now an associate professor splitting his time between teaching and working at the university hospital. In a short e-mail Tom enquired how he could get his previous medical records.

When Tom arrived at Kate's office the lawyer was already there talking to her. He was ushered in by a secretary and introduced the lawyer, Jeremy, and sat down. It appeared Jeremy and Kate had already worked out a strategy and they set about convincing Tom.

"Tom, Kate has bought me up to date with the situation and we have worked out a strategy which we think will limit the damage." Jeremy started.

He continued to prattle on about not wanting this to go to court and needing to keep this in house with Kate interjecting occasionally to back up some crucial point. Tom just sat back and let Kate and Jeremy talk themselves out before they finally asked him what he thought.

"I think we don't give them a cent." I said flatly, Jeremy rolled his eyes and looked at Kate.

"Haven't you been listening?" Kate was clearly irritated.

"Yes, and you made very valid arguments but I know something you don't so I'm saying they don't get a cent."

"Alright big shot," Kate sounded exasperated, "what is your pearl of wisdom?"

"I'm not the boy's biological father."

"What?" Kate's voice went up an octave.

"I found out I was sterile while I was organizing a vasectomy."

"So that's why you left her!" The penny dropped for Kate.

He nodded and Jeremy still looked confused. Kate filled him in.

"He just walked out one day and never went back."

"Get him a copy of that current affairs story from Sunday, it labors that point to death." Tom laid the sarcasm on thick.

"Have you got any proof from the time?" Jeremy asked always the lawyer.

"I've tried to contact the urologist I went to see for the vasectomy. I'm hoping I can get a copy of my medical file."

"Sounds like an open and shut case then. Obviously, ahh ..." Jeremy checked his notes, "Melanie doesn't know about your medical condition?"

"No, I've never discussed it with her."

"Well, I think I've heard enough. Unfortunately my firm won't be making much out of this but you, no doubt, will be happy with that." Jeremy stood and shook Tom's hand then Kate's and left.

Once he'd left Kate turned on Tom, "Did Dad know?

"Yes, he helped me with the divorce."

"Hmm, that explains a lot. I never could understand why he didn't try harder with Melanie and the boys, I thought they were his only grandsons..." I mean, you know, blood grandsons because James..."

Kate didn't finish the sentence even though it was perfectly true. It was one of the reasons he didn't want people to know. He didn't want to be treated with kid gloves all the time, having friends and others walking on eggshells around him.

"It's okay Kate, I know what you mean. Will I see you tonight?"

"Yes, Brian and I will both be home for dinner."

Tom left and went for a walk around before getting the limo back to Kate's apartment. Later that night as they sat around having a drink before dinner Kate turned on the television. Switching through the channels she stopped on a panel show. Five women sat around a desk discussing current events and how horrible men are. They were introducing the day's special guest, Melanie. She walked out all smiles waving to the applauding audience.

"Do you mind if we listen? It will be funny knowing what we know now." Kate asked mischievously.

Tom smiled and nodded, truth was he was interested too. It was a re-run of the previous show except with a live studio audience. When she explained how she soldiered on working for the children's sake the audience stood and applauded. Tom was about to ask Kate to turn it off when one of the panel asked an interesting question.

"Is it true you have a book coming out next month?"

"It's supposed to be a secret girl!" Melanie said laughing, it was obviously scripted.

So that was the other reason for all of this, publicity for her book. It explained the timing of most things. His dad's death was probably just a lucky coincidence for her. Tom was sure she would have found some other legal device to get the media interested if his father hadn't died. Her segment finished when they asked about the release date for the book, in another coincidence it was the day after their court date in two weeks.

"Oh my god, she is going to die when you tell her tomorrow. Bye bye book!" Kate let out a malicious laugh.

Tom didn't laugh, but his thoughts were just as malicious, give them enough rope and they hang themselves. In bed later that night he was still thinking about it, wondering how far Melanie's pre-book publicity bandwagon would go. Right now having to recant her claims would hurt, but it wouldn't be fatal. Maybe if she dug a deeper hole she would hurt herself as much as she hurt him.

He was still going through some options in his head on the way to the meeting the next day. Jeremy was once again already in Kate's office when I arrived. Tom didn't mind because he had a question for him before Melanie got there.

"Jeremy, do we have to tell Melanie that I'm not the father of her children yet?" To say that Jeremy looked perplexed by the question would be an understatement so Tom explained further. "I mean, isn't there some discovery thing where you have to share stuff with the opposition?"

"Um, yes there is a discovery period but that occurs after your first court date, or arraignment, where the case is mentioned, and the actual trial."

"So we are not in the discovery stage yet?"

"No, not yet, but why wouldn't you finish this now? If your urologist backs up your story then it's a slam dunk."

Kate handed Jeremy a file, "this came in this morning from Dr. Nelson's office."

He flicked through it then held it up. "This is your ticket to never hearing from this women again."

Kate interjected again, "I think my brother is after some revenge."

"Revenge or Justice?" Tom replied, a malicious grin on his face.

"I don't get it." Jeremy replied, "You can get both today."

"I want more! Melanie has a book coming out just after the court hearing. She has been on television twice in the past five days building publicity for it. I think she will be doing a lot more in the next two weeks."

"Isn't that what you would want to avoid?" Jeremy's exasperation was showing.

"Normally yes, at all costs but this time, I want it. I want everybody in this country to have heard her sob story. I want everybody to be checking the papers to see when the first court date is. Hell, I want all the television stations to have their cameras in the courtroom so that when she is shown up as the cheating bitch she is, everybody watches her eat her shitty words!" By the time Tom had finished his rant he was standing up and his face was flushed bright red.

Jeremy and Kate sat back stunned at Tom's outburst. He looked at their surprised faces and sat down self-consciously trying to pick some invisible lint of his trouser leg. Jeremy was the first to break the silence.

"Obviously you feel strongly about this," he said with a laugh to diffuse the tension. "How would you like us to proceed?"

"What exactly is the point of this meeting?" Tom asked Jeremy.

"To start the negotiation process, they will make a ridiculous claim and we will reject it and make a counter offer. It gives both sides a starting point, however we have this," Jeremy held up the file again. "We can finish this today."

"They wouldn't believe it," Tom countered.

"Of course they won't, they will want more proof than this file but it will put them under pressure. They will be walking in here supremely confident to the validity of their claim, this file means they're standing on quicksand and they have to change strategy."

Tom thought about it for a moment before he spoke again. "Is it okay if I take the lead with them today?"

Jeremy looked at Kate, she nodded her head slightly so Jeremy agreed. They went into the meeting room and took their place on one side of the table. Tom sat with Kate on his left and Jeremy on his right. A secretary came in with coffee and let them know that Melanie and two lawyers had entered the lobby and they were on their way up.

As Melanie and her lawyers were shown through the door Tom and the others stood up and exchanged greetings. Jeremy obviously knew the other lawyers and made the introductions, Melanie needed no introduction. Tom was struck by how little she had changed. It was like her face had been frozen in time. There were the telltale signs of this unnatural quest, though her face had no wrinkles or blemishes, her neck and the backs of her hands showed she wasn't twenty-five anymore. Also when she smiled it was only her mouth that moved, her forehead and eyes were frozen. No doubt, as with many people in the media and increasingly in everyday life, she was Botox enhanced.

Her breasts still sat high on her chest and they seemed to have grown. Below them a thin waist then curvy hips that were always her weak spot. The pictures of our last family holiday that had been splashed on the television only told a fraction of the story of the ten days. They were taken on the first day, on the second day Melanie checked into a private hospital for liposuction and a tummy tuck to rid herself of the extra kilos after her second pregnancy. Tom and the boys had swum, snorkeled, rode jet skis and gone to theme parks for the rest of the time. Melanie joined them for lunch on the last day before they flew back home.

Tom watched as Melanie sat down, he felt a smirk breech his lips as he thought of a comment made by a guest after a whisky tasting at the distillery. It was just after Joan Rivers' death and the guest had wondered aloud whether she would be buried, cremated or recycled? Looking at Melanie's various enhancements Tom wondered if perhaps she would face the same choice someday.

After everybody was seated and an offer of coffee was refused by the guests, Tom set things in motion by asking what it was they wanted. One of Melanie's lawyers produced a sheaf of papers from his briefcase and passed three copies over to Tom, Kate and Jeremy. Tom flicked through them as the Melanie's other lawyer outlined why their proposal was fair and reasonable.

Fair and reasonable was not the thoughts that came to Tom's mind as he read the document before him. It boiled down to thirty percent of his father's estate including the stockbroking firm and all real estate. In a clear sign of how far they were overreaching they had included Tom's vineyard and winery even though they were both in his name. Once her guy had finished droning on he asked if they needed more time to read and confer.

Tom paused before replying, letting the silence raise the tension. "No, I think you have explained your proposal fully." He paused again before quickly flicking back through the pages as if he was re-reading them. "Are you sure you don't want some coffee?" He asked looking up from the notes in front of him.

They declined again so Tom organized the documents again and pushed them back across the table.

"I'm really sorry you didn't let us get you a coffee because that is the only thing you are ever going to walk out of this office with. This woman got the last dollar she was going to get from this family when we signed the divorce papers."

"What a waste of time," Melanie exploded.

"I couldn't agree more," Tom goaded her, sitting back in his chair with a grin on his face.

"You won't be laughing after I drag you and your family's name through the mud. Last Sunday was just a warm up, by the time the first court date comes around you will rank somewhere between OJ Simpson and Charles Manson on America's most hated."

One of Melanie's lawyers was restraining her while the other helped usher her out the door. They were successful in getting her out the door but her mouth kept going.

"Fuck you Tom, fuck your family, and fuck the lot of you! The next time I'm here I'll own your asses."

Tom kept smiling, and inside he was singing. He'd poked a hornet's nest and got exactly the response he wanted.

"Well that was exciting," Kate's irony expressing her distaste.

"I enjoyed it immensely," Tom replied still grinning like cat that got the cream.

"Enjoy is not a word I'd use," Jeremy said quietly. "So what's next?"

"Sit back and relax, I'm heading back to Australia. Jeremy, if you could follow up with Dr. Nelson and get a deposition then I think we will have everything we need."

Tom pushed his chair back in preparation to leave when Kate put her hand on his arm.

"This is going to get ugly Tom, don't underestimate the power she has."

"I know Kate, I'm a big boy, and I can handle it."

"It's not you I'm worried about."

Tom stopped for the first time and thought about what affect this could have on Kate. "Sorry Kate."

"As long as you know what you're doing."

Tom left and went straight to the airport to fly back to Heather and the children in California. He was looking forward to being back with them but the look on Heather's face in the arrival lounge ended his bravado. She allowed him a peck on the cheek then she turned and went straight to the car. Once inside the car she let him have it with both barrels. She wanted to know, quite reasonably, why he hadn't finished this. Tom didn't know how she found out until Heather explained that Melanie was on television again.

Remarkably she must have gone straight from Kate's offices to the studio. Tom explained his reasons and Heather was placated but not one hundred percent happy with his reason. To her it seemed childish to want revenge. It would only end up with more sorrow. As long as he didn't feel that way himself, then Tom was all right with it.

Back in Australia, Tom busied himself working on blends for their latest release of whisky. It was the part of the job he likes best. Samples were tasted from the three-year-old barrels and he noted the individual characteristics of each. Then the fun began, mixing small amounts of different barrels in different ratios searching for the right combination. Often he would forget what time it was as he became immersed in the search for perfection. More than once Heather had come to the distillery worried why he still wasn't home at nine pm.

It was blessing to be so busy because even though he was half a world away from his troubles in the U.S. the global nature of the media meant it was still on his doorstep. The first week Kate kept him up-to-date with Melanie, the publicity trail of Melanie, the human billboard. She was flying across America doing newspaper, radio, television and magazine interviews. A friend of Kate who was big in the publishing world told her the buzz she was creating was fueling pre-orders for her book. The initial print run had been set at twenty thousand but now it was ten times that. An equally large number were signed up to receive an e-version at one minute past midnight on the night after the hearing.

The second week the inevitable happened. A local media organization realized there was a juicy global story on their doorstep. The request came for an interview, which Tom declined. Then a couple days later he was summoned from the depths of the cellar to the tasting room. His employee told him a news crew was there to do a story on the distillery. However when the questions became personal he had them removed from the building. The result, on television the following night pictures of him ordering the removal of the news crew by two burly cellar hands and his refusal to answer questions were broadcast in both countries.