Super Wimp Ch. 04-05

With such a long history the two men didn't need to speak in order to effectively communicate. Dick nodded affirmatively with a single nod, and then pointed to himself as well. The message was quite clear.

Sal slightly gestured in Skip's direction and motioned toward the finger where a woman traditionally wears a wedding ring. This time Dick responded with a negative gesture, pointed to himself, and repeated the same motion. The men shared a brief look of relief as Sal figuratively wiped the sweat off his forehead.

. The next scene came up. Sal watched for a moment, then sat upright.

Sal leaned forward as if he recognized the man. "I know who that guy is." He was watching Sandy undress Greg. The stranger's identity slowly dawned on him. "That's Wallace Kilpatrick."

"Skip just knows him as Greg. Who is he?" Dick questioned.

"Wallace Kilpatrick is his real name. He has used a number of aliases over the years. He's wanted in at least three states, including this one, for extortion, theft, and many other charges. He's a notorious con artist and makes his living running scams, mostly."

"Can you have him arrested?" Skip asked, almost in a whisper.

"You're damn right I can! Do you know where he lives?"

"No, sorry. Sandy probably knows, but I don't think she will tell. But I can describe his car," Skip replied. "And if push comes to shove, you can stake out my home. I'm sure he'll be back there at some time or another."

"Okay, give me a description of the car. Do you happen to have the license number?"

"No, no license information. But the car is a 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS 4 door sedan. Grey color. I have a video of it I captured with a mini-cam mounted over the carport at home. It has third party running lights, too; the kind that look blue when they're on."

"I'll need a copy of that video. Can] you get it to me by tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'll drop it by in the morning," Skip readily agreed.

"Fine. I'll get an APB out on him in a few minutes. We'll get him off the streets very soon, I think. If we go to trial with this guy, are you willing to testify, or will I need to subpoena you?"

"I'll testify, alright. What are you charging him with?"

"We can't indict him on your evidence, because no crime has yet been committed. But we have a list of charges as long as your arm for other crimes he has been involved in."

"Oh, I just thought of something else. I think a friend of Sandy's thinks she's his girlfriend. She might know where he lives, and if she sees this video, I'm sure she'll be pissed off enough to cooperate." Skip was pleased that he remembered.

"Good. That might help. Leave her address and phone number with my secretary. Is there anything else?" When Sal asked he looked at both men, ensuring that no remaining questions were left unanswered.

"I think that's it Sal," Dick replied.

"Okay, I'll get an ABP out right away." He turned his full attention to Dick and smiled warmly. "See you this weekend?"

"You bet. I'll be at the club Saturday afternoon for our usual friendly poker game." Dick laughed.

"Yeah, I thought you would," Sal confirmed, shaking hands first with his friend and then Skip. "Nice to meet you, Skip, and thanks for coming in. I'll let you know when we have Kilpatrick in custody."

Dick dropped Skip in the parking lot and asked him to keep in touch. Skip said he would and slid into his car, then sat there for a few minutes trying to decide which divorce lawyer to try first. In the end he guessed that it really doesn't matter. Dick wouldn't steer him to a lawyer who wouldn't do a good job. So he called the first one, who happened to be a woman.

"Law offices of Smith, Sawyer, and Winkle. How may I direct you call?"

"I'd like to make an appointment as soon as possible with Rachel Sawyer, please."

"Just a moment, sir." There was a short wait before the receptionist came back on the line. "Ms Sawyer is in, and can see you this afternoon if you'd like. Your name, please?"

"Michael Roberts. But I go by Skip."

"No problem, Mr. Roberts. Can you be here by 4 o'clock?"

"I'll be there. And thank you."

"So, Mr. Roberts, what can Smith, Sawyer, and Winkle do for you?" Rachel asked as she directed Skip to a seat in her office.

"I want to talk to you about filing divorce proceedings against my wife. And please, call me Skip. Mister seems so formal."

"Alright, Skip. I'm Rachel, then. So what's the basis for this divorce?"

"Well... uh, my wife cheats on me, and I can't live with it any more."

"Have you considered counseling?"

"Not really. Everybody told me before I married Sandy that she was a..."

Skip's voice tapered off. He was about to call his wife a slut, which in his heart she was, but it didn't seem like the appropriate word to use in front of a professional woman. He briefly struggled to think up a different term to use.

"...a cheater, you know, an easy woman I guess you could say. But I thought when she married me she'd be faithful. It didn't happen that way. She's a... what she is. I don't think she'd respond to counseling."

"I see. What is Sandy's full name, Skip?"

"Sandy Roberts."

"I mean her maiden name," Rachel smiled.

"Sandra is her real given name, not Sandy. Her last name was Wilson."

Rachel knew of Sandy and her reputation, but concealed this from Skip. She had handled previous divorces for wives whose husbands cheated with Sandy. "So, are you looking for a no-fault divorce or do you think Sandy would fight for more than a fifty-fifty split of assets?"

"Well, I don't know if she would fight or not. But I don't want a fifty-fifty split myself. I have ample evidence that she's a cheater. Won't that be in my favor?"

"A lot depends on the judge if it turns into a fight, Skip. A no-fault is quicker and there is usually only an informal hearing if there's no contest. May I ask why you are opposed to a fifty-fifty split?"

"We've] been married for just over four years, and she brought nothing to the union but herself. My net worth as a private businessman is in excess of four million dollars, and I don't want to give away half of that."

"I see. So, are you willing to pay alimony? Are there any children?"

"No children. What I would be willing to do is give her $500,000.00 cash when the divorce is final and] buy her a modest home. She can keep the Mustang and all her personal possessions acquired during the marriage that I estimate to be worth about $100,000.00. And I'd pay alimony of $4000.00 a month as long as she remains unmarried."

"That sounds generous enough. Are you ready to begin proceedings now?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you intend to live separately until the divorce is final?"

"I have a spare bedroom at home, but I think it best if I just rent her a house to live in while the divorce is pending, Rachel."

"Really? Okay, I'll start getting the papers ready for filing right away. We should be able to serve them in two days. Will that be satisfactory?"

"Yes ma'am. That'll be fine. Is there anything else I need to do?"

"Yes. You said you had evidence of her cheating. I'll need that. I'm sure we can locate witnesses to substantiate your claim that she's been an unfaithful wife."

Skip was curious. "How can you do that?'

"Uh... she has been named as the 'other' woman, so to speak, in a number of divorces we have handled in the past. I'm sure we can get some of those wives, and even some of the ex-husbands, to testify, or at least provide leads to others who have been sexually involved with your wife in the past." Rachel knew damned well she could. She could already name three or four off the top of her head; her brother for one. And he'd know a few more.

"I guess she's well known, huh?" Skip remarked as he handed Rachel a copy of the DVD containing the evidence. "You'll find that to be interesting. What's on it, I mean."

"I'm sure I will]. I'll call you when we need you to sign the divorce papers."

"Thank you, ma'am." After they shook hands he departed for home.

Sandy came in after Skip was already home. She was still in a snit; even more of a snit than when she stormed out of the house that morning.

"That fuckin' bastard," she spit. "I can't believe he was a fuckin' con man."

"Whoa, Sandy. What are you talking about?" he questioned, surprised by the sudden and quite unexpected turn of events].

"Greg, that's who I'm talking about; fucking asshole, He was playing me for a fool. I could shit nickels I'm so pissed."

Although Skip could almost guess what happened, he didn't need to.

"Greg and I were firkin' in a motel, and the damn police busted in and arrested the shit. Read him his rights and started rattling off charges I couldn't even keep up with. But they told me before they hauled him off that he was a con artist. That's when I knew he was playing' me for a fool. He was..."

Skip cut her off. "Don't say any more, Sandy. I know all about Greg. His real name is Wallace Kilpatrick. And I need to tell you that I filed for a divorce today. You'll be served in a few days. Until then, I'll be sleeping in the spare bedroom."

"You... you filed for a divorce? A divorce? Please, Skip, don't do that. I... I need you, Skip. I love you.." She was openly crying now. "I know I'm a slut, Skip. I know I deserve it, but what will I do? Please don't throw me out. I can't help myself! I just need more cock than one man can give me. No. No. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO." She threw herself on the sofa and started bawling as hard as she could.

Skip began to feel sorry for her. But he had to do what he had to do. He left her there and locked the door to the guestroom. He heard her crying all night long.

The next two days were very strained around the household. Sandy went from pleading to yelling obscenities, to openly begging, and back and forth most of the first day. The second day she seemed to accept her fate. She really was a tough girl, and she quit crying. That's when Skip told her to get dressed. They were going out.

"Where... where are we going?" Sandy asked.

Just then Skip's cell phone rang. When he answered, Sal was on the other end. "Skip, I just wanted to let you know that we have Wallace Kilpatrick in custody. He will be indicted, and the trial should begin in about four months."

Skip didn't tell Sal he already knew. "That's great news, Sal. Keep me posted, will you?'

"I'll do that. Bye."

Skip didn't tell Sandy what the call was about. "We're going to look for a house for you to live in. Let's go." He firmly grasped Sandy's arm and pulled her outside to his car. As they drove to a realtor's office, Skip told Sandy what he proposed to offer her in the divorce. She listened intently as the man she really loved spoke.

"You, uh, you really do love me, don't you, Skip?"

"Yes, I do, Sandy. But I can't stay married to you, and I can't live with you. I know now that we should never have married. But I don't want you to have to live on the street, or use your only skill to earn a living. And I don't want to see you shacking up with some filthy stud."

"But... but, does this divorce mean I won't ever see you again, Skip? I love you so much. I don't want that."

"No, Sandy, it doesn't mean that. We can still be friends, if you like."

Sandy pondered Skip's words for a minute. "But I don't deserve all the things you said you were going to do. After all the things I've done. I just don't. Why are you..."

Skip interrupted, "It's called grace, Sandy. It's called grace."

"Grace is a girl's name. What..."

"Yes, it's a girl's name, alright. But it's a noun, too. It means undeserved favor. You may not deserve what I want for you, but it's what I want, and that's why I'm doing it."

They were pulling into the realtor's parking lot as he finished what he was saying.

Sandy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, you stupid man. I love you with all my heart."

He experienced a range of emotions. Anger at how badly he'd been treated, embarrassment knowing that many of the men in town thought he was a fool for holding on to an obviously unfaithful wife, frustration at his seeming inability to prevent her from acting in such a promiscuous manner... Yet the most predominant of these feelings was love.

Skip wasn't the fool he pretended to be. He heard the snickers behind his back. Hell, he even noticed the silent exchange that Sal and Dick shared at his expense. But how could he possibly blame them for the sins of his wife? Yet none of them had ever walked a mile in his shoes, just as they'd never walked a mile in the shoes of his dear father.

He thought back to the talk he'd had with his endearing dad so many years ago. It was a serious talk that occurred just after the unexpected and tragic death of his mother. He was young and didn't fully comprehend all that was said. But the overall intent made an unforgettable impression.

"Son, we haven't been placed on this earth to judge. That is a task we're not capable of, although all are quick to try. I made a mistake when I judged your mother. I'm sorry, son...she's gone." Skip distinctly remembered his dad wiping the growing wetness from the corners of his eyes knowing he'd had a hand in the suicide of his unfaithful mate. "Please forgive me. Learn by this and hold on to those you love, no matter their faults. And never, ever allow yourself to be controlled by the whims of others. If you don't remember anything else, remember this... Be true to your heart."

Reinforced by the words Skip clung to as he dealt with the loss of his mother, he tightly held the one person he'd always loved.

He declared, "I'm not as stupid as you think."

________________________________________________________________________

"Oh, I love this one," exclaimed Sandy as she wandered through the fifth house the realtor was showing them. "Look, Skip. A big walk-in closet like at our, I mean, at your house. And the tub and shower are out of this world." She was jumping up and down like a schoolgirl.

Skip took the realtor aside and told him they would make an offer on this one. They didn't need to look at any others.

The house hunters went back to Skip's house and on the way, the conversation turned again to why Skip would do this for Sandy. :"I know you told me you wanted to do this for me, but I really don't understand about this grace stuff you mentioned. Can you tell me again, so I can learn about it?"

"Well, I'll try. I guess it relates to good will, or benevolence. That's the desire to do something for someone even though they don't deserve it." It..."

"Wait. Wait. Why would anybody want to do that?"

"Mostly because we could not survive without it. God gives it to us, and we should do it too. Nobody can be good enough in God's view to be worthwhile. We are all sinners. So we don't deserve much of anything."

"Everybody's a sinner? How about priests and people like that?"

"They are just as susceptible to sinning as anyone else."

"I don't know about that, but I guess I'm the biggest sinner in the world. So..."

"My dad once told me that we were not placed on this earth to judge. I believe that, and that's why I will not judge you. I believe that sin is sin. And any sin at all is bad enough to preclude us from being acceptable to God. But He loves us, and as bad as we are, he gives us grace – undeserved favor, as well as mercy and love. And if He does it, so should we."

"Uh, Skip? I, umm, haven't been around on Sundays much. Do you ever go to church?"

"Not for a long, long time."

"Oh. I think I want to go, so I can learn more about this grace thing you've been telling me about. Would you take me?"

"Yes, I'll take you if that's what you want. But we are still getting divorced. I just can't live with myself any longer the way things have been."

"Oh, I know that. As long as we can be friends, 'cause I really, really do love you. I just need..."

"I know. It's just that I won't have to see so much of it if we're living apart."

"I'm sorry. I know you don't believe it, but I am. Honest injun. Maybe if I go to church for a while I'll learn to be a better person."

*

The end.

Epilog

Skip did take her to church a few times, and Sandy loves the house Skip arranged for her. She didn't contest the divorce. She took a course in a local school and learned to be a cosmetician. Skip set her up in her own business, and she does well with it. She still fucks around, but at Skip's insistence she has STD check-ups regularly, and they remain friends. They even fuck on occasion. Skip has started dating, and that is ongoing. Who knows what the future will bring?

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it.