D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F. Ch. 09

She mumbles, "You should have woke me up, I would have helped."

"I didn't hear you come in last night. I didn't know how long you needed to sleep. Go back upstairs and wash your face and brush your teeth. I'll have your coffee ready when you come back down."

She nods in agreement, turns around and heads back up the stairs. I fix her coffee and have it waiting on the table. I get up and turn on the front porch light as a signal to the process server to be ready in about an hour or so. Vicky returns in about 20 minutes. Her face is washed, and her hair has been brushed. I assumed her teeth have been cleaned. She looks pale and has a look on her face like something is off. She comes to the table, sits down, and takes a good sip of her coffee.

"Is everything alright?" I ask.

"Yes, I think so," she replies.

Sounds like she is trying to convince herself as much as me.

"Come on eat breakfast. We don't have to be in a hurry. We can have a relaxed breakfast and then a little later we can open presents." I say.

When I say that, tears started running down her face.

She started blubbering, "I was so busy with work, I didn't even ask what you wanted. I didn't get you anything. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. No harm. No foul. Come on let's eat before it gets cold" I said.

There was little conversation. We have had very little to say to each other for a while. My skin crawls every time she touches me. It is everything I can do to simply be in the same room with her for any length of time. It is 10:00 by the time we finish eating and have everything cleaned up and put away.

"Is it present time?" she asks.

I nod and pull out my phone starting to record. She goes to the tree and retrieves her present. She shakes it trying to get an idea of what it is. She sits on the couch and begins to tear off the wrapping paper. She opens the box and finds an envelope and on the outside is written "READ ME". She rips open the envelope and pulls out a piece of paper only to read -

Vicky,

This is the hardest letter I have ever written. The pain that I have suffered because of your actions is indescribable. I don't understand how or why you could do this to me, to us. I know with the who, I know the where, I know the when. Any denials, any pretext of sorrow, any false professions of love, or feeling, or caring will just be a waste of breath, time, and energy. So please don't bother. I tried to talk to you on numerous occasions about your so-called girl's nights. You defended your actions and accused me of being controlling. No, I was just trying to save what was left of our marriage. I guess the joke is on me, as that train had already left the station. I hope you have success with your new "work" project and your fuck buddy team. I hope you have a shitty rest of your life. Have your lawyer contact my lawyer as I will block your number from my phone.

Your soon to be ex

Ron

PS - You have 72 hours starting at noon today to vacate the premises or the sheriff will assist with your removal. Please don't destroy anything on your way out, I have taken video of the current state of the house.

She stops reading about halfway through.

She screams, "Nooooooooooo! I don't want a divorce!"

"It's too late for that," I state.

I open the front door and a woman in a business suit comes in and walks up to Vicky and asks, "Are you Vickie Johnson?"

Vicky nods her head and between sobs says, "Yes."

The processes server hands Vicky the envelope with the divorce papers in it and the lawsuit for alienation of affection.

She states, "You have been served."

The server takes a picture of Vicky, envelope in hand, and leaves. Vicky falls in a sobbing heap on the couch. I go to my home office and edit the video to a short enough segment to send out.

She is standing in the open doorway of my office.

"Ron." She says in a very meek voice.

I look up and reply, "Yes."

"Can you tell me why? Why on Christmas day of all days?"

"Have you read the entire letter? Did you get a feel for the pain that you caused me? For the life of me, I can't understand why you would do this to me? To throw away our marriage for what? For thrills, for career advancement, for something that I wasn't giving you? I want you to feel the same pain that I have been feeling for months. I have replayed our marriage over and over in my mind a thousand times. I cannot come up with a time that you ever expressed disappointment in the way I treated you or loved you or cared for you. I simply do not understand why. I don't need or want an explanation as nothing you can say will lessen the pain, suffering, disappointment, and utter contempt that I feel towards you because of your actions. I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear from you. I don't want to hear about you. You left our marriage a long time ago. I can't believe you feel there is anything left to try and save. The only thing I have left to say is good-bye."

She leaves the doorway, and I hear her sobbing. I finish editing the last video. I send the first video of me giving a statement of the upcoming dissolution of our marriage and the reasons why. I do name names. I send it to all the contacts on her phone. Then I send the second video of her opening the present and receiving the divorce papers ensuring the "you have been served" portion readily heard. I started receiving the little text screen bubbles showing the messages have been received and read. I sent the second video to my lawyer.

It was about 20 minute later when I heard Vicky scream, "God Damn it Ron! How could you?"

"I just want the truth to be told and not to be sanitized or twisted like you are the victim in this. You made you many beds. You have to lie in them." I replied.

"God Damn it Ron! I hate you!" she screamed.

"Wow, those are the first words of truth, without deception, that have come across you lips in months. Get it - come across your lips. Yuk, yuk, yuk!" I chuckled.

She goes to the bedroom and gets dressed. She packs a suitcase or two and then goes to the bathroom. She has an overnight bag that she stuffs her toiletries in. She texts her sister and asks if she can stay with her for a few days until she gets sorted out. She puts the luggage in her car and leaves.

I call Mandy and ask if her offer is still good. She assures me that it is and gives me the address of her mom and dad's residence. I take a couple of bottles of wine with and drive about 45 minutes to Mandy's parents' house. I pull up and notice there are four cars in the driveway. I walk up to the house and ring the doorbell. Mandy answers the door. Smiling from ear to ear and with a sparkle in her eyes, she hugs me and holds me tight.

She whispers in my ear, "Merry Christmas, thanks for coming."

"Thank you and your parents for the invitation," I reply.

I hand her the bottles of wine and she turns around heading into the madness. I follow and she takes me around introducing me as her boss and best friend. Her mom and sister hug me and wish me a Merry Christmas. The menfolk just shake my hand or wave.

Dad wants to show off his car. It is a 1959 Impala. My dream car sits before my eyes. Red and white, the paint is perfect. The chrome is immaculate. There is no rust whatsoever. The interior looks like it did in 1959 sitting on the show room floor. The engine compartment is immaculate. Nonstock modifications include mag wheels, an LS3 engine, upgrades on the steering and handling package, and 4-wheel disc brakes. I bet this thing will run like a scalded dog, handle like a dream, and stop on a dime. He hands me a beer and asks me to sit on his mechanic's stool.

He starts, "Ron, I don't know you well enough to try and tell you what to do with your life. I don't want to offend you by giving you fatherly advice. But I do want you to understand a few things."

I nod my head, twist the top off the beer, and take a sip.

He continues, "I am damned glad you decided to come over this evening. Mandy has talked about you constantly for over a year and a half. Ron this, Ron that, Ron is such a good man. I can't wait for you to meet Ron. I hope you realize how much my daughter cares for you. She is and has been extremely happy working for you. I was afraid that we had lost her before you hired her. She was in an abusive relationship, and we didn't communicate with her for over a year. I think her friend Beth was in a similar type of relationship. Beth hasn't said anything about it, but her and Mandy appear to be kindred spirits. I don't give a damn about her and Beth's relationship, or your and Beth's relationship, or your and Beth and Mandy's relationship. I just want you to know that Mandy is happy, and I appreciate the way you treat her. I thank you for being kind to her, and everything I have heard about you has been positive."

I was kind of choked up, so I took another drink.

I said, "Mandy and Beth mean the world to me. I am going through a rough patch, and I don't know what I would have done or what shape I would be in if they aren't there to help me. I served my cheating wife divorce papers earlier today. So, my mental state isn't the best."

He nods in understanding.

"Those girls are my best friends. As attractive and stimulating as they both are, each in their own way, I could not bear the thought of destroying either our work relationship or our friendship. I care for them both too much."

"I can appreciate what you have just said, however, I know men, most men are oblivious to a woman's feelings." he replied, "We don't pick up on the subtle communications that women send out. My wife doesn't understand how men cannot see the messages that women send. Women that care for a man that has trouble understanding their communications will either give up trying and blow them off or hit them over the head with a sledgehammer until they get it. Mandy seems the sledgehammer type and you may be a little thick headed. Fair warning."

I smile at him and nod.

We go back into the main house and the kitchen and dining room is a holiday mad house. There are people setting the table, there are people taking food to the table, there are people still preparing food. Mandy's sister is over and her husband and their two kids. The next-door neighbors are over. The house is filled with conversation and laughter. This is a genuine feast with roasted ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, green salad, pasta and seafood salad, fresh dinner rolls, and several pies to choose from. Everything is delicious and I eat way too much. It will take me a week to work this off. I see a lot of cobb salads in my future.

The doorbell rings about the time everyone finishes eating dinner. Mandy opens the door and there is Beth. They exchange hugs and a kiss on the lips.

"I spent time with my parents." Beth says, "but I hoped that I would get here in time for dessert."

"Just in time," Mandy says. Apparently, Beth knew everyone as no introductions were made.

Everyone talks and jokes while dinner settles. Several stories are told. The subject/ victim of the stories take them in stride as the teller pokes fun at them.

Mandy leans over and whispers in my ear, "Let's go talk."

She taps Beth and we go to the garage. We get comfortable, they get a couple of folding chairs and I sit on the mechanic's stool. Mandy looks at Beth and Beth nods.

"Sooo," she starts, "Ron we both care for you deeply. We would like to have more of a relationship with you. A more personal relationship besides boss or coworker. Since your cheating bitch of a wife, broke your marriage vows, you have been on a mission. You have been hell bent on revenge. You have been wounded and are still hurting. You have fucked your way across town leaving broken marriages and broken hearts in your wake. We totally understand that. If we were to walk a mile in your shoes, we might do the very same thing. The truth is you need help. You need someone to talk to. While I would gladly volunteer for that role, I would suck at giving you mental health counseling and healing. Your broken heart will mend with time, there is no doubt to that. We want the old Ron back. The one that we fell in love with over two years ago."

Beth reached out and hands me a business card.

She said, "I set up an appointment for next Wednesday. Change it if you like or cancel it. But, if you don't see her, then please, go see someone. We want you back. Physically and emotionally. You have been putting up a good front lately, but we see it is starting to crack."

With that, they both stand up and approached me. I stand there and they each grab an arm and kiss me on the cheek.

Beth turns my head toward her and pulls me in to an open-mouthed kiss that leaves me wanting more. She teases my mouth with her tongue and when I try to respond she breaks the kiss. Our eyes focus on each other's. I break the gaze when Mandy grabs my chin and turns my head towards her. She pulls me into a kiss that is just as hungry, just as soft, and just as passionate as the one that Beth had just delivered. I hugged them both and with tears streaming down my face.

I mumbled, "Thank you for caring. I won't disappoint you."

Mandy say, "Boss, the only way you can disappoint us is to not try. If you try, we will be satisfied. We know what a good man you are. In more ways than one."

They wink at each other.

"Let me get my shit together and let's go eat some dessert," I say.

The aura around the dinner table has changed since I was last here. The food is mostly put away. The desserts are out, and the conversations are a little more quiet. All eyes are on us as we come back in from the garage. Mandy's dad had a subtle knowing smile. Based on our previous conversation if he knew, then I know his wife knew. Nothing was said, but when the conversations started back it is obvious everyone is walking on eggshells avoiding the elephant in the room. The apple pie is delicious. I say my goodbyes and give the appropriate hugs and handshakes. I don't mind that both Mandy and Beth hugs lasted a little longer than I expected. They feel good in my arms, damn good.

The next day, around noon, Vicky shows up with her sister and BIL to get the rest of her things. I sit in the living room to watch what leaves the house. She takes the rest of her clothes, personal items, some photos, house decorations, and a couple small appliances; nothing worth arguing about. Not a word is exchanged and she barely glances at me.

Her sister asks Vicky, "Is that everything?"

Vicky nods and they leave.

I sit on the couch as I hear the truck start and pull away, I repeat my mantra to myself -

"DILLIGAF".

I spend the rest of the day getting rid of anything and everything that has Vicky's picture or reminds me of Vicky. I make one load for Goodwill and one load for the dump.