Time is the Ultimate Revenge

The kids were thrilled to see us when we picked them up. Then they told me something that upset me. Jenny and Brad had flown off to Eastern Europe because Brad was opening four new factories in three different countries. While they were gone, they had hired a babysitter to watch Glenda and Mark. The kids were unhappy about being stuck with a fifty-year-old babysitter who wouldn't let them do anything except go to school, do their homework, and watch a little television. The babysitter didn't know how to swim, so they couldn't even use the pool.

When Jenny picked the kids up after two weeks, I asked her about it. "Jenny, the kids told me that you and Brad went to Europe and left them with a babysitter."

"That's none of your business, Mike, so don't start.

I held up my hands in surrender. "I'm not trying to pick a fight. I just wanted to let you know that if you guys have to travel, we'd be glad to take the kids rather than you having to hire a babysitter. We were on a trip this time, so we couldn't help out. I'm just saying, it's an option."

"The custody agreement is very clear, two weeks here at your place and two weeks at Brad and my house," Jenny said with a nasty tone before telling the kids to get in the car.

I called Tom the next day and told him about my discussion with Jenny and my offer. He advised me to wait until they did it again. It might have just been a onetime thing. It happened again six weeks later. I found out about it when I called the kids. Jenny and Brad had been gone for a week on another trip. At that point, Tom filed for an amendment to the custody agreement.

I got an angry phone call from Jenny when she returned from Europe. She had seen the notice of a hearing to modify the custody agreement. Jenny told me in very graphic terms that hell would freeze over before she would agree to any changes to the custody agreement.

Tom advised me that the court might very well side with her. However, I told him I wanted to go ahead and try.

Jenny's lawyer, Mr. Silas, looked less than pleased to be in court on this matter. I also found it strange that Brad wasn't there, only Jenny.

"Your honor, this is a waste of the court's time," Mr. Silas intoned. "The custody agreement has been in effect, successfully, for almost two years. My client doesn't see any reason to change anything now."

"Your honor, we're only trying to do what's best for the children," Tom countered and then laid out his reasoning. "We understand that Mr. Colson has to travel frequently, and quite naturally, he wants his wife to accompany him. All we're asking of Mrs. Colson is to allow the children to stay with their father while she's away. And if Mrs. Colson should return before the end of her two weeks, the children would be returned to her residence at her convenience."

"Mr. Silas, anything to add?" the judge looked over his glasses.

"The custody arrangement has been working, and Mrs. Colson would prefer to keep it unchanged."

The judge glanced back and forth between the two tables. "Okay, this is an easy one. While I agree with Mr. Silas that this particular custody agreement seems to be working well. And I fully understand that Mrs. Colson will be traveling with her husband for many of these trips. However, it makes no sense to deny the children their father's company if the mother has to be away. Therefore, I am granting Mr. Wilson's petition to amend the custody agreement as per their suggestion."

I was stunned by the quick decision by the judge and even more surprised that he ruled in my favor. But when I saw the cloud of anger hovering over Jenny, I knew a storm was coming.

"Why are you being such a pain in the ass?" Jenny demanded of me in the corridor after the hearing.

"Jenny, I don't know what your problem is, but I'm tired of it. What is the big deal? You're not around, so why can't the kids stay with me. From what I've heard, it has to be a whole lot more fun for Glenda and Mark than sitting around with that Nazi you hired to babysit them."

"Fuck you, Mike," she hissed at me and stormed off.

"Do you have any idea what her problem is?" I asked Tom.

"I can only guess," he responded. "I think Jenny hates not being in control. But even more important than that, I think she is afraid that the kids will come to like you better than her."

"You're probably right," I agreed with a sigh. "Jenny continues to try and poison the kids against me. And she always makes me wait ten or fifteen minutes when I pick them up. But I still don't understand; Jenny has everything she wants. Why bust my chops?

"Because she can," Tom said with a smile. "Come on, you can buy me lunch."

Two years after that first night with Darla and I spent as a true married couple, we were blessed with a little girl we named Wendy. We had a little boy we named Steven eighteen months after that. Not only was Darla a great mother, but Glenda was like mother number two, and Mark became very protective of his new brother and sister.

The next five years seemed to slip by in the blink of an eye. And during that time, I'd say that I had the Mark and Glenda seventy to eighty percent of the time. Jenny and Brad seemed to hopscotch all over the world.

After our divorce, Jenny's contact with her parents was almost nil. They visited her and Brad maybe one or two times a year, usually at some restaurant for dinner. John and Alma were never invited to any parties at Brad's house, nor were they ever invited to spend the night at Brad and Jenny's house.

On the other hand, Darla and I had John and Alma up almost every weekend. The kids loved having them there, and I'll admit I did too because they were like my second parents. Also, I loved to talk to John about his life. He had an amazing catalog of jobs over his lifetime, from working on a ranch to driving a truck, to working in an auto body shop. He also was one of the workers who helped build the original World Trade Center. John had worked in all phases of construction, carpentry, drywall, and electrical. He could even lay out a house and pour the foundation. He could do all this despite his handicaps.

Occasionally, John would talk about his time in Viet Nam. On the rare occasions when he would talk about his war experiences, wild horses couldn't drag me away from the chair beside him. He was a true American hero.

It bothered me tremendously that Jenny ignored her mother and father, and I know it hurt them deeply. I tried talking to my ex-wife about her treatment of her parents, and I got her standard response, "Mind your own fucking business."

I continued to follow Jenny and Brad on the social pages as I had gotten into the habit of doing, but also, the kids liked seeing pictures of their mother in the newspaper. When we first split, I watched closely to see if Jenny and Brad's marriage would implode as I was sure it would. But as the years rolled on, Jenny and Brad seemed very happy. Even though I never asked, according to Mark and Glenda, life at Brad's house was pleasant. The kids even liked Brad, and he was apparently good to them. Well, he bought them a ton of stuff, which kids always love.

Sadly, Alma passed away from cancer about eight years after our divorce. She spent her last days at the ranch with us. The funeral, which was conducted locally, was fairly well attended. The ranch has a private cemetery that dates back to the 1870s, and John asked if Alma could be buried there. We, of course, agreed. John also asked if he could be buried next to her, and again, we agreed.

I wasn't sure that Jenny would actually attend the funeral because she had only spoken to her father once since her mother died. And that was when John called his daughter to tell her about her mother's passing. However, Jenny did show up with Brad. She wore a dark blue dress and sunglasses. I was a little surprised by Brad's appearance. His hair was beginning to thin and turn gray. Also, he had the hint of a potbelly. I thought he was spending too much time traveling, eating out, and doing very little exercising.

John rose to greet his daughter, and it was an awkward moment. They just stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever until John pulled his daughter into a hug. At first, Jenny just stood there, but then she slowly wrapped her arms around her father. Brad then stepped up and shook John's hand, offering his condolences.

Mark and Glenda, who had been crying, went over and hugged their mother. Brad turned toward me, nodded, and smirked. I think he was looking for me to squirm at his presence. Instead, I smiled, reached out, and shook his hand. When we tried to take a seat in the front pew, there wasn't enough room. So, I suggested that Brad and I sit in the second pew. Brad was unhappy about this, especially when John insisted I sit next to him. In the end, Darla took my place in the second pew with Brad.

As the service began, I heard Brad grumbling from behind me. Then I heard Darla hiss something at him. Moments later, Brad got up and left. When it was over, John invited Jenny and Brad back to the ranch for the burial and some food afterward. But Jenny begged off, making some excuse about having to catch a flight. I knew that was bullshit, but I didn't say anything.

After the graveside service, I caught Darla alone and asked what went on between her and Brad during the church service.

"He was mad because you got to sit in the front row with his wife," Darla said with a shake of her head.

"But I sat on one side of John, and Jenny was on the other. We did not sit together."

"I pointed that out to the high and mighty Mr. Colson and then told him to shut up because the world doesn't revolve around him."

Then Darla gave an impish smile. "I think he was insulted."

We laughed about the incident, but we shouldn't have. Brad does not react well to people who don't show proper deference to him. In other words, he is a vindictive prick who truly believes his shit doesn't stink.

Two weeks later, Brad began another land grab against Darla's ranch. This time, he was claiming ten acres of property adjacent to his. His lawyers had found those ten acres had been a separate parcel at one time. And through a clerical error had never been included in the unity of title for the rest of the ranch. Therefore, taxes had never been assessed on the ten acres. Brad then had his accountants figure out what the ten acres' taxes should have been and paid the county that amount. Then his lawyers demanded a tax deed.

Darla was upset by the claim, even though these ten acres were a mixture of marshy and rocky land. Darla asked me if she should just sign it over as the land wasn't worth much.

"Absolutely not," I said immediately. "This is Brad being a bully and trying to put you in your place for insulting him. Last time, you didn't have the money to fight him. It's time for someone to stick it in his ass and break it off. His claim is bogus."

As I predicted, the court sided with Darla. They said that it was the county's error that taxes hadn't been collected on the ten acres. Besides, it was also the county's responsibility to first notify the current owner and allow them the opportunity to pay the past-due bill. And to put the icing on the cake, the court capped the back taxes at five years.

After that, I didn't see Brad in person for a long time. I did see him and Jenny on the social pages from time to time. During that same time frame, I rarely saw Jenny. Most times, when I went to pick up the kids, one member or another of the staff would have them ready and waiting for me by the front door, which was fine. Also, Jenny continued to skip her time with the kids as Brad traveled more and more.

As the years continued to move along, I estimated I had the kids about nine months out of the year. And it was getting to the point where they hated returning to their mother and Brad's house. They complained that Brad was now moody, and their mother was out most days.

Then a bombshell appeared in the paper. Brad had filed for divorce against Jenny. To me, this was a total shock, and I couldn't figure out why. And the kids were equally as confused as I was. But as the weeks progressed, word spread that Brad had caught Jenny cheating on him with Tad Dumont, a billionaire. That explanation said it all. Jenny was trading up once again. Tad was not only richer than Brad, but he was considerably younger. Darla and I couldn't help but be amused by this turn of events.

Shortly after Brad and Jenny's divorce was finalized, Jenny married Tad. This turned out great for me. Tad didn't live in the Chesterton school district. Also, he wasn't particularly fond of children. So, for all practical purposes, Glenda and Mark lived full-time with Darla and me.

Shortly after Alma died, I convinced John to sell his house and move in with us. And since John knew everything concerning construction, Darla hired him to make repairs around the ranch. Then Darla and I decided to expand the house to provide a dining area for her ranch employees and to expand my accounting office. This sparked another fight with Brad. He fought tooth and nail to have our building permits denied. In the end, we got the permits because we were grandfathered in. John headed up this new construction and did about eighty-five percent of the work himself.

A little over a year after Tad and Jenny married, Jenny filed for divorce. The rumor was that Jenny caught Tad cheating with an eighteen-year-old girl. Then another rumor started that I would eventually find out was true. Tad only married Jenny because he didn't like Brad and decided to take his wife away from him. Talk about Karma.

Now I get up each morning and thank God for all the blessings he has bestowed on me.

Ten Years to thirty years after DD day

The years rolled on, and we had our ups and downs, and one terrible tragedy.

Mark was in a car accident that could have killed him. However, he was lucky to only suffer a broken leg and wrist, plus bruises, scraps, and cuts. John had a mild stroke that left him slightly paralyzed on his left side. The physical therapy did wonders for him, and now, he only walks with a slight limp.

Darla never seems to get sick. She told me that she doesn't have time to be sick with the four kids, the ranch, and me. Me on the other hand, I got very lucky. I had been feeling poorly for weeks. I had no energy and was plagued with headaches and nausea. I kept blowing it off until one day, Darla took me by the arm and dragged me to the doctor's office. After a bunch of tests, they determined that I had one artery so badly blocked that I was a heart attack waiting to happen. They operated and did triple bypass surgery. After the surgery, even though I was still in a hospital bed, I couldn't believe how much better I felt.

Thankfully Glenda and Alma only suffered through the normal childhood illnesses. However, tragically, Stevie died of cancer at the age of seven. He was a brave little guy who rarely complained, even when I knew he was in pain. The night Stevie died, Darla and I crawled into his bed and held him between us.

"Mommy, daddy, I'm really glad that you're here with me. Now I'm not scared." He said as he closed his eyes. Stevie breathed his last breath a few minutes later. Darla was absolutely crushed and is still on antidepressants today. Our other kids cried, off and on, for weeks. And I admit it was the darkest day of my life. It made me realize that everything I had suffered when Jenny betrayed me was nothing compared to the loss of Stevie.

Darla and I struggled with our loss for a long time. There was a hole in my heart that didn't start to close until my first grandchild was born. Glenda gave birth to a boy and named him Steven Todd. She named her son after her brother and her husband, Todd. All the kids are married now, and we have seven grandchildren. And with the birth of each new grandchild, my heart healed a little more. However, there's still a tiny part of me that feels the loss. I get that twinge of sadness every so often when a stray thought of Stevie passes through my brain.

We buried Stevie next to his grandmother. There must have been close to three hundred people who came to the service. The one person who didn't come was Jenny. She was off with her boyfriend of the month in Europe, South America, or somewhere. I didn't care where she was, and truthfully, I was glad she hadn't come. I was hurting way too much to handle crossing swords with her.

It was a very hard six months after Stevie passed. Some nights I would wake up to find Darla gone. I knew where she went, so I would grab a blanket and head up to Stevie's grave. Then I'd lay down next to my wife and wrap the blanket around us. Even many years after my son's death, I would wander up to Stevie's grave. I'd just sit there and talk to him. Somehow, that always seemed to bring me some comfort.

If you're wondering if I ever considered trying to get back with Jenny after she was single, the answer is hell no. That thought never crossed my mind until Darla mentioned it. It came up after dinner one night while we were watching television. Darla asked me, "Do you ever think about getting back together with Jenny?"

Darla tried to make it like a throwaway question, but I could see the fear in her eyes. Without a word, I got up and pulled her to her feet. I kissed her passionately and then dragged her up to the bedroom. I all but ripped her clothes off while I shed my own. Two hours later, I asked Darla, "What did you ask me?"

"Never mind," she said as she snuggled close to me.

One day, I saw an old man sitting in my waiting room, so I went to see what I could do for him. When he looked up, I was shocked. It was Brad.

"Brad, this is a surprise," I said as I offered my hand.

Brad took my hand and shook it weakly. He didn't look well, but before I could say anything, he spoke.

"You won," he said sadly.

"I won what?" I asked in confusion.

"I really loved her," Brad said, "and I thought she really loved me."

Then it struck me that he was talking about Jenny. So, I offered, "Yeah, she has a way of making you fall in love with her. But Jenny has always had a major flaw. She was born poor, and she never got over that. She thinks more money means greater happiness."

"I now understand how you felt when Jenny left you," Brad admitted. "How did you survive?"

"One day at a time and with the help of a loving woman," I answered truthfully. "There's no magic cure."

Brad sighed. "It's too late for me to find anyone else. Besides, I loved Jenny with all my heart. But that's not why I came. I'm here because I have stage four cancer, and I wanted to apologize to you. I knew it was wrong to pursue a married woman, but I just fell in love with Jenny. I hope that someday, you'll be able to forgive me."

As I looked at the old man in front of me, I was struck by the fact that I once hated him with my whole being. But now, I just felt sorry for him.

"Brad, there was a time I hated you," I admitted. "But that time is long gone. And if it's my forgiveness you want, you've got it."

He smiled sadly again, thanked me, and was gone. He died five months later. Darla and I attended the service. I was surprised by how few people had shown up. However, one of those in attendance was Jenny. And she appeared quite upset with Brad's passing and even more upset with me.

"You had to come and gloat, didn't you," Jenny railed at me. "You couldn't just let me bury him in peace. You wanted everyone to see that you had won."

I was furious. "You hypocrite. You dumped him for someone with more money, and now you're crying crocodile tears because he's dead. Brad apologized to me months ago, and I accepted his apology. Did you ever apologize to Brad for screwing him over?"

I didn't wait for an answer. I took Darla's arm and we left.