Two Different Realities

I took one last serious look around the house to see if there was anything that I wanted or had missed. It became quickly apparent to me that I had not. What I normally took with me on these last-minute unexpected business trips had been removed. Just like they would normally. I had told my wife of twenty-five years that I would once again park my company car at the airport. Just like I always did in the past. In truth, it was still at the office along with every other item that belonged to them.

At the age of forty-five with having twenty-five years in management, I had just taken early retirement for three-quarters of the level that I would get with if I stayed over another five years. After taking full advantage of my share options, which I had the very next market day.

Every year I would get very good performance bonuses. Instead of taking the cash I had mine deposited by the corporation directly into my company's retirement account. That way it was never part of my income. The bonus was never taxed, and the full amount went into my retirement. Over the years that little trick had done quite well, as a result, my monthly retirement cheque would be a lot more than I currently brought home now. My focus on directing my retirement funds investments in tech had paid off quite well.

My retirement was now set up to be paid directly into my new account by direct payment. I had set up a new account via the local branch of Bank of America for where I was moving to. On Friday I had deposited my last paycheque into it. It was huge because it included my accrued vacation pay. I held the cheque in hand for the shares that I had sold. Eight hundred and fifty thousand net after prepaying taxes was a nice egg nest for anyone. The company was thrilled to do it because they could promote someone into my former position for half the pay.

I could not afford to deposit that cheque in the bank until after the end of today. Just in case it was found out about. That way it could not be claimed as part of the marital assets. Those expensive suits I always had to always wear all except for one were now at goodwill with everything else I no longer needed or wanted.

I was downsizing my life in a wonderful way. What I considered as personal items or keepsakes I had packed and loaded. With the difference in tax rate from California to where I was going, I was going to end up being way ahead. Plus, the cost of living standards I knew was a lot less.

The small U Haul truck I had rented for a one-way trip had been leased through my parent's family trust in my mother's brother uncle John's name was loosely loaded with all the things I was bringing with me. He had arranged it for me from his end. I had paid the fees in cash to make sure there was nothing here that could be associated with my name. I was leaving the west coast, going back to my roots in a small town in the middle of nowhere as my wife would put it.

I no longer had to live with the job I grown to hate over time. That was thanks to my wife who had made it clear by her recent behavior that my obligation to her was done. I was looking forward to a simple life once again where your next-door neighbor was a mile or two away and not just two hundred yards across the street.

I knew full well that my wife had forgotten that I still owned the farm my parents had left for me. Hell, she had hated the place so much she wouldn't even go back for my family's funeral. A car accident had taken them away far too early. As she put it people like her wouldn't be caught in an uncivilized place like that. It had been that very thought of hers that had convinced me that what I was doing was being done in the right way.

Yeah, I had married a stuck up self-centered snob who had always believed she was better than anyone else. I thought I had tamed her of her ways as our three daughters were growing up.

Sadly, I learned the hard way in the last few months that I had not. It had me wondering if I ever truly had known Kendra. Had I like so many men who came into her life bought the illusion she created for herself. Did she really know who she really was? It was now obvious that I never had.

Thanks to Kendra's own conduct I had woke up and seen the reality of our relationship in a new light. As a result, I began putting things in order. My desires want, and my future had changed as a result.

Surprisingly I was filled for the most part with a feeling of contentment I had not felt in a long time. My freedom from the bondage that my life had become was going to have a hell of a cost on a lot of people.

I had left the family estate in my parent's names and had never closed out the family's trust after their death five years ago. I don't know why I hadn't done that but considering what was starting to happen it was now a major blessing. It could not be considered a marital asset since I had never accepted ownership.

The only thing I had done with the farm was rent out the ten quarter sections of land to some of the local farmers who deposited their rent cheques directly into the family trust account. I had left it untouched deliberately. It was building a nice emergency fund when needed.

With my knowledge, I could make my living repairing the tractors and heavy equipment instead of supervising the designing and building of them. A family relative was working on getting my parent's old homestead ready. I could stay with them until it was ready for living in again if I had to, so I was not worried about anything.

I had called Kendra my wife to remind her that I would be leaving on my business trip before she arrived home from hers. I also wanted to verify that she had not changed her airplane schedule. She said she was looking forward to being home after two weeks of being forced to live out of a suitcase. I had planned everything down to the minute.

My three daughters and their husbands would be arriving two hours before her arrival home to throw the surprise birthday party. We had conspired together to get it all done. One of my daughters had even invited her mother's boss and his spouse. All it took was me dropping the hint. His wife had said they would gladly come because her husband was always bragging about her accomplishments. This would give her a face to the lady she had heard so much about.

None of my daughters knew how big of a surprise it really was going to be. Over fifty family members and friends were looking forward to coming for the potluck supper to help celebrate the wife's belated birthday.

We were celebrating it late because her birthday had fallen while she was away with the rest of the management team, she told us she had been sent with. It was just one of those important things she could not get out of Kendra had explained to us all as she prepared to leave. I had known better but had not said a thing.

I had told my daughters that I had videoed my birthday wishes for my wife and put them on a disk. Although I had to fly out, I wanted to be here with them in spirit so I thought this would be the best way to convey my personal wishes. My only request to my daughters was that they played my recording at the very end just before the party started to slow down. That way all would know what my thoughts were concerning their mother. All they had to do was turn the huge patio tv on and hit play for it to start. I left the time to do it up to them.

It was time to text my oldest daughters' husband to let him know that I would text him my new number when I arrived at my destination. I also gave him my new email address. We had worked together for a few years. David was one of the newest rising stars with my former employer and he had met his wife my eldest daughter through me. Being an accountant, he had been in on my retirement plans.

As far as he knew I was doing this all because I had found out about my wife and her lover. He had doubts until I showed him the report I got from the investigators. He was one of those who had to see it to be able to believe it types. I had a bit of regret about what was going to happen tonight. Partly because he, himself would be hit with an eye-opening truth bomb. David did not deserve for it to be revealed like this. The way the truth had to come out had left it impossible to cut out.

It was his suggestion that I wipe out all contact information about me online even going to the point of closing my facebook page. Which I did when I knew she was on the private plane home. Let her sweat it out not knowing anything he had said. She may be my mother in law, but she deserves it after what she did. Let the Bitch try to figure it all out.

I agreed because of our state and its stupid laws she gets half anyway. The last thing I did was send copies of all our current bank balances and a list of any debts to my lawyer which were minimal. According to the last property tax our house was worth about nine hundred thousand. With my half share, I could buy a brand new home as good as what I was leaving and furnish it with cash left over.

I took my cell phone and dropped it into the small garbage can beneath the kitchen sink since I was exiting our home for the last time. I looked around to make sure that nothing I had done would be noticeable to anyone until the party was over. It was sad to be leaving Lodi California my home for these last twenty-five years for the last time.

I was headed back home to the badlands of South Dakota as a nobody the same way I had left. I honestly had figured out that there were fewer than ten people outside of the family who would miss me.

It was knowing that my video when shown was going to alter a lot of people's lives was the reason, I had a big smile on my face. I stopped at the retail cellphone shop of a nationwide company and bought a new cell phone. It took them a few minutes, but the manager was able to get me a local number for the area I was moving to. Once I was back in the truck, I made one phone call. When the female answered I said this is the new number I'm headed out. She replied I got it. I then shut it off to save the mini charge all new cellphones have in case I had an emergency. I was looking forward to the drive east in the middle of March before the weather got too hot. The country would be pleasant to see as it was covered in the rebirth that comes with spring.

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Kendra and I had met at an Aerosmith concert back in the day. She was a local girl, yeah a California girl. I was from out of state. We got married a year later, on the same day. My parents flew out for the wedding. I was employed in research and development. Kendra was in importing and marketing. We both had been working for the same firms for years. Even at her current age, Kendra was a head-turner.

She still captured a room when she walked into it. The years had been kind to her as her figure pretty much remained the same as it was when we married. She still dressed in class with clothing that accented her body assets quite well. I couldn't say the same. I had the typical dad's body pot belly and all.

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Kendra Waite was looking forward to returning home after being away with her boss and friend with benefits Eric Hopper for the last two weeks. She was sorry that her husband Colin had been called away unexpectedly but that happened a lot with two powerful people who had careers.

Being away with Eric had been a much-needed break but she was looking forward to getting back to her normal routine. Sex every night for two weeks was very enjoyable for a short period as it helped to keep one feeling young and appreciated. Yet she preferred making love twice a week with her husband on a regular basis.

After their private small jet landed, she cleared the airport and got into her company car heading for home.

Once Kendra got home, she was surprised to see the family all there. All three of her daughters and their husbands had made it. Her eldest was now twenty-three and the twins a year younger. Over the next few hours, the huge celebration was in full swing. Kenda loved the attention she was being given by family, close friends and some coworkers.

Kendra was surprised that her boss and his wife showed up after all he and she had just spent two weeks together. When she asked who invited them her oldest daughter admitted that she had. His wife had said that your boss was always bragging about you and this was a perfect way to meet you. That comment had made Kendra feel special and proud.

Finally, around eight pm our three daughters each congratulated their mother for reaching another major milestone. Mom the twins said Dad did not want to be left out, so he recorded a special greeting for you. Then they turned the eighty-inch plasma screen on and hit the play button on the DVD player.

The crowd on the patio got quiet. Everybody heard my voice saying Happy Birthday Dear. I went on to explain that I was going to highlight a few things from the last year. I highlighted a few humorous things before getting serious. Like the birth of our first grandson and the marriage of our last single daughter. Our last anniversary and our plans for an upcoming second honeymoon.

"It's been a busy year," I said. "I believed that we as a couple were finally heading in a united direction. I was looking forward to doing romantic weekends like we did before the children came along. Then I came home from a trip overseas to find this little gem on our internal security system. It was an eye-opener for me because what I learned that day changed my whole world. I found out that my wife and I had apparently lived our lives with two different realities."

The ten-minute clip that started to play was of my wife and three daughters talking about having friends with benefits on the side without their spouses knowing. It got very quiet as the clip was revealing their own comments about the time spent with their lovers. Who they were? What it was like? What they had done with their lovers and when. How each of the others had been protectors when needed by the one.

I guess I must have been a bit shocked the first time I saw it because it seemed so unreal to me.

Four women talking about their sexual conquests was not normal for me. I had to watch it more than once to accept my new reality.

It was interesting to hear how easy they thought it was to pull it off behind their spouses back. Kendra bragged that she was in her third friend with benefits relationship in the last ten years. She said that each one had brought to her such different and exciting experiences until she was tired of them. She proudly proclaimed she was already shopping around for her fourth.

Though not intentional it was obvious that each of the woman's husbands came across as being completely oblivious to how these women really viewed them. Keeping their spouses in line was easy all they had to do was keeping them believing that they were the most important thing in their lives.

The details brought up about their playtime as they called it was quite revealing to some of their playmate's spouses who were also in attendance. For many this would be a night to remember.

I came back on the screen to say, "I had to wonder if they knew they were being recorded by our internal security system. If they had then they had to have deliberately set me up. It had to be the sickest joke pulled on me in my life."

"If not, it said a lot about their true feeling towards their spouses. Just their words were not enough for me to believe what I had heard" I said, "but it did create a bit of doubt. The next clip will show you what I found thanks to the investigators I hired."

The second clip was of my wife and her boss's last business trip. It was taken over the first week of their two weeks stay. It caught it all, the long hours laying naked on the beach at the only beach that allowed it in Vancouver British Columbia. The one hotel suite they shared at the Westin Bayshore hotel. The hotel's registry showing that they registered as a Mr. and Mrs. Their romantic horse and carriage ride around Stanley Park as they whispered sweet nothings to each other. Those romantic dinners, the night boat ride around the cove, and their day of whale watching.

To most who had no clue, it would come across as a couple on their honeymoon. By the time the video was done everyone knew that I had been played like a fool more than once. The last words I had recorded said it all!

"I guess this was your birthday present to yourself my dear. To celebrate your forty-third birthday with the newest love of your life had to be thrilling. Kendra, I can't prove you made love with your boss Eric Hopper every night during your two-week mini-vacation, but more importantly, I can't say you didn't!" I said through the video.

"I do know for a fact that your room only had one double bed. To my three sons-in-law, I must ask do you truly know what your spouses are doing behind your back? As you have just seen it appears that I didn't. To those who have children are you sure your children are yours? Are mine, mine?" I said before continuing.

"How many of these special business trips have you taken Kendra over the years have been nothing but your personal playtime with your latest conquest? Was I that bad of a lover and husband for all these years? It appears that in your eyes I must have been by the length of time your special relationships have been going on. In this new reality, I saw just how little I meant to you. If you were that unhappy with our relationship, why didn't you just ask for a divorce?"

"One final question Kendra. Is the reason you are considered such a valuable employee to Mr. Hopper your boss because you willingly spread your legs when he requests you to? I have to ask that because of what we now know what the truth is! Just what is he paying you for? Does he pay you extra to get kinky? Can you tell me, just what is the going rate is for a married man to have his own personal whore at his beck and call?"

"I wish I could be there. I would love to hear Eric Hopper's own answers to these questions. I believe that his wife if she was in attendance, would want to hear his answers too." I finished as the video screen went black.

The silence on the patio was deafening. No one had a clue what to say or do. My statement had raised a lot of questions and had destroyed the reputation of more than a few.

Even in California where there are no real society norms, everybody felt uncomfortable being caught up in what was going on. The police officers here won't even look at thefts under a thousand dollars. That was part of the price we pay to live in California. Many would end up having a heated discussion about our situation with the spouses when they got home that night.

One thing I knew for sure this was one celebration all would remember the rest of their lives.

I was later told that my wife Kendra and our three daughters had tears running down their faces. I wondered if it was because they could see the consequences of their conduct or was it because they had just been caught. I seriously doubted that any of them had any concerns or thoughts about me at that time.

The icing on the cake was when Eric Hopper's wife a beautiful woman who was just thirty-seven years old named Carin Hopper pulled two legal envelopes out serving them both. I heard later that Carin had taken great pleasure in slapping my soon to be exes face while giving her a bunch of not so polite new names.

My wife and her latest lover where now being divorced by their respective spouses. Each was now being faced with the consequences of being caught and exposed in such a public manner. One would wonder what they thought about their new reality.

Eric was stunned that he had been caught and exposed in front of his wife. There was no way he could ever take what happened back. Both had seen and heard my proof. He had thought his wife had no clue because she had never doubted or questioned anything. That's when he clued into the fact that she was my lawyer. Kendra had caused all of this. He was going to have to fire the slut if he was going to have any chance to save his marriage.