Unwanted Assistance

Helen laughed when Dale told her what he had done. She then confessed to him, "I'm sorry I betrayed you. I can't say that I just did it for your promotion. I yielded to temptation. Greg tempted me, but submitting to it was my fault. I won't fight a divorce if that's what you want to do. I would appreciate if you write to me while I'm in prison, just to let me know how you are and how you like in your new job. I know it's hard for you to believe me, but I never stopped loving you. You deserved a better wife than me. Now, I hope you can move on, find a better wife and have a happy life."

"Helen, I hated you more than I have anyone in my life for almost 24 hours. That's probably because I loved you more than anyone in my life. When I heard what you had done to Greg, I realized that you had done something like what I should have done. Greg was the real villain in your situation. I realized that I should have done something to Greg that night. My anger was too focused on you because you mattered more to me.

When I heard what you had done, I must admit I admired your choice of actions. If I had done what I should have, we might be in opposite places right now. I do feel a debt of gratitude towards you. Helen, I promise that I will keep in touch. I'm not sure what I will do about our marriage or future relationship. I know we will always be connected because of the children, so I want it to be as positive as possible. I promise I will be there at your trial and will pay for your lawyer out of our funds."

"There won't be a trial, Dale. I am pleading guilty. I did it. Don't waste your money on my account. And there is no reason for me to cost taxpayers even more. After all, they will be paying for my room and board and clothing for a few years. Good thing I look good in orange."

"Helen, I'm sure the judge will take into account the motive for your action. That should reduce the sentence some."

"I'm afraid it will probably depend quite a bit on how severe the damage was to his genitals. If that's the case, then I hope my sentence is the maximum." She grinned.

The damage to Greg's penis proved to be pretty severe. His best news was that he would be still able to pee out his shortened penis. His eight inches became four and made erections painful. His trophy wife decided it was a good time to leave him. Of course, she took a lot of his money with him along with a considerable amount of jewelry that soon showed up in several pawn shops. Worst of all for Greg was that J.R. Collins, Inc. took more and more market share from Greg's business. Dale's absence from his team really hurt his bottom line. Within three years, Greg was bought out by them.

The correspondence between Dale and Helen during her incarceration was not frequent, but it was steady. It seldom contained any remembrance from their past or any projection of their future, together or separately. They kept their topics to daily life and their kids and grandkids. There were no references to divorce or current girlfriends from Dale, but the kids had told her that he was dating. So far, he had not mentioned anyone special. Helen was dying to know more about how he was doing but knew better than to ask for fear of a negative response.

With her sentence shortened for good behavior, Helen tried to mentally and emotionally prepare herself to whatever life had in store for her. She was met by a limo when she was released from prison. The driver's instructions were to take her to an apartment in the city. Once there, she found an envelope that outlined the head start on a new life she was being offered: an apartment, a car, and a job. She was to report to J.R. Collins, Inc. for a job orientation the next day. The stationery showed that Dale was now the CEO of J.R. Collins. The offer was a paradox to Helen. On one hand it showed compassion on Dale's part, but on the other, there was no indication what, if anything, her relationship with Dale was to be.

At the job orientation, she was given a choice of jobs to be trained to do. She would be paid during the training. After six months, the car and apartment would become her responsibility. Helen told the human resource person which job she preferred but asked few questions. At the end of the orientation, she was told the CEO wanted to meet with her. She figured the relationship question would be answered soon.

Still, Helen was puzzled about what to expect from the meeting with Dale. She counseled herself to be ready to accept whatever he wanted. She was a beggar. She could not be choosy. So far things had gone well since her release.

Dale sat behind his desk and Helen took a seat in the chair in front. Dale looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't. He was starting to cry. That caused Helen to start to cry. Both were soon crying. Dale came from behind his desk and soon there was a hugging, crying couple. Eventually, the tears stopped, and they resumed their seats.

Dale spoke, "Before I forget it, there will be travel involved in your new job. In fact, the next three-day Memorial Day holiday, I am requiring you to go on a trip to see your kids and grandkids."

Helen's tears returned. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me." There was a break while Helen got herself together.

Helen spoke first, "Dale, thanks for the head start on my new life. I won't let you down." After hearing what she had said, she added, "this time."

"Helen, a lot of people thought and told me, loudly, I should just forgive you for your one slipup. Spending almost five years in prison seems more than adequate punishment to most people."

"Dale, my punishment in jail was for what I did to Greg. I don't regret it. I did the crime. I did the time. But, in my mind, I still haven't been punished for what I did to you. I deserve punishment. Are you going to tell me what my punishment from you will be?"

"If I knew anything I could do to you that would destroy the memory of what you and Greg did to me, believe me, I would have already done it. The truth is, I can't think of any punishment that wouldn't punish me at the same time."

"But Dale, doesn't my betrayal still hurt you?"

"Yes. And for a long time, I used to be able to get all worked up about it. I was able to conjure up an image of a naked Greg sticking his penis in you and it would get me very upset. But then I would remember what you did to his penis and I would start laughing. So, yes it still hurts, but no, not anything like it used to."

"So, are we still married and, if so, why?"

"Helen, I just couldn't pull the trigger on filing for a divorce. I kept thinking that if it were meant to be, I would find someone else to marry and then that would lead me to divorce you. You probably heard from the kids that I have dated several women. Mostly they were nice, attractive, intelligent and caring women. But I never found THE one that I could see spending the rest of my life with. Then, the last couple of years, I, with a few exceptions, pretty much gave up, I thought it was best to wait and talk to you."

Helen started getting her hopes up. "Are you wanting to talk to me about us now?"

"I don't think this is the proper place and time. I thought we might want to pick a day and time and discuss it at home. I figured you might want some time to acclimate back first."

"Not really. I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted while staying at the Grey Resort. I'm ready to talk whenever you are."

They set Friday night at 7:00. Helen arrived there on the dot in one of her old dresses that now was too big for her reduced frame.

Dale complimented her appearance and offered wine. Helen joked, "You know that wine makes me want to cheat on my husband, don't you?" She looked to see at Dale reaction at her attempt at humor.

He poured two glasses and handed one to Helen saying, "I guess I'll just have to take the chance."

After momentary silence, Dale said, "You said you knew what you wanted to say, please go ahead."

"Dale, I love you. That's the most important thing I can say, and that love has never changed. My actions, however, betrayed your love and trust, and I know that can never un-happen. Neither of us will, or ever can, forget what I did. You also have reason to never forgive me although I pray you will. If, after we talk, you want me to leave you alone, I'm gone. You deserve another chance at happiness.

"Since you have not divorced me and since you have obviously taken steps to give me a chance to support myself, I'm thinking you aren't exactly sure what to do about me. I'm hoping that the apartment, car and job was a contingency plan in case you or I decided to divorce. That supportive action on your part does not make me feel bad about my chances with you. In fact, it gives me hope.

"You can break my life down into several distinct stages: childhood, high school, college, marriage, motherhood, betrayal, and prison. I'm ready to get on to my next stage of my life whatever it may be. Although I have no right to ask or expect it, I want you to be part of the next stage of my life: husband, friend with benefit, or just friend. I do have one condition. I can't accept you being my husband in name only. If you stay my husband, you have to be a real husband. That means you will have to take the chance and trust me to be a faithful wife despite what . . . " She was too choked up to continue.

"Okay, my turn. Helen, I never stopped loving you even when I hated you. I should have told you what Greg said to me about having sex with you for a promotion. I didn't because I was afraid it would make you feel bad. What you and Greg did, however, was wrong and the consequences have been severe to both of you. I can't help but feel guilty for not being the one behind bars. I failed you in that regard. I don't know what our future relationship should be, but I have not been able to imagine a future without you in it in some form or fashion."

"Dale, I would like any or all of the choices I mentioned before."

"Damn Helen, you drive a hard bargain." He smiled. "How about this? Can we date again for a while?"

Helen perked up. "I don't know Dale, will it mean you would be expecting us to have sex?"

"Maybe, I would think by the third date at least."

"How about the first?"

"Deal."

"Wait a minute, Dale. Do you consider this to be our first date?"

"Yep."

Author's Note: Rather than have two possible endings, I chose to warn my BTB fans to not continue beyond the one point in the story. Personally, I like stopping at BTB and on reconciliation both. Whichever you prefer, I hope you enjoyed.