Karma 5

"Mommy, why was Uncle Sean bouncing on your bed last night. He was hurting you; I don't like Uncle Sean,"

My wife quietly tried to explain that he was mistaken, "It must have been a bad dream."

"I stood there and watched Mommy. I'm glad you hurt him too. I heard him cry when it hurt."

I carefully and quietly turned around and went back into the living room. Then I returned to the kitchen making noises. Jean was trying to silence our son, Tommy. "We'll talk about it later." she whispered as I walked into the room.

"I still don't like Uncle Sean!" he said.

"Why don't you like him?"

"Daddy, he was hurting Mommy."

"I don't think he would hurt Mommy. Maybe you did not understand what you saw. I will speak to Sean and tell him he is not allowed to hurt Mommy." I winked at her as I said it.

My name is Tom, Thomas Collins to be exact. My wife is Jean. Her twin sister Joan is married to Sean. We have a son Tom Jr. and a daughter Janet.

For some stupid reason I allowed myself to be talked into buying property and building a house next to Joan and Sean. It made Jean happy; but Sean always borrowed my tools and then "lost" them. Now it appeared that he was borrowing my wife too.

In order to afford the lifestyle we had it was necessary for me to work doubles sometimes at the factory. I tried to get Jean to cut back on her spending but she had to get the same things her sister did. Sean is a lawyer, Joan can afford nicer things. If Jean couldn't buy something she was a real bitch to me for forever.

Now I knew why she was able to do without sex for weeks at a time.

I regularly work second shift so overtime is on third. It was a week later that I was scheduled to work a double. I told the boss I was too tired to do it and went home on time. I parked the car at the end of our lane and walked in to the house. I quietly moved the porch furniture to block most of the front steps Tommy's skateboard was on the third step down; the front light does not illuminate that step or the next 4 very well. Then I went in the back door like I always do. I could hear the noises of passion from the bottom of the steps. After they were done the next words I heard devastated me.

She said, "Oh god, you are the best. To think that I was satisfied with Tom for all these years. The last 5 months have been heaven; I want to have your child."

I was bumping around in the kitchen making myself a sandwich when the wife appeared in the doorway holding her 22 pistol. About that time I heard the hinge squeak as the front door closed.

"Oh, it's you. Why aren't you at work?"

"I didn't feel well and came home."

"You should have called; someone could have picked you up."

"It wasn't that bad; I wouldn't have made it 8 hours though. Sorry to have frightened you, the car ran out of gas at the end of the lane and I had to walk in. I have a can for the mowers and will fill it in the morning. You know all the stations close at 10 around here; I was going to gas up in the morning on the way home."

"You know I need it to take Tommy and Jane to playtime and then go grocery shopping."

"OK, I will take care of it tonight. I only have about 2 gallons, you need to have it filled the rest of the way while you are out."

As I left the house I swung through the front yard, Sean was laying in a heap at the bottom of the steps. His clothes were beside him in a, not so neat, pile. I took them and walked to the car; it was low but not out of gas. I poured some gas in, making sure I splashed some down the side. I thought "She's gonna hate that, now she will need to wash it too."

As I drove in to the house I took notice that the car lights shone right into our bedroom window as I topped the rise and headed down toward the house. I also noticed that it took about 4 minutes before I was out back by the garage and out of the car.

The bedroom lights were on as I drove in.

I placed his clothes in a locked box in the shed and poured the rest of the gas into my mower. I locked the shed and headed to bed.

When I got to the bedroom the lights were out and she was asleep. Like I am going to believe that? No way in hell I will ever touch that skank again. (Author's note here: Spell check did not like the word SKANK; the first option was skunk. I almost used it.)

The sheets were changed, the room smelled of air freshener and the bathroom shower had just been used. Makes you wonder what she was trying to hide. Just to be mean I rolled toward her and started to act frisky. She acted like she woke up and shot me down; I could see the concerned look on her face as she did it.

The next morning all hell broke loose; Jane went out to walk the dog and found Uncle Sean lying at the bottom of the steps naked. He died of a broken neck. My wife seemed to take it harder than her sister did. She was now having nightmares and needed to take pills to get any sleep.

The sisters spent less and less time together; when they were together they constantly argued.

About 3 months later I found the results of a positive pregnancy test buried in the bottom of the bathroom trashcan. The box and instructions were nowhere to be found, just the test itself. I said nothing. For the last 2 months she was constantly trying to get me into bed. I was jerking off 3 to 4 times a day so it was no problem staying soft for her.

The next night I was scheduled to work a double again. Over the time I had been working doubles I cancelled overtime work every other or third month because I was too tired to work a double. That night when I came home I drove down the drive to the house

When I got to the back door it would not open. I never carry the key to the front door, so I was forced to call the house phone. After calling almost a dozen times she finally woke up and answered the phone.

I explained that the back door would not open and I needed to get in.

There was a loud scream about 2 minutes later and a lot of bumping noises; then all was quiet. I threw a large rock through the patio door and entered the house. I always hated that door. She insisted we have one because her sister did.

I found my wife at the bottom of the steps out cold; the skateboard was under her at an odd, painful angle.

I called 911 and asked for an ambulance and police, then called her sister to let her know what happened. She came over to stay with the children who were now awake. As calmly as I could I told them their mother had fallen down the steps and needed to go to the hospital. I reassured them that she was still alive and breathing.

By the time she arrived at the hospital she had lapsed into a coma. Over the next few days the child miscarried and her body slowly shut down. The doctors blamed it on her head wounds and broken back. On the fourth day she died.

The police came around to investigate the 2 accidents. They talked to me first. All I did was repeat what I had been told about the investigations. When they spoke to Joan she got angry and said "How dare you bother that man, his wife died and he is grieving. His wife, my sister, was a slob her housekeeping was the worst. All she ever did was put things on the stairs and wait for them to be moved again. If there is any blame it is her and her lousy housekeeping. He worked his ass off for her and she was never satisfied."

I had 2 weeks of bereavement leave from work, including taking some of my vacation.

The Friday before I was due back I overheard the children talking with their aunt, "Daddy needs to go back to work next week, and he is worried about us when he goes back. Can we stay with you while he works?"

Tommy spoke next "I threw out my skateboard and we have been keeping everything off the steps. Please let us stay with you."

"Let me think about it, OK? I will need to speak to your Dad too."

That evening after they were in bed she came into the den and sat near me so she would not need to speak loudly. "I knew Sean was slipping out of the house at night, I thought he was seeing the blond on the other side of us. He might have been, but I now know he was visiting my sister. I CAN NOT forgive them for what they have done to us. Maybe the ending was a little extreme and maybe you are not as innocent as it appears. I will never speak of that thought again, and will only say if you had anything to do with any of it you are forgiven. I realized shortly after we were married that Sean was a sleazeball of the highest order."

I opened my mouth to speak.

"Wait a minute, I am not done here." She said. "The Tom that I know is a good and honorable, God fearing man. I have envied my sister from afar for latching onto you. You did everything for her and then she chose to show you that kind of disrespect; it is unforgivable what she has done to you.

I would be honored if you were to allow me to care for the children. They have asked me to do it."

I just sat there stunned. Finally I spoke "It is best that we never speak of what you have mentioned again. If the wrong persons heard it there could be trouble for both of us.

I have admired you from afar also. The way you carried all of your problems is amazing. I have always been of the opinion that there was a bad side to Sean. I have seen the hurt in your eyes when he is near. You hid it well, but there were lapses for just a second every now and then.

I have been thinking about selling this house; there are too many bad memories here for me now. This house was always her idea; I went along because it made her happy. It is way more than we needed or could afford. If I were to move would you still want to care for the children?"

We sat in silence for again. Finally she said "I will follow you anywhere you want to go. I love those children as if they were my own. I wish to have children of my own one day but Sean was not the right man to have them with. I will live in the same house if that is your wish or we can buy places near each other; whatever is your wish I will gladly do."

I stopped working doubles, Joan moved into the guest room at our house. We took the children everywhere together. I notice that we slowly started the little touches that accompany familiarity. We would finish each other's sentences. There were little smiles and looks between us. The children started to slip and call her Mommy from time to time. At first they would apologize, Joan would smile and tell them it was not necessary to do so.

Then one night I was awakened by a body crawling into bed with me. "Is this alright, I am just so lonely tonight?"

I guess I was too. I woke the next morning to find us wrapped around each other. Before I thought about it I kissed her on the forehead and tried to get out to use the bathroom.

"Are you coming back?" A sleepy voice asked.

I had no answer at that time.

When I came back I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her. The same sleepy voice said "We can stay here as long as you wish or we can take a picture."

"Is this what you want? I know how I have been feeling about you lately. I am frightened that it is just an obsession because you remind me so much of your sister."

The most beautiful eyes opened, they sparkled, and they shone like spotlights in a darkened room. "I think we were married to the wrong people. We have lived together in the same house for too long now. If you are willing I would be thrilled to be your wife, if you are not willing to marry I will take this any way you would like."

This plain spoken woman could really make her feelings known.

"Last night was the best I have slept in many years. I want to be your wife, your lover and your world. I don't think I am reading your eyes wrong every time you look at me; the children see it too. They ask when I can be their real Mommy, not just their Auntie Mommy. I want you to be the father of all my children."

"Joan, I believe I love you. After the betrayal I need to move slowly to be sure of what I want. If you want to sleep with me I would like that too. I don't know if I am ready for the next step though."

Tom, I will take anything you are willing to give. Just let me know when you want to move further."

It took every ounce of willpower I could muster to remain celibate with her in my bed. We woke every morning all tied in knots, she let me go each morning when I indicated to do so.

From time to time I heard the children asking when she could be their real Mommy.

I needed my thoughts to be clear. I accepted an out of town assignment for 2 weeks. We talked each evening, all 4 of us that is. We all said "I love you" at the end of the calls. By the end of the second week I realized how badly I missed her, and of course the children too.

My return was a joyous occasion in the house. At supper we discussed life for those 2 weeks. I told her "We need to go shopping tomorrow; I have to get some things."

The next morning we all went to the mall, they did not appear to have what I wanted at Sears so we walked down the mall looking in all the windows. She gasped at the jewelry store window "That is the most beautiful ring I ever saw."

The jeweler happened to be there watching the mall traffic go by. He read her lips and pointed to the exact one she meant. I watched her eyes light up when he pointed.

We moved on to look in other windows. I needed to get to the home center at the other end of the mall and suggested she get some clothes for the children while I was gone. They spent a hour looking for just the right dress for Janet, and new dress slacks and shirt for Tommy. We met outside the department store art the time we had agreed on. I had my new drill in the bag.

We had lunch and went for a walk in the park. While the children were playing we sat on the bench together. I held her hand and said "I am sure that I want you as my wife, will you marry me?" I held out the most beautiful ring in the world. She was stunned.

The tears started to flow as she shook her head. "YES!" she whispered.

The children came flying back as she sobbed.

"What's wrong Mommy?"

She shook her head and showed them the ring.

"We are going to be a real family!" I said. The jeweler was right when he said the ring would fit her perfectly.

We were soon married, my parents took the children for us while we honeymooned. Joan has no idea why Jean was so impressed with Sean. She told me "...he was smaller than you, sex with him was painful due to her being dry and him being rough, and he was always a one minute wonder."

Our life was now all in order. We did sell both houses and buy a slightly smaller one on a much smaller lot. 10 acres at the old place was way too much.

After a year we were ready for another child; we had twins, a boy and a girl. We decided to see what the future would deliver and did not actively go after any more children but we never did anything to stop them either. We staggered 4 more over the next 10 years and decided that was enough.

Tommy is now 22 and engaged to be married. We sat down one day and he asked me about the day he saw Uncle Sean bouncing on the bed. He told me he now understands what he saw. We discussed what I felt to be betrayed that way. Having lived through it I doubt that he will ever cheat on his wife nor will he accept it from her.

Tommy takes his responsibility of older brother very seriously. Before each of them got married he sat them down and told them the story of his mother and how her actions hurt the entire family. I can tell when he does it because they always come to me and hold me for the longest time.

I just tell them to be true to their families and love them forever.

I believe good and bad are revisited upon you 3 fold over what you give to others. It is karma.