Love of Autism

I apologize for the long delay, but I've been working on this chapter non-stop in my head...while actually not writing it on my computer. With how I ended last chapter (and a lot of you loved it) I decided to do something haven't done with this story or previous, give much needed background and in this case, one event has literally been at the forefront of why everything has come to be. And now that will be explored. As always thank you Tigersman for editing my chapters.

*****

Five years earlier

"Katie it's time to wake up," her dad said.

"One more hour," Katie mumbled.

"No," he said sternly, "now. It is almost eleven in the morning. You are too young to be sleeping this late young lady."

"I'm twelve Dad, not six," she mumbled again.

"Then act like one and get up. I get that it is summer vacation, but you still need to get your butt out of bed." Katie groaned but reluctantly rose up and sat on the side of her bed. Her dad sat next to her and started to rub her back. "I understand with your mom and I always traveling, it seems easy to do just what you want and sleep in, but you can't just lie around all day. You still have chores to do."

"I know," Katie grumbled, "but I would like to hang out with my friends. I hate being cooped up in this house all week."

"Tell you what. I'm off work tomorrow. You, Melinda, and I will go to the mall and you two can shop until I have no money left."

"Umm, Dad, wouldn't it look kinda weird if you took me and Melinda shopping. Dads don't normally go shopping with their daughters."

"True, but we don't really spend a lot of time together either. Just consider it an early birthday present from your old man."

A smile formed on Katie's face. "But my birthday isn't until September."

"I know, but can't I treat my only amazing daughter?"

Katie immediately wrapped her arms her father in a very tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you Daddy!" she said really fast.

"You're welcome Katie, but that is tomorrow and I need to meet a client in a couple of hours and driving into Detroit is never fun."

Katie gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek before letting go of him. "Have fun at your meeting," she said, very happy that her dad is treating her to an early and expensive birthday present.

Katie's dad left his daughter's room and went into the master bedroom where he changed into his meeting clothes, consisting of dress shirt and pants, tie and suit jacket. Once all were on he grabbed his keys, phone and wallet, got in his car and drove off into downtown Detroit. An hour later he pulled up to a Marriot hotel and handed his keys off to the valet. Once inside he sat down in a chair in the lounge. He was enjoying watching people coming in and out, mostly other people there for business meetings or work conferences of some sort.

About a half hour later he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and took it out to see he had a message. He smiled reading it and proceeded to head up to the elevator. Once he got to the desired floor he exited and walked down the hallway until he got to the door the message told him to go to. Two knocks on the door and a few seconds later Lauren, Jillian's best friend opened the door wearing very sexy lingerie.

"It's about time you got here Trevor," Lauren said seductively.

"I didn't want to leave without knowing Katie was awake first," Trevor said as he walked in, "besides, it's not like anyone will figure what we've been doing for the past few months."

Lauren placed her hands around the back of Trevor's head and smiled. "God Jillian would kill us if she knew what we have been doing behind her back..."

"She's too busy flying everywhere for work," Trevor interrupted. "Bitch hasn't had sex with me in years and expects me to be a good husband."

Lauren pulled Trevor in and kissed him lustfully. "That is my duty as her best friend, to make sure her husband is well taken care of."

"And that you do," Trevor said sliding his hands under the lingerie, cupping Lauren's breasts and pinching her nipples.

"Fuck me Trevor," Lauren pleaded.

"Once I put a condom on I will," he said before kissing her neck.

"Fuck condoms. I want your raw cock in me again. I want to feel your cum in my cunt."

"As you wish," Trevor said as he ripped off the lingerie top. "I'll be more than happy to fuck your cunt."

******************************************

Keith walked back into his office shaking his head. This had been one hell of a week for him already finding out that his mom had cancer, but now work was starting to get to him. His boss had just called him into his office to let him know that several orders weren't sent due to a system glitch and that he needed Keith to put in extra hours for the next two weeks. The only bright side was that his boss promised to give him extra days off during the Labor Day weekend to spend with his family and that he could even turn off his cell phone if he needed to.

He sat down at his desk, shook the mouse to turn off the screen saver and got right to work. Three hours and ten phone calls later he managed to dig himself somewhat out of the hole that he was put in. He was typing an email to a supplier when his office phone rang and he picked it up immediately.

"Please don't tell me there was another system glitch."

"No, our POS system is still working along with the beer lines," Andy replied smartly.

"Sorry Andy, but I don't have the time. Shit happened at work and I'm stuck working long hours for the foreseeable future."

"Keith, stop working for one minute because I need your attention for what I'm about to tell you."

Keith took a deep breath and sat back into his office chair. "It better be some sort of good news because I don't think I can handle any more bad news right now."

"One of the bar owners I know who has a place in downtown Detroit just told me that Trevor was having drinks with woman that is not Jillian."

Keith shook his head not seeing the point. "I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time he's had drinks with another woman in downtown Detroit considering a lot of business meetings have been happening down there."

"True, but he sent me a few pictures and they weren't just having drinks, but also kissing and basically groping each other."

"Ok, so he's a cheating douchebag. Not like Jillian is ever going to know."

"Are you sure she wouldn't want to know?"

"Andy, stop wasting my time. I have a shit ton of work..."

"He's cheating on her with Lauren," Andy interrupted, realizing Keith was seriously annoyed at that point. Keith didn't say anything for almost a minute. "Keith, did you hear me?"

"Yeah," Keith said after a second, "are you sure it's Lauren?"

"You think I wouldn't recognize a picture of that skank?"

"Shit," Keith said under his breath.

"I know, right? I think we should send the picture to Jillian."

"No, don't do that."

"Why not?"

Keith took a deep breath before answering. "Because one day worth of pictures at a bar where it could be argued they are just drunk wouldn't be enough for Jillian to divorce him."

"What in the hell are you saying?"

"Andy, I don't want to ruin her marriage."

"But she nearly ruined your relationship with Jackie and you almost committed suicide because of what she did."

"I know, but...please just let me do this my way."

Andy sighed, frustrated at Keith. "Alright, do it your way. Do you want the pictures?"

"No. Just let me make a phone call."

"Ok, take care Keith and I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I," Keith said as he hung up and dialed another number. A couple rings later the person on the other end picked up.

"Hello, Luke Jackson speaking."

"You don't have to answer me like that every time I call. I know you have my number saved even on your office phone."

"Hey, I have a professional appearance to maintain."

Keith couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure the millions of dollars you rake in for your company gives you a little leeway in the privacy of your office."

"Maybe a little. So what's the reason for the call?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could give me the number of a PI you trust to be discreet."

"Not unless you tell me why and how you're going to pay for this PI."

"Andy is going to tell you soon I'm sure, but I want him and you out of this at the same time."

"And you need discretion because?"

"Because I want to do something right and you won't like who I'm doing the right thing for."

Luke thought about it for a few seconds until he realized who Keith was referring too. "Does this have something to do with Trevor and Lauren?"

That took Keith by surprise. "How do you know about that?"

Luke took a deep breath before he began. "Last week I had a business meeting with a potential client at a hotel in downtown Detroit. I was running late and hadn't been checking my emails. If I did I would have known his flight left late and that he would be arriving in about an hour. You know how I hate leaving downtown just to come back later so I hung out at the hotel bar and people watched for a bit. I saw Lauren check in shortly after I had arrived and about half hour later Trevor came in and went straight for the elevator.

"A short while later the client finally came, and we were able to strike a deal after two hours of negotiations. After a handshake agreement we proceeded to leave when I saw Trevor and Lauren leaving the elevator together, arms around each other."

"Wow, so this has been going on for a while then."

"I guess. Keith, let me take care of setting everything up with the PI. I have the extra money and I think I know what you're trying to do."

"Which is?"

"You want to do right by Jillian and somewhat make up for the letter, but not have her know it was you at all so that she has no reason to doubt the reasoning behind the pictures she will be getting."

"And you don't think I'm stupid for doing such a thing?"

"Maybe a little stupid," Luke said with a small laugh, "but you are not the revenge type of person and honestly, what he is doing is messed up in more than one way."

"Thanks Luke, I owe you one."

"More like two cases of Oberon this weekend hand delivered by you."

******************************************

A month later the private investigator called Keith to let him know he had collected more than enough surveillance. They arranged a time and date for him to meet Keith at his house. When the day came, he had Scott go over to Andy's house to play video games with Steve and Sarah hang out with Liz at Luke's house. He tried to convince Jackie that she didn't need to be home for this, but she wanted to see why Keith had gotten a private investigator in the first place.

They sat together in the family room waiting anxiously for the doorbell to ring. After an hour of waiting it rang and Keith went to the door and opened it. There stood an attractive woman with a yellow envelope in her hand. "Are you Mr. James?" she asked.

"Yes," Keith answered, trying to hide his surprise.

"May I come in?" the woman asked with a warm smile.

"Umm, well that depends on why you are here."

"Luke told me you might be a little suspicious. I'm the private investigator he hired to take pictures of a couple who are having an affair. He told me I should show them to you."

"Oh, well come in then," Keith said showing the woman inside to his house. He guided her to the kitchen table where Jackie joined them as they sat down.

"Is she allowed to see the pictures?" asked the private investigator.

"Yes, my wife can see the pictures."

"OK," the private investigator said, shrugging her shoulders. She untied the envelope, opened it, and reached in to take out several pictures spreading them across the table.

Keith and Jackie carefully examined the pictures, seeing Trevor and Lauren together at various locations, kissing, holding hands and even fucking at his house while Jillian and Katie were away. Keith's heart broke for Jillian seeing how much Trevor was ready to have sex with her best friend. He still hadn't forgiven her for being the mastermind behind trying to make it look like he and Lauren were also having an affair while he and Jackie were still just dating. Even after all of that, he didn't want to seek out revenge on her because he knew things would just escalate and end badly for everyone. This though was different. He didn't care how much he disliked Jillian, what Trevor was doing was wrong.

"Is this all the pictures?" Keith asked.

"Yes, this is everything I was able to gather after a month."

"Can you give my husband and me a minute?" Jackie asked.

"Sure, but don't take too long." The PI left the table and went into the living room. When Jackie was convinced the PI was not within earshot she began to speak, but Keith cut her off.

"Yes, I'm sure I want to do this."

"Why in the hell would you want to do this?"

"Because no matter who the person is, it is not right for them to be cheated on."

"I don't disagree it is not right to be cheated on and it sucks. Even so, I still don't feel sorry that Jillian is being cheated on and the fact that is it Lauren of all people sleeping with her husband to me makes this even better. She deserves all this that is happening to her and I want to show her these pictures," Jackie said waving her hand over the pictures, "and just rub it in her face. Ask her how it feels that she has been cheated on after all this shit she put us through and is having her daughter put our son through."

"Because even after all the dust settles and they get divorced, the fact you rubbed salt into the wounds won't make things any easier for Scott. If anything, it just might make things worse for him as Katie could just turn all the pain she would be feeling onto Scott. If anything, Jillian not knowing who was responsible for who hired the PI would just focus her attention on Lauren and Trevor, where it rightfully belongs."

"But she is a fucking bitch who deserves everything she is getting, and I want to see it all crash and burn!"

"You think I don't want to see her suffer more than you?" That left Jackie speechless. "I've hated what she's put us through and I hate she's encouraged her daughter to bully and torment our son. Even with all that, I still want to do what is right for everyone and that would be having the PI deliver the pictures to Jillian and Jillian not knowing who hired her."

Jackie ran a hand through her hair trying to see where Keith was wrong. As much as she wanted to be the one to hand deliver these pictures to Jillian and just rub it in, she knew her husband was right. The fact he was right did not make it any easier for her to accept. "Can we at least have a copy of each picture just in case she crosses a line?"

"I was planning on having a copy for us to keep in the safe if a chance ever presents itself for us to mend fences with her."

Jackie shook her head at thought. "Yeah, and Scott and Katie are not only going to end up as friends but also start dating."

Keith laughed at his wife's sarcastic comment. "I didn't say it was likely to happen, but life can be funny sometimes."

****************************************************

"Katie! Could you come down here for a minute?" Jillian called from the bottom of the stairs. A minute later Katie came down the stairs.

"Yes mom, what is it?"

"Your father and I are going out to a movie later tonight so you'll be home alone. We feel that you are old enough to be by yourself for the night. Do you think you'll be OK?"

"Of course!" Katie said happily.

"We'll have our phones on vibrate if you need to reach us and Auntie Lauren is available if you need anything. You can..."

"Mom!" Katie interrupted. "I get it. You'll have everyone on high alert ready to receive a text or phone call from me if something goes wrong. You have nothing to worry about. I'll just be eating popcorn and watching something on Netflix."

Jillian smiled at her daughter, forgetting how old and responsible she was. Her amazement at how much her daughter had grown up was interrupted by sound of the doorbell. Puzzled by who would ring the doorbell, she got her phone out of her pocket and opened an app to see a young woman at the front door holding a yellow envelope.

"Excuse me, but who are you and why are you at my front door?"

"I'm a private investigator and I have some pictures that you need to see."

"And who hired you?"

"I am not authorized to tell you who I was hired by, only to deliver these pictures to you," the woman said, holding up the yellow envelope.

Jillian didn't understand what was going on, but was also curious as to what the pictures could be. She went to the front door and opened it with the woman holding out the envelope to her. "Is there anything I need to sign to show I received the pictures?"

"No," the woman said without emotion. "I am just here to give you this and I will be on my way."

Something definitely seemed off about everything to Jillian. None of this was making any sense but she took the envelope from the woman. No sooner than when the envelope left her hand the woman turned around and went to her car. Jillian closed the door, walked in the family room, sat on the couch and untied the envelope. Still unsure if she wanted to see the pictures, she cautiously brought out one of the pictures and was in immediate shock. In the picture was her husband and her best friend sitting together at a bar kissing each.

She brought out another picture. This time Trevor and Lauren were in what looked like a hotel lobby acting much more friendly than they should have been. Each picture made Jillian's anger grow even more so until she saw a picture of the two having sex in a hotel room. Jillian closed her eyes not able to look at the picture, anger and sadness coming over her, but mostly anger. After a few minutes she yelled out to her husband.

"TREVOR!" After a few seconds of no response she yelled again. "TREVOR! GET YOUR ASS IN THE FAMILY ROOM!" As Trevor rushed into the family room Jillian stood up, envelope and pictures in hand. "How could you!?" she yelled in anger, showing him the picture of him and Lauren in bed together.

Trevor was caught by surprise seeing the picture of him and Lauren together and started to panic, trying to figure a way out of this. "Honey, you know I would never cheat on you. That picture is obviously photosho..." his words cut short when Jillian showed him another picture of his affair and another. "Look, I can explain."

"EXPLAIN?" Jillian said incensed by her husband. "You want to try to explain to me that you've been having an affair with my best friend? You want to explain that you've been cheating on me with my fucking former best friend? You think you can explain anything away with all these pictures showing how much of a cheating bastard you are!"

"Jillian please, just let me..."

"Get out of my fucking house right now and go live with that whore!" Jillian screamed, her face beet red with anger.

Trevor backed up and was ready to turn and leave when he saw Katie in the hallway, her face also red, but covered in tears. He felt heartbroken that his daughter had to hear about his affair like this and wanted to go to her and give her a hug. Before he could Katie ran back up the stairs to her room, slamming the door. There Katie cried into her pillow for the rest of the day, her whole world crumbling around her. The dad that she loved with everything she had and who she thought loved her mom didn't actually love them.

*********************************************

Present

Katie sat back in the kitchen chair still having a hard time believing what her mother was telling her. "So it was Scott's dad who hired the private investigator and had him deliver the pictures to us?"