Reflections Ch 02

You may want to read the previous chapter before this one. Thank you to Estragon for editing my story and making it a much better read.

*

The separation and divorce went much better than I had expected. The moving company came the following day and took the kids' things and my personal things to my parents' house.

I'm not sure if I mentioned that my parents did have servants, but my mother did ninety percent of watching the kids when they were there before the breakup. She loved kids and was a perfect grandmother.

Marlene did show up and sign the papers. Our divorce was final in just a few months. Evelyn came over to see my mom and the kids. Mom didn't tell her about the lying and cheating but Evelyn figured it out on her own. She told Mom that she really tried to raise Marlene right but she just went off in her own direction.

Evelyn couldn't believe that Marlene would only come and see the kids twice the first month we were separated. Evelyn herself came over at least every two weeks or so at the beginning but as time passed she came over about once a month.

After a month in the house Marlene wasn't able to make the payments and sold the house and the contents. She got some money out of it since we had such a large down payment. She moved in with her boyfriend Brent into his apartment and according to Evelyn they moved to California as soon as the divorce was final.

Marlene did stop by and see the kids and told them she was going to be a movie star. Of course the kids were only a year and a half old and had no idea what she was talking about.

Rumor had it that Brent was a waiter between small acting jobs. Most were in commercials and magazine ads. They were living off the money that Marlene had gotten from the sale of her property.

She did get some acting jobs but it was nothing like she expected. She got an agent and he explained to her that since she was only in her twenties it would be hard to get her big parts. She did get parts as extras in movies. She got paid the day rate for actors and actresses. She and Brent didn't last two months together according to Evelyn. Marlene came home one day and found Brent with another woman. She kicked his ass out and now lived alone.

I should mention that over the years that Evelyn and Mom stayed friends. She would often tell Mom about how Marlene was doing according to her letters. Whenever she got a bit part she would send a picture of herself.

As for me, I worked hard in the family business but I made as much time as I could for my kids. Once they started school I was there for them. From grade school through high school I did my best to attend any functions that they were in.

My kids and my business were my life. I would often travel two or three days a week. My kids understood that I was there for them and they could call me anytime if they needed me. When I was away I would often call home and talk to them.

Over the years my kids must have been in everything. I went to baseball games, soccer, volleyball, and even to the school plays. Lisa liked being in plays but she once told me she would never leave her family to become an actress. That's when I knew their mother leaving them would be something they would always have to live with.

****

The dating scene for me was more like the movie 'Pretty Woman'. I would often use escort services when I needed a woman on my arm for business dinners. I had two main requirements; one the woman had to be good looking and second she had to be smart. There were a lot of college women who were escorts.

I have to say it was hard not to become attracted to many of them. I was probably younger than a lot of their dates and knowing our business had money would be an attraction to a good-looking woman trying to get ahead.

I always remembered my Dad saying, 'lust, infatuation or love'. I think I did my best to stay away from love. As I mentioned many times, having money draws a lot of women but the majority sees dollar signs. I might have missed a few chances at love but I wasn't going to get bitten again.

When it came to sex I had all I could possibly want and with damn good-looking women. I lusted a lot and took care of it. It wasn't surprising what money could buy.

I never dated the same escort more than twice. A couple of times I was afraid of becoming attached. As far as love goes I had my kids and my family. I would take my kids everywhere they wanted to go. Over the years we went to Disney World, on a couple of cruises, zoos, ball games and I even took them to a few concerts. Yes, I had love in my life but it was my kids.

Throughout my life Mom and even my kids asked me if I was ever going to get married again. I told them I would if the right person ever came along but I wasn't going out of my way to find someone.

I did do some dating locally but I never felt what I would have considered love. Even in my late thirties, when I was considered the eligible bachelor, I figured life was much easier without a love involvement.

****

Before I go any further in my story I wanted to mention that I did have to make a trip to California on a brokerage deal. It was about a year after the divorce. On my flight over I thought how odd it would be if I ran into Marlene. Well, it didn't happen but I did have a rather odd experience.

I ordered an escort for the night. Her name was Sherry and she was both smart and good-looking. I explained what was expected of her at the business dinner and she agreed that it wouldn't be a problem. In fact she was taking up brokerage work in college and maybe I could be of help to her after graduation.

We went to one of the fanciest restaurants in the city we were in and were seated with an elderly gentleman and his wife; they were the other side of the deal, and missed nothing. After a little small talk I saw Sherry look up at one of the other waiters. It wasn't the one serving us. I glanced up and saw Brent staring at Sherry and me.

Sherry asked to be excused for a moment and we stood as she left the table. After a few minutes she came back and joined in our conversation. Everything went well but I was wanting to know how she knew Brent.

After our business meeting we said goodnight to the mature couple; we did get their business. I asked Sherry if she wanted to come back to my room with me. She stared in my eyes and replied, "Yes I do."

When we arrived at the hotel I asked her point blank if she knew the waiter, which of course was Brent. She told me he was her boyfriend and he said if she didn't leave my table that they were through.

"He was an asshole and I was ready to breakup with him anyway. He said he was an actor but all he did was a few commercials and photo-shoots. Besides, you seem like a very nice man and if he didn't like you I think it was him that has a problem."

Sherry and I undressed and we had sex. I could almost call it making love because she was that good and I definitely felt it in my loins. Her body was soft as I rubbed her belly and massaged her breasts. She was one of the few escorts that I went down on. She had this beautiful shaved pussy, which I tongued the hell out of.

We fucked three times that night in three different positions. Actually we fucked twice that night and one more time in the morning. I lay on my back as she rode me. I loved watching her go up and down on my hard cock.

The next morning I told her how I knew Brent and she called Marlene "one stupid woman!" I gave Sherry an extra five hundred dollars and told her to call our firm when she graduated from college.

I did do something really stupid the next day. I guess it was just something that was eating at me. I had gotten Brent's address from Sherry. They didn't live together. I gave a couple of thugs two hundred dollars each to beat the shit out of Brent.

One guy said, "What if we take your money and leave the guy alone?"

"I guess you'll be two hundred dollars ahead but others will know you aren't a man of your word." For some reason that made guys mad. No matter how low they are they want to be a man of their word.

I went by the restaurant the next evening and even took Sherry as a date, but still an escort. Brent had to stay in the kitchen because someone had beaten him up and the restaurant didn't want customers seeing him. I went to the restroom and glanced in the kitchen and saw he was pretty bruised up.

Sherry told me that he had called her and told her that two guys had stopped by his apartment that day and worked him over. He blamed her for hiring the two thugs. I just acted surprised. "What goes around comes around," I said.

I did have sex with Sherry again that night. It was as good as the night before. I was kind of glad I was heading home because I was afraid I could like Sherry a little too much.

I never went out with Sherry again but she did send me a resume after she graduated from college. I forwarded it to my sister, Edie. She called me and said she hired Sherry as an Associate in the Kentucky office. Over the years I've seen her a number of times but only on business. She is now married with a family of her own.

****

I know I'm jumping around on my memories and I apologize for that but I want to relate things to you when I remember them.

When I was nearing forty my dad made me a full partner in the company. He retained the position of President of the company but I was now managing it. Dad was semi-retired but would show up a few days a week just to keep busy.

I wasn't traveling much overnight anymore either. After fifteen years of living half of every week out of a suitcase I was happy to pass the traveling duties to someone else.

I did begin to date some of the local ladies. Most were in their thirties and forties. Most all had been married at least once. It was kind of a sign to me that keeping a happy marriage was much harder than most people think. If I ever married again it would have to be the right woman.

My biggest problem now was that even though these women were very nice, I never felt that special spark. Maybe there wasn't any such thing; maybe it just happened in the movies. I just wasn't going to rush into any relationship. Besides I was rather happy with my life, and a wife would just mix it all up.

I remember my kids shortly after their eighteenth birthday. They were graduating from high school and would be starting college in the fall. My parents and I threw them a big party and they invited all their friends and relatives.

Evelyn and Ed Davis, the kids' other grandparents, called us to ask us if Marlene, the kids' mother, could attend. The kids had only seen her maybe six times throughout the years. They were always polite to her but never called her 'Mom'. I didn't want her ruining their special day so I left it up to them.

"She was our birth mother, Dad. Yes, she's welcome to come to our graduation party. Besides, we want Grandma and Grandpa Davis to attend," said Lisa.

It was one of the last times that the kids ever saw their biological mother socially. She did come back for her parents' funerals a few years ago. Ed died five years ago and Evelyn four years ago.

I have to say that Marlene still looked good but I had to wonder if she was happy with her life choices. She was now on her third husband and was still doing supporting and group scenes in the movies. I could never get myself to watch any of her movies.

As the party was ending, Lisa asked if she could talk to me alone. "Of course, Honey, you always have my ear. This must be pretty important," I said.

"Dad, Mike and I are worried about you."

"Worried about me? I don't understand, why would you worry about me?"

"You're the best Dad that anyone could possibly have. You have been there for us as far back as I can remember. I can't tell you how many trips you cancelled to come to our activities."

"Honey, that's what Dads do. I wanted to be there for you and your brother. There's nothing that I wouldn't have done for you."

"I know, Dad, and that's why I'm worried. Now that Mike and I are going to college, you'll be alone. Nana told us that you were moving out and getting an apartment."

"I figured a guy in his forties doesn't need to live with his parents. I stayed here so I could be with you kids and when I was away on business you still had Nana to take care of you. I'm just getting my own apartment and it has extra rooms for when you kids come home and want to stay with me sometime."

"Dad, why didn't you get married again? I know that a lot of the women you dated cared for you. There was April, Denise, Helen, Dorothy and Mary. Any one of them would have been a good companion for you," Lisa replied.

"Honey, they are all nice ladies and I'm friends with all of them. First off, I wasn't looking for a wife and second and most important, I wasn't in love with them."

"Did you give love a chance Dad? I just don't want you to be alone. You're too nice a guy not to find that special woman."

"Honey, I promise to be a little more aware of the women around me. If I find the right one, you'll be the first to know. Is that ok?"

"I love you, Dad." She hugged me and it brought a tear to my eye.

In the following months I did move out and into a penthouse apartment. The kids came by and spent the night before leaving for college. They loved my new place. The last thing Lisa said to me was, "Don't forget our talk." I had to laugh.

I did date a few women but like I said, as nice as they were I couldn't see spending the rest of my life with them. If I needed a dinner date when meeting a customer, I decided that, instead of using an escort service, I would take one of our female employees. Especially since it was usually in our home town.

I was always friendly with them and treated them with respect but I never became intimate with them. They always knew it was a business dinner. I didn't want to start any relationships with an employee unless I felt that special feeling.

Since I didn't travel as much I decided to take a business trip to France. Usually once a year my Dad would go there to our overseas associates. Ray and Barb worked in our office years ago. They were moving back to France where Barb was originally from.

They had a talk with Dad about opening up an office overseas and they would run it. Ray and Dad worked out the specifics and made it happen. Dad and Mom would fly there once a year to see Ray and Barb. Dad told me since I was the manager that I ought to go this year.

It would be a four-day trip. Other than just looking at the books it was supposed to be a fun vacation. I'd never been to Paris so I thought it would be enjoyable. It turned out that it changed my entire life.

*

Thank you for reading my story

Comments are welcome an appreciated

DG Hear