The Economist in Love

The Homecoming and the Death of a Marriage

After months of frustration Alex, Justine's husband finally announced he was definitely returning home from London. It was a couple of weeks into new year when Alex called Justine with the news.

With the joyful news Justine found her affection for Alex was returning; to her it was a victory over that Finnish vixen that had been haunting her. In her excitement she rang Joshua who she had not seen since Christmas day. Joshua's voice sounded flat.

"You sound excited," was his reply to her gush of news.

"Of course, he is my husband. We can now have the baby I so long for."

"But wasn't he cheating on you there."

It was a dampener. She had not expected him to be so negative.

"Yes, but it's been difficult, him over there. Us apart for so long. We can reconnect now and put that behind us."

Somehow the young Joshua did not share her optimism.

A little over a week before Alex was due to arrive there was a call from Joshua. It seemed that Nikau wanted one last session with Justine.

"No way!" Was Justine's immediate reply." Any way I am off the pill now. Alex and I are trying for a baby as soon as he returns."

"It's not actually Nikau, its Tui. She is having doubts about her sexuality. They know about your history and thought you could help in the way that you do."

Reluctantly Justine agreed but she did not want it to get out of hand, so Justine suggested that Joshua come as well and in the evening.

With that the three of the appeared at her door the following Saturday. Ominously Nikau had under his arm a box of alcopops.

They sat in the living area drinking and listening to music. Eventually Justine got to talking about her past. Tui crossed the room and sat next to her. Justine began to lose her situational awareness. There was something about Tui's perfume, her nearness that was beginning to stir some forgotten feelings within her. Nikau was watching the pair intently as they unthinkingly merged together. Joshua saw it too, but he broke the spell by suggesting some dancing. The drinking continued for a time until a slow romantic number started. Justine found herself inexplicably in an embrace with Tui slow dancing. Tui began to kiss her, and Justine seemed powerless to resist.

More drinks and Justine found herself kissing Nikau. Justine felt the need to clear her head, so she sat back on the sofa, this time she had Tui on one side and Nikau the other. Joshua was at her feet. They began talking about their experiences before Christmas. At this stage the alcohol had taken affect and some of the conversations was nonsensical. Nikau found a bottle of tequila in the cabinet and next thing Justine was rustling up some salt and lemon. From there things went downhill fast.

Nikau started going on how Joshua never got to learn about having sex anally. Justine did not intend to have anal sex but in her befuddled mind she felt the need to explain the dos and don'ts about it and got her little purse to explain. The effects of this conversation seemed to turn Tui on, as she then began to caress Justine and reached in to kiss her. With the effects of the tequila Justine responded and they lay back on the sofa together.

Not one to be left out Nikau suggested playing strip poker. Justine robotically got up and fetched a pack of cards. More tequila and the strip poker descended into stripping; the cards forgotten.

Nikau made a move on Tui. They rolled over and tui straddled Nikau rubbing her black hairy cleft onto Nikaus rigid cock. Nikau lifted his cock and rubbed into to tui's vulva. All the time Tui was staring at Justine's nakedness. Justine stared back and unconsciously Justine began caressing her breasts one after another pinching the nipple so that they became erect.

Reacting to Tui's gaze Justine opened her legs and slowly reached down and opened her vulva exposing its wet pinkness through the dark hair of her crutch. Tui was fixated on Justine's motion and resulting in allowing Nikau's cock to sink between her dark lubricated lips, deep into her vagina.

Justine watched the movement of Tui's hips in syncopation, backwards and forwards pressing downward onto Nikau. Justine began slipping her fingers in unison with tui, both becoming more earnest and forceful in what they were doing. Justine stretched her clit beyond her wiry bush and Tui seeing this rolled off Nikau. She reached Justine and both wrestled in their nakedness on the carpet each thrusting, connecting and dry humping, their respective groins grinding each other's in ecstatic concert.

They shuffled so that they were side by side facing one another but Justine kept her eyes tightly shut. Tui was fingering her. Although her head was spinning, Justine could feel her wetness responding to tui's fingers entering her vagina.

Eyes still shut she could feel Nikau spooning behind her, his rock-hard erection in her crack. He shuffled back and she felt him smearing oiled into her anus. His cock was back but Justine was mumbling, "no that is for Joshua." She turned over and Nikau likewise onto his back. She lifted herself and turned over to squat on Nikau. Taking his cock, she threaded it through her hair into the waiting pink wet vulva punching down until his cock was swallowed hole.

She began to pump in sexual squats. Her eyes again shut, she felt someone pushing from behind, Tui was guiding Joshua's cock into her anus. There was a pushing and a nudging as Joshua attempted to break through. Justine adjusted herself and spread her butt to ease his way.

There was a sharp muffled pain from her arse as he broke through. Suddenly she was a sandwich for these two lads, her first double penetration.

She tried to rock to encourage them into some kind of rhythm. Her eyes opened as Tui appeared at her face and began deep kissing her, Justine left the lads to it while she concentrated on Tui who was now massaging her soft pliable hanging tits.

This went on timelessly until she felt the two cocks withdrawing. Nikau wriggled from beneath her and she collapsed face first to the carpet. Her head was still spinning has she reached around to check the wetness between her legs, cum was oozing from both dilated holes. She took some on her fingers and stared at the cum. Licked a bit tasting its saltiness. 'Oozing from both holes' she thought She suddenly panicked," Both holes!" she cried out," I am not on the pill; I'm probably fertile!"

She startled the others, but they were too drunk to care. Tui wriggled over for a cuddle and that was the last thing she remembered before waking up in her bed with Tui in the morning. She awoke with the sun in her face and a blinding headache. She became aware of someone on her bed and looking over at her was the pretty Māori girl from last night blinking at her.

"Where are the others," Justine croaked.

"They left last night. You're mine now."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Is that all I am to you..." Tui said with mock concern.

"No, no, no, I'm sorry. I swore I would not do this again and what's more was unprotected. It's not you. You're beautiful." And Justine gave Tui a quick peck on the brow. "Anyway, I am sorry Cinderella, all good things must come to an end. I have a husband coming in less than a week."

Tui looked disappointed but resigned,

"First Tui, would you like a cup of tea? You need to tell me all about yourself."

Why she did not get a morning after pill Justine would never know. Maybe she was distracted by Tui or just maybe she had an urge to willfully live on that edge.

******

Alex's return was an underwhelming affair. Justine arrived at the airport in excited anticipation but when they faced each other at the airport it was like two strangers meeting. Eventually both relaxed and kissed. Alex passed it off as jetlag.

At home Justine unpacked for him as he collapsed into bed. Gradually as the week progressed so did their ardor and by weeks end, they were putting in a good round of baby inception. When they were not doing it in the kitchen, bed or in the garden their differences in outlook unfortunately began to show.

Alex made the mistake of mentioning selling the property trying to explain what they could do with the money. In short make more money. That was a red rag to a bull and Justine took a fit. "With you it's all about money. What about value what about purpose in life. Figure that then structure your money." She yelled. That was her mantra. In her mind the property, the garden and now the bush at the rear were embedded in her values. Her life's purpose could not be separated from that.

Alex could never see that, in his mind money was for moneys sake. When you have lots of it you can go on luxury holidays and eat at the best restaurants. In Justine's mind you can go on cheap camping holidays in out of the way places and eat over the camp stove or a local café. It's still a holiday, it's fun and you are still nourished.

It came Saturday night; they had just had a candlelight dinner and were preparing for a steamy night in bed with soft music and low lights.

Justine thought she heard a possum outside. "I thought those things had been eradicated." she exclaimed opening the French doors to see where the sound came from. As soon as the door was ajar it was flung open and before her stood that same rough character, she has seen staring at her when she had been riding that few weeks ago.

She took him as a crim, a mobster by the tats on his hands and the stars on his cheek. His clothes were exactly the same, his hoody pulled low over his eyes. In his hand he held a knife. He grabbed her hair and spun her round to face Alex who was coming out of the kitchen. The knife was hard at her throat.

Alex froze and didn't say a word.

"I'm going to fuck your missus bro' I seen her riding a horse. You know what they say about cunts who ride horses. They like to spread their legs and fuck hardcore. I bet you are a really juicy missus, is that right fuckhead?"

Alex still frozen could just nod foolishly.

Justine was wearing some baggy multi coloured pajama bottoms and matching housecoat. The crim reached down and roughly groped her crutch saying the fateful words, "The boys love her, eh fuckhead they love to fuck her."

The truth is, only he would know what he was talking about if he was making any sense at all.

When Justine heard those words, she assumed he had been referring to her lads. Somehow, he must know. Even more than the impending rape it was that which instantly shattered her. Her antics while Alex was away would be exposed.

The crim dragged Justine by the hair and pushed her over the arm of the sofa. He dragged down the seat of her pants exposing her butt. He spat on his hands and began fingering her arsehole. He released his cock and moved in behind her. He spat on his hands, lubricated his cock and unceremoniously rammed it into her arsehole. Justine screamed, following up with "Alex, help me!"

Alex had now slid down the door frame and was crouched, trembling in terror as he watched the rape proceeding.

"You move an inch fuckhead and I'll slit your missus throat." And thus began the ordeal.

He dragged her around the house by her hair. Finding the kitchen table, it was a convenient height to do what he had an urge to do. He bent her flat pressing her breasts onto the table then pulled her legs apart exposing all to his will.

She was totally subjected to anything he felt like as he played with her, fingering her holes and licking and sucking hard. He found a bottle of their duty-free whiskey and consumed it as he fucked her this way and that. Cumming inside her at least three times in the course of the night.

Running out of steam he finally tried sticking things in her starting with the handle of a kitchen spatula progressing to the empty whisky bottle. Justine through all this tried to relax, she determined she would not be a victim, she closed and her mind to a nothingness. It had the desired effect as the crim's violence dissipated to a curious gentleness as he continued to play with her. The effect of the whisky had also rendered him slightly clumsy and in the end, little physical damage was done.

As the morning light began to glow, he managed find and haul on his jeans and gumboots staggering away at sunup with another bottle. By then he could hardly stand as he staggered back toward the road hardly knowing what he was doing.

When he appeared gone it was only then that Alex got up from where he had been for the entire night at the foot of the door.

"We had better call the police,"

"No, I don't want the police involved."

"Why?"

"I just don't, Trust me."

"Well, you have to get a doctor."

"No."

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"I just am. I will go to a doctor if I need to, but I think I am not too bad considering. I didn't fight back, and he wasn't that rough. Now leave me I want to have a long, long shower."

"Do you know him or something?"

"No, I don't but I did see him on the road one day when I was horse riding and I think I know someone who can deal with him."

"Who the hell would you know that would do that."

"Just a friend of a friend. Just leave it to me."

Later Justine contacted Tui. Tui actually knew straight away who she was talking about, and he was outside on remand from prison. She said she knew people that will deal with it. She was really concerned and insisted she come around.

Later on, that morning she arrived, and Justine introduced Tui as a friend she had met casually and had invited around a couple of times. Alex seemed suspicious but accepted the situation

Over the next few days Alex brought up several times why she hadn't gone to the police until Justine told Alex, the guy had been dealt to and was sent back to jail having committed other crimes. Eventually it all blew over, but it left Justine nervous and afraid to be alone for a short time until she found a way to recover her confidence when Alex left to go on a business trip.

The whole event fueled a further attempt by Alex to get her to sell the property. He kept on at her until until she found she was pregnant. Then the incident faded as the joy and the discomforts of pregnancy set in.

The next months were spent nesting. A room at Arwen was refurbished as a nursery. Alex and Justine settled into a comfortable relationship although punctuated from time to time by the old chestnut, selling the property. It finally ended when Justine screamed at Alex that all he wanted was her money so that he could play his financial games. He kept quite after that until the birth approached.

In the meantime, they resumed their time between the property and the city residence. As they had a spare bedroom in their city apartment, they could have a nursery in both places so that baby could be fully looked after in both locations.

They arranged to be in the city in advance of the birthdate and eventually Justine went into Labour. Alex accompanied her with the birth. And he was there when the baby appeared, but it was at that point the marriage ended.

The baby was clearly a Māori baby. Alex 's growing awe and joy at sight the emerging baby was suddenly deflated. He assumed it the product of the rape reminding him of that night of terror and his own impotence in defending her.

Questions of Justine's behaviour after the violation resurfaced in Alex's mind. He was confused. He had seemed more traumatized than her. He had not picked up on the words that had rocked Justine,' the boys love her,' but in his irrational jealous mind he imagined she had previously had an affair with this guy or perhaps one of his mates.

Having trouble coping with the aftereffects he had taken the opportunity of leaving town on business for a week. Leaving Justine alone at that time was unthinking and cruel but Justine had said little about it.

Being the person he was, he could not face bringing up a baby that was not clearly his. Justine would always see this as evidence that all the time he was back he was looking for some excuse to return to someone he really loved, Fiia. The bond between him and Justine had not been strong since his return. Now it was irrevocably broken.

By time Justine had left the birthing unit, having been kept over a few days related to her health, Alex had taken what he needed. There was a brief e-mail exchange. He asked that the baby go out to adoption. She refused stating the baby was hers. She said it was no different for him if they had adopted. He said he could not understand how she could love a reminder of the rape. She replied saying it was not the baby that raped her.

Alex was continually looking for excuses, unwilling to accept that the only real reason he could not accept the baby was that it was brown. He always claimed that he was not racist, but this put him to the test, and he came out wanting. Justine finally called him out on it and then there was silence.

Her next communication was from his lawyer their separation had begun.

Justine had later learnt that he had returned to London and was back with Fiia who he was later to marry as soon as they were divorced.

Meanwhile Justine was now the single professional mother of Fleur Nola. The first-person Justine reached out to was Tui, who was back having just completed her first year's study.

The first act was to arrange the burial of the placenta. And this was done at Arwen. A traditional yellow flowered Kowhai tree planted above the buried placenta. Justine suspected the baby was Nikau's rather than the crim but she was unwilling to do something that might jeopardize Nikaus support in getting through uni and she never mentioned it.

The other person to arrive in support was Joshua. Joshua and Tui assented to be God parents. Justine had taken to employing Joshua in his holidays to maintain and develop the garden and the bungalow. This had begun before the baby was born. Alex did not take an interest in these two new people visiting knowing they came from the local community which Justine was becoming more involved with.

Joshua's father had announced that he would retire after Joshua had completed his studies. Joshua had become interested in permaculture and he would work toward completing a masters with that as his major. This would guide his future plans for the farm.

Returning from maternity leave and with little other support Justine found she had to live in town during the week and retire to the property at weekends. While in town she used the varsity creche during the day and hired students for babysitting duties, when needed. This was the nature of her new life. A baby tends to attract others and she a found new connections with some of her colleagues and other mothers at the Creche.

*****

From time-to-time Tui would drop in from university. Each time she did she was becoming more imbued with university life and culture. Taking on new interests. At the end of the second semester, she turned up with a new traditional chin tattoo, a moko kauae. This was a surprise to Justine. Both Tui and Nikau had been discouraged by the church elders from getting involved with Maoritanga. The Moko on her chin was a clear challenge to them. Tui said she was embarrassed about her ignorance of her own people and was set to do something about it.

Justine looked forward to visits by Tui and was always excited a week ahead in anticipation for the end of each semester. Tui always brought something for Fleur. Justine noticed how maternal Tui was in the way she virtually took over the baby during the time she visited. There was never a resumption of intimacy.

It crossed Justine's mind her shame in the way she behaved in getting drunk both with Noah and Shayne and with Tui, Nikau and Joshua. Those two times she felt she had truly crossed the line. With pregnancy she stopped drinking altogether and as she was breast feeding, she had maintained her abstinence.