Betrayed Over Conception

Engineer Mike Giles and wife were unable to start a family and neither would undergo tests, fearful of being identified as the problem party. Gloria took a lover leading Mike to suspect her motive was pregnancy. Then his girlfriend at his worksite 200 miles north becomes pregnant which answers the question about his alleged infertility problem. Gloria agrees to a divorce and Mike's reunion with his girlfriend Nancy ends in disappointment so he's back playing the field.

THIRTEEN

I arrived late for dinner at Liz's home, giving Gloria time to introduce Harry Mercer to her

sister free of tension.

The sisters looked nervous as I entered, ignoring both men and kissing Liz and then Gloria with exaggerated affection, then handing two bottles of champagne to Liz.

"Oh my, look at the label," cried Liz, it's Krug.

"I'm celebrating my imminent release from marriage," I laughed, and grabbing both women by the waist, I stood looking at Harry, winking at him. The women were looking at him so he gave me an almost imperceptible wink of acknowledgement, barely moving his eyelids.

"Who the fuck are these guys?" I asked belligerently.

The women broke from my grasp, and the guy who'd been fixing candles, jumped to his feet and looked nervously at Liz.

"Mike," wailed Liz, "I said on the phone message I left you that I wanted to introduce you to Gavin."

"No you didn't, the message stated my new man."

"It's the same thing, Mike," said Liz, coming forward and patting my arm.

"Gavin Jessop, this is my brother-in-law Mike Giles."

"Pleased to meet you Mike, I think," said the guy nervously. At least he had humor.

"Oh, Liz's friend. I thought you were the guy fucking my wife Gloria?"

Gavin's confidence took a drive.

"Me, good heavens no. I wouldn't do that – it's her sister I desire."

Liz looked slightly relaxed as I gave Gavin a friendly slap on the back but Gloria was looking terrified.

"M-M-Mike," she said. "This is the one. D-d-d-on't hurt him. Have you been drinking?"

"No, sober as a Judge hearing a divorce case. Hi man, you must be Harry. I'm the guy you're replacing. Gloria's a rather tight fit, isn't she?"

Harry grinned.

"Not that I've noticed – I'm so tiny I wallow around a bit."

"You don't, you're…" Gloria, scarlet faced, tailed off.

"Come of you guys," I laughed. This is all an act to get a party going – thanks for playing along, Harry. You're a natural. You also did a pretty good job standing your ground, Gavin. Champagne anyone?"

"You rotten bastard, screeched Liz, boring in and hugging me. You had me almost crapping myself."

Gloria said nothing; she went in against Harry, put an arm round him, and looked at me shaking her head.

"I kindda like this ex of yours, Gloria," laughed Harry and she looked rather pleased.

"Yes, champagne for every one," said Gloria, "I'll get the glasses."

We had a great evening and I was the first to leave, receiving enthusiastic farewells from three of them and a relieved one from Gavin.

"Don't be home too late dear," I said with fatherly concern to Gloria, and everyone broke up laughing.

Next morning I awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking – Gloria was turning it on for me – steak, eggs, fries and onions. A real feast.

"You've got a long drive ahead of you," she said in a motherly tone, and we broke up laughing when I replied, "Yes mom."

We shared a long lover's kiss alongside the truck

"Goodbye Mike, and thanks for making this ending so easy on me. All in all we've had many great years together. Take care."

All the hostility had leached from her. I went easy on her.

"Thanks for all those enjoyable years, Gloria. Now you be loving to Harry and do what he says – he seems a good bloke and very intelligent. I'm leaving you in good hands."

Well, I thought, as I hit the freeway. It was a wonderful parting, with no blood and guts on the floor. Everyone seems deliriously happy but little ol' me but there's light at the end of the tunnel. I've just got to be patient and give Nancy her head. There's no need to put a ring on her finger – just enjoy the association for as long as she wants it to continue.

FOURTEEN

The day project engineer beamed with delight when I walked into his office but looked disappointed when I said I wouldn't be working that night.

"We want that bastard temporary stand-in for you out of here; the comparison has made us realise what a likeable, competent guy you are."

I couldn't believe this was Rick talking; I'd always thought he hated my guts, though not openly.

We chatted then sauntered over for lunch and I received a standing ovation – well, a few guys did play up a bit. I was beginning to get the impression that I might have some attributes that appealed to people after all. If only Nancy can read the signs, but there is the age gap between us and, as well, she's capable of making the distinction between convenience - me - and the guy she really wants who she hasn't met yet.

Back in Rick's office we looked at the construction schedule against progress reports. We were three days behind, but that is manageable – no reason to panic.

I asked Rick could he spare a crane, a flatbed trailer, a tracked hauler and say four men for one hour maximum to relocate Nancy's cabin up on the summit alongside his and my accommodation. I then told him how I wanted to form an education subcommittee to prepare Nancy for her exams and feed her ideas for the paper she has to submit on this work experience assignment that counts towards her final marks.

"Yeah, I can do that for you, boss," said Rick. It was the first time he'd ever referred to me as boss, but he was not done: "The boys and I will do anything for Nancy."

I walked away from Rick flicking something out of my eye; I was amid a very unusual experience on a construction project – the entire workforce had welded itself into a team, bosses included.

A traxcavator arrived and leveled the site for the cabin. A truck rumbled up the hill and spread base metal. Then the cabin came up the hill, shepherded by ten guys, a complete over manned detail, and the cabin was deposited, absolutely level and then more guys arrived and planted flowering shrubs around the entrance and patio. The guys must have gone out and brought the shrubs themselves as we have none in stores.

"Thanks, guys," I said thick-throated. "The beers are on me from six to seven in the canteen tonight – please get Rick to join us."

I went to my own cabin feeling very humble.

At 5 o'clock Saturday I took a call from Nancy.

"Mom is proving difficult; she doesn't want me to return."

My reaction was to jump into my truck and knock some sense into mom, but this was the emerging new me. I'd read on the Internet about the recommended response in such a situation.

"How do you feel about that?"

I caught the surprised reaction in Nancy's reply.

"I'm glad that she cares. Is that really you talking?"

Well, I must be impressing her.

"Moms are precious; we only get one true one. But there comes a time..."

I chose not to finish.

Nancy sighed, and said: "I know."

"Where does your dad stand?"

"As usual, on the sidelines."

"Want me to come over and talk to your mom."

"No, I told you before if I want the folk to meet you I want everything right."

"Well then, thanks for calling. I hope to see you tomorrow, otherwise it's goodbye."

I heard her shriek "Mike, don't go," as I disconnected. I then switched off my phone. John Wayne was tough, and I liked to think that I lived by his creed. My dad only took me to see one of his films, but I went alone and saw most of the others at the cinema or else hired videos. It was showdown time: Nancy was going to have to decide between mom and her career. Me? I'm only an extra.

I couldn't sleep, despite all the beers with the boys, and at 2:00 in the morning I switched on my phone and blinked; there were seven calls, all from Nancy, urging me to call her. I remained resolute and eventually drifted off.

Shortly after 5:00 next morning, working on the backgrounds of guys, I chose two other engineers and a senior supervision to join the tuition sub-committee. That gave coverage of bridges, dams, buildings, highways and railroads as collectively we were a very diverse and experienced team.

By mid morning I had a complete schedule drafted ready for Nancy's approval. I would take care of briefings on contract documentation, scheduling systems, productivity analysis, construction operations and cash flow. Obviously Nancy's schooling would have covered those subjects, but in what detail and had she been taught thoroughly about how to differentiate between prudent short-cuts and risky short-cuts and questioning all advice rather than taking it for granted?

I ordered another laptop from stores, and a second chair and desk for the tutor of the day to be installed in her cabin – oh, plus a whiteboard. I also ask stores to get two cell phone hands-free headsets to be sent from head office. The tutor of the day may as well be in communication at Nancy's request when she had down-time out on the field waiting to make inspections or sign off work. She was going to be a busy lady if she was willing to be hit this intensively.

She'll come, I kept saying to myself all afternoon; at stake was her career versus her mom's authority. Nancy was no longer a teenager – she's a young woman in her fourth and final year in a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. She'd done most of the hard yards; the end was just under three months away when she'd walk out of the last exam room. Of course she'd come back to us.

Nancy was unlikely to arrive before 4:00 but at 3:00 I put on my cap and sunglasses and left to go down at wait at the main gates; I was so nervous I had to do something. I opened the door and there she was walking towards it, less that 20ft away. She dropped her bags and came running to me, screaming in excitement.

"You're here already," she cried. "I thought I'd come early and welcome you on site."

We kissed and kissed. She felt so soft and warm and she didn't look at all weary or sad.

"Let's have a juice and hit the gym," she said. "I feel I need to toughen up."

What an attitude; I was so proud of her!

She blinked in astonishment when I showed her the schedule and she read the names of her volunteer tutors.

"My god, if I can manage this workload over the next month I'll end up knowing more than my professors," she marveled.

"It may be rather optimistic, too heavy to handle, but nothing but the best for you. You'll have a say if the tutoring is repetitive or becoming too specific – the idea is to fine-tune you for your exams."

She agreed that was the way to go.

When on the rowing machines I told her how she would be able to contact any tutor when she had downtime and they'd do their best to break free and give her their time.

After we showered, in separate booths, and stepped outside and she kissed me and said she would see me later. She turned to the security centre and cried, "Where's my hut?"

I walked her uphill and said: "Some of the boys decided to promote you, so shifted your cabin up her by mine and Rick's."

"Oooh, look, flowering shruds. Aren't they cute?"

She then twigged that 'the boys' couldn't do a shift like that without authority so smiled at me and said, "Thanks, so you were sure that I'd defy mom?"

I nodded and said pretty sure. We went inside and she was delighted to see the tutoring set-up.

Rick came over and greeted Nancy warmly, and said there would be a dinner meeting for Nancy and her tuition subcommittee at 8:00.

It was almost two weeks before Nancy and I were having sex again. I uncharacteristically managed to hold back. One morning when we were coming off night shift instead of peeling off to her cabin she kept on walking beside me.

"Coming in for coffee?" I asked, liking my lips hopefully, and hope came in for me.

"No, just for some tentative sex to get me going again."

Gradually we got back into fully swing but it never was as complete as before – two people giving themselves unconditionally. There was tenderness, of course, as Nancy was that kind of person.

Nancy left at the end of the month, finishing up hosting we five tutors at a lovely dinner in the town we were ringing with our four-lane highway with one of the usual cock-ups that occur – money had been short so there was no provision for an interchange.

Naturally I was really sad that it was the end of the road for Nancy and me but accepted the situation. When Nancy had returned form having her abortion she would have realized more than ever that her lover was outside her age group. She'd known that from the outset, of course, but there's a difference between knowing something like that and realizing it.

The saddest part was watching her driving away crying. Some of the boys took me into town and we got drunk, which made me think of John Wayne; that's how he'd have drowned his sorrow.

Nancy graduated and sent us a video she'd had made, at great expense I would think. It was very professionally done. We five tutors drank freely and were half-pissed when I turned on the video. We played it three times.

Near the end at the first time we ran it we were hollering in glee when watching Nancy get the prizes for the most improved student in the final year and the premier prize of the exam candidate displaying the most comprehensive level of practical knowledge across all fields.

Rick had graduated from that university fifteen years earlier and received the Mullins Prize for the optional exam paper on engineering technology:

'Research into the multiple uses of pipelines for transportation of solids.'

He'd pushed and prodded Nancy into taking an interest in that subject which, while substantially mechanical engineering, it has wide potential application in civil engineering.

Fascinated, we looked 'Fat Rick', as the crews call, him blowing his nose fiercely, as bug-eyed he watched Nancy receiving the Mullins Prize for her paper on

'Advances in capsule pipeline transportation of solids through pipelines in automatic vehicles propelled pneumatically or hydraulically.'

It was a well deserved moment of glory for him.

Nancy didn't visit us again and eventually the email exchange between her and me stopped.

FIFTEEN

My divorce came through and I declined the invitation soon afterwards to attend Harry and Gloria's small civic wedding. They understood and sent me a bottle of champagne and piece of wedding cake with their best wishes and thanks for my wedding present – a springboard for their swimming pool. Both swim like fish but I suppose with Gloria being pregnant she won't be using the springboard for a while.

Liz and Gavin's wedding came up and I attended that but was one of ten guests carted off to hospital with severe food poisoning – we were the ones scoffing the shellfish. All of us survived. Gloria spent the whole night at my bedside, which was lovely of her. I asked her why, and she replied, "Because you're worth it."

She told me when leaving in the morning that tests had discovered scarring in her fallopian tubes. In vitro fertilization did the trick, so their imminently-arriving daughter will by before she turns two be be calling me Uncle Mike.

I had fucking trouble with that eye of mine that was prone to leak at times of high emotion.

I returned to the project and was supervising the dismantling the site establishment with completion of the ring road construction only three weeks away – and a week ahead of schedule!

I was called urgently to a meeting, a chopper being sent to collect me.

A local election was being called with the sudden retirement due to serious illness of the popular political representative of the area who'd pushed so hard to get the ring road project pushed through. Miraculously the local authority had come up with sufficient money for the building of an interchange and to finance another two miles of 4-lane highway.

At the meeting, urged on by my company president, I had to give assurances that we could add the interchange at great speed and get everything completed before the election that would by held in twelve week's time.

Our firm was given the contract and I got a bonus for my 'enterprise' in taking a huge risk and promising completion on time.

We achieved that – just - and our firm was paid a bonus. I was given 5% of that, a whopping amount, so put that with the half share I had received in the sale of my former home and purchased a house not far from where I'd lived with Gloria.

So here was I, the darling of the moment within my company, taking my career to new heights, and I had a new house and the latest model Chevy truck. I seemed to have everything, but I was lonely.

I went to the deli. The aunt said that Kayte had completed her degree and had gone south to work. She was engaged.

I went across town to the riverbank, thinking that those ageing thighs of the lively potter Jacqui. I knocked on the door and a guy with long matted hair and a ring through the side of his nose answered and curtly saying, "Yes?"

"Nothing," I said.

"Piss off you time waster," he said and Jacqui came tearing across from the garden screaming, "Don't hit him, Mike – he really is quite cute."

She slammed against me and kissed all over my face, watched by the guy who looked as if he never washed.

"Come," said Jacqui, linking her arm through mine and dragging me away of the survivor of Hippydom, "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

There was a babe lying on her back on a sun loafer dressed in jeans and sunglasses – nothing else, not even footwear.

"Carlee, I'd like you to meet Mike Giles, some kind of brilliant engineer. Mike this is my oldest daughter Carlee Thomas."

"Hi, Carlee," I said, holding out my hand and almost dislocating my neck trying to keep my head and therefore me eyes above her tit line – she had a magnificent pair.

"Have you injured you neck, Mike?" asked Jacqui all concerned.

Carlee giggled, a great giggle and winked at me. She knew!

"Pleased to meet you Mike. Mom's told me that you and your father..."

"Carlee! Kindly talk about the present," interrupted Jacqui, which was a relief for me.

We had a couple of wines – I was able to relax from that point because when Carlee went to get the wine and glasses she hoisted on a shirt. The unwashed Clive Monk joined us, and with the electricity that appeared to be jumping between Clive and Jacqui I knew why she was putting up with his unkempt appearance.

Carlee was separated from her husband and had two very young girls – five and three. Both were blondes, like their mom, and same killer blue eyes. I saw that because Jacqui raced away, returning with three packs of photos for me to peruse. Fortunately her intelligent daughter told her mom: "Just show him one of them mom; he's not really interested." Not unless there's one showing their mom in a swimsuit so I can check out her legs, I thought. The children were staying with their other grandmother for two nights.

I left after an enjoyable hour and Carlee walked me to my truck. As I was driving off she shouted, and I stopped.

"Do you have a card?"

I gave her one, wondering why she'd want an engineer specializing in highway construction.

Ten minutes later my phone went.

"Hi, it's Carlee. Pick me up at eight and I'll take you to dinner."

"Er, that would be a treat."

"That's an English retort, isn't it," and the phone clicked before I could reply.

My heart was pounding. Was she wanting to check out what her mother had told her about me was true?

"Nuh, that sort of thing only happens in books.

I let the radio search until I heard a tune that seemed appropriate for the moment, "Let Me Love You." I sang along at the chorus and idly thought I was the better singer and I definitely was with the Yeah, Yeah bits.