A Hero's Return

"Daddy please, you need to come home." Those were the first words out of my daughter's mouth when she Skyped me at my duty station in Afghanistan.

"What's wrong baby?"

"It's mom dad." Even with the poor video quality I could tell she was in tears.

"What's wrong with mom?"

"She's seeing another man." My heart stopped. My beautiful wife of 18 years had always been so dedicated to me and Stacy our daughter.

"Honey, how do you know that, surely you're mistaken?"

"Dad, she's out with him two or three nights a week. Sometimes she doesn't come home till 2 or 3 in the morning. This morning she didn't come home till almost 7. Dad I'm scared." I choked down the bile that had risen into my throat.

"Do you know who the man is Stacy?"

"I think his name is Donald something."

"Donald Connelly?"

"Yes, that's him. I've only seen him once when he picked mom up. Tall, kind of skinny guy with short black and grey hair."

"If that's who it is, he's the mayor."

"He drives a big fancy car and sometimes he picks mom up in a limo."

That made sense. Kathy had worked on his election campaign. Maybe she was just going with him to party caucuses or something. But if that's the case why is she coming home so late.

"I need you here daddy, come home please?" Stacy begged me.

"Honey, I'll see what I can do, but whatever you do, don't say anything to your mom."

"I won't dad, but please hurry before something really bad happens."

"I'll do my best, I love you Stacy."

"Love you too dad."

My name is Robert Crawford. I'm 42 years old and a design specialist for a large electronics firm. I'm also a major in the National Guard and that's why I'm currently on a year-long assignment in Afghanistan where I serve on the command staff. I've been married to the love of my life Kathy for 18 years and the fruit of our union is our awesome 15 year old daughter Stacy.

Kathy is 40, but looks even younger. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever known, 5'6", terrific body that actually improved after she gave birth to our daughter. Her dark brown hair down to her shoulders and warm brown eyes that always sparkle when she smiles and she smiles all the time. I could honestly say our marriage has been rock solid, even when I've been deployed. Our time together has been warm and loving, our sex, hot and always satisfying. I've never had a doubt about her fidelity, nor she mine, so what happened? I didn't have a clue.

I completed all the necessary paperwork for thirty days of emergency family leave and caught a flight that 26 hours later found me renting a car at my hometown airport and heading for home.

It was Friday night at 6:30 when I stopped the car half a block from my house, the mid November sun had already set and the streetlights were casting an ominous glow on the surrounding neighborhood. I could see that lights were on in my living room, kitchen and in the upstairs master suite. I could actually see my wife walk past the window a couple of times. It looked like she was getting ready to go out. I called my daughter's cell phone and after three rings she picked up and spoke softly.

"Daddy, is that you?"

"Yes baby, don't say anything, but I'm here, just a half block from the house."

"Oh daddy, thank you" and I could hear her start to cry.

"Is your mom going out tonight?"

"I'm pretty sure. She's been in her room for over an hour. I heard the shower and now I can hear her humming."

"Sounds like she's pretty excited about her night."

"Yeah, I guess. It makes me sick daddy. Why is she doing this to us?"

"I don't know Stacy and your mom may not know either. Let's not judge her till we know what's really going on."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not completely sure. I guess I'll just follow them and get the lay of the land before I decide how to respond."

"Be careful daddy. Do you need to change clothes?"

"Nope. I figure my camo fatigues will stand out enough to create a little shock and awe when the time comes."

"Good luck daddy, I love you."

"I love you too Stacy and no matter what, you and I will always be together."

At 7 a black Mercedes pulled into my driveway and a tall slender, well dressed man climbed out of the car. I thought he'd go to the door, but he talked for a few seconds on his cell phone and the lights went out in the master suite and a minute later the door opened and my wife stepped out onto the porch.

She made sure the door locked behind her then walked quickly toward her date with a big smile on her face. She looked stunningly beautiful and my heart broke into a million pieces when I saw her glance back at the house to make sure Stacy wasn't watching before she gave our illustrious wife stealing mayor a warm kiss on the mouth before he helped her into the car and they drove away. Fortunately I was steady enough to snap a picture of the kiss with my cell phone.

I followed them at a safe distance and since the traffic was fairly light I didn't have a problem staying with them. They drove across town and pulled into the parking lot of the Radisson hotel. I parked half a dozen spaces away and watched them as they exited the car and entered the building. They walked close together with their arms around each other and I snapped another photo. It was obvious their affair had been going on for a long time they were so comfortable together, they looked for all the world like a loving married couple out for a date night.

I waited until they were inside the hotel before I put on my camo hat and sunglasses and followed them. When I got inside I couldn't see them, but wasn't concerned. I got some of the usual smiles and "Thank you for your service" comments which I acknowledged while at the same time checking out the information board that listed the current events taking place inside the hotel. One stood out, the St. James Hospital Charity Ball. It was in the third floor ballroom and music from the live orchestra was already filtering down to the lobby.

Ignoring the bank of elevators that was shuttling well-dressed, well healed couples up to the ballroom I took the stairs, not wanting to be observed too quickly and realizing my legs needed the exercise since I had been mostly sitting on the series of long flights.

When I got to the third floor, I followed the music and easily found the ballroom. I walked past the entrance slowly, glancing in and sure enough there they were, just inside the doorway looking and acting like the happy couple they were, greeting friends and supporters. My wife actually glanced back and looked right at me for a second, but I saw no recognition on her face. Why would there be, as far as she knew I was still 10,000 miles away fighting flies, sand storms and the Taliban. Oh, and I also noticed she wasn't wearing her wedding rings.

When I got past the entrance I went into the men's room and sat in a stall trying to plan my next moves. I was having a hard time grasping what I'd seen. I was so certain that my marriage with Kathy was as solid as any marriage could be. How stupid I felt. Likely the whole time I was in Afghanistan honoring my duty to my country, my loving wife was here at home dishonoring me, shattering our wedding vows.

And what was wrong with all those people they were meeting and greeting, didn't they know the woman that was hanging all over the mayor was married to an army officer serving overseas? I felt warm tears begin to run down my cheek, but wiped them away. There was no time for self pity, I had a plan to formulate and carry out. At the moment I had a much different enemy to fight than the Taliban.

I stayed in the bathroom stall for half an hour, giving the festivities an ample opportunity to get into full swing before I made my way through the ballroom door. Only the few people at the entrance paid any attention to me as I edged my body close to the wall and slowly walked to an area away from the bar and food tables to a vantage point behind a pillar where I had a clear view of most of the room. I didn't have a ticket to get into the event, but my uniform had more clout than any piece of paper. The young man taking tickets actually saluted me and said "welcome sir" when I came through the door.

The thought ran through my mind, it's too bad my wife and her lover don't have that kind of respect for me and the uniform I wear.

It took me a few minutes to locate Kathy and her date. They were dancing to a slow song, my wife's arms around his neck, her head against his chest, his hands resting possessively on her ass. I managed to take several photos, but It took all my willpower to keep from rushing onto the floor and decking the motherfucker and kicking his balls up into his kidneys, but that would only give me a little satisfaction and likely put me in jail. What I wanted, what I needed was absolute proof of their affair and then I would find an appropriate way to exact revenge for their total disrespect of me, our daughter and the U.S. Army.

They danced another dance then arm in arm they made their way to their table, sharing an intimate kiss and caress before they sat down. I captured it all in photos.

I'd seen enough for the moment so I made my way out to the hallway and found a seat where I could watch the ballroom doors and the elevators. As an army officer I had learned patience and it paid off since another two hours went by before the event began to wind down and people made their way out the door and down the elevators.

It wasn't long before my wife and the mayor made their exit and stood just outside the door talking. After a minute they smiled at each other and turned together to the bank of elevators on their left, but instead of pushing the down button, they chose the one that would take them up.

It was more than weird, I was only about 15 feet from them, sitting on a bench against the wall, wearing my camo fatigues and sunglasses, my nametag clearly displayed on the front of my uniform looking totally out of place amid the tuxedos and ball gowns and though many other couples noticed me and smiled, or waved, my wife and her lover were so tuned into each other that they never gave me a glance as the elevator door opened and they entered, holding hands.

I watched to see that their car stopped on the 11th floor and waited to see if it went up again. It didn't and in fact it came back down to the third floor where more couples were waiting to go down to the lobby.

I made my way back down to the registration desk.

"I know this is an unusual request, but I have an important message for Mayor Connelly that I've been directed to deliver to him personally. I showed my government ID, I need to know what room he is in." The young lady at the desk looked worried.

"Sir, I'm really not supposed to divulge that information."

"Young lady, if it wasn't of a most urgent nature, do you really think I'd be here in my uniform?"

She nodded a few times and then checked her registry. "He's in 1114."

"Thank you miss". I went to the elevators and got off on 11. The arrow pointing to rooms 1101 to 1134 went to the left. I walked past 1114, looked around to see if anyone else was in the hall and placed my ear against the door. I could hear soft conversation and that's all so I went further down the hall until I found the door that led to the stairs. I figured it might lock behind me so I placed my handkerchief between the door and the latch, then I checked my watch, midnight.

Stacy said her mother usually came home between 2 and 3 and once lately at 7 so I had a long wait, but again my army training in patience paid off. Through the window in the door I could see room 1114 so I wouldn't miss them when they were done with their fuck fest. As I waited I tried to keep my mind on the task at hand, but the truth is I kept imagining her asshole lover plunging his cock deep into the cunt my wife had pledged to be mine alone, making her cry out with pleasure.

I could say my heart was broken, but it went far beyond that. I could feel my life spiraling down into a dark abyss where only pain and rejection and humiliation lived. I knew I had to hold it together for my daughter's sake, but the knowledge that the woman I loved more than anything else on earth and trusted with every fiber of my being was at that very moment giving her body and soul, her love and passion to another man overwhelmed me with a tidal wave of pain.

Sometime around 1:30 I stepped out of the stairwell and pressed my ear against their door. I could hear very faint sounds, it sounded like moaning and then I distinctly heard my wife hollering "Yes, oh god yes, fuck me Don, fuck me hard, OH, like that, Ung, you're so good!" and then she screamed, a scream I'd heard many times before when she had an orgasm with me.

With tears running down my cheeks I returned to the stairwell. I figured they would be wrapping things up before long and leaving their love nest in the next hour. At 2 I exited the stairwell for the last time and parked myself against the wall outside their room and waited for them to come out.

My cell phone was set for video and 15 minutes later I heard the chain being removed from the door and the click of it opening and I began recording as they came out of their room. He had his arm protectively around her and she was leaning against him, smiling. Kathy looked freshly scrubbed and well fucked, Donald Connelly looked pleased with himself. They kissed briefly and turned towards the elevators and Kathy saw me leaning against the wall.

"How'd the fucking go Kathy? It looks like you two had a nice time." I said.

Kathy finally noticed me and suddenly looked like she was going to pass out; she put her hand to her heart and cried out, "Oh Bob No! Oh god please no, this can't be happening, you weren't supposed to see this!" and she fell to her knees. It took her lover a few seconds more to realize who Kathy was talking to, then he said "Hey man, this is really not what it looks like. She was just helping me with my new campaign."

"Yeah" I said, I can tell. "I guess fucking her and killing her marriage is a new campaign tactic. I wonder how the voters are going to view that when the newspapers and TV stations find out you've been fucking an Army officer's wife while he's in Afghanistan defending his country."

"Wait a minute now, there was no sex involved, tell him Kathy."

"Shove it Mr. Mayor. Don't try to play me for a fool. I saw the kissing at my house and on the dance floor and heard the moaning and the "fuck me Don" through the door. You've won my wife, she's all yours and I'm sure that you're both proud of the fact that it all took place behind my back while I was sucking sand and ducking incoming 10,000 miles from here. Fucking cowards, both of you! Even my daughter knows what you've been doing." Connelly stood there stunned, not knowing how to respond and my wife knelt in a heap on the floor sobbing.

"Don't bother to come home tonight Kathy. Spend the night with your lover. I'm going to comfort our daughter and Monday I'll file for divorce right after I inform the news media what kind of mayor is running this city. I have 30 days emergency leave so stay away till I go back. Then you can decide how to carry on with the rest of your life."

"Bob please" I heard my wife say.

"Please what Kathy? Please forgive the fact that you've been fucking another man the whole time I've been deployed, maybe longer? Please don't tell our daughter what you've been doing? She already knows Kathy, she's the one who told me to come home. I can't imagine why you've done what you've done, but you obviously have your reasons. I hope you two are in love, because all you've got is each other now."

I turned and walked towards the elevator.

"I'm sorry Bob" she wailed.

"Sorry about what Kathy? Sorry I found out? Sorry I caught you fucking your new love? Sorry I screwed up your new life as the town's society queen? I watched the two of you from the second you left our house till you just now walked out of room 1114 and not once did I see a hint of you being sorry about anything. Quite the contrary, you looked as happy as any couple could possibly be with each other. Have a good life. Nah, eat shit and die, both of you." and I stepped into the elevator and pressed the lobby button.

When I got home I found Stacy waiting for me, I could tell she'd been crying. She ran to me and threw her arms around me. "Oh daddy, I've missed you so much, I'm so glad you're home."

"I missed you too baby, more than I can tell you."

Did you find them dad, mom and the mayor?"

"Yes baby I found them and I'm sorry to say, you were right. I don't think your mom will be coming home for awhile."

"I don't care daddy, she's ignored me almost ever since you've been gone. Please take me with you when you go."

"Honey, I've got to go back to Afghanistan in a month and as much as I wish you could be with me, you have to stay here."

"I can't stay with her dad, I hate her."

"No Stacy. No matter what your mother has done to me and our marriage, she is still your mother."

"She doesn't love me dad." and she wrapped her arms around me. I held her as she cried.

I finally convinced Stacy to go to bed and I secured the house, including setting the door chains just in case Kathy decided to try to come home. I had no proof that Kathy and her lover had used any of our bedrooms for their trysts, but I didn't want to take a chance so I slept on the coach even though I wasn't sure they hadn't had sex their either.

Sleep came only in spurts, 45 minutes here, half an hour there. I kept thinking about how I would handle the situation when Kathy came to claim her clothes and personal items she'd need until I left in thirty days. I could have been a nice guy and taken a hotel room, leaving the house to her, but I just couldn't find it in my heart to be that nice.

She was the one that destroyed our marriage, so she could at least suffer the minor inconvenience of being displaced from her home for a month. Besides, I'm certain her lover would be happy to put her up. They'd been acting like a married couple, now they could live like one for a while, call it a trial marriage.

Stacy and I both slept till noon, well at least off and on till noon. I got up first and fixed coffee then managed to make toast and scramble eggs for us when Stacy finally came out of her room. We made small talk while we ate and while we were rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher the phone rang. Stacy and I looked at each other then she answered it.

"Hello? Oh hello mom. Yes he's here. No I don't think he wants to talk to you, why would he?" There was a pause while she listened. "Mom really, dad and I both find it hard to believe you're sorry. It's not like you slipped up and kissed the guy once, you've been having an affair with your boyfriend ever since dad deployed."

Another long pause.

"Yes, I was the one that told dad, I needed him to come home." Pause. "Mom you've ignored me for months. The only thing that you've thought about, the only thing that's been important to you is your affair with Donald Connelly."

Pause.

"Mom please use your brain, why would I tell dad not to hurt Mayor Connelly? That evil man needs to be hurt and hurt badly for what he's done. Sorry mom, not going to happen. Bye mom." Stacy turned to face me, "she seems scared dad, like she doesn't understand what's going on, it's like she thinks her cheating on you is no big deal and she can't figure out why you don't want her to come home."

"She doesn't understand? No big deal? Well I promise that before I'm done with the two of them she will understand what she's done and just how many people she's hurt by her behavior?"

Things were quiet around the house for most of the day. I tried to keep from thinking about what Kathy might be doing with her lover and Stacy tried to talk to me, to keep my mind occupied. We did talk about what would be best for her when I went back to Afghanistan. I thought she'd be happier staying in her home, going to her school, being with her friends, but Stacy was afraid her friends would turn against her once they learned the terrible things her mother had done. I told her that real friends would stand beside her, but she wasn't convinced.