A Welcome Return

So this is my Literotica debut. Please do not go easy on me I want as much constructive criticism as possible, I will even accept outright abuse if that is how you need to communicate.

Hopefully I have the right category. Please inform me if it is wrong.

It is a story of a wife who trades up and a husband who hits rock bottom. The story shows his journey back to who he was and the people who got him there, concluding with how both he and his ex-wife ended up.

There is no sex in this story but all characters are over 18 anyway. There is no violence and very little bad language. If any characters are similar to any on this site in any other story it is not intentional and purely by coincidence.

A Welcome Return

The musty smell of the waiting room did nothing to quell the sickness in my stomach. I looked around and then back down to my feet wondering what I was really doing here. To my left sat my beautiful wife Rachel, she looked as radiant as ever with a beauty that never left me without butterflies. To my right sat my daughter Jasmine, who in many ways was my saviour. My thoughts drifted back to the day I met each of them, I was a different man back then.

"Mr Greene" A voice called out bringing back to the room "We will be ready for you in around 20 minutes, the other witness has just taken the stand"

I nodded. It would be the first time in over a year that I would come face-to-face with my ex-wife. The woman I was married to for 12 years of my life, but since then so much has changed. I will start from the day my life changed forever.

It was a normal spring day in Albany, NY. I was returning home from my customer accounts job at the local Albany Utility Company. I hated the job and had pretty much been forced into it by Jessica, my ex-wife.

'It is more secure and financially rewarding' she would say. 'It is better than construction' was usually the next comment. I should have known earlier that all she seemed to care about was money and social status.

I do not want to say too much about Jessica other than at 35 she was still the most beautiful girl in the world to me. She was smart, funny and loved me to death from the moment we met. I always thought she was out of my league. I was working construction back home in the Bronx when we met. I was tall and quite good looking with a permanent tan from always being outdoors.

From the moment we began dating we were always together. I was her protector, her entertainer and she saw past my lack of academia and only seemed to love me with more passion. When she finished her Master's degree we moved back to her hometown of Albany and eventually married.

Her parents were not thrilled by me at all, oh no, and they made no attempt to hide their dislike. Both they and her old friends felt she was too good for me and wondered why she would marry beneath herself. I was a 'good looking dumb-ass' according to her father. Nonetheless we were happy and loved each other more than anything.

I was an only child and both of my parents had died in my late teens so Jessica became my whole world. I found a job in construction and Jessica got a very good job at a finance company owned by a friend of her father's.

When the recession hit in '08 I lost my job and it was Jessica's salary that pulled us through the bad times. This only succeeded in making her parents loathe me more, if that was possible. It did put a strain on our marriage; well I guess it would when the people you love and socialise with are telling you that your husband is a loser. Sadly, it also affected my friendships back home in the Bronx. I was now moving in different circles according to them. Of course my best friend Joey was always there for me, he was more like my brother and his folks helped me through the loss of my own parents.

It was Jessica that managed to convince me to take the job at the utility company. Like I said, I hated it. Indoors, computers, talking to people on the phone in a fake voice, it was my idea of hell but I made the effort for Jessica and for us. We both hoped to have children one day but having a successful career and being seen to have one was more important to Jessica. Image, wealth and status really did not bother me but I did everything Jessica wanted and I even tried to become the person Jessica wanted me to be.

Sadly, when you stop being yourself things tend to go downhill and you eventually become an unhappy person. I was no longer the chirpy Bronx builder who loved to have fun and be around people. I became depressed most days; I put on weight, stopped grooming and rarely socialised, if ever. Yes, I was an overweight office worker married to a successful financial analyst who attended fancy dinners and cocktail parties with the Albany elite. I was not one of them, they knew and I knew it.

I pulled into our driveway and was surprised to see Jessica's car in the garage. I got out of the car and walked over to the house with a feeling of impending dread. I did not know why but as I entered the kitchen Jessica was sat at the table looking solemn yet assured. There were some papers in front of her and as I was about to speak she cut me off,

"Mikey, we need to talk" Those famous words hit me like a ton of bricks. I could see she was slightly nervous but as I sat down I saw no tears.

"What is it babe" I asked "Everything ok?"

She steeled herself, cleared her throat as though preparing for a big speech.

"I am sorry Michael but I want a divorce" She stated clearly and calmly.

My heart sunk and my stomach knotted. I was speechless as it felt like someone had reached into my chest and grabbed my heart. That horrible feeling of sudden loss that I have experienced twice before is the worst feeling you can ever imagine, it travels through your body like a virus.

I looked at her and with a tremble in my voice managed to speak

"w...w...why?" I stuttered

"I have fallen in love with somebody else" She said looking at me with no sign of pity. I was shattered but strangely I did not feel shocked. The old Mikey Greene would have caused havoc but he no longer existed, Jessica had seen to that. I was a shell of the man I used to be and here she was finishing me off with a final swipe of the sword.

"How long..." I said huskily

"4 months......" She said as I just stared at her ".....but now I want us to be together and get married" She declared with no thought for my feelings.

I was looking at a woman I no longer recognised and in reflection she was looking at a man she no longer recognised.

"I don't want to know the details, but I do want to know why?" I said finally, afraid of what her answer may be.

She wasted no time in answering.

"Just look at yourself Mikey. You are not the man I married. You are overweight, unshaven for years and when was the last time you had a decent haircut or purchased new clothes..." She said in a flurry of what must have been long pent up feelings.

"...You are a shell of that man I fell in love with and let's be honest you have never been on my intellectual level have you?" She said in a mocking tone

"God knows how many times in the last decade I have had to defend you to my parents, friends and colleagues. Justify to them why we married in the first place..." She continued as I suddenly wondered where the girl I fell in love with had disappeared to and who this heartless creature was sitting before me.

"...and Rich...I mean my new man is younger than you, fit, attractive and has a successful business and a big house close to Mommy and Daddy in Loudonville"

Every new word she spoke felt like a dagger piercing my body.

"Do I know him" I asked meekly

"He runs the gardening company that operates in the neighbourhood. He is a sole trader at the moment but we want to expand the business together" She added as I remained silent.

She had finally finished and just sat there anticipating another question, no doubt so she could crush me further. When I remained silent she slid the papers towards me.

"Daddy and his attorney helped me to draft our divorce papers. I think it is a good deal for you. Seeing as I paid the majority of the mortgage Daddy recommended a 70/30 split in my favour for the house, which we can sell as I will be moving in with Rich.....I mean..." I just looked at her and she continued.

"I think a 50/50 split of our savings is only fair and I will require no alimony, although I am sure I could fight for something if I wanted to"

The arrogance and spite in her voice was now clear to me. How did I miss it all these years? I felt like a fool and I guess she thought I always was one.

"Come on let's be honest Mikey, I make way more than you do and my new man makes plenty too so I won't touch your 401(k) if you sign the papers and don't fight me for anything...." She suddenly stopped speaking as I looked her dead in the eye. She must have seen a glimmer of the old Mikey because she swallowed hard.

I grabbed the pen and signed away 12 years of marriage. I rose from the table and went to our bedroom and packed up my possessions and then returned. She was sat at the table reading through the paperwork as I walked past her, through the door and out of her life.

"SHE SAID WHAT???" Joey screamed "IS SHE FUCKING CRAZY??"

To me Joey is my family and sadly over the last few years I have neglected him. But as true brothers we can see past any transgressions and will always be there for each other in our time of need. As we spoke about what had happened I could hear someone in the background and Joey trying to silence them

"Is that Helen?" I asked "What is she saying?"

"Yeah Mikey she said good riddance to the stuck up bitch" Joey and Helen had what you call 'no filter'. What you see is what you get and boy did I miss that. It is how I used to be.

"Hey Mikey I have a guy who Helen knows who does these investigations on debtors for local companies. I can get him to take a look into this guy for you. You know, see if the asshole is legit and all!?" He asked in his usual boorish manner.

"I don't really care buddy" I said despondently

"This guy screws you over, steals your wife and you just sit back and take it. Fuck Mikey she really has turned you into a cuck pussy" He said with his voice rising.

Fuck that hurt and Joey must have realised it too.

"Sorry bro, I am just as mad as hell and I wish you were too" He said apologetically

"It's ok Joey. I mean you are right and all. Do what you like" I said.

I gave him the very few details I had on this new guy. He was the gardener for the neighbourhood so it wasn't too hard to get some more information if Helen's guy wanted it.

"You need to get your head back in the game Mikey and return to your old self again" He instructed before we eventually hung up.

After I put the phone down I lay back on the cheap motel bed and stared at the ceiling fan whirring above. My head was spinning and I tried to make sense of everything that had happened to my life, not only the last few hours but the last 12 years. Sleep evaded me so I made a grab for the bottle of Jack Daniels on the table and drunk straight from the bottle.

For the next few weeks I did the same. Often I would call in sick at work, or turn up drunk and smell of booze leading me to be sent home. Everyone in the office was looking at me, snide comments made behind my back and I felt like I was watching myself from above, just going through the motions of existing. I was recommended to a doctor and although that helped, being signed off work gave me more time to think and dwell on the past.

I never made it to the offices of Jones & Brown to finalise the divorce. A letter was sent to my office because nobody knew where I was, and nobody was going to bother looking, I knew that for sure. The letter contained the divorce settlement and a cheque for $175000. This was my share of the house, savings and house contents. The settlement declared everything Jessica said at the kitchen table and as I had not attended the meeting it was finalised in absentia. I had no idea if all of this was legal and above board but I had no fight left in me. Not enough anyway for Jessica and her powerful inner circle.

A month had now passed since Jessica told me she wanted a divorce and I had finally cashed the cheque into my account. I discovered all our other accounts had been closed and Jessica had removed her name from our joint account. However, I was walking aimlessly out of the bank when I heard a voice calling my name. I ignored it at first but when I eventually turned to look I saw Pete and Shelly my old neighbours.

"Hey Michael" Pete asked walking up to me "Sorry to hear about the divorce" he said nervously.

Now Shelly his wife, she was a nosey neighbour and loved to gossip and it did not take her long to pipe up.

"I can't believe Jessica would leave you and remarry so quickly"

I looked at her surprised. I seem to remember Jessica saying she wanted to marry the guy but such was my state of mind at the time I forgot about it.

"Oh you didn't know?" Shelly continued

"I had no idea" I said with an air of indifference

"We thought you guys were the real deal..." Peter said "...then we see she is married to this Richard Walton"

It was the first time I had heard his full name. But as I looked at Shelly she seemed to recoil and cringe at the mere mention of his name. I ignored it as I suddenly thought I now had a surname to give to Joey's friend rather than Rich the gardener from Albany.

"He was the gardener who services your neighbourhood" I said offering information not asked for. As I did I saw Peter swing around and face Shelly who by now had turned bright red.

"OUR GARDENER" He said yelling at Shelly and drawing stares from passers-by.

"Why have you gone red Shells?" He asked as I realised I had put my foot right in it.

"No Peter, no, never" Shelly pleaded "He tried it on with me once and I put him in his place"

Peter was now red himself and looking pretty irate as Shelly continued

"He is a sleaze and every time he is due I go out for a few hours to avoid him. I never told you because I knew you would be angry" She said reaching for his hand and pleading with him.

"We need to talk" He said before turning to me and apologising.

He grabbed her by the hand and marched her off down the sidewalk. 'I guess that is one lost customer for Jessica and Richards growing empire' I thought to myself and managing to raise a smile for the first time in a while.

The news of the marriage did hit me hard. I slumped back into a depression and reached for the bottle again. I thought I would have a good try at drinking myself to death. That way all the pain would go and I wouldn't have to continue with my pointless existence.

The next morning I rose from my motel bed and fell to the floor vomiting all over myself. I had officially hit rock bottom. I crawled into the shower on my hands and knees and let the cold water rain down on me. As I emerged I looked in the mirror and what I saw reflecting back left me shocked.

"FUCK YOU" I shouted at the man looking back at me "I NEED TO GET BETTER"

I fell to my knees and cried for the first time since my mother passed away

"I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY" I screamed into my hands. I knew something had to change.

I walked into my office the following Monday and got down to some work. For some reason my personal mail was on my desk, I guessed it was redirected there because nobody knew where I was living. As I read through what was mainly junk I found a flyer for a local gym promising to get anybody in shape in 12 weeks. I snorted to myself thinking it would take longer than that. But I thought what the hell; maybe this was the change I needed.

That evening as I entered the gym I had no idea what the beautiful young instructor standing before me would think of this old has been. At 38 I felt like an 80 year old man, but as I stepped closer to her she held out her dainty hand which I gladly accepted.

"I'm Jasmine" She said.

To say she thought I was a mess would have been an understatement. But within her beautiful brown eyes I saw a semblance of hope for me. They seemed to inject some energy into me. Not lust or anything romantic but honesty and compassion.

So over the next week I had managed to move out of the motel and sign a lease on a small studio apartment in the city and close to the gym. I decided to focus on my 12-week plan and see where life took me. I needed to lose around 50 pounds and the best place to start was getting rid of all the unopened alcohol bottles amongst my belongings.

I worked really hard over the following month. My life was nothing but work and the gym. Joey and Helen also managed to visit a few times, no doubt to check up on me more than anything but by the end of the month and with constant encouragement from Jasmine I had already lost 14 pounds.

The good thing about spending nearly every day in the gym was that I got to know Jasmine a lot better. She agreed to a coffee one evening after my session and I found out a bit about her life. She was raised by a single mother and she was attending a community college to become a full time fitness coach and nutritionist. She certainly knew her stuff and I warmed to her even more.

I told her about my recent divorce and my old life in the Bronx. I admitted to her that I hit rock bottom before signing up at the gym and meeting her. I tried my best not to come off as some desperate creep but she was beyond her years in terms of compassion and emotional maturity.

It wasn't until a few sessions later that I emerged from the showers and met her, I was blown away. Jasmine was talking to a woman who at first sight looked like her sister, corny I know but it is the truth. Jasmine saw me looking and walked over to me before I could turn and walk away.

"Michael, this is my mum Rachel" She said smiling as Rachel held out her hand.

Our eyes met and I felt a tide of embarrassment flood over me. My stomach knotted and I was truly lost for words. The silence was now getting awkward.

"It means he likes you mum......" Jasmine said laughing and saving me in the process.

".......He is quiet when he likes someone" She added as though she had known me my whole life. The truth is I wasn't always a quiet, shy and unassuming man. The years of what I now think to be emotional abuse will do that to you.

Jasmine left us to collect her things as Rachel and I started to talk. When Jasmine returned she invited me across the road for dinner. I hesitated at first but her insistence made it hard to say no. I imagined that if she had a father she would have him wrapped around her little finger.

At dinner Rachel was so warm and sweet. I could tell the apple did not fall far from the tree and as the evening progressed I relaxed in their company. With them there was no need to put on a show or act in a pretentious manner; they were not people who thought they were better than anyone. Rachel joked around a lot and it put me at ease. We did touch briefly on our past and I guessed Jasmine filled her mother in on my life.

I left that night feeling better than I had in months, even years. I even had Rachel's number in my phone after she agreed to, or shall I say insisted on finally sorting out the mess on top of my head. I was reluctant at first but as Rachel was a hair stylist I capitulated. That brought the sweetest laugh I have ever heard from a woman.

The next couple of months Rachel and I were inseparable. When we finally made love the passion was intense and loving and it felt perfect every single time. From then on I only had her in my mind and finally my heart was beating for another woman. I knew we had to take it slow because I did not want her to think she was some kind of rebound from Jessica. We wanted to make sure our feelings for each other were real. We had both been wronged in our lives and so trust was very important to us both.