Billie and the Gym Guys

Billie is me, Bill (not William) Carson. I'm forty-four years old and a trial lawyer. My wife is Cait, a pre-school teacher. She's forty-two. Our 20

th

anniversary is coming up. Cait is a looker, and lately she's been more of one. On the other hand, my trial had me way out of shape, until it let up. I had been fat for months. No more, though. Two hours a day at the YMCA saw to that. My part of the trial had been completed, except for closings, for some time. Hence the workouts. Now, I was back. And bad. No love handles.

Cait had been kind of fat until the last two months. I hadn't seen so much of her during the trial. We had sex, maybe three times in three months. And I had love handles then. Before we were okay. But when the trial let up, I didn't see much of her. She had an evening workout schedule at a new gym - QB/RB.

For three weeks after my schedule let up, we barely saw each other. But, when I did see her, I liked what I saw.

The verdict came, for my client, after two days deliberation. We won. All counts. I felt a little bad. The guy was a dangerous killer. But, a job's a job, and if you take one, you have to do it right.

Cait rolled in at 9:30 p.m. that night. I was lifting in the basement when I heard her. I went up. She was in the bedroom, naked, for her shower. I ogled her.

I believe she was surprised to see me.

"Why are you here? You don't get home until ten."

"Trial's over, babe. I'm a free man."

She didn't look so happy. I shoved her into the bathroom, where the shower was running. I picked her up and walked into the shower. She was shouting and screaming. I set her against the wall and slowly entered her, kissing her face. She resisted for maybe thirty seconds. Then she was all in. Or...well, I was all in. We screwed for five minutes or so, and she came hard. Then a minute later, so did I. I let her down.

I got the soap and started washing her off. She was skittish, when I did that. I paid careful attention, then. She had a hickey on her upper thigh, in the back, just below her ass. I dropped her and washed myself off. I left the shower, dried myself. Cait was still in there.

I was lying in bed when she came out. She was sheepish. She said, "I can explain."

I simply looked at her.

"My gym shorts rode up today. A guy pinched me there."

I picked up her shorts. They were damp in the crotch.

I looked at her again.

She said, "Billie, I haven't...well, I haven't done much. But some."

"What?"

I gave a guy a wank at the gym. Maybe more than once. You....you haven't been around."

"Sure. What guy?"

"There's no need to get into that. What happened to you? You're like before. You lost the fatty look."

"I work out now. But we won't change the subject. Who? And how many times? You know I WILL find out. I can send Harry there tomorrow. Now even."

"Don't. The hickey came from Que. Quintin Black. He was just fooling around."

I picked up my kit from the bathroom, and went to the guest room. I intended to sleep here until I found out what gave.

Cait was pissed off. "You don't need to do that, Billie. It was nothing."

I did it anyway, and she didn't follow.

Cait's job was part time, in the mornings. I left early the next morning, just as she was rising. I did not want to see her until I had firm information, if I could get it. I put Harry Beamon, my top investigator on that. We were having a celebratory lunch, due to the victory. I told him what I wanted him to do. He laughed. "Maybe I'll get into shape."

"Maybe."

I also told him that Cait had never asked me what the outcome of the trial was. I thought that telling. At that time, I was 75% sure we'd split. Our twin girls were old enough to weather a storm, I thought. They were seventeen. Seniors in high school, coming up. Right then they were at sailing camp for two weeks.

Harry went off to the fancy gym. Cait didn't bother herself much with my business, and probably wouldn't recognize him. His instruction was to get a membership and see what was what.

I went on-line and investigated the gym, which was fairly new. It was a MILF meat market, as far as I could see. Their ads emphasized comradery between the guys and gals. There were lots of pictures that helped with that.

Cait was in five of them, with the two owners, Quintin and Rob Bell. Quintin had been a pro quarterback and Rob a running back. They were both thirty-five. And big.

Cait's pictures were suggestive but not lewd. Annoying to me, though. Both guys had their hands on her, allegedly showing her an exercise position.

Cait's best buddy, Ellen Gray was also featured, in similar shots. I wondered if her husband knew about the gym.

I researched the ownership of the gym. It was owned by a corporation, BBC, Inc. Hah! But Although Rob was black, Quintin was not. I looked further. It was owned by Black, Rob Billings and Cait, equal shares. More research showed that her share cost 100k. She didn't have that kind of money. I thought about it.

I looked up the real estate records for our house. We had a construction loan that I paid off three years before. There was a new 110k mortgage on it. The house was in my name, not hers. It had been my grandparents' house.

She had forged my signature on the papers. Not even a good job, either. I copied it all out and called a guy I knew in the Fraud division. I made an appointment to see him. I did not believe she could have done this on her own. I would have had to have been there. Or someone posing as me.

I went to the lending bank and told them what I had discovered. They were shocked. They said that they had photos of the principals. The guy posing as me was my younger brother Jeff. He did favor me. And he had presented my driver's license. Likely Cait had stolen it during the trial, and put it back.

I made my appointment with Gary Smith, from MPD fraud. He took all the paperwork, and asked, "Are you sure you want a charge, Bill? This is your wife and brother. It's a felony, and would carry time."

"Yep. I can't let them get over on me like that. Get warrants, please. You know what they say about if you can't do the time. Also, I tend to wonder what she did to get him to take the risk."

I avoided Cait for two days. Harry reported that she was close with both Rob and Quintin, but that there had seen no obvious hanky-panky. He did say that the place was a meat market, and that Cait was prime meat. But she never went too far, that he could see. I told him about Jeff, and he enlarged his remit to include exploration of any relationship there.

The police showed up at the house with the warrant one evening before dinner. Cait was shocked, livid, and crying.

She said, "You bastard. You could have talked to me. Now I'll lose my job."

"You could have talked to me. But noooo! Now you want to talk. Tough."

"I need a lawyer. Can you....?"

"Are you kidding. I have to unwind this shit anyway."

About an hour later my mom called. "Billie, did you have Jeff arrested?"

"Him and Cait. Maybe her partners as well. Did you know about this?"

She hesitated. "No."

I said, "Maybe get a lawyer."

"I didn't do anything. I told them not to do it!"

"But you didn't tell me, mom. Why?"

"I only wanted the best for everyone."

"They were fucking, weren't they?"

"That's crude. Your brother doesn't do well with women."

"So it's okay for him to fuck my wife."

"No. But it was done. Anyway, they stopped a while ago."

"Yeah, when she got the money. I bet she's fucking those guys at the gym now."

She said nothing. I hung up.

My mom paid Jeff's bond, and Cait's as well. I found that out when Cait showed up Friday afternoon, just after her release. Apparently, she got out ahead of Jeff. She looked ragged.

I asked, "What are you doing here? You're not welcome."

"Billie, we need to....make up. You leave me alone when you have these trials. I'm sorry."

"Exactly what are you sorry about, Cait? No lies. One lie and I'll bury you."

That last line seemed to set her back.

"I apologize for the mortgage."

"And...?"

"This is hard. I mean, I had to have someone who looked like you. So....Jeff. He wanted something in return."

"You fucked Jeff, my screwed up brother, for money, basically."

"Yes. Not for love. Not even for good sex. Just for the money to get in on the gym business."

"What about the guys at the gym?"

"Quintin and Rob are nice guys. And.... Sexy. But I only flirted with them. Well, maybe blow jobs. A few. You were ignoring me. Q wanted me. But he only got my mouth. You have all of me."

"I don't want any part of you, you dumb bitch. All you had to do was ask about the money. If the deal looked good, I'd have been agreeable. But instead, you fucked up our family and my life."

She ran crying from the room. A knock came on the door. It was my mom and Jeff.

I said, "Go away. I don't ever want to see you again." Jeff tried to push past me into the house, shouting "Where's Cait?"

I knocked him clean out with one right hook. He went down like the one pin on a strike. He was in the bushes outside the house.

My mom was shouting and ran to him. Cait was also there. She started beating on my chest. I tossed her on top of asshole Jeff. My mom was still screaming.

I turned, went inside and double locked the door. Then I called 911.

The police and the ambulance came. Jeff was whisked away. I saw that he had regained consciousness. Too bad.

I spoke at length to the cops. The door cam showed that Jeff tried to enter my house by force. I was told that a decision of whether charges would be brought would be made by the Commonwealth Attorney.

I looked around, and my mom and Cait were nowhere to be seen.

I decided to check out the gym. It was about a three mile run, and was open until ten p.m. I put on some shorts and a running shirt, and set off.

The place was fancy, and seemed to be doing a good business. I stopped at the front and asked for a day pass. It was six pm, so the guy charged me half - $20.00. I was strolling around when I saw Q coming up behind me. There were lots of mirrors around.

I swung around when he got close. He flinched. I laughed at him. That seemed to annoy him.

He held out a twenty and said, "Your day pass is revoked. You're not welcome."

I saw his buddy RB walking toward us. But the place was full, and Q and I were already attracting attention. So, I thought that they would not press the matter.

Also, I saw Harry drifting over toward me.

I looked at the guy Q. and waited until RB was beside him, noting that they did not assume proper positioning for a fight. I didn't reach for the twenty.

I said, in a fairly even tone, "Fuck you both. Toss me if you can." Some of the MILF's were looking on now. Harry was about ten feet away, acting the spectator, but holding a ten pound dumbbell.

RB held up his hand, "We don't want any problems. Maybe Q was hasty."

Q said, "No, I wasn't. He had Cait arrested! Asshole!" He stepped toward me, but RB grabbed him. Now the entire gym was avidly interested. A lot of them heard, and knew Cait.

I said, "She stole from me. All 100 k she used to buy into this place. Soon I may own a third of it. Which third is mine?" I made a gesture to the expanse of machines.

"You won't own shit." Q was still excited. It occurred to me that he was in love with Cait. Poor fool.

"Okay, well you'll have to buy me out. And, from what I saw in your financial statements, that isn't happening. She's an owner because you guys couldn't get a loan."

RB was still holding Q. He said, "Maybe we can discuss this in the office."

I said, "Me and you. Not him. He's an asshole."

RB slung Q away and walked him toward the wall. They had a 'frank discussion,' as far as I could see. People were staring around, between me and them. Harry was standing close to them. He was a subtle guy, and I really appreciated that now.

RB broke off from Q and walked over. He pointed to the office, which was up a set of stairs and had a big window looking out at the gym floor.

I took a seat so I could keep an eye on Q. He was still over by the ellipticals.

RB said, "This place is doing very well, as you can see. I really don't want to get that messed up."

"Okay. Suggestions?"

"I need information. You said she stole from you. I assume you can prove it, since she was arrested, and there was a felony fraud charge."

"Easily proven, yes."

"You could take her share of the profits. It's about two thousand a month, sometimes less."

"How come you guys couldn't get a loan? I mean...."

"Q made good money and pissed it away, investing in dumb stuff, with smart people. I never made a huge amount. Then I got the knee. I have a family, and I need the income from this."

"You have other income, though?"

"Yes. Some. I have three kids, and I have them in private school. My wife's a schoolteacher."

"RB, I'm beginning to like you. But there's the Q problem. From what I saw, he's in love with my wife."

"Yeah. But she....she isn't that into him, I think."

"How far has he got into her?"

"Blow jobs. A few times. So I heard. They don't even go out together."

"And you? Have you and she got it on?"

"No. Simple answer. No. I'm married. And she isn't my type, even if I wasn't a goody-two--shoes."

"What's that mean? Not your type?"

"Well, you know Serena, the tennis player?"

"Yep."

"She's my type. And not yours, I bet."

"Nope. She's a great tennis player. I'd never..."

"Your wife is a real looker, but she's skinny and white. No offense."

"None taken. That still leaves Q."

"Before we get to that, just so the air is clear here, there's your brother."

"I know. I just knocked him out cold, the simple jerk."

"So, Q really didn't like it that Cait was with Joseph. He....insisted that she should stop. She did, I think."

"That actually doesn't reassure me. How did he believe he had such a say?"

"Not sure. She strung him on - Q - and he was getting frustrated. Here he is, the big football star, and Cait is fucking a nerd. Drove him nuts."

"Actually, that brings up a question I had. How did she get into this deal? I don't understand."

"Q's two kids are in her pre-school."

"He's married?"

"No. They have different mothers. There's a third in junior high. Another woman. The child support is a big nut for him, too."

I digested this for a minute, and started to chuckle.

RB looked for a minute, then said, "Against the stereotypes. That's why you're laughing."

"Yes. Sorry." RB was a really bright guy.

"So, the Q problem remains. If I were a partner here, I'd be around. And, he's possibly my enemy number two or three right now. In back of Joseph and my mom."

"I have to consider it. She still is an owner now. We should wait and see what happens. I assume you're not happy with her, and court stuff takes time."

"How do you pay her?"

"Direct deposit." He looked in the desk and handed me a paper.

"Maybe don't do that now. You're on notice that she stole. So.....escrow account?"

"Okay."

"RB, if what you said checks out - and I think it will - I'll do what I can for you."

"Thanks."

We walked back down. Q had gone outside. He was standing against a car that maybe he thought was mine.

RB and I came out.

Q said, "You and I have to settle some things."

RB said, "Q, shut up. You need to calm down, or we'll get screwed by all this. SHUT UP!"

I jogged away, and Q didn't follow. But I looked over my shoulder a lot on the way home.

Cait's car was in the driveway.

I wondered why she bothered. But I went inside anyway. She was in the kitchen, baking. It was nearly midnight.

She looked up at me. I said, "I told you that you weren't welcome here. Why are you here?"

"I want to talk. I don't want to go to prison. So, I want to plea bargain. I was told that you could influence the case, being as you're the victim."

"What are you offering?"

"I....well, I would like to resume our marriage, and you'd have my share of the gym."

"No. The marriage is over. Period. I will get your share of the gym anyway."

She started sobbing. "I'm sorry I did it. I wanted something for myself. A success for me. I...didn't think."

"You were about as stupid as possibly you could be. How ever did you believe I could be kept in the dark about all this?"

"I thought I could do it. Or...I thought you'd forgive me the money."

"I wouldn't. But even if I would forgive the money, I can never, never, ever forgive you for fucking my nerd brother. You evil bitch!"

She shrank back away from me. As if I might hit her. But I was not going that way. Jeff was one thing.

I said, "I'm not hitting you. I hope you go to prison, though. Good riddance."

She ran up the stairs. I checked the oven. A banana bread. It stuck clean and I took it out. I wondered what she was doing up there. So, I went up. She didn't have the combination to my gun safe. Otherwise, I'd have fled.

I went into the master bedroom. She was naked on the bed. Unbelievable.

"Please just fuck me, Billie. I am your wife, and I know you like me....for sex."

She was a great looking woman, but I was used to that, and I hated her with a passion. More of a passion that our sex had for some time. I tossed her clothes out the door and told her to leave.

"I will never fuck you again Cait. All that's over. You ended it, and now you have to make a different life - after prison, that is."

She walked past me. I watched her dress in the hall. I had a duffel packed with some of her clothing in it. I set it outside the door.

"Some clothes and stuff. If you call ahead, you can clean the place out of your things. Some time this week would be nice."

"What about the girls? They'll be home in four days. They.....Jesus. They'll be crushed."

"They probably knew what you were doing, Cait. They're not stupid. I'll pick them up from camp and explain. They'll see you at some point, I assume."

She picked up the duffel and went down and out. Just like I felt, then. A black mood came over me after she left. She had been my one love, and she'd betrayed me in the worst way. There wasn't anyone in the world I had trusted more than her. I went down and ate some banana bread. She could cook, too. A good cook, sexy as hell, and an evil, grasping bitch. I swear that she had not been that type when we met. I couldn't figure what had happened to her.

My dad had given me some advice once, that I always remember in stressful times.

'Make a plan, and go at it one step at a time. Maybe you adjust. But always just do the next thing.'

My plan: See a lawyer about the divorce. And one about getting my money, or a share of the gym.

Get the girls from camp and let them know what had happened.

After I had more information, pause and reassess.

I went to bed. And I slept. I guess it was because I was emotionally wrung out.

The next morning I woke at five am, did a five mile run, showered and went into my office. I was a one man firm, and I had some people who worked for me on a case by case basis. The office was in a medium size building filled with other lawyers. One was a guy who did business and contracts, Harry Fields. One was a woman who did family law - divorces. She was Sheila Mayer. Their offices were in the same hall. I arranged a sit down with both at once, at ten am in Harry's conference room.

Harry was fifty-five, bald and small. Sheila, on the other hand, was thirty-three, tall, slim, blonde. I sat next to her.

I explained what had happened. I told them that they were both here because I wanted a coherent overall strategy.

That's what I got. It took three hours to hash it all out.

Sheila would prepare divorce papers, based upon adultery - multiple instances - and fraud and theft. We'd also ask for full custody of the girls, since Kate was likely going to jail, and anyway she was soon to be a convicted felon.