Carols Love Boat Blunders

Caution

: There are some POV changes in the story which you may find distracting, so I apologize in advance.

Tags:

#Caught #Mistake #Reconcilliation #Pain #Burn-the-Bastard #Bitch #Twist-n-Turns #Revenge

Edited by: Off Road Diesel, Daren, and Jeff

Carol's Love Boat Blunder

By Cindy Johnson

Despite her proclivity to some nagging and bitchy moods, I loved Carol dearly. She was everything I ever wanted in a woman -- attractive, fun loving, great in bed, and a wonderful mother. I put up with her selfish attitude and learned to live a happy life for the last 18 years.

Every year my buddies plan a four-day golf trip which Carol hates and nags at me to stay home with the family. Common comments like, "A grown man does not need to leave his family for days on end to play golf with his buddies," or, "God knows what you're doing or how many women are involved with your little trips."

Of course, I explained that we were all golf addicts and none of us cheated on our wives. I reassured her it was only golf and nothing more. She never seemed to believe me and made my life miserable for weeks on end, before and even after the trip. Eventually, she would get over it after buying some new expensive purse or shoes and we'd get back to our happy life.

This year was no different, except she was even more angry than ever. My life was miserable and for the first time, I was going to give in and not go on this annual trip. When I told the guys they rallied and convinced me to go because this year's trip was at Pebble Beach.

Friday

On the flight to the west coast, I thought back how she didn't speak to me or kiss me goodbye, but only gave me the cold shoulder. That pissed me off and I left wondering why I continued to put up with the abuse.

After the long flight I got comfortable in our Air-BnB rental house, had some drinks on the deck as the guys told lies and stories about their lives. We drank too much whiskey, smoked too many cigars, and eventually the 7 other overweight athletes made their way to bed ready for a few days of fun at this world-famous golf course.

Unbeknownst to me, while we sat there drinking and spinning our lies, Carol was upstairs packing for her trip. She slipped one of her slinky dresses, some lacy lingerie, and a pair of heels into her bag - perfect for a night of dancing with her guy friend. With him, she felt safe, free from the usual pickup lines and wandering hands.

This'll be fun

, she thought, a little thrill running through her. She could escape, just like I did, without a single worry weighing her down.

It was noon on the East Coast when we teed off at the first hole at Pebble Beach. Back home, Carol was in Bradley's Mercedes on the way to the port where their ship would leave at 1 PM.

So, while I was 3,000 miles away playing golf with the other smelly, ugly, beer drinking, cigar smoking buddies, Carol was getting on a fancy ship to cruise around the Caribbean with her handsome partner, Dr. Steinman.

They did make an attractive couple and enjoyed each other's company. Carol always found talking to Bradley easy and since they had the same interests, she realized it was more like being with one of her girlfriends than it was her husband. Where I was always listening but never paid attention or shared her interests. Bradley listened and interacted with her ideas of cooking, relationships, and gardening which she enjoyed. Having a guy listen to her was nice. She soon realized her fondness for his companionship.

Back in California, it was a great day of golf, but still no calls or texts from my darling wife. I couldn't believe how she was treating me and we were going to have a discussion about it when I got home. I was getting tired of her attitude and the way she was treating me.

------

That same night, after dinner, Carol and Bradley went to the lounge and shared a bottle of wine. Carol wore the red cocktail dress, her sexist lingerie, and the high heels she packed. With her hair and makeup done to perfection, she looked amazing and got lots of attention from the other men in the lounge. She smiled as her confidence rose and validated which helped ease her insecurities once and for all. Feeling sexy and desired boosted her ego and made her feel young and vibrant. "See what you're missing Jake?" she said as she smiled to herself in the mirror.

There was a band playing some slow jazz music. After a few glasses of wine, Bradley asked if she cared to dance and she happily agreed. During several of the dances all the wine must have impacted her thoughts, as she started holding Bradley tighter during some of the slow dances and even gave him several kisses, which he returned without objection.

Bradley had no desire to make a move on her, but kissing her seemed harmless, and it allowed him to feel a woman's gentle lips. For a fleeting moment, he felt himself stir and realized he might actually enjoy the touch of a pretty woman. Nothing other than a few kisses and some dirty dancing happened, and they eventually left for their cabins.

That night, in bed alone, Carol was still excited from the dances and turned on by the handsome doctor and the glamorous evening. She placed her fingers inside her panties and rubbed herself to a wonderful orgasm. Satisfied with her actions, she smiled to herself before drifting off to a peaceful sleep.

She woke up the next morning and remembered last night and felt guilty for having those thoughts and feelings. She swore she would make it up to her husband when she got home. She realized how selfish and bitchy she had been acting, and vowed she would become a better wife. She loved her family and wanted to become a better mother and wife.

While Carol and Bradley danced the night before, two decks below one of the crew members who joined the ship just as we left port became deadly sick and was being attended to. The crew member was hired in a hurry without the proper health records and documentation. The ship was understaffed and turned its head as they hired sixteen new crew members for this weekend without all the proper paperwork and medical records.

The ship's doctor who examined the patient had spent several years as part of the Doctors without Borders program and immediately recognized the symptoms as possibly being Ebola. One of the most contagious and deadly diseases in the Congo, an Ebola breakout on the ship would be catastrophic for the passengers and the cruise line.

The onboard doctor acted immediately and isolated the crew member, took blood samples, and informed the captain of the potential situation. Sure enough, the test came back positive and there was an announcement made from the captain the next morning at breakfast.

While Carol and Bradley were enjoying an oceanside breakfast the captain made a ship-wide announcement every 5 minutes for the next hour until everything was under control.

"Attention, all guests and all crew members, this is your captain speaking. All passengers please return to their staterooms immediately, and remain there until there is an all-clear broadcast. Our medical team has isolated a person who may have been in contact with an easily spread illness. We are working hard with our medical crew and our shore crew to isolate this problem. If you have any requests or concerns, please contact guest services on your cabin phones. Thank you and I will keep you informed when more information is available."

Hearing this Carol, Bradley, and the passengers made their way back to their cabins. Terrified and now concerned for her health, she started to panic and wanted to call home. Everyone else followed the captain's instructions. Everyone wanted off the ship, but that was not an option at this time.

Now back in her cabin, Carol panicked and tried to make phone calls but learned that the ship's communications had been turned off by the captain until the situation was under control. The last thing the cruise line wanted was for the news to spread before they had control. At exactly noon on Saturday, there was another announcement by the caption.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an emergency and are being directed to dock at the Fort Buchanan military base in Puerto Rico. This ship will be quarantined until the doctors have isolated the virus and every passenger is cleared."

Things progressed quickly and by 3 PM, the news finally got out and played on all the cable news outlets. There was indeed an outbreak and several passengers and crew members were medevacked to hospitals equipped to handle this disease. There were already 6 deaths and 7 others being treated.

While this was going on Jake and the guys were having lunch in the clubhouse and saw the newscaster on the TV talking about the Love Boat Virus. They were all in shock at the news and joked about what it would be like to be stuck on that ship. It was big news and everyone was talking about it. The guys didn't give it too much thought and just enjoyed the day on the course along with the breathtaking views.

Meanwhile, Carol was desperately trying to contact anyone to let them know she was on the ship, but with communications being blocked they were indeed isolated. The ship was in a lockdown and passengers were being held captive in their cabins. The captain arranged for the passengers to receive meals left outside their doors, which continued for the next fourteen days.

To everyone's shock, they would spend the next two weeks under quarantine, living under these horrific conditions locked in their cabins with little or no contact with other passengers or the outside world. The CDC and the cruise line were serious about the outbreak and were not taking any chances.

Back in California

Clueless to Carol's situation, I took the redeye home from LA and the limo dropped me off in my driveway late morning. I was tired and happy to get home and make up with Carol but to my surprise I came home to an empty house wondering where Carol and my son Brian were. The house was dark, eerily quiet, and appeared to have been empty for a few days. Confused, I called her parents to see if they knew where Carol and Brian were.

"Hi Jake, how was your golf trip?"

Her dad answered and I said, "Hey Joe, it was great, thanks. Have you seen Carol or Brian? I just got home and they're not here."

"Brian's here with us. I thought you knew that?"

"Why would I know that? I would have thought he'd be home with Carol."

"I assumed you knew that Carol went on a girl's getaway. You didn't know?"

"Really? No, she failed to tell me that little detail. I guess it was her way of getting back at me for my golf trip. I'll come over and pick up Brian, thanks for watching him."

To say I was pissed was an understatement. The bitch couldn't give me one weekend a year to be with my friends. I drove over to her parent's house to pick up Brian. A sixteen-year-old boy stuck at his grandparents was probably more than happy to get back home and get busy with his video games. While driving over to their house Carol was finally able to make a call. I saw the caller ID and answered the phone.

"Well, hello Carol."

"Jake, thank god, I've been trying to call you all day but the cell system has been shut off."

"What are you talking about? Where are you?"

"Honey, don't be angry with me but I did something incredibly stupid."

"What the fuck. What's going on Carol?"

"Please don't get mad and hang up, let me explain. Before you left on your trip you knew how angry I was."

"Yeah, just like you are every time I want to do something. Nothing new there."

"OK, I deserve that. Let me explain. My boss, Dr. Steinman, had an extra ticket for a two-night cruise and I was so angry when you told me you were going on your trip and didn't care what I did, I told him I'd go with him.

"Seriously? You went on a date with another man? You spent two nights on a cruise while I was away with my buddies? Come on, stop fooling around."

"Jake, listen to me. It was a mistake and nothing happened, I swear, Bradley is gay"

"So, you really went on a cruise with Mr. Sexy himself? Dr. Bradley, the guy you constantly talk about? Well, I hope you had fun because you just ended our marriage."

"No, no, no. Let me explain. Bradley is gay and his boyfriend dumped him. He was supposed to go with him on the cruise. So, he asked me to go with him when I learned I'd be alone while you were away. Nothing happened, I swear."

"Wait, are you on the ship I've seen on the news?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm calling. I was supposed to have already been home this morning before you, but now we're in quarantine."

My head was about to explode as I continued, "The news called that ship the Love Boat Cruise Ship. So, now you expect me to believe you're on a romantic cruise with the handsome doctor and nothing happened? Do you think I'm a complete idiot or just a simpleton? Carol, we have nothing else to talk about. Have fun with your boy toy, I won't be here if you ever come home."

"Jake, wait," but I didn't. I disconnected while I pulled into her parent's driveway.

After greeting my In-laws, we sat down for coffee as Brian waited patiently to return home. I couldn't contain my anger and they realized something was wrong.

"Jake, what's going on? We can tell you're upset. What's going on?"

I slammed my empty coffee mug on the table, slopping some, "I just heard from Carol on the way over."

"Where is she?"

"Funny thing. Have you seen that quarantine ship on the news? You know, the Love Boat Cruise Ship?"

"Of course, it's on the news all day long."

"Well, your lovely daughter is on that ship with her boyfriend, Doctor Bradley Steinman."

They looked at me as if I was insane.

I shook my head from side to side, "I'm not joking. Apparently, to get back at me for going on my annual golf trip, she accepted a date with the good doctor. She was supposed to be home this morning to welcome me back, but, well you know the rest."

My son suddenly became interested, "Dad, moms on a cruise with another man?"

I sat there as her parents looked at me in shock with their mouths wide open.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Her dad spoke up, "Jake, this must be a mistake."

"I wish it was Joe, but I spoke with her and she confirmed it's real."

Joe looked worried, "Jake, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I'm divorcing her (I wanted to say "the bitch" but Brian was there) and moving out. She can figure things out when she returns."

Mom jumped in, "Seriously, after 18 years you're just going to walk away?"

With a shocked expression, I said "Are you serious? My wife's on a cruise with another man, do you think I'm going to take her back? She's dead to me, and she can do what she wants for all I care but yes, I'm out. She can stay with her boyfriend or find another man to nag and bitch to. She's not worth the aggravation any longer."

There was silence for the next few minutes until her mom spoke.

"They said the ship could be in quarantine for at least another week, maybe you'll calm down and give her a chance to explain?"

"No need to calm down. The quarantine should give me plenty of time to move out and have the divorce papers ready. You might want to be prepared to deal with your raging daughter when she finds out I'm divorcing her. You already know that she can be a real pill when she doesn't get her way."

On the ship

In the meantime, Carol was in her small cabin trying to make calls and send text but the communication was spotty as everyone was using their cells. It took her over an hour and she finally got through to her mom and dad after Brian and I went back home.

When her mom and dad told her what I said she panicked and begged them to stop me from doing anything stupid. She told them nothing happened on the ship and the story. They tried to believe her but knew if it was hard for them to believe their little girl, it would be impossible for me to believe her story.

I did all the financial things, split accounts, changed insurance and retirement accounts at work, and found a 2-bedroom condo on the ocean which Brian and I could share until he went off to college next year. I would have to work out this last year of high school but it turned out not to be an issue. The attorney part was easy and had the divorce paperwork ready by the next morning.

I had come up with an idea that I knew would piss off Carol in the worst possible way. Our home was her most precious possession. She designed everything right down to the smallest detail. The artwork had to match the furniture and feelings in every room. The expensive flooring was imported from Italy, the drapes were custom made and the place was her very own palace. The patio and pool area resembled that of a five-star resort. The home was her prized possession. Losing this would let her know just how badly she messed up.

At work, I knew that Clayton was looking for an apartment for him and his fiancé and offered him my 4,000 square foot fully furnished home with a pool for the price of a two-bedroom apartment. I explained the situation in detail and how the home was in my name and what I was doing was completely legal and legit.

I told him the entire story and if he accepted the terms, he would have to put up with Carol returning and would need to explain things to her and put up with her yelling. If they could do that then they could enjoy the home on a 1-year lease. The couple was more than willing to play along for such a great deal and moved in the following week.

During this week I packed up all of Carol's clothes and put them in boxes and placed them in the garage for her to pick up when she returned. Everything else in the house was part of the lease and nothing could be touched or removed, excluding all of our wedding photos, personal items, and anything else that was not stated in the lease agreement.

Carol's Return

As the Uber dropped her off in front of her home she was thinking, 'Two fucking weeks stuck on that damn boat and no word from Jake. I can't believe this is happening but I'm finally home.

The new renters gave me an envelope with a note that read,

'

Welcome back, as you can see, I've rented the house -- all legal. My attorney can explain. His card is in the other envelope with the divorce papers.'

My heart sank and I panicked when I opened the other envelope to find the divorce paperwork. The couple in my home were giving me a sympathetic look as I turned and tried to call my husband. Of course, it went straight to voicemail. The next call was for an Uber and then my parents to see what they knew.

I couldn't believe he could be so vindictive. He's always put up with me over the years and was now acting completely out of character. When I saw the extent of what he had done I realized my mistake and how treating him so poorly over the years has finally broken him. I took the boxes of clothes he packed to my mom and dad's house. They were not happy at all and let me know exactly what my selfish actions, mistreatment, and bitchy attitude had caused. They told me I could stay for a month but would have to find a new place to live. As hard as I tried to explain, the story seemed unbelievable even to my parents, which made me realize how hard it would be for my husband to believe any of this. How could anyone believe somebody could be so stupid?

After a week of no return calls or contact, I finally cornered him at work and demanded to speak with him and threatened to cause a scene if he didn't talk to me. Reluctantly he agreed.

In order to avoid a scene, he caved and said, "Look, there's nothing you can say to me that will change my mind, but I'll give you an hour to tell your tale. I'll meet you at Vinny's Cafe in one hour."