Consequences - Jamie

Another in the Consequences Series. Thanks to all of you who have responded to these stories.

Edited by LadyCibelle who always makes my stories better.

Consequences- Jamie

I was down in the basement, working to finish the recreation room I promised my fifteen year old daughter Janet. I had already finished the ceiling and walls and had closed in the section under the steps for extra storage, and now I was putting down the indoor/outdoor carpet I brought home last night. I had all the time I needed to work on it since my wife Jamie was in Cleveland visiting her mother. I had the whole house to myself today since Jan was sleeping over with one of her high school friends. I had spoken with the mother who assured me that she and her husband were going to be home at all times. They were good people and friends so it was OK with me.

I thought back to Sunday night, the night before Jamie left. She had been angry with me as usual and wouldn't talk to me about her visit. She just said that she needed the time away to herself and that she would be gone for two weeks. Jamie didn't work since she had been let go during a cutback at the bank about two years ago, but since I made good money, there was no reason for her to have to work so she decided to stay home, at least for a while. I had hoped that the time off would allow her to relax and maybe we could repair the gaps in our marriage. It hadn't been of much help so far.

My name is Jim Schwann and I'm fifty years old and a partner with Harris, Schwann and Wilson, Attorneys. Joe Harris and I founded the practice here in St. Louis almost twenty years ago: Margaret Wilson joined us five years later. We specialized in corporate law and the practice did very well. I hadn't been in court much in recent years since we had a core of very talented young lawyers who were hungry and eager to show that they could be an asset to our firm. They all wanted to be partners, but since we had added only one or two partners in seventeen years, they fought all the harder as lawyers are wont to do when told there was virtually no chance. I mentored, guided them through the pitfalls of corporate legal matters and then let them do their thing. Margaret was the practicing partner and she was a tigress, using them like slaves. But they seemed happy with the time at our firm and it was certainly good for their resumes.

Jamie and I were married nineteen years ago, the second marriage for both of us and we had a daughter together named Janet. My first wife died in a car accident and we had no children but Jamie had a son from her first marriage, now twenty four who lived with his father after the divorce. He was married with kids of his own now and Jamie sometimes spoke with him by phone but to my knowledge had never visited them. She never wanted to talk about him so I eventually let it drop. We had Janet sixteen years ago and she was the last for us since Jamie had some serious problems during delivery, finally requiring a hysterectomy. It was the end of her child bearing years but it was fine with both of us. We did go through the process of retrieving and saving some of Jamie's eggs before the procedure, but we let them expire without doing anything with them. Jan was enough for both of us, and anyway, at the time we needed to decide, the marriage wasn't all that strong.

Jamie's parents lived in Cleveland and we used to visit them twice a year as a family. Jamie occasionally went by herself or with Jan, but it had been some time since Janet or I had been there; over a year if my memory served. Jamie had gone to visit her parents shortly after being let go. Rather than things getting better as I hoped, her mood had worsened after she stopped and when she finally said she wanted to go home to her mother for a while, I readily agreed. We both thought it might be good for us to be apart for a while. I missed her after just a few days but she must not have felt the same; she stayed ten days, extending the visit from the original planned one week to stay over one more weekend.

My parents were both dead, and I was an only child so John and Ruth, her parents, were the only family I had. The relationship between her mother and me was not a good one, and Jamie seemed to be more attached to her mother than to her father, so that caused a problem. I liked her dad and he and I became friends. We kept in touch by phone or email but even that had declined over the past two years. I assumed it had to do with the attitude of her mother towards me. She and I hardly spoke and my relationship with her father was a casualty of that. But I never resented her visits with her parents.

This time was not a routine visit. It followed a period of almost a year of very strained relations between us, having gotten worse after she returned from her last visit. Jamie had been very withdrawn and angry for some time, almost since the day she returned. She was always demanding something from me: do this, do that, go here or there. Just demands and angry recriminations if I didn't jump when she spoke. Hard as it was to believe, everything became much worse since her last trip home.

She was not the same with Jan however, or I believe I might have done something about it. But I didn't and now it had become almost a habit to listen quietly as she harangued me about the latest failure of mine and then walk away. She had become used to doing what she wanted, when she wanted and I let her to avoid an angry outburst. I even allowed it to continue in front of Jan and when we were out with friends or in public. I know people thought I was a wimp; hen-pecked and useless, but it was my choice to avoid a scene. I knew it might have been a mistake but it was my decision and too late to worry about it now.

Her approach to this trip was typical. After several days of repeated phone calls, she made the decision to go, then simply told me about it. She was going to spend two weeks there; no discussion, no question about my plans or anything that might have made it difficult for me if she left. She ignored my requests for an explanation, telling me to deal with it. She did tell Jan about it and spent some time with her to be sure she was OK with it and if there was anything I needed to do. She left me a written list of things I should know about Jan's activities but nothing else. She packed her bags the night before she left and went to bed early. She called a cab in the morning to take her to the airport and it was made clear to me that my help wasn't required. She didn't even bother to say goodbye.

A quick note about our sex life. There was none! We hadn't made love for at least two years; for sure not since she lost her job which was eighteen months ago. I know it had been at least six months without before she made her last trip home and even some time before that. When I wanted to talk about it, she refused; if I made a move in bed, she would get up and go into the spare room, leaving me frustrated and angry. And the more I pushed the harder she resisted. I finally gave up. I considered the options, mentioned some of them to Jamie one night when she refused and got an earful of what she would do to me if she caught me cheating on her. When I mentioned a divorce based on mental cruelty, she laughed and told me to consider the effect on my public image when she admitted in court that she shut me out of the bedroom.

This brought on a furious outburst from me as to why she would stay with me when she obviously hated me, wanted nothing to do with me sexually and wanted to be alone as often as possible. The reaction to my angry outburst was a surprise. Jamie burst into tears, cried for the longest time and then when she got herself under control, told me that she loved me, always had and always would. She was under so much stress and so confused that she was not sure why she reacted as she did, but she begged me for patience and tolerance. She even promised to look for someone to try to help her. Her pleas were so heartfelt and emotional that I was stunned! So stunned that I remained sitting on the edge of the bed as she took her clothes and went to the spare room. I was still confused the following morning when she reverted to her normal abusive behavior.

That brings us to today: she had been gone a day and a half. I had been thinking about our relationship for some time and I was beginning to believe the only thing I could do was file for divorce. Jan was old enough to be able to handle it, and would probably be happier anyway. She hated the way her mother treated me and told me so many times. But she was still young and I had tried to hold out for her sake. Maybe now I had no other choice. I felt I was young enough to believe I had a life left to live, and I needed more than Jamie was willing to give me and the only way to get it was to let her go.

The problem was that I still loved her in spite of the way she was and the way she treated me. I believed divorce would hurt me more than it would her. This was on my mind as I carried some boxes down from our bedroom to the newly finished storage space under the steps. Jamie had demanded that I clear out our closet when I made room downstairs and I was pleased that I found so much free space. Now seemed like a good time to move things. This way, I could do the work without her nagging at me.

I was almost to the bottom of the steps on my third trip, when my foot slipped and I dropped the two boxes I was carrying. I watched them fly as I grabbed the railing to keep from following them. They hit the floor, splitting open and spilling their contents all over the new carpet. Fortunately there was no liquid or powders in the boxes so it seemed to be OK. I went down, got two empty boxes and started to re-box the stuff. That's when I discovered a packet of what seemed to be notes or letters or something like that. They were held together with a blue ribbon. I had never seen them before so they aroused my interest. I put them aside thinking they were probably love letters to Jan from one of her boyfriends. I put the remaining things in the boxes and pushed them toward the stair storage well. I made two more trips before I had all the designated boxes downstairs and stored under the steps. I closed the panel doors and collapsed on the floor, my back against one of the walls and my feet stretched out in front of me as I tried to catch my breath.

As my breathing returned to normal, I noticed the stack of letters and pulled them toward me. I untied the ribbon and pulled out the first one. I noticed that it was addressed to 'My Darling Jamie'. Immediately I felt a surge of interest, followed by an equally strong surge of anger. I had never written anything like this to Jamie at any time in our marriage or even before! This was not from me! My breathing which had slowed to almost normal, began to increase again, only this time it was not fatigue.

I unfolded the letter, noting that it had been folded and unfolded many times. The creases were deep and the letter was almost in three pieces. This letter had been read over and over, obviously treasured by Jamie. I carefully held it and read the words it contained.

My darling Jamie,

I have been thinking of the last night we spent together. I can't get your wonderful mouth out of my mind. You drove me crazy, buried deep in your warm, wet mouth and your tongue moving everywhere. That was almost more than I could stand, and when you stopped, I wanted to cry.

But then to feel you as you lowered yourself down and rode me was heaven. I know I'll not stop thinking of you as you leave me to go back to your loveless marriage. Why won't you leave him and come to me for all time? You know my story, that I also am in a loveless marriage and I would divorce my pathetic wife in an instant if you would say you would come to me. You know that.

Please my Jamie, reconsider. Tell me you are coming back to me.

With all my love,

Walter

The shock I felt was so intense I think I sat there for almost an hour before regaining my senses. I looked again at the letter and scanned the words but they remained the same. My wife had cheated on me. With someone named Walter Matthews, or so it said on the return address. I quickly looked back at the letter and looked for a date. There on the top of the letter, in small letters was the date. It was three days after my wife came back from her visit to her mother a year ago!

I grabbed the stack and pulled out another one. I read the words and they were much the same except these described a different encounter. This one was talking about a blow job in the front seat of his car in the parking lot of some club or other. She had gone down on him at his request and he came in her mouth when she refused to pull back when he warned her. He loved it, of course. I would too if she had ever allowed me to do that. But she hadn't. She complained that it was 'yucky'. I wondered if his was 'yucky' as well.

I scanned the rest and they were all from that same trip. It seemed she met him halfway into her trip and decided to extend the stay to be with him over that last weekend. Apparently Walter had tried to convince her to leave me but she was not buying it, and I knew her well enough to know why. She didn't want the trouble of trying to make it on her own and being the bitch she was, she probably demanded he divorce his wife first before doing the same for herself. As a matter of fact, I wondered if she felt anything for him other than lust. The lust she denied me! I let the last of the letters fall from my fingers as I let the enormity of what she did sink into my consciousness.

Sitting there in the basement, I thought about the whole thing. That she had done it was clear from the letters and the fact that she kept them. That it happened when she went to visit her mother was also clear from the dates on the letters. As I considered these, I wondered how she got the letters without my noticing. I went back to the stack, sorted through them and found what I was looking for: there was a larger envelope, the return address that of her mother. Her mother had forwarded the letters! So, her mother was aware of what she did and who she did it with. I was not surprised. Not at all.

I carried the stack of letters upstairs with me and put them on the table. My mind had been working, trying to determine what I was going to do. I knew now that my marriage was over and I would no longer be the butt of her anger and her demands. Up to now, I was her patsy because I was waiting for her to remember that she loved me as I loved her. But that wasn't the case. She didn't love me and her attitude reflected her contempt for me and her lack of concern for my welfare. She was in love with someone else and she was just too afraid to leave me to go to him permanently. That, and the fact that he was also married. And was she sure he would really leave his wife? Wasn't that an interesting question?

I considered several alternatives but I kept coming back to the fact that I could no longer stay with Jamie now that I knew. She didn't love me and I was in no hurry to endure any more of her contempt. I knew I should wait and talk to her but I had no patience for that. No! This was the end! It stops now! I made up my mind that come tomorrow I would send out one of the PIs we used to find out what I needed to know but until then, I would be planning a life without Jamie.

But before I did that, I had a couple of things to do. The first was to save all of the letters from old Walt and put them somewhere safe. Those letters were a clear admission of adultery by old Walter. As a lawyer, I knew just how to use them. She would eventually discover them missing but till then, no reason to let Jamie know how much I knew. And I didn't want my impressionable daughter to see them. I was afraid she would get ideas and turn out like her mother: a simple whore! Once I made sure the letters were put away I relaxed and began to plan out my options.

It was three days later on a Thursday when she called me. Only one call over the past week while she was gone and that to tell me she wanted me to send her a couple of things from the desk. I asked her why she didn't just wait till she was home but she came back with one of her sarcastic comments about my lack of concern for her. I finally agreed, still waiting for my PI's report before saying anything. I had contacted him the day after I found the letters and he had been there a few days already, but I hadn't heard anything from him yet. She didn't say much of anything, asking once about how Jan was doing and then she hung up without any words of endearment or affection. Just like her. That was the last call that week and into the next week. I expected nothing less from her.

At my request, the PI had flown to Cleveland, investigated the DMV records, the city tax records and anything else pertinent to identify the Walter I wanted information on. When I entered my office that Friday before I confronted her, he was waiting for me. I told my secretary that I wasn't to be disturbed and closed my door. He opened a file and proceeded to fill me in.

"OK, Mr. Schwann, I think I got what you need. His name's Walter Matthews, and he's forty five years old, married to a Marie Matthews. He's got five kids, would you believe? The oldest is twenty one, and the others vary from eighteen to twelve. There's a set of twins in there. He and your missus spent the weekend in a motel just off the interstate. Stayed in there most of the day and all night.

"He owns a car dealership and he spends most of his time there during the day. Seems to be doing pretty good for himself. Nice home in the burbs, probably worth a half mil or more even. The older kid is in grad school, the rest are living at home with the mother. She doesn't work, takes care of the house."

He shoved a picture toward me, showing a tall man, with dark hair, well dressed and fairly good looking. Not much bulk on him, looked more like a thin man. I stared at it for a few seconds before pushing it back. "What else did you find?"

"No debts to speak of, just the mortgage on the house at over two hundred grand. Business records show regular tax payments and reports of business income. Pulls down about two hundred grand a year before taxes. Not too shabby."

"The rest is routine stuff. His address, phone number, names and ages of his kids and his wife. Copies of his tax returns for the past three years and some comments about him from his neighbors. Seems to be well liked and no trouble maker.

"Oh, and one other thing. This you might like. Seems he has a couple of hookers he sees regularly at the local whorehouse. I have receipts from his last five visits. Visits them pretty regular: once a week at least. Sometimes more. Madam says he's a steady customer and gives her no trouble at all. Likes the young ones best. Hers are all legal so no help there."

One thing occurred to me. "Did he visit the hookers last week or this week?" That was when Jamie was there.

"Like clockwork: on Tuesday afternoon. Like I told you before, he spent the weekend with your wife at a local hotel and the rest of the time, he was home with his wife. Only went out one night during the week and that was Wednesday. Met your wife at a restaurant. They sat together, looked all lovey-dovey, lots of touching and such, then he left alone. Your wife drove home and stayed there. I did overhear their conversation though. She was making plans to meet him again that weekend. "

I thanked him for his work, took possession of the file and gave him a chit that would see he got paid for his work. I sat back and read the report in full just to get an idea of this man. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted revenge. On him for sure. Since she was going to be responsible for taking care of my daughter, I had to leave Jamie alone. Making her my ex wife would have to do.