Well the Troubador threw down the gauntlet: "Write an ending where the wife DIDN'T cheat." Here is my sorrowful attempt to do so.
I can't take all the blame for this. My good friend Wetapap, in a strange flash of insight came up with the basic concept, though I did beat it totally out of shape. I would like to thank him and the other 'old codger' that helped me with this tale, both in ideas and in editing. Thanks guys.
*
He couldn't lose it, everything, his marriage, his future, his dreams everything relied on him being able to keep cool.
'Susan and I need to talk,'
Early thought.
After re-entering the house, he found Susan staring into space, unmoved from the chair she was in. After several minutes of trying to get her to talk, Early realized his anger was getting to him again.
'I should leave and cool down,'
was his only thought. Early left the house with no direction, no purpose, just driving through town aimlessly. But he soon found himself in John Stickler's neighborhood.
With a sick fascination Early found himself parking at Stickler's house and then knocking at his door. Soon a distinguished older gentleman opened the door.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm Early Conroy…."
Before Early could say anymore Stickler interjected.
"Early OH OF COURSE I must have seen your picture a thousand times on Susan's desk. Sorry but it's late at night and after our trip I know that I'm tired. Say weren't you supposed to come in tomorrow? I know Susan was rushing back to her loving husband and…."
"I don't know how much longer I will be her husband Mr. Stickler." Early flatly interrupted. Stickler's openness had surprised him but Early was determined to keep the upper hand.
"What? What do you mean? Susan said you two were so happy and…."
"I thought we were until she spent the last few days with you," Early interrupted again.
The two men looked each other in the eyes. Concern crossed John's face as he watched Early's stony visage.
Then John's eyes light up with the realization, "Oh God, you don't know. And … oh God no … you think … oh bu… no, no, I would think the same thing." John shook himself out of his reverie, "Early you need to come in and sit down. I think I have to explain some things to you."
"Please do," Early said as he entered the house and John closed the door behind him.
Stunned, Susan sat for hours in the chair where Early had left her. Dimly she realized he had come back into the room then later left.
"I remember hearing his car leave the driveway. How had this happened? What did happen?" She kept asking herself. The shock of Early's presence and his accusations threatened to send her fragile mind over the edge.
Desperate, she grabbed her keys and fled into the night.
**********
"KA CHOO" Jennifer wiped her nose again. "The doc told me that these antibiotics would work. Stupid fucker. I can't get any sleep, my head feels like it's going to explode and…."
The ringing of her doorbell cut off Jennifer's latest list of complaints. The non-stop noise forced her to get up and stagger to the door.
"Susan, what's going on?" Jennifer quickly forgot her own problems when she saw Susan, her mentor and hero on her doorstep. Susan's normally immaculate make up was in ruins, and she looked like she was about to faint.
Jennifer helped Susan inside and got her a drink. After a bit Susan seemed to calm down enough to talk.
"Susan," Jennifer asked, stroking Susan's hair, "what's wrong did something, oh no, did something happen to Early?"
Susan's body trembled as she fought to get the words out. "He's left me…."
"Wha…."
"He came home Thursday and I wasn't home. He thin… he thinks that John and I… that we… that we've been." Susan could feel her world collapsing around her.
"What Susan you don't make sense. You left with John right after you told us that it wa…. Oh no, Susan, you didn't call Early and talk to him about it did you?" The look on Susan's face was enough for Jennifer.
"Oh Susan what have you… 'AH CHOW!'… Done?" Jennifer's body shook with the force of her sneeze. After she regained control she looked Susan in the eyes.
"Ok Susan, what happened and tell me everything?"
Early was seated on a leather couch in John Stickler's living room. John nervously entered the room and headed over to Early.
"Ah here we go, I didn't have a Dr. Pepper but I did have a Coke. It was warm so I poured it over ice, hope that is ok."
John sat down after giving Early the drink.
"Ok wow, this is strange. First I want to say that your wife is a wonderful woman. Who has," John started to speak faster seeing the reaction in Early's eyes, "done nothing but talk about you the entire time I have known her. I think half the women in the office are jealous of her and the tales of her marriage, the other half just think she's making it up!"
John took in a deep breath to collect himself.
"Second, I am in love… with
Jennifer
! I know this is news to you. I first noticed her while we were helping Susan with the case. Then over time Jennifer just seemed to worm her way into my heart. I started finding reasons to be in Susan's office just to see Jennifer. I would show up early on purpose just so that I would have time to chitchat with her. Finally I drew up my courage, prayed my late wife would understand and I asked Jennifer out. It's been amazing ever since."
John watched Early's face for a reaction, but none came. He should have been a lawyer, John thought, or a professional poker player with that visage.
"Well until this week, see… I am trying to move on, I have this opportunity to work for a very powerful firm in Washington. It's their branch office but I can't really pass this up. So Jennifer and I planned on going there for a few days, rub elbows with the firm members and their spouses then spend the rest of the weekend taking in the sights."
John got a far away look in his eyes as he continued. "Then Jennifer got sick. At first we thought it was just a cold but it got worse and worse, turned into full-blown flu. Late Wednesday we were to fly out, but she was too sick to do much more than go to the doctors and get medicine. Both Susan and Jennifer told me to go. I had confided in Susan while she was talking about her hopes of possible getting promoted to a partner in the Firm, but I didn't know."
A nervous chuckle escapes from John's lips. "First I didn't want to leave Jenn and second they were expecting two of us. I knew there was going to be at least one dinner maybe two and a social meeting that were couples only. I didn't want to go by myself; I didn't know what it would look like for me to show up alone."
John leaned forward and looked the stony Early in the eyes.
"I wasn't thinking straight Early, I was worried about Jenn and then worried about this once in a life time…. Never mind, Jenn came up with the solution… Susan. She could be my guest, and as a fellow lawyer could give them the 'straight talk' about me."
"Well we talked about it and I
swear
Early, I thought she talked to you about it. When we were about to leave Wednesday I asked her if you were ok with this, I know how it could look. She
swore
that everything was ok."
Seemingly in deep thought, Early asked, "So she went as your date?"
John's eyes shot wide at Early's words. "NO! She was a fellow guest Early. And when they found out that she was married I know we got some looks until we told them about Jennifer and that Susan was just a fellow colleague. I can tell you Early, she talked you up one side and the other, I went to get a drink at one point and passed her talking about you in
glowing
terms to the women there. Even the Senator seemed to be eyeing her husband with a bit of 'why can't you be like him?'"
"Senator?"
"Senators, plural really, I told you this was a major Firm. The funny thing is Maxwell Adams, one of the partners told me I could have come alone, it wasn't mandatory for me to have a date, they would have understood. Ironic, huh? Anyway, ah… Oh I know…."
John hopped out of the chair and rushed out of the room, he quickly returned with a briefcase and started rummaging through it,
"Ah here we go, " John handed over a paper to Early.
"You can see there that I paid for two rooms, heck they are even on different floors. That's what you get when you reserve them separately. Mine was nice but I had to pay out the ears for hers. And you can even see the dates for reservation on the papers."
For the first time emotion crossed Early's face, a whiff of doubt. "Yes you…."
Sensing Early's reluctance John seemed to search his mind then his eyes lit up and he rushed off gain. Early could hear the rustling of papers and John reappeared with the recycling bin in his hands.
"Ah here it is. " John pulled out a newspaper and started searching though it. Finally he found his page. He handed over the paper and pointed to the photo in it. It took a second but Early made out Susan and another girl talking to each other behind one of Hollywood's stars in what appeared to be the entrance to a show.
"Sorry for the coffee stain but here in the society and entertainment section you can see Susan and what was her name? Kara?"
Recognition showed in Early's eyes. "Kelly. That's Kelly, they were roommates in college."
"Kelly, yeah. I had tickets to a show but didn't feel right going with Susan so I gave her the tickets. She got her picture taken behind Mr. High and mighty here. You know… I think that explains why she got so nervous when I showed it to her on the way back."
John leaned toward Early. "She really didn't tell you did she?" Concern showed clearly on his face.
"No she didn't" Early sighed. His earlier bravado and will now deflated. He knew he should be overjoyed that Susan didn't cheat but….