How the Tides Turn

Thank you, angel love, for editing this story for me.

I started this story a long time ago after reading a story called 'Brotherly Love' written by suegsusan. Although this story can stand alone, I highly recommend reading this authors' story for a full scope of what has happened and for the writing quality displayed. I thank this author for her written consent and give full credit for story foundation and main character development. However, I just couldn't let the husband 'go out like that!' This story motivated me to write and I wrote this FICTION the way I felt. I am neither 'blood thirsty or hell bound on revenge' nor am I 'a cuckold advocate'. I do NOT write with the idea that my fiction MUST reflect real life at all times. I like twists and turns in a story, so I recommend reading all chapters without trying to predetermine where I am going with it. I write for entertainment value and hope I at least succeed in that.

Final Chapter

When Phil awoke the next morning at Tom and Abby's house he felt a strange sense of calm. It had been a very long time since he had felt it. He did his morning ritual and headed down the stairs, following the aroma of coffee to its source. Abby was sitting at the breakfast bar having her coffee and a smoke. Tom apparently was still asleep.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Phil greeted and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead on his way to Mr. Coffeemaker.

"Good morning to you, too. Looks like you slept well."

"Yes I did and I feel great."

"Well, that's good. Listen, Phil, I am only going to say this once and I will never discuss it again. I called my uncle last night and had a nice long chat with him. I told him what I know. He said that he would take care of it and say no more about it. I don't know exactly what he is going to do and, trust me; you don't want to know either. Just go on like everything is as it should be and be there for the kids. His orders! Do you understand?" Abby warned.

Phil smiled, "Perfectly."

"Good!" she smiled in return. "Now, call your wife and let her know that you are sorry for not calling last night. You got held up at a dinner and didn't get home until late. Also tell her that the seminar was extended a couple of days so you won't be home when expected. While you do that, decide what you want for breakfast?"

"Uh...yes ma'am," Phil answered and headed to his car for his cell phone. He was still blown away by Abby. She was way out of his league. Probably Tom's too.

Phil had two more days left before he was due 'home'. It was a Sunday evening and he had been thinking a lot about Jeanne. Was she involved in this somehow? If she was, then that was the end of the start of their relationship. He just didn't know for sure and wanted to find out. Against his better judgment, he drove to her apartment to try to talk to her. When he got there, there was no answer and her car wasn't there in the parking lot. He waited outside of her apartment for about an hour before driving back to his hotel.

He gave a call to Jennifer when he got back to the room but had no answer. He thought that was strange since it was now 11:15 pm. He was about to try again when his phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Phil? Hi. It's Cheryl. I'm sorry to be calling you this late, I know you are out of town at a seminar but I need to get your health insurance information. Jennifer dropped the kids off here on her way out to dinner with your brother and I can't for the life of me get a hold of her. She should have been back here by now. Little Gordon was playing in the living room and knocked the lamp over and it shattered. The poor little guy started crying and picking up the pieces when he cut his hand."

"Cheryl, where are you right now?"

"I am at the emergency room. They said they needed the name of the insurance, policy number and ID number. Don't worry, Phil, it is not a bad cut. He might need two stitches, according to the doctor."

"Stay there, Cheryl. I just got back in tonight and am on my way home. I wanted to surprise Jennifer. I guess I am the one in for the surprise. I will be there in about 40 minutes! Stay there!" Phil ordered and hung up.

"Where the hell is she?" he asked himself. As he thought about it, he certainly didn't like the coincidence of Jeanne and Jennifer both being out later than they usually would...with Gordon in tow.

Phil checked out of the motel after changing into clothes that he would have worn had he actually been returning from a seminar. He loaded his suitcase in the trunk and headed to the hospital. When he arrived there, little Gordon was just coming out of the suture room with Cheryl.

"DADDY!" Gordon shrieked. Ashley was asleep in the stroller. Phil ran to them and took his son in his arms and they hugged.

"Daddy, I ga boo-boo." He showed his dad with his bottom lip stuck out and was about to cry.

"It's ok, little buddy. Here, I'll kiss it better...There how's that? All better?" He knew down deep in his heart that these were HIS kids, regardless of whose sperm created them. He was THEIR daddy and would fight tooth and nail to stay with them.

The little boy nodded and laid his head on his daddy's shoulder. Phil placed his large hand under the boy's shirt and rubbed his little back, soothing him. He looked to Cheryl.

"Thank you, Cheryl. I really appreciate what you did tonight and I'm sorry that you had the kids this long. Any word from Jennifer yet?"

"No! And I've been trying for hours. I'm starting to get a little worried. She was supposed to pick them up by 9 o'clock."

"Well, don't worry too much. I'm sure she will turn up. May have had car trouble or something. Here, let's get the car seats out of your car," Phil replied. He had no idea how right he was.

He loaded the kids in the car and took them home. When he looked down at little Gordon in the seat next to him he noticed a plain white envelope. He opened it up and saw arrival and departure tickets, a hotel receipt from a hotel in New York and a small note. "You might need these!" was all it said. He had not thought of that. Of course he didn't need them for the purposes he started out with.

'What the hell was going on?' he thought to himself.

He put the kids to bed and Jennifer still wasn't home. He then went to his recorders and just started to listen to the conversations when there was a knock at the front door. He answered the door and someone calling themselves Detective Murray asked him to come down to the station. It appeared his wife and brother was arrested and was being held for questioning. Phil was shocked and asked what the charges were. Possession of an illegal substance with intent to distribute and possibly for homicide. On the outside, Phil was stunned! Inside, however, he was laughing hysterically.

He explained that he just gotten back into town and put the kids to bed and had no one else here to watch the kids. They talked for a few minutes longer and agreed to see if Tom or Abby would come over and stay with kids. Phil certainly didn't want to ask Cheryl for this. After the call and explaining what was happening, Abby agreed to come over.

When Phil arrived at the station he was led to an interrogation room where Jennifer was sitting. She looked up as he walked in the room and was surprised to see him. She expected him to be in New York for another day or so.

"So, Jen, what happened? What is my brother doing here?"

"Oh Phil, It was horrible! A huge misunderstanding, Gordon thought that this was the weekend for Ashley's baptism, which is why he is here. Tonight, I was taking him to the airport when we accidentally rear-ended another car at a stop light. Two men got out of the car, pulled guns out and started shooting up the car. I mean, they came right up to us and tried to kill us. Bullets were flying everywhere. We had glass falling on us, the engine was on fire. It was terrifying! I thought we were dead for sure. The police showed up minutes later, after the two men left, and brought us in. They impounded the car and somehow found two kilo's of cocaine and a gun. I swear, I didn't know anything about the drugs or the gun. You know me and know I don't use drugs. It's like we were set up. Gordon and I are innocent and they will find out soon enough and let us go, I'm sure of it," Jennifer explained.

"Well, I'm so glad that you're alright...I mean, not hurt or anything. How long has Gordon been here? I hate to ask, but under the circumstances I have to know. Did you two resume your...uh...fling?"

"What? Absolutely not! Gordon just got here two days ago. Honey, I almost lost you because of that stupid mistake, I wouldn't risk losing you again." Jennifer told him how he was everything to her.

"I see. Well, then why drop the kids off at Cheryl's house just to take Gordon back to the airport? Why would you wear a cocktail dress like that to drop him off? Why didn't you tell me he was here when I called you? And, oh wonderful mother, where were you when little Gordon was in the emergency room getting stitches in his hand? Because you were fucking my brother! Call me a liar, bitch!" Phil spoke harshly.

"Oh my God! What happened to my baby?" She was now in tears.

"He cut his hand! I can't believe you actually have the nerve to lie right in my face again. I'm out of here! Plead your case to a jury. We are through! The papers I have will be shown in court and if I have my say with it you will never see those kids again."

Phil watched her expression change to a darker, more evil, look. Finally, she snapped.

"FUCK YOU, PHIL!" she shouted. "You brought all of this on yourself! You stupid, pussy-whipped, little faggot! I have been trying very nicely to get rid of you for years! I need a REAL man. One who fucks me like I deserve. One who gives me the excitement I need. Not the boring, lame fuck you turned out to be. For Christ sake, I fucked him right in front of you and you did NOTHING! I knew for sure you would leave after you found out that the kids were your brothers'. You weren't man enough to get me pregnant!"

"Hell, I even allowed my sister to throw herself at you and you almost took the bait. But, NO! Your pussy-whipped ass came right back! You're so pathetic!" Jennifer replied rudely.

"Jeanne...did she have anything to do with this? Did she know how you felt?" This is what he really wanted to know.

"She should have known...everyone can see what a loser you are!" She took a deep breath and calmed down a bit. "But, to answer your question, no. She wasn't involved in trying to get rid of you. I just thought she would be a useful tool. Apparently I was wrong. She failed miserably!" Jennifer barked.

"Then why didn't you leave me if you felt this way?" he asked.

"Several reasons. I didn't want a fight over the kids and it wouldn't look good to our family and friends if I left you and took up with Gordon. And I just knew you would come looking for me and try to get me back. I wanted the house. I wanted to drive you to find someone else so that you would leave and never return to me. You just can't take a hint. You are the sorriest excuse for a husband I have ever seen!"

Phil slightly nodded his head and smiled. "If you find fault with me loving you and not wanting a life without you, I can live with that. I sure hope it was worth it!"

"Oh don't worry, I will be out soon. We didn't do anything and Gordon and I will stand by each other. All you have is adultery and they don't put people in prison for that. Either way, I get you out of my life and you are insane if you think you are taking my kids away from me!"

Phil got up, smiled and left. Once outside the room, he asked the detective if he could see his brother. Soon, he was brought in to see him. Their eyes locked on each other for a brief moment and they each went through their own range of emotions before Phil spoke.

"Gordon...what the fuck! They don't have pussy out in California? You have to fly to fuckin' Maine to get laid? By my WIFE?"

"Phil, it was all a mistake. I thought the baptism was happening and..."

Phil interrupted, "Cut the shit, asshole! I just talked with Jennifer and she spilled the beans on you two. What I want to know is what I ever did to you to make you betray me, your brother, like this? Why, Gordon?"

Gordon leaned back in his chair with a perturbed look. "Because I can't fucking stand you! That's why. Do you have any idea what it was like growing up in your shadow? Or what it is like to always be compared to you by everybody? Even Mom and Dad...the way they would always talk about their perfect son and the grades he got, or the pretty girls he went out with, or the success you had in college, your PhD, all that bullshit. And I was the dope who enlisted in the Army. They and everyone else put you up on this pedestal like you were God Almighty. You made me sick. Even some of the girls I dated said how wonderful you were. My life didn't exist if it didn't involve you. So, when I met Jennifer, I saw the chance to stick it up your ass and show people how lame you really are. You are not what everybody made you up to be. You are a punk mother-fucker and I take great pride in causing you all of the grief that I have. I look forward to thinking of you all alone and miserable because your little brother is better than you! I hope you rot in hell in your misery!"

Phil was shocked. He didn't expect this deep seated hatred from his own flesh and blood. He never realized that he could have made life that hard for him growing up that he would do this. Regardless, he thought, what's done is done.

Then, Phil replied, "Oh! Wow. I didn't see that coming. I'm sorry you feel that way. I always thought highly of you, brother. So, this whole thing with my wife was about getting back at me? Or are you in love with her?"

"Love? Are you kidding me? Hell no! She is just a great piece of ass, that I used to destroy you! And, apparently I am not alone in seeing you for the waste of oxygen that you really are. You couldn't even keep your wife happy," Gordon retorted.

Phil, still in shock, starts shaking his head. He got up and walked to the door. When he reached for the knob, he turned to look his brother in the eye. "One thing is for certain. You and Jennifer deserve each other. And, uuhh...don't drop the soap, little brother!" He laughed as he left the room.

Detective Murray had been outside the rooms listening to the conversations and stopped Phil as he came out. He apologized for what Phil must be going through but had to ask for his whereabouts for the last eight hours. Phil explained that he had been in New York at a seminar and was heading back to hopefully spend a romantic evening with his wife. On his way home from the airport he received a call from Cheryl about little Gordon and headed straight to the ER. After being asked, he said he could confirm it with departure and arrival tickets and a hotel check-out receipt and he could have a copy of them here in the morning if necessary.

The detective told him he didn't think it would be. He went on to explain that a local, small-time drug dealer was shot to death downtown early this evening and when they searched Gordon's rental car after the shooting, they found two kilo's of cocaine and a snub-nose .38 revolver with the serial number filed off. Ballistics showed that it was the same gun that killed the dealer. The bad part was there were no prints on the gun. It had been wiped clean. It would be up to a jury to convict Gordon on murder and Jennifer for accessory to murder. They did feel they had a strong charge on possession with intent to distribute. Phil felt overwhelmed, but not for the reasons the detective thought.

Phil left the police station feeling free. He went home to his kids and tried his best to keep them happy.

The next day, after he woke and had several cups of coffee, he went back to the tapes and listened. He heard conversations very much like he heard last night. No surprise there. He kept listening until the kids woke up and it was time to tend to them. He made their breakfast and got them dressed and had such a wonderful day playing with them. Now, he felt a purpose for his life. Everything else seemed so superficial.

Later that night after the kids passed out from the fun they had, he went back to the tapes. He had to listen, for himself. After about an hour his interests were heightened. Jeanne showed up and talked with Jennifer and met Gordon for the first time. He listened to the introductions and heard Jeanne ask Gordon to excuse them for a little while as she had to talk to her sister privately. He heard Jeanne cut into Jennifer for Gordon being there without her husband and that she was behaving very stupidly. Jennifer threw a lot of bullshit at Jeanne about all of this being a mistake and that she and Phil were still in love and working hard on their marriage. A little while later Jeanne dropped the big news to her. She was moving!

The school was administering cut-backs and pay cuts. She was dismissed. She was leaving the area to find another job after she spent some time with their dad in Georgia. She was already packed up and was leaving the next day.

Phil felt heartsick. That's why she wasn't home when he drove by there the other day. He found her dad's phone number and called. No one answered, so he left a message for Jeanne to call him as soon as possible.

Days later, the phone call never came.

Phil took all of his papers to Will and had Jennifer served with divorce papers and custody papers. Jennifer fought hard on custody issues but currently didn't have a leg to stand on facing charges and being remanded without bail for murder charges. She would fight it but in the end had lost the battle.

After a quick trial and a 12 hour jury deliberation, Jennifer and Gordon were found guilty on drug charges and possession of an illegal firearm. They were, however, found not guilty on murder charges. The jury went not guilty due to lack of prints found on the murder weapon, and lack of gun powder residue found on either of them, leaving reasonable doubt as to who the shooter really was. The defense attorneys agreed to argue that if that couldn't be determined then someone could have planted the gun in that car. Their argument worked for the defendants benefit.

Since they were first time offenders, Gordon got six years in Joliet with parole possibilities after two. Jennifer was sent to a women's facility in New Hampshire. She got the same sentence because of Gordon's testimony.

It appears that Gordon was singing a different tune the day after he saw Phil in the interrogation room. He had been jumped by other 'jailbirds' and ended up with a broken leg, minor concussion and broke nose. As a result, the next day, he informed authorities that he did, in fact, purchase the cocaine from the dealer that was killed because that is where Jennifer told him to buy it. Jennifer had a lot of 'clients' in the area and they were on their way to deliver the drugs when they got shot at. He wouldn't cop to the murder charges (which earned him another savage beating in which he was hospitalized for a few weeks). He said Jennifer had bought the gun for protection in her dealings with 'clients' but that he did NOT murder the dealer.

As you can imagine, Jennifer blew a gasket at the lies Gordon was telling now. She held on to her story that they were framed. They ended up having different defense attorneys during the same trial. Imagine being a juror on that trial!

When the verdict was handed out, Phil called Jeanne again at her dad's house. This time, her dad answered.

"Hey Phil. What's new?"

"Well, they handed out the verdict. They were found guilty on the drugs, but not for murder. They have been sentenced to six years, parole in two."

Her dad paused, and then, "That's a damn shame! I knew that girl would get in serious trouble some day. She never seemed quite right. I told you when you married her that she can be a handful and to make damn sure you really wanted to do this. I told you she can get finicky. Remember?"