This story is based on a set of true events that went down in the spring of last year. I started writing it as as they were happening. The story was completed when the couple involved came for a visit during Christmas. Of course, the names have been changed and the location changed to the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Yes, he had a deposition that had caused him to miss another open house. This time it was his daughter's senior year in high school. Their third and last child, it was the last school open house that he would be expected to attend until they had grandchildren. Norman A. "Hutch" Hutchinson, Attorney at Law and Certified Public Accountant listened to his wife go on and on about how he had missed almost all of their children's school events. It was the usual spiel he had heard incessantly over the last six months about how he was an absentee father and not a very attentive husband. Lately, since she was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Sports the look about her and tone of voice was almost condescending. As if she really didn't need him around anymore.
"I told you about it two weeks ago. I know I did." stated Lorna, emphatically.
"Oh I'm sure you did." responded Hutch. "Some where between your text messages and phone calls. If you would turn that damn cell phone off , we might be able to actually communicate." Hutch glanced at his watch, then continued, "It's only ten thirty in the evening. Isn't there someone out there that just has to get in contact with the District's Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Sports?"
Lorna stood in the middle of the bedroom, arms crossed over her chest, legs spread slightly, glaring at him, "No worse than your practice. I can remember when calls you just had to take when we were out to an anniversary dinner."
Hutch, a pillar of self control calmly asked, "That's why I turn mine off when I get home. How about yours? Is it on or off, right now?"
She continued to glare at him thinking, "Yes it is on and I will take it into the bathroom with me tomorrow morning because I know that the calls and text messages will start at about six am." Then she stamped her foot and raising her voice said, "Damn it, I don't know why I even try to discuss anything with you, the accomplished trial lawyer. I see more of you in the newspapers and on T.V. with your clashes of corporate titans than I do here at home. So, forget it, let's go to bed."
In bed, he lay on his back and went to sleep. She lay on her side, facing him. Stretching one arm out over his chest, she whispered, "I do love you, Norm. I just wish you would place me and the kids on a higher priority. Twenty five years of marriage, a wildly successful practice, can't you give us a little more of your time." Then she drifted of to sleep.
Tuesday Morning
As Hutch drove into work that next morning, he thought about his wife's overall attitude over the last six months. Especially over the last five weeks or so since her promotion. She seemed almost like a different person, as if he were living with a stranger. And the sex, it was just that, sex. It had been six months since they really had fun making love to each other and the sex was simply the wonderful conclusion of a great time together. Lately, he would give her enough foreplay to get wet and she would suck him up. Then, he would shove it in and pound away. She would lay there until he was done and that was it. Once in a while she would get into it and go orgasmic. But that had not happened since she was in the running for the position she now held. "Could she be having an affair? Is there someone else? Then his thoughts turned introspective, "She doesn't give me much reason to get into foreplay. Not like it once was...What's happening to that sweet Georgia peach I married a quarter century in the past?"
Stepping into the elevator of the building where his law offices were located, Hutch almost hit the button for the top floor and to his office. He changed his mind and pressed the button for the floor below his level. On this particular floor was the office the man Hutch called their "IT executive." Fred Smith, actually one of Hutch's staff attorneys, was also a very accomplished computer hacker. Since joining the firm ten years ago, he had brought them firmly into the computer age and kept them on the cutting edge of technology. According to the retired government agents Hutch had hired into his forensic audit department, their computer networks were as good or better than any government agency.
Knowing that Freddie was a single man and was one of the first to show up in the morning, Hutch was not surprised to find him in his office, "Hey Freddie, how ya doin' this morning?"
"I'm just great, boss. How are you?"
"I'm alright, I guess. Ah Freddie? On email? Ah, can you get into email accounts?"
"Oh sure. Who's?"
"My wife's!"
"Lorna?!? Ah, boss? Why would you need to do that?"
"She's been acting strangely different over the last six months, or so. Lately, she's given me reason to believe that there is someone else."
"You think she's having an affair??" asked a astounded Freddie.
Hutch gazed at Freddie for a few moments. He had hoped that he could make it through life without ever having the concerns about his wife that he had at that time, "I don't, ah, I don't know for sure yet, Freddie. Ah, you've got to keep everything I say to yourself right now. It is just between you and me. If there is nothing there, then I don't want Lorna to know that I was checking up on her.. Ah, can you get into past emails, sent and received, even if they are deleted?"
"Oh yeah, boss, unless she has taken some steps that most people don't even know about. But, I'd haveta get into her computer..."
"OK. How about tracking down the person behind an email account?"
"Oh yeah. I've taught people up in the forensics department how to do that and a lot of other stuff I learned from the retired FBI and CIA agents you have on staff."
"Yeah Freddie, that's right, you have. Ya know? You are a real asset to this firm."