I struggled with how I wanted this one to end. The MC is put in a pretty tough place and has to decide how he wants to live out his life. I am sure some of you will have suggestions for a different ending, so please share them.
I am well aware I am a work in progress. I am happy to read all comments and suggestions. Technical advise/instruction is always welcome. I hope you enjoy this.
It was Friday night, well actually it was Saturday morning. I just helped the owner close up the pizza joint where I worked part-time. I'd had a good night delivering pizzas. I'd delivered stacks of pies to four different parties and the tips were always good on "party deliveries." As an 18 year old high school senior, the cash from this delivery gig was about as good as it got. I made more in two nights than my buddies made working 5 days at other part-time jobs.
I turned into the driveway of my parents home and coasted to a stop in my nearly silent Honda Civic. I unlocked and eased the back door open as quietly as possible. It was almost 2:30am, so I didn't want to wake my parents. I walked through our little mud room and into the kitchen. I flicked on the light, I was stunned to see my father sitting at the kitchen table.
"Dad?.. why are you still up?"
"Son, we need to talk."
Shit! No kid wants to hear his father say those words. I wracked my brain trying to think of what I might have done that would have pissed him off enough to make him wait up for me.... I got nothing! Slowly, I pulled out a chair and sat down facing him. "Okay..."
"Robby, I'm sorry to dump this on you this way, but your mother has left me.... Left us."
"But, she was here when I got home from school and she was still here when I left for work at 6:00."
"I know, I talked to her before I left to go to my Friday night bowling and she seemed fine. Hell, she even kissed me goodbye. I got home at my usual time, around 11:30, and found this note on the table." He handed me the note.
Dear Steven,
I know this is a cowardly way to do this, but I did not have the strength to do this face to face. Steve, there is no easy way to say this, I have not been happy for a good while and I need to get away. I have taken the clothes and jewelry I need and moved half of our money into my own account. The car is in my name already and I bought separate insurance for it. I signed off the deed to the house when I was at the bank, so it's yours.
Steven, you have been a good husband and a great father to our beautiful son. Please know, I love you both and always will. Robby is an adult now and you have always been strong, so I know the two of you can carry on without me.
I'm sure you have to be asking yourself why I'd do something like this? Well, after 21 years as a housewife and mother, I guess I just need to explore the world. I know this is horribly selfish of me to turn my back on you two and go off to "find myself." It is such a new age cliche, yet I feel compelled to follow my heart.
Steve, I am NOT leaving you for another man. However, if I meet someone during my travels who interests me, I intend to experience everything life has to offer. I know that hurts you and I'm sorry. I know you may want to divorce me and I can't stop you, but I have not, and will not, be filing for divorce. In my heart, I believe I will be returning to you someday, but I'm not naive enough to believe you would welcome me back with open arms.
Robby, my darling son, I love you so much! I'm sure you will also be hurt by my abandonment, but it's something I must do. Please look after your father. The two of you are strong and independent men. I hope that some day you will be able to forgive me.
Please don't look for me. Please allow me to do this crazy thing. I will email my sister, from time to time, to let her know I'm alive, but she won't know where I am.
With all my love,
Martha
I looked up into my father's tear streaked face, "Jesus! She's really gone."
"Robby, I am just as stunned as you are. I had no idea she was unhappy, she never said a word about it. God! Why didn't she talk to me, we've always been open with each other, I just don't understand this."
"Dad, I'm here for you. I love my mother, but she left us and it sounds like she's not coming back anytime soon, if ever. You need to go to the bank and see a lawyer about this. I'm not saying divorce her, but you need to know what your options are here."
Steve wiped his face and looked at me. "You're right, Son. She's made her choice and we need to get on with our lives." And that's just what we did.
Fifteen years later, I pull up in my Dad's driveway and stop. My wife of nine years turns to me and says, "you grab the food from the back and I'll get the twins and Grandpa's presents into the house."
I pop the back hatch on Amy's new minivan and she ushers our 7 year old twins into the back door. I gather the birthday cake and other food Amy prepared and carry it to the large picnic table by the pool. I looked around and took in the changes Dad and Mary had made to the backyard. The pool, the decking, all the plantings and the outdoor furniture looked great.
The twins burst out of the back door, now in swim trunks, and rushed to the pool. After I watched them jump in, I turned back to the house to see Mary helping my Dad through the door. I move to them and helped dad to his seat of honor at the picnic table.
Once seated, Dad smiles at me and shakes his head. "55 years old and barely able to walk, pitiful!"
"Well Dad, heart attacks do seem to slow most folks down a bit. The Doctors say yours was pretty bad and it's only been about 4 months. They said it would take you about a year to get your strength back."
"Yeah, I suppose I'm lucky, but you know how I am. I don't like being weak and dependent on others."
"Yes, I know you, but buck up, old man, you'll be back to your old self in no time. Today is your birthday, so stop being a grumpy old man." I smiled and my dad just chuckled.
Two years later and we're back for his 57th birthday. This time Dad is dashing about taking care of everything. As the party winds down he sits with me as we watch my kids and our wives splashing about in the pool.
"Robby, you seem a bit distant today, is there something bothering you?"
I try to smile, but I just don't feel it. I'm staring at Amy as I say, "oh, I'm fine, Dad."
My dad follows my gaze and then turns back to me, "Rob, talk to me, something is troubling you, what is it?"
I sighed, "It's Amy, Dad. I... I think she's cheating on me, but I can't prove it. She's just been different these past few months. Now that the boys are into sports and school stuff, she has more free time and I think she is involved with someone. But shit, she never goes anywhere alone except to the grocery store. Any other time she goes out she is with Mary or the kids, or both. I know it's stupid, but I feel it in my gut. Hell, I even had her followed for a few weeks. The guy said she does legitimate errands or comes over here to hang out. She seldom ever does a GNO with the neighbor ladies and when she does, she's home by 10:30, besides, it's been almost a year sense she went out with them. So I can't prove anything. Hell, our sex life has been great and she's been very loving, but I just know something is off."
"Fuck!... I was hoping this wouldn't happen. Son, you and I need to talk about this. I have some information for you, but now is not the time to do that. Mary and Amy are going to the outlet mall tomorrow to buy the boys some new clothes. They will take the boys and be gone for a few hours. Come over when they leave and we'll talk."
"Dad? You're worrying me, from the look on your face, I'm not going to like this, am I?"
"Robby, just come over tomorrow, I'll explain it all to you."
I didn't like it, but I just nodded my okay.
The next day dad handed me a beer and stood by the kitchen table. He had his laptop and a thumb drive on the table. "Okay, Son, we need to talk." He gestured for me to sit and he sat down as well.
"Rob, when your mom left, I was a mess. My ego was shattered and I feared I would spend the rest of my life as a lonely old man. Then a few years later I met Mary. I was smitten with her right away, but I knew she was out of my league. She's very attractive and she's 10 years younger than me. I'm not sure why, but she fell for me and we ended up married. I love her with all my heart and would do anything to keep her happy."
"I know all that, Dad, but what's that got to do with Amy?"
"Rob, after my heart attack, the Doctors put me on a lot of medications. Those medications caused me some problems. By that, I mean they caused persistent ED. I know some men start having trouble with ED at my age, but it was never a problem for me before. Mary is a very passionate woman and we were very, very active sexually."
"Jesus, Dad, I'm sorry that has happened. Can't you take pills or something? Has Mary been complaining? Is she also cheating?"
"Robby, just let me finish, ok?" Seeing me nod, he continued. "Mary never complained. I bought toys and did other things to give her some relief, but I knew she wasn't very happy with our sex life.
"Do you remember when you took the boys camping? Well, Amy came over and had dinner with us. We were sitting in the family room having some wine and I dosed off. It was about half an hour later the women got me up and I went to bed. Amy had a lot of wine so she slept on the couch that night."
"Oh yeah, I remember that, it was right before I first noticed the changes in Amy."
"Robby, after my heart attack, I had my security system upgraded and Mary asked them to put a camera up to cover the den. That way she could keep an eye on me as I dozed in my recliner. Well we never had it removed.
A week after Amy was here I got an email saying the warranty was about to expire. I logged into the system to get some information and happened to see the history folder. Rob, I don't know why, but I clicked on it and scrolled through it. I remembered falling asleep on the ladies and wondered if they'd made fun of the old man after I went to bed. I pulled up footage and watched. Maybe I shouldn't have."