Swib 03: the Truth

SWIB 3: The Truth -- Part 1

This story is a long (29,725 words) story. Originally, I was going to submit it in two parts, but both are finished, the length is the same, either way. Both parts are presented here.

The story is about infidelity and its aftermath. Part one is told by Dave Smith. He describes events, as he knows and understands them. Part two is in the voice of several of the characters introduced in Part one. As will become obvious, Dave's understanding and the truth often are a bit apart.

I have been writing this story for a while. The topic of the truth is fascinating to me. Truth is a common word, but something that doesn't really exist. For example, ask the US population if abortion is a woman's right or the killing of an unborn child? The population is almost split on which is the truth.

People who simultaneously witness the same event rarely remember it the same way. In the telling of this story, the various character's portrayal varies, due to their understanding -- or their truth. The story has some twists, because of these differing understandings, and the author freely admits to some accurate descriptions of misleading or anachronistic details, furthering these twists.

We say we value the truth and for the most part, try to be honest. But because we often share what we know, when we don't know the truth, or shade the truth for reasons both honorable and not, life is more complicated than it needs to be.

This continuing story is a part of the SWIB series. As will be seen,

S

he

W

anted

I

t

B

ad. The story will not please the BTB crowd, but does contain my notion of revenge.

Dave Smith

I sat in my car. I was parked near the back of the lot of the Rivertown Diner. My parking spot was facing and adjacent to the Pines Motel parking lot. The paint, on the doors and the motel, was old and faded. It was a sad looking spot.

Oddly, I was thinking about Sue. We'd met when I was 8 and she was 9. Our family moved from the East Coast, where all my friends were, to Rivertown. I was crushed.

But as we moved in a pretty girl watched us from across the street. She came over while I just sat, watching the movers, and said "my name is Sue Redmond, what's yours?"

I smiled,

she is so cool

, my young mind told me. "I'm Dave! Dave Smith."

"It's great you're moving in Dave Smith" Sue said, clearly excited, "there are just no kids on this street, we can be friends."

And we were. She was in the fourth grade I was only a third grader. Sometimes her friends teased her about

hanging with kids

, but we became like brother and sister. She turned out to be quite the tomboy and we often walked the two blocks to the river bluffs and either explored the woods, climbed trees, or took our poles and fished.

We both had other friends through the years, but particularly in those early years, we were besties.

In high school things changed. Driving and dating become the big things in life in those years. She could do both, a year before I could. At first, we'd talk about her dates, which guys she liked and sometimes why. I found I didn't like that. We might have been close, like brother and sister, but it kept becoming more apparent to me, I didn't think of her as a sister.

Late in her junior, my sophomore, year in high school her parents were going away for the weekend. Sue was quite popular. Sue's mother was worried to leave her virginal daughter home alone. Sue promised she would not go on a date and would not go to any party while they were gone. Her mother said I don't want any of those boys coming over here, either. Sue promised they would not.

That Friday, as Sue was getting ready for school, she promised her mother she had not told anyone her parents would be away. She had turned Bobby, her current boy, down when he asked her out saying she and her parents had plans for the weekend. She told her mother she was sorry to tell him that white lie, but, after all they both did have plans, just not together. She would spend the weekend working on her tan, in the back yard, and look forward to seeing her parents Sunday afternoon.

Saturday, I was bored, bored, bored. Nothing was going on, so I decided to go across the street and see if Sue was not doing anything, too. I rang the bell and got no answer. Sue frequently laid on a towel in her back yard to tan. It was private back there between the hedge and many large, old trees. It was also grassy, and the sun shined on at least part of the yard almost all day. I went around back and sure enough, there was Sue. She was laying with her eyes closed and I said hi, long before getting close enough that I'd startle her.

"Hi, yourself, how's my little brother?"

"Good, good; better now."

"Why better now?"

"I've been bored, it will be nice to sit with my best friend."

So, we talked. I got hot, even dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. I took off the shirt. I really didn't think about it. I don't know if without my shirt I looked at her differently, or she looked at me differently, but suddenly and abruptly, she said she'd promised her mom, no boys while they were gone.

I was shocked, I guess and disappointed by her. I tried to tell her I was hardly a boy, but she'd have none of it. She sent me home.

After that we were still best-friends, but we drifted apart. I turned 16 and could drive. I started dating, and she dated all the time. Another year and she was out of high school, and I saw her even less. She started working to support attending the local community college. Our worlds no longer intersected.

The next year, I graduated with honors and got a full scholarship to UCLA. I worked in LA while going to school and other than Christmases, I didn't see the Midwest until after graduation. But Sue and I were destined to meet, again.

++++++++++++++++

I had been sitting in the diner's back parking lot for twenty minutes. Shabby as the Pines was it had one feature which made it popular. It was an L-shaped building. The office was in front, facing the road. The rooms were in a row, perpendicular to the road, with parking in front of each room. The office effectively hid the rooms and parking from the street.

Many, who had occasion to use a motel room for only a couple of hours, thought this

privacy feature

was wonderful.

It only seemed a great feature. The Riverton diner, next to the Pines Motel had most of its parking in front of the restaurant. But when the diner was busy, the front lot filled up and the over-flow parking was around back.

From that back lot, one looked directly at the rooms and cars in front of those rooms, at the Pines Motel. More than one skulking lover had been spotted by a friend, family, and even spouse—some by accident, others by someone, like me, lying in wait...

I knew what I had to do. But didn't know when I'd have to do it. That didn't depend on me.

My thoughts wandered to California, UCLA, and Molly.

I was studying engineering. Most of the students in my classes were men. One very notable exception was Molly Thompson. She was gorgeous and more sought after than good grades in most every class we shared. While most young aspiring engineers pushed, shoved, and did all they could to be close to her, she had nothing to do with her classmates. She did date, but not from the pool of nerdy, needy engineers.

That changed when we were seniors. Unlike my classmates, I had never fawned all over her. She was too good for us, and I didn't like that, so other than talking about calculus, structures, thermodynamics and the like we never interacted. She dated in her circles, me in mine.

We were nearing our final semester and she asked me, "Dave? You've never asked me out, why is that?"

"You've always made it pretty clear you didn't like engineers."

"Yeah, I guess that's right. But, after spending all this time learning how things work, what makes them go, I am tiring of business types. You know what I mean?"

"Let me say this. I have thought you were the prettiest, most desirable woman on this campus since freshman year. I would have asked you out many times had I thought you'd consider it. So, if you're now considering it, how about dinner and a movie, Saturday?"

I thought I saw her eyes misting just a little, "You are sweet and made that much easier than I had any right to expect. I'd love to."

We went out. That first night she made it apparent she'd come back to my apartment with me, but I had real feelings about her. I wanted to know her a little bit and was afraid if I just jumped her body, my little head would keep my big head from doing much learning. We made out in my car for a bit before I walked her to her door.

"You are a curious one."

"And that would be because . . ."

"I thought we could get to know one another better, tonight, you know?"

"Molly, we've known each other casually for nearly four years. But, just as colleagues. I'd love for it to be more. Much more, I think. But, if we become lovers right away, I don't think I'll get to know you as I want."

"That is odd, Dave. Sweet, I think, but aren't you putting sex on a pretty high plateau?"

As I sit in the car, waiting, it occurs to me that should have been a warning, but it went so far over my head it didn't even mess my hair, as they say. I'd had several partners in college and usually would have been happy to show a young lady my bed on our first date, or even before, if I could've found the way. But now, I was looking for a life-partner and didn't want sex to cloud my thinking.

She, on the other hand, thought sex was just another aspect of a relationship.

"I've never gone out with anyone who is so sweet and thoughtful. I think I wasted a lot of time with other guys." She gave me a chaste kiss and went inside.

As I drove back to my apartment, I thought about who she was. First, she was beautiful. Tall, 5 feet 9 (to my 6 feet, 175), I'd guess, maybe 130 and very curvy. Green eyes, long auburn hair, and a beautiful mouth. She was also smart and witty. We liked the same things. It seemed it could be a marriage made in heaven. I decided on the drive I was going to marry her.

We had only three or four more dates before deciding we wanted to be exclusive. When we decided we were exclusive, we about wore my bed out. She was totally uninhibited. She didn't do nasty things, with her there was no such thing. She loved oral. She gave as got as she got, maybe better! We made sweet, tender love sometimes, and others we fucked with abandon. We would often go back and forth loving in the bed for a time and then fucking with her bent over the kitchen table when we came out for a snack.

Christmas was around the corner and we both wanted to take the other to meet our parents. We couldn't decide, so we flipped a coin. We'd go to her house from the twenty-fourth through the thirtieth and to mine from the thirty-first through the sixth, when we had to return to school.

It was nice meeting her parents, who told me they had fallen in love with me, too. Molly had a younger brother, Mike and we seemed to get along, too. She was from Phoenix, and it was nice to enjoy good weather for the whole of our visit. We met old friends of hers, all her local family, and had a really good time. On the afternoon of the 30th we took off for Chicago, and then a short flight to Quad Cities where we rented a car and drove to Rivertown.

My parents also fell in love with Molly. She was everything prospective in-laws could hope for. Both Mom and Dad have one brother, in town together with their families. I am an only child, so most of our family functions were the gang of six as Mom, Dad, their brothers, and their wives called themselves. We had a lot of fun.

By the third of January everyone was going back to work. We had a couple of days to explore my hometown while it was at work. We drove by Atherton manufacturing and Molly saw the variety of vans and trucks parked in their lot, she asked me what they did.

I described it as a great little company. They take stock vans and trucks of various sizes and customize them to become rolling restaurants or delivery vans for unique companies like computer repair drapery installers, etc. It is a thriving business, particularly since so much is now sold on-line.

Molly's focus had been on engineering product design, and she was fascinated. There was an endless variety of product just waiting to be envisioned, designed, and manufactured.

"I want to work there!"

I had rarely heard that level of enthusiasm in her voice. "I am sure Dad or one of the uncles can get you an interview. Uncle Bill is an attorney and deals with everybody, Uncle George works for Dumbarton, but I'll bet he has contacts."

"What's Dumbarton?"

"It's the biggest employer in Rivertown. A chemical manufacturer. They make a variety of products, some for sale under their own labels, but most under a contract for one of the major chemical companies."

"Oh." She wasn't the least interested, she was already pondering how to get a job with Atherton. We were driving back to my parents' home and saw Dumbarton's four-story headquarters building.

"Do you think your uncle George is in?"

"I suspect. He is the VP of Purchasing for them."

"Let's go see him."

The trip to see George Smith, Dad's only brother started a chain of events.

George knew all the executives from Atherton, from the Country Club. It so happened Atherton was even a large customer of Dumbarton products. Ever the salesman, George had convinced Atherton they should use local cleaners, degreasers, and detergents, he was able to give them good prices because there was virtually no shipping. Everyone was happy. George easily got Molly a morning with the CEO of Atherton.

Greg Atherton, grandson of the company founder and current President and CEO loved to show off his company. He was around forty and active in every area of Atherton Products, Inc.

He cared for the company, its people, and its products; they were his whole life. Molly's enthusiasm got him going. The more he showed her the more excited she got which made him want to show her more. By lunch time they were talking a mile a minute about things which had been tried, could be tried, and hadn't yet been tried. Atherton wanted her to start that day. She was graduating in May, and they agreed on both a position and a starting salary.

"Isn't it great! We'll be in your hometown. I love my new in-laws. Mr. Atherton is the best possible boss in the world. Life is wonderful."

I smiled at this dervish of enthusiasm. "So, my first question was to be 'how'd it go?' I guess I can skip to the next one. Since we apparently are going to be living here, anyway, would you like to get married?"

She squeaked a "yes!" then, punched my arm and said, "for a sweet, romantic guy that was a shit proposal." But she was smiling and as happy as I'd ever seen her.

"I was planning to take you to a jeweler tomorrow to pick a ring, I'll do a better job when we have that."

"Maybe you could work for Atherton, too?"

"No, I've always preferred Dumbarton and I am sure Uncle George can get me on there." I asked; he got me a great job.

So, a casual look at a specialty manufacturer landed us two jobs and a marriage proposal, as successful a day as any couple ever had. We returned to Brentwood, finished our education, and began our move to Rivertown. During that time Molly also worked with her mother planning a June wedding in Phoenix.

We graduated the last week of May, drove both of our cars to Phoenix and were married on June 8th. Her family and the gang of six were there along with many friends, it was a wonderful affair. Then, we sold my car, drove hers to Chicago O'Hare and left it for a week while we honeymooned on Maui.

On return we drove to Rivertown and rented our first apartment. We had great jobs, so we got a three-bedroom unit overlooking the river. By the 21st of June we reported to work and our life as a married couple began.

++++++++++++++++

Waiting in the lot for more than thirty minutes now. Waiting is the worst.

Sex with Molly Smith, married engineer was even better than sex with Molly Thompson, single student. We were so passionate toward one another and kissing and cuddling often led us to our bedroom and a beautiful close of the day. We often started the next day, the same way.

On occasion I would come home and (for instance) there would be a sport coat with patched elbows, a pipe, and a paddle with a note saying: Professor, Molly was caught misbehaving in class, again, and is awaiting her punishment in the bedroom. It was always great fun. Role playing, hot sex, trying things we did not normally do. Then, like a veil dropped, we'd be back to very intimate, very ordinary love making.

Another time, a cowboy hat, boots, and a gun belt. The gun belt had a toy six-gun. The note says the school marm is up in her room. All the other boarders are at the town festival, the boarding house is empty. Miss Molly is an Easterner and afraid of guns. Point that gun at her and she'll do anything you say. I did and she did.

The most memorable time was when I came home and though her car was there, she did not answer my repeated calls. I went to the bedroom, uncharacteristically, the door was closed, and a note taped to the door simply said, I'm waiting.

This will be fun, I thought as I opened the door. I found her naked, arms tied to the headboard, each knee was tied to the corresponding elbow splaying her legs and raising her lower body. She was also gagged, and blindfolded. To this day, I don't know how she got herself tied like that. The sight of a woman in that position is not really describable. I loved that evening and it absolutely drove her crazy. As it turns out, that was another big warning, had I known.

++++++++++++++++

We were 25, I wanted to buy a home. Molly knew a house meant a family. We both looked forward to it. But she'd jokingly say, "it's like the pig and the chicken looking down at the village of starving people. The chicken suggests they give the villagers ham and eggs. The pig says, 'well that's generous of you but for me, it's a commitment.'"

She loved her work and during her time there, had gone from being under Atherton's tight supervision to leading him to new innovations. Atherton's business was booming.

"What about working from home? I'm sure Greg Atherton would let you do just about anything."

"I don't know. I don't really think so. He had a wife, but she didn't have a husband. He told me they're divorced, and now his energy is devoted to his company. He doesn't think there is anything else."

"Is that where we want to be?"

"No, you're right. That is a pointless existence. But I'm only 25, we have time yet. Let's wait a while."

"What's a while?"

"It's not right now."

We left it there.

A few months later we were back at it. "When? Molly!"

"Let's have the first one at 28. That means we'll start trying next year."

It made me so happy. We'd turned a real corner. Our love making was back full force as well as our sessions of mind-blowing fantasy fucking. Life was good.

We were buried in new careers and each other. We spent some time with the gang of six but not too much. We joined the Country Club but went only rarely, just to fulfill our monthly minimum.

Mostly we saved money and made love.

Love making was the same sweet, sensuous time it had been and didn't slow at all. Molly seemed to grow closer to me. She often showed how much she loved me.

But suddenly, the wild sex stopped.

One Saturday I walked in, and she was enjoying a glass of iced tea at the kitchen table. It had been a couple of months or more since I found her tied that time and I knew how much she loved to be "taken". I grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the chair, bent her over the table and she screamed for me to stop.