I have always been intrigued by how some men throughout history have been able to pull off two families at the same time, completely secret from each other. If you type that into your search engine, you will find true stories of this happening even today. I have never heard of a case of a female doing this, but there probably has been. Regardless, this is the basis of my tale. Could this happen? Who knows, but remember, don't get too wrapped around the axle because this is a work of fiction. Hopefully, you enjoy it.
*Ashley Baxter*
Ashley Baxter had a problem. She never thought that it would actually happen, but it did. Her former boss and friend, Christy McNesh (or was it Weber or Masters??) had an emergency, and they contacted Ashley. Ashley was Christy's emergency contact. Not her husband, John McNesh nor her other husband, Adam Weber. Why Ashley? To maintain the secrecy of course. Christy had two complete families at the same time, and for some strange reason, Ashley agreed to this. In over ten years, Christy had gotten away with it. No reasons for a next of kin call, but now Christy was dead. Not even dead in the US of A, but dead in St. Kitts in the West Indies!
Now, Ashley was expected to call the two husbands and tell them their wife was dead. She could not believe she had agreed to this, and now she had to follow through. Christy had been good to Ashley. She had given Ashley a job, which had led to a husband and a family. The job had paid well, and Ashley had been able to bring enough money to the marriage that they could buy a nice house. If Christy hadn't come along, Ashley believed by now she would be dead or in jail. There was no way she couldn't call the husbands.
She went to her bedroom and retrieved her burner cell phone from it's secret hiding place. She had never used this phone before; Christy had given it to her for this purpose only. Ashley was so afraid her husband would find it, but he never had. It was probably a totally unreasonable fear; her husband loved her as much as she loved him. She never gave him any reason to doubt it. With a heavy heart she put the phone in the charger and waited.
There were two contacts in the phone #1 and #2. Once it was charged Ashley called #1 first. This would be John McNesh, the first husband by 6 months. Ashley didn't know any more than his name. She didn't know anything more than Christy had two husbands.
"Hello."
"Is this John McNesh?"
"Yes it is, how can I help you?"
"I am calling to inform you that your wife, Christy McNesh has passed away. Her body is in St. Kitts. If you go, you should ask for Christy Masters."
"Is this some kind of sick joke? Christy is in New York not St. Kitts."
Ashley cut him off.
"It is no joke, my condolences, goodbye."
Ashley hung up and felt sick. She went to the bathroom and threw up. That was the most cold-hearted thing she had ever done in her life. Once she recovered she knew she better call #2 before she never did.
#2 was Adam Weber, again that is all that Ashley knew.
"Hello, you have reached Adam Weber's voicemail, please leave a message after the tone."
"Hello, I am sorry to inform you that your wife Christy Weber has passed away. Her body is at in St. Kitts. If you go to recover the body ask for Christy Masters. This is not a joke or prank call, sorry again for your loss."
That call was easier on Ashley, but would it be easier on Adam? Ashley didn't know but she did know she wanted the phone gone and now. She went out to her car and drove to the river near her house. She followed Christy's instructions. First, she stomped on the sim card, and it went in the river, then the battery and then she smashed the phone on a rock and into the river. Ashley drove away hoping to never hear of the two men or Christy ever again.
*John McNesh*
John McNesh's family owned a plumbing business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His dad was getting older and ready to retire so that's how John ended up at that trade show in Chicago. It was a three-day thing, Thursday to Saturday. John arrived Wednesday night and checked into his hotel. It was around supper time, and he went down to the restaurant for something to eat. As he entered he saw the most amazingly beautiful woman sitting alone at a table.
All of his family was harping on him to get a girlfriend. The nicer ones called him a chicken; the not-so-nice ones were worse. The message, however was the same: you're a 25-year-old virgin who works too much and needs to get laid.
John was just a shy introvert around women. On the job, he was a whole different guy but with women he just didn't know what to do. This time, however, he was going to do something. It didn't matter if he was shot down in flames he was going to try with this woman in Chicago. John walked up to her table, and as he approached she looked up from her phone and, of all things, smiled. This emboldened John.
"Hello, my name is John, and I was looking for a table for supper, and I saw you sitting here alone, and I thought maybe you would like some company, I understand if you wouldn't, but I thought I would ask, sorry for the interruption."
It came out in one breath. Then John held his breath awaiting the answer.
"Wow John that was quite a line, do you use that on all the ladies?"
"No, actually I have never done this before, I saw you and I have never seen someone so beautiful, I promised everyone back home I would try harder to get out there so I came over to speak to you, I'm sorry I will find another table."
"Whoa wait a minute there talks to fast John. You're too cute, of course you can sit down I want to hear more about what you promised everyone."
John sat down and could not believe it. Here he was sitting next to the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and she wanted to talk with him!