Unavoidably Delayed

UNAVOIDABLY DELAYED

The sanctuary was decorated with flowers. Everyone had been seated. The groom and the groomsmen were standing on the right of the altar and the bridesmaids were on the left. Everything was ready. Everyone was not.

"Where is he mother? Why isn't Daddy here to give his only daughter away?"

"I don't know, Teresa. Wait. I just got a text from him." The hopeful look she had in opening the message soon dissolved.

"What did he say, mother?"

"'Unavoidably delayed. Go on with the wedding without me.'"

"WHAT! Is that all he said? No explanation?"

"Nope. Honey, we have to go on with the wedding. Nicolas and I spent far too much money to waste it."

"But who will walk me down the aisle? It would be ridiculous to go by myself. Wait, how about Gordon?"

"You don't really want people to figure out that he's your birth father, do you?"

"Well, if you don't mind everyone knowing he's been your lover since before he knocked you up."

"This is no time for arguing. I'll get your Uncle Frank to do it."

"Yuck... Fuck, I guess we don't have much choice."

Nora went into the sanctuary and drug Frank back to the dressing room. "Frank, you're going to have to walk Teresa down the aisle. Nick can't make it."

"What? Why me?"

"Why not? We don't have time to argue. Go. Go."

Nora was seated up front and shortly after the crowd stood while the bride and her Uncle Frank came down the middle aisle of the church.

Frank had a little trouble with the question, 'Who gives this woman in marriage?' Finally, he stumbled out, "Her mother and my brother-in-law do."

The service progressed with everyone wondering where Nick was. As they reached the exchanging of rings part of the ceremony, a man walked down the aisle with several large manila folders under his arm. The room was silent. As he stood in front of Nora, he handed her one of the folders.

"Nora Dexter, you are served with a divorce petition under the grounds of Adultery. You are alleged to have been carrying on a long-term affair." She was handed one of the envelopes. Nora stood in shock.

The man walked back down the aisle and stopped mid-way. He turned to his right and said, "Gordon Black, you are served with the following petitions: Alienation of Affection, eighteen years of child support, and a bill for the expense of your daughter's wedding." After handing him the folders, the man walked out. Gordon's wife slapped Gordon and left.

The wedding died at that point. People trickled out making snide comments along the way. After a while, Nora and Gordon were the only ones left.

Gordon quipped, "I guess we don't need to worry about Nick finding out now."

"Do you think your wife will divorce you?"

"Only if the sun comes up tomorrow morning."

"Will you need a place to stay tonight?"

"Probably, I certainly don't want to go home now."

"Well, you might as well come with me. Everybody knows about us anyway. I have some good bourbon to get drunk with."

They drove to Nora and Nick's house to find out that it was surrounded by fire trucks. Gordon went over to the chief of the crew. "Definitely arson. Extensive use of an accelerant, probably gasoline."

Gordon returned to Nora. "Nick burned it down. Let's get to a hotel."

"Go to one that people who attended the wedding would not have gone to."

"That's a good idea."

Nora went to get a room for her and Gordon. Her credit card was declined. Gordon gave them his and it worked. Nora tried to call Nick about the card, but when she called, she got a 'that number is no longer in service.' She sighed and said, 'Scorched earth.'

For good reason, Gordon and Nora were not motivated to have sex, the only time in 20 years they had not had sex as soon as they had gotten behind a hotel room's door.

"So, Nora, what do we do?"

"I need to go to the computers down at the hotel's business center and see if Nick has taken all our money." She did and he had.

"Gordon, I'm broke until I can get my half of the money back. See if you still have your money." He did check and he did have money.

"I guess I need to take out a big chunk of money before my wife gets it."

Gordon was able to get $10,000 out before his account was frozen.

"Gordon, I think we both need lawyers. Right now, I want to get drunk."

"I agree."

Gordon and Nora got drunk and passed out on the bed still fully clothed. They went downstairs in wrinkled clothing to breakfast.

"Nora, do you have some place to stay? I'm going to call Candice and see where I stand. I will probably need to stay somewhere else too. I just hope she doesn't tell me she never wants to see me again."

"Good luck with that. I will ask my daughter if I can stay with her. Now, I need to go to Walmart and get some clothes and toiletries."

"What are you going to use to pay for them?"

"I forgot. Gordon, can I borrow some of your money?"

"Sure."

Gordon took her to the church where her car had been left. It was gone. Nick had a spare key and could have just driven off with it. Now, Gordon had to take her to Walmart and waited while she shopped. He reported to Nora that Candice had allowed him to come home, at least long enough to pack a few things. Nora called her daughter.

"Teresa, it's your mother."

"Mom, how could he? I thought Daddy loved me. He may have ruined my marriage. Johnny doesn't want to speak to me now. What am I going to do?"

"I don't know. I do know that I need a place to stay. Can I come live with you a while?"

"Why don't you go home, or did Dad kick you out?"

"No, he burned me out."

"What?"

"Yep, he burned down our house. He will probably be arrested for arson."

"Daddy burned down our house? He must be awfully mad to do that."

"That's an understatement."

"I guess you can come stay, but it Johnny calls and wants to come back, you're out of here."

"Deal. I'll be right over. Oh, can you come pick me up?"

*****

THE TRIAL

The Fire Inspector brought charges against Nick. Nick had pled not guilty and was taken to trial. During the interim, he stayed in jail rather than make bail. Nora and her lawyer had used the time to try and track down where the money he took was. She decided he must have converted it to cash and stashed it away some place he refused to disclose. Nora waited until the trial was over to file for divorce under her lawyer's advice. He said a guilty verdict would be helpful in a good divorce settlement.

The prosecutor brought in the arson specialist to testify that the fire was an act of arson. Nick's attorney didn't ask any questions.

The DA then called Nora to testify about what was going on that might give Nick a motive for burning their house down. She said that they had had a fight over wedding things and then he didn't show to walk his daughter down the aisle.

This time, Nick's attorney did ask questions. "Ms. Dexter, do you know that perjury is a crime?"

"Objection."

"Goes to credibility of the witness."

"Overruled but watch yourself."

"Thank you, your honor."

"Now, Mrs. Dexter, why did you lie about your daughter being Mr. Dexter's daughter?"

"She IS his daughter. His name is on the birth certificate. He raised her all her life along with me."

"Is the name of her biological father on the birth certificate?"

Silence.

"No." There was a murmur from the crowd.

"Whose name should be on the birth certificate as the father?"

"Gordon Black."

"How long have you and Mr. Black been cuckolding your husband?"

"Our whole marriage."

The judge interrupted. "Mr. Conlan, are you aware you are establishing motive for your client?"

"Yes, your honor. My client prefers to make his wife's cheating public than to escape the consequences of his actions."

"If that is the case, I declare Mr. Dexter guilty of arson. I will hear sentence recommendations after a short recess."

Upon return from recess, the Prosecutor stated that the facts were not in dispute. Mr. Dexter had deliberately set fire to the house he shared with his wife and, until recently, his daughter. Almost everything of Mrs. Dexter's and some things of Ms. Dexter's had been destroyed. Since insurance doesn't cover arson, the only satisfaction she can get is to have her husband sent away as long as the law allows. She will be suing him for divorce and compensation for all she lost."

Nick's lawyer spoke. "Did my client burn down his house? Yes. The key word though is that it was HIS house. The deed to the house was not in his wife's name. All of her and her daughter's things are in plastic bags in a storage unit which I am now giving the key to her lawyer at this time.

"Your honor, we are asking you to consider what would be a normal reaction of anyone finding out that his wife had been having sex with another man before and during the entirety of their 22 year-old marriage. That illicit sex had resulted in the birth of a girl that was deliberately passed off as his own by his wife and later the daughter.

"Their divorce and adjacent lawsuits will take care of the fair settlement of assets issue but since there is no substantial loss of property on Mrs. Dexter's part, we submit that Mr. Dexter receive the minimum sentence."

The judge agreed, Nick got three years and with time served, the rest was suspended.

As he was walking out, Nick said to Nora, "See you in divorce court."

*****

DIVORCE

Nick looked good when he arrived at the divorce hearing. He had been exercising and it had helped him lose the extra pounds and tone up his muscles. Nora looked a mess. Gordon had reached an agreement with his wife to them to stay together. It seems that Gordon's wife had been unfaithful too. They agreed to forgive each other one last time but Candice was to control all the money from now on. He had moved back home.

Nora was hurting financially and socially. Divorce was her chance to bounce back. The money Nick owed her would give her the opportunity to recover, perhaps in another town.

"Your honor, Mrs. Dexter is asking for half of all the assets that were in their accounts based on a six-month old listing of all assets. She claims one half of what Mr. Dexter makes off of sale of the property on which their house stood. In addition, she wants alimony of $2000 a month for five years.

"Mr. Stevens?"

"My client was cheated on for over twenty years by his wife and her lover. My client was led to believe that the child his wife had was his. He loved that child and performed exceptionally well as a father for over 18 years. It wasn't until he overheard his wife and daughter talk one day before the wedding that he found out his wife had cuckolded him for his whole marriage. We have a recording to play."

"Objection. Neither my client or her daughter gave permission to be recorded."

"This is not a criminal court. Family court has more relaxed rules. I want to hear the tape."

"Yes, your honor."

The tape: "Mom, you know what would be cool for the wedding?"

"Honey, we're over budget as it is."

"This wouldn't cost anything."

"Okay, what would be cool?"

"If both my fathers would walk me down the aisle, Gordon and Nick." She giggled.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? I've been careful for 20 years to make sure Nick never finds out. Even poor, trusting, clueless Nick might figure it out if you did that. No, it's too big a risk."

"If it's worth the risk to fuck Gordon for over 20 years, why not just leave Dad for Gordon?"

"Because your Dad is a wonderful husband and father. He's the 'every day' man I like to know I'm coming home to. Gordon is the holiday man that comes every so often to give me sex. It's that simple: I like Nick for marriage and Gordon for sex. That's not to say your Dad isn't good in bed, but Gordon is great. I have always wanted them both. I'm not sure which one I would choose if I had to."

"I wish I could tell my friends that Gordon is my real father. They all think that Nick is a nerd." The tape stopped.

The judge ruled for the wife to receive an even split in assets but reduced alimony to $1000 a month and only for three years. Nick agreed. He had just received $250,000 from Gordon to settle for all three suits against him. He took that money to buy a condo near his work.

*****

MONTHS AFTER

"Dad?"

"Sorry Teresa, Gordon isn't here."

"Dad, you know that you are the only really father I've had. Gordon was just Mom's sex toy,"

"How long have you known that I wasn't your father?"

"Not until the trial like everyone else."

"Did your mother not tell you about the divorce hearing?"

"Yeah, she got half the assets and some alimony."

"Did she tell you about the tape?"

"What tape?"

"The one I recorded a week before the wedding between you and your mother where you proposed that Gordon and I walk you down the aisle."

"Oh shit. Whatever I said, I didn't mean it. I was just making a joke with Mom. Gordon means nothing to me."

"Well, you just admitted you lied to me. You've known about Gordon for a long time AND you never told me."

"Mom would have killed me if I had. You can't hold that against me."

"Yes, I can. Luckily, you are a chronological adult. I'm not responsible for any thing you do from now on father or not."

"You are still going to pay for college for me, right? You promised."

"Sorry, you lie to me, I lie to you."

"Dad, don't hang up! DAD!"

*****

IN A COFFE SHOP

"Do you mind if I sit next to you, Nick?"

"Nah Is you being here coincidence or deliberate?"

"Deliberate. I wanted to talk to you after we both had calmed down."

"So, Nora, you think I have calmed down?"

"I hope so. I wanted one chance to tell you that I'm sorry, truly sorry. Sex with Gordon was good, but it wasn't worth our marriage. We got away with it so long that I took you for granted. The thing I miss most about our marriage was the friendship. I miss being able to talk with you, especially when we were snuggled on the couch. You were my best friend besides being my husband. I valued both. Nick, is there any chance we could be just friends again? You still mean a lot to me."

"I'm surprised. No requests for money? No pleas for me to forgive our daughter? No... whatever."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no. It's hard to live with someone for over 20 years and just quit being with them cold turkey. Despite our divorce, I never stopped caring about you. If you like, we can meet at Starbucks or some other neutral place like that if you're willing to meet with me."

"I might. The acrimony is not as high as when I first found out. This might surprise you but I, too, miss our times just talking. You are an intelligent woman with good ideas. I guess we could try it, at least. We could always stop if we want. Tuesday nights work for me. Besides talking, I will never tire of reminding you of how you considered me worthless in bed." Nick was smiling.

"You know good and well I loved you and liked the sex life we had. Let's don't get into that again. When we meet, that's got to be off the topic list. Tuesdays work for me, too."

The Tuesday night meetings went well for several months. Despite how their marriage ended, there were plenty of shared, pleasant memories to feel good about even though they were warmed over memories. Nick was the one to bring up their going to her place to talk to get away from prying ears. Nora agreed because she wanted to snuggle while talking and drinking something besides over-priced coffee. It began to feel like old times for both of them.

Nora began to feel safe in bringing up a subject designed to get him to invite her to live with him again.

"Nick, have you enjoyed these weekly conversations and reminiscing?"

"Yes, I have. I'm glad you suggested we do this."

"You know what else would be fun?"

"What?"

Nora felt it was the time to take the risk, "There is something else I have missed. After we talked when we were married most of the time we would go upstairs and take off all our clothes and enjoy each other. Can we do that tonight? Please."

Nick took a moment considering the proposition. He smiled and said, "Nora, you go on upstairs and get the bed and yourself ready. I'll fix some drinks for us then I'll be right up."

"Yes, dear." She ran up the stairs.

Nora was almost giddy. Her plan to slowly reel Nick in was working. Once she convinced him that he could satisfy her sexually, they would be back together. She decided against wearing a night gown, no matter how sexy it looked. Her clothes were discarded and she lay spreadeagle across the bed, inviting him to partake of her body.

She waited. And waited.

Something was wrong. She put on a robe and went downstairs. "Nick? Where are you honey?" There was no answer. Nora saw something on the kitchen table. It was a note.

"Unavoidably delayed. You don't have to wait for me: You can go fuck yourself!"