Abyss

A/N - Hello all. Fair warning. There is a heavy dose of 'Loving Wives' content in this story though it does belong in this category. I just love a bit of drama, knocking people down and building them up again.

Australian / British standard English. There is a good chance of: lots of profanity, characters drinking, typos, mistakes, and bad grammar at times.

Proofreading and editing suggestions provided by OhDave1. Any mistakes are still mine.

Comments are appreciated as always. Anonymous comments are moderated.

Feedback by email is always welcome. Enjoy chatting with anyone who likes my work.

*****

A man learns who truly loves him after betrayal.

*****

I wouldn't call myself the black sheep of the family. I wasn't a disappointment when it came to my performance at school, where I always achieved high grades. I earned plenty of awards playing sport when growing up, and had graduated from university with honours, earning myself the chance at establishing a great career as soon as I left to join the workforce. I'd dated around a bit during high school but met my current wife during my second year at university.

We married barely six months after graduating, but given we were not making great money yet, we were still renting but we were in love and knew things would come together in the end.

My father was disappointed when I told him I would not join the family business. I didn't really see the point. My oldest sister would never have been chosen considering she was a woman, and our father was an old-school misogynist, hearing more than once that his first-born son would inherit the business, and my other brother would end up in a position of authority at the same time. My sister stuck up a figurative two-finger salute in his direction and chose to become a teacher instead.

Aside from my wife, there were two women I adored more than anything in my life. My mother and my oldest sister. My mother did her best to support me, but she was often busy helping the family business on a part-time basis, taking care of community events she found herself devoted to, and that left me to be raised by either siblings, grandparents or other relatives for most of my life.

I knew I was pretty much an 'oops' baby considering my oldest sister was over a decade older than me. Then I had two older brothers, neither having shown any real interest in establishing a relationship with me, before there was my other sister, who saw me as her servant more than anything else while I was growing up. My father had a couple of younger sisters that I saw from time to time, usually only when they were pulled into babysitting duties. Mum was an only child, so she made sure I had a good relationship with her parents.

My father never approved of my choice of career, as I knew he would have preferred me under his thumb to control me, but he did approve of my wife. I didn't miss the way my brothers leered at her whenever we visited my parents when they hosted a lunch or dinner, but considering George was married, and James was too busy playing the field, I knew they were more than likely just jealous that I was living with relative freedom before we started a family of our own.

"Hey, baby!" Mum cried out when dropping by on a Wednesday evening. To Mum, I would always be 'baby'. Her little boy. I was a surprise but a welcome one, at least to her. I'd always been left thinking my father was a little annoyed that a fifth kid came along.

Katie was already there with a glass of wine in hand. Her blue eyes always lit up when her little brother arrived, rising from the armchair so I could wrap my arms around her. "Hey, Mark," she breathed in that way she sometimes did. My sister wasn't blind to my affection for her. She was my first major crush. Sister or not, she was a beautiful woman and I loved her completely.

"Hey, Katie," I replied, kissing her cheek, "Staying out of trouble?"

That made her snort as she leaned back, a soft hand caressing my cheek. "The only person that will get me into trouble one day is you." Taking my hand, she led me towards the empty couch, Mum appeared through the doorway with a bottle of beer. Handing it to me, she bent down to kiss my cheek, ruffling my hair as she always did, before taking a seat on the armchair.

"Where's everyone else?" I wondered.

"Still at work. They might be home in time for dinner," Mum replied, "Where's Belinda?"

"Doing a little overtime. We're still saving like crazy in the hope we might be able to afford a house one day."

"How are you finding your job?" Katie asked.

"Long hours sometimes but it's rewarding," I replied.

"No chance of working for your father?" Mum wondered. I gave her a look that made her smile. "I don't blame you for not wanting to report to your brothers."

Mum knew my relationship with them was polite at best. I had no real time for them as much as they had no time for me. We saw each other for the occasional night with our parents, but we did not socialise. I knew they were thick as thieves, and our other sister, Natalie, was usually involved in one way or another with them. Once I was out of home, I was a little closer to Natalie, nothing like I was to Katie, but I liked to think we had a more regular sibling relationship.

Belinda was the first to arrive for dinner, greeting my mother and sister before sitting next to me, a soft kiss on my cheek. Dad, my two brothers and Natalie practically arrived home together. No real surprise as my three other siblings all worked for the family business. It had been established by my great-grandfather and my paternal grandfather still ran it, even though he was now past retirement age.

Gathering around the table, I wasn't surprised that Dad showed little interest in me and my career. Then again, I was used to his attitude as it had always been my mother and Katie who had been my main support growing up. It was Mum or Katie who would drive me to school, would offer to help with homework, and would stand on the side of the field and cheer when I played sport on a weekend.

George, my oldest brother, and James, my other older brother, showed next to no interest in me either. Natalie, sitting opposite me, did smile and asked a couple of questions. Katie sat next to me as always, no sign of her husband, Richard. When I asked about his whereabouts, she looked a little sad. "Didn't want to come," she said, "He's gone out for a beer with friends instead."

Once dinner was finished, I helped Mum clean up, Katie pitching in to help. Belinda hovered nearby, nursing a glass of wine. Just the one as she'd need to drive home. She left before me, noticing the eyes of my father and two brothers watching her as escorted her outside. With a kiss on the cheek, she slid behind the wheel of her car and drove off.

"Still wonder what she sees in you," George taunted as I walked inside, "Needs to find herself a real man."

Stopping to glare at him, I was hoping he'd stand up and go nose-to-nose. I might have been the youngest, but I almost wondered if I was an affair baby as I was taller and broader than my father and brothers. I'd never insinuated that in front of my mother but had hinted at it more than once to my father. George was just past thirty but looked older. I'm not sure how hard he worked, but the swelling beer belly suggested he enjoyed a particular past time. Frankly, he was a slob, and he only had a job due to it being guaranteed by our father. His wife had the patience of a saint considering his attitude.

"No idea what any woman would see in you," I retorted, "I mean, you looked in a mirror lately? Better yet, when you look down, can you even see it anymore? I guess your wife has to get out a mirror to help you find it, right?"

He stood up and I smirked, enjoying the fact I'd landed a blow. Stepping towards me, I glanced at James and Dad, who both remained seated. "You going to ask him to back off, or does he finally get another shot at the title I currently own?"

Dad sighed as he knew I'd wipe the floor with his oldest. George had never taken care of himself, and while I don't think Dad gave a shit, as long as they worked for the business, I knew Mum was disappointed in both her older sons. James did look after himself as he spent any free time not working trying to sleep with any woman possible, and I was more than aware that he didn't care if they were married, engaged or single. I'd rarely had problems growing up considering the age gap, but now that we were adults, they thought I'd be fair game and back down.

They'd long learned that I gave as good as I got. The first time I'd put George on his arse had left nearly everyone shocked. Mum had to hide her smile, Katie called George an idiot, while even Natalie seemed impressed by her younger brother. James had wisely backed off, sticking to trying to undermine me in other ways. It took George three more times, each time ending up on his back with blood pouring from his nose or mouth before he stopped being physical with me.

"Sit down, George," Dad finally stated, "I don't know why you keep trying to rile him up." He then looked at me. "You're not going to swing, are you?"

"No, Dad. I just came over for dinner and see the family. Considering Belinda has gone home, I was just going to make the rounds, say goodbye..."

Mum always wanted a hug before I left, feeling her body mould into mine as I knew she appreciated the work I put in to keep myself fit. I joked more than once that she had a little crush on her youngest but having seen me without a shirt more than once, I'd seen her lingering gaze, earning giggles when I'd flex a muscle. Katie always hugged me last, following me out to my car. Holding her body against mine, she sighed contentedly as I stroked her back.

"Anything wrong?" I wondered, "You were quiet tonight."

"I'm not happy, Mark," she admitted immediately, "Richard is never there for me, both in a physical and emotional sense. And I want to start a family, but he's just not interested. I'm not getting any younger..."

"Are you trying?"

The snort of derision made me chuckle. "You need to be having sex to have children."

"On a dry spell?"

She remained silent before I heard her sniffle. "I am. But I don't think he is. I don't have any proof, it's just a bad feeling that he's doing something behind my back."

"Have you spoken to anyone else?"

"Just Mum. If I told anyone else in our family, he'd hear about it. You know they cannot keep a secret, and our two brothers are far too friendly with him as it is."

Holding her just a little tighter, I could almost sense her smiling as her hands ended up on my upper back. "Can I be honest?"

"Of course, Mark."

"I think you're too good for him. Then again, I think my older sister is too good for most men."

Leaning up to kiss my cheek, I met her blue eyes and saw the sadness. Caressing her cheek, she managed a thin smile before she kissed me again. "You'd better get home to your young wife," she told me, "But thank you for the hug."

"You can always drop by if you just need a hug."

"What would Belinda say? I think she's a little jealous of how close we are."

"She is," I admitted, "Thinks it's weird that the oldest and youngest would be as close as we are. But she does genuinely like you too."

"I know but I still worry. Would never want to cause my little brother any problems."

Arriving home a little later, Belinda was already getting ready for bed. After a quick shower, I joined her and wasn't really surprised that she showed little interest in being intimate. I'd long known that our sex life when married wasn't going to be spectacular. We averaged maybe three times a week, and she wasn't particularly adventurous. Blowjobs had never been something she enjoyed though she did like me going down on her. Sex was usually just missionary or cowgirl. No chance of anal or anything like that.

Still, when she did move over to cuddle into me, whispering that she loved me, I could put aside any minor niggles in our marriage. She was always affectionate, wanting a kiss and cuddle on the hour whenever we were home together. She wanted to hear the words that I loved her as much as she'd tell me all the time.

Waking for work in the morning, one thing she didn't mind was surprising her in the shower. It didn't always lead to sex, but she loved it when I'd run my hands over her body, finding me washing her hair an incredibly intimate moment, while she loved running her fingers over my body. I wasn't an uber-jacked, six-pack muscled hunk, but I did have definition as I exercised and ate properly. I looked at my father and George, promising to never let myself go like they did.

She was eager to make love when we headed to bed that night. I revelled in her scent whenever I went down on her. Belinda loved it when I took my time to get her off, and when she was ready, I loved hearing her moan when I slid my cock deep inside her. She might not have been adventurous, but she was loud, and I loved making her beg me to fuck her harder, and when she got me off, she'd push me onto my back and mount my cock, watching her breasts swaying as she rode me harder and faster until she enjoyed more than one orgasm of her own.

"Any plans this weekend?" she asked as we cuddled on Friday night. We always made love to end the week, would usually fool around on a Saturday, and then there'd usually be one night during the week. Sunday? If we fooled around Friday or Saturday, she'd usually beg off, making me blush when whispering that I'd left her feeling rather tender.

"Not many. Maybe a little yard work tomorrow. Ryan and Chris were asking if I wanted to go for a round of golf on Sunday. I said I'd ask you first."

She playfully slapped my shoulder. "You don't need permission to go play golf with your friends, Mark."

"I know that. I just never agree because I know you might have an idea of something to do together."

"My husband took me out for a date tonight. He fed me and fucked me. If he does that tomorrow night, definitely going to be hobbling around on Sunday. So you definitely deserve a game of golf on Sunday."

Saturday was spent in the yard, cutting the lawn, looking after the flowers that Belinda loved to look at when relaxing outside, and though we had plans to get a pool when we finally got our own place, they were rather expensive. At least our current landlord allowed us to make minor cosmetic changes, as long as he agreed, and we paid for it.

She was smiling Sunday morning as she'd been eager to make love again the previous night. I probably looked a little smug as we sat at the table, digging into breakfast, Belinda holding her mug near her mouth, knowing why she was smiling. "I'm sending you to play golf to give my pussy a rest," she stated, "Though maybe I'll have to get used to it once we started trying for children." Meeting her eyes, she took my hand in hers. "I'd like to at least discuss the idea."

"Of course. I just thought you were focusing on your career."

"I'm not saying this week or this month. But I'd like to start trying in a couple of years. I definitely want to have had a couple of kids while we're still in our twenties."

"I'll be ready whenever you are, Belinda."

"I know, Mark, but there's nothing stopping us from getting some practice between now and then." She squeezed my hand again. "Something to think about for the time being, at least."

It put a smile on my face as I drove away from the house a little later, and that settled my mind about buying our own place sooner rather than later. My good mood remained even though my golf game was shit. It usually was. I played as it was good exercise and my two best friends enjoyed swinging a club a few times before we adjourned to the nineteenth hole for a beer or two.

Though our family appeared close, I wasn't in constant communication with anyone except my mother and Katie. With the latter, we'd talk nearly every day, even if it was only a brief chat, but would message each other constantly. Usually, just random thoughts, pictures and things that would make us laugh. I talked to my mother every couple of days, usually just to check in, and make sure she was okay. The only other family member I could say I was close to was Natalie.

I only ever heard from my father and brothers if I saw them at a family event. Katie and I would visit home at least once a week for dinner. Partners were always welcome. Belinda would usually join me, but I hadn't seen Katie's husband in weeks. When I sat and thought about it, I hadn't seen George's wife in ages. James was never with a woman long enough for anyone in the family to establish a relationship. Natalie was single and enjoying life...

I was thankful that my degree earned at university meant I didn't have to follow my brothers into the family business. Don't get me wrong, I respected what my great-grandfather had started and what my grandfather had since built. But I had little hope that either brother would prove to be as good at the job as my grandfather or even my father. The idea of having to tolerate either of them as my boss had led to me doing something different.

At least it meant I enjoyed my job, so heading into work every day wasn't an annoyance. Most of my colleagues were good people, I enjoyed the work, and I was rewarded well for it. The days were occasionally long if something went completely pear-shaped, but most of the time, I was at home at a reasonable time. Belinda had more stable hours so was usually home before me. Though we shared most of the chores, she was happy to do most of the cooking. Once we'd eaten, I'd do all the cleaning up.

Being a happily married young man, I didn't see what was looming on the horizon. What hurt even more is that I wasn't the only one who would be affected.

*****

The first sign that things were changing was when I arrived home from work of an evening a few months later. Pulling into the driveway, I recognised the car parked on the street. Katie got out of her car and ran towards me. By the time she crashed into my body, she was on the verge of falling apart. Holding her in one arm, I led her inside the house and sat her down on the couch, cuddling her tightly as I'd never seen her so upset.

There was no point asking many questions as there were very few reasons a woman would be crying like she was. She was heartbroken and I had a bad feeling I knew why. "Need a drink to calm down?" I finally asked after a few minutes.

"Yes please," she said ever so quietly.

We always kept wine in the house, pouring her a glass and grabbing myself a bottle of beer. Finding her curled up on the couch, she looked up and her blue eyes still captivated me despite the wet cheeks. I hated seeing my sister so upset, sitting down and immediately cuddling her again.

"Where's Belinda?"

"Working late. She's been putting in a lot of overtime in recent weeks. We're hoping to have enough for a deposit in another year or two. Sacrifice now so we're comfortable in the future."

"Mark... Do you ever suspect her?"

"Of what?"

"Being unfaithful."

I was honest and replied I'd never suspected anything because I trusted my wife. But I also understood the question as I had a good idea what had my sister so upset. "I've had no reason to suspect her. I know she's doing overtime because she's paid more each week when she does it." Katie placed the glass down and cuddled into me tighter. "I'm guessing your own suspicions have been proven correct?"

"Yes," she whispered, "Richard is cheating on me."

"How did you find out?"

"I saw him with others. But what I've found is going to blow up so many things, Mark. And I don't have any evidence. I have what I saw with my own eyes, but no photos or videos. And I know plenty of people won't believe me, deny it ever happened, or just call me crazy."