Let's Zoom

As the second Zoom meeting started, I said, "Jake. Can you hear me?"

"Hi Chris. I've got a conference call that I need to jump on, so this will be quick. Browner! You are fired, effective immediately. Your personal items are being removed from your office and will be in a box in the lobby. If they aren't claimed within twenty four hours, they will be thrown out. You will not be receiving a recommendation.

"Angela." I could hear her boss slow down and sigh. I looked over at Angie and saw her shaking. She was scared to death. "I can't tell you how disappointed I am. Your behavior as a senior member of my staff is inexcusable.

"That being said, twenty-nine years of exemplary service must be taken into account. Your position in Hartford has been eliminated. I'm offering you the same position at our facility in Albany, NY. You have a week to decide if you'll take the transfer and thirty days to move to

Albany"

The screen went blank again as Angie cried into her hands and Asswipe slouched back into the couch.

I was purposely smirking at Asswipe. When he saw me, his rage started to build. He was younger, bigger and I'll guess stronger. Unfortunately for him, he was as stupid as a bag of rocks.

As Asswipe was ready to explode, I once again waved the remote, pointed it toward the TV and pressed a button.

The screen lit up and I asked, "Dr. Browner? Can you hear me?"

Asswipe and Angie sat in stunned silence. They were white as ghosts and their mouths were hanging open.

The face of a beautiful blonde filled the screen. She said, "I've asked you to call me Cynthia."

"Sorry Cynthia. The floor is yours."

"Michael, I've filed for divorce. Expect to be served over the next few days. The kids and I will remain in Michigan. I've been able to keep my current position at the hospital."

Asswipe begged, "Cynthia, please! We can work this out. It was just a fling."

The face on the screen looked disgusted. "I've been doing some checking, since Chris contacted me. This is the third job you've lost because you couldn't keep your cock in your pants. After I received the private investigators report, I contacted him and asked him to do some additional digging."

Everyone was staring intently at the screen, when Cynthia continued, "Mrs. Harrington, do you know Alice Packer? Joy Likely? Tori Jones? Candy Phillips?"

When Angie didn't answer, Cynthia laughed and said, "I really don't expect an answer. The question was rhetorical. I know they are all associates of yours. Did you know Michael had flings with each of them? Can you imagine? You were just one of his many whores.

"Tell me where to send your crap, Michael. You're not welcome at my house."

When the screen faded to black again, Asswipe yelled, "I'm going to kill you, asshole."

He struggled to his feet, as I slipped my Colt .45 from between the chair cushion and pointed the monster at him. Asswipe looked like he was going to vomit, which was exactly the look I wanted.

"You've got two choices, Asswipe. You can leave or you can sit down and shut the fuck up. I don't care what you do, but if you come at me, I'm going to shoot your left ball off."

I'm not sure if I was completely happy that he sat back down, but was grateful that I'd be able to have my last planned Zoom meeting.

I looked over at Angie. She was pale, her cheeks were streaked with tears and mascara was smudged around her eyes. She looked awful.

"I've been seeing a counselor for the last two weeks."

Angie groaned and cried into her hands.

"It's kind of funny. You cheat, lie and share your cunt with this asshole and I'm the one that needs a mental health expert." I laughed and said, "How fucked up is that?"

A few moments later, I told Angela, "After I told Dr. Waters our story, she asked me a question that's helped me a great deal. She asked, "Do you understand the old saying, 'love is blind?' When she asked the question, it was like a light going on in a dark room."

"I loved you so much that I would have never known you were a cheating slut, if not for the anonymous email. My love was so strong that it overlooked your warts. Hell, in my eyes, you didn't have warts. I hope you know, you'll never find anyone who will love you as much as I did."

Angie continued to cry and rock back and forth on the couch.

"I'm going to continue seeing Dr. Waters. I think it's important to have someone to trust with your innermost thoughts and feelings, especially after such a devastating event.

"I would have never imagined it was possible for someone I loved so much could humiliate and disrespect me to such a degree. But the good news is, I'll get over the hurt and humiliation, just like I will get over you.

"I told Dr. Waters about my plan for today. She isn't a big fan of revenge, but thought the first three Zoom meetings were OK. She thought that you deserved some payback. She did try to talk me out of our next Zoom meeting. She thought that the pain it would cause me, might take me back a few steps in my personal recovery. I've thought about it and will admit that Dr. Wilson is probably right. The next Zoom meeting is going to do me more harm than good.

"But I don't care. This next meeting will hurt me, but it will cripple you."

As I held up the remote for the fourth time and waved it at Angie, she shrunk back into the couch in a panic.

I pointed it at the TV and pushed the button. All eyes were riveted to the screen and when the face appeared, Angie groaned, "Oh no! OH NO! Please God, Oh NO!"

"I love you Daddy," said my daughter Kelly.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

"Why?" Angie shrieked. "How could you possibly be this awful to me?"

"I heard it all Mom. I've heard every word you and your asshole boyfriend have said over the last hour. I've heard what you've done and what you planned to do. You disgust me Mom!"

"Sweetheart! Please! This is a very complicated situation. You're too young to understand."

It took Angela's breath away when Kelly responded, "Fuck you Mom! I'm a twenty-six years old, a happily married woman. Your situation isn't complicated. It's grotesque on one hand and pitiful on the other. I don't know what's changed, but you are selfish and totally self-absorbed."

Angela was breathing deeply, as she begged, "Kelly! Baby! I've been so lonely since you moved away. It was like I was living in a fog, I missed you so much."

Kelly's face on the screen looked perplexed. "So what you're saying Mom is that it's my fault you've become a liar, cheat and slut, crushed Dad and are going to get divorced."

"No! That's not what I'm saying and you know it."

"It doesn't matter Mom. I think we all need a break from you."

"Kelly!" Angela shouted. "I'll come to Boston this weekend and we can talk. I'm so sorry this has happened. I need to be with my baby girl!"

"That's not going to work Mom ... for two reasons. First, you'll be in New York, fucking your worthless, unemployed, newly divorced boyfriend."

"I'm not going to New York," Angela insisted.

"And second, Scott and I have planned a small private celebration for our closest family and friends. We've rented a venue closer to Cape Cod."

"Baby? Oh Baby! What are you celebrating?"

"Since you aren't invited, I'll tell you. I'm three months pregnant and will be having a baby girl in February."

"Kelly Ann! I'm your mother and I insist that you invite me."

"That's not going to happen, Mom. I want my special party to be filled with love and happiness and not the lying, cheating and disrespect that is consuming so much of your current life. Goodbye Mom."

For the fourth time, the screen went blank.

As Angela sat and cried, I got to my feet and tucked my pistol into the back of my pants. "I'm going out for dinner and will be back in two hours." Looking at Angela, I said, "Please pack clothes and other essentials. You won't be allowed back into the house until the court responds to my divorce petition. I'm told that will take a week."

Looking at Asswipe, I said, "You've seen what I am capable of doing. I'm giving you three days to move out of the State. If you are still here on Monday, I'll have you crippled in a much more literal sense."

After pulling open the front door, I looked back at the utterly defeated cheaters and said, "Enjoy your weekend in New York. It's supposed to be beautiful both days."