Between Two Lovers Ch. 01

Studying him for a moment before continuing, "You could file suit against her lover for alienation of affection, but since you don't know who he is, and now that every thing is in the open, getting sufficient evidence to prove your case is going to be extremely hard. Breaches of privacy are not permissible. If she only visits him at his house, that proves nothing and any material accumulated from inside his house and/or without their knowledge and consent is illegal snooping and of course not admissible in court. So long as they would not be misbehaving in public there is not much that can be done, still possible, but...' She shrugged her shoulders. "Without her willingness to testify in court, I wouldn't recommend you using that option either."

She then sighed deeply, "In my opinion, I would not advise you to divorce unless there were no other options. Mister Freemont, I would recommend first counseling for you and your wife..." She quickly glanced down at the paperwork seeking his wife's name then stopped, losing her professional demeanor and in thought spoke, "Susan... Susan Freemont?" For moments she again studied his forms, noting address and telephone number. From her purse she pulled out her cellphone and scrolled through her contact list.

Obviously shaken she looked up to him, "Mister Freemont, I... we... no one knew she was married. I'm so sorry, but this isn't going to work. I can't, no one here can help you. It's a matter of confidentiality, I sorry."

Shocked at this turn of events, sitting on the edge of his chair, he asked, "You know her? He works here doesn't he? Who is he? Where is he?"

Off balance, but attempting to maintain her deportment, she answered, "No he doesn't work here. He use to work here as a Para-legal. We all knew his wife. We all were very touched by her death. I have met Susan... ahh... your wife on only a few occasions."

"Jonathan, I can't speak to you as a lawyer. What I am saying, I'm saying only as an involved person. No one knew she was married. They seemed to fit together so well. She was good for him. We all were happy for him."

She shook her head, "This isn't right. I know him well. He's not the type to be chasing after married women. I also consider myself to be a good judge of people. Susan is not the type of women who could take any relationship lightly. There's more to this than you and I know."

Standing up she walked over to him touching him on the shoulder, "I know this is all new to you and you hurt, but please consider all of your options, ask questions and find out facts before acting. Think about the consequences not only for yourself and for your wife, but also think about your children."

With that she handed him her calling card, "There's my private number on it. If you need to talk to someone, call me. If you don't want to talk with me, I know a good therapist that I'm sure you'd like."

Walking out he begin thinking more clearly. Even though not much had been said, and he also had not found any solution to his problem that could satisfy, he was beginning to understand that there never would or could be a satisfying solution. The problem created by his wife could only mean for him, "Ya win some. Ya lose some." Where did he want to win and where was he willing to lose? Where could he succeed and where could he not?

Realizing his greatest fault in this affair was that he had lost control. No not lost control, he had freely given up control over his life to others. Expecting them to take care of his needs. He had passively allowed and waited for Susan to provide him with a meaning to life, with happiness.

Yes, he had worked hard, but always towards goals others had set for him. He never set his own goals, for himself, and in doing so he had slackened and in some aspects become lazy. He had a job, a house, a wife and children, but he didn't have a life of his own.

His sole hobbies and interests were decimated down to fishing, drinking beer and watching TV. Hell, he wasn't even interested in mechanics anymore than at work. He hadn't worked on a car other then to fix them when they were broke, since his teen days. Friends, other than co-workers and social friends and neighbors of his and his wife, he had none. All of his teen buddies had some how wandered off without him even noticing. He had let himself go, and she had been right, he was getting fat, looking and acting like a slob.

Then what if they would break up? What would be the consequences? What would he have to do to protect himself and his interests? What kind of life would he have and where were his dreams, his values? He realized that he seriously had to put number one back into number one's place. Anything else that happened... happened. Deal with it.

Thinking of Susan, he knew at that time he couldn't deal with her. She was just too great of a question mark, a stumbling stone, and an unknown. He was best off setting their problems aside and dealing instead with matters and issues that he could deal with, adding her only into his plans where and when she could become a conflict or co-exists with his interests.

For his first step into his new life, he visited his boss, and laid down an ultimatum. Until further notice he would not only be not working any overtime, he would only stay working at the Caterpillar shop on a part time basis of four days a week. If it would come to a divorce, then when it did, he'd be earning less. He'd be able later to increase his earnings, if and when he needed to. But, for the time being he was going to invest more free time in his own self and his own interests.

His next step took him to the bank where he cashed in his 401k, and their savings account. He then went to a second bank and opened up a new checking account and savings account in his name alone. Their checking account he left open. Both he and she would use that account for living expenses and paying bills. But, all income of his would first go into his personal accounts to be processed from there. They only had one credit card, so he called them and arranged the one split into two accounts. One with only his name on it and the same limit they had before. The other was with both their names and a limit set at only $600. Cost it whatever it may, if and when she got her 50 percent from their assets, he couldn't stop her from taking any, but he would first see that he got as much mileage out of the money as possible, before.

When Susan pulled into their driveway a day later the first thing she saw was not his 8 year old Ford pickup, but rather a brand new silver gray, crew cab, short box Dodge Ram ¾ ton with a Cummins diesel engine. First pulling up next to it in the driveway, she wondered who was visiting.

The kids scurrying in around her yelled, "Hey dad, cool truck! Whose is it?" But, all they heard was hammering coming up from down in the basement. Dropping their bags, all three bolted into the kitchen and down the stairs leaving her standing alone in the living room wondering and confused. The temporary license taped on the back window of the pickup and the noise coming from downstairs, told stories.

Dropping too her bag down in the living room, she walked in only to the dining room and sat down with a sigh, in her chair at the dining table. The noise below her abated and she waited. Cindy, their oldest, was the first to climb back up the stairs, "Mom, daddy's fixing up the basement. He says his going to put in a party room for us and another bedroom and bathroom. He's already got the walls up. Isn't that cool?" Tugging at her mother's hand, pulling her up out of her chair, "You should take a look. Come on mom, it's going to be really neat!"

Downstairs she found Jonathan sitting on a pile of wallboard located in the new party room. The other two children were sitting on each side of him. He had his arms on the shoulders of Joey and Nancy talking and laughing with them. He had a sparkle in his eyes and a broad smile on his face.

Looking towards the doorway and her, he stopped talking in mid-sentence and the smile dropped from his face and his eyes turned cold. She blushed and dropped her eyes from him, turning to walk down the hall looking at the bathroom and the other two rooms being created.

She jerked in shock at the words then spoken behind her, "That room can stay as storage and the other room with the bigger window can be..." They both stood staring forward towards the rooms, each acknowledging but unable to accept his unspoken words. "Jonathan, it doesn't have to be this way," she finally gasped in an almost whisper.

Little Nancy slipped in between them and raised her arms up to her father. "Daddy, if Joey can, can I sleep down here with you too sometimes?" He pulled her up to him, rubbing the side of his face along hers and holding her tightly in his arms, breathing in the soapy fresh clean scent of her, to then give her a kiss on the cheek. "You sure can baby doll."

To Be Continued...