It’s In The Wrong Category Too!
History: A continuation to “It’s In The Wrong Category” by qhml1 published in 2014. I have contacted the author, and he has given his blessing. I strongly suggest the reader review the original story to understand this extension of his story.
Editor: des67 came to my aid by correcting my spelling and grammar mistakes and offering story flow advice.
Disclaimer: All characters involved in sexual situations are 18 years of age or older, and this is a copyrighted work of fiction.
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Prologue:
Jerry Stone was in his early teens when he started working part-time in his Uncle’s Bar. His first job was bussing tables and washing dishes. He went from that to short-order cook. When he was of age, he became the bartender, obtaining his bartender certificate.
Wanting to improve his horizons, Jerry enrolled as a mature part-time student in a College course for hospitality management. At college, he met Marie, an unhappy married woman. He and Marie had an on and off platonic relationship until her divorce became final. As a settlement, Marie received two car dealerships.
Six months later, on the eve of our marriage. Marie’s father (John Patterson), as chairman of the Briarwood Country club, using nepotism rules, declares. “Jerry, you can no longer tend bar at the Club. I can’t have my son-in-law working there. It would be a conflict of interest.”
However, he suggests Jerry becomes the manager of Patterson’s business enterprises, allowing John to semi-retire. Jerry loves Marie so much he is willing to forgo his passion for bartending so they can marry.
Two children quickly follow. We pick up Jerry’s life ten years on.
*****
Jerry’s story:
I’m now forty-two, my wife Marie forty-three. Our daughter Connie had just turned ten and Johnny eight. We all live in a spacious two-story, six-bedroom house Marie built eight years ago on the outskirts of town. With a Granny cottage for Grandma and Grandpa on the same property. I have been managing John Patterson’s business enterprises for the past ten years and have increased the profit margin by twenty-five per cent. While initially, it was a challenge, consulting with clients bringing in new business.
With help from the local IT company, we upgraded the office computer systems with networking, cloud backup service, finance, and payroll software over the last ten years. I now find the work a dawdle in the park and beginning to bore me. I can see why John took on the chairmanship of the country club to fill in time. However, I hate being locked away in a claustrophobic office all day, missing the social atmosphere of the bar.
Over the past three months, Jerry’s mother, Constance, has observed Jerry has become distant.
She consults Marie, “have you noticed Jerry’s lost some of his spark for life? It seems to have dimmed!”
Marie’s comments, “Yes, I put it down to the stress of managing Dad’s business interests.”
However, Constance feels there is more to it than that but keeps her council. She wonders about Marie and the long hours she has been keeping recently, as CEO of the car dealerships. On the other hand, Marie has noticed to her char-din Jerry’s sex drive has diminished somewhat. But didn’t want to tell her mother-in-law that.
Marie responds further, “I agree, Constance. However, Jerry never forgets anniversaries, birthdays and often puts a fresh rose in a small vase on her bedside table. Praises me for my beauty, especially when I have dressed up to please him. He notices when I have changed her hairstyle. But I, too, feel something is missing from Jerry’s persona. I just don’t know what?”
Marie has also become aware that Jerry is showing less interest in her business activities and often appears distracted. Does she wonder if he is having an affair? Over the past few months, work has kept back, often arriving home late to find the children in bed asleep and Jerry in bed reading.
Jerry told Marie the children to have a rule, ‘if mum’s not home by seven in the evening, the family will have dinner without her’.
My two children are the most important people in my life at present. I’m always interested in what they are doing at school, helping them with homework, taking them to sporting fixtures after school. The only advantage in managing John Patterson Business is it allows me to slip out for the children when necessary. Most weekdays, Marie is a way out of town at the car dealership.
On weekends Marie, being a very social woman, supposedly relaxes or entertains business people at the Country Club. However, as I cannot tend the bar, I decided not to be there, unless for special family occasions. So instead, the Children and I take the opportunity to go on adventures into the woods, walking trails in the area, ride bicycles on the local cycleways, or have a picnic lunch at the park playground.
*****
It was a Wednesday when I received an unknown email hailing from a Gmail account. Initially, I was going to delete it without further investigation.
However, the title “SHE MAY BE CHEATING…” Not the typical spam subject heading prompted me to look further. The message read:
“YOUR WIFE MAY BE CHEATING. HE’S A SLIMY BASTARD, A REAL SNAKE OIL CAR SALESMAN. A FRIEND.”
Now that I have read the email and taken in its possible implications. A couple of things stand out; first, the emailer knows I’m the unsuspecting husband and still married, the WIFE. Who hopefully is not yet physically CHEATING, perhaps only flirting with the SLIMY BASTARD. Most probably a seducer of married women and has a reputation. The sender also knows my wife manages the car yard employing said SNAKE OIL CAR SALESMAN. Finally, the unknown author personally knows me but hasn’t got the balls to tell me to my face.
I need to find out a couple of things, who is this snake in my garden, and how far has it progressed?
Borrowing my secretary’s car, I head for Marie’s most prominent car dealership, some one hundred miles away. I couldn’t ask for better timing. I arrive just as they exit the car yard. Marie gives him the keys to her Mercedes, and they head for the flash’s most expensive restaurant in town. My well-dressed nemesis is tall, maybe six foot two, clean-shaven, broad-shouldered, slim, fit, and younger.
I take a few snaps with my mobile phone when he opens the car door as she flashes her legs. Sheppard’s her to the restaurant door. I sit patiently watching through the restaurant window as they indulge in a long lunch. I take a few more photos as they exit with his arm around her waist, hand on her left bottom cheek. Thankfully they drove straight back to the dealership.
The pain in my chest felt like heartburn as I drove back to work. The question that ran around and around in my head, “WHY IS THIS HAPPENING, WHY?” I could feel the anxiety building. Halfway back, I had butterflies in my stomach feeling and had to pull over and throw up.
Back on the road, I wondered, we’re happily married with two beautiful children. Marie has everything, a loving family, a great home, and plenty of money. I’m attentive, try to be loving without becoming too gooey. We have sex at least once a month, and I make sure she gets off at least once. What more could she want? WHY would she want to cheat, not just on me but the children as well? Is it unfathomable!
Have I shown weakness by bending to Marie and her father’s will over the last ten years doing John’s bidding for Patterson’s business enterprises? I’ve given Marie and the children all my spare time, and this is how she repays me. Her apparent arrogance makes me wonder if she has lost respect for me? I felt like a zombie that evening, just going through the motions. Helping my children with their homework, we eat dinner together. They chat about their day and friends, then shower and into bed, where I read them a bedtime story. They were asleep by eight in the evening.
I’m in bed reading a novel when Marie finally arrives home late again after nine pm, claiming work duties. She’s upset she didn’t get to say goodnight to her children.
I responded with, “well, perhaps you shouldn’t spend so much time working and get home earlier?”
With a glass of wine in her hand, she responds with, “what?”
I continue, “I’m doing all the heavy lifting around here.”
She replies, “what’s that supposed to mean?”
I stated angrily, “you are never around anymore, early off to work, late home. I make the children breakfast and their lunches, drop them off at school, pick them up, and return home with them for their evening social activities. Deliver and watch their sports games on Saturday mornings, as you want to sleep late. By the time we return home around lunchtime, you are at the country club socialising. Sunday is not much better. By the time the children and I get back from church services and Sunday school, you’re gone again. Thank god my mum makes a great Sunday roast – you certainly don’t cook anymore.”
I finally blurted out, “let me put it in terms you will understand you’re looking more redundant by the day.”
I got out of bed, leaving Marie looking like a stunned fish. I don’t want to hear her rant, so I head for the spare bedroom. Maybe I’m a wimp, but it’s simply not worth the aggravation. I can’t stand the sight of her at the moment, let alone sleep next to her.
Thirty minutes later, she knocks on the door, saying, “Jerry, WE NEED TO TALK.”
I yell out, “fuck off.”
She just can’t help but get the last word in, “you need to wake up to yourself, Jerry…” Then to add insult to injury, she yells through the door, “…you’re not the man I married.”
I was so tempted to take it further there and then, but I bit my tongue; I needed to get all my ducks in a row!
*****
Marie’s gone by the time I get the children up for their school day. She obviously, thinks so little of our relationship and heated words of last night, our first in ten years. Am I off to work without any further discussion? She must think I’m a wimp of the first order; we will see about that. I was backing the car out of the garage for the school drop-off. When John approaches, tapping on the car window.
He tells me, “I need to attend to husbandly duties”. He’s received a phone call from, miss perfect.
He only manages to piss me off more, so I tell him everything is in hand. Then, on my drive to work, I decided to do something about the problem. I’m going to shake the tree and see what falls out.
I called Bob Brown, my solicitor, and made an appointment for two in the afternoon. At Bob’s office, I listed all my concerns for the past six months and showed him the email and the photos I took the day before. I also prove I’m the children’s primary carer, and Bob agrees she may lose them in any divorce settlement, especially if the children request to stay with me.
Bob recommends counselling. I disagree Marie needs a shock to wake her up as to what she could lose. I suggest, instead of divorce, legal separation papers for irreconcilable differences. Best served next Saturday afternoon at the country club to maximise her embarrassment.
Back at the office using my computer, I look up Caribbean Ocean cruises and make a call. After a discussion where I disclosed all my bar experience and management diplomas. They advise there is a position available on a cruise leaving port Sunday evening. A plane ticket will be waiting at the local airport on Saturday evening.
Thursday and Friday’s nights are a repeat of Wednesday. I do my ‘ father knows best’ imitation for the children and ignore Marie.
Saturday, after lunch with the children, I pack a small bag, then phone my mother to ask if she can mind the children as I have a bit of work to catch up on at the office. I leave my wedding ring on top of my bedside draws. Then head for the airport via the office to send a short email to John Patterson notifying him I am taking a week’s leave of absence from my allotted annual holidays, parking my F150 truck in long-term storage. Five hours later, boarding the cruise ship headed for the Caribbean as a member of the bartending staff.
All hell breaks loose at the country club that afternoon when Bob serves Marie the separation papers. Marie is so enraged, saying, “Bob, how could you?” Then slaps his face.
Arriving home, she is met by her father and mother-in-law, minding the children.
“Where the hell is Jerry,” Marie screams, looking around for him.
Her father gives her Jerry’s email he received late that afternoon. Does he demand to know what’s going on?
Marie shouts, “I just got served!” Then, handing them the separation papers, prompting her father to curse Jerry.
Her father declares, “if Jerry doesn’t have a good excuse for his absence, I will have no option but to fire him.”
Marie picks up her mobile phone and dials Jerry’s number. “It’s ringing,” she announces. In the distance, they can hear Jerry’s phone ring tone and follows the sound to the master bedroom. She looks disbelievingly at his ringing phone and wedding ring lying there.
Looking at Constance, who had followed her to the bedroom, she whispers, “what have I done to deserve this?”
Marie was stunned, in an emotional turmoil, unable to take it all in. Finally, she sits on the bed and bursts into tears.
Marie looks to Constance, sobbing out, “Jerry’s my lover, husband, and father of our children. So why would he feel the need to serve me separation papers and run away for a week from his family?”
Constance sits down next to Marie and questions. “We spoke of this the other day. Over the past six months, I have noticed Jerry has become distant, but you have also changed. All the CEO business has you very occupied. I’m sure Jerry has noticed as well. You once recounted, Jerry, telling you. ‘You’re way out of my league. You’re rich and beautiful. An unattainable dream’. Or words to that effect.”
Still sobbing, Marie nods her acknowledgement.
Constance goes on to say, “all your time-consuming business activities have only confirmed Jerry’s suspicions. I think he feels he doesn’t deserve you and is pulling away. Could I be right? Or…is there another reason?”
With no response from Marie to Constance’s question, she carries on. “Also, remember I told you, Marie, if Jerry feels forced into a corner, he will react and do something out of the ordinary, which is just what he may be doing now. If you love him, you need to find him, talk about his and your fears, before it all goes too far and both lose your connection to each other.”
Marie realises Constance has a good point. Contemplating for a moment, she responds, “You’re right. I have to hunt him down and sort this out. I’ll call the detective agency and see if they can locate him.”
Constance suggests, “he’s good at covering his tracks. Unfortunately, they didn’t do too well last time!”
“No. So I need a better detective. I’ll call my university classmate Alec*. He used one a few years ago.” Replied Marie, picking up her mobile phone.
*****
By now, Jerry is behind the bar on the cruise ship, chatting with customers, taking their orders, and generally getting to know them. He enjoys every minute before he realises it’s one in the morning and time to close up for the night. He wonders – why he stopped bartending?
One day later, the Acme detective agency* finds Jerry’s truck at the airport parking lot. Then discover his reserved ticket to Miami. And the connection to the cruise ship company. Unfortunately, the ship has just departed for a seven-day Caribbean cruise. Marie passes on all the detective’s findings to Constance. She asks if Constance can look after the children while she attempts to track Jerry down.
Marie books a cabin on the same cruise ship to board at the first port of call. Here the cruise ship will stay in port for two days giving her plenty of time to get there. Then booked a flight to the Island Port. Arriving late in the afternoon on the first day the ship is in port, she makes it aboard before the gangplank is raised.
That evening Marie finds Jerry working at the Jazz club bar, which is just his style. Marie dressed in her newest, little red dress, two inches above her knees, spaghetti straps, and plunging neckline. She makes her way to the bar. Taking a seat, asking for a “double shot of straight rye, with water.”
Jerry’s head swings around quickly, without comment, and makes the drink. Then, passing it to her, saying, “madam, your cocktail.”
Waiting a moment, Jerry acknowledges, “it didn’t take you long to find me this time!”
Marie responds with, “I hired a better detective.”
Marie sits at the Jazz bar counter, listening to music, being entertained by the merriment of the guests around her. Later, a pretty young woman arrives and sits at the other bar stool; her eyes start admiring Jerry. Marie gives her a cold stare, and she quickly gets the message and moves to a table.
Marie drinks slowly, admonishing all requests to dance, until the last song of the evening, when the bartender removes his apron and asks for the last dance. They dance close without speaking, their bodies touching at every possible point, being the last pair to dance as all the other patrons are too intoxicated. They all watch the couple’s bodies mould together with great interest.
As Marie departs, she gives Jerry a key to her cabin and whispers those four famous words again, “we need to talk!”
An hour later, Jerry knocks on Marie’s cabin door then opens it with the passkey. She sits on the bed in a skimpy, nearly transparent nightie that only covers her nipples, which point out like mountain peaks. Jerry sits in the chair, admiring her beauty. Marie’s stands, legs slightly apart, displaying her still firm, youthful body for his gaze. Jerry’s eyes are drawn to her pubis, and he notices she appears to have shaved, giving him instant arousal.
“Well, aren’t you going to say something?” Marie replies to my silence.
“I see you are clean-shaven again. Last month you had a full bush. Sure that’s for me?”
Marie bluffs, “who else would I let see me like this? I’m disappointed with you, Jerry. Let me tell you, damn straight…WHEN HAVE I EVER GIVEN YOU REASON TO DOUBT ME?”
Stretching the truth a bit, Jerry replies, “Okay, last Wednesday, I took the day off and travelled to your car dealership to take you for a surprise lunch. Guess what I saw?”
Fear gripped Marie’s face for the first time. Jerry could see the guilt shadow her eyes.
Stuttering, she lets slip, “…it was only a business lunch.”
“Not from what I saw. As the snake opened the car door, his eyes were on your short skirt as you flashed your long legs. His arm around your waist, walking towards the restaurant. You brazenly brushed your breasts against his chest as you entered. A gentle touch on your shoulder as he seated you into the chair. His hand lightly caressed yours during the meal while you swooned at his words.” Stated Jerry.
Marie’s face whitens.
Jerry carries on, “It was more than a business lunch. You forget I am a bartender. I know all the signs of a cheater – you were displaying them all. He’s just a male on the lookout for pussy and married pussy all the better the challenge. Especially rich married pussy. I thought you had more common sense, but he’s getting under your defences. It won’t be long before he’s getting into your panties.”
Jerry takes a punt, “And by the way, they were not only lunches, I know about the dinners as well!”
Jerry tosses the key onto her bed and leaves the cabin before Marie can start screaming at him and wake other passengers.
On the final day in port, ship staff is allowed to visit the area. That afternoon Jerry takes this opportunity to leave the ship with a backpack. Then, he hopped onto a bus headed for the airport, booking the first flight out to Miami, which is not until six in the evening.
Marie spends most of the night crying until she falls asleep, predawn. Waking near mid-morning, she partakes in a quick brunch, reads while sitting in a deck chair enjoying the afternoon sun and a warm breeze.
The jazz bar opens at four, Marie makes her way there. She sits on the same bar stool with a drink listening to the background music, people watching. Not seeing Jerry after an hour, she asks the bartender, “what time does Jerry start his shift?”
To her surprise, the bartender gets angry, grumbling, “this was my night off. Jerry left the ship and has not returned. Nobody knows where he is?”
“Shit,” Marie expounds. Looking at her watch, she has an hour before the gangplank goes up. While walking back to her cabin, she calls the Acme detective agency. Explaining, Jerry has JUMPED SHIP. Asking them to help find where he has gone. Then quickly packs a small travel bag and heads for the gangplank.
Acme got back to her within ten minutes. Explaining, Jerry has booked a flight on the six pm plane to Miami supplying his seat number. She asks Acme to secure her a business class ticket to be picked up at the airport, which they acknowledge.
Marie arrives at the terminal gate with five minutes to spare. She stays back, not wanting to alert Jerry to her presents. She leaves it to the last minute to board the plane.
Once into the flight, after a light meal. Marie wanders up the aisle, looking for Jerry’s seat number. Finding it empty, she assumes he is in the toilet. So she sits and waits for his return.
After thirty minutes, she gets worried and asks the air hostess where the passenger is for this seat number saying, “I’m worried for my friend’s safety.” A quick run through the passenger list shows the passenger missed the flight.
“Bastard,” she screams, waking nearby slumbering passengers. She stalks back to her seat, fuming.
While in flight, Marie has time to review current events. Yes, if she was truthful with herself, she knows Jerry has been unhappy at his work for a good while. It all started ten years ago when Jerry was forced to take on her father’s business enterprise. Although her father got in her head about Jerry being the breadwinner, her Dad insisted she keeps her money separate. So now she is asking herself why? Who cares? God forbid if we divorce, Jerry will get half anyway. And why can’t Jerry do the occupation he loves, bartending? All this bullshit Dad was going on about ‘conflict of interest’?
She concedes she is driven like her father, a successful businessman, in his own right. He was rarely home when she was a child. Always off doing the next deal to make more money and for what Mum died lonely. They never got to go on all those holidays, he promised. So she’s been blaming her lack of involvement with her husband and children’s lives on business activities, just like her father, and now realises that’s the excuse she has been using, like father, like daughter!
And while she would never cheat on Jerry, the flirting and attention of a younger man must have its appeal. Has she, in her arrogance, taken Jerry for granted and neglected her children? YES, to both. She has let him take over family responsibilities to save her the trouble. In all honesty, she got lazy and maybe even bored with her marriage. Well, that needs to change now.
Arriving in Miami, she books into the airport hotel. She is hungry and orders room service rather than put up with trade show guys trying to pick her up while eating in the restaurant. She orders a Greek salad with a bottle of Prosecco, preferably Australian.
Marie makes another late-night call to Acme, informing them, “Jerry is on the move again; please find him.” Over her meal, she thinks out her next strategy and realises she needs help and decides to “bring in the big guns.”
Phoning home, knowing it’s late, Marie speaks with Constance. Explaining, “Jerry has done it again!” Marie asks her to keep the children home from school tomorrow. She will ring at nine in the morning, their time to let her know the next step.
Meanwhile, back on the Island, Jerry has picked up a fill-in bartending job at a local resort Hotel and is now working his first shift.
He quickly established himself as a knowledgeable bartender and provider of information on various local tourist services, all part of being a good bartender. By the morning, Acme has found Jerry and informs Marie.
As promised, Marie phones home just after the children’s breakfast. Her Dad is in attendance. Using hands-free, she first talks to the children apologising for her absence. Explaining to them, she is chasing their father, who has been hiding from her.
Her daughter Connie pipes up, saying, “Daddy can be very good at hiding. When we go for walks in the forest, he often hides so well we can’t find him until he lets us.”
“Well, darlings, he’s doing it to me, so I need your help to find him. What do you think?”
“Yes, mummy,” they shout together. “Like a big adventure,” Connie adds.
When the children have left the room, she talks to Constance and her father. Advising them, she has booked flights for the whole family to Miami for later today. She will meet them at the airport.
Then tomorrow, they will fly to the island where Jerry is working and surprise him. “So bring your swimmers.
*****
The following day the family arrives at the hotel and books into their three-bedroom family suite. After dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, they wander into the music bar and dance area. Jerry is serving behind the bar.
Marie points him out to the children; they run towards him, shouting, “Daddy, daddy.”
Jerry looks up in surprise, recognising their voices, drops to one knee to hug them.
They are deliriously happy to see him and tell him of their big adventure flying on two planes to find him. Looking around, he spots his mother and her husband. Sitting at the following table is Marie. Making a round of drinks for the family, he walks over to the group with his children. He kissed his mother’s cheek, shaking hands with John, a quick peck on the lips for Marie.
As the night progresses, a few men ask Marie to dance, she repels all offers. However, when two young women arrive in short skirts, their breasts virtually falling out of the tops, sit at the bar and start flirting with Jerry, gets Marie’s dander up. They laugh like silly school girls at Jerry’s witty repartee.
Marie is about to get up when Constants puts her hand on Marie’s arm, saying, “it’s only harmless flirting – surely you have done that?”
Guilt clouds Marie’s mind, ‘yes and only just recently, but it may not have been so harmless’!
Looking at Constance’s eyes to see if she has any knowledge of Marie’s shame, she sees none and responds, “yes, you’re right, I’m overreacting.”
The mere thought that Jerry may appear attractive to other women has been long forgotten. Two young men show up a short while later, and all four young people are out on the dance floor. Much, to Marie’s relief. She could not believe how jealous she had become.
Whenever there was a break in the bar traffic, Jerry and Marie danced. Both, enjoying their time together. But at the same time, not feeling at ease with each other, knowing they have issues that need resolving.
By nine at night, Constance and John take the children to retire for the evening. At midnight with no further customers, Jerry closes the bar. He and Marie head up to the suite together.
They sit in the suite’s lounge area but neither cannot get started on any conversation. Jerry’s Mother and John come out of their room to help start negotiations.
Constance asks Jerry, “Please explain to John what is your grievance?”
Jerry responds, “bartending has been my preferred occupation for a long time. Silly maybe, but my dream nonetheless.”
I go on to say, “while it was a challenge, managing your business affairs John, is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m a bartender at heart, and that’s what I enjoy.”
Turning to Marie, “if Marie wants to become more socially attractive to younger men then, I will not stand in her way and watch her belittle our marriage.”
“I will agree to a divorce. Furthermore, Marie can keep all her companies and money. I don’t want any of it, just normal access to the children.”
Marie is shaking her head and quietly sobbing, whispering, “no, no, no, that’s not what I want.”
Jerry continues, “I may stay in the area until the children enter university. If the divorce is ugly, I’ll move to somewhere like Miami, Cuba, or the Bahamas to make a living. I could have the children for one month once a year if that suits you?”
Constance is now also crying.
John, shaking his head with a look of confusion on his face, saying. “What do you mean, Marie wants to be socially attractive to younger men? She has never shown any sign of doing any such thing!”
John was looking back and forth between the couple, not understanding any of it.
Jerry states, “perhaps you two need to talk. I’m off to bed. I work tomorrow.”
After Jerry leaves, John asks his daughter, “what does Jerry mean?”
Marie responds, “I am too tired to talk now Dad, we will resume in the morning.”
In disgust, John heads back to bed. While Constance stays behind to help calm Marie down, as she is still sobbing.
Constance asks Marie, “So what’s going on? Tell the truth, leave nothing out.”
Marie spills her guts, warts and all, about her liaison with a car salesman, Terry Smith.
Constance is taken back in surprise at Marie’s admission. Asks, “have you had sex with him?”
“NO,” cries Marie.
“But it’s a close thing, maybe emotional cheating. So Jerry saw enough to put together a scenario?”
“Yes,” agrees Marie.
Constance declares, “do you see this Terry Smith as a flamboyant and sexually thrilling person, a bit like Jerry was when you first met him?”
Marie nods slightly.
“That’s why you were drawn to him. The attraction to this Smith is because he makes you feel young again with his wooing and flirting. Somewhat reminding you of Jerry, fifteen years ago. Maybe this is the reason for Jerry’s escape?” Decrees, Constance.
However, Constance’s female intuition tells her there is a bigger underlying problem with Jerry’s self-esteem. And Constance offers another reason for Jerry’s behaviour.
Reminding Marie of her father’s ultimatum to Jerry, quoting John’s words to Marie, “I will never allow my daughter to have a husband she has to keep up.”
“This may relate to how much money you make, compared to Jerry’s meagre earnings and therefore his self-esteem as a husband and breadwinner.” Constance reasons.
Marie remembers one of her earliest conversations with Jerry back in their college days where he stated, “you’re way out of my league. I’d be a male Cinderella. You’re the unattainable dream.”
Constance’s voice breaks in on Marie’s memories, “Marie, you once told me you were the one who chased Jerry. If I remember correctly, you once told Jerry, ‘I promise you, as soon as I’m out of the situation I’m in, I’m coming after you.”
Marie clearly remembers saying those words and more to Jerry, ‘I’m going to pursue you relentlessly. Understand’.
Constance reiterates, “now, all Jerry sees is your wealth which puts you in another class. It’s hurting his ego and therefore destroying his self-image and your relationship together.”
She makes a final statement, “you need to get rid of this Terry Smith for once and for all. He is subtly insinuating himself between you both. Use your detective agency to discover his background and who he’s hooking up with. If the evidence is damning, then fire him.”
With those final words, Constance retires to bed.
Marie sits in thought for a long time, then phones Acme waking the agent up again. A moan comes down the line, “can’t you let a guy get some sleep. What now?” So she explains.
*****
Eight in the morning the following day, the family is having breakfast in their suit. Jerry arrives, bellowing hellos, hugs, and kisses all around.
He announces. “I have organised some island adventures over the next three days. Is everyone happy with that?”
The children give a loud cheer.
“Today, a private minibus tour of the island, with lunch at the Lookout restaurant.
The following day a boat ride to the outer reef with snorkelling trips or glass-bottomed boat tours to view the corals and fishes. On the final day, a deep ocean fishing trip. Unfortunately, I cannot attend any of these functions as I am working.”
All too soon, the three days are over, and the children must be back at school on Monday. They have a final dinner Saturday night and sit around the dance floor during the evening.
Where John and Constance dance and Jerry and Marie when there is a break in the bar service.
Getting a signal from Marie, Constance quietly tells the children, “it’s past your bedtime.” Grumbling, they give their parents a goodnight hug and head off to their suite.
Marie stays behind. Recognising she wants to talk, Jerry makes each of them a ‘double shot of straight rye, with water’.
They move over to the deck chairs on the patio overlooking the ocean. Away from the building’s glare, the full moon is evident; its light bounces off the undulating water producing ripples of reflected moonlight.
Marie prepares her thoughts, “Jerry, I’m very sorry for my actions of late. You have done nothing to deserve the emotionally hurt. I love you and have been a very foolish woman. Over the last three days, I have come to realise I love you today much more than the day we married. I want to grow old with you and become grandparents together”.
“I got so wrapped up in my business world I lost sight of what is truly meaningful in my life, my husband and family.”
Without a response from Jerry, Marie carries on, “In all honesty, part of my problem stems from my childhood. My father is a very driven man, and there is no other way to say it, ‘he ignored his family’. I am also driven, and I swore to myself as a young girl never to be like him, much to my shame I have.”
Jerry nods his head, so Marie finishes up, “I am NOT having an affair with Smith and have never embraced him or kissed him. But truthfully, I have flirted and perhaps encouraged Smith’s response. But that’s all finished. I have a plan to prove I’m yours and only yours. I won’t go into details now, but there will be some serious changes in my life and attitude to you and the girls by the time you return home. This short holiday has shown me what I could lose if we separate, so please give me a chance to repair the damage to our relationship I have caused. I do love you so very much.”
Jerry responds, “I too still love you, Marie, but in your arrogance, you have taken me for granted. Your disrespect, selfishness, and laziness have weakened my love. You need to become the loving wife you once were by showing respect for me as a partner and husband.”
Taking Marie’s hand, they stand and embrace, kissing like lovers, until they run out of breath. Jerry walks Marie to her suite door, and they kiss lightly.
Marie invites him in, but he refrains, saying, “it’s too soon.” With heavy hearts, they go their separate ways for the night
Jerry waves them goodbye at the airport Sunday afternoon. He had signed up for two weeks of bar work, with one to go. Fortunately, some of the tension has been resolved between them and their relationship renewed, and most important to both parents; their children had a great holiday. Something Jerry has decided all being well will happen each year.
*****
Over the next week, Marie puts the car dealerships up for sale. With plans to move all funds into a financial portfolio in their married names.
Doing this will allow her to manage accounts from home using the internet. So, now she can become a stay-at-home mother, make lunches, dinners and be involved with her growing daughters. Drop off and pick them up from school and sporting events. As an aside benefit, she will participate in the PTA and socialise with the other mothers. Be available for children as a more active parent and not one hundred miles away.
Jerry arrives home with a warm welcome from the adults and many hugs from his daughters. Who asks, “Do you have any presents for us?”
Later that evening, when the children are in bed, Jerry is surprised to discover Marie has decided to stop travelling to the car dealerships.
He asked, “Who is going to manage the business?”
Marie explains, “they are all up for sale and have had local businesses making promising offers on all.”
Proclaiming, “my money is your money, no more division of accounts. I am now on the cusp of becoming a stay-at-home mother, and I’m looking forward to it.”
She carries on to say, “as, for car salesman Terry Smith, his days are numbered.”
John Patterson decides to replace Jerry as manager of his business enterprise, promoting 2IC to the position. He also reviews his statement about Jerry and ‘conflict of interest,’ referring to country club employment.
He comes under pressure from both Marie and Constance. Evelyn and her friends, supporters of Jerry to reinstall him as bar manager. They were nagging their respective husbands, who sit on the Country club board, to change their position on conflict of interest.
Finally, the club board invites Jerry to become club manager and Susie’s bar manager under Jerry’s watchful eye.
In the coming months, Marie sells off all her car dealerships. Her only remaining job is to deal with the Acme detective report on Terry Smith.
The document on Smith is revealing, involving him with three married women. A co-respondent in a current divorce case, also the possible pregnancy of an 18-year-old woman. In the end, Marie does nothing with the report, deciding to wait until the dealership is under new management.
Later, when the report contents were revealed to the new owners. Smith was immediately fired and politely asked to leave town.
Jerry adjusts to a multitude of changes in his life over the past month, wisely accepting them. The family enjoyed a happy dinner at the Country Club, celebrating his promotion to the club manager.
Since his return, Jerry and Marie have refrained from sex, only cuddling, caressing, and kissing in bed.
With Marie showing a new outlook and a positive future, Jerry decides he has one last job to do. So later that evening, in their bedroom.
A smacking sound wakes Constance. After careful listening, she decides someone’s bottom is being spanked, punctuated by brief female cries of pain or maybe delight! A short time later, rhythmic slapping of flesh sound with a fair amount of moaning and groaning can be heard, followed by a small shriek from the master bedroom.
She drifts off to sleep happy. All’s well with the family.
The End.
* From Seduction of a Young Housewife: Alec, Acme Detective agency.
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