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Ben and Melissa Ch. 01

By: Matt Moreau



Ben Holden fumbled with his key ring as he exited the building where he was a paralegal for Milford and Saxe. He had thought to go directly home, but was eyeing the donut shop across the street. It was 6:00AM and he was flat burned out and hungry. He'd been up all night with some of the rest of the M&S high priced staff preparing documents and making last minute calls overseas for the firm's top litigator Dirk Grimes. 

To say it had been a long night would be an understatement of heroic proportions. Ben didn't mind the long nights though. The death of his wife the year before had left a hole in his existence that his work was being used to fill, or if not fill, at least mitigate. 

Glancing left he noticed a figure huddled in the doorway. It looked like a kid. Lots of homeless in the area, he knew. The perception was that the high rent district offered a safer habitat for those who could not afford a roof over their heads.

Feeling a little bit guilty about his relatively high standard of living, he approached the figure preparing to offer him a picture of Alexander Hamilton.

"You okay," he said.

"Fuck off asshole," said a female voice.

Well, he'd been wrong about it being a boy and, whoever she was, she wasn't a kid. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me. Fuck off."

Looking closer now, he estimated that the woman was in her forties, small of stature, and woefully short of good manners. "I was just gonna ask if you wanted to have a cup of coffee and maybe a donut or two," he said indicating the donut shop across the street.

He'd had no such intention, but he had changed his mind on hearing the desperation in her voice. Without the slightest reason in the world to give a damn, he suddenly wanted to know more about this fortyish foul-mouthed child of misfortune.

She looked up at him. Struggling to get up she managed to stand. "Okay, Santa, I could use a cup of joe. But, no funny business."

Ben threw up his hands indicating that he completely understood her meaning and agreed to her condition. "Absolutely," he said.

They started walking toward the shop.

"It looks like it's gonna be another cold day," he said as they walked.

"Like what else is new," she said.

"You don't have a warmer coat than that?" he said as he appraised her raiment. 

"You might've noticed; no limo came to pick me up," she said.

Ben was getting tired of the continued sarcasm, but for the moment had decided to write it off to a bitterness with life in general rather than anything directly related to him.

He stopped in mid-stride. The woman took a couple more steps before turning to see what the holdup was.

"I'm Ben. What'll I call you," he said.

"Melissa," she said.

They entered the shop and headed for the counter. A girl behind it was waiting on two other customers getting their morning caffeine fix. 

"Whatcha like?" said Ben, as it became their turn.

"Can I get two of those?" she said, and Maybe a coffee.

"Hi Melissa," said the girl behind the counter.

"Hi Dot," said Melissa.

"You know each other?" said Ben.

"Not really. Guys sometimes by me coffee here hoping to get into my pants. I guess you could say I'm kind of a regular," said Melissa.

He collected their tray and moved to a booth at the back. 

"Where do you stay? I mean really," said Ben.

"Around. Usually around here," she said.

Ben was thoughtful and she noticed it. "Look mister—Ben—I'm not into strangers banging me for donuts. Besides, what would your wife say?"

"Not married," he said. 

"Divorced eh," she said.

"Wife died a year ago. I'm unattached," he said.

She eyed him. She figured he was telling the truth. "Sorry. Bummer," she said.

"Yeah, bummer," he repeated.

"Whaddya doin' on the street," he said.

She snickered. "What is anybody doin' on the street," she said. "I'm poor."

"Want a job?" he said.

"What kind of job?" she said.

"What can you do," he countered.

"Well, I don't do what you do," she said indicating his thousand dollar suit.

"Let's try again. What was your last job?" he said.

"If you mean my very last job, I was paid to fuck somebody in that building you just came out of," she said. "But, my last real job was grocery checker," she said. "Before you ask, I hit the till for a hundred and they caught me. I spent six months in county. How's that for telling it like it is."

"Checkers make pretty good livings. You needed a C-note that bad?"

"Yeah, I did," she said.

Ben looked down at his coffee and stirred the inky contents of the cup. He drank it black; the stirring was his way to suspend time while he made up his mind. He made it up.

"I like your candor," he said. "Wanna place to stay? No strings."

She looked at him steadily weighing his motives. "Whaddya want with an old broad like me?" she said. "Why are you offerin' me a place to stay? I don't do windows."

"I could use a housekeeper, and we can talk about the windows thing," he said grinning.

She grinned back at him. "Any pay?"

"Don't know. I haven't thought about it," he said. "But, you'd have a roof. Maybe some new clothes. And your food for sure."

She leaned back in her seat and bit her lower lip. It had been unseasonably cold even in the day time. She was hungry most of the time anymore, and the clothes she had, really her rags, were limited to those on her back. She nodded.

"Is that a yes?" he said.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said. "At least I won't be hungry all of the time."

"Finish your coffee. We'll go home," he said.

"Don't you have to work?" she said. 

"As you may have noted, I was coming out of the building not going into it," he said. "I worked all night. I'm going home to crash.

"You on the other hand are going home to clean up and relax for a few hours. We'll talk this afternoon."

"Okay. I can do that," she said without a trace of sarcasm. "I should tell you though, I've never been a housekeeper. But, I can iron clothes and do dishes okay, I guess."

"That's a good beginning," he said. "I hate to iron clothes, and I'm definitely no good at it."

He liked the fact that she giggled at his last words.

******

They pulled into the manicured compound where he had his condo.

"That's it over there," he said as he headed for a two car garage connected to his two-bedroom two-bath self-contained unit.

"Nice," she said.

"It's okay. You'll have your own room and bath. I moved here after my wife died. Couldn't bear to be around the place we'd shared for so many years," he said.

"How long were you together?" she said.

He looked at her. "Twenty-two years. I figured we'd make sixty. I was wrong. Sometimes life fucks you up," he said.

"Yeah, I'm familiar," she said, seeming to grow pensive.

Going inside He showed her around the thousand foot residence. Her bedroom was small and spare. But the privacy it promised appealed to her. She hoped she could trust the guy. She'd had little reason to trust anybody in the three years since she'd been released from jail. Six months in the county slam didn't sound like much in the sayin' it. But, the doin' of the time was not fun. Plus it had almost guaranteed that she couldn't get a decent job, or any kind of job. Spreadin' her legs for assholes was the only way she'd been able to make a few bucks since her release. Oh yeah, she really hoped she could trust this guy; trust was everything to her.

"I'll get some sheets and stuff so you can kick back in here when you get cleaned up," he said. "Then, I'm goin' in there and crash. I really am dyin' right now," he said.

"Yes, that'll be fine," she said.

"Oh, and there's food and stuff in the frig. You can have whatever you want," he said. Mi casa su casa." 

"Thank you, Ben. Say, what's your last name," she said.

"Holden. Yours?"

"Trent," she said.

He'd set her up with the things she needed immediately, and, as good as his word; he'd headed for his own room, closed the door, and crashed.

She had time. She sighed and started to relax for the first time in months. She took a second look around. Small front room but nice, an even smaller dinette, a convenient kitchenette, and a built-in closet like service porch with a stacked washer and dryer hidden behind a pair of latticed doors. Comfortable, she thought, comfortable.

She threw her rags in the washer and headed for the shower. A half hour later, wrapped in a towel, she threw her now washed clothes in the dryer and went back into her bedroom and laid down while she waited for her clothes to dry. 

She wondered when he would put the make on her. She sure hoped she could get through at least a few days before he tried. And, when he tried, and he would, they all did, how would she react? Take it one day at a time, she thought, just one day at a time; it was better than sleeping in the damn doorways.

******

It was 3:00PM before he emerged from the bedroom. He was washed and refreshed. He smiled at her as she sat at the dinette sipping a soda she'd found in the frig.

"How are you feeling," he asked.

"Good. Relaxed actually," she said.

"We' have to go out and get you some clothes, and I mean now," he said. "We'll get a few things today and more next weekend when I have more time." As he spoke the phone rang.

He went to it and picked up the receiver. 

"Yeah?...Dirk!...Yes. Certainly, Mr. Grimes...By tomorrow...You got it." He hung up the phone and returned to the table. "Business," he said. "It's a big deal. I did the research on it. The big man wants the final drafts by tomorrow. Piece of cake, but I will be gone for a little while tonight.

"Anyway, let's go."

She put on her badly stained baseball cap and followed him out the door.

******

The shopping spree took some three hours. Ben had not done much of this kind of shopping when his wife was alive, and didn't do much of it now. Without a second thought, he gave Melissa his credit card and told her to take her time, and to get a few outfits and join him in the Happy Hour bistro at the entrance to the mall they had decided to do the shopping in.

"Any dollar limit, mister?" said Melissa as she left to do her thing.

"A thousand. Get what you need in makeup or other stuff besides clothes," he said. "I know females have needs us guys know not of." He smiled encouragement to her and shooed her off.

Sitting in the bar, he ordered a vodka neat and a beer to chase it with: his favorite combo. He was pretty sure that the woman would spend most, but not all, of the $1,000 limit he'd arbitrarily imposed. He wasn't filthy rich but he had money. His hundred-grand annual allowed him not to worry overmuch about expenses; and, he was a good saver. 

Ben Holden decided to commit himself to this woman's rehabilitation back into a decent life; it made him feel good about himself. Greta, his wife of twenty-two years would have approved. 

Her memory was half the reason he was going to do it. The other half of the reason was that for some reason the woman intrigued him.

He was on his third vodka and second beer by the time she arrived two hours and thirty-eight minutes later. He didn't recognize her.

"Geezsus!" was his greeting to her. "You look great," he said.

"I clean up pretty good," she said. She handed him back his card. "I straightened myself up and dressed in the restroom."

"Have a seat," he said. He signaled the bar maid over. "What'll you have?" he asked. 

"A red wine," she said. "It doesn't matter what brand or kind." She had put all of the bags she was carrying in to the third seat at the table.

They talked for some time. He didn't realize it at first, but at some point in their conversation he began to think of his damsel in distress as something else: a very desirable woman.

For her part the feeling was slower in coming. She had a whole lot of suspicion and bad experience to unload before she would trust any man enough to genuinely care about her. But, that said, she was at the least genuinely grateful. She made up her mind that when he made a move on her that she would reward him; after all, he had bought her over nine hundred dollars worth of female clothes and accessories. Hell, she'd been wondering how she was going to get a package of tampons when he'd showed up and offered to buy her a cup of coffee. 

"Ben, I don't know what to do with myself around here," she said. I'll be your housekeeper of course, as I said I would; and I'll do the windows too. But, at some point I would like to get a job. My record..."

"Let me see what I can do," he said. "I know a few people. But for the next few days just take it easy, watch a little TV, try and put on a little weight," he said laughing. "And, well, do the dishes," he laughed.

"Very funny," she said, in mock anger. "I've been watching my weight, and now I find a man who doesn't appreciate my efforts."

Ben just smirked, "Right," he said.

******

Over the next several weeks the pair settled into a routine, at least as much of a routine as Ben's job would allow. And, during that time a bond began to form between them that neither had expected. Then, one afternoon Melissa was sitting at the dinette table and looking out the window at Ben talking to a neighbor. 

For the first time she evaluated him as a man. 

Short, she thought, maybe five-seven. Muscular, a quick almost sudden way of moving, hair receding some, an intense expression that made one think of someone who was always very serious. She smiled at herself wondering what his cock might look like. 

Entering the house Ben plopped down on the couch. Melissa eyed him from her perch in the dinette.

"Everything all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, Mark and Joanne are moving out," he said. "Mark is making it an issue because some guy has been hitting on Joanne. He's been burned before and thinks getting out is the answer. I don't know what he can be thinking; it'll be same wherever he goes. He isn't thinkin' straight. She's just one of those women who has constantly hot pants."

"You mean, you, he, thinks his wife would cheat on him?"

"She has. It almost broke them up. But, they got help, and it saved their marriage. Anyway, I guess now he's gun shy."

Melissa nodded. She stared at him oddly for some moments.

"What?" he said

"Why haven't you hit on me?" she said. "I'd like to know."

He thought for a moment. "I told you that first day that I would keep my hands to myself. I don't lie and I don't take advantage of people. Plus, I don't cotton to the possibility of having my dick cut off in my sleep," he said.

"We should go out on a date," she said.

"Huh? A date? But I thought that you..."

"That was then and this is now," she said flatly. "How about it?"

"Well, okay—sure—I guess so," he said.

"You sound unsure. If I'm off base here..."

"No, no. You just caught me unawares. Aren't I supposed to do the asking—I mean the guy?"

"Normally, but I want to go out before the second coming of Jesus of Nazareth," she said.

"Well, okay then," he said. "We'll go out—uh—tonight."

"Good, pick me up here at 7:00," she said.

"But—we live here. I mean I'm already here—I mean..."

She was laughing. "How very convenient then," she said. And, she went into her room, closed the door, and didn't emerge for two hours. When she finally did emerge she was dazzling.

His mouth was the second largest gaping hole on the planet—the Grand Canyon was significantly larger.

She wore a lavender evening dress with a plunging neckline and a hem two to three inches above the knee. It was strapless. Her brown hair tumbled wildly down past her shoulders and gave her a savage but very female look. Her lips were painted red; her makeup otherwise was perfect, and she smelled like a field of flowers. In fine, she was freakin' beautiful.

"Sweet Geezsus," he said, finally finding his voice.

She snickered and laughed at his appreciation of her efforts.

******

The dinner was exquisite, the songstress in the piano bar fabulous, and the sex afterward the best he'd ever had.

As they left the bar, she'd asked for the keys to the car. They had parked at the back of the dark lot because when they'd entered it was all that was left; it had given her an idea which she had kept to herself until now. He looked questioningly at her, but handed her the keys. She opened the car door, reached in and unlocked the back door on the passenger side, and relocked the front door once again.

"What's going on, Mel? I can't drive the car from the back seat," he said.

"No, but it's easier to drive that boner of yours into me in the back than in the front seat," she said.

He smiled. "Kinky," he said. Seated in the back, with the windows already steaming up in the cool of the evening, he held her close and lightly kissed her lips. His hand slid slowly up and down the length of her torso. She smelled great.

She was so pretty even in the dim reflected glow of the bistro's outdoor lights. His hand rested gently on her breast and she just smiled and patiently waited for him to take her. He brushed her hair from her eyes and kissed each of them.

He cradled her face in his hands and then slowly deliberately reached for the button on the back of her dress and undid it; he slid the zipper earthward. He peeled her dress down. She wore no bra and her nipples were stiff as rivets. He leaned in to kiss them. He fondled them for some minutes kneading their softness as though he were afraid that they might not be real. She purred at his efforts.

He finished slipping her dress all the way off.

She leaned back against the car door behind her and raised up a little, so he could slide her panties off. She was naked and beautiful and her beauty almost seemed to freeze him in time. He just stared at her, afraid to break the spell. She waited.

He started undoing his own shirt buttons and soon was able to discard it. His shoes, already kicked off, were followed by his pants. He started to yank his underpants down, but she stopped him. Hold on for a minute Casanova; let a lady imagine things for a bit before you do her," she said.

"You are so wonderful," he said. "I didn't realize until tonight just how wonderful."

"You're pretty all right in my book too, stud." She reached out and felt his cock through the material of his boxers. She looked up at him smiling. "Nice." She peeled his underwear down and off.

He leaned in and they kissed and cuddled for some minutes before the urge to do her became too strong to deny. He pushed her back flat on the surface of the seat and bent down to kiss her mound. He began to lick and suck and penetrate her with his mouth and tongue. In a short time she shuddered and jerked and stiffened as a wave of small orgasms seized her.

He loomed above her his cock swaying just above its goal. He guided it to her pussy lips and pressed for entry. She was so wet from his earlier oral ministrations that he literally slipped into her. He slammed his cock home in one merciless thrust; she let out a small scream. He slowly fucked her spearing her with some force.

Melissa began crying. She was happy but emotional as could be. Ben became worried.

"Mel? Are you okay?" His face betrayed his genuine concern.

"Oh, my yes," she said. "This is one of the happiest nights of my life."

"In that case..." He resumed fucking her but now with hammer like thrusts that brought forth guttural noises from him and gasps of desperation from her. Soon he was slamming her with a force that rocked the car. He jerked and spasmed as an orgasm of Olympian proportions engulfed him. He collapsed on top of her. It was now he who was gasping for air.

She forced him to switch places with her and she began to suck and lick him to hardness once more.

She positioned herself with her butt thrust back daring him to do her doggy-style. He obliged her, wrapping his arms tightly about her torso as he fucked her savagely for some minutes; she came again.


Ben and Melissa Ch. 01



They fell into the seat and into each other's arms. "Wonderful," he breathed.

She held his chin in her hand, "Oh yes."

He pulled his pants back up as she fixed herself for the drive home. Still seated in the back, he turned to her; he had to ask. "Why in the car?"

"I planned it. No, not tonight. Not even since I met you. Long ago, a very long time ago.

"After I got out of jail, I had a look back over my life and tried to figure out where I had gone wrong and when. I never was able exactly to pinpoint that, but I was sure about one thing."

He nodded for her to go on.

"The last good night of my life that I can remember—until now, Ben—was a night with a guy in the back seat of a car. He was kind and gentle and loving and not too bad as a lover: we were young. 

I wanted to start my life over again, when I got out, and I decided that if I ever got the chance I would start it over with that night in the back seat of a car and be real careful about my choices after that, real careful.

"Anyway, that's why—the car—us—tonight," she said.

"I see," he said.

******

That had been six years earlier. They had made the conscious decision to live together long term—really forever—without, however, getting married. But, in most respects their bond was more than any married bond could have been; it was based on mutual trust and dependence. She never did do windows and they had no children, but they had each other: he the recovering widower and she the former thief. 

Everything went well, until three months ago. 

Mel had become distant, bored, tired, and less than communicative. Ben became suspicious.

In the law profession, at all levels, those engaged in it become inured to the foibles of human kind. It is almost as if some among the gross of the population are incapable of reasoning or at least caring to reason and let themselves be suborned by outside pressures.

Melissa was not bored with her life though at times their routine could become problematical. And, nothing would have moved her to do what she finally did except for one singular happenstance: the arrival of Jerry Cummings.

******

"Melissa Trent," said the voice behind her.

She turned and looked into the eyes of the man. He was a man now. But he'd been a boy then: the boy who had taken her in the back seat of that Chevy so long ago. She couldn't speak at first; she just stared.

"Jerrry?"

"You remembered. That makes my day," he said smiling broadly.

"What—where—how?"

"I moved here last month. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you were living here. Looks like you've prospered," he said.

For a moment she was speechless once again. "Jerry—I—let's have coffee," she said. "I have a million questions. At least I think I do."

"Me too," he said. "You look great. You're married right? Otherwise we'll be getting a license before this day is out."

His last words should have clued her; they should have been a sign of impending trouble. But, she was so taken up in the circumstances and the shock of seeing him after thirty years that she wasn't thinking clearly.

"No, well sorta, Jerry, and I'm happy. He's a very good man; I lucked out," she said.

They'd been sitting in the restaurant for sometime brushing up on the five W's plus H.

"Too bad for me," he said. "I was kinda hoping..."

"Jerry, how did you find me?" she said.

"Do I have to say?" he said, smirking.

"Yes, it is so weird," she said.

"I hired a private investigator. The PI found out about your time in county. He also found out that you had recently applied for and gotten a new credit card; that made finding you a piece of cake, or so he told me. But, he said he couldn't find out if you were married or not; he concluded that you were not. What does 'sorta' mean, if I might ask," he said.

"I have an arrangement with my lover. We're not legally married as in a church or justice of the peace or whatever, but we are committed. Kinda common law, if you know what I mean. We've been together six years," said Melissa.

"Then the way I figure it," he said, "I have a chance."

"No Jerry, you don't. I love you to pieces, but not that way, not the way I love my Ben."

"Don't mind if I dream a little do you," he said. "I will anyway no matter what."

She laughed at his persistence. "No, go ahead and dream, Jerry; but Jerry, it ain't happenin'."

He just smiled amiably.

They talked for some time. "Anyway," he said, "my company, Software Design, has decided to open an office here, so consider yourself under siege."

"Jerry!"

"Well, anyway," he said, "

******

End of Part one of three 



Ben and Melissa Ch. 02



Six years earlier:

Ben came home with a huge smile on his face. He walked up behind her while she was doing the dishes and pressed himself against her butt. "I Got good news. Wanna hear?"

She turned, put her arms around his neck, kissed him, and nodded. "Sure. What good news?" she said.

"You, dear heart, have a job!"

"You're kidding right?"

"No, I put out feelers, and three companies are willing to let you start immediately," he said. "You just have to choose which one you want to favor." He hugged her tight and she gasped for air.

"I love you," she finally said.

He handed her the three written job offers, and she sat at the table and leafed through them" A print supply company, and public relations firm, and a supermarket chain—well, she'd had experience with the latter.

"I will choose by tomorrow, she said. And, that had ended the discussion for that night.

******

The next morning, she could still recall, she'd gotten up and put the coffee on. She sat at the kitchen table; Ben was still in bed; it was Saturday. She'd wanted to do public relations for a long time, even before she had met Ben, even though she really didn't have a real grasp on what that the job would actually entail. She and Ben had talked about it. She knew that if she went that way she'd be dealing with people and even companies and her life would be on track once more after having had it messed up pretty good. 

But, now six years later, Software Design had bought out her company, and she was working for S&D same as Jerry, and he apparently didn't even know it yet. But, she knew from working with Harold Miller, her companies CEO that the news was still under wraps, which explained his ignorance. Harold still needed to lay it on his employees, some of whom were be laid off.

If she kept the "new" job with Software Design, Jerry would be around all of the time. She wanted to see him but only as a friend, at least so she assured herself now. And yet, if Jerry was never going to pose a threat to her Ben; then, why hadn't she seen fit to tell Ben about him. She suddenly knew why: she was vulnerable. Jerry was the only man on earth capable of seducing her, and she was certain he would try. She would fight him off, but deep in her subconscious mind she was mortally afraid that she would fail.

Ben woke late, almost 10:00AM. He was in an amiable mood when he came down. "How now snookums," he said. "Got any news for me? You gonna stay with the new company?"

She felt giddy as she phrased her response. "Yes," she said.

"Fine," said Ben, "I will call and let Alex know today."

"Whose Alex?" said Melissa.

"Alex Harnett. He owns the company, S&D. We've done some legal work for him in the past, and I became good friends with him and his wife Karen over the years. He called me some months ago and let me know that he was opening a base here. He actually offered me a job. I turned him down of course; I like my current job, in fact I love my current job. It was because of us, Milford and Saxe, that he picked up your firm instead of somebody else."

Melissa looked at him and her mouth hung open for several seconds. "You mean it's because of you," she said getting it. 

"Actually, it was because of Dirk Grimes. But, I will take credit for mentioning the idea to him."

"Geezsus!"

"Honey, you're not mad at me are you?" said Ben.

"No, no, I guess not. But, just how much influence do you have, may I ask," she said.

"I don't know. Alex and I are friends. If I give him a good idea he'll consider it, but he's got a company to think of. What's your point," said Ben.

"Ben there are thirty three employees in our company and as many as a third of them are in danger of being laid off. Could you do something about that?"

"Wow," he said without enthusiasm. "I guess I could try. No promises, the bottom line rules in most of these cases."

She nodded. The idea came to her that she might ask Jerry to help her with the situation too. She didn't yet know what he did for S&D, but if he were high enough up, maybe...

"I just feel bad, especially in this stinking job market, for my coworkers," she said. "Please, Ben, do what you can."

He took her in his arms and held her tight. You are a good woman," he said. "I love the heck outta yuh."

"I love you too, big guy," she said.

"Say let's go out tonight, I have something to celebrate, and I want you with me," he said.

They way he sprang it on her made her suspicious, but she nodded her agreement. "Sure. You can't tell me what it is, I take it," she said.

"Hmm, I could, but then I'd have to kill yuh!" he laughed uproariously.

******

Working with Jerry would be so exciting, but so potentially risky to her relationship with Ben. She had grown very fond of her good man. Did she want to risk everything for the sheer thrill of working with her sexy guy? In the end, she could not resist the chance to work with her girlhood squeeze. And then there were the other employees, all her friends, that she would be abandoning. She decided was going to stay with S&D.

Her interview with the S&D firm, went well. They offered her good money, the best she had ever been offered, and the people seemed nice. She was still a little shaky though given the fact that she would undoubtedly run into Jerry and that very soon. It turned out to be sooner than either of them expected.

She was coming out of her interview when he spotted her. "Melissa?"

"Jerry. I guess we will be working together," she said.

"You're working here? Here at S&D?" he managed to say.

"Yes, in public relations."

"My gawd! I love it. I gotta go. I have a meeting in three minutes, but we're doing lunch and you're gonna be doing a lot of explaining," he said, only half in jest.

She stood there sweating. She hadn't even been able to say yes or no. He just assumed she would go to lunch with him. This was not good. It was too soon. Too not within her ability to control. But, why was she worried; it was only lunch. Besides he hadn't said when, where, anything.

Jerry didn't show up for lunch that day, and she relaxed. She had a dinner or celebration or whatever to get ready for. She wondered what Ben was so excited about.

******

They'd arrived at seven. The Maitre 'D seated them in the middle of the room; she had no way of knowing, but Ben had arranged it that way. The restaurant was busy, and Ben wanted it that way too. He stood, walked around the table to her chair and knelt in front of her. He opened his hand and held it forth in front of her. The two carat ring he had purchased a few days before glistened in the light of the chandeliers. 

"Will you marry me, Melissa? Will you be my wife?"

The look on her face was a mix of shock and happiness. The emotions she was dealing with completely overwhelmed her. Jerry was forgotten, everything was forgotten.

"My gawd yes!" she said. Half the place applauded. 

They danced for hours and kissed endlessly, and swore undying love, and it was wonderful.

The wedding two weeks later was small and nice and in a nearby chapel. Friends from both of their firms were there including Dirk grimes and Alex Harnett. In the middle of the reception, both Dirk Grimes and Alex Harnett got up to make a toast, well, it was more an announcement. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, family, friends: Mr. Harnett and I would like to toast our favorite newlyweds," said Dirk Grimes. "May they live long and prosper and support and love each other every day of their lives." Everyone touched their glasses and sent up the expected chorus of here-here's and yeah-yeah's. Then it was Alex Harnett's turn.

And, I'd like to say a word to the bride, whose big heart has touched my own.

Melissa looked at him and knitted her brow. What was this about, she wondered. She looked at Ben, but he looked innocent.

"I would like you Melissa to pass the word to your coworkers at Hadley and Tudor that all of their jobs are safe. My gift to you on your wedding day."

Melissa jumped up, still in her wedding dress, ran to the front, almost tripping on the way, wrapped her arms around the CEO of the company where she was about to start the second stage of her career with and planted a huge kiss on his shocked lips. Everybody cheered. Ben joined her up front and they all stood for pictures and then settled in for the party.

Everything was hunky-dory. They honeymooned in Cancun at Mr. Grimes' expense. And then, they went home to live the lives of a married couple.

******

It wasn't until about a year after the wedding that chinks began to develop in the Marriage. I had no idea what was causing Melissa to be...something. I was only later that I discovered that Jerry had come home to roost, or more accurately to do rut. 

******

Disaster struck on the fifteenth of the month a little over a year after our nuptials. I always had a meeting on the fifteenth; it was clearinghouse day for all of the cases we had completed the research for or had otherwise taken out of our hands—ours meaning the paralegals. Today's meeting had been cancelled. 

I got home early. I parked in the driveway and keyed the front door loosening my tie and taking off my sports coat, all in one continuous motion. As I entered the living room and closed the door behind me. I heard laughter. It was coming from Melissa's old room, now the guest room, and the door, as usual was closed. At first I thought she was laughing into the phone. But, then I heard a male voice.

"How long do we have. Can we do it again?" asked the man.

"Yes, I guess so. It's still too early for Ben to be coming home. He always stays till after 4:00 on the fifteenth. You should know that by now," she said.

"Why do you stay with him? Why don't you move in with me?" said the male voice.

"Lover, I am still practically a newlywed, and he is my husband, and I love him?" said Melissa.

"Then why do you fuck me every fifteenth of the month?" he said.

"Because I love you; I love your cock. You do have a nice cock. You're longer than Ben," she said. Then they laughed again.

"Do you feel him inside of you after you've fucked me?" said the man.

"Yes, I guess. He's not that small. He's gentle with me; he's better than you in that way," she said.

They laughed again. "He's a wuss, and you're going to get it for that," he said.

"Promises, promises," she said. "And don't call him names; we've talked about that. Ben's a good guy; don't call him names."

"Okay, okay, but he's still wuss and not nearly enough for you regardless, or you wouldn't be banging me," said the man.

"Yeah, well maybe so, but I still don't want you bringing him up, okay. Now get busy and fuck my ass," I heard her say. That killed me; she had always denied me that particular item, and this really added insult to injury.

"Okay," he said. "And, remember this is for me only, no wusses allowed," and they both laughed.

"Ouch, go slower, big boy, that's my butt not my pussy," she said.

I was sick to my stomach and filled with anger and hurt to an almost unimaginable degree. But, I had been working in a law office far too long to engage in tantrums. I was not going to run in there helter-skelter and ruin my opportunities for revenge by tearing the asshole up and kicking my supposed loving wife out. No, this I had to plan for: I might be a de facto cuckold, but I was not going to be a willing cuckold. Not even. I left in a hurry. I got two blocks down the street and pulled into a taco-tia. 

I called Rex, a best friend. Rex Coleman was a PI who worked for Adele Carter, one of our fellow members of the bar. Adele had worked with my Mr. Grimes on several cases and had loaned us Rex on as many occasions. He and I spent a lot of afterhours time hanging one on after a tough case, at least we had in the old days before Melissa and I had gotten ourselves married.

Adele Carter was a specialist. She handled divorce cases only, and only for the offended parties be they the husband or the wife. For my money she got the good guy award when it came to lawyers. The added benefit is that she was very, very good at what she did, and Rex was essentially her hired gun.

"Rex...yeah Ben...can you get over to the taco-tia by my place fast, like an hour ago...yeah it's important. My wife's cheating on me in my own house...yeah I fucking know it's only been a year...okay, I'll be waiting." I hung up. Seven minutes later Rex was there. 

We headed over to the condo. I let us in as quietly as I could. We heard them inside still getting it on. He put a stethoscope like item up against the still closed door, and punched the button on the recorder. He handed me the camera and told me to go outside and take pics of all of the cars and their license plate numbers. 

Five minutes later he met me behind a dumpster near my garage. "I got what we need for the moment, Ben. You want me to stick around for a while?"

"No. I got it. I want the asshole followed though. I want to know who he is and where he lives, the works."

"You got it. Whaddya you going to do? Nothing stupid I hope."

"No, I'm going to call her and tell her I'll be home in fifteen minutes. That'll breakup their little party and give him a chance to escape."

"Then what?" said Rex. 

"Not sure. I'll call you tonight and let you know," I said.

"Okay. I'll be waiting for your call."

We waved our goodbyes and I was on the phone before he was even in his car.

"Hi honey...yes, it's me...I'll be home in fifteen minutes...the meeting got out early...yes, me too." I closed the cell and waited. The house was only two minutes away. 

I decided to have a taco. The taco-tia was on the corner and there was a signal light. I was munching down when I spotted the Beemer. It was one of the cars I'd gotten the plate numbers from. The driver was a man, fortyish, not bad looking but no Brad Pitt: had to be her lover.

I finished eating and decided to head on home. I felt strange. I felt in control; not good, I was still sick at my stomach and white hot angry; but I was under control. 

I already had some evidence: enough for an annulment probably, but I wanted more. I wasn't sure why I wanted more. Maybe I just wanted overwhelming justification for how I was going to destroy them.

The irony was that I still loved Melissa. Even after hearing his insults and her the laughter at those insults. The breakup was going to be painful when it came. Did I want to crush her? No, she'd had a shitty life, and even though she was shitting on me, I just couldn't bring myself to hate her that much. What a strange and powerful thing love was; it made no sense.

I pulled in to the garage. I had to decide if I wanted sloppy seconds. I was pretty sure she was going to be nice to me. She'd already be showering and cleaning herself up; I was sure of that. 

I knew she hadn't had time to clean up the guest room yet. The tableau about to be played out was going to be pretty funny on some level. 

I let myself into the house. Sure enough, she was in our room showering. I noticed that the door to the guest room was still closed. I was trepidatious about looking inside; I was afraid of the potential for more hurt, and I was hurting bad already. 

Opening the door I was surprised to see the bed made. The room looked about the same as it always did: clean and orderly. That is it did except for one thing: it smelled like sex, and the smell was strong. The window was open, and in a few hours it figured to be less obvious, but I was betting that the bed was made with the cum covered sheets still on it. She'd have to get me out of the way for a couple of hours to do laundry. That was going to be interesting since I really did want those sheets.

I went to the dirty clothes hamper and checked it out. Nothing interesting there, there was no reason for there to be; they'd have been naked to have their little tryst. 

I went into the kitchenette and got a beer. I popped the cap and tossed it in the trash can under the sink. Bingo! Ripped panties. Well, she'd done what she could to cover herself. To be fair, I hadn't given her a whole lot of time. The panties were covered with cum; he'd obviously wiped himself clean on them, her maybe too. I got a baggie and put the evidence inside; this was getting good, I thought.

I'd heard her tell him that she loved me, small cock and all. I wondered if she really did. I didn't know if it mattered anymore; she'd betrayed me and us, but I really did want to know. I wanted every fucking answer I could get, and I was going to get them.

"Hi hon," she said, coming out of the bedroom drying her hair."

"A shower in the middle of the day?" I said, smiling like a possum.

"Yes, I was feeling gunky," she said. She noticed that the guest room door was open and her face paled, but she recovered in a hurry. She closed the door. "It's mildewy in there. I will have to change the bedclothes more often, I guess. I'll do laundry later."

Slick I thought, very slick. She'd be doing the laundry right under my nose. I had to think of something.

She went back into the master bedroom. She still had to dress. I had an idea, but I had to figure a way to implement it. Maybe if I could get her out of the house for half an hour or more, I could do the laundry for her and take credit for being a good husband. A good husband too stupid to notice the cum stained sheets? That was very iffy. I just made up my mind that I'd have to sell her on it. Then it came to me. 

I wouldn't have to get her out of the house at all. I just had to make sure that she couldn't do the laundry till I was ready to have her do it.

I went to the stacked washer and dryer in the closet and pulled the front panel off of the washer unit. I reached in and yanked the power wire off of its terminal. No laundry would be done today. In fact, no laundry would be done until I could get a friend of Rex in to fix the wire. Oh well, nailing a cheater was not always convenient.

By the time she reemerged from the bedroom, I had the panel back on and was nervously hoping she wouldn't discover the inoperable machine until it was impractical to do the laundry today. I just needed her to go to work the next day with the sheets still on her adulterous bed.

"You look good," I said. "How about you and I going out and having some fun?"

I could see she didn't want to go. "Honey, I..." She stopped. She could see I was going to be disappointed if she turned me down. I guess the realization that she'd fucked me over just an hour earlier made her change her mind. I suppose she thought that throwing a bone to the cuckold wouldn't kill her. "Honey, I would love to. Where should we go?"

"The Round Tree is our special place," I said. "Let's go there for early drinks and stuff, and then dinner and dancing. I really am in the mood," I lied.

******

Dinner was good, it always was at the Round Tree. Everything was normal except the state of my stomach. She noticed that I did not use any Tabasco sauce. I used to brag that I could drink Tabasco with a straw. I used it on everything but ice cream, or so it seemed.

"No Tabasco?" she said. 

"No, I felt a little queasy earlier today, and I'm not going to push it," I said.

"Are you okay? You wanna go home. I can think of a couple of ways to make you feel better," she said smirking.

I almost threw up right then. The whore was going to allow her wussy, cuckold husband, to have a nice charity fuck. At that moment wanted nothing so much as to send her straight to the seventh pit of hell. The last vestiges of love that I had felt for her vanished. Only a cold, nascent hatred remained. My revenge was going to be total.

******

I didn't call Rex that night, but at work the next morning I did. 

"Rex...yeah...sorry I didn't get back to you last night...not we went out dancing and stuff...yes...I want to destroy them...please get me what I need...don't worry about the cost...I especially want his ass...exactly...see if he has an ex-wife or something that he screwed over...yeah, yeah...who knows. I hung up. The die was cast.




Ben and Melissa Ch. 02



Shakespeare said it best: "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a 'husband' scorned." Okay, so I paraphrased him a bit; under the circumstances I didn't think he'd mind.

I had lunch with a client and two secretaries that day. Margaret and Sonia were the best. After the client had left and was satisfied that his legal needs had been met; the two women sandbagged me.

"Ben, we've been together how long?" said Sonia.

"I don't know. Maybe fifteen years?" I said.

"Yes, and Ben I know you. We both do?" said Sonia. Margaret nodded. I wondered where this was going.

"Ben, you're not yourself, and I think, we think, we know why," said Margaret.

"What are you talking about?" I said growing impatient with the two of them.

"You're having problems with Mel aren't you?"

"What?" I was getting really antsy. How could they possibly know anything. It had only been for the last couple of days that "I" knew anything. Then it hit me. They knew before I did. But then if that was so, why did they not tell me. They were my assistants, not my wife's.

I looked from one to the other. I was about to become hopping mad. "Lay it on me," I said. They could see I was in no mood for riddles.

Sonia took up the flag. "She has a visitor for lunch no less than three times a week, Ben. It's always the same guy, and always at the same place: the Round Tree."

"May I ask how you know this?" I said.

"We eat lunch there almost every day. They don't really know us even though we've met Melissa a number of times at our firm's do's. When they're there, they only have eyes for each other," said Sonia.

"We've wanted to tell you, Ben, but we've been nervous about it. They never really did anything, and they never left together. So what did we really know," said Margaret. "But, seeing you the past couple of days; well, a woman can tell."

"I see," I said.

******

For the next two weeks, I played it cool. I was amazed at how cool and calm I was able to remain. I even fucked her a couple of times without having to give up my lunch. And there was the plus that Rex was on the job and evidently collecting all kinds of dirt on Mr. Cummings.

"Yeah, it turns out that our mister big dick just missed spending ten years in the slam for embezzling funds. That's why he's here. He was run off from his old job, but avoided jail when he returned most of the money. That got him a suspended sentence ala nolo contendere," said Rex. 

"Nice," I said.

"There's more. I snooped around. He may be doing it again. I mean with the company he's with now. A friend of mine is an accountant. He's independent, but he does work for S&D sometimes. There are some irregularities in accounts that our loverboy is responsible for. But, it'll take an all out audit to find out for sure, he told me."

"Anything else" I said. He knew I meant in regards to my wife.

"Her call log at the company has him calling her almost every day; usually, in the late morning. And, on the fourteenth of every month he reserves a room for the fifteenth at the Round Tree. At least they did every month until last month," he said. Well, we both knew why that was the case didn't we, I thought: it was because they were at my house. "Ben, it's been going on for a year. They're as predictable as the sunrise." 

It turned out later that the reason that they had been at my house was because of a convention at the Round Tree, and there had been no rooms available. I wondered whose genius idea it was to use the condo; it was that mistake that was going to sink their ship.

I had sworn my assistants to secrecy and they'd been happy to cooperate.

There was more from Rex: emails, bar tabs, the usual; but what I'd heard so far was enough. There was just one final act to play out before I went for the jugular. The fifteenth was now only a week away. I bided my time.

Rex was able to get the room number for the dynamic duo's little fun day without any trouble. The room was bugged, and a video set up to capture all of the thrilling scenes to be acted out. I decided to let them have the full time. Let them have their thrills; the afterglow, I was certain, would not be what I'm sure they'd been used to.

They arrived, they checked in, and went directly to the room; we waited. At about 3:00PM they came down. I saw them kissing as they exited the Otis. They did look like they were in love. Even though I was over my white hot anger by then, it hurt me to see her and him together; it hurt a lot.

Rex walked right by them as they came into the restaurant. He had some collecting of evidence to do in the room that they had so recently occupied.

As they neared where I was sitting, she saw me. She went white as a sheet and dropped the hand that she had been holding.

"Ben!"

"Yeah it's me. Glad to see me?" I said as affably as I could manage. "Have a seat; we can have some lunch. I know you must be hungry. Sex does that to people."

"Ben, I—"

"No, no, really, have a seat," I said. I signaled the waiter to come over. 

"Menus, please," I said when he got there.

All this time Jerry was rooted to the ground and very quiet. Melissa started to sit down and he was about to follow her example. A look from me stopped him.

"Whaddya think you're doing, asshole, can't I at least have lunch with my wife without you hanging around like some pussywhipped puppy dog!"

He was startled. "Hey, wait a minute. You can't..."

"Asshole, you really don't want to piss me off more than I already am. I've got you by the balls six ways to Sunday, and I am about to castrate your high school ass, so get the hell outta here, and I mean immediamente!"

He glanced over at Melissa whose eyes were tearing up something awful. She nodded for him to obey me, and he left muttering to himself. I watched him go. 

"Like a drink," I said.

She nodded. She didn't seem like talking too much. Well, I could hardly blame her; seeing me there had to be traumatic for her.

"Ben, I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

I laughed. I just couldn't help myself. Being in the legal profession for so many years, I couldn't count how many times I had heard that asinine refrain.

"Remember how we met, Mel? Remember that day some six years ago? Remember how cold it was? How we got ourselves some coffee and donuts? I even remember how good those damn donuts tasted."

"Ben, why are you doing this? What I did was bad, very bad, but it was only this once; I swear to you," she said. "Please forgive me, I beg of you."

My face must have betrayed my rage at hearing such a bald faced lie.

She tried to recover. "We have lunch a lot and stuff, that's all," she said.

I began to enjoy myself. Watching and listening to her digging her own grave was almost worth the hurt—almost. The food came, and I chowed down. "Eat," I said. "This is our favorite place, our special place. She toyed with her food.

You know, your cheating was one thing. But, was it necessary to insult me behind my back. He may have a bigger cock than me, but mine ain't that small is it? I mean, I have some pride; it really hurt to hear you laughing at me and my sexual prowess. What did I ever do to deserve that level of humiliation? I'd really like to know. In fact I insist you tell me."

She was clearly shattered by my words. She must have been desperately trying to figure out how I knew so much. 

"Ben, I never meant to hurt you. This was just a one time fling. I didn't say anything about your cock or laugh at you. It was just a fling," I swear.

I saw Rex coming toward us. I motioned him over to a chair. "Good stuff?" I said.

"Yeah, very good. I watched a portion of it. I don't think you should though," he said talking to me.

I felt my face darken; I actually felt it.

Melissa was confused. I decided to enlighten her.

"Oh excuse my manners," I said. "Mel, this is my friend Rex. He's a PI. Rex, this is my faithful wife, Mel."

"Pleased to meet you," said Rex, without a trace of sarcasm.

Melissa just stared.

"That bad huh?" I said to Rex.

"Yeah, 'fraid so," he said.

"Mel, this is the way it's going to be. I know how tight you are with Mr. Cummings. And, I want all of the dirt and evidence you can possibly give me and Rex here, and I want it now. It will be the difference between his spending five years in the pen or twenty; his old age is in your hands. He is going to prison, and that's a fact. Now, what have you got for me, for us? If you have nothing, he goes down for the count, and I mean big time. If you have a lot, we'll see to it that years are peeled off his sentence."

"Ben, what are you doing? He's not a criminal. An adulterer, yes, but not a criminal! For gawd's sake have some mercy!"

"You know I would have. Mercy I mean. But the insults you and the asshole shared at my expense and all of the laughing at me like that, kinda drained me of any sense of mercy. You had none for me. None!"

"Ben, it was just once, a fling, just a fling!"

"You know I really thought you were smarter than that. I know everything, I mean everything," I said.

Looking at Rex, I said, "Show her."

He produced the audio tape and two separate DVDs. "Those are today's entire matinee," I said. "Every word every act every insult—there are some insults in there right, Rex?"

"You really don't want to know," he said, too quietly for me to miss the gravity of it.

She caught her breath. "Ben, please I am begging you as I have never before begged you for anything. Dump me if that's your decision, but do not watch those things. Please, my husband, please, I beg of you."

Geezsus, maybe I wouldn't watch them. I expected sex and insults and laughter, what else could there be that was so bad. I would have Rex tell me later; then, I would make my decision.

"Stop the baloney," I said. "What have you got on the shithead that will make me happy? I deserve at least that much don't I, a little revenge?"

"He's stolen some money. I don't know how much, but he said it was for us, so we could move to Latin America or some such. But I told him no. I told him to forget it and to return the money before it was too late."

"She did that," said Rex. "It's on the tape."

"Would you have gone south with him if he were not a criminal and about to be incarcerated?"

"I don't know. Maybe," she said.

"That's on the tape too," said Rex.

"Well, your plans are on hold," I said. "I am going to divorce you. You get nothing. I know you've been fucking him on the fifteenth for the past year. I know you use a room here every month. Except, that is, last month, while I stood outside 'our' guest room door and listened while you crucified me verbally to him. Oh, and we have that recorded too."

"Ben, I am sorry. I don't..."

"Don't come home. You really don't get anything, not even most your clothes. I will send a suitcase with the bare necessities and some clothes you will need for work.

"I will have you served at work. Do not call me, do not write me, just stay the hell away from me or you will regret it."

With that I walked out. Rex and I went to his office made all of the necessary copies and then went out and got plastered.

******

The divorce was final in six months. I kept my word and set it up so that big dick was given but three to six years in the pen.

She didn't contest the divorce, and she moved away soon after it was final. And, I thought that it was final, all behind me. But, as Robert Burns once wrote: "The well laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

******

Then end of Part two of three



Ben and Melissa Ch. 03



Sorry folks, no sex in this the final part of the Ben and Melissa saga.

**********************

It's been four years to the day now since I have heard anything of either of the two lovers. I am fifty-two years young and feeling good. I have thought about Melissa from time to time over the period, how could I not. She had been the soul of my life and my partner in everything for over six years. But, she had betrayed me in the worst of all possible ways: she had laughed at me like I was nothing. The coldness I felt as a result of that humiliation has not left me. Cheating, that is the sex per se, I could have forgiven maybe even the multiple instances of her cheating; yes, I could have. But not the contempt and the humiliating laughter that she shared with Jerry Cummings at my expense. So you can imagine my surprise this morning when my assistant, Sonia Keating, announced that I had a visitor.

"Who is it Sonia?" I asked over the intercom. 

"Ben, it's Jerry Cummings," she said.

"What!"

"I'm not kidding, Ben."

"Call security," I said.

"Ben. See him. He's different. I think you should see him."

"Sonia, he could have a gun..."

"No Ben, He's wearing shorts and a t-shirt; he doesn't have any weapons."

I was momentarily silent. "Okay, but I want security camping in your office until he leaves. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay, send him in."

It had been near four years on, but he was pretty much as I remembered him: tall, reasonably good looking, maybe a little thinner. But, Sonia had been right; there was a difference in him. I guessed prison had caused the changes I saw.

"Thank you for seeing me Mr. Holden," said the man who had helped destroy my marriage—and my life if it came to that. I was amazed at myself for being able to maintain a relative calm seeing him.

"Whaddya want, Mr. Cummings? I'm a busy man," I said about as coldly as I ever said anything.

"I understand. I got out about three months ago. Three years, three months, and sixteen days behind bars Mr. Holden. And I want to thank you for them; they weren't fun, but they straightened me out."

I covered my surprise at his words pretty well, I thought. "I'm glad for you. And, you're welcome. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Holden, first I want to apologize, from the bottom of my heart, for coming between you and your wife. It was a rotten thing to do to any man, but especially to you. Believe it or not, I learned a lot about you from Melissa during those months that we were cheating on you. She really loved you. For the record, I think she loved me too, but in a different way: for her and me it was a case of nostalgia. But, where you were concerned; well, you were the love of her life."

"Yeah, I could tell by the way you were both laughing at me that day in my condo. You remember the day, that day, dontcha Jerry. It's the day my life fell apart. You were calling me a wuss and you and she laughed your asses off about it," I said.

"Yeah we did laugh; I admit it. I am fully aware how much that must have stung you. I did call you a wuss. And, I know that I insulted you and called you a wuss and worse, and that many times over the course of the months, because I was jealous of you. I was jealous of the love she held for you."

"Yeah, that's why she fucked you behind my back," I said, not quite actually sneering at his remarks.

"Yes, she did, and I did. We fucked and it was pleasant, but it was never really comfortable for either of us. She felt guilty as hell. I think the laughter on her side was a kind of a way to cover the guilt she felt. I don't know, maybe it was for me too. 

"You may find this hard to believe, but I have a conscience too, even then I had a conscience. But, I loved her as much as you did, and that love blinded me and filled me with envy and hurt, because I knew that I could never really possess her. Even if we had fucked a thousand times, I could never really possess her; she was yours."

"The laughter," I said, "it was the one thing that had really crossed the line for me, and it still rankles. 

"I hate to beat a dead horse, Jerry; but I am going to ask you the same question I asked Melissa that last day in the hotel. Why did you feel the need to laugh at me? I find it real hard to believe that it was just because the two of you felt guilty."

"Truth is," he said, "apart from what I told you, I really don't know. It was a mood, we did feel guilty, the both of us. I was jealous of you. She kept telling me to shut up about you. I kept cracking jokes about you to get her to lighten up. It was a lot of things. I ain't lyin', Mr. Holden; that's the way it was."

I sat back in my chair and considered his words. He had no reason to lie, as he had said. I actually wanted to believe him, but who knew what his agenda might be. Was he sincere in apologizing, trying to set things straight? Did it matter after all of this time? Why did I feel uneasy?

I had to end it, but I also wanted to see this asshole again. I needed to even if I didn't know quite why I needed to. I had more questions, and I needed to have them answered. Damn him! for upsetting my world yet again, albeit in a different way.

"Mr. Cummings. Thank you for coming in. I really am busy, but I do appreciate your words. And..." Did I really want to say what I was about to say? "Come back next week, same day same time. I want to talk with you some more. No, do this instead, meet me at the Round Tree for lunch—make it noon sharp."

"Oh, okay," he said. "I didn't expect..."

"Yes, yes, but you being here was unexpected too. Lunch next week, okay?"

"Yes, sure."

He was no more than ten seconds out the door before I was ringing Rex. I'd had the germ of an idea, and I wanted to explore it. They say the Buddha had achieved bodisattvahood in seven years; it had only taken me four—maybe.

******

"Rex...yeah it's me...right...say listen, Cummings was here today...did I stutter...yeah, yeah...can you come over...uhhuh...I'll be waiting."

He was there I less than half an hour. I had Sonia just wave him in.

"Okay, Ben, what's the deal? You actually saw the guy? Talked to him?"

"Believe it or not. I'm more surprised than you are. He came to abjectly apologize, and he did. I guess he got out of prison a few months ago. He also told me some stuff that I really would like to know the truth of, and, I thought maybe you could help me out, either you or Annie; or, maybe both," I said. "I gotta know, Rex, and frankly I'm chicken to do it myself."

"Sure if I can," said Rex.

I gave him the long version and he kept nodding as I sang my song. "So whaddya think," I said. 

"Wow! I don't know. He was right about one thing; he had no reason to lie. He might be pulling something that's not immediately apparent, but on the surface what he said seems kosher," said Rex. "Still, I think you oughta do this on your own."

"I just can't Rex. I just can't. It would kill me if I tried, and she spit on me. So, do you think you can find her?"

"Sure. But I'm gonna let Annie quiz her? She's a woman, and she won't be swayed by another woman's act. Plus, she's had experience in this area," he said.

"Experience?" I said.

"Yeah, her mom did some cheating—twice—it was a tough row for her and her dad. But, the whole scene eventually had a happy ending.

"Anyway, I'll be in reserve, but I will let her do the actual sit down if Mel is willing to sit down that is."

"It just occurred to me. It's been four years since I've seen or heard from her. She might be remarried. Before you do anything, find out what's up with her first, okay?"

"Sure, but what if she is single-o? Are you thinking you might get back with her?" said Rex.

"I don't know. No, I'm not thinking that way at the moment, but stranger things have happened. And, I don't mind telling you; I have never been able to get her out of my mind, but then you know that don't you," I said.

I was expecting to hear back from Rex in two or three days, but I heard back from him in less than four hours.

"Yeah, I got it. It was easy. She's not hiding. I had the info in less than two hours."

"Well," I said, "let me have it."

"Okay, she's not married. No known attachments either. She works for a PR firm called Wells Good Will Services. She's a top agent for them. She's pulling down maybe sixty-k annual, and in the company she's considered an almost pathological workaholic."

"Okay," I said. "But where is she."

"Well, she sure ain't in California anymore. She's in Dallas."

"Have Annie come by. I wanna talk to her before she heads out."

"Consider it done."

******

The plane touched down in Dallas fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Annie Carter was alone. This was not the kind of job that required stealth. It was going to be either straight up conversation or straight up confrontation; and it was six to five and pick'em on the morning line.

She gave the driver the address to Wells Good Will Services. No use wasting time. If she could catch the woman in, she could be done in a day one way or the other.

The offices of WGWS were located on the fifth floor of a ten story structure downtown. She straightened her business suit and caught a going-up Otis.

The receptionist looked to be nearing retirement, but the smile and the greeting gave Annie to realize why she worked there: she was good. She introduced herself and asked to see Melissa Holden. The lady indicated a seat and she took it. The woman made the call on the intercom and listened for the response.

"Ms. Holden will be right out, miss."

Annie wondered what the woman would look like. So far, while she knew all about her, she hadn't yet seen a photo; it hadn't been necessary.

The door swung open and a middle aged woman with medium length hair in a smart business suit marched right up to her.

"Hi, I'm Melissa Holden. You're here for the agent's position, am I right?" She smiled winsomely.

"Uh, no ma'am. My name is Annie Carter. I'm here to see you about something private and very personal," she said.

The woman looked her askance. "Oh, may I know who or what this about?" she tested.

"It is personal ma'am."

"Well, okay, follow me," she said. "Mary, hold my calls." Mary nodded.

In the office, Melissa offered her visitor a cup of coffee or...; Annie opted for tea. Melissa busied herself getting the tea. She made an effort to anticipate what this young woman might want; she was intrigued.

"So, what's this all about," said Melissa.

"I'm here to ask you a few things at the request of Ben Holden," said Annie.

Melissa's face went sheet-white. "Ben!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Please, call me Melissa. So how is my ex-husband?" She'd recovered and was more than a little curious.

"He's fine. He's interested in knowing if you would be willing to meet with him."

Melissa paused. She phrased her response. "Why didn't he come himself," said Melissa.

"I didn't ask, but if I had to guess, he wanted to avoid a confrontation if you were not amenable. I should tell you that Mr. Cummings is out of prison and has been to see Ben himself."

"Oh my gawd!"

"No, no, evidently it was an amicable meet. Mr. Cummings said some things that made Mr. Holden very anxious to meet with you if you're willing."

"Here or there?"

"He told me to tell you that he'd like it there, but he would come here if you insisted," said Annie.

"You know it just occurred to me to ask. Who are you? Are you his girlfriend or...?"

"Oh my gawd no!" said Annie. "I work with Rex Coleman; I'm a PI."

"Aren't you a little young for a job like that?" said Melissa.

"I'm twenty-three and hold a degree in Criminal Justice and a third dan in Okinawan karate," said Annie, smiling broadly.

"I see," said Melissa, smirking.

"Am I allowed to ask any questions here?"

"Sure, Mr. Holden said to tell you anything you wanted to know."

"Nice of him," said Melissa with just a trace of sarcasm in her voice. "Is he married?"

"No, and my boss said to tell you he doesn't date."

Melissa felt like she'd just received a dozen long stem roses.

"What does he want from me?"

"Well, that's a tricky one, and I knew you'd ask. He said what he wants is clarification of a few things that Mr. Cummings told him. But..."

"But what?" said Melissa. 

"I'm not sure, Melissa. But, I am of the opinion that he misses you. He didn't tell me to tell you that," said Annie.

"I see. He kicks my ass to the curb and now he wants to see me."

"That's about it, yes," said Annie. "Shall I tell him no then?"

Melissa was lost in thought. This girl knew how to steer a conversation. Too bad she wasn't applying for the job.

"Tell him to come here. He's the one that wants to see me. 

"Anything else?" said Melissa.

"No, that about covers it. He anticipated that that would be your choice. He asked if dinner Friday next would be good for you." 

"Tell him that would be fine. I will make reservations at the Columbus Club here in town.

"One more thing, Annie: what does he know about me?"

Annie inclined her head as if to say, isn't it obvious. "Everything, Ms. Holden, including the fact that you aren't dating either."

Melissa just nodded her understanding.

******

After her meeting with Annie, Melissa Holden sat stone still in her chair and sobbed. Four years and she had heard nothing. Her husband, her ex-husband, had kicked her out; and, she admitted, he'd had cause. But now, that same man wanted to see her. Why? She sincerely doubted that he wanted her back. The divorce had been a sullen affair for her; she hadn't contested anything. She'd essentially just left town. 

She had been able to get a good recommendation from her supervisor, and that had parlayed itself into a decent job at WGWS. She'd moved up the ladder, and now was living the good life, if one could call what she had a good life; she didn't.

And, what about Jerry? He'd suffered the most because of her. He'd been condemned to prison, but he had evidently been paroled after some three years. Well, it hadn't been her that sent him up exactly; it had been his own greed, but she had been the catalyst by which he had been caught and convicted. She'd visited him once soon after he's been incarcerated; it had been one of the saddest moments in her life. She had been as kind as she could, but she had let him know that he and she were no longer an item. 

She had held a thing for Jerry for some twenty years, but their cheating and the subsequent upheaval had shown her that she had been woefully in the wrong. She'd destroyed a good man, her own life, and had at least been instrumental in bringing down her lover. What was the old saying: "Cheaters never prosper." 

Now, after four years, she would be facing the man she had destroyed; it was not going to be easy. But, he'd asked for the meeting; and, truth told, she was curious.

******

His plane landed at Dallas-Fort Worth at 2:00 in the afternoon. He'd arranged it, so as to be able to relax a little before his 7:00PM appointment with his former wife. He wondered what she looked like. Well, it didn't matter; he'd soon know. The goal was to find out just what had happened that horrible day four years before. Oh, there was no doubt about the cheating; she was guilty, and he had felt the full weight of a humiliated and discarded spouse. The hurt had been unimaginably intense. And, it had been made doubly so because of the laughter; he'd never been able to get over that; it had all but destroyed him.

The damage to his psyche as a result of everything had been so bad as to have required psychological therapy. He'd been seeing a shrink almost from the beginning. The shrink had been able to assuage some of his pain but not all.

******

The Columbus Club was definitely upscale. No loud crashing sounds from the band, no plastic tablecloths. The wine glasses were crystal and the menus two feet tall and leather bound. Mel sat at a table near a picture window and distant from the stage where a piano was backing up a pretty good contralto. She'd come to love the soft music, the dim romantic lighting, and what she had come to regard as the kindness that the servers displayed in their routine rounds.

She saw him speak to the maitre'd when he entered. He ushered him to the table.

She smiled at him. He returned the favor.

"You look good Mel. I don't know what I expected, but you look good. You look happy," he said.

"Thanks, you're looking pretty good yourself. Glad you came," she said.

"Shall we order first," he said. She nodded.

A waitress arrived with a bottle of chilled wine. "I took the liberty of ordering some wine; I hope you don't mind," she said.

"No, that's fine," he said. "Anyway, how have you been?"

"Okay. I'm working; I work a lot. It takes my mind off of other things," the pause was pregnant. She sipped her wine.

"Yeah, me too," he said, sipping his.

The waitress returned and took their orders.

"I was surprised," she said. "I never thought that I would see you again."

"It was not something I had marked on my calendar either," he said. "But, when your ex-boyfriend showed up, it got me to remembering; and, frankly, I was curious. And..." He paused not knowing exactly how to phrase what he wanted to say. "I still want to know," he said.

"The why?"

"Yes, but more, why you despised me so," he said, testing the waters.

Her face darkened. She had promised herself that she would not cry. This was going to be a business meeting. She would tell him what he wanted to know. Give him closure. But, she was weakening; the meeting was becoming important to her as well.

"He was the boy in that Buick that I told you about. You know when I was a teenager. He was my first love. At first I thought that I had grown up and the world was different for me. You had helped me so much—when you didn't have to. But, I had not grown up, and I had not stopped loving him," she said.

He raised a hand indicating she should continue.

"The problem was that I was in love with you too. Talk about a rock and a hard place. My first love and the love of my life both in the same place at the same time. I was either the luckiest girl who ever breathed air or the unluckiest. Turns out I was the unluckiest, I guess," she said.

"But I digress. I actually made the conscious decision to divide my time between the two of you. The bad part was that you didn't know anything about it; and I was feeling about as guilty as I could.

"When we couldn't use our usual rendezvous, I made up my mind to clue you so that you would get rid of me. I had cheated. In knew you would try to resurrect me and our marriage if you just heard about it or figured it out some way, and that wasn't fair to you.

"I had dishonored you. I didn't deserve you. I wanted to get away from you so that you could be whole again, and I could avoid the punishing reality that would be my life if you took me back and were good to me—too good to me. I couldn't bear not to be trusted by you anymore, and that is the reason for my fucking him in our house."

"But, how can that be? You didn't know I would be there," he said.

"No, that's not so. I didn't know you'd be there that early. Oh no, I fully intended to keep going at it until you did get home. I wanted to be caught and punished: sent packing. But then something awful happened; I wasn't prepared for it. My mind flipped, and I couldn't go through with my plan. So I got him outta there when you called, and tried to fix the place up so that you wouldn't know."

"Yes?"

"Well, you know the rest. You caught us at the hotel, and..."

"You still didn't answer my question?" he said.

"I didn't despise you, Ben, at least believe that. I don't know why you would think that."

"Because of the way you laughed at me. Nothing got to me more than that. I didn't deserve that. I had never done anything to you—or him either if it comes to that. So why, Mel, why?"




Ben and Melissa Ch. 03



"Is it so important to you then? Why we laughed?"

"The most important," he said.

"Because we were getting away with it. You were always so on top of things. Nothing got past you. You'd been around legal things forever. But, you had no clue. It was funny. I know it sounds cold to say it, but it was funny. But despise you? Never! I honored you, and I still do. You are the original good guy. I threw away everything when I threw away our marriage. Truth be told, I wish you would take me back. Oh, I know that will never happen, but I wanted to say it anyway."

"Mel, your honesty tonight makes me feel—I don't know how it makes me feel, but it's something."

"I promised myself that I would be straight with you tonight," she said. "You deserve that much for damn sure."

"You haven't asked about Jerry Cummings," he said.

"No. Jerry and I have nothing any longer. Not since he was sent up. I did visit him once, soon after he was imprisoned. I had to let him know that we were through. He understood. It was sad day in some respects, but it freed my mind from the past in others."

I nodded my understanding of what she said, but I doubted her. He was thinking. "Mel, I want you come back to L.A. next week. Can you do that?"

She looked at him with knitted brow. "Why? What would be the point?" she said.

"I'm not sure myself. Will you come?"

She thought for a long minute. "Maybe. I guess. Okay, I suppose I can do it."

"Thursday?"

"Okay, Thursday."

******

I decided to have lunch with Rex on Sunday. I had him come over to my place. I needed a little bit of help for what I had planned, and I also wanted his input.

"You can't be serious," said Rex, as I flipped the burgers on the patio grill."

"As a heart attack," I said. "I am going to get me closure on them laughing at me that day if it's the last thing I do."

"You know your ego is way too delicate, Ben. What does it matter what a couple of idiots think or do or laugh at?"

"If you only look at the facts, Rex, if you only use your logical brain, if you really don't care about what people think; then, I have to agree with you. But it ain't about logic or facts or any of that.

"I dedicated my life and my heart to that woman and she crushed it. Him too, but I really do not give a damn about what he thinks—thought. But I cared a lot about what she thinks and thought," I said.

"Thinks?" said Rex.

"Yeah, I still care. I care a lot. I want to make it so she can never have a thought like that again about me. I wanna make it so she'll shoot anybody who does," I said.

"You do still love her don't you?" he said.

"In a way. Not like in the beginning, not like before. There's way too much trash in the yard for me to go back. But, I am damn sure going to get closure; it's been gnawing at me for the last four years and it's not going away," I said.

"So whaddya think of my idea? Really?" I said.

"It's unique. One thing for sure, if it doesn't work; then, it's proof positive that there is no gawd," he said.

******

Rex was stationed where he needed to be. Just outside the entrance to the Round Tree. He'd found a stone seat near a small water fountain in the parking area. It was still too early for the lunch crowd to star filing in. He sipped the hot, oil-dark liquid rhythmically. Nothing like a late morning cup on a cool day, he thought.

"He looked at his watch. It was three minutes to eleven. 

He saw her. She was dressed smartly: dark brown skirt, business jacket that was part of the ensemble, hair cascading to a little past her shoulders, and low heels. She may have been fifty years old, but she looked thirty-five. He understood Ben's obsession with this woman. He watched as she entered the restaurant.

"Hi," said Ben as she approached. 

"Hi, Ben. The place looks the same. I have to tell you; I almost didn't come," she said taking a seat. "But, I said I would so here I am."

"Don't worry, Melissa, you didn't make a mistake. The only reason I had you come here was in case I am wrong, and then no harm no foul as they say."

"Wrong? Wrong about what?" she said.

"Before we talk, would you like something? I've ordered a beer," I said.

"Same," she said. He held up two fingers signaling the waitress who had been forewarned that he would do so.

The two drafts were delivered one minute later. Melissa sipped at the golden elixir. "Okay," she said, "wrong?"

"I've done my homework, Mel. You know me, ever the investigator, researcher." 

"Yes of course, but..."

"You say you visited him in prison?" I said.

"Yes, I told you that. I broke it off with him. That was more than three years ago. I told you. I didn't lie to you, Ben."

"No, no, I know you didn't lie. That's not what I'm getting at. Why did you break it off with him?" I said.

"I—I—it was the right thing to do, that's why."

"The right thing to do, Mel?" I said.

"Too much water under the bridge. Too many bad things happened. He—and I—were guilty of so many things—I just couldn't deal with any of it anymore. I had to get away from all of it. He understood. It had to be done."

"You think about him much, I mean now?" I said.

"Ben, what is all this about? Why are you asking me about him? He's history. Hell, I'm history if it comes to that," she said.

"Is he? I think you're still in love with him," I said.

"What!"

I sat back and smiled. I'd struck a nerve and I was enjoying the hell out of it. 

"Ben, I am no longer in love with him. Actually if it is of any consequence to you, I'm still in love with you," she said.

"Thank you for that, I said. "I think that you do love me, in a way. But it's not the passionate husband-wife love that I need or that you need. I thought we had that once. And, I think I did; I know I did. But, you, always in the back of your mind were the events of that night in the back seat of that Chevy with him when you were both teenagers. You never got by that.

"You cheated with him, and I think it was a struggle for you to do it, at first anyway. But, as you continued and got away with it more and more; you began giving him what you should have been giving me. That was a whole lot of stuff for me to swallow; I don't mind telling you; it hurt real bad!"

"Ben, you know I can never forgive myself for that. I know I hurt you. I deserved exactly what I got, and so did he. We've paid, and that dearly. I hope you understand, that as much as I regret all of it; I have had to get on with my life, and get past it," she said. "I refuse to beat myself up anymore than I already have."

"And you are right about that; you must not beat yourself up about it anymore. Do let it go. I hope after today that I can do as much," I said. "But, in truth, I don't think that you've not gotten past it as well as you think; and I think you know it," I said.

"Ben, I have so! I have a good job now. I have a nice place. I have a life," she said.

"Yes, I guess you could argue the point. But, no friends, no dates in four years, no activities that are not directly job related. You're hiding from life, Mel, and I have been too. But, after today both of us are done fooling ourselves."

She started to object, but he raised his hand to stop her. "Bear with me, okay?" I said.

"You have a problem. I know you still love that guy, and I understand it now. I actually got an understanding of it in therapy after our breakup.

"I cannot share the woman in my life with anyone. It just ain't happenin'. And, I need a woman in my life. The thing is it can't be you; you're heart wouldn't be in it, not really. Tell me if I'm wrong, but if I'd asked you to marry me today that you would have accepted, and that tearfully?"

"Ben—I—" 

"Just tell me if I'm wrong," I said, a little too forcefully.

"Maybe, I've thought about it," she said.

"But, that would have been a horrendous mistake. I do not want to live some rewritten script of the Heloise and Abelard saga. There would have been no possible happy ending to a story like that, and that's for sure. And, Mel, I want to be happy. I've thrown away four years because of all of this, and so have you. I guess in a way we've both been punished for our mistakes. But, make no mistake, there will always be a small corner in this heart of mine for you; I admit it."

"Ben, I don't know what to say. And, I don't know what you're saying. What are you getting at for gawd's sake!"

******

Rex saw him arrive and intercepted him. "Mr. Cummings. Please come with me," said Rex. He pulled him aside to where they were out of the way of the now arriving lunch crowd; it was almost noon.

"What do you want? I have a meeting inside..."

"Yes, I know, and I will take you to it, in a minute. Just bear with me," said Rex.

Rex looked at his watch. It was straight up noon. "Let's go inside," he said finally.

******

Rex led him physically to the table where Ben and Melissa were sitting. Jerry Cummings didn't see them till they were almost on top of them because he was trying to get free of the arm hold that his guide was enforcing. 

They stopped four feet behind the woman's chair. 

"Hello, Jerry," said Ben, looking up at the new arrivals.

Melissa spun around. "Jerry!"

"Melissa!"

"Have a seat gentlemen," said Ben.

Jerry slid in across from Melissa, and Rex took the fourth seat.

"I never thought I'd be doing this," I said. "But it's the only way I can get closure. What you two did to me, said about me, has never left me. My compadre here assures me all of the time that I'm completely mad. Well, I'm not. I figure that if I can straighten out a few things that maybe I can get by all of the things you said about me that day, and doubtless other days, over that year's time so long ago.

"I figure that if we can set things aright that maybe you won't think of me that way anymore—I mean really," I said. I began to feel tears welling up inside of me, but I fought them down. I wasn't sure, but I think Melissa picked up on it; it didn't matter.

"Ben, what is this? Jerry, what are you doing here?"

"I'm giving you two another chance. I'm the big-assed matchmaker here today I guess. You both love each other. You have since high school, maybe even before that. It's that simple," I said.

"It would have been most difficult to tell who betwixt my two table guests was the more stunned—Rex didn't count in the equation. He was here to be my witness, and to give me moral support—which I viscerally needed at that moment. I was reminded of the famous lines from a Tale of Two Cities, "It is a far, far better thing than I have ever done."

"Ben—"

"Mel, don't blow this. It's right, and we both know it."

"Mr. Holden," said Jerry, finally finding his voice," I can't—I mean I'm on parole—I can't—"

I nodded, "Rex, you got 'em?"

Rex pulled an envelope from his pocket. He handed it to Jerry.

Jerry took it tentatively. The last time he'd gotten an official paper it had been the official notification of his conviction. He read it. "How—when?"

"The law firm I work for has some very influential friends; trust me it's real," I said. "You're a free man; your parole is at an end."

Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes; that surprised me. 

"I have only one request," I said. I was addressing Melissa. I would most appreciate it if you didn't laugh at me anymore. I won't know if you do of course, but I hope you won't."

Jerry had let his hand creep across the table and cover Melissa's. She eyed him, and then smiled her feelings at him. She looked at me.

"Ben, to say I don't know what to say—well, I don't know what to say," she said. "Wait, yes I do. Ben, the idea of laughing at you will never again cross my mind or his either—will it Jerry." Hers was not a question.

"Not even," he said sincerely.

"I have taken the liberty of booking you a room here. Use it in good health," I said.

We talked for some more minutes, we ate; and then Rex and I parted for the crossroads, our favorite watering hole.

I hadn't quite told them the truth when I had indicated that wouldn't know if they laughed at me or not. Rex had seeded the room with some very sophisticated sound equipment; he'd be letting me know very soon if I had been a fool or not.

******

Rex was out of town for a week, so I hadn't heard anything from him during that time. He was seated across from me now with a recorder ready to play it. I stopped him.

"Just tell me," I said. "I don't want to hear it."

"Yes, you do. So listen up," he said.

*****

"He sure surprised me," said Jerry.

"Me too. I don't know how we could have been that way toward him. He's a better person than either of us."...

I have several hours of this stuff. They're cool and they both love you. Now, you can get a life," laughed Rex.

*****

Two days later. I was faunching at the bit and little nervous. Finally, I punched the intercom. "Sonia, would you come in for a minute please."

I looked at my thirty-eight year old special assistant. She was dressed as always, smart, fresh, and a trifle sexy. "So, Sonia, what are you doing for lunch?"

She looked at me funny. "Mr. Holden? Are you asking me for a date?"

I smiled the smile of a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Can't fool you, Ms. Keating. If I'm off base—"

"No, no, I would love to have lunch with you, Mr. Holden, but be warned, I am very high maintenance," she said.

"Sounds good to me," I said.

******

Sonia and I became an item from that day a year ago. Since a week past she had been wearing the ring I had given her. We were walking out to go to lunch when Rex strode up to us. He was smiling like a possum.

"Okay, gumshoe," I said, "what's the big 'ole smile about? You inherit money or somethin'?" I laughed.

He handed me a sheet of paper. I read it. "This for real," I said. 

"Yep. They've named it after you. Figured you'd like to know."