210 comments/ 196809 views/ 93 favorites The Price of Forgiveness By: Slirpuff I want to thank Wolf Vixen for continual help in catching all the little things I miss and all her feedback. Most of you will like this story because the under dog finally gets his due without becoming an asshole. So sit back with a cold one and be prepared to be entertained. * I sat in the restaurant and watched the two of them coming towards me. On a scale of 1 to 10 they were very close to a nine. As they walked by I smiled and they kept on walking ignoring me. Was I surprised? Not really, I was used to it. They were about thirty and I was just over fifty and not in their league. So another day went by in my wonderful fucking life. I was happy. I was married, had three great kids, a good job what else could you want. We got married at twenty-two and planned for two kids and ended up with three, oops. At twenty-five years into our marriage I was traded in for a new, sportier model. One with a full head of hair, a fast car and a carefree life style that looked great from where my wife Ann sat. Did I see it coming? Hell no, or I would have stopped it or at least shot the son of a bitch. I think the worst part about it was that the kids accepted him lock stock and barrel, which put me on the outside looking in. The divorce was ugly, I made sure of that, and lasted well over a year. The kids told me to stop being such an ass but it wasn't there money I was fighting for it was mine. I finally got a sixty forty split but not before everything we'd built for the last twenty-five years was torn down, including my relationship with my kids. I got a nice but smaller house in a new neighborhood and began my life again, minus my wife and kids. Everyone at work couldn't believe it and were sympathetic but thanked God it wasn't their life. And for the next five years, life sucked the big one. I had a few dates that went absolutely nowhere. There was a ton of divorced fifty-year-old men out there with receding hairlines and a bit of a paunch. I started at the gym for something to do at night and watched as the beautiful people worked out. "I'd give a thousand dollars to bed that one," a guy next to me at the gym said one day. "She's got a perfect body and knows it. She is, however, the most stuck up woman I've ever met. I was on the treadmill next to her one-day and tried to start up a conversation. After a couple of minutes she stares right through me and says I'm trying to work out if you don't mind and turns up her I-Pod, what a bitch. By the way, my names Rob," he said extending his hand. "My names Dan, good to meet you." "Just a fucking meat market in here now," he went on to say. "It's not just about the working out anymore, it's about how good you look doing it," he said with a laugh. "Come here often?" "Most nights, it beats spending hours in front of the boob tube," I told him. "Divorced?" "Yeah, five years. My wife went for the red sports car instead of the minivan," I said trying to laugh. "Me too, but I finally found a woman who is satisfied at what I'm offering. Not too many of them out there," he told me. "You're right there. The hot ones want a younger guy or a sugar daddy to support them. Then there's the single mother group with two to three kids that will do almost anything to hook a man who will take care of her and her brood and finally the bitter divorced ex-wife who lets you know from the get go there will be no nookie at the end of the date. Dating sure is fun isn't it?" I said laughing out loud. "And that's why I don't do a lot of it." He told me he'd see me around and left me to my abs machine. I was bound and determined to get rid of my keg middle and at least turn it into a twelve pack, I could dream couldn't I? Once a month, my work always had some kind of social function. I used to go with Ann, but now I only went to a few and usually stag. I'd look at the couples and get both angry and jealous. I had that life once and sure missed it as I watched the couples dance and play kissy face with each other. Oh to be in love again. I'd dance with a few of the women but it was almost like they were doing me a favor because I was high up on the food chain and they didn't want to piss off one of the bosses. People would come by and be nice but I knew what they really thought, "what a loser, he can't even get a damn date." That's why I usually stayed home. "Holy shit," is all I could say as I looked at my lotto ticket. Not all six numbers but at least I had five. I checked the next day on line and say that I'd one $28,000.00. I wasn't hurting for money, but it was at least a shot in the arm. It lifted my spirits for about a week, that is until I got shot down on another date. "Dan you're a nice guy, it's just that I'm not really attracted to you," she tried to explain to me in a nice way. "Fuck her, I didn't need her, I didn't need anyone," I said feeling sorry for myself once again. Three things happened after that. First of all, I got serious about working out. I not only went to the gym now, I pushed it when I was there. No more gawking at all the sweet young things, I was there to get this pitiful body into shape again. Next, I got rid of my four-door car and got a nice two seater. It wasn't brand new, but was still in decent shape. It was my mid life crises car I told everyone. Finally, I spent the night with a hot babe. She was about thirty, had a killer body and did everything I asked her to do at the end of the night. She cost me $500.00 but was worth every penny. I can hear what your thinking, you went out with a prostitute? Not a prostitute, an escort. I pick one that was affordable, whatever that meant, took her to dinner, had drinks and even went to a dance club. I took her back to my place and had some pretty good sex. She blew me; I ate her and took her from behind. She got me off twice that night but only charged me for once. She said that since I got her off with my tongue, she owed me one. Pussy tasted as good as I remembered it and I guess I hadn't lost my touch even though later I thought about all the diseases I could have gotten from her. What the hell, I was back in the saddle again. "All right Dan, who is she?" I was asked Monday morning. "Who is who?" I asked with a stupid look on my face as Keith, the marketing director caught me by the coffee machine. "I saw you at dinner Saturday night at Vic's. My wife and I were just leaving when I saw the two of you walk in. Nice, very nice indeed," he told me. "Did you get lucky?" "No luck involved, she did whatever I wanted," I told him with a big shit-eating grin. "To be single again," he said. "Well, don't wear it out," he said punching me in the arm as he walked away. I didn't lie, it's just that I didn't tell him the whole truth and what did it matter anyway, it wasn't going to happen again; or would it. The summer picnic was two weeks away and I hadn't planned on going, I was tired of going stag to these functions. "Coming to the picnic?" Keith asked. "Hadn't decided one way or another," I told him. "Thought you'd want to come by and show off your new woman," he said with a chuckle. "I dropped her, too high maintenance," I told him as I now noticed the look of disappointment on his face. "Got a new one that's even hotter," I told him as I watch his eyes light up. "I just may bring her," I said now excusing myself. "What the hell was I doing? I don't even know a hot babe," I said to myself as I sat in my office. "Now what am I going to do?" On the Monday before the picnic Keith hit me again. "I told all the guys about your hot girl friend. They're all looking forward to meeting her," he said. "They didn't believe me at first, but when I told them about your last one, that peaked their interest, see you Saturday." "I'm fucked," was the only thing I could say. "Where in the hell was I going to find a hot babe by Saturday and one that would go out with me?" It's only money I said to myself as I made the call. "She's got to he smoking hot and pretend to be my girl friend. I don't want a blonde bimbo but someone thirty five to forty that has something between her ears," I told him. "It will be for about six hours and tell her she doesn't even have to sleep with me if she doesn't want to, but she's got to make it believable," I explained to him. And smoking hot Rhonda was. About 5'9" tall, 135 pounds max with a body that would make a grown man cry. She had long black hair and was Egyptian, college educated and had personality plus. "Just say we met at a seminar and we've been going out for about a month." I told her, giving her a little bit of information about myself. "Don't worry, I've done this many times," she said kissing me. "Don't touch your lips, I want everyone to see my lip stick on them when we pull up," she said with a smile. I told you she was good. Everyone, and I do mean everyone couldn't take their eyes off us; or should I say her. More than one guy gave me a thumbs up and Keith brought his wife over to be properly introduced. We stayed for just under four hours before Rhonda casually mentioned that she needed a little alone time with me with a wink. She'd played it to a tee. We walked hand in hand over to my car. I opened the door for her; she gave me a kiss and stepped in as everyone watched. "You were great I told her," as we drove away. "For a while there I almost believed it myself." "Why does a successful man like yourself have to hire a woman to be by your side?" she asked. "Believe it or not, they're not coming out of the wood work to jump my bones," I told her. I gave her the short version of my life and she even seemed interested. "You have a choice Dan. We can go back to your place and have sex, which I can guarantee will be the best you've ever had, or we can rework the old Dan. Your choice." "I took one look at her body and took the latter, what did I have to lose?" Our first stop was a hair salon. She had them cut my hair short and gave me suggestions on facial hair. We next went to a clothing store and bought five new out fits that could be mixed and matched. She had a great sense of style, which I knew nothing about. Finally we went to a specialty shop and picked out three new suites. They weren't cheap but looked great on. My lotto winnings were coming in handy. Rhonda threw out about fifty percent of my clothing. "Old, outdated, worn," she said as she made a pile on my bedroom floor. "Dan, you're not an old man, why do you dress like one?" she asked. I didn't have a good answer; hell I didn't even have a bad one. At about 7:00, I put on one of the new suits and we went to dinner. I looked great and she was beautiful. Heads turned when we walked in. I wasn't vane enough to believe they were looking at me, but I gave myself a good time anyway. We had a nice dinner and went into the lounge to dance afterwards. "Don't take this wrong Dan, but you have three left feet. If I can be so bold, I suggest you try a dance class or two, maybe just to freshen up your moves. Your wife was probably the only woman you danced with and now with her gone, you need to be able to dance with all comers. She told me I'd look hot with a closely cropped goatee because it would take away from a woman looking at my receding hairline. "The lady knew her stuff," I said as we headed back to my place and her car. We kissed at her car and I didn't even ask if she wanted to head upstairs. I'd already paid the service but slipped her a large tip; she'd earned every penny. "Next time we're eating inside and going no where," I said as I held her door open. "If there is a next time," she said. "After today I don't think you'll need my services any longer, but if you do, ask for me." I watched her drive away and went inside to my empty house again. Monday I wore one of my new suits and started growing my facial hair. I shaved it on my cheeks and under my neck that was all. I decided that I'd see what it looked liked before I came up with any type of style. "You dog," Keith said as he walked into my office. "Just tell me your banging her," he said with a smile on his face. "Keith, I don't kiss and tell, and besides I don't want to get the reputation as being a player," I told him. "Well I told all the guys after you left that you've been banging her for a month and that this one was a lot hotter than the last one," he said with an envious smile. "To be single again," he told me. "I've had the same piece of ass for the last fifteen years and what would I wouldn't give to have a little strange stuff like that." "Keith, take it from someone who has been there and done that. Bring a single red rose home to your wife tonight, take her to dinner and tell her she's the most beautiful woman in the world. Wine her, dance close to her and make love to her like it's your last night together. I can guarantee you if you do what I say your life will no longer be dull and boring and you'll forget all that shit about screwing someone else. I'd give anything to have what you have right now," I told him. "I'll try it tonight," he told me leaving my office. Everyone now looked at me in a different light. I was no longer the "also" works here, but was now someone available and maybe a good catch. Women said good morning to me for the first time, and even my secretary asked what was different about me. "I'm still the same guy I was last week," I told her and went back to work. At lunch everyone wanted to know who my new squeeze was and for the first time in ten years there, people wanted to know about my personal life. I smiled and told them nothing. I left it to their imagination, which to a horny guy was like pouring gasoline on a fire. Tuesday I became the man. Keith went home and did exactly what I'd told him to do. He came in a half hour late with this shit-eating grin on his face. He stopped by my office and just said we'd talk later. He did mention to a few others that I'd given him a little friendly advise and it had worked better that he could possibly have imagined. But my boring life, outside of work, still stumbled along. I did, however, sign up for dance classes at the local college. Tuesday was crazy busy and I had all I could do to get all the new proposals approved and materials ordered. I skipped lunch, even though a couple of guys invited me to go with them. That was a first. Wednesday was a little less stressful but had two new vendors in and spent the better part of the day going over specifications and blanket order quantities. But before I left on Wednesday Keith came into my office and shut the door. "I just want to tell you that you were right on. I went home gave her the rose and a huge kiss. I told her to get dressed because we were going out. She asked what the occasion was and I just told her it was because I loved her so much. Dan she ran upstairs and was dressed in twenty minutes and for her that was a new record. We had dinner and danced until after midnight. I took your advice and made sure she went to sleep with a smile on her face, a big smile," Keith told me. "She woke me up in a special way the next morning," he said smiling. "Hell if I didn't have that damn budget meeting I would have called in sick or dead by the time she got done with me. I just want to tell you thanks for the advice. This morning she was playing footsie with me at breakfast and whispered to me that I'd better have a big lunch because we're skipping dinner tonight." "You're the man Dan." He said giving me a high five. Hell, all his wife wanted was a little attention, that's all. I could see it, why couldn't he. I guess sometimes your too close to the problem and don't see it, I now wondered if that had been true in my case. Oh well, I wasn't going to worry about it now. There was no one at work I was interested in. The only girls I lusted over were no older than thirty-five and way too young for me. When Kathy said she had two tickets to the Atlanta NBA game and wanted to know if I wanted to go I jumped at the chance. I wasn't looking at this as some kind of date, but just an outing with someone from work. We ate; we drank and had a great time especially since Atlanta beat the Bulls. I took her back to her place and when she asked if I wanted to come in for one more beer. I thought, why not? How we ended up in bed, I'm not quite sure, but that's what happened. I remember kissing, and feeling her up and the next thing I know I was between her legs with her pussy in my mouth. She was pretty damn vocal, louder than anyone I'd ever been with which spurred me on. I ate that bitch and sucked her pussy until there wasn't a drop left of her juices, after she had climaxed for the second time. I did hear a oh my fucking God after I flipped Kathy on her stomach and reamed her ass all the while playing with her long clit. She was acting like no one had ever done this to her, and maybe they hadn't. I'm not huge, just under seven inches, but with the noise coming out of her mouth you'd think I was twelve inches long and two in diameter. It takes me a bit longer to get off wearing a condom verses bareback, but that just made it all the better. Kathy had the tightest pussy I'd had since I first got married to Ann. I finally dropped my load into the rubber and eased out. I lay on the bed next to her and calmly asked if she was having fun and where did she want the next load. I was kidding because there was no way I could have done it again, but Kathy did know that. "Dan, I don't think I could go again, I may not be able to walk tomorrow anyway," she said with a smile. She came over, kissed me and tried to touch my tonsils, even though they'd been taken out when I was a kid. "I guess the rumors are true," she told me. "You want to spend the night?" she asked. "I think by morning I'll be ready for another round." "I'd love to, but I don't have a change of clothes and don't want to go to work in the same clothes I left work in, someone might start to spread rumors." I kissed her again and even gave her clit a little tongue action before getting out of the bed. "You sure I can't talk you into it?" She said now uncovering her nude body. Ok I'm weak and hadn't had pussy this good in a hundred million years. By the time I left at 5:00 am, Kathy had two more orgasms and had done anal for the first time. We were spooning and she was sopping wet and it just kind of happened. All right I planned it and was half way in before she started to say anything. A little clit and finger action, and I was three quarters into her ass. Ann allowed ass play only on special occasions and Kathy's ass was as good as I'd remembered it. We showered together and I was on my way home, tired but totally satisfied. I played it cool for the next three weeks. I went to dance class, started cooking lessons and hit the gym every other night. I was busy for the first time in a long time. The Labor Day BBQ was slated for Saturday and I debated about going. I still didn't have a real girl friend and had bedded two of the girls in the office so I wasn't about to ask either one of them. I called Rhonda. "Dan I thought I'd heard the last of you," she said. "Me too, but I still need a little help." I explained to her about the BBQ at the C.E.O.'s house and that there would be a dance band, a hot tub and pool and enough food to choke a horse. "I just need someone special to take, you interested?" We took her car to the gathering but I drove. Her 600SL Mercedes drove like a dream and Rhonda looked elegant as always. I told the valet that if there was a scratch on the car when we came out he would be dead meat. We walked into a packed house. Three things happened that night. I made points with Rhonda for treating her like she was the last woman on earth, showing her my new moves on the dance floor and I finally slept with her. Or should I say we spent the night together. The Price of Forgiveness She took me to a level I never dreamed of. Her skills at lovemaking were the best bar none. She blew me and only let me cum until after I begged her for the third time. Her internal muscles about crushed my dick and some how she got three nuts out of me by 3:00 am. "I don't think I'm going to let you leave," I told her with a soft laugh. "If I handcuff you to the headboard you can be my love slave forever." She smiled this time and told me that I didn't want a girl like her but thanked me for the compliment. She was right, but I could dream couldn't I? She did say that I was above average in bed, that my dancing had improved greatly and with the goatee I looked sexy. That gave my ego a boost. In November someone put my name in for a bachelors' auction fundraiser for a Breast Cancer. I'd raised a lot money in the past, for cancer research, so I guess that was why they picked me. I knew I was far from the best looking guy out there, but with my new look and a six-pack body I was not going to embarrass myself. It was a black tie event so I ended up renting a tux. I was proud of all the work I'd done in the gym and wanted it fitted to show off my body. It was a sold out affair and I had a small group of friends from my work at our table. There were five bachelors and they went from youngest to oldest. Care to guess which one I was? The bids were pretty high but I had an ace in the hole. I'd given Kathy enough money to make sure I'd come out on top. The bidding started out at $100.00 and went up from there. When Kathy bid $500.00 I figured it was all but over. When some woman from the crowd yelled that she wanted to see what she was bidding on, I got brave or stupid, one of the two. I took off my bow tie, opened my shirt and pulled it out of my slacks and flexed my tight six-pack. "Is this good enough?" I asked. There was wolf whistles, clapping but best of all a lot of bidding. I took off my jacket and threw it over my shoulder as the bidding topped $2800.00. A bid of $3,000.00 ended it. As I took my bow knowing I'd beaten my nearest rival by $500.00. I went back to my table and got myself together. "Well Kathy I guess you own me. If we leave now I can give you your money's worth by the time the sun comes up," I told her with a little smile. "Sorry to disappoint you Dan, I didn't win you. I maxed out at $2,800.00. I don't have a clue who had the final bid." "Dan, I had the final bid," a voice from behind said. "So you're mine until the sun comes up," she told me. As I turned around my mood went from good to bad instantly. "Crap," I said under my breath. "Hello Ann, how have you been?" I said with a forced smile. "Not bad, how about you?" she asked. "Just tell me it wasn't you," I now asked. "Yes it was. You're my date for the rest of the evening." She told me. "Ann if you want, I'll give you back your $3,000.00 and we'll call it square," I told her. "Wouldn't dream of it. Well if you're ready, why don't we leave this place so I can make use of my winnings. By the way, let's take your car, I came with a group and they've probably left by now. It was nice meeting you all," she said as she started to walk away. Three strides and I had caught up with her. "Why Ann?" I asked. "Would you believe for charity?" "Not for a minute," I told her. "How about if I told you it was the only way you'd probably talk to me?" "That would be about right," I told her. I debated not holding the car door open for her, or crushing a leg or two when she tried to get in but decided to be nice for the next twelve hours. We were heading through the down town area when I asked where she wanted to go. "Surprise me," was all she said. We ended up at an after hour club I liked, and had taken more than a few dates over the last six months. I picked a booth just off the dance floor and ordered a bottle of wine I really liked. "Well Ann, how's your husband and kids?" I asked. "Right for the jugular, I see nothing has changed," she replied. "Our kids are fine and no husband." "You kill him or did he just book? I'm betting he kind of rode off into the sunset on his cute red corvette," I said sarcastically. "I caught him cheating and I got the car in the settlement," she told me. "You want to drive it?" "Into a brick wall maybe," I replied. "You know your kids miss you. They don't understand why you cut them off after the divorce. All they were trying to do is to be nice to him for my sake. They weren't taking sides intentionally." "When they picked him over me, they were dead to me then and now. As I said, they're your kids not mine." "Well if you're interested you have two grandkids, and they all told me to tell you that they still loved you," she said piling it on. "So, how long have you known about the auction? Hell, I didn't know about it until two weeks ago," I told her. "I heard about it from another friend on the fund raiser community. When I saw your name on the list I knew I had to come. You really cost me a lot of money you know, but it was worth it to see the look on your face. I see you got rid of your love handles. Nice touch opening your shirt probably cost me an extra grand. Who was the girl at the table? Your girl friend?" "Do you care? You dumped me remember? When anyone asked me what happened to my wife, I always told them she traded me in for a newer model with a full head of hair. Did he have a bigger cock? Did he fuck you in the ass like I use to. Was he as good as I was at oral sex? Hell, he probably had you swapping partners after a year or two," I said a little too loudly. Thank God our drinks arrived. "I'll need more than a little alcohol to get through the rest of this night," I said to myself as I poured us both a glass of wine. "To days gone by," I said and drinking down the glass and pouring another. "Yes, no, no and hell no," she replied. "Yes Tim had a bigger cock as you call it, but he didn't know how to use it. It took me three years to teach him but by then he was gone. I guess some other bitch got the benefit of my teachings," she told me. "I understand you've become quite the ladies man from what I'm told. A couple of your old friends have seen you more than once out with a lady or two, but never the same one twice. Still hurting?" "Not for you anymore. Hell, you were good; I never even saw it coming. How long were you fucking Tim before I found out? Two months, three?" "Closer to six," Ann replied. "You really are a piece of work. How many sloppy seconds did I have? And I don't even want to know about any cream pies," I told her. "You never asked why? You fought me for a damn year but you never asked why? How come Dan? Didn't you even care?" "At that point not really. You dropped the bombshell, after I caught the two of you that you'd found someone else and were leaving me. Wait a minute; you weren't leaving me, that's right you were kicking me out of my own house. Did I even care at that point? Not really, I just wanted you to fucking die!" "You hated me that much Dan?" she asked. "Not hated Ann, hate. I still would like you to suffer and die an excruciating death for what you put me through. Everything we worked for, for twenty-five years was gone in an instant. Think about it Ann, our home, family, friends all gone and for what, a bigger cock? Ann you make me sick. So pardon me if I don't tell you that I've had a change of heart and I forgive you, because I don't and never will." "Well Dan, you're going to get your wish. You see the reason I knew about the auction is because I'm a volunteer for the fundraiser group. Stopping breast cancer is kind of my own personal pet project since I've got it. They tell me I've got a little under a year," Ann said sipping her wine. "There is a God," I said to myself as I poured my next glass and ordered another bottle. "So what do you want me to say? That I'm so sorry and that I now forgive you or what can I do to make your last days easier? If you're looking for absolution find a priest because you won't get it from me." "Boy you really are bitter. Is it just for me or are you a pain in the ass with everyone else?" she asked. "You and every other woman out there who thinks she's better than everyone else," I said downing another glass in my anger. "I gave you and the kids my all, a 100% and what do I have to show for it? Squat. To all your family and our dear friends I was the asshole husband. Did you ever tell anyone that you were the one fucking around on me?" I asked, as Ann nodded no. "I thought so. You never told me that you were unhappy or were looking for a replacement but I figured it out after a couple of months. Stupid me, I thought I was imagining it. There was no way my Ann would be cheating on me I kept telling myself. When the kissing, hugs and sex about stopped I finally had my answer. Whose bright idea was it for me to catch you in the act?" "I knew nothing about Tim's little plan," Ann said now with a tear in her eye. "At that point I was just screwing around because the sex was too good to pass up. I didn't want to leave you and be with him but I guess he had other plans. You weren't supposed to be home." "Ann, someone called me at work and told me my wife was cheating on me at our house at this very minute. Hell I broke every law on the books to get home and prove to myself it was a damn lie. I knew when I saw both of your cars in the driveway it was true but I guess I had to actually see it. I came in went upstairs and the rest, how they say, is history. You're damn lucky I didn't shoot you both where you lay. That asshole just looked at me with that stupid grin on his face and I then knew who'd called." "I didn't mean to hurt you," Ann said now teary eyed. "I was at the point of ending it because he wanted to do it in our house all the time now and I knew we'd eventually get caught." "You're not a stupid woman Ann," I told her. "He was showing the world that he could fuck my wife in my own bed and there was nothing I could do about it. Ann, what did you think I'd do if I caught you? Tell you it was ok, because it was just sex? You were my fucking world. You crush my spirit and me in the process. From that point on you were dead in my eyes. I was going to hurt you anyway I could and I guess in the process I killed a lot of who I was back then. I fought for every dime I could get. I wasn't going to make it easy on you especially when you moved that prick into the house," I told her finishing our second bottle. "I understand what you're saying, but I didn't have a choice back then. Bills needed to be paid and you refused to give me any money until we went through the court. Tim was the one who brought it up saying that between the two of us we would be all right. So he just moved in." "And right into my bed. I'm sorry, that's not quite right. He was already in your bed, it hadn't been mine in a long time," I spat at her. "He claimed his prize but I knew it was only a matter of time before he showed his true colors, and I guess he did," I told Ann. "I was wrong, you were right, are you happy? I never really wanted to marry him, but for the sake of the kids I did. If its any consolation Tim was never the husband you were. It was always about him and the kids saw it long before I ever did," she told me. "Be still my heart," I said sarcastically. "And when he started cheating on you, how did it make you feel? Stupid? Ann did you ever have any regrets? Even if you did though it was way too late for us." "All right I was wrong. I was stupid. I got a little bored and tried to spice up my life with a smooth talking con artist. I'm not the first woman and won't be the last," she told me. "I'm just trying to tell you I'm sorry. I never started out to wreck so many lives but succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Your kids still need you and will more so after I'm gone," she told me. "Ann, I don't care about you or your kids. I was at the point of asking for a DNA test to see if they were really mine." "They're your kids, how can you even say such a thing?" Ann said in an angry tone. "How do I know that? You could have been cheating on me throughout our entire marriage. They could be the spawn of one of your other lovers, how would I know?" I replied. "I never had any other lovers but you up until that point. Thankfully I only made one mistake that I will take with me to the grave." "So what do you want? Why are you here Ann? Forgiveness? Not going to happen, not in my lifetime. You made your bed and now you can die in it I guess," I told her. "But Dan..." is all I let her get out of her mouth. "Let me finish. If we were still married, I'd be the doubting husband walking around in a daze trying to make your last days the best for all of us. But now, you're just another round-heeled slut who got caught and realized too late what she lost. Do I feel bad? Yeah I probably do, but not for you, but for your kids. When you die they will be left with no one. They killed me off with their actions and now you'll be gone. You out did yourself this time, I hope you're happy." I'd said my peace; at least most of what I'd wanted to do for a very long time. For once I felt pretty good and it wasn't from the three bottles I'd already consumed. Ann looked like a broken women. She was now just a shell of the woman I'd fallen in love with and had twenty plus good years with. I drove her home and even walked her to the door. She said good night and even gave me a kiss on the cheek I accepted. "Can we talk again?" she asked. "In person no, but you have my e-mail address," I told her. "I don't know if I'll answer, but you can write me anyway," I told her. And she did once a week. When I got promoted to VP no one was surprised. I'd paid my dues and was the only logical choice. I still had an active love life but was still missing what everyone else seemed to have. I didn't use the agency any more, there was no need, but I still saw Rhonda. It wasn't a client / John relationship, more one of mutual caring. We went to my work functions, dinner, dancing and even a cruise. She wanted to go dutch, but I paid for everything. After all I'd asked her. When we went to bed it was no longer just sex. We made love. We had an emotional bond, at least in bed and although it was always fantastic, we never tried to out do one another; we just did what came natural. For the fifth time I asked Rhonda to marry me. "Dan, don't you remember what I told you the first time you asked me? You don't want a girl like me. You want a woman without my type of past next to you. What would you do if we meet someone I've slept with? How would you feel," she asked. "Lucky. I could just tell him that he had a taste of heaven but I now have it twenty-four hours a day. I take it to bed with me at night and I wake up every morning with it by my side," I said kissing her for the umpteenth time. This time though she said she'd think about it as she pulled me to her. Ann still wrote me every week telling me what was going on in her life. She'd stopped chemo and was just going to let it run its course. Some times I answered her e-mails but most of the time I didn't, but she still kept sending them anyway. Rhonda and I were having a late Sunday breakfast. I was going through Saturday's mail when I saw something from the Cancer Foundation. "They want to auction me off again this year," I told a surprised Rhonda. "I've got to let them know in the next two weeks," I said casually throwing it on the table as I opened the rest of my mail and grabbed another cup of coffee. "What do you want to do today?" I asked. "How about we take a drive out to the lake and have a picnic. We can just pick up a few things at the store on our way out and make a day of it," she said looking at me. And that's just what we did. The weather was a little cool but hardly cold. We took my car and drove with the top down and the radio blasting as we made our way to the beach. We had a quick bite to eat and headed back, this time with the top up. When we got to my place I turned on the gas fireplace, got us each a glass of wine and settled in on the couch. "Yes," she said licking the rim of her glass looking at the fire. I said nothing as the flames almost put me in a hypnotic state as they danced around the logs. "Didn't you hear what I said," she asked now looking at me. "I said yes! Aren't you going to say anything?" "Does this mean I can't be auctioned off?" I said with a laugh pulling her close and kissing her as we both started to laugh. "Why the sudden change of heart," I asked. "Dan, you've never judged or tried to change me. You love me for who I am not what I look like or my money." "You have money?" I said as she pushed me back on the couch almost spilling my wine. "I can't have kids and I'm getting too old for this line of work. I will never be a Susie homemaker type of wife, but I can promise you I'll never cheat on you. I've had every size and shape of cock over the years, and yours suites me just fine." We made love that night and I called in the following morning because I didn't want this feeling to end, ever. Tuesday we started to make wedding plans. Rhonda had never been married and I guess everyone expected that she'd never get hitched. We limited the guest list to only close friends and family. I informed my boss and told him I'd need about two weeks off. Keith told me that if he were marrying Rhonda he'd probably need a month off to recover. "Not getting enough at home?" I asked. "Are you kidding? If I were getting any more, I'd have to quit work because there wouldn't be enough hours in the day. And by the way, I'll never be able to thank you enough for the advise," Keith told me. "If you ever want to take it to the next level, try a little soft porn. You know, the romantic ones women like, not the stuff where she's tied to the bed and five guys have there way with her," I told him. "That is, unless your into sharing." "No way, no how. She's mine and I'm completely satisfied with what I've got." We got married in a gazebo in the middle of a rose garden. We made up our own vows and a friend of ours, who is a notary, did the honor of marrying us. I'd never been happier in my entire life. We took a windjammer cruise and made love on the deck, under the stars, every night. When we got back, I went out and got her name and the date of our wedding tattooed on my right shoulder. "Why did you do that?" Rhonda asked me when she finally noticed it two days later in the shower. "Because I want everyone in the world to know the day you made my life complete. That I love you more than anything else and I'm in it forever. This tattoo isn't going away, and neither am I." Rhonda surprised me with a tiny one two weeks later. She told me it was somewhere on her body and I'd have to find it. I did find it and it was still a little tender so I kissed it to make it feel better. That started something we didn't finish until the next morning. I worked, Rhonda played and our life was better than I could have ever imagined. Ann still sent me e-mails every week and just before Thanksgiving they stopped. A week later I saw the notice in the paper that she had died. Rhonda was the one that made me go to the wake. "Just go and put closure to that part of your life," she told me. "Then come back and I'll do my best to cheer you up," she said opening up her robe. It was pretty big crowed and I knew about a third of the people there. Her family, old ex-friends and her kids were all standing around talking. I almost didn't go in when I saw the mob, but I took a deep breath and told my legs to move. All the assholes that had made my life hell for all those years, the sanctimonious pricks that took great pleasure in telling me how well Ann was doing without me all those years were in attendance. The Price of Forgiveness With everyone's eyes on me, I bypassed the long viewing line and walked right up to the open casket. Ann had lost a ton of weight but all in all looked about the same as I'd seen her at the auction. I didn't kneel or even acknowledge the people to my right or left that we now crying. "Ann I told myself that if you died before me that I'd spit and dance on your grave," I said softly. "I'll never forget what you did to me, but if it will give you any comfort in the after life, I forgive you." I turned around, walked past the gawkers, out the mortuary, to my car and left. Rhonda comforted me that night as I again told her how much I loved her. We fell asleep in front of the fireplace as I ended an ugly chapter of my life. Now Ann's kids are starting to e-mail every week, telling me what's going on with them and how they want me in their life. Have I answered any of their e-mails yet? No. Do I plan to? I'm not sure. Who knows, maybe one day before I die.