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Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 01

By: wieliczka



Author's note. I had a little fun with this one.

*****

Thursday after work:

"Yea, the little mouse is out getin' us some beer for tonight. She wasn't gonna do it, but I sweet talked her into it again."

I had just walked into our apartment's kitchen and I heard my new husband Mark talking on the phone. He promised me that he'd never call me mouse again. I was starting to close the back door when he started talking again.

"God she was good. You had no idea, drained me royally. I haven't come like that in a long time. It's a great day."

Marc and I had a quickie this morning. I ended up running late, but riding him this morning was pretty good. I was about to say something when he started talking again.

"Yea, she swallowed like she always does. And that was after Michelle and I fucked this morning. Made Michelle late. She was pissed, but what the fuck did I care. Tell 'em some lies that you love them so and say they're the best."

My heart stopped. 

"What the fuck, I got some pussy the first thing this morning and some head for lunch and now poker tonight and a couple of beers. Man this is gonna be a great day."

He was quiet while he listened on the phone. I could hear my own heart, my own breaking heart. Then he continued, "If Michelle wasn't gonna hang around tonight, we'd be able to compare notes on who is getting the most on the side. I think that I'm winning, but Deandre could be getting more. He's got his fuckin' sister living in the house. Me, I only work around my little fat drunk bitch."

My soul was ripped from my chest, but my head was working overtime. I slowly backed out of the kitchen quietly taking the 12 pack off the table while shutting the door without a sound. 

I walked quickly back to the parking lot, torn between crying and screaming, or reaching for a tire iron. Damn new cars, have to take apart half the trunk to get to the spare and the jack.

I drove slowly out of the parking lot. It became so clear to me. All the little disjointed things that I paid no attention to immediately came together into one picture, one evil picture. This was not the marriage I thought I had. He was not the man I thought I wed. I drove on to the nearby Jewels parking lot to think, and hide in their sea of cars and grocery carts.

Married two months and this is what he's all about? Doesn't give a shit about me? The mouse? And he can't keep it in his pants. He's getting head during the day? What kind of a life do I want to live? No one deserves to be abused, not this woman anyway. This isn't a decision I want to make right here and now. Want is no longer part of it. I have to.

Just because I don't confront people easily, it doesn't mean I want to be walked on. Damn it, I shouldn't be walked on. I thought I fell in love with someone. I guess that he didn't fall in love with me. This isn't what love is all about.

Mark and his friends from high school have their poker game tonight. He sounded as if he was talking to Corey, one of the 'Fab 4'. Four high school jocks who always thought highly of themselves, very highly of themselves, to highly of themselves. I guess rules don't apply to them.

I realized that I had a choice to make right now. I could be walked on, walk out, or walk all over him. What did I learn from my parents and my aunts and uncles? I was born a Gabowski, a Michelle Gabowski. Named after a grandmother, Michalina. Damn proud family. Survivors. A family that thrives when things are down. We don't give up. That sukinsyn, that son of a bitch, he was going to pay. 

I graduated in the top 10% of my class. Mark was a jock in the bottom 25%. He always fucked around, never serious. Always in charge. Not anymore.

In a flash I realized what I was going to do. That dupek, that asshole was going to pay and I wasn't going to do the heavy lifting. I was going to let some sunshine into his life. To do that I needed to know more. About who he's fucking, who he's fucked with, who he's fucked over. Some of those people should be very pissed about what he's doing, who he's screwing. What I'd give to be a fly on the wall tonight. My phone rang and it was Mark. I suddenly knew how to be that fly.

"Hi honey, how is the beer run going? They're going to be here in less than an hour and I'm a little worried about you."

"Oh Mark, I got out of the hospital real late. The lines to get out of the parking garage were long. Must be a problem with the visitors paying again. I'm going to be late. Could you be an angel and run and get the beer and be a sweetie for me? Huh? Please?"

"I was planning on you getting it today honey. I'm setting things up for tonight here. I was counting on you."

"Mark, why don't you go to that big place on the Milwaukee ave near Niles and pick up a case of that craft beer you really love? You know that one. I know that they're about $5-6 each, but you deserve it honey. I'll get home in a bit and finish setting up for you. If they arrive before you get back, I'll invite them in. Will that work out for you?"

"Oh honey, that's really great, I'll leave right away. Love you. See you later."

I gave him 10 minutes and slowly pulled through the parking lot of the apartment complex we rent at. The spot where he had been parked was now empty. I got into the apartment quickly. Going to the bedroom, I pulled out my tablet from the back of the closet, my trusty old tablet. I got a new one for the wedding and this one was in storage.

Turning it on, I went to Google and set up a new Gmail account. No one would know it existed, so no one would contact me there. No mistakes. A couple more set ups and I logged into a video session. Then I invited me on my regular account on my phone to join in. My phone browser chimed, I connected. My fly on the wall had arrived.

I made sure that no noise from my phone would be broadcast on the tablet. I needed to able to hear all the sounds from my phone. We have a fair data plan, but at this point, I didn't care what the cost was going to be. I made sure that all other processes were turned off, anything that could make noise or interrupt, like those annoying re-scan pop-ups. 

I covered the screen with some black felt. Then I placed it on the top of the china cabinet, hidden among my nick-knacks. The cord went down the wall behind it and I wouldn't have to worry about its drained battery. 

Now the testing. What could I see and what could I hear? It only took me a couple of minutes to get a great view of the table where they play poker. Unless somebody moved several things on the top of the cabinet, they would only see my normal collection on top. With the amount of dust I found, I knew that Mark never looked up here. Dusting was his job. By clinking glasses as my sound test, I could hear just more than the slightest of sounds. 

Mouse? No one suspects a mouse do they? That gówno, that piece of shit.

I had to be out of the apartment if I was going to hear what was going on. A rom com would do it. Mark hates any chick flick, and the one playing at the multiplex would be a great excuse. The fab four usually start around 6:30 - 7 PM and the movie starts at 7:30. I checked my phone one more time. All was in working order.

I didn't want the dupek, the asshole to touch me again, to fuck me again. Yesterday the afternoon supervisor at the hospital had asked for volunteers to staff the 3-11 shift the rest of this week and next week. One nurse had a death in the family, out of state. Another went on maternity leave a month sooner than planned while the third had a car accident and was to be out the next 10 days. I won't have to be home with the dupek for a while. I can get plenty of overtime and the dupek will be thrilled. That's going to be money he's never going to see.

I grabbed the normal things for their poker night and set it all up. I had just finished when the doorbell rang. It was Cory. I grabbed a beer from the fridge for him and directed him to the living room to wait. I busied myself in the kitchen, awaiting the remaining three.

Hiding in a corner of the local coffee shop, I plastered the phone to my face with headphones plugged in so no one can hear that gówno I'm listening to. I've got a legal pad out taking notes. It's only been 10 minutes, but I'm on my second page of notes.

It was silent for a couple of minutes when I heard Cory talk. "Hey Mark, it was great that your bitch talked you into getting these craft beers for us. This one's mighty good. belch" They all chuckled. "BELCH" and they all started laughing.

"Well Cory, the coke you've brought today has been great. What do you think Deandre? Good coke?"

"Don't do no nose candy. You know that I'm tested at work. You fuckin' assholes..."

Kevin broke in with "Good thing they don't test you for extra pussy." and the four of them laughed.

Then I heard Mark break in, "You know guys, Michelle is working PMs all next week. Instead of a little poker next Thursday, why don't we all get a little extra on the side. My little whore's boyfriend is over the road next week. I'll be free and clear."

Cory piped up "You gonna have her here?"

"Fuck no, you know my rules, never bring'em home. Almost got caught about a month ago at her place, but I popped out the window in time. No, I'm going set it up and fuck her brains out for the entire evening. All I gotta do is bring a deep dish pizza and the vodka. The little fat-assed bitch loves her vodka and pizza. You set something up Cory?"

Cory looked at his hand and motioned for 2 cards, mister poker face threw his cards down in disgust. "Since you're all married and I'm not, all I gotta do is call up my little Alicia P and tell her I've got some nose candy for her. Can that girl fuck when she's snorting. Pick her up at the college, do a little coke and a whole lot of fucking.

"You know, I don't even have to get back to my apartment. Once she's snorted, she'll do whatever I tell her. One snort and she's mine. Don't get any better than that. That is until I tire of her."

Then Mark spoke up again "Hey Deandre, are you playing poker or are you playing with yourself?"

"WhatthefuckyoutalkingtmeMotherfucker?" The four of them laughed. "First off, give me three cards. Second off, you fuckers have to leave home to do this shit. I got my extra piece of ass livin' with me. I can get Shannell to see her mother and I fake a migraine and she won't get home till after 11. She's always smellin' of booze when she gets home. Boy, does her family drink. A couple of times she jumped my bones for some of my cock when she rolled on home. All I gotta do is throw her legs over my shoulders and fuck her sweet ass." At this he laughed, "she remembers the next day when her ass is sore." He took a swig of the beer, "Love dem bitches when dey loaded. All I do is look at Dawn and she pulls her panties off for me. She's my brother's wife, but she was a whore when he married her. He ain't using her, so I do."

Kevin asked for two cards. "Next Thursday looks good for me too. My little side cunt will always find time for me. It'll be our poker night, won't be a problem for me. She's got a little apartment. All I gotta do is be sure to take a shower there. Keep the same soap in my gym bag as we got at home. Not gonna slip up from a different soap or shampoo." He paused, "OK who's still in? I'm raising."

Those dupeks laughed and played poker for the next hour while I sat there. I was seething with anger, or almost crying from the pain. When I didn't think it could get any worse, I found out who they went after.

Cory was tossing his cards in and said. "I think I gotta get a new whore in the wings. I don't know how long this one'll last. I gotta do like we always do. Find somebody damaged and fuck with their heads."

Mark answered, "You bet, gotta have at least two or three possibilities in the wings. Can't depend on any of them staying for long or they got some turn off or you get tired of 'em. Never know when one is gonna quit on you. My little whore was lonely for her over the road trucker boyfriend, and she loves her vodka. It only took me a couple of weeks to get in her pants. Kept her high, played with her being alone. Not hard work if you can find it." And the four of them laughed. 

I was sick to my stomach. Was this who these dupeks really were? And I married one of them?

Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 02



Friday evening

-------

"You look a little down Michelle, what's going on?"

It was Paul Murphy. He's one of the local cops from the next suburb. We've gotten to know each other professionally over the past year when I occasionally worked ER afternoons. We've been friendly, but nothing more than professionally.

"Oh, a couple of things getting me down. How are things going for you? Still having trouble with your boss Lt. Parker?"

"Is the pope Catholic? Does a bear shit in the woods?" He exhaled some of his frustration. "He keeps on my case. He answers to damn bean counters. Police by numbers. All they like to see are the number of tickets, not if you're doing a good job. I help make calm, I investigate. That doesn't count. They want something that they can point to in numbers."

Suddenly I realized that we both had problems that could be solved. "By the way Paul, are you working next Thursday evening?" He nodded yes. "It's my time for a coffee break in a minute, could you join me?" He nodded yes again and walked over to his partner. Jeannie Reynolds sat with the accident victim and he told her that he'd bring her back some coffee, three creams, two sugars.

We took the 5 minutes to walk to the cafeteria, making small talk and discussing the challenges of some people we have in common like a 'god's gift to humans' doctor and some 'rotating door' ER patients. After getting something to drink, I led the way to the back of the cafeteria. There's a quiet spot slightly isolated by the windows and out of earshot. I normally sit there alone and look outside.

"Paul, I have to ask you something. I'd like to tell you something, but I really don't want it to be connected back to me at all. Is it possible for me to be an unknown source?"

"That's going to be a yes and a no. Sometimes there's a way to do that. Other times, it isn't possible. I..." 

I was immediately pissed and popped out "Zajebista."

"Hey, I know that it's fucking great, but let me finish before you swear at me."

I was shocked. He knew what I said. I said it was fucking great, in Polish.

"Ok Officer Paul Murphy, so how do you know Polish?"

He smiled at me and replied, "My mother is a Slodowska, same surname as Marie Sklodowska Curie, the Nobel prize physicist of a century ago. We may be related if we go back a couple of hundred more years. So watch your tongue young lady, I'm not gupia, I'm not stupid." 

He smiled at me with a little bit of a good natured smirk, and continued. "For right now, let's say that we're only talking about gardening, nothing more. I know that you're into roses. I kill my roses all the time from over watering." I understood that what was to be said was going to be in confidence. I nodded and he continued. After he glanced all around us, he said "What's up Michelle?"

"I happen to know that an individual will be driving around Thursday with a small amount of coke. I also know where he stores a whole lot more of it."

"Now you have my attention. A bust like that in this 'burb will look very good for me."

"Don't ask me exactly how I found out. He's picking some up and going to pick up his date that loves to snort it. He stores most of it in a storage unit at the rental place north of Devon. It's under a different name and his date's name is Alicia P something or other. She's a community college student at Oakton." I got a smile on this one. "He's supposed to pick her up at 6:30 at the school and then they're going back to his car to snort and fuck. His car is a white Beemer."

I could see the wheels turning in Paul. There are more than a couple hundred of white BMWs around Chicago metro area. The community college has enough students and with a different name as that... even a nick name. He may be able to track her down. 

Then Paul asked one question. "Is his name Cory Heinz?" I nodded and he continued. "We've known that he's been selling for a while. We never could catch him. Now I have a date and several places. I can keep your name out of it completely. I'll find a legal reason to pull him over."

"Oh by the way, I heard him say that he keeps his 'supplies' in his trunk somewhere around the driver side taillight." I saw that one of my co-workers was approaching so I started talking louder. "...And if you'd quit watering those roses, the roots would stop rotting out on you." I sighed then looked up at Marsha. "Oh hi Marsha, want to give this hopeless gardener some advice? You're a much better gardener than I am, and a heck of a lot better than him. At least I don't drown my roses. Everything I tell him goes in one ear and out the other. This man is dangerous with a hose." I started to stand up, "I have to get back to the ER. See you guys later." Paul nodded to me with a smile as I pushed my chair back into the table and turned to leave as I returned to my shift. 

That was possibly one of the fab 4 down, three to go.

My shift continued, but the nagging question of letting the sunshine in on the rest of the fab four and their fuck partners was not straightforward. How was I going to do this for the other three, one of which being my darling soon-to-be ex-husband. The two wives came to our wedding. I've spoken to them before although we haven't spent much time together. I wonder if I can get their work phone numbers? Their work email addresses? That way it could not be discovered by their husbands.

It's the last one, the whore from Mark's work that'll be most difficult. I don't know who would care. Is she living with someone? Married? I thought about it for the rest of the shift. Phone book lookups, internet searches, emails... EMAILS. All four of them trade email jokes and there's a big crowd that's been added to the list in the past several years. I told Mark to take me off those lists. The jokes were at best raunchy to just plain mean spirited and not to say stupid, unless you were a 12 year old boy.

I think that I can get into his email. I've never done it before and haven't tried. He'll be at work tomorrow morning and I get to stay home before leaving to work for the 3 - 11 afternoon shift. He tends to use the same passwords everywhere, including our banking and investments. That's another thing to change. Call in a fraud alert and freeze all transactions. I have to put together a list of things to do.

It's true, women multi-task, men hunt. Goes back to gathering by women and hunting for men. Going after game, be focused on your prey. Going after grains, fruits, tubers, see everything around you. I had loads of questions to answer, loads of issues to solve. 

One of the things I needed to do was to find a way to keep his hands off of me. I had to get tested very soon. I have no idea of what I may have already picked up. But for now, I don't ever want to have him touch me again. 

My shift was nearing an end when a 14 year old patient came in. She hadn't been to a doctor in years outside of school required visits because the family couldn't or wouldn't pay for it. Now she's got medical insurance. Her care now wasn't going to be an uncollectable charity case to be paid for by the other paying customers' of this hospital.

I'm taking her history and presenting symptoms. It's evident that she has a massive yeast infection. These things could be dangerous for a variety of reasons including sterilization and giving it to your partner. Sometimes the medicine is unpleasant. WAIT...THAT'S IT.

After I prepped her, the doctor came in and began his examination. The young girl was clearly in discomfort from the yeast infection, as well as the 35 year old male doctor examining her vagina. He's busy and completely businesslike, she's nervous and anxious. I stayed around and assisted the doctor and comforted her at the same time. After the diagnosis, I was to instruct her on all she should be doing. The doctor was on to the next non-emergency patient. 

I provided her with limited samples of two types of medicine to use and the prescription to be filled at a pharmacy. We discussed what to do and what to expect and the follow up with another physician. It might happen this time. I opened both medication samples. One stunk to high heavens, and she refused it. The other one was not so bad and she accepted it. After she left the examination room, I slipped the open one into my pocket. It couldn't be given to any other patient now. This smell will keep dupek away from me.

I texted home at 11 saying that they needed me for another hour or two. He responded OK and said that he'd go to sleep. I spent the time doing paperwork and I wasted time before getting home after 1 AM. That's when I put some of that awful smelling med on, right next to my vagina. It did a good job stinking up the bedroom and the bed.

======================================

Saturday

======================================

Saturday morning is a prime time to sell cars. I was awakened at 7:30 by Mark. "Hey honey, how about kissing me a little bit before work?" He was dressed for work with his cock erect and being waved in front of my face. Servicing him was never going to happen again. "I'm so sorry honey, I came down with a yeast infection and that's taken all my drive away from me." He started to push his cock toward my mouth when I waved the bedcovers, and the awful stench flooded the room again.

"Oh my god, that stuff stinks. That's what I smelled last night. How long will you have to be on it?" 

"Sorry Mark baby, it looks like it may be a week." The stench must have been good enough because he backed away from me and put his cock away. "We had that good gynie doctor in last night and she said that there's a new strain going around. If I don't do this, I wouldn't be able to work. We got your student loans and the car payment on your Camaro to pay. Maybe later this week. OK hun?"

He stomped away and under his breath I heard "fucking yeast infection." I pretended to go back to sleep. As I heard the back door slam from his anger, I bounded out of bed looking out the window to see him pull away. Getting a cup of coffee, I saw the computer was on and I pulled up Gmail. First thing first. His email address was still there. I had to guess his password. 

One of the things that I know is that it is easy to get locked out of Gmail accounts pretty quickly. For my own account, there were several times when I forgot my password and had to answer the security questions then I got emails to my other accounts asking if I knew someone was logging in. 

I wrote down the main 4 passwords he uses that I know and then the variations I remember. I can't mess up opening up his Gmail. I can only make two attempts before I get off the machine and reboot and try another day. If I fail should I ask him to put me back on the joke lists? 

I know that it sometimes reset at 3 attempts. Then there is a problem and it can lock up. I don't know his security questions and answers, and I don't want to try. It could trigger an email to another account and maybe a text to his phone. This has got to work.

Here goes with the first one I remember, "1COOLdudE". His Gmail account opened for me. Thank god the dupek is as vain as hell. Why did I marry this jerk? There has to be over 200 emails. I pass over the ones from me and his parents. I look for the ones from his buddies. 

Reading the subject lines, it's clear that Mark is still a little boy. Pretty gross bathroom humor, racial humor, stupid, very stupid political garbage. It's all about talking heads spewing venom and hate. Why did I marry this asshole? What the hell was I thinking? Was I this blind, or just in love? Or stupid? Who's gupia here? I'm the stupid one.

I know, I know. It was love and I was blind to everything else. My friends attempted to warn me, my brother asked me three times if I was sure. I was gupia for falling for him. Never again, never again will I not look before I leap. How does it go? 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?' I will have no more shame.

Getting into his emails, it's like he's still 13 years old, not 23. He's on lists from work too. That's where the fat little whore Wendy Straub is at. She works in the parts department processing paperwork. Mark is a car salesman there.

He has a couple of joke emails from her with lists of people on them. On one of the emails straight from her, the primary addressee is a Tommy Blanch and everyone else is a cc. The way she is speaking to him, it looks like it has to be her live-in boyfriend. She is telling him to pick up some milk, eggs, bread and beer on the way home. I have an email address. He's an over the road trucker. No phone numbers though. I'll Google his name later and see what I can find on him.

Here are a couple only between Mark and Wendy. Looks like they almost got caught a month ago when Tommy came home a day early. Mark had to sneak out the first story window and run to his car. They were going to be more careful. Boyfriend is on the road next Tuesday till Sunday. Mark sent her an email Thursday night wanting to fuck her in at her apartment this next Thursday, the next poker night. He didn't wait a minute, did he.

I looked at the other emails that Mark sent. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry, and it's not working. The betrayal is more that. From when we were dating, engaged and married, he hasn't been able to keep it in his pants. Then there's the boasting and the belittling. I'm just a piece of ass to him. No love, no feelings, no caring. The words out of his mouth make him loving, the words and his poker night when I'm not there, he's a self-centered creep.

Dupek has been planning on replacing me a couple of years, after I pay off his student loans and his Camaro. He's been stashing away cash for an emergency fund for himself. It's up to $1,500 now. He plans on us being technically broke and the divorce will make it a wash for both of us. Except that I'll still have my student loans to go. They were in my name and a lower interest rate, so we decided to pay off his first. That shit ain't gonna happen.

I think that our common emergency fund we have will be put to good use very soon. I forward a selection of emails to my new account then get into his sent folders and delete those too. Clear out the trash, starting with that asshole of a husband. 

======================================

It's Sunday evening, three days since I found out what my husband is. I've been going through hell trying to keep up appearances. I've gotten in contact with the two wives. They were hurt, and very very pissed. We all agreed to wait until Thursday and take them all down at the same time. I've been able to speak with Tommy, the whore Wendy's live in boyfriend. He'll still be on the road, but told me that the problem will be taken care of.

I've got thousands of things to do to cover myself, to protect myself. All I can do is my best to get through this evening shift. I have to take it one day at a time. I've spoken to my brother on the west coast, and that has helped. But I can't talk about it with our common friends. 

It's always busy at the ER. While charting at the nurses' station I looked up and saw a pair of familiar faces, "Hey Paul, Jeannie long time no see." Paul glanced over and smiled at me. "What is it now? Third time in three days?"

"You know Michelle, normally for cops it's a bummer to have to babysit prisoners or accident victims at the ER, but being able to see you, and the free coffee, makes it all worth it." He paused, "On the other hand, if there wasn't any free coffee...". That's when all three of us chuckled.

"So Michelle, can you join me when you have a break?" I nodded yes and scanned my charting and patients. "Paul, it'll be in about 15 minutes or so. Does that work for you?" He nodded and I went back to charting.

Paul has been my unknowing support throughout this. Somebody sane to speak with even though I've only told him about Cory, and we haven't talked about it since.

It was about 20 minutes later when I tapped him on the shoulder and we took off towards the cafeteria. It was the usual small talk until we sat down. This time, I realized that he had a very concerned look on his face.

"You've been very helpful to me and I think that I may even be able to take a dealer down from what you've said." He leaned into me and spoke softer, "I'm pretty good at evaluating people. As a cop, I have to be."

I shifted a bit, an uncomfortable shift. I was starting to worry about where he was headed.

"Michelle, if you can, please tell me what's going on with you. I see your stress, your strain. You're just about to burst. Was what you overheard only the tip of the iceberg? It's been getting worse for you over the past couple of days. I will keep this in strict confidence. I'm worried about you."

I looked at Paul. He gave me an opening and I have been ready to burst. I looked down at my hands. They were clenched together into a rock. "Psia krew." He winced. I just swore and we both knew it. 

Still looking at my hands, I started to unload. "Last Thursday I overheard my husband talk on the phone with Cory, one of his high school friends. The four of them play poker at our apartment every week on Thursday evenings. They all have been fucking people on the side. It's a game to them and their overgrown egos. I can't share this with anyone that they know. Juicy gossip would put me at risk and alert them. This whole thing's been bottled up inside of me." I exhaled in frustration. "Mark has been fucking around and had no plans on stopping. He doesn't really give a shit about me, never has. I'm just a daily fuck and a meal ticket."

At this point, I needed to wipe tears from my eyes. "He's got plans to pay off his student loans and his car with our earnings then trade me in on a newer model in two years. We'll have no money between us, and I'll still have my loans. I set up my old tablet in the dining room and with Google video and watched and heard their entire poker game.

"I can't go head-to-head with him, but I'm going to let somebody else take him down Thursday. Instead of playing poker, each one of them will be playing house somewhere. You're taking care of Cory, I've been emailing and talking with the other two wives and the trucker boyfriend of the bitch that's been fucking and sucking Mark." I stopped talking. I realized that I wasn't even looking at Paul, I was just vomiting what's been bottled up inside of me. That's when I slowly looked at him.

I saw compassion in his eyes, I realized that he was holding my hand. "Michelle, it's had to be hard to do this alone. You lost the man that you loved and trusted. Your friends need to be out of the loop for now." He softly continued, "You do have me here, I can help in so many ways." He paused when he saw me relax and the tears in my eyes. "Even if all you will allow me to do is to listen, I will be here for you right now and in the future. I know that this is bad, but you will survive. I was worried that with drugs involved, you'd be in mortal danger." He paused, "This will sound funny, but it is so much better for you that it is a wayward husband instead of a drug operation. You'll survive the first, I don't know about the second."

All I could do was to grasp his hands, feel his warmth, feel his support. "Can I meet you sometime tomorrow before the afternoon shift? Someplace quiet and private where we can talk while Mark is at work?" I nodded yes. "How about my mother's house? She'll make lunch for us and provide pretty good cover in case you need it. She's has a couple of health issues, so you being an angel of mercy would be a good cover."

I nodded yes when he continued, "The only thing is that she swears like a Polish truck driver, so you'll feel right at home." He laughed as I punched him in the arm. He wrote down his phone number and his mother's address. "Tomorrow at noon, sharp. Be on time."




Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 02



The rest of my shift continued to be busy and the time flew. I texted my now standard message about working late and getting overtime. More paperwork and getting home after 1 AM. Put some of that terrible smelling med for my 'yeast infection' and I slept soundly. That was a first since Wednesday, the night before I found out the shithead of a husband that I had.

======================

Monday noon

"Hello Mrs. Murphy, is Paul here yet."

"Come in, come in. You hungry? I get you eat. Pauly not here. Maybe come later. Eat now. We eat, talk. You like kiszka? We have zupa and kiszka."

I cringed, fearing the soup she'd pull out would be czerina. Ducks blood soup. The vinegar in it stops the blood from coagulating and ...

"Zupa borowikowa, mushroom soup. You like. Come eat. You look thin. Eat eat, eat now. Pauly get here when he get here." With that she hustled me into the kitchen. 

Walking into the house I saw that this was a real Polish Irish household. The small living room has complementary religious icons, a Celtic cross and an Our Lady of Czestochowa picture. I'd put money on Jameson whiskey and Wyborowa vodka being in the house too.

Mrs. Murphy kept talking and it was impossible to get in a word edgewise. Getting me to sit at the table, she wanted to welcome me and make me feel at home. Family takes you into the kitchen. Visitors are kept in the living room. That welcome I felt in my bones, there was no way to fake it. She was an immigrant, a peasant, a warm and welcoming polish mother of a yet to be determined age, but definitely of retirement age. When she took a breath while she ladled soup I broke in. "Shouldn't we wait for Paul? After all..."

"We no wait for Pauly. Eat now. Zupa good hot. You like?" She seemed eager for us to start eating. I was on time and it was all ready. 

Never mess with a cook. It's a point of ethnic pride of having a good meal for others. It was less than 5 minutes from when I rang the doorbell and we were both at the table eating the delicious mushroom soup. It really was heavenly. I decided to go with the flow. This was a stocky short woman that nobody could over run.

Once we got into the soup, her pace slowed, slowed to the point where we were able to talk about what we were eating. I found out that she gets the mushrooms from an eastern European grocery store on Milwaukee Avenue along with other polish foods. We stopped and let the soup digest before moving on to the keiszka with rye bread, and kapusta, sauerkraut with onions and pork.

She cleared away the soup bowls and brought out the plates. Sitting down, she started asking me about me. I told her about being a nurse, working in the ER and that I've been married 2 months. That was when tears came to my eyes.

"Oh Michalina, it ok cry." She reached over and hugged me and held me. I don't really know this woman but I felt safe with her. She reminded me of my grandmother before she passed. I was only a little girl, but I remember her warmth. 

"Pauly say that you Marky not treat you good. Tell me about it. It alway better when talk."

With the plates infront of me, I opened up to this Polish woman, Helena Murphy. I talked about what I found out about Mark, what he did and was going to do. I told her that I was not going to let him walk over me. I spoke about what I felt. 

She nodded in agreement. She didn't say anything, but her face showed her approval. I told her about the 'fab 4' and I must have vented for 30 minutes without stopping. My throat was dry. She passed me a glass of water then waited for me while she held my hand. I was drained, but not really drained. I was becoming unburdened. Putting my new 'situation' into perspective required that I talk it out, again and again and again. She saw that. For the first time in days I did not feel that I was going to blow up from the pressure.

I was quiet for a minute, and then she broke through my private thoughts. "Vhat you vant now Michalina? Vhat you vant now for you? Vhat your dreams?"

I looked at her in shock. "I.. I.. I.. don't know right now. I've been doing everything to stay away from him, quietly contacting the wives and the boyfriend. I haven't thought of anything more."

"You say you no stay with him, you no longer stay marry to him." I nodded yes. "Where you go? How you move" You toss him out or you go?" My face must have shown confusion and she motioned for me to be quiet. "You think. I get rest lunch. Talking hard work. Thinking of new life hard work. I get rest lunch. You sit, think. We eat more then we talk and we think more." And she got up from the table and brought out the rest of lunch.

Mizeria, cucumbers in sour cream with dill; kapusta, sauerkraut pan-fried with fried onions, cooked pork, whole pepper; kopytka, potato dumplings; and keizka, a blood sausage with barley. This is comfort food for me. The foods of my youth. There is nothing like comfort food and the serenity that it provides, however fleeting.

We talked for the next hour. I had shared some of this with my brother, but he's on the west coast. Phones can only do so much. My parents in Florida are dealing with their own immediate cancer health crisis. Later we can talk. Now it would be an impossible overload for them. Being able to do this in person with Mrs. Murphy was really needed. I started to look at the time. It was almost 2 and my shift started at 3. "I think that I have to go now. I have to get to work."

"Work good. Pauly say that you come for lunch tomorrow. We talk more. You feel better Michalina?" I nodded yes. "More talk tomorrow. You no alone. You have Pauly and his mamma. We help. We help good people. We no help bad people. Tomorrow." It was an order from Mrs Murphy, not a request.

"Yes Mrs. Murphy, I'll be here tomorrow."

"You call me Helena, ok?" and with that she hugged me. I drove away to work wondering what the heck just happened. There are some people that will be going to heaven. I think that I just met one.

Monday evening

--------

"So, how was lunch with my mother? Sorry I couldn't make it. I was called in to the station this morning and I'm working a bit of overtime this week."

I looked up and saw Paul and his partner Jeannie Reynolds standing there, smiling at me. It was more than a smile, they were grinning ear-to-ear. They probably were laughing at me too. "You really set me up didn't you?" and the two of them broke up laughing. His partner Jeanne spoke up first, "Come on, she is one warm and tough woman. Nobody gives her shit more than once. Why'd you think that this guy is so nice to work with? That short little peasant woman would beat the living shit out of this 6 footer if he did anything bad to a woman." Paul looked a little embarrassed but he grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Michelle, my mother is one tough cookie. But you have to admit, her cooking is out of this world."

"Paul, how did she know what my comfort foods were?"

"I didn't. When I spoke about you to her and she heard that you swore in Polish, it must have been kindred spirits."

I shook my head in embarrassed amusement. My mouth had preceding me. "I'm very grateful that I've met her and you've gotten her involved, but why? I don't get it." That's when Jeannie answered, "You don't know her that well. There was no way to try to stop her when she makes up her mind. Get used to it."

"What? Wait a minute..."

"Michelle, you are going to my mother's for lunch tomorrow. Be there at 10:30. I've got someone set up to meet you there, a family member. She'll be there for technical assistance, to ask and answer questions. You have a rough road ahead of you. I hope that you don't mind I set this one up."

I was starting to get a bit pissed, and I show it when I do. That's when Jeannie came to his defense. "He and his mother did this for me too. I may be a cop but that didn't mean I wasn't in an abusive marriage. I don't want to say more at this nursing desk, but I'll share things with you if you ask and we have a quiet place."

At that point an ambulance came in, a burn case. All hell breaks loose with bad burns and the three of us scattered to our jobs, helping people in need.

Tuesday late morning

-----------

"Good morning Mrs. Murphy. Paul told me to be here at 10:30 today."

"You no call me Mrs. Murphy, You call me Helena. Go to kitchen table, Brygida wait there. Go, go."

I'm starting to understand. At the table is a tall thin red-haired and very very pale woman with green eyes. She's in her early 30's with a ton of freckles. She probably has stock in sun block companies. Irish as the day is long, from his father's side.

"Hello Michelle, I'm Bridget. What has Paul told you about today?"

"Besides that you're family and are here to help, not that much."

"Sounds like Paul."

"Actually, he and Jeannie" Bridget nodded, "were at the ER last night and half way through our conversation, a burn case came in. I can't really fault him on the communication."

"That's good, I know that he's gotten better." She shifted in her seat a little and continued. "Let me explain what we are here about and then we can talk about your concerns." I nodded and she continued.

"You've found out your husband's been unfaithful, repeatedly. You've been married 2 months and want to end it." I nodded yes again.

"You and I need to explore that before any legal action can happen. I make recommendations to the legal practice that I am part of. We're not into saving or condemning any marriage that comes to our door, but we need to be sure of where you are at and what you feel. With our experience, and your blessing, we all decide on a course of action."

"That sounds reasonable Bridget, how do you want to start?"

"How about at the beginning, when you met Mark."

For the next hour I went over my history with Mark. Starting with our early college days and the courting after that. What I came to realize more and more was that Mark was a two faced jerk who treated me well to my face. What was I thinking? He sells cars and is part of that group that lie and abuse their customers to make the sale. Anything to make the sale. Anything to get the extra fuck?

Talking about him from the very beginning, I started to unearth things that I had not paid much attention to before. I started seeing a clearer picture of my life with him, putting things together for both Bridget and me to see. She would occasionally ask a question, refer me to something I said before, or ask that I think about it again before I answered. Memories are sometimes disjointed, but she kept me on track and allowed me to connect the dots. 

This wasn't pulling teeth. I've been going over my relationship with him since last Thursday and Bridget helped me put more things together. The calls to my brother and not contacting my parents in Florida helped too. Neither me nor my parents needed more drama right now. Dad was due for more cancer tests this week and they were both frazzled. Mom and Dad had always been polite to Mark, but it was always evident that they did their best to tolerate him for me. They saw more clearly than I did.

I realized that I was infatuated with Mark. I made excuses for him or overlooked things repeatedly. I was a rug to walk on. Not anymore. I had a part in this marriage going bad, but not anywhere near as much as he did. 

He is a self-centered little boy. But I enabled him. I was bull headed enough to not let anyone stop me, including me. What a shock, a bull headed Pollock. I just wouldn't ever let myself see it until now. By the end of the hour I had gotten to last Thurday evening, the point last week of overhearing him on the phone. Bridget called for a break.

Mrs. Murphy, I mean Helena, popped in and asked for help to set the table. Well, it was not really an ask for help. It was more of an order, a kind order in her broken Polish/English speech. This was more Polish than broken English. I knew what she was talking about, but Bridget looked a little confused. Then I told Bridget, "No work no eat." She smiled and started to get the silverware. No work no eat was the attitude from my grandparents and parents. Talk about feeling like being a kid at home again.

Helena provided another meal of my youth, more comfort food. While we were eating, Helena asked how things were going. "I was just married two months ago, and it all went up in smoke last Thursday. We were only dating seriously for about 7 months but we've known each other for about 2 years." I took another sip of water. "I really wanted to have a great marriage, I really did. I wanted it so bad that I would overlook just about anything as long as I felt I was being treated right, felt warm and wanted. Then I saw who he really was. 

"I've done a lot of crying over the past several days, a lot of screaming too. Did it in my car when I was all alone. I'm not over the hurt, but now I don't fear it either." That's when Helena put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a hug while I wiped tears from my eyes. 

We quickly finished the rest of the meal and I was not allowed to help clean up. 

Bridget began with "Ok Michelle, tell me, starting with last Thursday, what you've done since then."

By 2 PM, we agreed that her practice would file for divorce. I had gotten checklists of things to do to protect myself. I also decided that I was going to be fair on the financial break up. What we came in we would leave with whether it was money, furniture or debt. By luck, the apartment lease renewal came in on Saturday and Mark already signed it. I told him I'd sign it and mail it in. His credit was so bad before we got married that the leasing company required two on the lease a year ago when he first got the apartment. As a renewal, it still required two. His parents reluctantly signed last time. As a married man, it was now going to have to be me. Fat chance of that happening.



Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 03



Emergency Room, Early Thursday evening

The charge nurse looked at me, "Michelle, can you prep the patient in 101. He's under Police guard. Bruises and a cut on his head. Never lost consciousness."

I looked at the name on the chart, Cory Heinz. "Can you assign this one to Marsha? I'll work up the diabetic in 115 if that's OK with you." She nodded yes and was off. I know that Marsha has some real difficulty with this diabetic. Along with his COPD, this man has a couple of months to live. He's gone out of his way to not take care of himself. What a shame, 52, 120 pounds overweight, alcoholic and soon to be terminal. He's lost the feeling in his toes three years ago and was in a permanent wheelchair because of falling last year. I get the OK and move toward 115 when I hear my name called.

"Michelle?" I looked around and saw Paul Murphy was smiling at me. "Can you break away sometime this evening? I'd love to give you an update," he paused, "about my roses. I'm here for Heinz in 101, when he's cleared, he goes directly to the station." We both smiled.

"I've got a work up to do in 115, so in about 20 minutes?" He nodded yes and I went into 115 and started. After I was finished, it was time for my break. Marsha told me that 101 had to go for head x-rays and would be back in 30 minutes. His partner Jeannie was with that patient. I flagged Paul over and we hit the cafeteria again. He had the biggest grin on his face.

When we finally sat down, he started talking. "Thank you so much for your gardening tip. My roses look so much better. It was great. I can't thank you enough." He looked around and spoke in a softer voice, shielding what he was saying. "Did you know that Alicia P was the daughter of my boss Lt. Parker? We pulled the car over by the forest preserves for a broken tail light.

"He pulled over and his passenger made a break for it. My partner Jeannie nailed her about 1,000 yards away. She handcuffed her and came back telling the squad cam that whoever it was got away to the north. I had Heinz handcuffed and in the back of the squad by then. He took a swing at me and I nailed him. All on the cam.

"After inspecting the trunk, I had called in for backup and made sure that Parker was going to come, saying that it was a drug bust. When he showed, I gave him a hand written report to read. It started off stating that the squad cam was voice recording, so don't say anything. I wrote that his daughter had been in that car and was handcuffed down the path to the south with my partner Reynolds. She never clearly got on film because of the way I pulled up behind him. Both my partner and I would do whatever he thought was best. It was his family and he should choose. I found a couple of bags of white powder in his trunk and had seen him come out of the storage place. Enough to quiz the attendant and now get a warrant.

"Parker was shocked, but thankful. A couple of phone calls and her mother and an uncle showed up. While the rest of the team was looking north for the passenger, Parker and his family slipped away to the south. They picked up Alicia and disappeared. Parker returned to oversee the search to the north.

"The daughter was officially at home and is now on her way to a drug treatment facility out of state. Heinz will be charged with a couple of drug felonies, assaulting a police officer and as a flight risk, will probably have bail denied. Jeannie and I are being fast tracked to the open detective positions we've been working toward for the past several years. We've got a great friend in Lt. Parker."

I was elated. This turned out much better than I ever expected. Coke and ecstasy was never going to get into the house again. One asshole down for real and for a long time.

Sunshine cures all ills. One down.

It was over an hour later when an ambulance brought in Kevin. His face was bruised, a tooth was missing and he had welts on his back and arms. He was holding his side. I'd make an educated guess of a bruised or broken rib. It was painful for him to breath. 

I took the history this time. He stated that he fell down a flight of stairs. These were not injuries from falling down stairs. His wife Carmen showed up an hour later. He was fearful and she was angry. I don't know much Spanish, but being in the ER long enough I learned the Spanish words for asshole, jerk, cheater, dead to me, my brothers and whore. He was hearing a whole lot more that I couldn't understand. I made it a point of leaving the room at the time it looked like she was going to slap him. She didn't, but he started talking to her. 

From the nursing station right outside of his examination room, I heard him tell his wife some of the same stories I heard from their poker night last week. He wasn't pulling any punches on what he did. Bodily harm did it? It sounds like her brothers gave him another chance, another chance for life. A life without being permanently maimed or worse. Talk about getting religion, from a baseball bat and a pistol butt.

Sunshine cures all ills. Two down.

After 9 PM the third of the fab four arrived by car. It was Horacio with his wife Shannell and their sister Dawnelle. Both Horacio and Dawnelle were pretty bruised and there were several gashes in both of their heads. Medically, it didn't look very serious, but dried blood had dripped over their faces make it look bad to someone without ER experience. Creative shaving and stiches were the norm in cases like this. They both were going to end up with some unique hair cuts. Marsha was assigned to Horacio and I got Dawnelle. 

I immediately swabbed the wound to get an initial evaluation. When the wound did not appear to be overly serious, I started to chart the cause of the accident. Dawnelle reported that she tripped and fell through a plate glass window at their apartment building's foyer. It was an accident and she wanted to leave the hospital as quick as possible. We were swamped again this evening. It was a warm humid summer night with a full moon. Leaving early wasn't going to be the case. She was going to have to wait at least several hours, the critical cases always come first.

I was passing by Marsha's room. Horacio and Shannell were quietly talking. His eyes were looking down at the floor, words were leaking out of her clenched jaws. She had some small fresh scars on her hands. I wonder what she hit them with? 

Sunshine cures all ills. Three down.

==============================================================

At 10:40 two ambulances arrived. The first one was a code blue that they called in. It was a cardiac case and we were prepared for it. Rooms were cleared and machines were readied. People milling in the hallways were ushered to the waiting or patient rooms. The guard was able to get the wife to Marcy, the lead nurse for this patient to answer the immediate medical questions. I listened to the paramedics' reporting while we prepped him. 

There are a half dozen standard orders and we automatically worked them like clockwork. It's not a game, it's real life and death. There is no time for anything but this patient right now. We're in 117 and I've slapped the electrical blood pressure cuff and O2 sensor on him. Oxygen was transferred from the paramedic equipment to the hospital system immediately. These numbers, his color and his responses were not good and the team automatically started to do what was next. That was when I glanced out into the hallway. Mark was being wheeled into 118. Our eyes meet for a millisecond, and then I was back to saving a life.

It was touch and go with the patient for the next 45 minutes. Twice they had to shock his heart back to life. Clear means clear, only the Doctor with the electrical paddles could touch the patient or even the bed. Everybody else jumps back. Finally his heart was working on its own. His breathing, although not great, was adequate. We've gotten him stabilized enough for him to be rushed to Cardiac ICU. 

That rush was over and I collapsed against the wall. I needed to catch my breath, and then deal with Mark in the next room. My shift was over 30 minutes ago. 

It's been a week of planning, a week of pain, and rage and anger. It's been a week of preparing for the showdown. I'm not a mouse anymore, I won't let him lie to me and sweet talk me into giving him a break.

But there was something I learned from my lunches with Helena, I have to be who I am. I have to do this all with my head held high. I didn't do this to him. I only allowed his actions to catch up with him. 

Last night I realized that I needed to give him a chance to come clean to me. I don't think that it would change my decision, but it might be enough to start counseling, or not. I don't know yet. It will have to depend upon what he does.

Starting at the nursing station, I reviewed his chart. Knee was x-rayed and the results weren't back yet, but from the movement tests, it didn't appear to be broken. Multiple bruises, a couple of cuts and it looks like there were probably bruised ribs. All painful. Painful to breath now. Nothing life threatening. Some pain meds were ordered, but the cardiac case took all the nursing personnel. His assigned nurse will get to him when she gets to him. She didn't question my asking her to take her time.

I looked and found the paramedic team that brought him in. This was a new team that didn't know me. "What can you tell me about 118?" It must have been a long day and I know they are on duty for another 24. "Picked him up on the street. Conscious, unable to put pressure on his right knee." That's when he looked at my name tag. "Do you know?" and he glanced back at his report, "Mr. Mark Baumgart?" 

It's late on a humid summer night with a full moon, this guy is sharp. "Yes, I do. Please continue." This was a very sharp team. 

"Are you related?" 

"Yes, I am. I am also working in the ER. Please continue." Why in the world is this guy giving me grief? He looked at his partner and the two of them spoke quietly to each other. I'm damn impatient for them to get their act together. What's the state secret? I know that my impatience is starting to show on my face when the squad that brought him in joined us. Len and Alisha were some of my regulars. Len looked at me then at the paramedics.

I looked at the four of them and commanded their attention. "I need to know what happened. All of it. And don't hold back. Don't try to spare me or him. I know that he's been sleeping around." The four of them exhaled. The cops nodded ok to the paramedics, then Alisha started first. 

"Your fool of a husband was fucking the wrong girlfriend. The boyfriend's out of town but he's got friends. Wearing ski masks, they walked into her apartment. No break in, they walked in and started to talk to him. Talk to him with their hands that is. Looks like one of 'em did a side kick his knee. They didn't want to kill, but he won't walk without pain for quite a while."

I knew that it was a possibility that they could have killed him. But the past week, I've spoken to Tom a couple of times. That wasn't the plan. I didn't know exactly what the plan was, but death wasn't in the plan for anybody.

Then the lead paramedic started, "They gave'm a good thrashing. Believe me, I've seen much worse. The girlfriend only has a couple of cuts and a bruise where she tripped over the curb. Nobody touched her." That's when he paused and looked directly at me, "She's pregnant."

That was a bomb shell, and he continued with another. "and she doesn't know which of the two is the baby's father. She's talking on the phone with her live-in boyfriend now."

I wasn't devastated, I wasn't shocked, that happened last week. Now there's another life in the mixture. An innocent life with a not-so-innocent mother. I'm done with my asshole husband, and it's time to clean up. I didn't plan on a new life, an innocent new life. It just became more complicated.

I turned to the paramedics and asked for a favor. I explained what I wanted and they agreed. I collected my thoughts, counted to 10 to calm myself down. Then I counted to 25 to see if that was going to help. It still didn't. I put on a concerned look and walked into 118, Mark's room.

Mark was in bed wearing a hospital gown. From the look of his face, he was in pain. His knee was elevated, there were some minor cuts but many more bruises on him. His eye was puffy and I could see it already began to turn dark. He winced whenever he took a deep breath.

Our eyes meet and his faced changed to a look of relief. "Oh Michelle, I'm so glad to see you now. Do you think you could get me something for the pain? I really need something for the pain."

In my most concerned voice I could pull off I asked "Honey, what happened? I thought that you guys were playing poker. What happened honey?" I was going to give him a chance. He was going to get this final chance, a last chance to come clean. I wouldn't help to get him any pain meds until I heard the truth or the nurse came in, and I knew she was going to be busy. I made sure of that.

"Please honey, get some pain meds for me."

"Sorry Honey, you will have to wait your turn. Your nurse will be in after she finishes with the critical patients first." I paused, "What happened honey?"

The look of pain on his face just increased. Fucking whoever you wanted to has now cost you. I knew that he was not in mortal danger, I'd checked his chart, his nurse and the paramedics. He was looking trapped, it was more fear than pain. 

"Honey, will you tell me what happened? Will you tell me all I need to know?"

His face was now twisted in fear. I didn't fill any of the silences, and this unnerved him. His eyes darted back and forth. I watched him struggle, then it looked like he made a decision.

"Sweetie pie, we were playing poker and decided to break early." 

The bastard was now dead meat. Earlier this shift, I had created a text and addressed it to several people that were going to be helping me after work and early the next morning. People that were going to help me move. It was waiting to be sent, and I knew it would be going out as soon as I left this room.

"Honey, I had a couple of hours to kill so I took a ride into the city to see if my buddy Jim from high school was free for some hoops. He's in Forest Glen and he's got a park near by. I got there and we were shooting hoops for about 10 minutes and we got jumped by some kids. Jim got away, but I got the hell knocked out of me. There were a couple of them. They took my keys, wallet and phone. Can you see if you can get me some pain meds? Please honey, I'm really hurting."

"Honey, is there anything more you need to tell me? Anything at all?" 

"Sweetie pie, my car is still down there, we're going to have to get it tomorrow. I don't think that I'll be able to drive. My right knee is busted up pretty badly."

He was right on that one, he probably wouldn't be able to drive for at least a couple of days to weeks. Once again I looked closely at him, and he cringed. "Honey, is there anything more?"

Once again, I could see the wheels turning. I had made sure that we were going to be alone until I opened up the curtain. That's when we'd get our first visitor.

"No honey, there's nothing more. Could you see about those pain meds? Please honey."

He crossed my line in the sand. It was all over except for the yelling. Now it was going to my turn to play with him. "Honey, I'm a little bit confused. You said that you were playing basketball. But the clothing the paramedics brought in with you with were your dress pants. Who plays basketball in their dress pants? Where did your shirt and dress shoes go? I don't see any underwear? Where are your socks? I do know that you wear underwear, socks and shoes. Where are those things?"

He was looking very trapped now. He needed to come up with a plausible excuse as to why he lost his clothing.

"Oh, the paramedics must have taken them off of me when they picked me up off the street. Hon, could you see about those pain meds now?"

"Let me see if I can find your nurse now." He was looking relieved. I stood up and opened the curtain. I nodded to the Chicago paramedics that brought him in, and then I turned back to my dupek of a husband while they walked past me.

"Thank you nurse, we just have to get a little bit more information for our records. But the first thing I'd like to tell you is that your girlfriend only fell on the curb and cut her knee. She'll be fine. Now about the ..." 

That's when I looked at him and he froze. His face turned white. I enjoyed it. Payback is a bitch. "I will pick you up sometime tomorrow morning. They may need to call in a specialist this evening, or not, for your knee. Either way, you will be here at least until 5 AM. No keys, no wallet, no phone and no walking. You will be ready before I arrive, Honey." He never heard the word honey from me said with such disgust. He winced when I said it.

The look on his face said it all. He was on the Titanic and I was in the last lifeboat, waving goodbye, almost spitting at him. I slowly turned and walked away from the dupek. His nightmare was going to continue. He abused our marriage the last time. He bedded the girlfriend of a very jealous man. What do you think would happen when he found out? Tommy got his revenge, he did my heavy lifting.

I started leaving the ER when I passed by 104. That was where they took Wendy. I heard her crying on the phone. "I'm so sorry Tom. We've been having problems for some time." She was silent, I could see she was listening. "I know we should have worked it out. You've been on the road so often... I'm sorry that I hurt you. You didn't deserve this." She was silent again, but I could see real sorrow and caring in her. So unlike my shit of a husband. 

Suddenly she started speaking again, breaking me out of my thoughts. "I'm pregnant and I don't know who the father is. I think that it should be you, but we went out with a group after work and I got drunk a couple of times." She paused, started stammering, and then began again. "The minute I started feeling differently, I've been off of everything, no booze, weed, and even coffee. I've been clean."

She went quiet again. "I've been stupid and hurt you so. I am so sorry for betraying your trust. I've done you wrong, I'm wrong and I've done my child wrong. I am so ashamed at what I've done." I was shocked at this, and then she blew my mind once again, "I can't stay with you until I know who the father is. I need to move out of the apartment until my baby is born and we can do a DNA test. As soon as I find a place to stay, I'll move. I can't move back home, I may be able to move in with my sister in Seattle. I don't know yet. I am so sorry for what I did to you. I can't ask for your forgiveness. What I've done can't be forgiven." She cried for a few more minutes until she said good bye.

I needed to be who I am. I could almost hear Helena's broken English telling that to me. I needed to hold my head up high. I walked into her room. "Hello Wendy, I'm Michelle, Mark's wife." She was terrified. She sat there with her mouth open, tensed, eyes darting about in fear.

In a soft voice, a non-threatening voice, a voice that was busting out in sorrow I continued, "I think that we need to talk about you and you baby. May I please speak with you?" She nodded yes in fear, and patted the bed for me to sit down on. I placed my hand gently on hers and we began to talk quietly, honestly and with compassion for each other. 

It was 3 PM by the time they released him. I called in a couple of favors and the delays kept him there longer. Swollen knee, a small amount of torn cartledge, but no broken bones. Bruised ribs and a couple more minor physical things that would heal. Mr. Jock was no longer going to be Mr. Jock. He might have problem with that knee for the rest of his life. 




Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 03



Between last night and this morning I got 4 hours of sleep. All the help that came had given me enough time to move out. Paul rounded up his cop friends and his relatives for starters. When the paramedics from the surrounding towns found out, some of them jumped in too. Jeannie and her friends were able to properly pack away my breakable things for storage in a matter of an hour and a half. And they came with boxes. She'd done this before.

Jeannie was moved out of her apartment into Mrs. Murphy's spare bedroom when she fled her abusive husband over a year ago. Same group of people helped. A day later, her stupid jackass of a husband showed up at Mrs. Murphy's and started swearing and threatening Jeannie from the front porch. Wrong neighborhood to do that in. The Sauganash neighborhood of the north side of Chicago has a lot of active and retired higher ranking Chicago Police and Fire officers, and politicians too. Mrs. Murphy's block was particularly tight. Damn fool was shut down at one minute by at least 1 glock pointed at his head. It was quickly followed by a second pointed at his crotch. Both guns were fielded by passionless steely-eyed 30 year Chicago Police vets that both had worked gang crimes. By 2 minutes, he was eating dirt. In this neighborhood, no body messes with Mrs. Murphy, the wife of a late Chicago Fire Department Captain.

Helena had offered and I accepted one of her spare bedrooms on the condition that I have dinner with her a couple of times a week, and I speak Polish with her. Her husband, Paul's father, died from a heart attack about 5 years ago and it sometimes got a bit lonely for her. Paul's other brothers had moved away and married. No grandchildren, and because they live so far away, the sons and their wives don't visit very often. She said I could stay as long as I wanted to and leave whenever I felt I was ready. Most of my things were placed in storage for the time being, I wasn't going to need them right now. 

I brought a change of clothes for Mark. This included a pair of baggy shorts that he hated, but would fit over the bandage on his knee. Walking into the hospital as a patient's relative was different for me. It was my turn to negotiate the medical bureaucracy and personalities. I was partially pleased with the results of the changes. Hospitals and doctors used to be completely in charge. Now they both have to be more attuned to who they are actually serving. 

I walked into the Ortho outpatient area. He was transferred there this morning at 6 AM, another way I got the staff to delay his leaving. I checked in with the nurses' station. With the update, I asked for transport to take him to the lobby. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and entered his room. The discharge nurse was just completing her tasks.

He was silent when I arrived and I tossed him his change of clothing. Without a word, he shuffled to the bathroom to change. The transport worker arrived after he went in to the bathroom. I told the worker that I'd meet them out front of the main entrance, so I wasn't even there when Mark exited the bathroom.

Getting the car, I pulled up to the front entrance. Transport helped Mark into the car and put the plastic bag of his remaining clothing in the back seat. It was eerily silent between us. He waited until we closed the car doors and were alone before he said anything. 

"Honey, I'm sorr..."

"You can stop that right now. How in the world could I accept you bedding another woman let alone getting her pregnant?"

"But honey, I'm..."

"When we get out of this car we can begin to talk. There have been a few changes at home." 

"But honey, I'm..."

"Shut the fuck up asshole." 

He was shocked while I continued, "When we get to the apartment, I'll drop you off at the rear entrance. You can get your own ass in the door while I park." It was a chilling silent 20 minute drive home, well, to his home, to his apartment.

Mark hobbled slowly to the rear door and waited for me to open it. No wallet, no phone, no keys. No future either. After I opened the door, he limped to the kitchen table and sat down. I sat down across from him and looked at him. One deflated sack of shit. He's gone from the top of the world to rock bottom. Well, not yet rock bottom. There were a couple more surprises in store.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Honey." The honey stung him like venom, again. 

"I didn't mean for things to get out of hand. You've been working afternoons and she came on to me and ..."

That was the que, and Wendy walked into the kitchen. "I came on to you? You really live in a fantasy world. You were the one getting everybody going out after work for the past year. You've been buying me drinks left and right for weeks. Listening to me talk about how hard it was with Tommy on the road. You worked hard at getting me. You preyed on the problems I had at home. What I did was wrong, but what you did was worse."

Mark jumped at her words, his anger popped and his mouth opened before he thought. "What is she doing here? What the fuck is she doing here?"

"My dear soon to be ex-husband" and I paused. That hit him between the eyes. He flinched. He may have been thinking he could salvage this, but the look on his face said it all. He was shocked that I was done with him. I'm sure that he didn't think that the little mouse leaving him would ever happen. 

"She's your new roommate. She needed a place to live as you helped destroy her life with Tom. You also needed somebody else on the lease, and she's on the lease as of this morning. It was accepted by the landlord already. She's got a better credit rating that you do."

Wendy was still looking at him with anger in her eyes and said, "You stay away from me here. I've got the bigger bedroom, you get the smaller one in back. Somebody is going to have to drive you to work and back, so you'll have to be nice to me."

"I don't have to do anything, I'll call my buddies to help out."

That's when Wendy brought out his phone, wallet and keys. "I got these from the apartment this morning." She put them on the kitchen table and backed away.

That's when I started laughing. "I'm sure you tried to get ahold of the three of them at the hospital, didn't you? Couldn't get through? Why was that?" Looking at the phone I said, "Mark, you've got a ton of voice mails. You'd better listen to them before you open your mouth again."

The anger on his face said it all. He finally figured out it was over with me. He realized that he had to move one. "You might as well as listen to 'em right now. It'll save us all some time."

He felt pushed and it was all out of his control, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He unlocked his phone and stated listening. I guess the quality of the sound was bad or the couple of punches to his ears did a little bit of damage. He had to crank it up completely. With the room quiet, we could hear it too. The first came from Horacio. It was short and bitter. "We're done Corey. Won't ever be in contact with you again. Don't ever call." His face showed surprise and confusion.

The next one came from Kevin. "It's over. You no longer exist for me. Don't ever call me again." We could hear his wife in the back ground asking if he was finished calling that son of a bitch before he hung up. 

The third was from Cory. "Mark, you gotta get bail for me. I got picked up and they THINK they found stuff on me. Mark, you gotta get me bail." Mark's face froze. There was real fear in his eyes. He was about to go to the next message when the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it

I went to the front door and saw that it was my mother Lucy. Mark's mom was happy and overjoyed. "I'm going to be a grandmother. When is the baby due?" and she gave me a big hug.

She realized immediately that I was as stiff as a board and did not hug back. "What's wrong Michelle? Has something happened to the baby?" Only then she looked around the living room. All that furniture was mine, and it was all gone. It was replaced by Wendy's hastily packed belongings. Wendy walked into the room with Mark hobbling behind her.

"Lucy, I'd like to introduce to you the possible mother of your grandchild, Wendy. You see, until the birth and they can do a DNA test, we won't know for sure who the father was." The shock on her face was terrible. She always knew that her son was fast and loose. There is no way to make someone grow up, no matter what you do. I couldn't blame her. In fact, I felt sorry for her. She was a good woman. Here was more damage from Mark. So many people, so much damage. Before the wedding she shared with me that Mark would start settling down now. Now she realized that her dreams for us just went up in smoke.

She looked at her only son, "Is it true? Have you've been with this woman?" There is something about a mother, a mother with fire in her eyes that makes the strong shake. 

The room went silent and her eyes burned a hole into his skull. He nodded yes. This was the first honesty from him that I'd seen.

"But she was on the pill, it can't be mine."

Wendy blurted out, "I never was on the pill this year. You kept telling me that you loved me. The only birth control pills I had was an old prescription from a year ago. It did bad things to my body and I had to stop taking them. Tommy was careful. You liked to ride me bareback when you got me drunk."

This time, it was his mother that was crestfallen. A 'possible' grandchild, and not with Michelle? Her joy crashed on the rocks.

"Mark, there's a couple more things I need to say." I looked at Wendy. "I got tested for STD's this week. The eyes of all three of them started to pop out. "Fortunately, I was negative." There was a sigh of relief before I continued looking directly at Mark, "But I tested positive for ecstasy. Why did you give me ecstasy?"

"NO! THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT. You used a glass that I had stored some..." he quietly continued. "It was only a trace amount, I never meant to slip you anything."

He mother went ballistic "YOU STUPID ASSHOLE. YOU GAVE YOUR WIFE DRUGS? Did you do that to the mother of your unborn baby too?"

Before he could answer, I broke in. "Wendy, you were given a drug screening at the ER. You'll need to ask for the results." Then I looked at Mark, "Cory's been arrested for dealing drugs. Don't you think that they may show up here with a warrant in a matter of minutes?"

Mark's face went from fear to terror. Doing jail time and having a record was going to put a crimp in his life for the rest of time. Using all the control she could summon, his mother said quietly, "Everything, get everything now. Bring it all out. Don't waste a second."

Mark hesitated for a couple of seconds when she bellowed out "NOW".

He hobbled to the front closet and stared. "IT'S NOT HERE. YOUR WINTER COAT IS NOT HERE." 

Before I had a chance to scream, his mother screamed "YOU HID YOUR DRUGS IN HER COAT?" Then she slapped his face. 

He recoiled and collapsed on the floor. The three of us picked him up and put him on a folding chair. Asshole was going to let me be the fall guy. I was feeling better and better about what I decided to do with every revelation.

Lucy asked for a glass of water and Wendy got it for her. She was shaking with rage at her son and threw the glass of water in his face. This shocked him again. "You have 5 minutes to tell us all, everything you've done wrong. One lie, one skirting the hard and fast truth and you're going to be looking at jail time. I AM YOUR LAST HOPE. YOUR LAST SUPPORT. YOU LIE, EVEN A LITTLE BIT, YOU'RE TOAST." She grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him violently. "ANYMORE DRUGS?"

Mark was trapped. I don't know if his mother would turn him in, but she was playing that card now. He realized that he could no longer take a chance. "There are no other drugs."

There was a sigh of relief from his mother until I asked the next question. "What about your drug money that Cory's been using to finance his drug buys?" 

Mark was becoming numb, he may have more secrets, but these were the top ones for jail time. All he could do was to look at the floor and mumble quietly, "I loan him $2K and get back $2,500 each month. He has the $2K right now."

Lucy just shook her head, and began to dial a number. "Hello Karen, oh yes, I'm doing fine. Can you put Bill on. It very urgent." She paused, "Yes, I'll hold." We looked on in silence. It was apparent that Mark knew who she was talking with.

"Oh Bill, Mark is in a bit of trouble. Serious trouble." She paused, "Drugs are the worse part of it." Then she paused again, listening intently. "Can we come on in immediately? Yes, OK. We'll be there in 20 minutes. Bye."

Lucy looked at me. She was filled with rage and fire and sorrow. "I'm so sorry Michelle that it's ended this way." We both leaned in for a hug. I could feel her stifling a sob. I was too. "We can talk later. He is still my son, my stupid dumb-fuck full-of-himself son. I'll see if he can stay out of jail." She looked over at Wendy. 

Wendy had been trying to fade away into the wall the entire time we were in the living room. Lucy walked up to her and reached for her hand. "I don't know what the future will bring, but if Mark is the father, he will responsible. You have my word." Then she looked at Mark and said sharply, "Get moving, I'll bring the car around the front."

I stifled a sob, I had promised myself that I wouldn't cry. "You've been a wonderful mother, I'm sorry that it's ended this way." 

"I am too Michelle, I am too. I had such great hope." She gave me a hug, "He just wouldn't grow up." She grabbed her purse and went out the front door.

I turned and looked at Mark. He was still sitting on that folding chair, dripping from the glass of water that was thrown on him. He had time to switch from looking totally defeated, to his loving and caring face that I had seen so many times before. He really could get an academy award for his acting.

I walked over to him and stood in front of him. Looking him square in the eyes from three feet away, I said my goodbye. "I finally realized that you've never loved me. All you're about is using people for what you want."

He shot right back, "Oh yes I do, I do love you."

"No Mark, you've always loved yourself more than anyone else. There's no room there for anybody but you. I'm done. It's over. I have a life to restart. You've got a life to try to rescue from your own trash heap." 

"But Honey, she didn't mean anything. I really do love you."

It was my turn for acting. I stopped and looked away, like I was considering something good. Then I turned back and smiled at him. And in a soft, tender, sweet voice I looked at him and said "Wpierdalaj gowno swojego psa" His face lightened, he had hope from the softness of my voice. His face lightened, he smiled. He also had no idea what I just said. 

I took one step back and in that most gentle voice I answered his pleading, "Honey, I just told you to eat your dog shit." 

I turned away and walked to the back door, listening to his denials and his 'love' for me. This mouse didn't have to roar. I only had to walk and I was able to walk away from him with my head held high.

==============================================================

"Michalina, vhy you do this? Vhy you go see him? Marky no good. You know. Vhy?"

"Helena, I know that. I know that it's real hard for him to change. I'm not counting on it." It's been 6 months since his world blew up in his face. Tomorrow we go to court and finalize the divorce. He's said he's changed. I don't know. 

I paused for a minute and then continued, "I really did love him. I just don't know if he is capable of loving anybody but him. Maybe almost going to jail and almost becoming a father did something to him. A lawyer's negotiations saved him from jail, a miscarriage saved him from fatherhood. I don't think anything can save him from ending our marriage tomorrow." 

"Michalina, Vhat about the baby? Vhat about the knee? Vhat about his mamma pull strings for him? Vhat about drug in your coat? Vhat about.."

"I know, I know, I know. He's wrong for me. I don't think this will change anything. Seriously." I exhaled. I exhaled the past 6 months of getting my life successfully back in order. Tomorrow it will be all over, the final time in front of the judge.

"I'm taking you out to dinner tomorrow after my divorce is finalized. Any place you like. It's on me." I got a grudging ok and I left to go to my room.

She's right. Mark's still wrong for me and I still don't trust him. We've met a few times to talk some things out. I did have a need for some form of closure, what ever I could get from that gowno. I did get some truth out of him. But it was only some truth. But I did see the changes in him. That's why I agreed to meet him after work today, at about 11:30 at his normal hangout bar. 

I didn't go to work this afternoon, I took the day off today and tomorrow. Getting into my closet, I put on a borrowed black wig from Jeannie, colored sunglasses and a frumpy set of clothes that I'd never ever wear to paint walls with, let alone go out in public. I was going to arrive at his bar at 8. He was expecting me at 11:30. It's a 4 AM bar with lots of people there. I was going to see him in his element. All I hoped was that I wouldn't get hit on and my cover be blown. Jeannie was going to pick me up for a 'girl's night out'.

I came down the stairs and Helena looked at me and smiled. "I know you good girl now. I know you not trust Marky. How you get to bar?"

"Jeannie will pick me up in a few minutes." Then I heard a car horn beep twice, Jeannie's beep style. "She's here now. Don't wait up for me."

"I come? I vant come. Ve have good time? Three?"

That made tremendous sense. Jeannie had joined us for dinner a couple of times and she even started to pick up some more Polish, at least the food and a bit of cussing. A table of two young women and an older one. Who was going to bother us? "Well, what are you waiting for Helena? Grab your coat, it's cold outside."

Jeannie was the first to enter and scouted out the place. She spotted Mark at the bar with a couple of guys and what looked like their dates. We were able to get into a dark corner where we could see most of what was going on. I kept my back to Mark and the other two women were able to observe and give me a play by play. 

For the first half hour it was the typical bar scene. Talking, laughing, toasting yelling at the TV. The Blackhawks were playing and the last year was great for them. It was now the playoffs and it was getting tense.

All of a sudden, Jeannie muttered something. "You don't have to worry about Mark." She pulled out her phone and hit the phone app. "He hasn't changed at all Michelle."

"Vhat he do? Vhat he do? Vhat Marky do? I miss, Hawks goal, we ahead."

"Michelle, be careful looking that way. Don't allow him to see your profile. Here, use the menu to shield yourself."

I grabbed the menu to do that and the waitress came running on up. First time she's been attentive all evening. Jeannie told her that we needed some more time and would flag her down when we were ready. 

I waited for her to leave before I tried again. Jeannie continued, "Do you see the girl in the red skirt? She'd been hanging on the tall blond guy all evening that's at the TV by the pool table now. They'd been kissing and holding each other all night. She's got a ring on her finger with a shiny stone that's she's been showing everybody. From their interactions, they're an item. The blond guy went to go to the washroom and then went to watch the game at the other bigger TV. The Hawks are in overtime. He's not paying any attention to his girl at the bar."

That's when she paused, "And I saw Mark's hand grab her red skirted ass for a great big squeeze. All she did was laugh. The lady's been drinking and is willing and Mark's done it at least twice." She looked at me and asked, "Is that enough for you?"




Sunshine Cures All Ills Ch. 03



There have been several times in the past six months. I was looking fpr some form of internal closure about Mark. Then we'd talk and it would all start over again. Each time I felt that even considering him would be making a mistake, so I haven't. I knew he was going to be a little boy for quite a while. But, and it was a big but, it kept appearing that he was changing for the better. Changing like a leopard's spots I guess.

Jeannie stood up. "You two wait right here, I'm going to do a little bit of investigating." She got up and at first went to the washroom. When she came out, I could see that her phone was cupped in her hand. Unless you were looking, it wasn't readily apparent. She had ear buds on so it didn't look out of place. 

She first walked slowly past Mark and the woman in the red skirt. Jeannie was pretending she was looking for someone and stayed there a few minutes, walking back and forth. Mark did not appear to notice her. His eyes were only on the red skirted girl. Then Jeannie went over to the pool table and watched the game. She started talking with the tall blond guy for a few minutes and then came back to the table.

"Let me look at the pictures first and I'll fill you in." She swiped her way through the several shots and then smiled. "Nailed it." It was a triumphant smile. "Here's the story. Turns out I know the tall blond is Jeff. He's the brother of a friend of mine. Nice guy. They just got engaged and are celebrating. The girl in the red is Chloe. She's drunk. Had a hard time remembering her name. She's slurring her words like crazy, hard time standing. See how she's holding on to the bar?" Helena and I glanced to the bar and saw her try three times to anchor her elbow on the bar. She kept missing. Why did her fiancée leave her alone? 

That's when Jeannie turned her smart phone screen to Helena and me. There, as big as life, is Mark's hand on Chloe's ass, copping a feel and he's sporting a big smile while Chloe is standing there with glazed distant eyes.

At that I started laughing. "This is going to make tomorrow so easy. I can't thank you enough."

Then Helena asked a quiet question. "You send photo to friend? He send to brother? Maybe we see sparks? See sparks with sukinsyn?" She had a wonderful mischievous look in her eyes.

Jeannie's eyes lit up, as well as mine. As that famous 20th Century American philosopher once said, "It's deja vu all over again". Jeannie nodded quickly as she called her friend and spoke for a minute or two. There were a couple of buttons pressed, then all three of us sat back to watch the show.

It took about 2 minutes for Jeff to get a phone call. As we watched him answer it and talk. Then his eyes went wide and his face became angry. He stormed over to Mark, breathing fire. 

He quieted that whole place. "LISTEN MOTHERFUCKER, KEEP YOUR GOD DAMN HANDS OFF OF HER" and his right arm collided with Mark's belly. Mark immediately doubled over in pain and fell to the floor. A couple of people held Jeff back. "Look at my fucking phone. It's a picture of him feeling her ass." 

Our waitress picked up the phone and almost yelled out "He did, he was feeling up Chloe. Here's the pic." Jeff shrugged off his captors. "Asshole won't do it again." He grabbed Chloe and left the bar. Somebody helped Mark to a chair. The excitement was over and a minute later people were back doing what they normally do in bars.

I stood up and took off the wig. I looked at Helena and Jeannie, "It's time to go. I need to say goodbye." Walking up to Mark while he was doubled over in pain was getting old by this time. The look on his face when I called to him and he recognized me was priceless. "See you tomorrow Mark" and I left the bar.

It was a nice sit-down white table restaurant for the 4 of us, Paul, Jeannie, Helena and me. When the judge ruled and we were dismissed, Mark looked at me and then limped away. We were separated longer than we were married. 

As dinner was to begin, I stood up. "Let me toast." I filled everybody's glasses up. Then I looked at Paul and said "Jestes zalosny". At that Helena and I started laughing, Paul looked flustered while Jeannie was confused.

"I am not pathetic. What's this all about anyway?"

"I've been a free woman for over 2 hours and you still haven't asked me out yet. What are you waiting for?"

Jeannie and Helena both looked at him and chuckled as I continued. "Don't you think that I have half an ounce of sense in me? I know only looking at Mark it would seem that I didn't have a clue about life. But you have been with me the entire time. You've been working behind the scenes, never getting in the way, letting me make my own decisions. You've been respectful of me. You did everything to make it easy for me to do what I chose to do. What I needed to do. You didn't insert yourself in any of it. You were all behind the scenes.

"I've seen your eyes, I've see who you are. Don't tell me that you aren't interested in me?" I reached over and pulled his head to mine, and he willingly followed. We exchanged our first kiss. "Like I've been interested in you." 

This time, he pulled me to him and we kissed again. Looking at me, he motioned to his mother. "You know I gotta do what's right, you know that. You did what you needed to do. You didn't need me to complicate matters. But you're right, you're free and clear now. Free and clear without any doubts." 

We kissed again then he stood up with his glass in his hand. "To the little mouse, may she never have any cause to ever take me down." Helena and Jeannie laughed while I lightly slapped his cheek. 

"Don't you ever call me that again. I got experience, you know." and I then kissed his smiling cheek to make it better.