0 comments/ 53573 views/ 1 favorites The Old Neighborhood By: Madam-Cecilia You were driving down the street with your mind a million miles away when I saw you. I hadn't seen you in probably 15 years. You used to come over to my place all the time with the other kids in my son's class. It seemed like we always had a dozen boys over after school. Now I am home alone most of the time. The kids are long since gone and my husband left shortly after. I knew you were still in town from the local gossip but I don't get out much so I hadn't run across you. I remember when you came over you were always so helpful. Here I am in the yard with this damn mower that won't start. It would be great if I could get some of your help now I was thinking as you honked and waved. I waved back and to my surprise you pulled over. "Mrs. Meyer, How ARE you?" you asked in your polite manner I remember from so long ago. "Kenny, we've known each other too long for you to be calling me Mrs. Meyer. Angie, please." "Angie," you reply. "It has been so long. How are you? You look great!" From the look on your face I can see you are embarrassed to have said that. I know I look good for my age. When you boys all hung out here I saw you ogling me. I looked good then but 15 years later I am still turning heads. At almost 50 I still have the body of a young woman. I work hard to keep it that way. My tits never have begun to sag. They are as full and firm as they always were. "I'm doing good. You look pretty good yourself." I couldn't help but smile as you shuffle your feet. Just like a shy young boy. "What are you up to?" "I was just driving around checking out the old neighborhood when I saw you here. You having trouble with that mower?" "As a matter of fact I am. Would you have time to take a look at it for me?" "I have all day Mrs...Angie." "I would be so grateful if you could get it going for me," I purred. I couldn't help myself. I gave you a very sexy smile and actually slid close enough to almost touch your ear. I saw the hair on the back of your neck rise in your excitement. "I'll run inside and make some lemonade. Come on in when you get it figured out." I went inside and mixed up the drink. I heard you laughing and walking through the front door shortly after. "And just WHAT is so funny young man?" I asked as you stepped up to the kitchen sink to wash your hands. You turned to look at me as you grabbed a towel for your hands. "You were just out of gas." At that I too burst out laughing. I had been struggling with that stupid thing all morning. "Ok Smarty Pants. You got me on that one. Now sit down and have some of this," I said sliding the glass over to you. I turned to get another glass from the cupboard when I felt the sting of the towel across my ass. "KENNY!! What was THAT?!" I asked. "Sorry, Angie. I couldn't resist. Being in this house just brings out the little boy in me I guess," you claimed with a sly grin on your face. I couldn't help myself. I was getting excited. It had been a long time since I had a man in my house. I turned towards you. I'm not sure what my original intent was but as I stepped closer my womanly instinct just took over. "Kenny, you're not a little boy anymore," I breathed as I stepped even closer. "You're a MAN now. I need a man Kenny." "A..A..Angie," you stammered. "I...I...I don't know what to say. "Don't say anything. Just kiss me," I demanded as I came within your reach. Being the good boy you always were I didn't have to tell you twice. I had butterflies in my stomach as our lips met. You were so soft and gentle. I know you weren't sure. Hell I wasn't sure until our tongues entwined then I knew I was doing the right thing. I took your hand and rested it on my full heaving breast. The tank top I was wearing barely contained it. Once you had my "permission" you scooped it out and took it between your lips. My knees grew wobbly as you sucked my nipple into your mouth and let your tongue flick it about. "Oh Kenny!!" I moaned as my fingers worked their way through your hair. Your lips on my nipples were arousing feelings in me I hadn't had for years!! I knew I had to have you right then and there. I walked backwards taking you with me. When I came against the table I raised my leg and sat on it. I reluctantly pulled your head from my breast and looked into your eyes. "Take me Kenny. Take me NOW!!" I was on fire and I NEEDED you to help me out. You stepped back and looked longingly at me as you shed your clothes. In no time you were standing before me, your long, hard, young cock calling out to me. I dropped from the table onto my knees on the floor in front of you. My tongue snaked out and licked the length of your hard shaft as my fingers wrapped around your balls. Your moans of enjoyment encouraged me. I let my tongue wander over your smooth, soft skin until I had reached the very tip. A couple of flicks of my tongue and then I had to swallow you. Your cock felt so good sliding deep into my throat. I massaged your balls as my mouth sucked you deeper and deeper. I could feel the boiling in your balls and as much as I wanted to taste your hot cum I wanted to feel you throb in my wet cunt even more. I stood before you and dropped my shorts to the floor. I hadn't bothered with panties today so I stood before you with my wetness gleaming in the afternoon light. You picked me up and set me back on the table. Your hands roamed over my chest pulling my top over my head as you kissed the inside of my thighs. Just as your tongue found my clit you tweaked one nipple. I exploded, drowning you in my sweet juices. You lapped up every drop sending me over the edge again and again. After what seemed an eternity spent in heaven you came up for air. I looked into your lust filled eyes and begged, "Fuck me Kenny. PLEASE fuck me!! Slam you hard cock deep in my quivering cunt" With that encouragement you sunk home with one full stroke. My back arched off the table as I screamed out in yet another orgasm. The walls of my pussy grabbed at your hard cock as you slammed it in and out of my aching pussy. Without warning you pulled clear of my pussy and stepped back. I whimpered and looked at you with a defeated pout on my lips. "Oh, I'm not done with you yet," you answered my look. "Turn over!" You took my hand and helped me to turn over to my stomach offering myself to you in a most submissive form. I felt your hard cock rubbing against my clit, teasing me terribly. You rubbed it up and down my slit coating it in my juices. I was about to beg you to slide it in when I felt the pressure against my arse. Your hands were on either cheek opening my ass wide for you to have easy access. Part of me wanted to object and part of me wanted to feel you enter my forbidden passage. I said nothing as the pressure increased. You were very gentle, sliding in slowly, allowing me time to adjust. When you were all in you stopped and settled for a moment before you started pumping in and out. Slowly at first then faster and faster. I could not believe how good it felt. I hadn't had a cock in my ass in forever and you were taking such good care of me. The faster you went the harder your balls slapped against my clit sending volts of electricity through my spine. I started to spasm yet again when I felt your body stiffen. I knew you would fill my ass with your hot seed any minute now and I could hardly wait!! "That's it Kenny. Cum for me baby. Shoot deep in my ass!!" You needed no more encouragement. With those words echoing in the kitchen you thrust forward and spilled your hot juice deep in my ass. It took several strokes to milk it all out of you. You gave me such a load it was running out and down my leg by the time we were done. You collapsed on top of me to catch your breath, then slowly eased you way out. You cock was just loosing its edge as you slid free from my vise-like grip. Exhausted you fell into a chair and I turned over and slid off into one myself. We sat quietly for a few minutes before either of us could speak. I finally broke the silence, "So you said you have all day?" We both burst out laughing then. I hope you plan more trips into the old neighborhood. The Old Neighborhood There is no sex in this story Sorry Thanks to the hip and knee doctor for editing assistance. I knew that things were going to be different as soon as I started my new school. I was born and raised in Philly and moving an hour away from the city would definitely take some adjustment. By adjustment, that meant that I had to learn to live with it. I kept my nose clean and stayed out of trouble at the request of my father and insistence of my mother. The population was diversified to say the least. Some Blacks, some Spics, a few Italians, and Jews. The majority were hard-headed Dutchies. They weren't Amish or Mennonites, just German Lutherans, who dominated the area and everything in it. It was a melting pot, so I had no real trouble blending in, but I missed my Philly friends. I stayed in the area after graduation, mainly to be close to my family. I still made regular trips to the old neighborhood and stayed close with my old friends. I got my first job driving a fuel oil delivery truck. In a few years I was working inside, dispatching, and taking orders. I had a knack for the business and could actually see myself as an owner of a similar operation in a few years. I had no trouble finding friends of the opposite sex and my social life was better than I had expected. When I got married, my mother was a little disappointed that my new wife was not Italian, but she did her best to make sure that Marcie was accepted with no reservations. After two kids, Marcie insisted that I get clipped. I had no problem with that, but once the kids started school, Marcie wanted to go to work. My father never felt that it was a good idea for a wife and mother to work. I am not completely sure of the rationale behind this, but looking back, it made sense. It wasn't that I minded Marcie working, as much as I disliked the fact that she was socializing with people that she knew and grew up with. I liked some of her friends, but not all of them. In school, she had been involved in all sorts of student activities and she really enjoyed them. I avoided such things and the people that were doing them. I always felt that they were a bunch of snobs sitting around stroking each other's egos. I knew that she had been sexually active before I met her, but I was also. We never discussed things that we did before we were together. It wasn't a rule or anything, just something that we fell into. We were married for about ten years when things started to come apart. Marcie had been working in the claims department of one of the local national insurance companies. I got concerned when she started working overtime and weekends. Six months later, I knew that I had to end it, when the seminar came up. "Tony, I just don't understand what the problem is? It is only for three days. I already talked to your mom and she agreed to stay with the kids while I am gone. You will be home in the evenings. I know you can cook for yourself." I couldn't believe that she had the guts to ask in the first place. "Who is going on this seminar?" She seemed to perk up a little when I responded. "Six girls from the department, Betty Klink from personnel and Rodney." I smiled when she said his name. I was amazed that she hadn't figured out that I knew all about her special lunches and night work sessions with her immediate boss, Rodney Foote. Rodney and Marcie grew up together. He was one of the kids that was in every club and participated in every activity, other than sports, when he was in school. "Do you take me for some kind of a fool, Marcie?" "I don't understand. What are you talking about?" "I have known about you and Rodney for six months now. If you think I am going to let you go away with him for three days you are out of your mind." "Tony, what are you talking about? Rodney is my boss. There is nothing going on between us. I would never think of cheating on you. You know that." I looked at the empty Budweiser can in my hand and slowly got out of my chair. As I walked to the kitchen, I crushed the thin aluminum in my hand and threw it at the trash can. I missed, but didn't bother to pick it up. The new can made a hissing noise as I popped the top and sat back down. Marcie just sat waiting for me to reply. "You are the mother of my children and as a mother you do a good job. The only reason I haven't thrown you out is because of that. I talked to my mom and explained it all to her. She said that I should stay firm and hope that you get it out of your system, for the sake of the children. If I dump you, the courts will give you my kids. I can't have that happen." "You told your mother that I was cheating on you?" "No. A lady from church told her. I just didn't deny it when she confronted me." "You are not serious. I don't believe you. Why are you saying all this?" I took a big swig of beer and smiled. "Rodney lives at 321 David Drive. It is only three blocks from your office. You and your boss go there, usually, three times a week and stay for almost three hours each time. What do you do at his apartment for three hours? After you explain that to me, you can tell me about the overtime that you have been putting in at the office. Did you know that your office cleaning lady also goes to church with my mother?" Her eyes were all watered up and her lower lip was trembling. "As long as you do not publicly embarrass me or my family, I won't do anything. If that changes, then all bets are off. You can leave or you can stay, but you will never take my boys from me." She was definitely upset when she jumped to her feet. "Damn you, Tony! I hate you. You Wop bastard." With that outburst, she left the room bawling. That was the first time she had ever swore at me and the first time she every made any derogatory remarks about my heritage. The Dutchie in her, finally came out. We had two boys, Terry and Rick, who shared a room with a set of bunk beds. The third bedroom was a catch-all room. That is where I slept from that day on. It was a rented house. We had over sixty thousand dollars saved for a down payment on our dream home, but my dream had turned into a nightmare. Nothing more was ever said about the seminar. Marcie no longer worked overtime. She carried her lunch to work. The atmosphere at home was not chilly, rather it was cold and freezing. Mom had no new feedback from her church friends. Things seems to be normalizing, but I felt uncomfortable. There was no sex at the time, but I would not put up with that situation for too long. Against my better judgment, I agreed to accompany Marcie to her company Christmas Party. I didn't want to let her go alone and I felt that I could pass the evening quietly by just staying out of the way. It was a good plan, but full of flaws. The company rented a hall with a dance floor, a buffet table and a couple of open bars. I could nurse three beers for the entire night and not feel any pain. By the time we got there, the only tables that were left were near the company big-wigs. It was quite apparent that all of the employees were avoiding those seats. Things seemed to be all right for the first hour. I noticed Rodney across the room hanging out with some buddies. Several of the guys that Marcie worked with asked her to dance, but good old Rodney stayed away. I was glad to let her dance, because I didn't want to. I had just started my third beer, when I noticed that Marcie and Rodney were exchanging glances. It consisted mostly of nods and head tilts, but there was something definitely going on. I tried my best to act bored and disinterested, but to still keep an eye on them. My wife excused herself to use the ladies room. I made a quick sweep across the room and noticed that Rodney was gone. It was unbelievable. After we had the discussion at home, it was totally stupid for her to attempt a get together with the jerk while I was in the same building. She could see him anytime at work, with no possibility of being interrupted. I believed that the only reason for doing it would be to make me look like a cuckolded jerk. By hooking up with Rodney in the middle of a company affair, she would be hanging the horns on me for everyone to see. His cronies were standing together by one of the bars with big grins on their faces, as Marcie entered the hallway to the restrooms. She glanced back to make sure that I was still in my seat and then disappeared. I stopped by the head table on my way to the restrooms. I leaned over and apologized for disrupting the party, just to get their attention. The guys across the room with the silly grins were suddenly not smiling any more. They seemed agitated because they had no idea what they could do to help good old Rodney. I went into the ladies room first, and found it empty. I had better luck in the men's room. From there on, things seemed to happen in double time. They were kissing. His back was to me and his hand was up her skirt. There was no resistance on her part. I grabbed Rodney by the back of his neck and took one step sideways, before slamming his head forward into the bathroom tile. Something definitely broke. I could hear my wife shouting my name, over and over, but totally ignored it. I spun the son-of-a-bitch around and the blood from his broken nose splattered all over my shirt. He was limp, but still standing, so I gave him a good shot to the stomach. He went down and immediately started to vomit. Marcie was pulling on my jacket sleeve with no effect. Things were quiet in the main hall as I dragged Rodney to the middle of the floor by his necktie. I might have been choking him, but I didn't give a damn. The band had stopped playing and everyone watched as I dropped him. I looked around the room to see if anyone was interested in coming to his rescue, but there were no takers. "I am sorry for ruining your great party. I will be going now, but I am leaving my slut wife here for your entertainment. Drop her off at the house when you are through using her." Rodney was on his hands and knees attempting to get up. His face was a bloody mess. Marcie was standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. It was hard to tell if she was upset with what I did to her lover, or with what I had just said to all of her co-workers. It didn't really matter to me. I noticed that Rodney was directly under the mistletoe and I couldn't help myself. Before leaving, I gave him a kick in the balls that he would be remembering for a week. He immediately fell forward while bashing his face on the floor again. That had to have hurt. No one ever said a word. I called my mom from the car and asked her to come by the house to pick up the boys. Going out of town for a few days seemed like a good idea and I didn't want to leave the kids with their mother. I was sure that she would be in no condition to properly care for them. I was making plans as I drove, and had no idea what I was going to do or where I was going to go. My boss had no objection to giving me a week or so off. Mom and dad were already there when I arrived. After paying the babysitter, I helped in getting the boys ready. My one bag consisted of mostly socks and underwear, but I threw in a few shirts and pants, just in case. Before leaving, I got the cash box out of the basement rafters. The banks were paying less than one percent interest on savings accounts, so I had decided to keep the money at home. I know, I know, it's stupid to keep $62,000 dollars in the house, but I guess it is something that I inherited from my mom. She used to keep big stashes all around her kitchen. I was turning out all the lights when a cab pulled up and dropped Marcie off. She walked in and sat on the couch without saying a thing. She looked more worried than mad; more upset than scared. "I told you that there was only one rule. Do not humiliate me or my family in public. You just couldn't resist doing it, could you?" I waited for a moment as she started crying and then walked out the door. It was just a little past nine as I hit the Schuylkill Expressway. Damn, that party didn't last too long, at least not for me. I decided that I would kill a few days in Atlantic City before going back home, but first I had to see my old friend Sal. Sal had a sandwich shop in the old neighborhood. It wasn't like the flashy ones you see in the Philly travel films, but more of a convenience for the people that lived close by. His primary income came from other endeavors that most of us either ignored or participated in. He lived on the second floor and worked out of the back room. It was like old home week. After I explained my situation, he agreed to help me. "Tony, it is going to cost you twenty. Can you handle that or do you need me to spot you?" "I got it up front. No problem." "Do you want it messy or quiet?" "Transparent. No fuss, no muss. Nothing." "You have to leave for a few days? Do have you have anything set up?" "No. I was thinking of going to Atlantic City." "How about six days and seven nights at the Taj?" "What are you talking about, Sal?" "I got some comp's coming. I think it would work out pretty good for you." "Sounds good to me." "Are you going alone, Tony?" "Yeah. This is all sort of spur of the moment. I didn't have any time to invite guests." "You shouldn't be alone. You need somebody to help verify that you were there. Hold on a minute." Sal picked up the phone and dialed a number that must have been familiar. "Carla, it's Sal. Make your self pretty and get your ass down here." There was a short pause. "No, nothing like that. You are going to be going on vacation." He was snickering as he hung up. "Tony do you remember Carla, my brother Michael's oldest?" "Yeah. Chubby little thing with dark brown eyes. I remember that she was always laughing. How old is she by now?" Sal was smiling at my recollection of his niece. "She's twenty-three now Tony, and she ain't chubby no more." All of a sudden I realized that Carla was going to be accompanying me to the shore. I felt a little uncomfortable since she was Sal's niece, but hell, he was the one setting it up. "Tony, do you have a credit card?" "I got two of them. I was going to cancel them Monday morning." "No, don't do that. I want you to use those credit cards as much as you can. Meals out, room service and even some casino cash advances, but don't go overboard. You need the card action to prove that you were there. Spread it out, time-wise, so that it doesn't look like you snuck back home. It might cost you a couple of grand, but it's cheap insurance." Sal knew his business. It all made sense. As I was mulling it all over, Carla came in. "Tony. I ain't seen you since you moved up to the sticks. You look good." Now I know why Sal was smiling. Carla was absolutely gorgeous. Those dark eyes were amazing and all of the baby fat that she used to have, had seemed to have moved to her chest. I knocked over my chair like a klutz, as I jumped to my feet. "Tony needs somebody to keep him company in Atlantic City for a few days. Are you up to it?" Her mood seemed to change a little when he said that. "Aren't you still married?" She directed the question to me. Before I could answer Sal jumped in. "The marriage is dead, Carla. Tony needs a nurse right now. I knew you always liked him, so I thought of you first." "Sal, I am not going to break up anyone's family. It is not fair for you to ask me to do this. Besides that, I am not one of your hookers. Why don't you just get one of the girls to go with him?" "I don't expect you to sleep with him. Just keep him company and help him forget his troubles." Carla had a puzzled look on her face, as if she just figured something out. She was quick as well as beautiful. "I'm sorry." She looked from Sal to me with a little smile. "I'll be glad to go with you Tony, but you have to promise to buy me some salt water taffy." We were all smiling now. "I'll need about an hour to get ready. Don't let him drink anything, Sal. I don't want to drive down there with a drunk." I think I saw her wink at me as she left to get her things. Sal and I recapped our discussion while Carla was gone. He graciously accepted my twenty thousand dollars and promised complete satisfaction. The drive to Atlantic City was uneventful except that I was forced to give Carla a complete run down of the problems that I was having with Marcie. Her only comment was: "Oh, the poor kids." Carla frowned when she saw the double beds, but she fortunately didn't notice me snickering a little. I was pretty sure that we would only be using one of them before the week was up. All good things come in time. We did a little bit of gambling but didn't go overboard. I was smart enough to realize that in the long run, I would always end up losing. Carla was happy with the quarter slots and I was just looking for something to kill time. We spent more time eating and walking on the boardwalk than anything else. Of course, we did see every show in town. I was a perfect gentleman the first night, but Carla and I were tearing up the sheets by noon the second day. My mother was right, I should have married an Italian girl. It felt natural and I did not feel as if I was cheating. We were getting ready for supper on the fourth day when we got visitors. There were two of them: not in suits, but in sports jackets. "Tony Randazzo, I am Ray Fritz and this is my partner Rupert Marks. We are from the Berks County Special Crimes Task Force. Can we talk with you for a few minutes?" Carla walked out of the bathroom in her bra and panties. She glanced over at the two men, walked to the bed, and picked up her bathrobe. She seemed a little embarrassed, but she knew that they might be paying me a visit. "Do you want to give me an idea what we will be talking about?" "We would like to talk about your relationship with Rodney Foote." "I didn't have a relationship with Rodney Foote, my wife did." For some reason, they seemed a little bit uncomfortable. Fritz was doing all the talking while Rupert was busy staring at Carla. "We realize that Mister Randazzo. We understand that you had words with him last Friday at the Continental Insurance Christmas party." "Why? Is he pressing charges?" "No. He has disappeared and we were wondering if you could help us locate him." "Gentlemen. Before we discuss this any further I would like to have somebody from the Atlantic City Police department here, and I don't mean a blue suit. If you can't arrange that, I want a lawyer; my lawyer from Reading." There was no response from my visitors. "Carla, get dressed as we are going to supper. Sorry fellows, but we have six o'clock reservations. The steaks at the Safari are fabulous. I'll probably be coming home this Friday. Would you like me to come and talk with you then?" They seemed a little dumbfounded. "Why do you think that something happened to this bozo? Maybe he just left town for a while." I asked. "He was picked up by a cab leaving the Community General Hospital on Sunday morning and no one has seen him since." Carla had finished dressing and I was putting on my jacket. "Well. I have been here since Friday night and you can verify that with the hotel staff. Now if you will excuse me, we are going for a couple of steaks. Do you have any more questions?" "Yes, but they will wait until Friday. We expect to see you then." I gave them a simple nod, and gently steered them towards the door. We all rode down on the elevator together and nothing more was said. When we got to the lobby, they went to hotel security as we went to the Safari. Terry and Rick were all over me when I got home. The saltwater taffy made things even better. Marcie, on the other hand, was a little cold. It was clear that she had no idea what was expected of her. After talking with the police, I spent the rest of the afternoon with the boys. and planned on having a talk with Marcie that evening. The Old Neighborhood The boys were situated in front of the TV for the night so I sat at the kitchen table waiting for Marcie to finish cleaning up. She seemed to be taking longer than usual, but I didn't budge. Finally she turned towards me and sat with her elbows on the Formica top. "What did you do with Rodney?" She wasn't mad or demanding, but seemed to be sincerely concerned. She looked at me when she said it and then looked across the room as she waited for an answer. "I was in Atlantic City all week. I haven't seen Rodney since the party." "You hurt him." "I hope so." "He was in the hospital for two days. You broke his jaw and his nose." "He deserved it." She seemed to be out of questions. "What were you doing with him in the men's room?" I waiting a few moments, but got no answer. "Why did he have his hand up your skirt?" Still no answer. Marcie was wringing her hands and looking at the table top. "Why aren't you at work, and what are then kids doing home on a school day?" "I had to quit work. There was no way that I could go back there again. I took the boys out of school, because your mother said that you might be home today." It was time for some confrontation. "I told you that there was only one rule. You could not do anything that would humiliate me or my family. A simple rule. Why did you feel the need to ruin everything by violating it? The two of you just felt that you had to rub it in. Why?" Marcie seemed to be getting a bit more nervous the longer we sat. I slammed my fist on the table top really hard. "I said, why? Damn it. Answer me." "I don't know why. I don't know why. It just happened. You were sitting in the corner like a lost puppy dog and we felt we could take advantage of the situation. We had no idea that you were going to go crazy. You acted like a madman. I was scared to death." At least I was getting a little emotion out of her. Of course, none of it made sense. I wouldn't even begin to analyze what she said. It was a stupid thing for them to do while I was there. They had weeks to get together before the party and I never would have known about it. No, the only reason they chose that time and that place was to humiliate me. All of her gibberish would not change that. "Marcie, you have three choices: you can stay here and be a proper mother to your children: you can get a divorce and leave without the kids: or you can just disappear. If you stay, we will not be living as man and wife and I will not tolerate any more affairs with Rodney or anyone else." At the mention of Rodney's name, Marcie burst into tears. Before she could make a choice, she bolted from the room while bawling. I guess we would be finishing that conversation tomorrow. Adjustments were made. I got a small apartment a few blocks from the house. It was close enough that the boys could walk over anytime they wanted. Carla moved in with me. The police talked to me a few more times and then stopped bothering. Rodney Foote was picked up by a taxi cab outside the hospital and never seen again. His family offered a reward for any information, but got no response. I had supper with Marcie and the boys every night and spent as much time as possible with my sons on the weekends. It was apparent to everyone that Marcie and I were not together as a couple anymore even though we were still married. Marcie spent a lot of time with her parents and her sister. I had no trouble with that. There was nothing to indicate that she was seeing anyone else. She quit her job right after the Christmas party and did not appear to be interested in getting another one. We never finished the conversation that we had the first night that I came home. She played the part of a good mother. The house was always neat, the boys always ate well and they had clean clothing. I took care of all the lawn and outside work. Marcie got two hundred dollars every week to take care of home expenses, food, and her personal needs. I always asked her if she wanted more and she always refused. We no longer had any credit cards. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, the boys and I were with my family. Carla usually joined us. Marcie spent the holidays with her family, but had Christmas Eve with the boys. Things were awkward whenever Terry or Rick wanted to talk about the relationship between their mother and myself. Both of us refused to discuss it with them. I appreciated that on her part, but then what could she say. The farce continued for years. Of course my meager explanation does not nearly convey things as they actually happened. There were complications and disagreements constantly, but we prevailed. Things with Carla were fine to start with. As time went by, she started spending more time with her family in Philly and less with me. I couldn't blame her. I was indebted to her for all the effort she put forth to make the brake-up easier to take. The way things were going I could not divorce Marcie, and as long as the boys were still at home, I couldn't throw her out. They were all self imposed limitations, but I made myself stick with them. I hated the whole situation, but could not come up with an alternative. The boys, however, were able to. Terry was sixteen when things came to a head. A new kid at school was related to my wife's former lover and insisted on provoking Terry about the situation. It was the first time any of this had every come up and he was not prepared for it. Rodney's nephew ended up at the hospital and I ended up having to pick up Terry at school. He was expelled for two weeks and was facing possible assault charges. Unfortunately, Rick was present when everything went to hell and insisted on trying to help his brother. He ended up losing two teeth, but gained his brother's admiration for the attempt. Marcie met us at the door when I brought her sons home. Terry immediately started to tear into his mother for not leveling with them about what had happened years ago. Marcie offered no defense. She just stood and listened as her oldest son expressed his anger. I left them alone, to take Rick to the dentist. Rick didn't seem too broken up about the missing teeth, but I was not too nuts about the dental expenses coming up. When we got home Marcie was gone. Her car was still there, but that was about it. Terry said she just grabbed her purse and walked out. She never said a word to him or offered an explanation. I took a week off from work to settle things down. Marcie's parents and sister refused to even talk to me. After a week, I still had no idea where she was or what her intentions were. Carla and I moved into the house. The fact that we were sharing a bed was uncomfortable at first, but the boys accepted it far easier than I had imagined that they would. Everything in the house that had been Marcie's or that was connected to Marcie disappeared one day while I was at work. I had no idea what Carla did with it and I never asked. Carla took over all the duties that Marcie had been doing. I got her a few credit cards to make things easier. It was odd that I trusted my mistress more than I trusted my wife. I sold Marcie's car and bought a new one for Carla. Family gatherings were a lot less stressful with the new arrangement. Carla was a lot happier and my mother was elated. Terry and Rick had no further trouble at school and Rodney's nephew never returned. Things were finally looking up, but I was still married. I waited two months before going to the police and reporting Marcie as a missing person. Actually, I just reported her as a run-a-way spouse so that I could use the report when I applied for the divorce using abandonment as a cause. I waiting two more months and then submitted the divorce papers. She had to be gone for a year before it would be granted. I was planning ahead. Things normalized in the household. Terry and Rick had no trouble taking to Carla. They never called her mom, always Carla, but things were fine. We were more like a family than we had been for years. One day, out of the blue, my final decree of divorce was delivered. I was a free man. Two weeks later, Carla and I drove down to Elkton and tied the knot. We were a family again. Terry graduated from school and joined the Air Force. A year later, Rick decided to go to meat cutting school in Toledo. Everything went so fast. Soon Carla and I were alone. We never heard from Marcie. Mom and dad moved to Ocala and made everybody promise to visit at least twice a year. There was no longer anything holding us to Reading, so Carla and I moved back home to Philly. Rick hooked up with a fancy butcher shop in West Chester after graduating from his school. We got to see him a few times a month and he always had something nice to surprise us with. About a year later, one of Carla's nieces was getting married and we naturally had to go. An Italian wedding in the City of Brotherly Love is a big deal. By big, we mean attended by a lot of people, mostly relatives, but also a lot of freeloaders looking for booze and free food. It didn't matter, because there was enough to go around. We were sitting with some friends, enjoying the evening when I noticed that Carla seemed a little nervous. I had seen her looking across the dance floor several times as if she was staring at something. I took a few quick glances and saw nothing. I forgot about it until my wife excused herself to go the ladies room. Something didn't seem right. I watched her walk towards the back of the hall and meet up with one of her old girl friends. There was a lot of chatting and some posturing, but it all seemed on the up and up. Carla never went to the rest room, but walked over to one of Sal's personal assistants. Carla was gesturing over towards the table where her girlfriend just came from. There were three guys and three girls at the table. They looked like galooks trying to be something that they weren't. The girls were all over-dressed and on the sluttish-looking side. Carla returned with a pensive, but confidant look on her face. "Tony, we have a small problem." "I figured that from your trip around the room. Care to explain it to me?" "You have to keep your cool. In a couple of minutes one of the guys over at Gina's table is going to come over here and bait you." "What the hell do you mean, bait me?" "He is going to say some insulting things about me in order to get you mad. When you get up to fight him, the three of them are going to beat the crap out of you." "What am I supposed to do? Let him get away with it?" "Play along with him. At least, just until Bobby V and the boys can get in position. You might have to handle one of them, but that will be the worst of it." "What do you mean by 'play along with him'?" "Let him insult me and then agree with him. If he says that I am a whore, ask him how much he is willing to pay. Something like that. What ever you do, don't let him rile you." "What brought all of this on? What did I do to these guys?" "Look over at Gina's table." "Yeah?" "Do you see the bitch with the short platinum hair?" "Yeah?" "Look close." "Holy crap! It's Marcie. What the hell is Marcie doing here?" "Marcie's boyfriend is somehow related to the bride. It appears that she is still pissed at you, and she set him up to clean your clock when she realized that you were here. I guess she is looking for some kind of payback. While you and Sal's boys are taking care of business out here, Gina and I will be talking to Marcie back in the ladies room. It won't be pretty." I didn't like the way things were going. This was a wedding. A young bride would be remembering this evening for the rest of her life. It was not fair for a couple of goons to ruin it for her. Ten minutes later I noticed the guy that was with Marcie get out of his chair. I stood up and excused myself to everyone at the table. Carla gave me a strange look, but seemed to understand. I casually walked over to the side fire exit where everyone was going out to have a smoke. The boyfriend gestured with his head and the other two guys got up to follow him. What they didn't see was the three guys coming behind them, from the back of the bar, with the Louisville Sluggers that they keep behind the bar. There were about six guys smoking outside the fire exit. When I told them to scram, they left with no protest. There was a sense of urgency in my voice, I guess. I walked about twenty paces from the door, stopped, and turned. They came out smiling, but not for long. A few seconds later, they heard the door close behind them. The smiles disappeared when they turned and saw three guys with bats and the father of the bride. It was all over in less than thirty seconds. I never raised a hand. "I am sorry for any inconvenience that I caused you or your family on this special night." I felt like a character out of the Godfather. "Thank you for having the decency to take it outside." He shook my hand and went back to his daughter. I thanked Sal's guys for their help and went in to look for Carla. They stayed to clean up the mess. I felt it was time to leave. Carla was not around and the table where Marcie was sitting was now empty. Rick was there with a few of his friends and got wind of the commotion. He found me at the bar getting a fresh draft. "Dad, what the hell is going on?" My first impulse was to bite my tongue and not say a thing. It didn't work. "Your mother was here with her new boyfriend." "I don't need to know anything more than that." He smiled as he turned to the bar tender and asked for a beer of his own. We sat and talked about other things for about an hour. Carla finally showed up, looking a little bedraggled. "Where have you been?" She gave me a wicked little smile. "Gina and I had to take your ex-wife to the hospital. She wasn't feeling too well." Rick and I couldn't help laughing. "Tony. Can we go home now?" It was a long night, but it was a lot of fun. We never saw Marcie again. Carla and I are still together, in the old neighborhood. Life is great.