Captain Oblivious

CAPTAIN OBLIVIOUS PART 1

This is a Greenville story.

Preamble Ramble - As with most of my stories I started with a sentence or word that caught my eye and tried to build a story around it. The word Oblivious caught my eye in a story. And I was watching a TV show at the same time when they called someone Captain Obvious.

Is there anything new in this story. Not really. It's hard to come up with something new. The best you can hope for is better writing and or better characters. Maybe make people feel what the characters are feeling.

Its taken me more than a month to finish this story. II have another story I've been working on for 2 months. Oneof the characters from that story is in this one. This is a two part story because I was having issues closing it out on its current trajectory and realized the finish I'm working with this would be good by telling a version of what Helene is dealing with.

For those who say I always have happy endings not in this story.

I encourage comments. Hopefully they have helped me be a better writer.

I hope you enjoy it.

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They say love is blind. In my case its deaf and dumb also. I had been happily married to the love of my life, Helene for sixteen years. We never made it our 17th because of the divorce last year.

We met in the Emergency Room of Greenville Memorial of all places. I was there waiting for a friend who had been in an accident and she was there for the same reason. Turned out they were both in the same accident but different cars. We got to talking while waiting to hear word of our friends injuries in the waiting room. I learned she had recently moved to Greenville from High Point for a job at an engineering company 8 months ago. She wasn't an engineer herself. She worked in Human Resources. Had graduated from High Point University. Most of her family lived in Wilmington. She had two older brothers. She's the youngest at 23, three years younger than me. I had noticed she didn't have a ring on so I assumed she was single but didn't broach that subject.

Helene is very pretty. Average height for a woman, 5 foot 5 inches. Auburn hair and brown eyes. She was a little curvy, not pudgy, I think the Black guys would call her thick. You could tell she used to play some type of sports. I thought either softball or field hockey. She had a great smile and considering the circumstances was quite easy to talk to.

After 2 hours a nurse came out to me asking if I was family. I lied and said I was his brother. He told me my buddy Alex would be released soon with a broken arm but overall he was okay. I told her I would wait and take him home.

When the doctor left Helene asked if I was a friend or relative. I explained they would only give information to a relative so I fibbed a little bit. As I was waiting for Alex to be released the nurse came out and explained that her "sister" was more injured then "my brother" so she was to be kept overnight. She was than allowed to go back to her room until they moved her upstairs into a regular room. I took the risk and gave her my number and asked her to call me sometime. She took my number with a smile and walked through the triage doors to her friends room.

Alex came out 45 minutes later. I didn't tell him about meeting Helene. Nothing more embarrassing then bragging about meeting a pretty lady and her never calling. I drove him home stopping at the pharmacy to pick up some pain meds and dropped him off at his apartment. I've known Alex forever. We went to the same high school together. Were on the soccer team our junior and senior years. He went on to play at UNC Pembroke for a couple of years.

Me, I'm Mark Seeny, a hometown boy through and through. Lived in Greenville all my life. I went to Belmont College for a couple of years and majored in business. I always liked working with my hands. My dad had a wood shop in the back yard that I pretty much lived in when I wasn't in school. Those 2 years in college made me realize I wasn't suited for the corporate life if it was anything like school. So with the help of my parents I went into business for myself. First making small wood products I would sell at local farmer markets which lead to doing custom work. If it involves wood I can make it, from tables to cabinets. I've been very successful. I caught the wave of the building boom in the city. I now employee 6 people and a nice older lady who runs my office. Its not glamorous but it more than pays the bills. I could probably double what I do now but its not what I want. I like to be hands on. I don't micro manage. I have good people who know what to do.

Helene called me two weeks later. My phone rang with an unknown number. I answered it because it could be business. I get a lot of referrals so I always answer the phone. "This is Mark"

"Hi Mark, I don't know if you remember me from the ER a couple of weeks ago?"

"How could I forget. I thought you had forgot about me." I hoped she could hear my smile through the phone.

"No, I didn't forget. There was some issues at the job that took a lot of my time and when I got home that night I was pretty wiped out. And I've also been helping Diane when she got out of the hospital."

"How is she doing by the way. I hope her injuries weren't to serious."

"Thanks for asking, she's getting there. She has a broken leg they had to do surgery on and fractured hip. Her mother flew in to help out for a while last week so it took some pressure off me."

We talked for another 30 minutes before agreeing to meet for dinner that weekend. Nothing fancy, Eddies Place in Charlotte on Saturday. Our first date lasted three hours. We ate, sat and talked, took a walk and talked. I felt very comfortable around and with her. We learned a lot about each other that night. Who would have thought it would be another 18 years before I would learn the most important thing about her.

We dated for a year. After the first 6 months I decided she was the one I wanted to share my life with. I proposed to her on a special date to Asheville one weekend.

We had been having Sunday dinner with my parents for 4 months along with my brother Alan and his wife, Nancy and his kid plus my sister, Terri whenever she was home from college. My family took to her the first time they met. I had introduced her to them two months after we started dating.

I met her family two months after she met mine. We took a weekend as it was a 3 hour drive to Wilmington. I had made hotel reservations. I didn't want to put her family in an uncomfortable situation. Yes we were both adults but I wanted to show them respect. Driving to Wilmington in the summer on the weekend can be an adventure. Tourist go to the Outer Banks and locals go to Wilmington. The normal 3 hour ride took 4 and half hours. We didn't get there until 2pm. I drove the whole way so I was pretty tired.

We pulled up to a well maintained 4 bedroom house in an older neighborhood. Her father, John was a big man, easily 6 foot 4 inches tall and very broad shouldered. From what Helene told me he played football at Carolina, starting at offensive lineman his junior and senior years. Had a try out with the Bears and Seahawks but didn't make either team. He came back home and started working in sales at a car dealership. He ended up buying a small used car lot 5 years later and built it into four dealerships in the region. All used cars. Her brothers run the business now.

Her mother, Hope, looked like the cheerleader she used to be. She and Helene shared the same physical appearance. I got a nice hug from her and a firm handshake from John. First impression was he didn't seem impressed with me. I'm not the biggest guy being 5 foot 10 inches and around a solid 190.

Hope was very pleasant, John not so much. We sat in the family room and talked for a minute about what was going on and Helene telling them more about me. I had gotten both of them a small gift, John a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oak. It cost a pretty penny and is hard come by. His only comment was. "thanks, I guess they were out of Pappy." For her mother I gave her an original Terrance Osbourne painting. He uses a lot of color in his work. She showed more gratitude then her husband.

John asked about my "little lumberjack business." At that time it was only me and another guy doing custom tables for clients all over the country. I talked about profit margins and potential for growth yet he wasn't impressed at all. I asked him about his football career and starting in the car business but only got short answers.

He mentioned that a Bart had started working at the North Myrtle Beach dealership. I remember his words exactly, even after all this time later. "Guess who started working for us? Bart Kent, He's at the Myrtle Beach Dealership working with Dale to learn how to run it. Now that boy has a REAL future about him." And he gave me a smirk as he said it. I wouldn't know who Bart was until later. I was really oblivious, but I was in love.

I went to check into the hotel while Helene spent more time with her folks. They lived in the house by themselves but didn't make an attempt to offer us a room. I had a feeling me being accepted was going to be an uphill battle.

The room cost a pretty penny as it was summer, the weekend and everything was booked. It wasn't that I couldn't afford it. It was the fact of them being a gracious host and at least offering to let us stay at a minimum.

By the time I got back the brothers had arrived. Dale and Greg were both big guys like their father. Dale played D2 football at Valdosta State in Georgia. Greg never played past high school but graduated from Fairmont State in West Virginia. Both had business degrees.

I was greeted with even less enthusiasm from those two then from John. You know, the too strong hand shake or pat on the back. Over the course of the evening I was the made the butt of several subtle and not so subtle jokes about wood working and not finishing college. I was getting more and more upset. The biggest issue wasn't even the jokes, its was the fact that Helene never defended me. My business had given me my own house, a honest steady income and respectability. I guess they saw someone working with their hands as less than them. Diner was a very unpleasant experience.

It made me question some things about our relationship. I had grown to love Helene. She seemed to be everything I wanted in a woman. She was loving, caring and very kind. She was very smart and could hold a conversation on any topic. All of my friends liked her.

Her family was a totally different animal. They were rude, condescending and arrogant. I could tell they never gave people a chance to prove themselves. Going usually by the wrong first impressions. Were they people I could deal with for the rest of my life? No. The question was if the love I had for Helene stronger than my dislike for her family. With a 3 hour distance I figured I could live with it. I mean how often would I see them, once or twice a year?

After dinner on the way back to the hotel I talked to Helene. "I don't appreciate the way your family talked to me today. It was rude and disrespectful."

"Oh honey, They were just pushing your buttons is all. That's the way the men do in our family." She responded in total disregard to my feelings. I know some people have a blind spot for their family.

"Well I don't like it at all. They talked down about my business. Sure its not four car dealerships but it supports me and will support our family when the time comes. I don't like the hard work I do being put down."

"I'm sure they respect you and your business. Especially Daddy, he knows what its like to build something from scratch."

"Well I think its been so long he's forgotten."

The rest of conversation didn't go as well the rest of the night. There was no love making.

The next day she showed me around town, were she went to school, the places she hung out at. We stopped at a couple of places to meet some of her old friends. One comment that popped up a couple of times was "Have you seen Bart?" or "You know Bart is back in town."

I asked, "Who the hell is this Bart guy they keep talking about?" It was beginning to eat at me.

"Oh Honey, he's just an old friend I went to school with is all." she said in a dismissive manner that made me think he was more than "an old friend."

We went back to her parents house for dinner before we left for home. By the time we got there everyone was already there including, you guessed it, the famous or infamous Bart Kent. He was big guy like the rest of the men in her family. Easily 6'6' 250lbs. It wasn't the same 250 he had in college. He had a pretty good size gut and appeared soft.

When we entered the house Helene squealed and ran to Bart and jumped into his arms. She didn't kiss him but gave him a big hug. I think he was expecting a kiss. I just stood there in shock. I looked around and everyone was smiling. Then I heard someone say, "Superman and Lois are reunited." What the fuck? It was Dale with that stupid as grin I would grow to hate.

"Superman and Lois, what does that mean?"

"She never told you?' Greg asked 'they dated all through high school and their freshman year of college. We all thought they would get married." he added with some smugness.

I was still lost, "where did superman comes from?"

Dale looked at me like I was the dumbest guy in the room. "Bart Kent, Clark Kent get it. And he's big as Superman and was the strongest guy in school."

Helene finally released herself from Superman and dragged him over to introduce me. "Honey, this is Bart, my old friend. Bart this is my boyfriend Mark." I noticed that she had her arm intertwined with his still. I held out my hand and he grabbed it and tried to break it. Working with wood all day gives you a strength most people underestimate. Its not like a body builder or weightlifter were you only look strong. Its the kind of strength people who work in fields, in the steel mill, hard manual labor. I knew what he was going to do. So I put my hand a little higher in his then normal. It gave me more leverage and I used it. The more he tried to squeeze my hand the harder I squeezed his. I don't know how long we spent looking at each other to see who would win. I could see he was starting to struggle. I could have played this game all day. After a while I gave him a break. "Its nice to meet some of Helene's OLD friends. We should get together sometime and compare notes." And I released his hand. I knew he wanted to shake it since it probably hurt but it would show everyone that I beat Superman. He gave me a look that let me know I should watch out for him in the future. I think a couple of the guys noticed the interplay between us.

Dinner was interesting. Helene was sitting between Bart and Me. I thought it was funny how that worked out. I had to listen to football stories the whole time. When Helene told them I played soccer that really bought out the laughter. I guess men running around kicking a ball is lower than men running around carrying one.

I found out Bart played football at Carolina and two years with the Cardinals. Mostly on special teams or the practice squad. One year in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. If you listen to his tales of glory he won the Superbowl, Grey Cup and played in every Pro Bowl game since it started.

While the men in the family were assholes, her mother was a saint. She appeared embarrassed by their behavior towards me the whole time. She also seemed disturbed that Helene wasn't speaking up for me.

Helene spent most of the dinner catching up with Bart. If she wasn't talking to him she was talking to her brothers. I was definitely the odd man out. I racked it up to her not seeing them in a while so I let it go. Hope tried to include me in some conversation but it was hard with everyone else talking so loud.

After dinner over we said our goodbyes. I noticed Bart's hug lasted a little longer than what was expected. I couldn't tell if he was holding her longer or it was mutual. I got a hug from Hope but the men just kind of waved and walked back into the house. No handshake, No goodbye. No nice to meet ya. Not even a fuck you bye. I would not miss them at all.

The ride back was unpleasant. We argued the whole way home. "So you and Superman huh?"

"Yeah, Dale started that our Sophomore year when Bart had a growth spurt. Since we were dating it became Superman and Lois" She smiled at the memories.

"You told me he was "just a friend", taking my hands off the steering wheel to make air quotes, 'is that what you consider me just a friend? How many other just a friends are there I don't know about?"

"Excuse me, what are you saying?" She asked knowing full well what I was asking.

"Whenever I asked about Bart, you would always say he was an old friend. He was more than an old friend. You dated him for what, five years? That's longer than we've been together." The volume rising in my voice.

"Jealous much, God its been 7 years since we've been together. He's married and his wife is pregnant for God sake."

"Then were the hell was his wife? He or anyone else never mentioned her." I noticed he wasn't wearing a ring so hearing he was married caught me off guard. " Neither of you acted like he was married or you were with me. As soon as you seen him I was all but forgotten."

"That's not true. We were just catching up. Its been years since I've seen him. He was living in Canada for the last several years. I don't know where his wife is. I didn't ask."

"You didn't ask because you didn't care. You only had eyes for Superman. I can't believe the way you acted this whole weekend. When you saw him you jumped up into his arms. I swore you were going to kiss him. You probably would have if I wasn't there. It gives me a lot to think about."

"Think about what? What do you have to think about? I would not have kissed him. I was just happy to see him. It has been a long time and we share a lot of memories."

As calmly as I could I said, "Think about us and this relationship, that's what. Not one time did you defend me when your father or brothers made a disparaging comment, either about me or my business. I've been disrespected the whole this whole weekend. And at dinner I was completely ignored while you caught up with Superman. I think you want to relive some of those old memories with Superman if you ask me. I know you're family would like to see you two back together."

"Stop calling him that. You sound so sarcastic when you do. There's nothing to think about. We're together, I'm not interested in anyone except you. I can't believe we are even having this silly conversation." She was getting exasperated. I had been there for a while now. "It doesn't matter what my family wants. I want you and if you can't believe that its not my problem."

"I'm not going to go round and round about this. If you can't understand or won't understand how I feel then I don't see much of a future for us." I said with finality

She looked at me for a while. I couldn't read expression, maybe shock, anger, bewilderment but she didn't say anything. The ride home seemed longer than 4 hours.

I dropped her off at her house around 10pm. It was a long drive and going to be a short night. I usually get up at 5am. I didn't get to sleep until midnight. I tossed and turned wondering what the hell happened to our relationship. I was seeing her in a new light. And I didn't like what I saw.

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I didn't call her on Monday like I usually would. And she didn't call me. We didn't talk for the whole week. I went to Sunday dinner with my family. Of course the topic of conversation was the absence of Helene and how last weekend went. "Let's say it was very eye opening. Her father owns four used car dealerships along the coast and her brothers work for him. Basically they are assholes, sorry Mom' seeing the look she gave me, 'They talked down to me the whole weekend. What really pissed me off was that Helene never defended or spoke up for me. They demeaned my business the whole time, called it that little lumberjack business.

While we were there and meeting some of her old friends people kept mentioning this Bart character. When I asked her about him she said he was just an old friend. Come to find out they had dated for 5 years. All through high school and first year of college. They even had a nickname, Superman and Lois. Because he's big as hell and named Bart Kent. When she saw him she ran and jumped into his arms. I was so pissed I almost walked out.

She didn't understand why I was so mad this weekend. She kept saying that's how the men in her family act towards everyone. Make you wonder how they stayed in business so long treating people like crap. They think they are better then everyone else. She said she wasn't interested in being with Superman. But she ignored me all through dinner and only talked to him. The ride home was not pleasant. We haven't talked since I dropped her off last week."

My Dad had a pensive look, "Do you really think she still has feeling for this guy?"

"I don't know. The way she acted it could be either she has feelings for him or just hadn't seen him in a long time. I know they have a lot of history together. It grated on me that she ignored me most of the weekend at her parents house. And she doesn't understand my feelings."

Nancy, my brothers wife added, "I would talk to her. Find out where her head is at. If she's doesn't understand your feelings now she won't in the future."

"You two are so good together' my mom says, 'just make sure you make the right decision." I know my mom really likes Helene. She was looking forward to another wedding. I knew I would have to do some serious thinking.

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Monday came and still no call from Helene. I guess we were playing relationship chicken. Seeing who would break first. It wasn't going to be me.

My business kept me busy. I had a meeting with a client who asked if I could make cabinets for her. I was going out to her house to do measurements. I notice the housing market was picking up. I needed to position myself to take advantage of it.

I met Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins and we sat down to discuss what they wanted done. It was a good size kitchen. I took measurements and looked at the design and told them I would get back to them before the end of the week.

On the way back I stopped to get some lunch at Golden Corral. Imagine my surprise when I spot Helene sitting with a group of people, three guys and two ladies. They looked like they were paired up. Not going to say coupled up. But funny how the numbers worked out. I went down the line and got my first plate. The key to any buffet is not fill your plate. That's where people mess up. You got to pace yourself. I went back to my table and began to eat.

I went back up to get some ribs and other stuff. I guess that's when Helene spotted me. I hadn't been paying any particular attention to her and her little group. She came up to my table and sat down. "You weren't even going to say Hi, Mark?" I just looked at her for a second. "Well, Helene I seen you were busy with your little friend group over there and I didn't want to intrude." I said after taking a bite of rib. I wished they put more sauce on them.

"It wouldn't have been intruding. Why haven't you called me Mark?" I just looked at her again. "I can ask you the same question. I was the one who was disrespected the whole weekend remember. Honestly I hadn't planned on calling until I got an apology." Looking at her in the eye. First I saw defiance and it then it morphed into something else, maybe frustration. "I have nothing to apologize for." jumped up and left the table. I just looked at her and continued eating. I guess that was 6 months down the drain. I did notice the looks I got from her little group when they left. The smirk from a couple of the guys and glares from the ladies. My feelings weren't hurt. Maybe a little if I was honest with myself. I had invested a lot of time and energy into the relationship.

A couple of weeks went by. Business was good and I was busy. My parents were asking if I talked to Helene since she still hadn't come to dinner. My mother asked "Mark, is there was a way to get over what happened? I know you love her and she loves you. Seriously, how often do you have to see her family. They live 3 hours away and seem very busy. And more importantly, is your life better with her or without her?"

"Mom, its not about what her family did, its what she didn't do and that was defend me against them. Well, that and the way she acted with her ex-boyfriend. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life with someone who doesn't have my back. No matter who its against." And with that the conversation was over.

A month after the trip to Wilmington Helene called me. I wasn't going to answer it. The last time I spoke to her was at Golden Corral. She's had more than enough time to either apologize or tell me to kick rocks. I'm not saying I wasn't hurt because I was, very deeply. I had expected to spend the rest of my life with her. Raise some kids, spoil the grandchildren. See the world together until they put us in a retirement home.

I hit that damn green button and answered. "Hello Helene." What else was there to say. "Hello, Mark, we need to talk." She sounded unsure of herself. "Okay go ahead and talk." I responded trying to sound neutral. "No, I want to talk face to face. I deserve that after 7 months." I responded the only way I could think of, "Place and time Helene." "Shepps on Franklin, today at 7, I'll see you there." And she hung up. Well I guess we were talking at 7. I've never been to Shepps before. I knew it was more of a bar then restaurant. This surprised me because neither of us was a drinker. Maybe this was the kind of talk that needed drinks.

I finished up the project we were working on and went inside to change. Nothing special, polo shirt and khakis. I did brush my hair and teeth. I got to the bar at 6:50. Its a habit of mine to always be early. Helene didn't arrive until 5 after. That's her habit. She walked in wearing a green sundress and 2 inch heels. Nothing special except she always looked good. I didn't know if we should hug, shake hands or what. She came to the table, said hello and sat down. We ordered drinks, me a Cavendish Pale Ale and her one of those Mocktails that are becoming so popular.

"Okay, its your show." I said to her. "Wow, this is how we're doing it." She said with some exasperation. "I don't want to argue, I want to talk. I understand how you felt at my families house that weekend. I know how they can be and I'm sorry about that." I looked at her blankly, took a sip of my beer. "It wasn't how your family acted that bothered me, it was the way you acted. Not one time did you defend me while they belittled every aspect of my life. That was only the beginning. Maybe the way you acted when Superman showed up was the topper to the whole cake. You ignored me the moment he showed up. So, for that whole weekend I got nothing but disrespect and belittlement. I'm not going to be with someone who treats me like that. I keep repeating myself and you don't seem to or want to understand." The anger I had been holding in was starting to bubble up. "If you don't realize that then we have nothing else to talk about!" I went to throw some money on the table and get up when she grabbed my hand.

"Please Mark, wait, you're right. Right about everything. I didn't stand up for you when my father and brothers put you down. I ignored you when Bart showed up. I did everything wrong and I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner but I was embarrassed by my behavior when I realized how you felt. I know what kind of man you are and its the man I love and want to marry. I pray you feel the same way." She sounded sincere, she looked me in the eye and never wavered. I believed she was honest in her apology. We talked for several hours. It took another couple of weeks to get back to where we were before. My mom was happy to have her back at Sunday dinner.

The wedding was scheduled for the following May, so we had a little more than 6 months to plan. Well, Mom, Beth who was going to be her Maid of Honor, Helene and her mom to plan. Since she had a bigger family and her folks were paying for it the wedding was to be held in Wilmington. Being a beach city we reserved rooms for 20 people as soon as the date was picked. Alex was my best man.

Helene would go visit her family about once a month but I hardly went with her unless it was a family event like birthday or anniversary. I didn't see them until a month before the wedding when my parents invited them to dinner one weekend. It wasn't as bad as the first time. They still had that arrogance about them but no put downs this time. It was almost a good time except I still couldn't get over how they treated me last time.

The next day my dad stopped by the shop. "Hey son, I see what you were talking about. They are all so full of themselves. I was waiting for them to say something smart so I could kick them out. They walked that line pretty tightly." "Yeah, I don't know if Helene said something to them. Probably not because I don't think they would listen anyway. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with them often."

We got married and honeymooned in Aruba. Bart Kent was there with his wife. He and Helene danced once and I danced with his wife Leslie. There weren't any issues and everyone had a good time. Her father made a speech about how he expects me to treat his daughter and have her live in the manner in which she's grown accustomed. Our mothers got along like gangbusters. Our dad's were a different story. My father is a very modest man and lets his actions speak for him. Unlike Helene's father who had to tell everyone what he was doing.

My business grew with the building boom the city was experiencing. I could have grown bigger but didn't want to hassle of a large staff. So I ended up with 5 really good guys and 1 young lady. I had Rosemarie running the office for me. I was able to be hands on and still work on some projects. Helene was working for Piedmont Engineering in the Human Resources department. We lived in the house I had bought and expanded to add two more bedrooms as well as a bathroom and a larger family room. The development had lots of kids in it so it was very family oriented.

Our first child, Tom didn't come until two years into the marriage. He was followed 2 years later by his twin sisters, Beth and Shari. After the girls were born I got the snip. Three was enough. Helene stopped working while the kids were young and went back to work when they were all in school.

We had our ups and downs like most couples. Never had a serious drag out fight. She didn't want Tom to play football as she felt it was too dangerous. Where to go on vacations and things like that. We never went to bed mad at each other and were always able to talk things out.

During the next 16 years I had as little interaction with Helene's family as possible. We would visit once a year in the summer for a long weekend. Helene would visit by herself or took the kids when they were born once a month for a weekend. I didn't mind it. The separation just made us miss each other more and when she came home sex would be off the charts.

The kids were doing well in school and had many friends. Tom was into sports playing football and baseball. The girls were into music, Beth playing flute and Shari the clarinet. So they kept us busy with games, practices and concerts. My business was very profitable. I had very few competitors that could match our quality. Helene was doing well at her job and was in line for a promotion.

So how did it all go to shit? We were at one of Tom's football practices for his freshman year in high school. He was fourteen at the time. He had been bugging us about playing so we signed him up. The coach mentioned how good and how much bigger he was than the other kids. I knew he was tall for his age but it really stood out when he was on the field. He had a growth spurt and grew 4 inches almost overnight that summer. As I said before I'm 5'10" Not overly tall but not short either. He was taller than me by almost 2 inches at that age. Did I suspect anything at the time? Nope, love is blind. Plus a lot of kids are taller then their parents. I had no reason to be suspicious, Helene was a loving wife in every way. We had sex two and three times a week. Sure it was down from the four to five times before the kids but we were still very active. We would have dinner dates at least twice a month. I would stop at her job and take her to lunch every now and then. I was still in pretty good shape because I was physically active. Helene kept her figure more from genetics more than anything else. The girls were duplicates of their mother and grandmother.

We had to provide a medical report for Tom so he could play. Helene provided that. At games people kept mentioning how big Tom was. I noticed some strange looks when people found out I was his father. Slowly I started to have questions I didn't know if I wanted answers too. Who thinks to question their children's paternity? I was there when each child was born. I thought I was there when they were conceived. The dates always lined up. I seen them come out and was the first to hold them. Took them to doctors appointments. Checked for monsters under the bed and stayed up with them when they were sick.

Around the fourth game and getting those looks, comments and questions I had to get answers. You just don't walk up to your wife and ask "Hey honey, Are the kids mine?" I didn't want to confront Helene, if I was wrong there would be hell to pay. And if I was right there would be hell to pay.

First thing I did was find Tom's medical form for football while the family was visiting the in-laws. It was in with the rest of our family paper. I thought this was a good sign as she would try hide evidence of her infidelity. But no, the form showed all his shots and medical history as well as his blood type. He was A negative. I'm B positive. I'm not a medical doctor so I Googled if I was able to have a child with that blood type. Sadly the answer was no. I was crushed. My son wasn't mine. I had to sit down. I could feel the tears forming and I let them come. I was destroyed.

I got myself together and knew I needed more definitive proof. I googled how to get DNA samples and found that I could use some hair from the brushes the the kids use. I ordered a DNA test kit to be sent to my shop.

My next thought was if I'm not the father then who was? My first thought was Bart Kent. I hadn't seen him in some time. He had been over the her parents house a couple of times when we spent our annual family weekend with the In-laws. I never noticed anything that didn't past the husband test. Than again he was always with his wife and kids. He had 3 girls, all older then my kids. They took after Leslie, his wife. But my son's size made him suspect number one.

All this thinking made me wonder how this could be happening. I thought we were happy. I mean together for 17 years. How could someone play the happy housewife for so long? Was I really that oblivious? I googled private detective and found White Investigation and Security. I couldn't make an appointment until Monday. I had to sit back. How much has my life turned into a bad Tubi movie troupe. Cheating wife, clueless husband raising someone else's children and now hiring a PI.

I don't know how long it would take to get everything together so I had to be a good actor as she has been all these years. I didn't want to sit around the house stewing in my misery so I took a drive. Somehow I ended up at a bar in the industrial area of the city. I've driven by many times but never stopped there. The Esquire stood out, you could tell it had been there for many years.

I walked into a dusky atmosphere. It seemed smoke filled without anyone smoking. There were 5 or 6 patrons at the bar or in booths. I went up to the bar and ordered a beer. They had one old fatback TV on the wall playing an English Soccer game of all things. I was sitting there lost in my own thoughts. I had such a good life. Like it was a Frank Capra Movie. Yeah, It's a Wonderful Life kind of thing. Except in reverse.

I was halfway through my beer when I realized the guy next to me was talking to me. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you. You seem really deep in thought. Life got you down?" He said without preamble. I turned to see this older Black gentleman. He looked like he never had a care in the world.

"Yeah I guess you could say that. I got the worst news a man could ever get." I said looking into my beer for answers.

He took a sip of his own beer, like he needed a minute to respond. "I'm not trying to be in your business but it sounds to me like you found out your wife is cheating or had cheated."

"You don't need to be Kreskin to figure that out huh?" Motioning to the bartender for another beer.

"When did you find out if I can ask?"

"I had questions in the back of my mind over the course of a month. I don't know how long its been happening which is the worst part. I found out my son isn't mine. He's 14." I noticed his beer was empty and I motioned to the bartender to give my new friend a refill.

He tipped his new beer in thanks. "Do you think its still going on? It might have been a one time thing. Maybe a mistake." He said trying to give me some hope I guess. "I'm Earl by the way." as he reached out his hand.

"Mark, I'm Mark, I don't know Earl. The prime suspect is an old boyfriend from high school that works for her families business. They have car dealerships along the Carolina coast. She goes to visit her family once a month. Has been doing it since we started dating. I don't get along with them so I very rarely go with her and the kids. I'm thinking all those trips weren't to just see family."

"Mark, I got to ask for your own benefit, are you 100% sure she cheated on you. How do you know you're son isn't yours?"

I explained about the blood type and how his height didn't match mine. I said I was getting a private investigator to find out as much information as he could. Earl was a listener. Its a rare trait now a days. Most people wait to talk. He took in everything I said. No judgment. He made you feel relaxed. I told my tale which felt good to be able to share.

"You got a lot on your plate young man. You need to be 100% sure. She's cheating or has cheated. If it happened 14 years ago that will be hard to prove or if it was a long term thing or a one off. Think about what you're going to do if your son isn't your son. I know you love him because you always say my son, not her son or even worse the boy. Can you walk away after all those years and from what it sounds like 3 great kids? Those are the questions you need to ask yourself. And you have to keep it together until you have all the answers. I'm not the smartest man in the world but the best advice I can give you is don't do anything stupid."

Laughing, "Thanks Earl I would never had thought of that. I'll do my best not to do anything stupid." As I said that my phone rang. It was Helene with her usual 6pm check in. I answered trying to sound as normal as possible."Hey honey how is everything?"

"It's good, the kids went with Jessica and her kids to the beach, I'm just hanging out at Mom's until they get back." Jessica is Dale's wife. They have 2 kids a boy and girl 9 and 11.

"How is your mom doing? Is she feeling any better?" Her mother had a mild heart attack 6 months ago.

"Oh, she's doing much better."

"Great, can I talk to her?" I've never asked to speak to either of her parents while she was visiting. So it caught her off guard.

"Um she's sleeping right now. I'll tell her you asked for her okay?"

"Sure babe, have fun see you all tomorrow night." I knew immediately she was lying. If anything was happening it was now with the kids at the beach. I just didn't know where she was exactly. We don't have one of those share my location apps on our phones. And until now I had no reason to doubt anything she said. I disconnected the call without my usual I love you. I wonder if she would notice.

Earl saw the look on my face. "Like I said young man, don't do anything stupid. Take your time and get all the information you can."

"Thanks Earl, I'll take that under advisement. It was great talking to you." I threw down a $50 and told the bartender to take care of Earl for me and left. I only had two beers but I could definitely feel them. I realized I hadn't eaten all day. So I stopped at Cookout and got something to eat on the way home. Cookout is especially good after drinking. After eating I checked our finances. Our monies were combined except for the business. That went into a separate account and I took out pay every 2 weeks. I wasn't worried about losing it if it came to divorce since I started it before we got married just like the house. I worried if I could act normal until I learned everything I needed too.

I puttered around the house most of the day. I did watch a North Carolina FC soccer game. Helene and the kids got home around 6:30. The kids were hungry so we ordered some Marco's pizza. Tom could eat three pepperoni Pizzoli's himself. We had the usual what they did on the visit conversation. Beth mentioned "Uncle" Bart was there with the his girls and their mother and Aunt Jessica took them all to the beach. I saw the look not only Helene gave her but also Shari. They never called him Uncle Bart before, this was something new and she didn't mention Jessica also went to the beach. I acted like I didn't notice and let it slide for now. But filed it away for later. It made me wonder if Jessica and Leslie took the kids to the beach for the day what was Helene and Bart up too? After eating the kids went to their room to do whatever it is kids do in their rooms. I went to watch some TV yet not paying attention to what was on.

Helene came in, sat and cuddle up next to me like she did every time she came back from her parents. We usually made love when she got back. I don't know if I would be able to perform with everything I was dealing with. We talked about what was going on this week with the kids and their activities as we usually did. She was giving those "I want sex" vibes that always happened after one of her trips. I always thought it was because she missed me so much after being away for the weekend. Now I figured its guilt or the fact that she is getting away with something over on me. Probably the latter because after all these years there can't be any guilt left.

Turns out I was able to perform but not up to my normal standards. She seemed pleased and didn't seem to notice anything. Maybe for me it was more mental than physical. She was still an attractive woman who would turn any man on.

Even though I was mentally exhausted sleep didn't come for some time. It finally did at just after midnight.

Monday I went into work and checked what projects we had going on. Met with Rosemarie for any appointments for the week. After talking to the crew I went into my little office. Its not fancy as clients hardly ever come to the shop. Its a little more than a broom closet with a desk. I called White Investigations. I made an appointment for later that day to talk to a Roger Wilson. I immersed myself in work to keep my mind off my personal issues. You can get lost in a good piece of wood. I worked on a piece to sell at a farmers market. We still did them occasionally. It gave the crew something to do besides pump out cabinets and tables. Some of them could be considered artist from the work they do. Justin sold a piece for $1500 once. Trudy does quite a bit of commission work. I don't know how much longer she will be here if it keeps up.

At lunch I told Rosemarie I would be out of the office the rest of the day. She had my cell phone if she needed me. I had lunch before going to Whites. I didn't know what to expect but the offices where in a 6 story office building off York Rd downtown. It was very modern and well appointed. I was greeted by the receptionist and within five minutes Roger Wilson came out and escorted me to his office. He was in his late 30's. We were about the same height and weight. After offering me something to drink we got down to business.

"So, Mr. Seeny, what brings you in today?" He started off.

"I just found out I'm not the father of my son. We have different blood types. I have two daughters, twins, I haven't checked them yet. I'm waiting for a DNA test kit to come. I need to know who the father is, is the affair a one off or still going on. I have a feeling its still happening." The anger was bubbling up again as I told my story.

Roger asked some probing questions and took lots of notes. He explained the process and possibly how long it would take. Since she had just visited family it would be another month or so before she went to Wilmington again. But they could start on some background investigations. I took the surprisingly high fee out of my business account. Roger gave me the same advice Earl did, don't do anything stupid.

The following weeks the hardest part wasn't doing anything stupid, it was acting normal. I did my best to put what was going on out of my mind. But I started to see things differently. Even the small things. It wasn't that Helene was acting differently, I was looking at her actions differently. What were her motivations. She never mentioned that I was acting differently so I figured I was a better actor than I thought. We still made love 2 or 3 times a week as usual. Went out to dinner and even went to a friends barbecue.

Three weeks later I got a call from Roger Wilson. "Mr. Seeny, I have a preliminary report for you. Can you stop into the office sometimes this week?"

"I can come in later today or first thing tomorrow."

"Tomorrow morning works, say 9am?"

"Sure, see you than." I wondered what information he could have already. Helene and the kids haven't been to her parents yet. I never sent in the DNA kit for fear of what I could find. If all my kids aren't biologically mine it would kill me. Bad enough I knew about Tom. My mind was in turmoil. Would this be the beginning or the end.

I got home my usual time and Helene was cooking dinner. She went to give me a kiss and immediately asked what was wrong when she saw my face. She was showing genuine concern. "Nothing, I think Trudy might be ready to leave. She's getting a lot of request for commission work. I'm happy for her but she will be hard to replace." Coming up with something plausible. I knew I would have to put my game face back on.

"I'm happy for her. I know she likes working for you but she has a special talent. Maybe we should get something before she gets to big and we can't afford her." She said with a laugh. Trudy is charging upwards of $2000 depending on the size and complicity of the work. Her specialty is animals and figures.

"I'm sure everything will work out in the end." And I went to take a shower and change.

The next day I told Rosemarie I would again be out of the office until after lunch. She was starting to suspect something was going on because she keeps my schedule and knew I didn't have any business appointments lined up. But whatever questions she had she kept to herself. I told her to place an ad on Indeed and contact the local

Vo-tech school to see if they had someone ready to work. I didn't want to be caught short handed when Trudy left.

I got to White's at 10 minutes to 9. I was taken back to Roger's office. He again offered drinks which I declined. He jumped right in, "Now these are our preliminary findings so far. We did a deep background on Mr. Bart Kent. As you know he works for Ellis Used Cars as the General Manager of the Charleston location. Married to Leslie Kent formerly Sutton of Hamilton, Ontario Canada. They met the year playing for the Tiger-cats. She worked in the office for the team. They got married and stayed in Canada for 2 years before moving back to Carolina and him starting working for Mr. Ellis. The job had been arranged before he moved. They have 3 daughters, 16, 17 and 18 years of age.' He paused to make sure I was still with him. I nodded and he continued. 'So far we found some interesting things about Mr. Kent. First is he's stealing from the business. It's not much in the grand scheme of things, $1000 to $2000 a month. Second he's cheating on his wife with not one but two women. We also found out that part of the stolen funds is going to pay child support for another child from a previous affair in Canada."

I just sat there. This guy is a piece of shit. Cheating on his wife, making babies all over. I guess he figured if you're going to cheat you might as well steal. This is the guy Helene is screwing? Was I that bad of a husband that she would do this to me? To us? To our family? "What do you have on Helene so far?" That was the million dollar question.

"So far we haven't been able to connect them together outside of him being friends and working with the family. We need you to check to see if she has another phone she might be using. Also I'm going to send you an email I want you to forward to her. It will record any calls and forward any text she gets without her knowing. Are you comfortable doing that?' Again I nodded my head, unable to speak. 'Also, how computer literate are you? Do you know how to check the browser history or for deleted emails?"

"Not really. I know about the trash bin but not how to recover or see them."

"No problem. I'll get someone that can show you how to check it okay?"

"Sure" He picked up the phone and asked for a Drew to come in for a minute. A young guy walked in and introduced himself as Drew Templeton. He proceeded to show me how to check for deleted emails and some other things I might need to know. Once he felt comfortable I knew what I was doing he left.

Roger came back into the office and asked when Helene was going to Wilmington. I told him this coming weekend. That they usually stayed with her parents and gave him the address as well as a description of the her car. We talked some more and he again admonished me to act normal and not do anything stupid. "Mark, so far nothing as shown that your wife is cheating currently. Maybe it was a one time mistake. Think positive okay."

I nodded my head, thanked him and left. I went to have lunch to clear my head. So far the only thing I knew was Tom wasn't my biological son and Bart Kent was a piece of shit. Nothing pointed to him and Helene yet. And I still hadn't sent in the DNA kit. I decided to do it after I got a complete report.

The week was as normal as it could be. Running the kids to different practices. The band was ramping up for the Fall concert. Tom had a Friday night game. He was starting on the JV team as right guard and inside linebacker. The coach said he could be playing varsity is it wasn't for the rules stopping Freshman from playing Varsity sports. They won a tight game 17 to 14. Tom had 5 tackles and a sack. It was heartbreaking. I normally would have been so proud of him but I was sad because someone else made him.

I also noticed he spent a lot of time after the game talking to one of the cheerleaders. They were leaving early the next morning. I had checked her car for any phones but didn't find anything. We had sex that night before she left. I say sex because my heart wasn't into making love until I had all the answers.

That Saturday morning after seeing them off I went and pickup some breakfast at Bojangles. Did some yard work, and then had some lunch. I took a minute to check the computer. We all share one in the family room. I logged into her Gmail account but didn't find anything. On a hunch I checked her Yahoo account. No one uses Yahoo email anymore. I had to wade through all the BS emails of old groups she used to belong too. I found something from 10 years ago. It took me almost an hour to get to it. It was from Superman7678. I remember those numbers because they were his college and pro numbers when he played football.

It was am email thread going back 15 years. First it was just good to see you again, how have you been, you look good kind of stuff. Little by little it started to morph into something else. More flirty on his part but she was not shutting him down. From what I could tell in the beginning she only said once that she was happily married. His response was so was he but they could still be "good friends." His quotes not mine. They talked about old times and how good they were together. He wrote several times how he should have married her. Reading this was like a death by a thousand cuts. She wrote that he would always have a special place in her heart but she's getting married soon. He offered her one last fling before the big day but she turned him down. Saying it would be wrong.

The emails stopped for a while. Then they picked up a year after our wedding. She was the fox and he was the hound. He was slowly wearing her down. I could tell by her responses. Finally she agreed to one last rendezvous for "Old time sake" my quotes not theirs. That one last rendezvous lasted the whole summer each time she visited her parents. He even came up here a couple of times and they met for long lunchs.

The death blow, when she emailed him saying she was pregnant and didn't know if he and I was the father. He told her not to say anything to me and play it off like I was the father, which she did. Even though everything had pointed to this it still killed me inside. The blatant disregard for our wedding vows. The lost of trust. The deception.

I wanted to find them both and do something stupid.

She texted me letting me know they made it safely. I responded back with only a Good. The emails continued on and off over the next 6 years after the first one. He would ask how his son was doing. It seemed she knew I wasn't the father. She wrote she had a DNA test done sometime after the birth. How can someone who says they love you everyday, look you in the eye and lie for 15 years? Again I was totally oblivious. At least Shari and Beth weren't mentioned in regards to him being the father. It looked like the affair stopped soon after she found out she was pregnant. Not for lack of him trying though.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotion. I went out back to my old shop and lost myself inside a piece of wood. It had been a while since I did an art piece. I had no idea was I was making. I let the wood guide me. When I was done it was dark outside and I was holding a gargoyle of all things. I went to check the time and realized I had left my phone inside. When I got it I noticed 4 missed calls and 5 text messages. All from Helene. I texted her back saying I left my phone inside while I worked in the shop. I added hope you're having a good time. I didn't get a response until an hour later at 10pm.

Sunday found me back at the Esquire. I didn't feel like sitting at home. I wasn't ready to burden family or friends with my problems. Plus it would be embarrassing to admit you had been made a cuckold all your marriage. I walked in and again English Soccer or football as they call it was on again. I ordered a beer and asked the bartender what was the deal with soccer being on the TV all the time. He just looked me and laughed saying they lost the remote and can't change the channel. It was around 1pm and there were 4 or 5 people inside. Most where at the bar watching the game and yelling about the refs. Tottenham was playing Wrexham. Tottenham was up 1 to 0 or nil as they say.

"Mark my friend, you keep coming here we're going to consider you a regular." It was Earl. I was surprised he remembered me let alone my name. He moved over to sit next to me.

"I just might do that Earl. How have you been?" There was something about Earl, I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm doing good, the real question is how are you doing? If you don't want to talk about I understand. But sometimes its better to get things out in the open and off your chest."

Before I filled Earl in on my pitiful life I order a Jack and Coke and got Earl another beer. I told him about the emails, the long time affair right after we got married and how she knew my son wasn't mine. If I wasn't in such a public place I think I would have broken down crying. I know Earl could see the hurt in my face. He didn't say anything for a while. Finally he looked over at me. "Do you have any idea what you're going to do? You have a lot of questions you need to ask yourself. But you also need answers from her."

"I don't have a clue right now. Even though I've suspected for some time knowing for a fact that she cheated and got pregnant by another man is hard to think about. I thought we had a good marriage Earl. I would never have thought in a million years this would be happening. I feel like my soul is crushed."

"Believe me when I say I understand. I'm not a charter member of the cheating wives club but I do have the t-shirt. Their really cool. I think you'll like them. We have meetings every other Thursday." He said trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm an extra large if you have one with you' I said with a small laugh. 'this is all so crazy. One minute happy as hell, the next totally destroyed. I even have a PI on her this weekend but what more can they tell me besides its still going on after all this time. I need to stop making this a habit of coming here. I'm heading home. And you don't need to tell me not to do something stupid." I patted Earl on the back and headed home.

The family got back a little earlier than last time. Helene had stopped and picked up dinner on the way. It was the usual talk around the dinner table. Nothing stood out this time. I had my game face on so I don't think anyone noticed anything different. We had our usual come home sex.

Nothing stood out for the week until I got a call from Roger Wilson on Thursday. He told me he had the final report ready and asked when I could come in. I told him Friday morning. We set it up for 10am. By now I was numb to what was going on in my life, with my life, what used to be my life. I don't know how many more nails I would need in my coffin.

I think my game face was slipping because Helene asked me if anything was wrong Thursday night. I blew it off as something with the business and having to hire a replacement for Trudy.

I got up my usual time and went into work. I puttered around until it was time for meet with Roger. I was met promptly at 10 and escorted into a conference room. Two other people were there, Frank White the owner and Anthony Smallwood who did the primary investigation in Wilmington. Mr. White didn't say much during the meeting. Smallwood explained how he staked out the parent address. My wife pulled into the driveway at approximately 11:15am. She stayed until 4:37pm. He followed her to a house in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina which is an little more than an hour from Wilmington. Records show that its the residence of a Bart Kent. The only car in the driveway belonged to Mr. Kent. He didn't know if his wife and kids were at home. She stayed the whole night. Smallwood continued saying she and Mr. Kent left the house at 8:45am. They went to Nannie Annie's until 10:08am. She then dropped Mr. Kent off at his home and proceeded back to her parents residence. Smallwood noticed a familiarity between them but no intimate activity. Credit card records show that Ms. Kent staying at the Magnolia Resort in Charleston for the last week and returned home Sunday morning with the children. They were able to verify that by the hotel records.

She spent all day Sunday at her parents. She took the kids to mini-golf and several cars were the resident when they got back. They belonged to Dale and Jessica Ellis, Greg Ellis and Leslie Kent wife of Bart Kent. They were not able to prove or disprove how long the affair had been going on. None of the neighbors noticed her car there before.

Phone records show she has kept in contact with Mr. Kent for some time. Records show at least five years. There was usually one call a week to every 2 weeks.

I just sat there. Who was this woman I married? I had so much on my mind If she loved this guy why did she marry me? I told them about the emails I found during the weekend.

"Mr. Seeny' Mr. White started, "Can I call you Mark?" I nodded in confirmation. "Mark, we can't tell you how to proceed. Its a choice only you can make. We can't even advise you on how to move forward. I understand that your oldest child, Tom is not your biological child. Have you had DNA test done on him or your daughters?"

"No, I've been putting it off because I'm afraid of the answers. I can't do that anymore since this is all staring me in the face. Time to put on my big boy pants."

"Mark, you have some hard decisions to make. But I can say please' before he could finish I interrupted, "I know don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, I can understand how you feel, believe me. Take some time. Get your head together and do what is right for you."

I thanked them and left. I called Rosemarie and told her I was not coming back in today. I went home and packed a bag. I called Helene and let her know I had an important call from a high end client at the last minute and had to go away for a couple of days. She was upset but really couldn't complain. She knew I wasn't sneaking away with another woman. Who at least I think she believed that. I sent out the DNA kit before I left. It really didn't matter at this point.

I didn't know where I was headed but I jumped on Route 74 and headed west. I40 was still washed out from the floods so I took the back roads. I had nothing else to do. I ended up in a little town called Murphy. Found an interesting place to stay called the River Cove Cabins. It was rustic but the grounds had some amenities to make life livable. I had been drinking more than normal so alcohol was out. I grabbed some snacks and juices. Murphy is a small town but people flood in the summer because of the river and mountains. I stopped at Chevelle 66 for a late lunch.

I walked around for a while thinking about what my future would look like. Helene is obviously still screwing the guy. He might be the father of my son. Do I keep calling him my Son? How much does he or the girls know? Does he know he is his biological father. Have I been a fool for all these years? Do I file for divorce?

I knew Tom wasn't my son. I knew she had an affair shortly after we got married and that she was possibly still involved with the guy. I would be a fool to stay with Helene. If worst came to worst I would demand custody of the girls, if they are mine.

Going back to the cabin I decided call my family to let them know what is going on. They would find out eventually. Calling my mom and dad was rough. Mom really liked Helene and of course loved her grandchildren. I didn't go into detail with them. Just let them know I was divorcing her because of her actions. They could figure it out themselves. Dad was pretty angry and mom was crying by the time we hung up. Alan took it with a grain of salt. He also loved Helene and didn't see it coming. I gave him a little more background then I did my parents. His with Nancy was beyond pissed and wanted to beat her up. I asked them all not to say anything to Helene as I wasn't home for the week. They agreed and told me they of course supported and loved me.

I stayed for the whole week. I called the kids everyday. I decided to have some me time. I went to see the Fire Creek Falls, went on the Murphy River Walk, Visited the local casino and actually won some money. I tried some wine at Nottely River Valley Vineyards. And just sat on the cabin porch and smoked a cigar which I only do once in a blue moon.

I started my drive home Friday afternoon. Most traffic was going towards Murphy or Tennessee. I was going the opposite way so I made good time. Before I went to the house I stopped at my shop. The DNA kit was sitting on my desk. I knew I would have to explain that to Rosemarie. The test confirmed everything I suspected. None of the kids were mine but they shared the same parents. Yeah, there's no going back.

I finally got back to the house. I realized I was calling it the house and not home any longer. I was greeted by the kids with them telling me what happened during the week and on their visit to their grandparents. We all sat down to dinner with the conversation still going strong. I looked around knowing how much I would miss this. I loved my family with every fiber of my being. Everything I did I did for them. I know I no longer had my game face on because Helene asked several times during dinner if everything was okay. The kids had to get my attention several times.

When dinner was over and the table cleared I told Helene I needed to talk to her. She looked curious more than afraid. Why would she think anything bad was going to happen. She's been fooling me for decades. I ran out to the car to get the DNA results and the print out of the emails. She kept asking me what was going on. Once I got settled, "I know everything Helene." And just looked at her. They say the first one to speak loses. I wasn't going to say a word until she did.

"What are you talking about Mark? Know what?" She said sounding like she had no clue what I was alluding too.

"I know about Tom, Shari, and Beth. I know about you and Bart. I know everything.' I was trying to control my growing anger. 'I know the none of the kids are mine but they all have the same father. And its not hard to figure out even if I didn't have rock solid proof." I didn't but she didn't know that.

"Are you saying I cheated on you? After all this time you're accusing me of that? Have you lost your mind!" I guess she felt the best defense was a good offense.

"So you're saying that you didn't have sex with Bart anytime since we've been married? Look me in the eye and tell me the truth."

"I have not had sex with anyone but you since we've been married." She looked me in the eye not even blinking. It was an Oscar award winning performance. If I didn't already know 100% I might have believed her. She leaned back with her arms folded across her chest in defience.

I looked at her for a minute. How could someone be this cold and heartless. I had arranged some of the emails so I could read them off if needed. "Okay, that's how you want to play it. From your old Yahoo email account from Superman7678, Hey baby, it was good seeing you. I didn't realize how much I would miss you. A couple of months later, I know we said it would be a one time thing but I can't get enough of you. I need you in my life. I know you enjoyed it as much as I did. You responded, I can't I'm married and I love Mark. I enjoyed our time together and you still rock my world but I can't it was one time and one time only. That might have been forgivable but eight months after we were married. Bart, please don't call my job. You know I'll be there once a month and we can get together then, not before okay.

Anything to say sweetheart? And before you try to deny the emails I got them off our computer sent to your old yahoo address, you know the Helene518 account you haven't used for 5 years. Which is your birthday and you used the same password as your Gmail account. Shall I continue?"

"That's not my email, you're lying. You probably made that up. I have never cheated on you!" She said a little louder than necessary. I was afraid the kids would hear her.

"So you're saying that you didn't discuss with Bart that you were pregnant and didn't know if Tom was mine or his? I have the email right here." And I tossed her the page with her confession. She looked at it and I noticed her hands were shaking. Also Tom has a different blood type than I do. I can't have a child with his blood type. I also confirmed it with a DNA test. Sadly it showed that the girls aren't mine either. So really what do you have to say?"

She sat there, hands shaking eyes cast down no longer defiant. "Nothing to say. I mean you're still fucking him. You spent a night with him last Saturday.' she looked up in shock. 'Yes sweetheart I had you followed. So I can assume the kids know about you and 'Uncle Bart' huh? Do they know he is their father? Well, you had so much to say before, why so quiet now?" Still she said nothing. She had started crying. Why I don't know. From being found out? 'I'm filing for divorce on the ground of adultery. I'm also suing Superman for back child support and civilly for fraud. The house was mine before we got married. I'm leaving but not giving up rights to live here. I'm giving you a month to find some place for you and the kids to live. Its the only time I will be nice And don't think you can get a piece of the business. I started that before we got married also. If you fight it I'll go nuclear on you. I know you're shitty family doesn't like me and probably pushed you two together but your job and friends are a different story. You'll be served by the end of the week." I got up to go pack a few bags to last me a while. She still hadn't said anything. Just sitting there rocking back and forth. Why was she so upset, she had the love of her life. I was soon to be out of her life.

To be continued

Earl appeared in Cheated, Cheater, Cheating, This is a Test, Tales from the Esquire Bar 1& 2 and The Mouse that Roared. (Loving Wives)

The Esquire Bar was featured in Cheated, Cheater, Cheating, Tales from the Esquire Bar series and several other stories (Loving Wives)

Roger Wilson appeared as a minor character in Plus One (Romance)

Drew Templeton appeared as a minor character in Plus One (Romance)

Frank White appeared in Cancer 1 & 2, (Loving Wives) Plus One 1 & 2 (Romance)