Green Grass or Tall Weeds

GREENER GRASS OR TALL WEEDS

It always looks greener on the other side.

PREAMBLE RAMBLE; This story had been through several iterations. I've been working on it for three months with starts and stops. I've changed the title three times. It's hard to be original in the Living Wives category, you can only hope to write interesting characters.

If anyone would like to be a Beta Reader send me a message. Anything will help me be a better writer.

I hope you enjoy the story

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"Bob fucking Johnson! You fucked Bob Johnson, from down the street? What the fuck, Patti, how can you do this to me, to us? I thought you loved me!" I was royally pissed. I just found out my wife of 4 years has been fucking our neighbor Bob fucking Johnson. I could feel the veins in my neck pulsing, I was so mad.

I'm Eric Chandler. I'm 26 years old. 5'10" medium build, I work at Circle K. No, I'm not a District Manager or even Store Manager, I'm the guy who takes your money and gives you cigarettes or lottery tickets. It's not the best job, but it's the best I can do right now and I hope for better in the future.

My, oh, so loving wife, is Patti Chandler, nee Sullivan, also 26, 5'3" and nicely shaped. She works in the office of a consulting company. She's been there for almost a year. She was working as a waitress when we got married. I supported her when we decided shed should go to Greenville Community College to better herself, and she got the job at Nelson Consulting. I've noticed for the last two or three months she has been treating me differently. Like I was beneath her. And I find this out, the stinking Bitch.

"What do you want me to say, Eric? It was one time, and it won't happen again." She said dismissively

"Oh well, for fuck sake, that's good to know. How about you're sorry, or at least it was a mistake. We both know it wasn't the first time. God Damn, Patti, you're my damn wife, and you're out here fucking other guys. How many others are there?" I yelled at her. We had argued before but never anything like this. Of course she never cheated on me before.

"You need to calm down.' she says calmly, like she's talking to a child and not answering my question. 'You're starting to sound pathetic. Eric, let's be honest, we've grown apart over the last year. I'm trying to make something of myself. I want more out of my life. You're happy being a cashier and have no ambition. I have a chance to have a career. Scott, I mean Mr. Nelson, has talked to me several times, and he says I have a future with the company." She says with way too much confidence.

"I'm pathetic, is that what you're saying? You forget who paid for your college so that you can get this job. Remember, it was me you ungrateful bitch. I was the one who worked extra hours so you could have time to study. So you could make something of yourself, ME, I'm the one that bought you new clothes so you would look good at your new job, Not fucking Scott Nelson or Bob Johnson!" I never in my life had thought of hitting a woman until this minute. She was beyond disrespectful. "I'm leaving because if I don't, I'm afraid I'll punch you in your smug face. And don't think you won because I will be back,"

"Sure, run away like a little boy. It's what I expected from someone like you, you're pathetic." She yells at me as I grab my keys.

"I might be pathetic, but you're a fucking slut!" As I walked out, I slammed the door with emphasis to make my point. If I had bail money, I might risk it, but hitting her would only make things worse. I drive to my parents' house in Huntersville. You don't go to your boys for something like this. They won't care or pretend they care, but most likely try to fuck your wife now that you're on the outs. Especially that fucking Archie, I know he would. Bros before Hoes, my ass.

I realized I was driving like a madman, so I had to get myself under control. Last thing, I need is to be pulled over. When you're a Black man in America, being shot while complying is a real thing. The way my luck has been going, I would get pulled over by that 1 out of 20 bad cop.

I took the long route to Huntersville. I grabbed a cigar travel humidor out of my glove box. I picked out a nice Plasencia Reservia Cortez. I was saving it for special occasions since they cost $26. Smoking relaxes me, and I needed to relax. Even though there's nothing special about what's going on today, I thought fuck it. I deserve a good smoke.

I got to my folks' house a little after 4 pm. My Dad is out "supervising" the guys cutting the grass. He's always been particular about the way his yard looks. I still remember him saying, "The way your yard looks reflects on the type of man you are." If he could do it himself, he would. They moved to this retirement community 4 years ago.

He looks up and sees me walking to the chair he's sitting on and jumps up, "Well, this is a surprise, what brings you all the way up here?" as he gives me a hug.

"Can't I visit the most important people in my life?"

"Oh Hell, I know something is going on now. A visit out of the blue, and you smoking, what is that a Plasencia? It must be serious to smoke that one. Let me guess, you came up 312, didn't you?"

Yes, I got the cigar habit from my father. He knows his sticks. "Yeah, I did, I needed some time to think. I got a serious problem."

"Come on, let's go sit out back. Your mom is out shopping. I'll text her to bring back something from Big Tiny's BBQ. We get to his deck and take a seat. 'Let me guess, Patti is cheating on you." He said with that all-knowing look.

"What the hell, Pop, what makes you think that?" I say in surprise.

"I'm clairvoyant, what do you think, I could see it coming a mile away, three weeks after she got that new job. She's changed. You were too close, so you just didn't see it."

"Damn, I feel so stupid. I had no idea. I thought we were on the same page, but I have noticed she's been different for a while. She called me pathetic and unmotivated. And I'm the one who put her through school. Take about ungrateful." The more I thought about it, the madder I got.

"Hold on, Son, I'll be right back." he got up and went inside. Five minutes later, he came out with 2 cans of Little Wings beer from King Canary Brewery and 2 Blackbird Crow cigars. "Okay, how did you find out she's cheating?"

"Chad, our neighbor. He saw Bob, the guy she's fucking, coming out of the house a couple of times while I was at work. He lives down the street from us. Always, Saturday before noon. He texted me, and I got home early, and the sheets were still dirty. When I confronted her, it was like she didn't even care that she had been caught. Then she told me we had grown apart and that she was moving up in her company. I was always going to be a cashier. What she doesn't know is I've been recommended to take over the Garrison Road location. I have an interview next week, which is pretty much a formality. Do you know store managers start at $75,000 a year? Well fuck her!"

"I'm letting you get all that cursing out of your system. I expect it to stop when your mom gets home."

Okay, Pop, I'm good." I wasn't, but I knew better than to cuss around my mom.

"What are you going to do? You can try to be sympathetic, or you can act pathetic. Those three little letters make a huge difference. The question is, can you live with what she's done? Is your life better with her or will it be worse without her? I'm not going to tell you what to do. That's on you. You're a grown man, so you have to decide. I do have to say. I knew she had cheated when you pulled up because of the way she's been acting lately. She looks down on not just you but her old friends. You haven't noticed because you love her. When was the last time she talked to or went out with Denise or Ramona? Has she talked about moving or getting a bigger house? Does she only talk about her job and never ask about yours? Those are signs that she's moving away from you and her old life. As my grandmother used to say, She thinks her shit doesn't stink."

I had to laugh. "If you ever followed her after she came out of the bathroom, you would know her shit definitely stinks.' Pop and I both laughed. 'I saw Ramona last week and she mentioned she hadn't heard from Patti in months. I'm not going to deal with her disrespect. I'm going to file for divorce first thing Monday. She makes more than I do, at least for now, so I'll even file for alimony. Thank God we don't have kids."

"Well, if that's what you decide, I'll support you. Your mom will be hurt because she loved Patti like a daughter, but of course will support you."

"What will I support?" My mom says as she's coming out of the back door onto the deck. I jump up and give her a hug. "Something must be serious for you to be here, and your father giving you one of his good beers and cigars. What's going on, Patti cheating on you?"

"What the... heck, does everyone know except me?" I was starting to feel stupid.

"Oh, baby, a woman can tell these things. I saw it coming a mile away when she started that new job. I even told your father.' I looked at him, and he turned away sheepishly. I guess I knew who had the brains in the family. 'So I guess you caught her, huh?"

I told her the same story I told Pop as we ate the BBQ. Big Tiny's has the best BBQ in the area. It's worth a drive if you don't live close. While we ate, we talked about other things besides my failing marriage. They were planning on taking a cruise this winter. Just haven't decided between the Bahamas or Alaska.

I left their house around 6:30 and didn't get home until 8 pm. On the way home, I thought about my options. The townhouse was in my name because Patti had lousy credit. It took us forever to find a place until we stopped putting her on the application. So I would have to find out if I could put her out. We didn't have much in the way of a savings account, $3500 at the most. We didn't have credit cards, since we only used debit cards. I was off Sunday, so I could do all the research I needed.

One thing I decided on, I'm going to get mine back against Bob Johnson. Beating his ass will only get me put in jail. I had an idea of what I would do. I saw something that happened to a football player that had caused several divorces. It would be slow, costly, and painful. He's lucky he wasn't married because I would have done whatever I could to fuck his wife for payback.

As far as Patti goes, she's definitely gone. Gone from my life and home. Pulling up to the house, her car wasn't in the driveway. Thank God for small favors. Going into the house, it didn't feel any different. I went and checked her closet, and it was still full of the clothes I had bought her for her job. For a hot second, I wondered if I would get in trouble if I burned them, since I paid for them myself. Nah, it wasn't worth the trouble. I decided to wait until she got home and give her a chance to pack her clothes herself.

Was I being too nice? Nope, I was biding my time. I checked our accounts online. We only had $3456.57. I opened an account online and transferred $1728.29. Fuck it, I took the odd penny just to be a dick. I thought for a minute and checked her transactions on her debit card. I noticed a few transactions from Greenville Pharmacy over the last several months. I looked at the dates. Most were on Fridays, and two on Mondays. Was that bitch buying condoms and Plan B pills?

It was getting late, so I went to bed. Not the bed she fucked Bob on. The bed is in our spare room. We got a 2-bedroom townhouse in hopes of having one child before having to upgrade to a larger house. We kept it as a bedroom since we didn't need it as an office. And most socializing was done on the deck out back.

Patti hadn't come home by the time I went to bed. Maybe I should have checked to see if her car was down at Bob's. I choose not to worry about it. She wouldn't be in my life shortly anyway. Between the driving and being mentally exhausted, I fell asleep quickly.

That Sunday, I got up and noticed Patti hadn't come home. I checked the bedroom and saw the bed hadn't been slept in, so she didn't get up before me. Did I care about that? No, it just validated my feelings about divorce. It was just another form of disrespect, and it hardened my heart even more.

I didn't feel like cooking, so I went to get breakfast. It gave me time to check on some attorneys. I Googled state divorce laws. Since we didn't have kids and no property, I really wouldn't need a lawyer. That would save me hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Since the lease was in my name, I had rights to the home, so the only way she could put me out was if I was violent or she was in fear for her life. That gave me an idea of a plan I could put into effect that would give me a hand up on everything.

I downloaded the needed paperwork and sent it to Staples for printing. I stopped on the way home and picked them up. So far, this has only cost me $4.95. I found out the filing fee was $225, and $30 to have her served. Getting home, I started filling out the paperwork. Patti still wasn't home. Maybe I should call her mother to see if she knew where she was. The last thing I need is for her to be in the hospital and me not know it. It would delay the divorce.

I was going to call her mom, except I had to wait until she got out of church. She went every Sunday, and then they all went to Golden Corral afterwards. While I was waiting, I ran to Lowe's to pick up some boxes and large bags to pack her stuff up. On the way out, I drove past Bob's house and didn't see her car. Maybe she had another lover. Why stop at one when you can have two or three?

I got everything I needed and started packing her stuff. My first thought was to put bleach on the clothes at the bottom. I thought of something better. I got a can of tuna fish and put a little in each box. I made sure each box was sealed and labeled. That would let the odor permeate through everything. She had so much stuff that I had to use some of the bags. I took a break and grabbed something to eat. I called her mom to see where she was and let her know to come get her shit.

After five rings, she answered. I could hear people in the background, so I figured she was still at Golden Corral. This wasn't going to be a good conversation. I always considered us to be very close. She treated me like a son she wished she had because her real son was a crackhead. Always in and out of jail. "Hey Mom B, have you talked to Patti lately?"

"No, baby, I haven't. Why's what's going on? Haven't you seen her?"

This is where it got hard, "No, we had a serious disagreement yesterday. I left, and when I got home, she wasn't here and didn't come last night. I thought she might be with you."

"I haven't talked to her in weeks. What kind of disagreement did you have, Eric? What did you do?"

"Mom, it wasn't me. Let's just say I came home earlier than she thought I would, and I found her in a bad situation."

"Are you saying she was cheating? I find that hard to believe, Eric. That girl loves you."

"I think loved in the past tense would describe it better. She hasn't shown any love towards me in months. And she admitted to sleeping with the guy. She said she had outgrown me and wanted more out of life. She's been acting differently since she got that new job."

"Honey, she's still young. I'm sure she loves you and just made a mistake. You need to pray on it and let God handle it. I'm sure she's with one of her friends."

"Unless she has new friends I don't know about, maybe. She hasn't seen Ramona or Denise in months. I can't wait for God to handle it. I'm filing for divorce tomorrow. If you see her, please tell her to pick up her stuff. I'll always love you, Mom B." I was choking up because I did love her like another mother.

"I'll say a prayer for you both. I wouldn't rush to make a decision while you're mad. You should take some time and think about it. Maybe you should come and talk to Pastor Jenkins; he counsels couples."

The last thing I wanted was to talk to Pastor Jenkins. Everyone would know what was going on between us before I left the church. And knowing him, he would probably try to screw Patti. "Thanks, I'll think about it. Like I said, she needs to come get her stuff. I won't throw it out, but I'll leave it in the garage. But she will have to come get it eventually."

"If I see her, I will let her know, and please think about talking to Pastor Jenkins."

I hung up and tried calling a couple of her friends, but none had seen her in a while. I didn't know if she had new friends. We haven't been talking as much as we used to. Funny how you look back and realize how much things have changed. It's so true that hindsight is 20/20. I sent her a text saying she had 3 days to get her stuff or I would send it to Goodwill. She never responded.

I could only worry so much about where Patti was. So I finished filling out the divorce paperwork. I can't see why lawyers charge so much for a divorce when it took me 20 minutes to do it. I filed for irreconcilable differences. If she fought it, I would change it to adultery. There was nothing else to do, so I went and grabbed a sandwich at Jersey Mike's and came home and sat out on the deck.

I wondered why I wasn't angrier than I was. I was pissed at what Patti did to us. The blatant disrespect she showed me. The way she acted when I confronted her. It was like she was prepared for the moment to happen. Maybe that's why she hasn't been home. She had a backup plan in place.

She wasn't at Bob's house, so where else could she go? I was totally clueless about her cheating. I was starting to become aware of how much we had grown apart. Was I as responsible as she? We used to go out together when I had a weekend off. We had friends we would hang out with. There was always something to do in the city. It slowed down over the last several months. I can't even remember the last time we went out together. She always had something to do or somewhere else to go. Maybe because she wasn't working late or going in on the weekends, I never noticed it. It was like water boiling. You don't grasp the situation until it's too late.

I went to work Monday, and was grateful for the distraction. It's always busy in the morning with a short break until lunch. I was working the back area, so I didn't have to deal with people, thankfully. My manager came up to me before I left and said, "Hey Eric, I wanted to remind you that your interview for the GM position would be Wednesday at 3 at the Franklin Blvd location."

"Which one?" I asked since there are four stores on Franklin.

"Franklin and Robinwood, Derrick, and someone from corporate will be doing the interview. Are you nervous?"

Derrick is the District Manager. I've met him several times. "Nope, I figure the worst that can happen is I have to come back and work for you.' I laughed. 'You taught me everything I need to be successful, so I'm pretty confident I'm ready."

"Yes, you are. That's why I put your name out for the position. If anyone can do it, you can."

"I appreciate that very much, Doug. I hope I can be half the manager you have been for me."

On the way home, I stopped by the courthouse to file the divorce paperwork. The lady there was very nice. She checked to make sure I had filled everything out correctly. She let me make changes without giving me a hard time. I paid the filing fee and gave them Patti's work address to have her served, since I didn't know where she was staying. She would be served within two weeks unless they couldn't locate her.

I got home and fixed myself a sandwich for dinner. The place felt the same but different. I still had four months left on the lease. I could afford it when I got the new position, but until then, things would be tight. I had to think positively and how everything was going to work out.

Wednesday came quicker than I thought it would. Doug, let me leave early for my interview. It was only 15 minutes away, but you never want to be on time for an interview. Always 15 minutes early. I had scouted out the location a couple of times when I found out I was in the running for the GM position. They had a good staff, just poor management. She didn't support them the way a manager should. Training was lax, and supervision was poor. Doug had taught me how to build a culture so everyone works together and has a good time.

Walking in, I saw Derrick standing by the soda case, talking on his phone. Derrick as always, was on the phone. He was one of the few African Americans to make it to District Manager. I had been told for years that there had always been a glass ceiling for Blacks in the company. General Manager was the highest you could expect to go. Everything above that was lily white. It's changed over the last several years. People were pushing for more diversity in leadership. The old argument that Black's aren't qualified doesn't cut it anymore.

Derrick motioned for me to have a seat. I looked around, and the store wasn't busy at that time of day. They should be getting ready for the after-work rush. People are stopping to get gas, lottery tickets, drinks, and chips for dinner on the way home. No one was cleaning or stocking.

As I was waiting, a short, dumpy-looking white woman walked in wearing a Circle K name tag. She spotted Derrick and went to talk to him. As they talked, he pointed towards me. They walked around the store briefly and came to the table I was sitting at.

"You must be Eric Chandler?" As she held out her hand to shake. "I'm Rebecca Long, I'm the Regional Manager for Derrick's district."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Long." Returning the handshake.

I've heard a lot about you, Eric. What makes you want to be a General Manager? Besides the money, of course."

"Well, that was the number one reason.' I said with a laugh. 'I learned being a GM isn't about being in charge, or being able to be called the boss. It's so much more. My grandfather used to be a volunteer firefighter. He always had a saying, 'If you have to have a white helmet to be in charge, you don't deserve a white helmet. ' It's about leadership and setting the example. Being able to do each job, teach each position so the next person will be successful and confident in their ability to do it themselves."

"That's interesting,' I could see Rebecca thinking about my answer. We continued with the interview. Rebecca had most of the questions, with Derrick jumping in occasionally. I felt I answered the questions very well. I was surprised at the end when she said she had to interview two more people and would let me know of her decision no later than Tuesday next week. I thanked them and left.

When I got home, I found Patti had picked up her clothes. I texted the landlord about changing the locks. I explained that Patti and I had separated. I got a return text saying he would take care of it and where he would leave the new keys.

The rest of the week was uneventful. People asked me how the interview went and wished me luck. That Saturday, I decided to treat myself. Patti and I would go to concerts in the park and hang out with old friends. We stopped doing that some time ago. There was a concert going on with a Go-Go band out of DC. I packed a small cooler, grabbed a lawn chair, and headed out.

The band was good, and people were dancing, having a good time. I ran into several people I knew and hadn't seen in a while. We hung out and ended up going to a club afterwards. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been to a club. I'm not a heavy drinker, and I had to be at work by 7 am, so I had orange juice most of the night and left at 10, with promises to get together again.

Tuesday came, and I hadn't heard anything about the promotion. By 2:30, I was getting a little worried. Right before I was getting ready to leave, Derrick came walking into the store.

"Hey, Eric, glad I could catch you. I've got news you've been waiting for, we've made our decision. Congratulations, you start Monday." He put out his hand. Doug and others came up and congratulated me on the promotion. I didn't have to do a lot of the training that most new General Managers have to go through. I had covered our store while Doug was out for two weeks after an accident, and was doing the same at several other locations.

I was really excited. My pay is now double. I was one step closer to my real goal, District Manager. Doug gave me the weekend off so I would be fresh for the new position.

I enjoyed the weekend. I had let my parents know about the promotion. Mom invited me over for dinner on Sunday.

Monday, I went in and met my new crew. They were eager for a new manager. The last one didn't seem to be people's favorite. I worked from 7 to 7 so I could meet most of the employees there as well as the other managers. I explained to them that my goal was to get them ready to take a step up. I wanted my location to be the one to get new managers from.

Over the following weeks, I spent time evaluating people. Finding out who I needed to get rid of, or having to retrain, and who had potential for a leadership role. Of the 20 people who worked there, I only had to fire 2 people. The managers were pretty good but tentative when it came to making decisions because the last GM never had their backs.

It had been a month since Patti left. I received notice that she had been served. I had filed under irreconcilable differences to move it along faster. No alimony or whatever they call it nowadays, with a 50/50 split of all assets. She had closed out the old account a week after she left. The hearing was set for next month, 3 weeks away.

I checked my budget and credit score. I was pleased with what it showed, so I decided to upgrade my car. I had been driving a 2008 Ford Taurus. I had been paying a majority of the bills while Patti was in school, then getting her set up for work, so I didn't have the funds for anything better. Now I did.

I went car shopping and bought a 2024 Kia Telluride. It was the first new car I ever had. New, no one else had owned it except me. I wanted to break it in, so I took a ride down I-77 and ended up in Columbia, South Carolina. It was nice not worrying about breaking down. I had a late lunch at the Backstreet Grill. Then went to the Smoke Break Cigar lounge and enjoyed a CAO Flathead while chopping it up with a couple of guys about who would be better this year, Clemson or South Carolina. On the way home, I took a back road, Route 21, into Greenville. Same distance, almost twice as long. I didn't care, I was enjoying life.

PATTI'S STORY

Well, I got what I wanted, freedom. Now I don't have to worry about Eric holding me back, and dragging me down like an anchor. Scott said I had a future with the company. No more anchor holding me back. I appreciated everything he did for me. Paying for college. I thought he would want more out of life, like I did. Except he was happy being a cashier for the rest of his life. It was embarrassing, telling people he worked at Circle K. They always asked if he was a manager. Having to say no and the looks people gave us, ugh. Now I never have to answer that question again.

Eric accusing me of sleeping with Bob made me pull the trigger sooner than I wanted. Sure, I was sleeping with Bob, but that was just something to do. Eric hadn't even realized we hadn't had sex for a month. Now I could sleep with Luke whenever I wanted. I can't wait to be able to wake up next to him. He was more on my level than Eric will ever be. Luke Graham was going places. He worked for his father's staffing company and would take over when his father retired. He had plans to expand it and hired Nelson Consulting to assist him in finding new markets. We met while Steve and I were helping him expand his business. It was one of the first calls I went on with Steve Campbell.

The apartment I was renting wouldn't be available for another two weeks. I'm glad LaTanya was able to put me up until it was ready. I couldn't afford a hotel for two weeks, and I didn't want to stay with my mom, because she would ask too many questions. Both of us worked together and had been hanging out for a while. She was like me, she went to college to improve herself, and have a better life. She was single and didn't have someone holding her back. Having begun as a receptionist, and has since become a consultant. Right where I want to be. Scott said it could happen. And I'll do whatever I have to to make it happen. I've been going out on calls with Steve Campbell and learning a lot.

My mom called me, asking what was going on between Eric and me. She always loved Eric. I had to listen to her for almost 30 minutes. She never yelled, but she was saying, "You need to pray before you make the wrong life choices, Patti. Eric is a good man. That's the man you should be with. He's going places, believe me. You could do a lot worse.

"Mother, I'm a grown woman and can make my own decisions. Eric and I just grew apart. I wanted one thing, and he wanted another. I don't know how far you can go being a cashier. He was happy just being a lowly cashier."

"It was okay being a cashier when you were going to college, huh? You think the grass is greener on the other side? You're wrong, your going to find nothing but weeds."

"And I appreciate that he paid for it. But he hasn't done anything for himself to improve his life. He's happy going to work and sitting on the deck smoking those damn cigars."

"Would you rather have him in the street like your brother, Terrance?" Terrance's luck finally ran out; now he's serving 10 years for drug possession and assault. " You should talk to Pastor Jenkins. I told Eric already, he does marriage counseling. "

No way would I talk to that old pervert. The way he looks at young girls is creepy. I finally got her off the phone by promising to attend church with her.

I let my attorney know to go ahead and file the paperwork and have Eric served. They have had everything ready for weeks. They were just waiting for the word. Only two days later, I was called to the front desk. A Gaston County Sheriff was standing there. He turned towards me when Carol pointed me out. At first, I thought something may have happened to Eric. I approached him and he asked if I was Patti Chandler. I confirmed I was, and he handed me a manila envelope and said I was served. I stood there, shocked. How could he have filed so quickly? It hasn't even been a week. Looked up and Carol was giving me a look of pity. I was pissed, not for being served, but because he beat me to it. It's bad enough that he had already split the bank account.

I found an empty office and looked over the paperwork. I could tell he didn't use a lawyer. He just wanted a 50/50 split for the money and any furniture. I didn't want much from the apartment. The bedroom set, the kitchen set, maybe the living room, and the pots and pans. I called the attorney to let him know and I would be dropping off the papers as soon as I could.

I went back to the apartment, while Eric was at work, to get the rest of my clothes. I found them already bagged and boxed in the garage. When I went through my clothes, I found out they stunk. That bastard put tuna in each bag! After washing them three or four times I got the smell out of most of them. The ones near the bottom never came clean.

ERIC PART 2

The new job was going gangbusters. The managers have bought into my plans, and the crew came together. They realized how much easier the job could be if they really worked together. They policed themselves now. No one lets one bad apple ruin the bushel.

Things were running smoothly, so I did something I had never done: I took a vacation. Derrick was shocked because it was the first time in five years that I requested more than one day off. As a General Manager, I was given seven paid days. Where was I going? To Vegas, baby. I'm not a gambler, but I wanted to see some shows.

My travel plans were made. I had bought my plane ticket and I reserved my hotel room. I was going to see Usher in concert, Penn and Teller, Cirque du Soleil, and take a trip to the Grand Canyon. Of course, I mapped out the buffets I wanted to go to.

I had never been on a plane before, so I was very excited. My co-workers who had flown gave me some advice. I got to the airport an hour early. My flight was taking off at two in the afternoon. With the traffic on I-85, I left 90 minutes early so I would get to the Charlotte International Airport by one.

The flight out was uneventful. We landed at Harry Reid Airport. The first thing I noticed was that there were slot machines everywhere. I took the shuttle to my hotel. I was staying at Aria. I had a seventh-floor room, and it gave me a great view of the city. The room was nice, with a queen-sized bed and a walk-in shower. I had time before Penn and Teller. I took a quick nap. When I woke, I showered and went to have an early dinner at the Wicked Spoon. It was only a five-minute walk from my hotel, and afterwards a ten-minute cab ride to the Rio to see the show.

I don't know who has ever seen Penn and Teller, but their live show is 1000 times better than what you would expect. I hadn't laughed so much in my life. My first day in Vegas was everything I thought it would be.

The next day, I took a day trip to the Grand Canyon, then the Hoover Dam, and finally Red Rocks Canyon. I didn't get back until 7, so it was a long day. I had dinner at the hotel restaurant, then dragged myself to bed.

I slept in the next day, not getting out of bed until 10. I went to Hash House a GO-GO at the Linc for lunch. One thing about Vegas is that a lot of the places are within walking distance. I walked around the strip. People watching is an underrated activity. The Usher concert wasn't until 7, so I had 4 hours to kill. I walked into one of the casinos. I decided to play one of the machines. I put my $20 in and lost everything within 10 minutes. I didn't see the joy people get from playing these things. As I was walking around, a guy was screaming about losing all his money and rolling around on the floor. The strange thing was, no one was paying him any attention.

The Usher concert was amazing. Women were losing their minds. Several pairs of panties made it to the stage. I saw one couple get into an argument over, I assume, the way she was acting. Can you imagine bringing your girl to a concert and she gets all wet watching another guy? I looked over at the end of the show, and the guy was nowhere to be seen, and the woman was sitting by herself, crying.

I went to a place called the Downtown Container Park. I walked through the shops and got stuff for my crew. I found a cigar shop that carried some brands I had never seen. I had lunch at Bin 702. I walked back to the hotel with my loot and took a nap. I went to Baachanal Buffet for dinner. It was everything they said it would be.

The show at Cirque du Soleil was breathtaking. I thought Penn and Teller were magicians, but what the acrobats did was magic. The excitement went on and on. There wasn't a moment that slowed down. The applause at the end was deafening and lasted 5 minutes.

For my last day in Vegas, I had planned to wing it. I walked around the city. Bought some things for my parents, and even Mom B. I went to the buffet at the Wynn hotel. If I weren't walking so much, I probably would have gained 15 pounds.

Four days were enough for Vegas unless you're into gambling. I got to the airport two hours early since I had to be out of the room by 11. Sitting in an airport can be boring. After walking around, I threw some money into another slot machine. I played for around thirty minutes. I was up $100 at one time. I still had 45 minutes until my flight, so I kept playing. By the time I was ready to go, I was back down to $30. I wasn't mad since I came away with ten more dollars than I started with. The only drawback to the whole trip was not having someone to share it with.

I boarded the plane and was lucky to have a window seat. A pretty Asian lady sat in the seat next to me. She greeted me with a dismissive nod. A guy sat next to her and began a conversation. What I could gather was that they worked together. It sounded like they worked for an electronics company and had attended a business convention.

Most of the flight, I was ignored while they chatted among themselves. When the stewardess came around for drinks, I took a chance and asked what company she worked for. She told me, Purple Mountain Electronics. They had been in Vegas for a convention, checking out new products. Her name is Carla Lee, she was a senior engineer and had been there for 6 years. She started straight out of college. We talked for the rest of the flight. I never got the into you vibe from her. When we exchanged phone numbers she said her wife had a nice friend had a nice friend who would be perfect for me. We promised to keep in touch.

PATTI PART 2

The divorce was final 3 weeks ago. It was pretty cut and dried. We split the furniture. I got the main bedroom and living room set, plus the pots and pans. I had a little celebration with some of my co-workers.

I'm going out with Steve every day and shadowing him to learn his side of the business. Steve is very patient with me. He takes his time and explains the process he uses to help the customer.

Not only that, but Scott and I started dating. It came out of the blue. He would stop by my desk and talk for a while. Then he invited me to lunch, which led to having dinner. We've been seeing each other romantically for a month now. I'm still seeing Luke, but not as much. My life is almost perfect. I noticed people have started treating me differently. Some have distanced themselves. A lot of the people I used to be friends with don't have time to go out anymore. Conversation stops when I walk by or into a room. I notice little disapproving looks from people. Even Steve started to pull away. I broke down and asked him what was going on. Why are people treating me differently?

"It's because you are different, Patti."

"What do you mean, Steve, I'm the same person I've always been," I said in response to his allegations.

"No, Patti, you're not. When you started, you were fun and friendly. Everything was new to you. And you spoke about how much you wanted to learn and grow. And people respected that. You also talked about how your husband helped you through college. He paid for it and worked extra shifts so you could study. He bought you a whole new wardrobe for this job. How did you pay him back? By cheating on him, then divorcing him."

"He didn't want to improve himself in life. He was happy being a cashier. I wanted more out of life, is that so wrong?"

"No, wanting more is a good thing. It's how you go about it. Let me ask you this: Do you think that everyone at Nelson loves working here? I'll tell you, no, they don't. They work here because it pays the bills. They would leave in a heartbeat if a better offer became available. Maybe Eric likes his job. That's not a bad thing, especially if it pays the bills. If he's happy, who is to judge? But you judged him. And not only that, you put him down to your co-workers. The same man who helped you get where you are now. I remember when you started, how much you used to talk about how wonderful he was. And little by little it changed and not for the better."

"He was an anchor, holding me back." Trying to get my point across. Steve had a quick rebuttal.

"An anchor just doesn't hold you back. It keeps you steady in a storm. It can help you not drift away. That's what an anchor does; that was what Eric did for you. And you threw him away. People see that and start wondering what else you will do to get ahead. It doesn't help that now you're dating the owner. People don't want things getting back to him."

I was taking in everything he said. Could it be true? "Then why are you telling me all of this if people are afraid I'll run and tell Scott, I mean Mr. Nelson.

Steve laughed, "I've been doing this a long time. I can have another job before the end of the day if I leave, and Scott knows that. I get headhunted all the time. So, I'm not trying to be a dick, Patti. I'm giving it to you straight, no chaser. Those people who convinced you Eric isn't worthy of you are all single or divorced. They didn't have your best interests at heart. They were jealous of what you had, and you threw it away hoping the grass would be greener on the other side. Usually, that green grass is just painted weeds.

ERIC PART 3

My lease was up, so I decided to move. I found a nice, newly renovated complex called Loray Mills. It was mostly young single people with a splattering of newlyweds. I didn't want to be bothered cutting grass or worrying about the yard. It came with a small clubhouse, gym, and pool. I had purchased two new bedroom sets after the divorce from Kimbrells. I tried living without a dining room set and used TV trays, but my mom said I needed to live like an adult, so I got a little 5-piece set from Rooms to Go.

When I moved, I got some guys from the job to help out. Yes, I paid them to do it. I didn't want them to feel like I was taking advantage of my position. Tara, one of my assistants, stopped by and told me I need some stuff on the walls. She said it looked like I was hiding the law or something. She went with me to pick some things to make it look like someone lived in the apartment. Funny how little items can make such a big difference.

It had been six months since Patti left. I learned to live without her. I had always cooked, so that wasn't a big deal. The apartment was always clean since it's just me. I was dating. Working in a convenience store is a target-rich atmosphere. Lots of women come and go every day. I had never taken advantage of that since I was married. Now that I wasn't, I would occasionally ask someone out. So far, I haven't found the one, but I have found that some women didn't judge me on my job, but on who I was.

I had two of my managers promoted to GM, and I had three employees promoted to Assistant Manager. My store has become a training store. That gave me a $15,000 bump in pay. With bonuses, I was making over $100,000.

I hear about Patti every once in a while. What I hear is not good; it's the life she chose. She wanted the green grass and found weeds. She thought I was an anchor now, but she is adrift with no direction.

PATTI 3

Luke found out about Scott. He called me a whore and a gold digger. We hadn't been seeing each other as often as before. Between working more and seeing Scott, he kind of fell to the wayside. I did feel bad because he was a nice guy.

I am now working in marketing. I would call Steve if I needed help, and he was always there for me. I still remember the talk we had. It took me a while to realize how right he was. Eric was the hero of the story, and I turned into the villain. Looking back, the women who were in my ear were all single or divorced. I could hear them talking about how they don't need a man, or they are queens and only want high-dollar men. No high-dollar man wants a woman with someone else's bad kids or a woman over 40 with a bad attitude.

I ran into Eric, of all places, at the apartment complex I live in. I saw him moving in. I was shocked; he looked so happy. The guys he had helping were laughing and joking. I didn't stop to speak to him. I don't know what I would have said. Later on, I saw him driving a brand new SUV. The last time I saw him, he was driving that old Ford Taurus.

Working at Nelson wasn't what I thought it would be. Steve was right, everyone wasn't happy working there. The people were still treating me shitty. Maybe they had reason, too. I decided to leave a month after Steve and I talked. I found that Scott was dating several other people. He would take me to dinner or come to my place for sex, but we never went to industry events or social functions. That was reserved for his white girlfriend, who fit the profile of someone who should be on the arm of a successful businessman. Not a Black girl from the hood. And even worse I later found out I was filling a

My mom loves to tell me how well Eric is doing. He got promoted to General Manager of a different store. He went to Vegas and got her a present when he didn't have to. The company loves what he is doing. His employees love working for him. Several have been promoted. She tells me all the time that I messed up by cheating on Eric.

The friends I thought I had really weren't my friends. They were as shallow as I was becoming. And if I admit it myself, as shallow as I was. I thought my shit didn't stink, as Eric would say. My old friends don't talk to me anymore. I ran into Denise one day. She looked at me like I had two heads when I went to say hello. She actually asked if I came down off the mountain to talk to the little people.

My relationships, so far, have all been corner boys and players. Finding someone who can string four words together and hold a conversation, as a decent job, and is single is proving harder than I thought it would. Black guys aren't cutting it, and White guys only want to have sex and be able to say they fucked a Black woman. I haven't had a decent relationship since Scott and I broke up, if you can call that a real relationship.

If I had to do it over again, would I do things differently? It's hard to say. I wake up alone with no one to share my day or dreams with. Eric is doing far better than I ever thought he would. Do I miss him because of his success or because I loved him? I have to admit, it's the money I miss. I don't think I loved Eric as much as he loved me. He was able to get me away from my mom and brother. Then he got me a college education. And when I felt like I had outgrown him, I threw him away. I know what that makes me. I've learned to look into the mirror without being disgusted.

THE END

Terrance appeared in This is a test in Loving Wives.