The Letter

I still look back in horror at the day you found out about Phil and me. When Phil's wife came by that day saying she had something for me, I didn't know how react. When she opened that huge purse like she was getting something out of it and hit me with it, I was taken totally by surprise. When she stood over me calling me a whore and a slut it was like I was finally awakening to what I really had done. The worst part was when you came to help me and she showed you the pictures she had of Phil and me together. You came to me to help and protect me from Janine with that look of concern you get. I was horrified to watch your face go from one of caring and loving to surprise, hurt and finally total contempt. When you helped me up off the floor I thought we were going to be ok, but when you led me to the door threw me out and locked it I knew I was lost. I deserved that but it still caught me off guard. When you were throwing my clothes and things on the lawn while screaming at me in your pain I knew I could not face you any more and I was not deserving of anything from you so I took what I could carry and left.

Please don't hate me and when the kids ask about me if you could allow them to have some good memories of me that is all I would ask of you.

I am working but will not give my name because I don't want you to find me, if you care to. At some point maybe when I'm stronger I will let you get in touch with me if you desire. I will probably let my sister be my go-between when I am ready to face you. A lot has to happen between now and then.

I will always love you, Ben and I hope some day you can find it in your heart of forgive me. I don't know how to end this letter so I will just say good bye and I love you and our children more than you could ever know.

Mary

John finished reading and looked at Ruth forlornly. "I read the letter and say myself looking back. I had to face up to what I was doing and how it could possibly hurt you if you were to find out. I knew I had to end it and make things as right as I could under the circumstances."

Ruth touched John's arm, "I guess I owe a lot to that poor woman and I hope she is at peace now and somehow knows that her story helped others learn from her mistakes. What's going to happen about Mary and her family?"

John smiled a sad smile. "I personally took the original letter and Mary's belongings to Ben and told him the story two weeks ago. He was devastated. Seems he had been trying to locate Mary to put their lives back together as a family. The poor bastard never got the chance to let Mary know that he had forgiven her and wanted her back in his life. So now his kids will never again see their mother and their father will carry the burden of grief and guilt that he threw her out and there is no way to reverse the chain of events."

Ruth squeezed John's arm sympathetically. "That must have been hard for you, telling Ben about his wife."

John nodded slowly, "I took the task as sort of atonement... my penance so to speak. He needed to be told and their story gave me strength to confront my sins so I needed to be the one to face Ben." The room fell silent for a while and then John sighed and said, "Unless you want to talk about some other aspect of this mess, I want to take a shower and then we can come up with a plan for the rest of our day."

"Sorry babe", Ruth interjected. "Your day is already spoken for. First, you will take that shower, but you will not be alone and I expect great things from your hands and other selected parts of your body in making sure I have a VERY enjoyable experience. You will not leave that shower until I am fully satisfied with your performance or until the hot water runs out -- which ever comes first. I had better be the one that 'comes' first. Second, we will dress for a day on the town where I will be treated to a sumptuous lunch and shopping for that diamond ring I saw in my future... Remember that? Thirdly, we will come up with ways to run into old Gina Laslowe and really rub her nose in it. I win, she is the loser. Any questions?"

As they headed upstairs to their bedroom and shower, John just had to push the smart-ass envelope by saying, "Yeah, I do have one question. Can we also put on that to-do list to call Celia Johannsen and see about setting up a hot session between you and her? Damn, we could sell tickets and make millions! Half the western world would pay big bucks to see that, I get a ring-side seat, of course."

Ruth turned sharply on the stairs and held her clenched fist at his nose looking down at him from the steps above. Her eyes flashed with mock indignation and she purred, "Celia's and my relationship is HOT, loving and VERY private and I will not have it sullied by your need for sexual and financial gratification." Then she moved in close to his ear and hotly whispered, "You'll just have to I..M..A..G..I..N..E.. it, lover. uuuhhhhhhhhhh!"

John just straightened to attention and gushed, "Yes, ma'am!" and then said huskily, "Let's hit the shower while THAT picture is embedded in my sick little mind." He swatted her ass playfully and said, "Hurry your ass up, I see a long shower session in your immediate future."

The End