Once Upon a Fantasy Ch. 03-04

Chapter 3 Extracting the Truth

I asked Barry to meet with me in my office at coffee break on Thursday morning. I didn't tell him what I wanted to talk to him about, but I tried not to make it sound like a serious issue. In fact, in a moment of frustration, I had decided to confront him with what I knew ... or what I thought I knew. This could blow up in my face, but my self-admitted obsession with finding out what Andrea had been up to was becoming too much to let lie.

I had a strategy ... or at least the outline of one. It wasn't my first plan but I thought it might bring a quicker result.

"How did you make out at the races yesterday?" I asked as I leaned back in my chair.

He looked up quickly and then as he watched my expression carefully I saw the beginning of a smile.

"Yeah ... I was there. Didn't do too well, though. I just wanted a break and I was in the vicinity."

It sounded reasonable and he wasn't denying it. I wanted him to be in a relaxed and comfortable mood.

"I saw you on TV. Just a fluke. No problem though, Barry. I used to take an afternoon off in my time too. It's the results that matter and I don't have any complaint about yours."

I saw him loosen up even further, now confident I wasn't about to get on his case about taking time off without letting anyone know.

"You okay otherwise?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Yeah ... sure. No problems."

"Good. You'd tell me if there were any wouldn't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah ... of course."

"Any new women in your life?" This was the first risky question.

"Naw. No one special. I don't have any problem getting a date but I haven't found one that I want to keep yet."

I nodded my understanding. I let the conversation lapse for a few moments before I got to where I wanted to go.

"I ran into Janice a little while ago."

His head came up quickly and there was quite a different look on his face this time.

"Oh? How is she?"

"Looks good, as always. We had a chance to talk. She tells me she's engaged to a nice guy. Plans to get married soon. Guess that will mean the end to your alimony obligations."

"Yeah ... great," he said, not sounding like he meant it. "I didn't know she was serious about anyone. Engaged, huh. Well, I don't expect an invite to the wedding."

"No, I guess not," I said quietly, allowing another pause before venturing onto uncertain ground.

"She told me what happened between you two."

He nodded. "I'm not surprised. She was pretty pissed with me. It wasn't like she didn't give me a chance. More than one, in fact."

"She told me that too."

"I was stupid, but I guess I'm a slow learner. Probably shouldn't be married in the first place."

"She didn't want to talk about Andrea, though. Do you know why?" I asked, knowing now I was taking the biggest risk.

"No ... no, I don't," he answered too quickly.

"When I mentioned I saw Janice to Andrea, she freaked. I've figured out why. I'm sure you can too, Barry."

I had kept my voice even and non-confrontational. I was proud of myself considering what I was accusing him of and how I felt about what I was sure had happened.

Barry had a very unhappy look now. He didn't know what to do at that point. I needed to encourage him.

"I figure you might have been the first, but you weren't the last," I said, again with as even a tone as I could manage.

He sat there silently, wondering what to say or perhaps, what not to say. At last he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Norm. I'd like to blame it on her, but it was me. She's a very beautiful woman and when the opportunity arose, I wasn't smart enough to resist. I'm sorry."

I nodded. Again, knowing what I believed to be true made it easier to keep my cool than otherwise. Just the same, inside I was angry and upset that he had taken what was mine alone and used it for his own selfish purposes.

"How long did it last ... you and Andrea?"

"Look, Norm, are you sure you want to drag this all up? I made a mistake and I'm paying for it. You can't blame Andrea when it was all my fault."

"How long?" I repeated.

He shook his head, unable to look me in the eye.

"A few months, maybe six. I'd see her once a week. I got caught by Janice but I didn't think she knew I was with Andrea."

"Where did you meet?"

"At a motel. There were four or five we used so it wouldn't become predictable."

"What ended it?"

"Like I said, Janice caught me. It was the second time she had found out. She left me for a while. I was lucky. I talked her into forgiving me one more time. I promised I'd never do anything like that again. I really did want to keep that promise ... but ... well ... shit happens."

"When was the last time you talked to Andrea?"

"I don't remember. Just after Janice caught me, I guess. I let her know we couldn't be together any more."

We sat there in silence for a while. I'm sure he was wondering what I might do now that he had confirmed what I believed. I'm not a hot-tempered or violent person and I think Barry knew that. On the other hand, he couldn't be sure.

"I want you to do me a favor," I said at length.

"What kind?" he said, looking up at me for the first time in a while.

I want you to call Andrea and talk to her. I want you to use my cell phone and call her cell phone number."

I could almost see the question mark on his face.

"I don't get it. Why?"

"I want you to ask her for a date. I want to see if she'll get together with you again."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I have reason to believe Andrea is still cheating on me and I want to know for sure. This is one way that you can help me that won't cost you. You owe me this much at least," I said in a solemn voice.

"What if she won't go?"

"Then it won't matter. You and I have to work together, Barry. I'm sure I can get over what happened between you two if she's moved on to someone else. Maybe she'll volunteer that information if you ask her."

He looked very dubious about my request and I didn't rush him to make a decision. I was pretty sure he would do as I asked. He didn't need to mess up his career here by antagonizing me.

"When do you want to do this?"

"Now is as good a time as any. She'll be home now. She keeps her cell phone in her purse, so you might have to let it ring a few times before she answers."

He nodded. I wondered if it was he who suggested she get a trac phone. I took my phone from my pocket, turned it on and handed it to Barry.

"Do you remember the number?"

He nodded and began punching in the numbers.

I waited while it was ringing, unable to hear anything. Barry looked decidedly uncomfortable, probably rehearsing what he might say. After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, Barry finally spoke.

"Hello ... Andrea ... it's Barry. How are you?"

"Yeah ... well ... I was thinking of you."

"No ... I'm by myself. No one can hear me," he said, looking up at me sheepishly.

"Well ... I was wondering ... you know ... if you'd like to get together some time? Like we used to."

I had been checking my watch and we were already approaching thirty seconds. I was now assured that Andrea's phone would be paired, assuming the software worked.

"Yeah ... okay ... I understand. Is there someone else?"

"Okay, I understand. You don't want to talk about it. I miss you Andrea. We had a great time together. Too bad it had to end."

"Yeah ... yeah. You too. Thanks for talking to me, Andrea. Hope I'll see you sometime. Bye."

The call had lasted over a minute, plenty of time according to the instructions. Now I would find out more about my wayward wife.

"What did she say?"

"She didn't want to talk about anyone else. I got the feeling there was someone, though. She didn't want to see me either. Maybe too close to home for her."

"It didn't bother her before."

Barry shrugged. He was back to avoiding my gaze.

"Okay, Barry. Thanks for doing this. You can probably guess I'm pretty unhappy with what you did and what Andrea is still doing. We'll get along as far as the business goes, but I'm afraid we won't be friends any longer. I hope you can understand that."

He nodded. "Yeah. Can't say I blame you. I'm sorry, Norm. I wish I was smarter and it had never happened. But it did. I hate to lose your friendship, but I can hardly complain."

He rose, thought about offering me his hand, thought the better of it, turned and let himself out of my office, closing the door behind him.

So now I knew for a certainty that Andrea had cheated on me with Barry. And assuming my pairing of her cell phone worked, I would soon know if Kurt Howell was in fact her current lover. But none of that told me what to do then. I had the children to think of, first and foremost. What was best for them? After that, what was best for me?

Later that afternoon I logged onto the site where I had downloaded the software for my trac phone and went over the information thoroughly once more. If either Andrea or Kurt or anyone used that number to call out or in, it would ring on my phone. I would be able to listen in without worrying about them detecting me. It wouldn't matter if she was at home or in her car or anywhere in the world, according to the material on the site.

I checked to make sure I had left the phone on and in vibrator mode and returned it to my pants pocket. Now it was a waiting game.

I tried manfully to maintain normal behavior while I was around Andrea and the children. It was hard at times. Her infidelity was never far from my mind and I wasn't always focused on what I was doing. If there were two things that kept me awake at night they were what to do about my cheating wife and what to do about my children. I had made no decision on either.

The first call came on Saturday morning. I was at work and I felt the phone vibrate in my pocket. I excused myself and turned the phone on, hoping that whoever was calling couldn't hear. That was assuming it was Andrea's phone that was ringing. I went into my office and closed the door.

"... so when are we getting together again?" I heard a man's voice ask. I had missed their opening comments.

"I wish you wouldn't phone me when the kids are home. They might hear me." There was no mistaking Andrea's voice.

"Are they home now?"

"No ... they're out at their friends."

"So what's the problem? If you called me it wouldn't matter."

"Yeah ... I suppose. Tuesday is good for me. The kids will be in school and Norm will be at work. Where do you want to meet?"

"The usual ... here."

"Okay ... eleven o'clock then. You can get lunch," she chuckled.

"Yeah, sure. See you then ... if you can wait that long," he chortled.

"It'll be hard, but I'll manage."

"Damn right it'll be hard. Just the way you like it, Babe."

"Keep that thought, Kurt. I'll be nice and wet when I get there."

"Yeah ... I'll bet you will. Bye."

That was the end of the call, but it was plenty for me. She had confirmed that it was Kurt and he was a "regular" in her life. So now I knew. But what good did it do if I didn't know what to do about it. My instinct was to start divorce proceedings immediately, but that wouldn't solve the problem of how to protect the children and my business. I needed some professional advice.

"Thank you for seeing me so promptly, Ms. Shadbolt," I said as we shook hands.

"You said you needed some advice about your rights in a possible divorce, Mr. Tyler?"

"Yes. I have solid evidence that my wife is cheating on me and has been for some time, possibly as long as two or three years."

"How long have you been married?" she asked, making notes on a yellow legal pad.

"Nineteen years."

"Children?"

"Yes, two. Brandon is seventeen and Candice is fifteen."

"Are you the Norman Tyler who owns the Highland Home Center?"

"Yes."

She frowned at that, then put her pen down.

"Do you own your own home?"

"Yes ... it's mortgaged of course."

"How much equity?"

"We'll retire the mortgage three years from now. I've been paying it down out of the business profits."

She nodded. "Your reputation is very good in this community, Mr. Tyler. And I'm Margaret," she smiled."

"Thank you. Please call me Norm. Have you been a customer?"

"On occasion, but I'm also on the Chamber of Commerce Board. You're held in high regard in this community.

"That's nice to hear, but I'm not sure it will do me much good in a divorce," I said sadly.

"Don't be so sure. Why don't we get into the details of this and then I can explain your options to you."

I told her the story in detail, naming names, dates and places where I knew them. She was making notes as I talked and as we progressed, I was getting the feeling I had chosen the right lawyer. At least, that was the impression she was giving me.

"I'm sure you know that divorce law in this jurisdiction is administered by collaborative mediation unless there are complex or contested legal or financial issues at stake. On the surface of it, we live in a 50-50 environment. However, that's not written in stone. There are mitigating circumstances that can alter that balance. In addition, it is also not written in stone that the wife gets the children. They are old enough to have a voice and that voice will be listened to."

"How do I know she'll agree to this collaborative process?"

"She really doesn't have a choice. Any judge will want to know the results of any alternative method if it's taken to court. If she has refused to participate without cause, the judge will probably dismiss the application and send her back. I doubt her lawyer will allow her to be put in that position."

I was getting a greater sense of hope from Margaret Shadbolt.

"I wonder if my owning the business will be a legal and financial complication?" I asked.

"It could be. Why don't you explain the ownership and its history to me."

I did and again, she was taking notes rapidly.

"How much do you still owe to Mr. Cromwell?"

I sighed. It was a question I hadn't expected but should have.

"About two-hundred-thousand, give or take. It was my expectation that I would have that paid off within five years at the most. The business is in very good shape and has been all along."

"What's you relationship with Mr. Cromwell like?"

"Excellent. We've become great friends over the years. He made me a very generous offer when he sold me the business and I've never forgotten what a help it has been to our family."

She smiled. "I've known Walter for many years as well. You're right. He's a very fine gentleman and you are very lucky to have him as your backer."

She finished making some notes and sat back in her big leather chair. I guessed she was over fifty years old, reasonably attractive although a bit overweight. Well dressed and judging from the diplomas and awards mounted on the walls of her office, a very successful woman.

"Norman, I think you should meet with Emilio Bruncardo. He's an associate of ours, specializing in tax and finance. You can trust him completely. He will tell you what you can and can't do to shelter your interest in the business. I can't promise anything, but Emilio will know all the legal opportunities there are to help you."

"Sure. Thank you. What do I do next?"

"Well, that depends. Are you going to confront your wife with what you know?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to know what my options are first. I have two objectives. First and foremost, I want custody of my children. If I can't get that, I want very liberal access to them. I'm not going to let her cut them off from me. Second, I want to protect my business. I've put all my energy into building it up to where it is and I don't want to have to sell it to pay her a reward for her cheating."

"Very understandable. Emilio will help you with your business situation and I will help you with custody, alimony and the other things involved with divorce."

She stopped then and sat back once again, studying me.

"Are you sure you are prepared for this, Norman? Divorce is a very difficult and heartbreaking thing to most people. No one comes out of it unscathed, and that includes the children. I'm not saying you don't have cause, but I want to prepare you for what you can expect. There will be no winner, regardless of how it all unfolds."

I nodded. "I understand. I think that's why I've been trying to find a way past what's she done and still doing, but I just can't see it. I may have to compromise to make sure the children aren't hurt badly, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"Very wise. I'll get started putting your case together for when you decide to go before the conciliator. I'll be assigning an investigator to check into the comings and goings of both your wife and Kurt Howell. I want a bit more proof of your wife's infidelity and I want to look into just who this Mr. Howell is.

"I'm suggesting that we leave the business as a separate item for now. Let's get our ducks in a row for the main event. In the meantime, you talk to Emilio. I'll call him and let him know to expect you and what your situation is. Good luck," she said with a faint smile as she rose from behind her desk, extending her hand.

I felt a little better when I left Margaret Shadbolt's office. It wasn't all black-and-white, cut-and-dried. There was some hope that I wouldn't be destroyed in the divorce. I stopped at the front desk and asked about the retainer and was told the invoice would be in the mail. I asked her to send it to my office address and she agreed. She showed me the total on her computer screen and it wasn't out of this world. I breathed a sigh of relief and left to return to work.

Chapter 4 Timing is Everything

Andrea had gone out shopping on Sunday afternoon and I was home alone with the kids. I was sitting in the living room, supposedly watching TV but not really. As usual, my thoughts revolved around what would become of my life and my children's lives when it came time to divorce Andrea.

I barely noticed when my daughter came downstairs and seeing me, came over to the sofa and sat beside me. She didn't say a word, but put her hands around my arm and snuggled up to me. It had been a while since we'd shared one of these moments and I almost had tears when the conflicting thoughts in my head began to be overtaken by my emotions.

"Are you sad about Mom, Dad?" she asked, looking up at me.

I wasn't expecting a question like that.

"What do you mean?"

"You know ... why she doesn't like us any more."

I shook my head. What in the world was she talking about?

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Come on, Dad. She's been like this for while now. She's okay, I guess, but she's not the mom we used to have. I think she's fooling around on you."

"Whatever in the world would make you think that?" I asked, completely stunned at her comment.

"The usual. Secret phone calls. Bet you don't know she has a cell phone. She forgot to turn it off one day and I heard it. It's in her purse. And ... she goes out when we're at school. She usually goes before lunch time and comes back before we are out of school. She doesn't have any shopping bags either."

"How in the world do you know this?" I asked, amazed at her knowledge.

"Mrs. Quinn across the street told me. She's a real busybody and a gossip. Everyone knows that. She couldn't wait to find out what Mom was up to."

I let out an exasperated sigh. My whole private life was becoming an open book among my children and now my neighbors. How much worse could this get? I had no idea what to tell Candice. I could deny it, I suppose, but she was too perceptive to buy an outright lie. I didn't know what to do.

"Brandon knows too," she said. "I told him. He didn't believe me at first, but he heard her talking on her cell phone and when he came into the kitchen, she tried to hide it. She isn't very good at this, Dad."