Cheaters Coven

"So we went for it. The party and Randall set up a fund to help finance my election campaign. And we ran with gusto. I spent time kissing babies and shaking hands and sometimes kissing hands and shaking babies!"

Gina smiled at the weak joke, and Rhonda just looked on, not getting the joke. Brooklyn was just enthralled by Mae's story.

"It was a long hard slog. Late nights, lots of decisions to be made that I really had no business making. Money spent on fliers and events and advertisements and canvassers. We did pot luck dinner nights and one hundred dollar a plate evenings, fund raisers, me showing up all over the city, helping out at soup kitchens or whatever else needed doing. It was hard work. Half way through it, Dexter reappeared, back from Hong Kong, where he'd been doing work for some band, humping their equipment around. The late nights weren'tallspent on the campaign trail, a few were spent in his motel room, or at the pool house. I did make sure I spent way more time at home though, making sure Randall was well taken care of.

"But, what I hadn't counted on was the other party. They wanted that mayor slot, and they weren't above using underhand methods to get it. I hadn't known they were looking into my past, looking for any dirt they could find. Luckily, I was lily white. Well, apart from Dexter, but honestly, he was just part of the furniture to me by now. But apart from him, - andno oneknew about our ongoing relationship; I'd not shared that with anyone and I don't think he had either, apart from that one other person he brought over that once – there was nothing really to find.

"Of course, that didn't stop them. When they didn't find anything in my past, they just doubled down. I was followed. And that's where it all came crashing down. I won the election, but before I could take office, there was a newspaper article asking about the morality of the new mayor. If she was cheating on her husband, what would she do in office?

"I was devastated. They had pictures of me meeting Dexter, some less than flattering images that were censored – there was no real denying it. It was the end of my mayor ship – I resigned even before taking office. The city council had to pick a new mayor. What a mess.

"But whatever it did to my career was nothing compared to what it did to my relationships. Randall was destroyed. I saw him once, at home, after the newspaper article came out. He was distraught. He asked me if it was true, and I couldn't even look him in the eye, at least not without blinking. He knew it was, instantly. I babbled something. I was trying to minimize the damage, to make him understand how little it meant, how he was my man, my exalted king."

Gina and Rhonda glanced at each other. Only Mae could use the word 'exalted' when describing the death of her marriage.

"I said something really stupid in my desperation, something like, 'its been going on as long as we've been married, have you ever, for one second, felt like I wasn't there 100% for you?' It was one of the stupidest things I've ever said in my life. Randall was even more crushed. I expected him to rant and rave, to smash things, to even possibly hit me, and I've have borne it and asked for more. But he didn't do any of that. He was too good of a man for that. I should have known. He just stood there, shaking, tears streaming down his face, deflating. I moved forward to take him in my arms, to make it better, as I'd done so many times during our marriage.

"Well, he wasn't having any of that. He stepped back and I realized he didn't want physical contact with me, which hurt, a lot. I was well aware of how much damage I'd done, but being faced with it in this way...well. He just turned and went upstairs, and I followed him, trying to explain how much I loved him and only him. How this long term affair had only nailed that down to me."

Mae raised her eyebrows at the other women, in a self-deprecating gesture.

"Yes, I actually tried to equate a thirty year affair with it being good for our marriage. I'm sure you ladies have said some equally stupid things when relationships have been brought out into the light. It's the desperation talking, the frantic attempts to stop the train wreck that is in progress. We've all been there. It was...not a pretty sight. I was sobbing and willing to do or say anything to make it better. It's so ridiculous when we say we'll do anything to make it better. I remember when Deanna said that to Ryan, and he asked "what would you do to make it better?" There is no answer, is there? But I offered, thinking I could, somehow. But it was not to be.

"Randall packed a bag – military guys are fast packers – and just brushed past me. I was sobbing and collapsed in the doorway to our bedroom. I tried to grab his leg as he went past, but he just went on. I honestly don't know who was sobbing more, me or him. He was gone in a second.

"Well, I don't need to tell you ladies how bad it went for me after that. As I said, I resigned over the phone, apologizing the local party leaders. They didn't have much to say, apart from 'resignation accepted'. I asked them to alert the media, which they did. I didn't go out much over the next few days. The kids all contacted me, and Cameron came to visit the next day. He was in Chicago anyway. He was nothing but concerned for me, and I was barely able to be coherent with him. He didn't even ask about the affair, he was just concerned for my well being.

"Ellie and Ezra all arrived later on in the week. However, by then, what I'd done was out. There were no details of course – no idea that this had been a long term thing. To start with, the kids were comforting and just concerned. And then, one by one, they went cold. They'd been to see their dad and he'd filled them in on some of the details, like the length. Apparently he'd also started looking into the dalliance, found Dexter, and Dexter had completely and thoroughly spilled his side, after threats from some very large men. Then he'd run, far away. I honestly never expected anything else from him. Dexter was always more concerned about himself than anything else.

"So Randall knew it all, or at least, everything that Dexter had told him. I tried repeatedly to get in touch – I called, left messages, texted him – texting was a new thing then, but Randall was always very modern – emailed him, sent him letters, via his office. When I called his office, his PA, Tracy, just informed me he'd not been in and he'd left instructions that he wouldn't be for a while. I had no idea where he was staying – a hotel, one of the apartments in our buildings, I had no clue."

Mae paused, sighing deeply as she relieved this very emotional memory.

"As it turned out, the kids hadn't heard from him for a while. Ezra was of the opinion that Randall had taken himself off somewhere to lick his wounds. Ellie and Cameron were sure he'd be in touch when he'd recovered from the shock.

"But, it was not to be."

There was utter silence, apart from the ticking of the clock – even louder if possible - as the other women hang on Mae's every word. A pin would have made the noise of a gong being hit, had one hit the floor at the precise moment.

She looked at them, trying to smile and the smile hiding the pain and bubbling emotions behind her eyes.

"Randall died four days before our thirtieth anniversary. Five days after he'd discovered what I'd been doing."

There was a slight gasp from Brooklyn and both Gina and Rhonda were taken aback.

"I'm so sorry Mae," said Gina, on autopilot, struggling for words.

"Yes, sorry for your loss," added Rhonda.

Brooklyn just sat, her hand over her mouth, in shock, eyes glistening at the corners.

"They found Randall's body in the local Marriot four days after the last day Cameron had talked to him. He'd been dead for two days. It was a massive heart attack, brought on by stress, the coroner said. Apparently his heart had swollen and just misfired, then stopped and he'd died almost immediately. That's what they said at the inquest. But I knew better. I know what Randall died of. It was a broken heart, and I'd broken it."

Mae's voice cracked at the last sentence, and she busied herself looking for a napkin among the coffee things on the table, so the other women wouldn't see the tears at the corners of her eyes.

She found one, and looked up and saw the other women looking away, in respect for her feelings. She dabbed her eyes, and then said, "It's ok ladies. Just me being silly and emotional."

Surprisingly, it was Brooklyn who leaned forward and said, her voice aching with sympathy, "Mae, it's completely ok and understandable. If you've never told this story before, if I may say so, it's about time. You need some unburdening, just like we do."

Gina and Rhonda looked at each other and raised an eyebrow. This newbie was showing resilience beyond what either had expected. Her empathy was startling and genuine.

"Just four days before our thirtieth anniversary. Four days. The kids and I had been planning a big party. A celebration of me winning the Mayor's office, and our anniversary together, combined."

There was more dead silence that greeted this statement.

"And it was two days before his birthday."

"Jesus," whispered Gina.

"Helvetti," said Rhonda, also sotto voice.

Brooklyn just sat back, stunned.

"And I killed him. As sure as I sit here, he died because of the shock of what I'd done – was doing."

No one was quiet sure what to say to that. Pure denials would have been obvious for what they were. Eventually Gina tentatively tried, saying, "Mae, you can't know that. If his heart was enlarged, chances are that he had something that would have caused him issues anyway."

Mae just looked at her sadly and said, "Maybe. But he had a shock and it killed him, and I was responsible for that shock. I don't think there's much to disagree with in that. And I have to live with that knowledge. What I did, what I kept doing, didn't just kill my marriage, it killed the one thing I loved the most in the world – my husband. It killed a decent and wonderful human being. And I live with that every day."

Everyone just sat, thinking about the whole deplorable story for a moment, and then Mae continued, "Well, obviously I couldn't stay in Champaign Urbana any more. I was a social pariah, for obvious reasons. My sisters barely speak to me – a phone call on my birthday, a card at Christmas, no thanksgiving invitations, as you can imagine. I moved here as soon as I could, and bought this place. I actually ended up with everything from our lives – the business, the buildings, the whole shebang. I was a very rich woman. But the kids, well, the kids. It wasn't right, I'd betrayed Randall all the time we were married and I didn't deserve everything, so I took a small amount from the business to survive on, and then turned the whole thing over to them. They could run it or sell it or do whatever. It was their birthright, not mine."

What neither Gina nor Rhonda knew was the extent of what Mae and Randall had been responsible for when he died. The entire estate, after probate and taxes, had come to almost fifteen million dollars. Mae had taken two million, and given the rest to the children. Even now, having paid cash for the house she now lived in, she was still a relatively wealthy woman. And, very quietly, she'd set up an educational trust fund for Rhonda's kids. They wouldn't find out till they were of college age, but neither one would graduate with debt. And it was set up in her husband's name.

"Even so, they don't talk to me much either – Cameron tolerates me being around for the sake of his children – I spoil my two grand children from him rotten, or at least, as much as I'm allowed to. But they don't come to stay – I think I'm regarded as a bad influence, and as such, I dare say they are not wrong. All too understandable. Ellie talks to me and comes to visit on occasion. She's still single and I think she may have found a new beau – she's mentioned him more than once - but we aren't close, like we were. But Ezra, my bonny boy – I never hear from him. He told me at the funeral I was dead to him for what I'd done, and he's more than proved that he'd follow through. I hear from the others that he has married and has two children, but I've never seen them, and I expect I never will.

"But for all the woes with my children, the thing I regret the most was not being able to properly say I was sorry to Randall. He died never really knowing that hewasmy knight in shining armor. That everything I ever said to him was the unvarnished truth. I loved him, totally. Dexter was just a diversion. A time I could be someone else other than Mrs. Randall Morgan, even though I loved being that. Dexter was like a favorite pet. And Randall never knew or understood that. I blew the best thing I ever had in my life, and now...I have this." And she gestured at the other women sitting in her living room.

"Don't get me wrong, ladies, I'm grateful for this. Believe me. But if I had to trade you for Randall, well, it wouldn't be a hard decision, let me tell you."

Gina chuckled softly, Rhonda gave a brief smile and even Brooklyn chuckled sadly. They could relate - they'd make the same choice, too.

"The only reason I even tell the story now, despite these two harridans trying to get it out of me," Mae said to Brooklyn, waving her hand at Gina and Rhonda, who recoiled in mock horror, "is because Dexter died last week. I got a message from an old school friend back in Urbana. I was debating whether to go to the funeral or not. But I decided, on balance, it was better not to. Dexter had already taken enough from me – or more accurately, I'd already given enough. I need to give Randall's memory some respect, and me appearing at Dexter's funeral would not be sending the right message. It's not much, but it's all I can do."

She took a last sip of her now cold chocolate, wrinkled her face and hastily put it down again.

'So. That's the story. Now, Brooklyn, I hope you can understand that we understandyoursituation. We aren't about to condone it – what you did, and what you are still doing, is reprehensible. But you know that and we aren't about to go on and on about it. All we can offer is support, advice and a place where you don't have to constantly defend yourself. If you are interested, we are here. Rhonda has already indicated that she'd be happy for you to stay with her for a while, if only to help you curb these self-destructive impulses from your husbands brother. That needs to stop and I think you know that. Temporary respite from feeling guilty is one thing, but this is only prolonging the agony. If...Josh, is it? If he's still talking to you, that will stop if this continues and comes out, as I'm sure you realize.

"But that aside, you see what we are – what we've been through. You can see we only want to help... is this something you would be interested in? I can pretty much guarantee you'd get a sympathetic ear, lots of sarcasm, salacious gossip," at this she nodded imperceptibly at Gina, "fashion advice, as well as sex advice," and now she glanced barely at Rhonda.

"We'll be here, and on your side. We won't help you destroy your ex, but we'll be here to help you pick up the pieces of your life. Does that sound good?"

Brooklyn looked at Mae, eyes shining, then looked at Gina and Rhonda and then back at Mae. Her voice was trembling as she said, "I think that does sound good... I so need some good news right now. Some new friends...thank you for being there. Thank you for helping me."

Her voice cracked at the end, and Mae leaned forward and patted the back of Brooklyn's hands.

"Well, it's not going to be easy, but you aren't alone now, child. Rhonda, time for you to go help this lady pack some things. Before you go..."

Mae pushed herself up and walked into the kitchen, and then returned, brandishing a bottle of Wollersheim Prairie Fume wine.

"Here. I suspect the two of you will need a bottle or two tonight. This one is on me. Good stuff this Prairie Fume. Won two gold medals don't you know? Who knew that Wisconsin could make great wine?"

She handed the bottle to Rhonda, who nodded gratefully at Mae as the other three women stood up.

"Thanks Mae," said Rhonda, "Same time next week?"

"I'll be there," replied Mae, as they walked to the front door, all the women re-wrapping themselves in protective clothing, ready to brace the cold weather.

After wishing them all goodbye, with a quick hug before they left, Mae shut the door, standing in her lobby for a few moments, looking into the past.

"Silly old woman," she scolded herself, "he's dead and gone and never coming back."

But then she looked up and said, timidly, "But I wish you weren't. I love you Randall. I'll never stop."

Then she gave her self a frown, and bustled off to clear up the coffee things from the living room.