Clarence and Millie - Alternate Version

Millie had no response. I remained silent for the rest of the flight. Every once in a while she would look over at me. I even thought that I detected a tear or a glassiness in her eyes, but I wasn't sure;. It was probably just wishful thinking on my part.

At the turntables, waiting for our luggage, she came up to me one last time. "The old Baptist Church by our old place, Saturday next, at 11:00AM." She walked off in search of her bag.

I stood there feeling numb. The woman just had a knack for destroying me. And, strange as it may sound, my cock was as hard as it had ever been watching her butt sway as she walked away from me. Jesus that woman had a hold on me. Well, anyway, it was clear her lover had an even stronger hold on her; that much was very clear!

At any rate, I had a meeting in the morning with the shipping folks. I had to get myself to the hotel and make sure I had all of the necessary materials for the recruiting rounds I would be handling muy prontisimo!

Things went well, I had a half dozen semi-qualified applicants by Wednesday. By Friday I had narrowed the field to two. I would be making a decision by the following Monday and training would begin immediately. I figured two weeks tops.

Friday evening was bad for me. Okay, I still had not made up my mind whether to attend my daughter's wedding. I had decided not to walk her down the aisle, but I wanted to be there. Even with all of the water under the bridge; I still loved my baby, and I needed to be there. I laid out my sport coat and dark trousers that I had brought along for the final interview. I didn't have a tux, but I would be sitting in the back trying to not be seen anyway.

******

I parked a little ways down the street from the church. I watched to see who came and especially when the bride and her mother arrived. I didn't have long to wait. I saw them get out of the limo and hustle in through a side door to the church. There would no doubt be some hustle and bustle going on in some side room for some little while, I figured.

I got out and began to meander toward the building. I was almost to the church when half a dozen black guys emerged from a side door of the church and surrounded me.

"Hello, Clarence," said one of the men. Nice to finally meet you," he said. I just looked at the guy. He was the only one of the six bodies under six-three and two-fifty. He was wearing a tux. It began to dawn on me.

"Marcus Canby, I presume," I said. He nodded.

"Got a minute?" he said. "We need to talk." Technically his words were a request, but five other guys each of whom outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds shepherded me more or less against my will through the door from which they had first emerged.

We found ourselves in front of another door which Marcus opened for us. I was nervous, but also fatalistic. I entered; we all did.

"Sorry for the cloak and dagger," said Marcus. So far none of the others had uttered a sound.

"Whaddya want?" I said.

"I want your daughter to be happy," he said. "I want you to walk her down the aisle, forgive her her trespasses, and become a part of her life once more. She's a wonderful girl. But, you know that I'm sure."

"Me? Down the aisle? I don't think so. I was going to go to the wedding, but not now. I didn't want to be recognized. I just wanted to be there. You've clearly taken over the job of father now; I won't embarrass you or stand in your way," I said.

"What? Taken over the job of being her father? You're nuts," he said. "Oh, I would have walked her down the aisle for lack of anyone else because I like her and respect her, but take over being her dad from you? Not likely."

"Why not? With Millie's assistance you destroyed my family you cannot make me think you care about my bond with my daughter."

"She was faithful to you. She just had sex with me on occasion. You some kind of fucking puritan or something? Look, I'm gonna be less than gallant here. She led me to believe that you wanted to be cuckolded, or I would never have been with her. Well, anyway, then you left, so I stayed with her. Helped her with the bills, and well, fucked her a lot," he said. "I still am."

"Helluva a note," I said. "At least I can't fault your honesty. But there is no way I am going to walking my daughter down the aisle. if you will kindly stand aside," I said to one of the large ones, "I'll be going. I added "

"Ain't happening," said Marcus. He began disrobing right there. "Start shucking those duds, we're exchanging clothes. I figure we're about the same size."

There was knock at the door just then and Millie walked in, seeing me she said. "Good he is here we have to get a move on it is almost time.

I looked Millie right in the eye. She smirked. Score one for her side, at least she thought."

"You had to go and humiliate me again didn't you. You can't just let me be. All I wanted was to be able to observe my daughter's wedding anonymity " I said to Millie.

"What are you talking about? Nobody is trying to humiliate you"

"Really? Nobody else attending this wedding is aware that you are Marcus are shacking up all these years? They don't have questions as to where I have been or why I left? While we are sitting together in the church where will your fuck buddy be? I am sure they saw you arrive together. You don't think they will or have figured things out."

"I am sure you have portrayed it to the rest of your family that I abandoned you instead of your trading my barely adequate not very exciting cock in for somebody who was bigger and more exciting. I don't think they will be particularly happy to see me ."

"Who cares what they think. Can't you put aside your wounded ego for your daughter?"

"In part it is for her. No matter how much she may think otherwise she does not need to have her humiliated cuckold of a father as a distraction from what should be her day but in truth it is mostly for me and I'll admit that. Too bad you are not honest enough with yourselves that you are doing this more as an attempt to assuage your own guilt because you are the reason she does not have her daddy here."

I looked at Marcus. " I thought you as a man you would understand this even if Millie is too stupid. When everything is boiled down to basics we, as men, do not have much that matters but our pride. You can take everything else away from us but as long as we have our pride or self-respect we still have something . You and Mille took that away from me once and you are trying to that again."

The five goons with him were keeping silent but I thought I saw one or two of them nod in agreement with what I was saying. I did not know how much they knew but it was probably enough to be humiliating. Why didn't they just broadcast it on the evening news?

"look man , I explained to you that she told me you wanted to be cuckolded and all we are trying to do here is make things right for you and your daughter."

"You might believe that yourself but how long did it take you to move in after you found out the truth? I did not leave Millie destitute. I left her the house our all the money in our accounts, plus she had her job. She could have sold the house and move some place cheaper and not need you for money. Worse came to worse she could have gone to her family instead of you but your were first on the list. Tell me Marcus were your bags already packed"

Marcus did not say anything and I turned to face Millie.

"But that may have been part of the plan. If I did not submit your moving in was the fall back so she would not be losing anything."

Millie started crying. "That is not true. There was no such plan. I turned to Marcus because I was too embarrassed to go to my family."

"I would almost believe you if you had not already been having an affair with Marcus and given me an ultimatum. Remember you gave me no choice. Tell me if you were too embarrassed to explain my leaving you how did you explain your new roommate?"

Her reply was just some sobbing. She was not smirking now.

I turned back to Marcus who was decidedly less happy than before. "I hope nobody decides to treat you the way you and Millie have treated me. If they do you may find that your self-respect is more important than sex." I looked at his huge friends "I hope you don't let him around your wives or girlfriends. He probably shows the same respect for your relationships as he did mine."

Marcus was not buying it "We are running out of time. Here, put these on and be quick about it. I presume you will want to have a word or two with your daughter before you give her away," he said.

Pointing at my wife I replied "You do it, you have been paying for the privilege of fucking my wife why not get your money's worth and play daddy? Tell me do you charge you friends her to fuck Millie or do they get freebies"

That caused Marcus to lose it and he swung at me. His fist connected to my mouth knocking me to the ground. He followed it with a couple of swift kicks that glanced off my right cheek and hit my nose "You son of bitch I an't no John or pimp!"

Two of his friends pulled him back before he could do more damage to me. I noted later that Mille made no effort to stop him that I could see. It was also interesting that he was more upset by my implied insults toward him than Millie; after all she was a whore by my implication.

I got up slowly., nobody made an effort o help me. I guess I was pretty pathetic looking. I was bleeding from my lips and nose and my cheek had a nasty cut on it, probably from his shoe laces.

"Well I guess I won't even be attending my daughter's wedding much less walking her down the aisle looking all beat up will I?" I held my hand to my mouth and nose trying to stop the bleeding. I was bleeding pretty good as it was running down my hand and onto my arm. Yup, it hurt like hell, but I did not think my nose was broken and all my teeth seemed to be in place. There was box of tissues on a desk in the room. I walked over to it to get some to help slow the bleeding. Nobody seemed to be in any rush to help me or say anything.

Millie seemed to be about ready to speak when the door opened and a very beautiful woman came through, and flustered began..." Mom and dad it is almost time where...what... "

My daughter had just entered the room and had not seen standing over by the desk, her view being partially blocked by one of Marcus's overly large friends. There could have only been one person she was calling dad at that moment and it was not me. It would seem my daughter was more accepting of her mother's actions than I had been told.

I stepped away from the desk and Denise looked my way.

"Daddy! " She shouted as she approached me "You came. What happened to your face? Are you OK?. What is going on here?"

I held up my blood stained hand to stop her. "Don't come any closer baby, you'll get blood on your dress."

"Daddy, how did you get hurt? Tell me what is going on here." She turned to look at her mom, Marcus and his large friends.

Marcus friends started to step out of the crowded room with a few muttered comments to Marcus I did not quite get.

As they left Denise turned back to me and I stated "I'll be fine baby we were just had a difference of opinion as to who was going to walk you down the aisle."

"Did they try to stop you from walking me down the aisle?"

"No baby, they were trying to force me to do it and the discussion got a little heated as I did not want to do it."

"But why daddy, I want you to."

"No baby, I just came to see you get married no to be part of the ceremony. It would not have been good for me or your wedding. Your mom and Marcus tried to convince me otherwise but obviously now that is not going to happen looking the way I do. But baby" I said staring at her intently there is now one other reason I will not be a part of the wedding."

I stopped to wipe some more the blood away from my lips and nose, it had slowed some. "You already have a dad here. He has been footing her bills so he can shack up with your mom and you seem to have accepted him as my replacement. He has paid for the privilege so let him get his money's worth. You call him dad so since he has the name he can have the game."

"But daddy he is not my real dad, he did not raise me. It is just a term of affection."

"It is sad that you have affection for the man who broke up your family."

"Clarence ,Please.." Millie started to interrupt but Denise kept going

"You're the one who left us over sex. My accepting Marcus kept the peace in what was left of our family after you ran off. Mom deserves some happiness." Denise stated.

"Sure, your mom gets her happiness, You get yours, even Marcus get s some happiness, or at least gets laid regularly. Everybody gets happiness but dear old dad who only wanted faithful wife, loyal daughter and little respect. But it seems that I am not even to be allowed the happiness of seeing you get married without being humiliated."

Marcus and Millie just stood there, Marcus was sullen and Millie quietly sobbing. Tears had started to form in my daughter's eyes. I reached inside my coat pocket a took out an envelope.

"I had hoped to get this to you today, a wedding present. It is not much just a card and a check with a card I picked up on the way here." I handed her the pink enveloped that was now stained with blood from hand. "Maybe you can take your husband, mom and new dad out have good time and laughs at my expense."

Her tears started to flow freely at that point and I almost started crying myself but I sucked it up. "I do hope you have good life" I couldn't resist one little dig "but I also hope your husband is aware of your views of sex and fidelity in marriage."

At that pointed I moved started to leave nobody said anything or made a move to stop me. I felt bad as I walked back toward my car, as bad as I felt the day I left. I had been humiliated, had my ass kicked and completely lost my daughter. But I was not crying. "That has to count for something" I said to myself.

I made it back to my room and iced down my face. I did not thin the damage would be too noticeable by Monday except for the cut on my cheek. I would have liked to be able to forget the whole mess and thought about getting drunk but I did not have the energy to even get up. I started to think through this whole situation and realized it was even more fucked up than I even first realized.

Millie being on the plane could not have been a coincidence; she was not thinking of moving out the left coast. Her being on the plane, my tripped timed with my daughter's wedding all pointed to a conspiracy with Millie maybe Marcus and somebody at my job. Could my boss, Mr. Curtis, have been in on this?

I went back to work Monday. I'd hired the guy to handle the dispatching and related duties; he looked good. I would be camping next to him eight hours a day for the next couple of weeks and then I would be heading back to my West Coast digs. A week into the training of the man, I had a visitor.

"Hello, Clarence" I turned around to see my ex-wife standing there. Her hair, makeup and clothing were all done to perfection. She would give a bowl of Jell-O a hard on but I managed to keep at least a little blood flowing to my gray matter.

I made a show of looking behind her and all round like I was expecting somebody else to show up. "So where is Marcus and his muscle?" Have they come to humiliate me further; perhaps kick my ass again or run me out of town?"

"No, nothing like that I came alone. You got an office where we could talk privately?" she asked.

"Yeah, believe it or not they respect me enough around here that I rate my own office, pretty surprising huh? My job may not be as exciting as your lovers but it did OK paying the bills, even managed to put your daughter through college." I motioned her to follow me into the warehouse.

She had a frown on her face when I said that but said nothing has she entered the office and took a chair in front of my desk. I took my seat at my desk and just sat looking at her waiting for her to talk.

She waited for a moment then began. "I know I have told you even though my actions have not have reflected it but I have always respected you and despite what you say Denise is still your daughter. You had no call to ruin her wedding like that. It took twenty minutes to get her calmed down enough and get her makeup fixed so she could go through with the ceremony. "

I took a deep breath and looked at her. "So once again it is my fault for what happened. According to you the wedding was ruined not because you refused to allow me to attend in anonymity I desired but because I refused to allow you and Marcus further humiliate me. I suppose our marriage and family failed because I refused to stick around and be treated as a piece of shit by you three."

I held up my hand as she started to reply and continued speaking.

"I know what you are going to say, it was not your intent to humiliate me but funny how you always end up doing that. It is always about what you want regardless of what it ends up doing to me and when the worse happens you blame me for not accepting it. Well for the record I did not abandon you and Denise you drove me away. I did not ruin the wedding you did. Your life would be so much easier if I would just have the good graces to accept whatever you want to do to me. But even a wimp like me has limits and you crossed them. Now is there anything else you wish to say."

She just sat there and listened. Her face did not show much emotion. Perhaps she was all cried out from the wedding. "Yes I do have a few things to say. I know I cannot apologize enough and I do not know why thing keep turning out wrong between us and perhaps it is wrong to blame you but I wish you would just listen and believe it when I tell you I love you and it is and never was my intent to disrespect you or humiliate you."

"But you do need more that what I can give you, correct?"

"I want you back. If you are so puritanical that you cannot separate sex from love, that my having sex with another man does nothing to us then I am willing to give up other men all you have to is say so and come back to me."

"And Marcus is OK with this."

"We have discussed it. He is not happy about it but he understands."

"Well how big of him. Look it would not work. First there are the trust issues. You betrayed me by starting your affair with Marcus informing me was an afterthought. There was dragging your daughter in to this. When I was leaving you never once said you would reconsider your cuckolding of me and give up your Marcus. Then there is my boss, Mr. Curtiss. Am I correcting assuming that you conspired with him to get me out here?"

"Yes, she said. "He's an old high school boyfriend. He used to live right here in Ohio. But, he moved; they moved, decades ago. I actually connected with him on Facebook, by accident, looking for old high school chums. He was there. We connected. Imagine my surprise when he said he'd hired a guy from Ohio some few years back right from our own home town. One thing led to another. And well, you know the rest."

"Do I really know the rest Millie?" At his point I got out my chair and started pacing, becoming agitated.

"What do you mean?" she asked not looking at me.

"What was the price of your old boyfriend's cooperation? Did you fuck him for old time's sake? Does he know how you cuckolded me? Have you succeeded in humiliating yet again this time at my job?"

She just sat there. Her lack of response more or less gave me the answers those questions.

"Millie" I said more softly as I return back to my seat. She looked up at me, tears forming in her eyes again.

"There are other reasons we cannot get back together. Resentment is one. You may stop having sex with other men if I ask you to but in time, since I am not getting the job done, you will come to hate me for it."